Method for implementing mobile number portability

• US 7,082,307 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2002
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Luo, Jian, Zhang, Zhijun, Zhou, Yabin
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer, Temica
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ, JULIO R
• Application Number:
  US10/321,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20030181206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445, 455/433, 455/434, 455/561, 455/552, 455/426, 455/410, 370/335, 370/342, 370/441
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/28 Number portability ; Network address portability

Abstract

A scheme is provided for realizing Mobile Number Portability (MNP) by utilizing a signaling flow of prior mobile network standards such that no modification to the main apparatuses, such as VMSC, GMSC, and HLR, and the like, of the prior networks is required; only a NPDB+ apparatus is required and added, that is, a combination of NPDB and NPHLR. A user of Number portability from an original or home network to a second or other network will be a user of Number Portability out (NP out) among the users of the second network. The number section of the user belongs in the network, and it is able to assign a virtual roaming number to identify the situation of Number Portability (NP) of the user. A user of Number Portability from the second network to the home network is a user of Number Portability in (NP in) among the users of the home network. The NPDB+ apparatus is newly built to store the data of MNP mobile users who enter the home network and to accomplish the associated functions without any modification to the structure of the network. The distribution technology is used for storing the data of the NPDB+. The database is of high reliability such that the circuitous voice circuits do not existed, and the metering between the networks is easy. The newly added apparatus NPDB+ is superimposed on the prior networks, when there are less users during an early period, and only small amount of construction is required. The expansion of the capacity of the networks can be completed by adding portions of an apparatus based on the development condition of MNP services. The expansiveness of the networks is excellent, particularly, it is suitable for the mobile operating agents who have very large scale prior networks.

Claims

1. A method of implementing number portability of a user from a home mobile network to a second mobile network, comprising the steps of:

calling the user by a caller of the home mobile network, a Directory Number of the home mobile network of the user being carried to the second mobile network;

routing the call to Visited Mobile Switch Center (VMSCA);

transmitting a SRI REQ message for retrieving a roaming number by the Visited Mobile Switch Center (VMSCA) to Home Location Register (HLR) of the user, the Directory Number of the home mobile network of the user being carried to the second mobile network;

transmitting a PRN REQ message to Gateway Mobile Switch Center (GMSCA) by the Home Location Register (HLR) of the user, the Directory Number of the home mobile network of the user being carried to the second mobile network;

determining the received PRN RFQ message by the Gateway Mobile Switch Center (GMSCA) to trigger an intelligent service to Number Portability DataBase+(NPDB+);

deciding the user, of whom the Directory Number of the home mobile network is carried to the second mobile network, by the Number Portability DataBase+(NPDB+), to determine whether the user is really a user, of whom the home mobile network Directory Number being carried to the second mobile network, or not, if the decision is Yes, then a virtual roaming number is assigned, and returned back to the Gateway Mobile Switch Center (GMSCA) in a CONNECT message;

if the decision is No, then an error code is returned back to the Gateway Mobile Switch Center (GMSCA);

returning the virtual roaming number to the Home Location Register (HLR) by the Gateway Mobile Switch Center (GMSCA) in a PRN RSP message;

returning the virtual roaming number to the Gateway Mobile Switch Center (GMSCA) by the Home Location Register (HLR) in a SRI ACK message;

analyzing the virtual roaming number by the Visited Mobile Switch Center (VMSCA), and routing the call to a prior Gateway Mobile Switch Center (GMSCB) of the home mobile network;

routing the call to a Gateway Mobile Switch Center (GMSCC) by the Gateway Mobile Switch Center (GMSCB) based on a routed number; and

determining a current subscribed network by the home mobile network for the user, of whom the home mobile networks Directory Number is carried to the second mobile network.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the virtual roaming number is a combination of the Routing Number (RN) plus Mobile Station Integrated Digital Network Number (MSISDN).

3. A method of implementing number portability of user from a second mobile network to a home mobile network, comprises the steps of:

calling a user by a caller of the home mobile network, a Directory Number of the second mobile network being carried to the home mobile network;

routing the call to the Gateway Mobile Switch Center (GMSCA) by the Visited Mobile Switch Center (VMSCA);

transmitting a SRI REQ message of retrieving a roaming number by the Gateway Mobile Switch Center (GMSCA) to the Number Portability DataBase+ (NPDB+) for the user of the second mobile network;

relaying the message to an internal Number Portability Home Location Register (NPHLR) function module via an internal interface, after the Number Portability DataBase+(NPDB+) receiving the SRI REQ message;

transmitting the operation of retrieving the roaming number by the internal Number Portability Home Location Register (NPHLR) function module to the Visited Mobile Switch Center (VMSC) of the home mobile network, and returning a result of the operation back to the Gateway Mobile Switch Center (GMSCA) by a normal SRI ACK message; and

routing the call to the Visited Mobile Switch Center/the Gateway Mobile Switch Center (VMSCB/GMSCB) by the Gateway Mobile Switch Center (GMSCA) based on the returned roaming number/routing number.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein after the Number Portability Home Location Register (NPHLR) function module transmits the PRN REQ operation for retrieving a roaming number to the Visited Mobile Switch Center (VMSC) of the home mobile network, the method further comprises the steps of:

indicating that the user is a user of whom the Directory Number of the home mobile network is carried to the second mobile network, if the operation is assertive; and

indicating that the user is a user of the second mobile network if the operation is unassertive, and transmitting a query by the Number Portability Home Location Register (NPHLR) to the Number Portability DataBase (NPDB) via an internal interface;

deciding a current subscribed network of the user by the Number Portability DataBase (NPDB), and returning the routing number to the Number Portability Home Location Register (NPHLR), thereby obtaining the roaming number of the assertive operation or the routing number of the unassertive operation.