Roaming mobile subscriber registration in a distributed mobile architecture

• US 9,253,622 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2012
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lemko Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lemko Corporation
• Inventors: Pan, Shaowei
• Primary Examiner(s): Daniel, Jr., Willie J
• Application Number:
  US13/493,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20120252444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

A method includes receiving a call routing request at a first distributed mobile architecture (DMA) node from a mobile switching center (MSC). The method includes identifying, at the first DMA node, a DMA node associated with a mobile subscriber device based on information included in a visitor location register (VLR) gateway accessible to the first DMA node. The VLR gateway identifies a set of visiting mobile subscriber devices. The method includes sending a call routing message from the first DMA node to the identified DMA node associated with the mobile subscriber device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a call routing request at a first distributed mobile architecture (DMA) node of a DMA network from a mobile switching center (MSC), wherein the first DMA node provides wireless service to a first coverage site of the DMA network, the DMA network including multiple coverage sites, and wherein the first DMA node is configured to receive all call routing requests for the DMA network from the MSC;

identifying, at the first DMA node, a second DMA node that provides wireless service to a second coverage site of the DMA network and that provides wireless service to a mobile subscriber device, wherein the second DMA node is identified based on information stored at a visitor location register (VLR) gateway included in the first DMA node, wherein the information stored at the VLR gateway identifies each mobile subscriber device visiting the DMA network and which DMA node of the DMA network provides wireless service to each of the mobile subscriber devices visiting the DMA network; and

sending a call routing message from the first DMA node via a peer-to-peer connection over an internet protocol network to the second DMA node, wherein the call routing message is associated with the mobile subscriber device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the VLR gateway is stored within a computer-readable storage medium of the first DMA node.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the information stored at the VLR gateway comprises an internet protocol (IP) address of a particular DMA node and an identifier for each of the visiting mobile subscriber devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a communication path between the first DMA node and the second DMA node includes at least one other device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first DMA node includes a first VLR that stores first registration information that identifies a first set of visiting mobile subscriber devices located in the first coverage site, and wherein the second DMA node includes a second VLR that stores second registration information that identifies a second set of visiting mobile subscriber devices located in the second coverage site.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the VLR gateway identifies an electronic serial number (ESN) and an international mobile station identifier (IMSI) of each mobile subscriber device visiting the DMA network.

6. A method comprising:

sending a call routing request from a mobile switching center (MSC) to a first distributed mobile architecture (DMA) node of a DMA network, wherein the first DMA node includes a visitor location register (VLR) gateway that stores information that identifies each mobile subscriber device visiting the DMA network and which DMA node of the DMA network provides wireless service to each of the mobile subscriber devices visiting the DMA network, wherein the first DMA node provides wireless service to a first coverage site of the DMA network, the DMA network including multiple coverage sites, and wherein the first DMA node is configured to receive all call routing requests for the DMA network from the MSC;

receiving an acknowledgement to the call routing request from the first DMA node, wherein the acknowledgement identifies a particular DMA node of the DMA network, and wherein the first DMA node is in communication with the particular DMA node via a peer-to-peer connection over an internet protocol network, wherein the particular DMA node is associated with a particular mobile subscriber device; and

placing a call from the MSC to the mobile subscriber device via the particular DMA node.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the particular mobile subscriber device is a roaming mobile subscriber device that is identified as having a corresponding register entry at the VLR gateway.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a second DMA node is coupled to the first DMA node via a second peer-to-peer connection over the internet protocol network.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the MSC is disposed within a module of a second DMA node.

11. A method comprising:

storing first registration information at a visitor location register (VLR) gateway, wherein the first registration information is received from a first distributed mobile architecture (DMA) node of a DMA network, wherein the first registration information is sent by the first DMA node to the VLR gateway in response to the first DMA node receiving a first registration request from a first visiting mobile subscriber that is located within a first coverage site of the DMA network, wherein the first coverage site is supported by the first DMA node, wherein the first registration information indicates that the first visiting mobile subscriber is located within the first coverage site, and wherein the VLR gateway is configured to store information that identifies visiting mobile subscriber devices at each coverage site of the DMA network, and wherein the first DMA node is configured to receive all call routing requests for the DMA network from a mobile switching center (MSC); and

storing second registration information at the VLR gateway, wherein the second registration information is received from a second DMA node of the DMA network, wherein the second registration information is sent by the second DMA node to the VLR gateway in response to the second DMA node receiving a second registration request from a second visiting mobile subscriber that is located within a second coverage site of the DMA network, wherein the second coverage site is supported by the second DMA node, wherein the second coverage site is different from the first coverage site, wherein the first DMA node communicates with the second DMA node via a peer-to-peer connection over an internet protocol network, wherein the second registration information indicates that the second visiting mobile subscriber is located within the second coverage site, wherein the first visiting mobile subscriber is associated with a first home coverage site that is outside of the DMA network, wherein the second visiting mobile subscriber is associated with a second home coverage site that is outside of the DMA network, and wherein the VLR gateway stores information identifying which DMA node of the DMA network provides wireless service to each mobile subscriber device visiting the DMA network.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a routing request from a mobile switching center (MSC), the routing request associated with a mobile subscriber device; and

identifying a DMA node associated with the mobile subscriber device based on at least one of the first registration information and the second registration information in response to receiving the routing the request from the MSC.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the VLR gateway is included in the second DMA node and wherein the identified DMA node is the first DMA node.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the VLR gateway is included in the first DMA node and wherein the identified DMA node is the second DMA node.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the VLR gateway is coupled to the first DMA node and wherein the identified DMA node is the second DMA node.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the VLR gateway is coupled to the second DMA node and wherein the identified DMA node is the first DMA node.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the first DMA node includes a first home location register (HLR) and a first VLR, and wherein the first VLR and the VLR gateway are distinct.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second DMA node includes a second HLR and a second VLR, and wherein the second VLR, the first VLR, and the VLR gateway are distinct.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first VLR is configured to store the first registration information and wherein the second VLR is configured to store the second registration information.