User profile conversion to support roaming

• US 9,693,219 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2014
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iBasis Incorporated (Tofane Global SAS)
• Original Assignee: iBasis Incorporated (Tofane Global SAS)
• Inventors: Xu, Richard H., Tang, Hwan Jang
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ, JULIO R
• Application Number:
  US14/523,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20160119773A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 4554321, 4554322, 4554323
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

In an example embodiment, a method includes receiving, from a visited network having a first wireless network type, a first update location request message according to a first signaling protocol, the first message associated with a user equipment roaming at the visited network. The first message is converted to a second update location request message according to a second signaling protocol and transmitted to a home network associated with the user equipment, the home network having a second wireless network type. An update location response message according to the second protocol is received from the home network, the update location response message including a user profile associated with the second network type. A combined user profile is generated based on a user profile associated with the first network type and the user profile associated with the second network type. The combined user profile is transmitted to the visited network in an update location answer message according to the first protocol.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) receiving, from a visited network having a first wireless network infrastructure type that employs a first signaling protocol, a first update location request message according to the first signaling protocol, the first update location request message originating from a mobility management entity (MME) at the visited network and associated with a user equipment roaming at the visited network;

(b) assigning a serving general packet radio service (GPRS) support node (SGSN) global title (GT) to the MME from a pool of GTs for MMES associated with the visited network and converting the first update location request message to a second update location request message according to a second signaling protocol;

(c) transmitting the second update location request message to a home network associated with the user equipment, the home network having a second wireless network infrastructure type that employs the second signaling protocol;

(d) receiving, from the home network, an update location response message according to the second signaling protocol, the update location response message including a user profile associated with the second wireless network infrastructure type;

(e) generating a combined user profile based on a user profile associated with the first wireless network infrastructure type and the user profile associated with the second wireless network infrastructure type; and

(f) transmitting the combined user profile to the visited network in an update location answer message according to the first signaling protocol using the MME address which corresponds to the GT assigned.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising determining whether the user equipment is associated with the first wireless network infrastructure type or the second wireless network infrastructure type.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising executing steps (b) through (f) only if the user equipment is associated with the second wireless network infrastructure type.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein determining is based on a user identifier associated with the user equipment embedded in the first update location request message.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first signaling protocol is Diameter signaling and the second signaling protocol is mobile application part (MAP) signaling.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising retrieving the user profile associated with the first wireless network infrastructure type from a database.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein generating the combined user profile includes adding to, changing, or deleting some or all of the user profile associated with the second wireless network infrastructure type based on the user profile associated with the first wireless network infrastructure type.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising releasing the GT to the pool.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless network infrastructure type is fourth-generation (4G) and the second wireless network infrastructure type is third-generation (3G).

10. A network device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory with computer code instructions stored thereon, the processor and the memory, with the computer code instructions, configured to cause the network device to;

(a) receive, from a visited network having a first wireless network infrastructure type that employs a first signaling protocol, a first update location request message according to the first signaling protocol, the first update location request message originating from a mobility management entity (MME) at the visited network and associated with a user equipment roaming at the visited network;

(b) assign a serving general packet radio service (GPRS) support node (SGSN) global title (GT) to the MME from a pool of GTs for MMES associated with the visited network and convert the first update location request message to a second update location request message according to a second signaling protocol;

(c) transmit the second update location request message to a home network associated with the user equipment, the home network having a second wireless network infrastructure type that employs the second signaling protocol;

(d) receive, from the home network, an update location response message according to the second signaling protocol, the update location response message including a user profile associated with the second wireless network infrastructure type;

(e) generate a combined user profile based on a user profile associated with the first wireless network infrastructure type and the user profile associated with the second wireless network infrastructure type; and

(f) transmit the combined user profile to the visited network in an update location answer message according to the first signaling protocol using the MME address which corresponds to the GT assigned.

11. The network device as recited in claim 10, wherein the processor and the memory, with the computer code instructions, are configured to further cause the network device to determine whether the user equipment is associated with the first wireless network infrastructure type or the second wireless network infrastructure type.

12. The network device as recited in claim 11, wherein the processor and the memory, with the computer code instructions, are configured to further cause the network device to execute steps (b) through (f) only if the user equipment is associated with the second wireless network infrastructure type.

13. The network device as recited in claim 11, wherein determining is based on a user identifier associated with the user equipment embedded in the first update location request message.

14. The network device as recited in claim 10, wherein the first signaling protocol is Diameter signaling and the second signaling protocol is mobile application part (MAP) signaling.

15. The network device as recited in claim 10, wherein the processor and the memory, with the computer code instructions, are configured to further cause the network device to retrieve the user profile associated with the first wireless network infrastructure type from a database.

16. The network device as recited in claim 10, wherein generating the combined user profile includes adding to, changing, or deleting some or all of the user profile associated with the second wireless network infrastructure type based on the user profile associated with the first wireless network infrastructure type.

17. The network device as recited in claim 10, wherein the processor and the memory, with the computer code instructions, are configured to further cause the network device to release the GT to the pool.

18. The network device of claim 10, wherein the first wireless network infrastructure type is fourth-generation (4G) and the second wireless network infrastructure type is third-generation (3G).

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium with computer code instructions stored thereon, the computer code instructions when executed by at least one processor cause an apparatus to:

(a) receive, from a visited network having a first wireless network infrastructure type that employs a first signaling protocol, a first update location request message according to the first signaling protocol, the first update location request message originating from a mobility management entity (MME) at the visited network and associated with a user equipment roaming at the visited network;

(b) assign a serving general packet radio service (GPRS) support node (SGSN) global title (GT) to the MME from a pool of GTs for MMES associated with the visited network and convert the first update location request message to a second update location request message according to a second signaling protocol;

(c) transmit the second update location request message to a home network associated with the user equipment, the home network having a second wireless network infrastructure type that employs the second signaling protocol;

(d) receive, from the home network, an update location response message according to the second signaling protocol, the update location response message including a user profile associated with the second wireless network infrastructure type;

(e) generate a combined user profile based on a user profile associated with the first wireless network infrastructure type and the user profile associated with the second wireless network infrastructure type; and

(f) transmit the combined user profile to the visited network in an update location answer message according to the first signaling protocol using the MME address which corresponds to the GT assigned.