Making international mobile subscriber identity available at base station

• US 9,819,644 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2016
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altiostar Networks, Inc. (Rakuten Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Altiostar Networks, Inc. (Rakuten Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Goel, Anupam Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasraian, Allahyar
• Application Number:
  US15/015,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20170230332A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 455405-409
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/654 International mobile subscriber identity [IMSI] numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4588 containing mobile subscriber information, e.g. home subscriber server [HSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

The subject matter described herein generally relates to making an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) available at a base station, such as an evolved node (eNodeB) base station, within a cellular network, for example, a long term evolution communications system. The base station can receive data in response to a data request. The received data can include a header including an international mobile subscriber identifier. The base station can generate a first data for use in performing at least one communication function based on the received international mobile subscriber identifier. The base station can transmit the first data to at least one server communicatively coupled to the base station. Related apparatuses, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a base station, data in response to a data request, wherein the data request is transmitted by a user equipment to the base station, the received data is transmitted from a core network communicatively coupled to the base station and includes a header including an international mobile subscriber identifier, the international mobile subscriber identifier is associated with the user equipment and added by the core network prior to transmission to the base station;

removing, by the base station, the international mobile subscriber identifier from the received data;

generating, by the base station, based on the removed international mobile subscriber identifier, a first data for use in performing at least one communication function; and

transmitting, by the base station, the first data to at least one server communicatively coupled to the base station.

2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the base station is an evolved node (eNodeB) base station comprising at least one processor and at least one memory.

3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the international mobile subscriber identifier identifies a user equipment, wherein the user equipment generates the data request received by the base station.

4. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the header is a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) response header and includes a X-international mobile subscriber identity (X-IMSI) header containing the international mobile subscriber identifier.

5. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one communication function includes at least one of the following:

a charging function and an interception function.

6. The computer-implemented method according to claim 5, wherein:

the first data is a financial charge for the user equipment; and

the charging function includes computing, based on network data used by a user equipment generating the data request received by the base station, the financial charge for the user equipment, the financial charge being associated with at least one of the following;

the data request and the received data.

7. The computer-implemented method according to claim 6, wherein the financial charge is being charged by a communications network provider.

8. The computer-implemented method according to claim 5, wherein:

the first data includes an identification of at least one of the following;

the user equipment, the data request, the data received in response to the data request, and the base station; and

the interception function includes generating a report, the report identifying at least one of the following;

a user equipment generating the data request received by the base station, the data request, the data received in response to the data request, and the base station.

9. The computer-implemented method according to claim 8, wherein an authorized third party receives the generated report.

10. The computer-implemented method according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the charging function and the interception function are performed by at least one of the following:

the base station and the at least one server.

11. A base station comprising:

at least one programmable processor; and

a machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, by a base station, data in response to a data request, wherein the data request is transmitted by a user equipment to the base station, the received data is transmitted from a core network communicatively coupled to the base station and includes a header including an international mobile subscriber identifier, the international mobile subscriber identifier is associated with the user equipment and added by the core network prior to transmission to the base station;

removing, by the base station, the international mobile subscriber identifier from the received data;

generating, by the base station, based on the removed international mobile subscriber identifier, a first data for use in performing at least one communication function; and

transmitting, by the base station, the first data to at least one server communicatively coupled to the base station.

12. The base station according to claim 11, wherein the international mobile subscriber identifier identifies a user equipment, wherein the user equipment generates the data request received by the at least one programmable processor.

13. The base station according to claim 11, wherein the header is a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) response header and includes a X-international mobile subscriber identity (X-IMSI) header containing the international mobile subscriber identifier.

14. The base station according to claim 11, wherein:

the at least one communication function includes at least one of the following;

a charging function and an interception function; and

at least one of the charging function and the interception function are performed by at least one of the following;

the at least one processor and the at least one server.

15. The base station according to claim 14, wherein:

the charging function includes computing, based on network data used by a user equipment generating the data request received by the at least one programmable processor, a financial charge for the user equipment, the financial charge being associated with at least one of the following;

the data request and the received data; and

the first data is the financial charge, the financial charge being charged by a communications network provider.

16. The base station according to claim 14, wherein:

the first data includes an identification of at least one of the following;

the user equipment, the data request, the data received in response to the data request, and the at least one programmable processor; and

the interception function includes generating a report, the report identifying at least one of the following;

a user equipment generating the data request received by the at least one programmable processor, the data request, the data received in response to the data request, and the at least one programmable processor.

17. A non-transitory computer program product storing instructions that, when executed by at least one programmable processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by a base station, data in response to a data request, wherein the data request is transmitted by a user equipment to the base station, the received data is transmitted from a core network communicatively coupled to the base station and includes a header including an international mobile subscriber identifier, the international mobile subscriber identifier is associated with the user equipment and added by the core network prior to transmission to the base station;

removing, by the base station, the international mobile subscriber identifier from the received data;

generating, by the base station, based on the removed international mobile subscriber identifier, a first data for use in performing at least one communication function; and

transmitting, by the base station, the first data to at least one server communicatively coupled to the base station.

18. The non-transitory computer program product according to claim 17, wherein:

the international mobile subscriber identifier identifies a user equipment, wherein the user equipment generates the data request received by the at least one programmable processor;

the header is a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) response header and includes a X-international mobile subscriber identity (X-IMSI) header containing the international mobile subscriber identifier; and

the at least one communication function includes at least one of the following;

a charging function and an interception function, at least one of the charging function and the interception function being performed by at least one of the following;

the at least one processor and the at least one server.

19. The non-transitory computer program product according to claim 18, wherein:

the charging function includes computing, based on network data used by a user equipment generating the data request received by the at least one programmable processor, a financial charge for the user equipment, the financial charge being associated with at least one of the following;

the data request and the received data; and

the first data is the financial charge, the financial charge being charged by a communications network provider.

20. The non-transitory computer program product according to claim 18, wherein:

the first data includes an identification of at least one of the following;

the user equipment, the data request, the data received in response to the data request, and the at least one programmable processor; and

the interception function includes generating a report, the report identifying at least one of the following;

a user equipment generating the data request received by the at least one programmable processor, the data request, the data received in response to the data request, and the at least one programmable processor.