Management of subscriber data in mobile system

• US 9,167,414 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Vringo Infrastructure, Inc. (XpresSpa Group, Inc. (f/k/a FORM Holdings Corp.))
• Inventors: Anttila, Ilkka, Paltemaa, Ilpo, Kihlanki, Toivo
• Primary Examiner(s): Keehn, Richard G
• Application Number:
  US13/618,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20130035096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile system comprising a mobile network having a mobile services switching center (MSC, MSCA) for switching connections in the mobile network, and at least one subscriber database server (CSE) for maintaining data on the subscribers of the mobile network. The mobile services switching center (MSC, MSCA) comprises means for querying for and receiving subscriber data from the subscriber database server (CSE) wherein subscriber data are maintained in www page format, and the subscriber database server (CSE) comprises at least one www page for each subscriber in the mobile network, in which page the subscriber'"'"'s subscriber data are stored, the search address of the www page being created based on the subscriber'"'"'s identity.

Claims

1. A mobile system comprising:

a mobile network having a mobile services switching center configured to switch connections in the mobile network, and

at least one subscriber database server configured to maintain data on the subscribers of the mobile network,

wherein the mobile services switching center configured to query and receive subscriber data from the subscriber database server,

wherein subscriber data is maintained in World Wide Web page format, the mobile service switching center using a world wide web address as a search address when querying for the subscriber data,

wherein the subscriber database server comprises at least one World Wide Web page for each subscriber in the mobile network, in which page the subscriber'"'"'s subscriber data are stored, the search address of the World Wide Web page based at least in part on the subscriber'"'"'s identity,

wherein the subscriber data comprises data used by the mobile services switching center for different mobile services switching center functions, including at least a mobile call control function,

wherein the subscriber database server is configured to maintain a World Wide Web page specific log regarding subscriber data queries such that the log indicates which local server sent a query for a page and the time the query was sent,

wherein the at least one World Wide Web page for each subscriber is updated by the subscriber database server based at least in part on data from the mobile services switching center.

2. The mobile system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data comprises location data.

3. The mobile system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile services switching center requests that the local server change a location data.

4. The mobile system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a local server task is configured to relay the request as a task to the subscriber database server as one of a POST operation and a PUT operation.

5. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory including computer program code, where the memory and computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform, maintaining subscriber data in a mobile network;

for each subscriber in the mobile network, at least one World Wide Web page wherein the subscriber'"'"'s subscriber data is stored, said World Wide Web page having a search address based on the respective subscriber'"'"'s identity;

sending a subscriber'"'"'s subscriber data in response to a query from a mobile services switching center including a World Wide Web address as a search address,

wherein the query is initiated by the mobile services switching center and wherein subscriber data comprises data used by the mobile services switching center for different mobile services switching center functions, including a mobile network call control function;

a subscriber-specific main page wherein a first set of data of the subscriber data is stored and whereto said search address points; and

at least one subpage linked to the subscriber-specific main page, wherein a second set of data of the subscriber data is stored and whose search address is created by completing the search address of said main page, the at least one subpage comprising special cases data accessed by completing the World Wide Web address,

wherein the at least one World Wide Web page for each subscriber is updated by the subscriber database server based at least in part on data from the mobile services switching center.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory including computer program code, where the memory and computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform, maintaining subscriber data in a mobile network;

for each subscriber in the mobile network, at least one World Wide Web page wherein the subscriber'"'"'s subscriber data is stored, said World Wide Web page having a search address based on the respective subscriber'"'"'s identity; and

sending a subscriber'"'"'s subscriber data in response to a query from a mobile services switching center including a World Wide Web address as a search address, wherein the query is initiated by the mobile services switching center and wherein subscriber data comprises data used by the mobile services switching center for different mobile services switching center functions, including a mobile network call control function,

wherein the apparatus is embodied as a main server and is configured to maintain a World Wide Web page specific log regarding subscriber data queries such that the log indicates which local server sent a query for a page and the time the query was sent,

wherein the at least one World Wide Web page for each subscriber is updated by the subscriber database server based at least in part on data from the mobile services switching center.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory including computer program code, where the memory and computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform, receiving queries for subscriber data from a mobile services switching center, said queries having a World Wide Web address as a search address;

retrieving the queried subscriber data from a database in the apparatus;

retrieving the queried subscriber data further from a main server when said queried subscriber data is not found in the database of the apparatus;

transferring the retrieved subscriber data to the mobile services switching center;

where said subscriber data is stored in the database as at least one World Wide Web page in World Wide Web page format, said World Wide Web page having a search address based on a respective subscriber'"'"'s identity, wherein the queries are initiated by the mobile services switching center and wherein subscriber data comprises data used by the mobile services switching center for different mobile services switching center functions, including a mobile network call control function;

receiving information about a change in subscriber data caused by the subscriber from the mobile services switching center;

forwarding the information about said change in subscriber data to the main server;

receiving the changed subscriber data in the form of a World Wide Web page from the main server; and

forwarding an acknowledgement about the change in the subscriber data to the mobile services switching center.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

receiving subscriber data that is changed by an operator from the main server in World Wide Web page format; and

forwarding an acknowledgement of the reception of the changed subscriber data to the main server.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

providing the subscriber data to be stored in the apparatus with a time stamp;

checking the time stamp in association with the reception of a following query or notification of change relating to the same subscriber data; and

selecting the stored data conditionally based on whether a predetermined time has lapsed from storage of the stored data.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving queries for subscriber data for a particular subscriber from a mobile services switching center, said queries using a World Wide Web address as a search address;

retrieving the queried subscriber data from a database in a local server;

retrieving the queried subscriber data further from a main server when said data is not found in the database of the local server;

transferring the retrieved subscriber data to the mobile services switching center;

storing the retrieved subscriber data in the local server in World Wide Web page format, said World Wide Web page having a search address based on the identity of the particular subscriber,

wherein the queries are initiated by the mobile services switching center and wherein subscriber data comprises data used by the mobile services switching center for different mobile services switching center functions, including a mobile network call control function;

receiving information about a change in subscriber data caused by the subscriber from the mobile services switching center;

forwarding the information about said change in subscriber data to the main server;

receiving the changed subscriber data in the form of a World Wide Web page from the main server; and

forwarding an acknowledgement about the change in the subscriber data to the mobile services switching center.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving subscriber data that is changed by an operator from the main server in World Wide Web page format; and

forwarding an acknowledgement of the reception of the changed subscriber data to the main server.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing the subscriber data to be stored in the local server with a time stamp;

checking the time stamp in association with the reception of a following query or notification of change relating to the same subscriber data; and

selecting the stored data conditionally based on whether a predetermined time has lapsed from storage of the stored data.

13. A method, comprising:

maintaining subscriber data in a mobile network;

storing, for each subscriber in the mobile network, at least one World Wide Web page wherein the subscriber'"'"'s subscriber data is stored, said World Wide Web page having a search address based on the respective subscriber'"'"'s identity;

sending a subscriber'"'"'s subscriber data in response to a query from a mobile services switching center including a World Wide Web address as a search address, wherein the query is initiated by the mobile services switching center and wherein subscriber data comprises data used by the mobile services switching center for different mobile services switching center functions, including a mobile network call control function;

storing a subscriber-specific main page wherein a first set of data of the subscriber data is stored and whereto said search address points; and

storing at least one subpage linked to the subscriber-specific main page, wherein a second set of data of the subscriber data is stored and whose search address is created by completing the search address of said main page, the at least one subpage comprising special cases data accessed by completing the World Wide Web address,

wherein the at least one World Wide Web page for each subscriber is updated by the subscriber database server based at least in part on data from the mobile services switching center.

14. A method, comprising:

maintaining subscriber data in a mobile network;

storing, for each subscriber in the mobile network, at least one World Wide Web page wherein the subscriber'"'"'s subscriber data is stored, said World Wide Web page having a search address based on the respective subscriber'"'"'s identity;

sending a subscriber'"'"'s subscriber data in response to a query from a mobile services switching center including a World Wide Web address as a search address, wherein the query is initiated by the mobile services switching center and wherein subscriber data comprises data used by the mobile services switching center for different mobile services switching center functions, including a mobile network call control function; and

maintaining a World Wide Web page specific log regarding subscriber data queries such that the log indicates which local server sent a query for a page and the time the query was sent,

wherein the at least one World Wide Web page for each subscriber is updated by the subscriber database server based at least in part on data from the mobile services switching center.

15. A computer-readable memory encoded with instructions that, when executed, cause a device to perform a process, the process comprising:

receiving queries for subscriber data for a particular subscriber from a mobile services switching center, said queries using a World Wide Web address as a search address;

retrieving the queried subscriber data from a database in a local server;

retrieving the queried subscriber data further from a main server when said data is not found in the database of the local server;

transferring the retrieved subscriber data to the mobile services switching center;

storing the retrieved subscriber data in the local server in World Wide Web page format, said World Wide Web page having a search address based on the identity of the particular subscriber,

wherein the queries are initiated by the mobile services switching center and wherein subscriber data comprises data used by the mobile services switching center for different mobile services switching center functions, including a mobile network call control function;

receiving information about a change in subscriber data caused by the subscriber from the mobile services switching center;

forwarding the information about said change in subscriber data to the main server;

receiving the changed subscriber data in the form of a World Wide Web page from the main server; and

forwarding an acknowledgement about the change in the subscriber data to the mobile services switching center.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed, cause a device to perform a process, the process comprising:

maintaining subscriber data in a mobile network;

storing, for each subscriber in the mobile network, at least one World Wide Web page wherein the subscriber'"'"'s subscriber data is stored, said World Wide Web page having a search address based on the respective subscriber'"'"'s identity;

sending a subscriber'"'"'s subscriber data in response to a query from a mobile services switching center including a World Wide Web address as a search address, wherein the query is initiated by the mobile services switching center and wherein subscriber data comprises data used by the mobile services switching center for different mobile services switching center functions, including a mobile network call control function; and

maintaining a World Wide Web page specific log regarding subscriber data queries such that the log indicates which local server sent a query for a page and the time the query was sent,

wherein the at least one World Wide Web page for each subscriber is updated by the subscriber database server based at least in part on data from the mobile services switching center.