Method and apparatus for coordinating mobile communications network services with intelligent network services

• US 6,128,503 A
• Filed: 12/08/1997
• Issued: 10/03/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Granberg, Christer, Eltester, Friedrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Nguyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUC M
• Application Number:
  US08/986,387
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 455/461, 455/433, 455/426, 455/410, 455/11, 455/432, 455/435, 455/414, 455/422, 379/220
• US Class Current: 455/461
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4217 Managing service interactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A mobile communications system provides mobile communication services from different supplementary service providers to mobile subscribers. A first database stores first subscriber information pertaining to the mobile subscribers. A first service provider provides a first supplementary service to one of the mobile subscribers using the first subscriber information stored in the first database for the mobile subscriber. A second database stores second subscriber information pertaining to subscribers. A second service provider provides a second supplementary service to the mobile subscriber using the second subscriber information stored in the second database for that mobile subscriber. The second service provider coordinates provision of the second supplementary service to the mobile subscriber using some of the first subscriber information obtained from the first database.

Claims

1. A mobile communications system providing mobile communications services to mobile subscribers, comprising:

a first database storing first subscriber information pertaining to the mobile subscribers;

a first service provider, connected to the first database, providing a first supplementary service to one of the mobile subscribers using the first subscriber information stored in the first database for the one mobile subscriber;

a second database storing second subscriber information pertaining to the mobile subscribers;

a second service provider, connected to the second database, providing a second supplementary service to the one mobile subscriber using the second subscriber information stored in the second database for the one mobile subscriber;

wherein the second service provider coordinates provision of the second supplementary service to the one mobile subscriber using some of the first subscriber information obtained from the first database for the one mobile subscriber to detect possible misuse of the second supplementary service.

2. The mobile communications system in claim 1, wherein the first subscriber information includes mobile network operator data and first supplementary service information.

3. The mobile communications system in claim 1, wherein the first subscriber information pertains to restricting a certain type of call that is not permitted for the one mobile subscriber and the second subscriber information pertains to forwarding calls.

4. The mobile communications system in claim 1, wherein the second service provider uses information from the first service provider data to modify the second supplementary service if possible misuse of the second supplementary service is detected.

5. The mobile communications system in claim 1, wherein the second service provider analyzes the first subscriber information from the first database and does not provide the second supplementary service if a possible misuse of the second supplementary service is detected.

6. A mobile communications system providing mobile communications services to mobile subscribers, comprising:

a mobile communications network (MCN) database storing mobile identification and MCN subscriber information pertaining to the mobile subscribers;

an MCN mobile switching center connected to the MCN database providing MCN-based services to one of the mobile subscribers using the MCN subscriber information stored in the database for the one mobile subscriber; and

an Intelligent Network (IN) service control node including service logic providing an IN-based service,

wherein the IN service control node coordinates provision of the IN-based service to the one mobile subscriber using some of the MCN subscriber information obtained from the MCN database for the one mobile subscriber to detect possible misuse of the IN-based service.

7. The mobile communications system in claim 6, wherein the IN service control node and the MCN database are separate nodes and the IN service control node interrogates the MCN database node regarding selected portions of the MCN subscriber information stored for the mobile subscriber pertaining to a MCN-based service related to the IN-based service.

8. The mobile communications system in claim 6, wherein the MCN subscription information includes mobile network operator data and supplementary service information.

9. The mobile communications system in claim 6, wherein the MCN subscriber information pertains to restricting calls.

10. The mobile communications system in claim 6, wherein the MCN database is a home location register (HLR) node that stores associated subscription information along with subscriber identification, status, and location information, and the IN service control node is a Service Control Point (SCP) that includes an IN database storing IN subscription information.

11. The mobile communications system in claim 10, wherein the communications between the HLR and the SCP are defined by a Mobile Applications Part (MAP) protocol.

12. The mobile communications system in claim 11, wherein a MAP Any Time Interrogation (ATI) message is extended to access MCN subscriber information from the MCN database for the one mobile subscriber.

13. The mobile communications system in claim 10, wherein the MCN subscriber information accessed from the HLR includes one or more of the following:

a teleservice list, a bearer service list, operator determined call barring data, and supplementary service data.

14. The mobile communications system in claim 6, wherein the service control node analyzes the MCN subscriber information from the MCN database to modify the IN-based service if possible misuse of the IN-based service is detected.

15. The mobile communications system in claim 6, wherein the service control node analyses the MCN subscriber information from the MCN database and does not provide the IN-based service as a result of the analysis if possible misuse of the IN-based service is detected.

16. The mobile communications system in claim 6, wherein the service control node forwards an identifier corresponding to the one mobile subscriber to the MCN database and the MCN database returns an indication to the service control node for the subscriber whether there is a restriction pertaining to the IN-based service.

17. A method of providing services to mobile subscribers in a mobile communications network (MCN) including an MCN database storing subscriber information pertaining to the mobile subscribers, and a service control node associated with an Intelligent Network (IN) including service logic for selectively providing an IN-based services, comprising coordinating provision of the IN-based service to one of the mobile subscribers using MCN subscriber information obtained from the MCN database pertaining to the one mobile subscriber including:

requesting from the database a parameter of the MCN subscriber information pertaining to the one mobile subscriber;

analyzing the parameter returned from the MCN database; and

determining if there is an attempt at misuse of the IN-based service,

wherein if there is an attempt at misuse of the IN-based service, the service control node modifies or does not deliver the IN-based service.

18. The method in claim 17, further comprising:

analyzing a call involving the one mobile subscriber;

detecting a trigger of the IN-based service; and

invoking the IN-based service at the service control node.

19. The method in claim 17, wherein the determining step includes:

detecting whether a fraud has occurred based on the analyzing step.

20. The method in claim 17, wherein the IN-based service is a call forwarding service and the MCN subscriber information corresponding to the one mobile subscriber affects call forwarding, the call forwarding service being provided based on the MCN subscriber information.

21. The method in claim 20, further comprising:

the service control node determining whether a call forwarding number associated with the IN-based call forwarding service conflicts with the MCN subscriber information.

22. The method in claim 20, wherein the MCN subscriber information includes an MCN Operator-Determined Call Barring (ODB) service.

23. The method in claim 22, further comprising:

the service control node determining whether a call forwarding number associated with the IN-based call forwarding service is prohibited by the MCN ODB service.

24. The method in claim 17, further comprising:

defining a communications interface between the service control node and the MCN database in accordance with a Mobile Applications Part (MAP) protocol, and

extending a MAP Any Time Interrogation (ATI) message to access MCN subscriber information from the MCN database for the one mobile subscriber.

25. A method of providing services to mobile subscribers in a mobile communications network (MCN) including an MCN database storing subscriber information pertaining to the mobile subscribers, and a service control node associated with an Intelligent Network (IN) including service logic for selectively providing an IN-based services, comprising coordinating provision of the IN-based service to one of the mobile subscribers using MCN subscriber information obtained from the MCN database pertaining to the one mobile subscriber including:

requesting from the database a parameter of the MCN subscriber information pertaining to the one mobile subscriber;

analyzing the parameter returned from the MCN database; and

determining if the IN-based service is consistent with the parameter returned by the MCN database,

wherein the IN-based service is inconsistent with the parameter returned by the MCN database, the service control node modifies or does not deliver the IN-based service, and

wherein the MCN subscriber information corresponding to the one mobile subscriber includes an MCN supplementary service and an MCN operator-initiated service.

26. In a mobile communications network (MCN) including an MCN database storing information pertaining to mobile subscribers, and a service control node associated with an Intelligent Network (IN) including service logic for selectively providing an IN-based service, a method for preventing improper procurement of mobile services, a method comprising the steps of:

detecting an IN call involving a mobile subscriber;

invoking the IN-based service in the service control node;

the service control node sending an interrogation request to the MCN database along with an identifier corresponding to the mobile subscriber;

using the mobile subscriber identifier, accessing MCN database information from a subscriber record in the MCN database corresponding to the mobile subscriber;

returning the accessed MCN database information to the service control node, and

determining whether there is a possible misuse of the IN-based service, and if not, modifying the IN-based service.

27. The method in claim 26, further comprising:

defining a communications interface between the service control node and the MCN database in accordance with a Mobile Applications Part (MAP) protocol, and

extending a MAP Any Time Interrogation (ATI) message to access MCN subscriber information from the MCN database for the one mobile subscriber.

28. The method in claim 26, wherein the IN-based service is not provided when rendering the IN-based service would undermine a service provided by the MCN using the accessed MCN database information.

29. The method in claim 26, wherein the determining step includes determining whether a fraud has occurred based on the accessed MCN database information.