Method and system for providing roaming intelligence (RI) to a host network operator for its roaming traffic

• US 9,338,663 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2008
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobileum, Incorporated fka Roamware
• Original Assignee: Mobileum, Incorporated fka Roamware
• Inventors: Gillot, David, Jiang, John Yue Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): DU, HUNG K
• Application Number:
  US12/184,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20090061854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,839 Days
• Field of Search: 455/405, 455/408, 455/432.1, 455/435.2, 455/433
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for facilitating roaming management of a host network. The method includes obtaining at a gateway associated with the host network, signaling messages of one or more roamers. The roamers are subscribers of either the host network or one or more non-host networks. The method further includes determining by the gateway, the host network'"'"'s roaming arrangement with the non-host networks, based on analysis of one or more signaling messages from the obtained signaling messages.

Claims

1. A method for determining a roaming arrangement of a host network with a non-host network, the host network having an associated gateway and a roaming agreement with a home network, wherein multiple sets of home network subscribers are located in the host network and the non-host network, the method comprising:

obtaining, via the associated gateway, signaling messages of one or more roamers, wherein the one or more roamers comprise failed-to-register roamers or registered roamers, each roamer being a subscriber of the multiple sets of subscribers, wherein obtaining the signaling messages comprises passive monitoring and active inward and outward interfacing at the associated gateway; and

determining, via the associated gateway, the host network'"'"'s roaming arrangement with the non-host network, based on an analysis of one or more additional signaling messages from the obtained signaling messages,

wherein the host network is different from a home network of the one or more roamers, and the host network does not have a roaming agreement with the non-host network,

wherein determining the host network'"'"'s roaming arrangement comprises determining an inbound roaming market share of the host network, and

wherein determining an inbound roaming market share of the host network comprises;

calculating, via the associated gateway, a number of samples necessary for determining the inbound roaming market share;

selecting, via the associated gateway, the roamers of the one or more roamers that have earlier roamed in the host network, wherein a number of the selected roamers is equal to the calculated number of samples;

obtaining, through a polling via the associated gateway to a home location register (HLR) associated with the selected roamer'"'"'s home network, current locations of the selected roamers from the obtained signaling messages;

determining, via the associated gateway, a distribution of the selected roamers across different operators within the host network'"'"'s country, wherein the determination is based on the obtained locations;

issuing, via the associated gateway, a blank Short Message Service (SMS) to each of the selected roamers when the obtained current location of the selected roamer indicates the selected roamer'"'"'s home network location such that the home network of the selected roamer does not identify the polling, in connection with obtaining the current locations, as an SMS faking procedure; and

issuing, via the associated gateway, at least one of;

a routing request for a short message, a routing request for a short message with General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) support indication, an interrogation message, a routing request message and a routing request message for GPRs to the HLR, wherein the selected roamer'"'"'s home network is the non-host network.

2. The method of claim 1, the associated gateway having an associated database, the method further comprising:

in the associated database, storing at least one of;

International Mobile Subscriber Identities (IMSIs) correspondingly associated with the one or more roamers, Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Numbers (MSISDNs) correspondingly associated with the one or more roamers, Mobile Station Roaming Numbers (MSRNs) correspondingly associated with the one or more roamers, locations of the one or more roamers, international and national interconnect information, protocol data, or one or more unknown non-host networks in a blacklist.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the protocol data enables processing, combining and correlating different signaling information based on at least one of:

a time window between events, network information, one or more Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP) addresses, Mobile Application Part (MAP) information, CAMEL Application Part (CAP) information, ISDN User Part Protocol (ISUP) information, profile information of the one or more roamers, IMSIs of the one or more roamers, Temporary IMSIs (TIMSIs) of the one or more roamers, Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Numbers (MSISDNs) of the one or more roamers, and International Mobile Equipment Identities (IMEIs) of the one or more roamers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the roaming arrangement further comprises at least one of:

determining an outbound roaming market share of the host network,

determining an inbound roamer drop-off cells in the host network,

determining an inbound roaming activity cells in the host network,

determining an inbound roamer capture cells in the host network,

determining an inbound roamer re-capture cells in the host network, or

determining one or more desired roaming agreements with the non-host network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the distribution of the selected roamers further comprises:

determining an average stay period of each of the selected roamers at the host network; and

determining an average stay period of each of the selected roamers at the non-host network within the host network'"'"'s country.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the average stay period of each of the selected roamers at the non-host network further comprises:

polling the HLR to obtain each of the selected roamers'"'"' current location, wherein the HLR is polled at a pre-defined frequency and for a pre-defined duration.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the average stay period of each of the selected roamers at the host network further comprises:

determining a time difference between a registration message and a registration cancellation message for each of the selected roamers at the host network.

8. The method of claim 1, each of the selected roamers having a type, wherein the distribution of the selected roamers is determined based on the type.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein active interfacing comprises issuing signaling messages.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing one or more roaming agreements between the host network and the non-host network based upon the host network'"'"'s roaming arrangement with the non-host network.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the host network has at least one roaming agreement with the home network.

9. A system for determining a roaming agreement of a host network, with a non-host network, the host network having an associated gateway and a roaming agreement with a home network, wherein multiple sets of home network subscribers, are located in the host network and the non-host network, the system comprising:

an obtaining module for obtaining, via the associated gateway, signaling messages of one or more roamers, wherein the one or more roamers comprise failed-to-register roamers or registered roamers, each roamer being a subscriber of the multiple set of subscribers, and wherein obtaining the signaling messages comprises passive monitoring and active inward and outward interfacing at the associated gateway; and

a determining module for determining, via the associated gateway, the host network'"'"'s roaming arrangement with non-host network, based on an analysis of one or more additional signaling messages from the obtained signaling messages,

wherein the host network is different from a home network of the one or more roamers, and the host network does not have a roaming agreement with the non-host network,

wherein the determining module is further configured to determine an inbound roaming market share of the host network, and

wherein the determination of the inbound roaming market share of the host network comprises;

calculating, via the associated gateway, a number of samples necessary for determining the inbound roaming market share;

selecting, via the associated gateway, the roamers of the one or more roamers that have earlier roamed in the host network, wherein a number of the selected roamers is equal to the calculated number of samples;

obtaining, through a polling via the associated gateway to a home location register (HLR) associated with the selected roamer'"'"'s home network, current locations of the selected roamers from the obtained signaling messages;

determining, via the associated gateway, a distribution of the selected roamers across different operators within the host network'"'"'s country, wherein the determination is based on the obtained location;

issuing, via the associated gateway, a blank Short Message Service (SMS) to each of the selected roamers when the obtained current location of the selected roamer indicates the selected roamer'"'"'s home network location such that the home network of the selected roamer does not identify the polling, in connection with obtaining the current locations, as an SMS faking procedure; and

issuing, via the associated gateway, at least one of;

a routing request for a short message, a routing request for a short message with General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) support indication, an interrogation message, a routing request message and a routing request message for GPRS to the HLR, wherein the selected roamer'"'"'s home network is the non-host network.

10. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a processor of a computer to determine a roaming agreement of a host network, with a non-host network, the host network having an associated gateway and a roaming arrangement with a home network, wherein multiple sets of home network subscribers, are located in the host network and the non-host network, the control logic comprising:

a first set of code for obtaining, via the associated gateway, signaling messages of one or more roamers, wherein the one or more roamer comprise failed-to-register roamers, each roamer being a subscriber of the multiple set of subscribers, wherein obtaining the signaling messages comprises passive monitoring and active inward and outward interfacing at the associated gateway; and

a second set of code for determining, via the associated gateway, the host network'"'"'s roaming arrangement with non-host network, based on an analysis of one or more additional signaling messages from the obtained signaling messages,

wherein the host network is different from a home network of the one or more roamers, and the host network does not have a roaming agreement with the non-host network,

wherein determining the host network'"'"'s roaming arrangement comprises determining an inbound roaming market share of the host network, and

wherein determining an inbound roaming market share of the host network comprises;

calculating, via the associated gateway, a number of samples necessary for determining the inbound roaming market share;

selecting, via the associated gateway, the roamers of the one or more roamers that have earlier roamed in the host network, wherein a number of the selected roamers is equal to the calculated number of samples;

obtaining, through a polling via the associated gateway to a home location register (HLR) associated with the selected subscriber'"'"'s home network, current locations of the selected roamers from the obtained signaling messages;

determining, via the associated gateway, a distribution of the selected roamers across different operators within the host network'"'"'s country, wherein the determination is based on the obtained locations;

issuing, via the associated gateway, a blank Short Message Service (SMS) to each of the selected roamers when the obtained current location of the selected roamer indicates the selected roamer'"'"'s home network location such that the home network of the selected roamer does not identify the polling, in connection with obtaining the current locations, as an SMS faking procedure; and

issuing, via the associated gateway, at least one of;

a routing request for a short message, a routing request for a short message with General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) support indication, an interrogation message, a routing request message and a routing request message for GPRS to the HLR, wherein the selected roamers'"'"' home network is the non-host network.