Telecommunications network with portability of mobile subscriber number

• US 6,064,887 A
• Filed: 12/11/1996
• Issued: 05/16/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Olsson, Bjorn, Larsson, Mikael, Kilhage, Per-Erik Mikael, Kallioniemi, Karl-Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US08/764,634
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445, 455/432, 455/433, 455/434, 455/436, 455/438, 455/439, 455/440, 455/421, 455/550, 455/446, 379/220, 379/207, 379/230, 379/219, 379/221, 379/201, 379/229, 379/231
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0435 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13102 Common translator
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 Code signals, frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13284 Call tracing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13286 Direct in-dialling in PBX, DDI
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13513 UPT - personal as opposed to terminal mobility, inc. number portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13532 mobile networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13535 distributed systems - also domains in service creation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13547 subscriber, e.g. profile, database, database access
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 : Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/28 : Number portability ; Network address portability

Abstract

A telecommunications network (10) comprises a set of service provider/operator domains (20), including mobile telecommunications domains (20A-20C). A call-originating domain (20F) accesses a mobile subscriber number portability database (30F) to obtain the address of the gateway node (GMSC) of the telecommunications domain which currently serves a called mobile subscriber having a mobile station (70), and optionally the address of the home location register (HLR) of the called mobile subscriber. The address of the gateway node obtained from the database (and optionally the address of the home location register) are included along with the directory number (MSISDN) or IMSI of the called mobile subscriber in a routing message for completing the call. When changing service providers (e.g., changing to a new domain), the mobile subscriber number portability database is updated to reflect the change. Access of the database and usage of the address of the gateway node of the new domain in the routing message permit the mobile subscriber to retain the same MSISDN when changing service providers.

Claims

1. A telecommunications network comprising a set of service provider domains, at least one of tbe domains in the set of domains being a mobile telecommunications domain serving mobile telecommunications stations, wherein a call-originating domain included in the set of domains accesses a mobile subscriber number portability database to obtain information to be included as a parameter in a routing message for routing a call made from the call-originating domain to a called mobile station, and wherein the information includes (1) an address of a node in the telecommunications domain which currently serves the called mobile subscriber and (2) an identification of the called mobile station sufficient to allow the telecommunications domain in which the currently serves the called mobile station to access a home location register (HLR) of the called mobile station, and wherein a plurality of the mobile telecommunications domains comprise mobile subscriber number portability databases, and wherein gateway nodes of the plurality of the mobile telecommunications domains comprising mobile subscriber number portability databases access the corresponding mobile subscriber number portability databases.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein the network further includes a central management system which updates the mobile subscriber number portability databases when a mobile subscriber changes membership from a first of the mobile telecommunications domains to a second of the mobile telecommunications domains.

3. A method of routing calls through a telecommunications network, the telecommunications network having a set of service provider domains, at least one of the domains in the set of domains being a mobile telecommunications domain serving mobile telecommunications stations, the method comprising:

accessing, in a call-originating domain included in the set of domains, a mobile subscriber number portability database to obtain an address of a gateway node of the mobile telecommunications domain which currently serve a called mobile subscriber;

including the address of the gateway node of the mobile telecommunications domain which currently serves a called mobile subscriber as a parameter in a routing message for routing a call made from the call-originating domain to a called mobile subscriber;

sending the routing message via the gateway node to the mobile telecommunications domain which currently serves the called mobile subscriber; and

then

in the mobile telecommunications domain which currently serves a called mobile subscriber, accessing a home location register (HLR) of the called mobile subscriber;

wherein a plurality of the mobile telecommunications domains comprise mobile subscriber number portability databases, wherein the gateway nodes of the plurality of the mobile telecommunications domains comprising mobile subscriber number portability databases access the corresponding mobile subscriber number portability databases, and wherein the method further comprises using a central management system to update the mobile subscriber number portability databases when a mobile subscriber changes membership from a first of the mobile telecommunications domains to a second of the mobile telecommunications domains.