Selective carrier denial for mobile subscribers

• US 6,081,731 A
• Filed: 12/18/1996
• Issued: 06/27/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Joensuu, Erkki, Alperovich, Vladimir, Patel, Mahesh, Valentine, Eric, Boltz, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US08/768,812
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 455/433, 455/411, 455/435, 455/434, 455/521, 455/522, 455/550, 455/561, 455/565, 455/422, 455/417, 455/414, 455/518, 455/519, 455/415, 379/130, 379/199, 379/200, 379/221, 379/377, 379/386, 379/565
• US Class Current: 455/565
• 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

Abstract

Selective carrier denial in a cellular system restricts some or all carrier-handled calls from a given cellular subscriber while simultaneously allowing other cellular calls. A restriction flag or indicator in a Visitor Location Register (VLR) of the cellular system is set by a Home Location Register (HLR) which contains a list of those carriers denied to subscribers. When the restriction flag is set, the HLR is interrogated to determine if the call is restricted. Alternatively, the restriction flag may reside within the subscriber'"'"'s mobile phone. Further, the VLR or mobile phone may, respectively, contain a list of denied carriers and internally determine if carrier denial applies without resort to the HLR.

Claims

1. A cellular communications system having a home location register, a plurality of visitor location registers in communication therewith, and a mobile station in communication with a respective one of said visitor location registers through a mobile switching center, circuitry within said cellular communication system for carrier denial, said circuitry comprising:

a carrier restriction database, within said home location register, for indicating the carrier restrictions applicable for said mobile station; and

selective carrier restriction means, in communication with said carrier restriction database of said home location register, for selectively restricting a carrier-access cellular call of said mobile station, wherein said selective carrier restriction means comprises;

an indicator flag, within said respective visitor location register, for indicating a carrier restriction for said mobile station, said indicator flag being set through communication with said home location register; and

carrier restriction function means, within said home location register, for determining whether said carrier-access cellular call of said mobile station is restricted by the applicable carrier restrictions within said carrier restriction database, carrier information associated with said carrier-access cellular call being forwarded to said home location register for said determination when said indicator flag is set, said carrier restriction function means matching said carrier information against the applicable carrier restrictions within said carrier restriction database.

2. The cellular communications system according to claim 1, wherein said indicator comprises a flag indicative of a particular carrier restriction applicable to said mobile station.

3. The cellular communications system according to claim 2, wherein said particular carrier restriction indicates no carrier-access calls for said mobile station.

4. The cellular communications system according to claim 1, wherein said indicator comprises a flag indicative of a multiplicity of discrete applicable carrier restrictions.

5. The cellular communications system according to claim 1, wherein said home location register communicating with said respective visitor location register through the transference from said carrier restriction database of subscriber profile data about a mobile subscriber associated with said mobile station thereto, said indicator comprising a portion of said data.

6. The cellular communications system according to claim 1, wherein said carrier-access cellular call originates from said mobile station.

7. The cellular communications system according to claim 1, wherein said carrier-access cellular call terminates at said mobile station.

8. The cellular communications system according to claim 1, wherein said carrier-access cellular call is part of an Intelligent Network communication.

9. The cellular communications system according to claim 1, wherein said carrier restriction means allows non-carrier-access cellular calls to pass.

10. The cellular communications system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile station is restricted to use of a single carrier within said cellular communications system.

11. The cellular communications system according to claim 1, further comprising:

updating means, in communication with said home location register, for updating said carrier restriction database.

12. A method for selective carrier denial in a cellular communications system having a home location register, a plurality of visitor location registers in communication therewith, and a mobile station in communication with a respective one of said visitor location registers through a mobile switching center, a carrier restriction database within said home location register for indicating the carrier restrictions applicable for said mobile subscriber, and an indicator within said system, said indicator in communication with said carrier restriction database within said home location register, said indicator being set if carrier restrictions for said mobile station apply, said method comprising the steps of:

determining, upon occurrence of a carrier-access cellular call, whether said indicator is set;

if said indicator is determined to be set;

forwarding a carrier identifier for said carrier-access cellular call to said home location register; and

determining, within said home location register, if said carrier identifier matches a restricted carrier identifier for said mobile station in said carrier restriction database, said carrier-access cellular call being denied if said carrier identifier matches said restricted carrier identifier, and said carrier-access cellular call proceeding if no match occurs;

otherwise said carrier-access cellular call proceeding.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said indicator is within said respective visitor location register.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein said indicator is within said mobile station associated with a mobile subscriber.

15. A method for selective carrier denial in a cellular communications system having a home location register, a plurality of visitor location registers in communication therewith, and a mobile station in communication with a respective one of said visitor location registers through a mobile switching center, a carrier restriction database within said home location register for indicating the carrier restrictions applicable for said mobile station, and an indicator within said respective visitor location register for indicating at least one carrier restriction applicable to said mobile station, said method comprising the steps of:

determining, upon occurrence of a carrier-access cellular call, the carrier identifier for said carrier-access cellular call; and

comparing the carrier identifier with said at least one carrier restriction within said indicator, said carrier-access cellular call being denied if said carrier identifier matches one of said at least one carrier restrictions within said indicator, and said carrier-access cellular call proceeding if no match occurs.

16. A method for selective carrier denial in a cellular communications system having a home location register, a plurality of visitor location registers in communication therewith, and a mobile station in communication with a respective one of said visitor location registers through a mobile switching center, a carrier restriction database within said home location register for indicating the carrier restrictions applicable for said mobile station, and an indicator within said mobile station associated with a mobile subscriber, said indicator indicating at least one carrier restriction applicable to said mobile station, said method comprising the steps of:

determining, upon occurrence of a carrier-access cellular call, the carrier identifier for said carrier-access cellular call; and

comparing the carrier identifier with said at least one carrier restriction within said indicator, said carrier-access cellular call being denied if said carrier identifier matches one of said at least one carrier restrictions within said indicator, and said carrier-access cellular call proceeding if no match occurs.

17. A cellular communications system having a home location register, a plurality of visitor location registers in communication therewith, and a mobile station in communication with a respective one of said visitor location registers through a mobile switching center, comprising:

a carrier restriction database, within said home location register, for indicating the carrier restrictions applicable for said mobile station;

an indicator, within said respective visitor location register, for indicating a plurality of carrier restrictions applicable to said mobile station, said indicator being set through communication with said home location register; and

carrier restriction function means, within said respective visitor location register, for determining whether said carrier-access cellular call of said mobile station is restricted by the applicable carrier restrictions within said indicator, said carrier restriction function means matching the carrier information associated with said carrier-access cellular call against the applicable carrier restrictions within said indicator.

18. A cellular communications system having a home location register, a plurality of visitor location registers in communication therewith, and a mobile station in communication with a respective one of said visitor location registers through a mobile switching center, comprising:

a carrier restriction database, within said home location register, for indicating the carrier restrictions applicable for said mobile station;

an indicator, within said mobile station, for indicating a plurality of carrier restrictions applicable to said mobile station, said indicator being set through communication with said home location register; and

carrier restriction function means, within at least one of said mobile station, said respective visitor location register and said home location register, for determining whether said carrier-access cellular call of said mobile station is restricted by the applicable carrier restrictions within said carrier restriction database, carrier information associated with said carrier-access cellular call being forwarded to said carrier restriction function means for said determination when said indicator flag is set, said carrier restriction function means matching the carrier information against the applicable carrier restriction within said carrier restriction database.