SS7 gateway for wireless communication networks

• US 7,298,751 B1
• Filed: 11/22/2002
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Baker, John, Buckley, Adrian, Greenwood, Martin, Hui, David, Linden, Antti, Zhoe, Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, DUC CHI
• Application Number:
  US10/302,589
• Time in Patent Office: 1,824 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/06 between gateways and public network devices

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system and method for an SS7 gateway for wireless networks.

Claims

1. A Wireless Access Internet Network architecture for providing users access to a communications network, the architecture comprising:

a wireless client wherein the wireless client provides an authentication;

a wireless server in communication with the wireless client wherein the wireless server includes;

a charging module;

a Home Location Register (HLR) signaling module; and

a Domain Naming System (DNS)/Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) module;

an Internet Protocol (IP) network in communication with the wireless server;

a Signaling System Number 7 (SS7) gateway device connected to the IP network wherein the gateway device includes a protocol converter that provides conversion from IP messages from the wireless server into SS7 messages authenticating the wireless client;

a HLR connected to the gateway device that receives the converted SS7 messages and the identity information from the wireless client for the authentication; and

a Short Message Service Gateway (SMS-GW) connected to the wireless server wherein the wireless server transmits Short Message Service (SMS) messages to the SMS-GW.

2. The architecture of claim 1 further including a second wireless client in communication with the wireless server.

3. The architecture of claim 1 further including:

a wireless mobile device with a cellular protocol; and

a base station system (BSS) in communication with the wireless mobile device and connected to the data network wherein the wireless server can transmit messages from the wireless client to the wireless mobile device through the data network and the BSS.

4. The architecture of claim 1 further including:

a wireless mobile device with a wireless protocol;

a receiving system in communication with the wireless mobile device; and

a SGSN in communication with the receiving system and connected to the data network wherein the wireless server can transmit messages from the wireless client to the wireless mobile device through the data network, the SGSN and the receiving system.

5. The architecture of claim 1 further including a charge and billing gateway device in communication with the wireless server wherein the wireless server transmits charge and billing information to the charge and billing gateway device.

6. The architecture of claim 1 further including a RADIUS server connected to the wireless server wherein the authentication includes a User ID and a password and wherein the wireless server transmits the User ID and password to the RADIUS server and the wireless server receives an appropriate approve/deny message back from the RADIUS server.

7. The architecture of claim 1 further including a RADIUS server connected to the wireless server wherein the wireless server transmits accounting data to the RADIUS server.

8. The architecture of claim 1 wherein the SMS-GW encodes the SMS messages to the wireless client.

9. The architecture of claim 1 wherein the wireless client encodes the SMS messages to the SMS-GW.

10. The architecture of claim 1 wherein the SMS-GW decodes the SMS messages from the wireless client.

11. The architecture of claim 1 wherein the wireless client decodes the SMS messages from the SMS-GW.

12. A method for transmitting wireless messages from a Wireless Access Internet Network architecture for providing users access to a communications network, the method comprising:

transmitting an authentication message from a wireless client;

receiving the authentication message at a wireless server in communication with the wireless client wherein the wireless server includes;

a charging module;

a Home Location Register (HLR) signaling module; and

a Domain Naming System (DNS)/Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) module;

transmitting the authentication message from the wireless server to an Internet Protocol (IP) network;

receiving the authentication message at a Signaling System Number 7 (SS7) gateway device connected to the IP network wherein the SS7 gateway device includes a protocol converter that provides conversion from IP messages from the wireless server into SS7 messages identifying the wireless client;

transmitting the authentication message from the SS7 gateway to a HLR; and

transmitting a short message to a Short Message Service Gateway (SMS-GW) from the wireless server.

13. The method of claim 12 further including transmitting from a second wireless client to the wireless server.

14. The method of claim 12 further including:

transmitting a plurality of messages from a wireless mobile device with a cellular protocol; and

receiving the plurality of messages at a base station system (BSS) in communication with the wireless mobile device and connected to the data network wherein the wireless server can transmit messages from the wireless client to the wireless mobile device through the data network and the BSS.

15. The method of claim 12 further including:

transmitting a plurality of messages from a wireless mobile device with a wireless protocol;

receiving the plurality of messages at a receiving system in communication with the wireless mobile device; and

transmitting the plurality of messages from the receiving system to a SGSN in communication with the receiving system and connected to the data network wherein the wireless server can transmit messages from the wireless client to the wireless mobile device through the data network, the SGSN and the receiving system.

16. The method of claim 12 further including transmitting billing information to a charge and billing gateway device in communication with the wireless server.

17. The method of claim 12 further including transmitting a User ID and Password to a RADIUS server connected to the wireless server and receiving an appropriate approve/deny message back from the RADIUS server.

18. The method of claim 12 further including transmitting an authentication information request message to a HLR connected to the wireless server and receiving requested authentication data back from the HLR.

19. The architecture of claim 12 wherein the SMS-GW encodes the SMS messages to the wireless client.

20. The architecture of claim 12 wherein the wireless client encodes the SMS messages to the SMS-GW.

21. The architecture of claim 12 wherein the SMS-GW decodes the SMS messages from the wireless client.

22. The architecture of claim 12 wherein the wireless client decodes the SMS messages from the SMS-GW.