# US 2014/0194096 A1 · Method and apparatus for verification of a telephone number > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0194096 A1 - Document ID: US20140194096A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/150,651 - Filed: 2014-01-08 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-08 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ) - Applicants: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ) - Inventors: Niklas AGEVIK; Bjorn IDREN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194096A1 ## CPC - H04W 12/12: Detection or prevention of fraud - H04L 63/126: {the source of the received data} - H04L 63/18: {using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215)} - H04W 4/029: Location-based management or tracking services - H04W 8/10: between location register and external networks - H04W 12/10: Integrity - H04W 4/02: Services making use of location information - H04W 12/06: Authentication - H04W 12/72: Subscriber identity - H04W 92/08: between user and terminal device - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract The invention relates to a method and apparatus for verification of a mobile telephone number. The method comprises: storing a mobile telephone number and a corresponding mobile subscriber identity number; receiving a request for verification of the mobile telephone number; sending, in response to the request, an IMSI query requesting a mobile subscriber identity number registered in association with the mobile telephone number in an HLR; receiving, in response to the IMSI query, the mobile subscriber identity number associated with the mobile telephone number in the HLR; comparing the stored mobile subscriber identity number and the received mobile subscriber identity number, and, if the comparison shows that the received mobile subscriber identity number corresponds to the stored mobile subscriber identity number; initiating the performance of the messaging-or-positioning service in relation to the mobile telephone number. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-20. (canceled) ### Claim 21 A method for verification of a mobile telephone number in order to determine whether a messaging-or-positioning service in a mobile radio communications system should be performed in relation to the mobile telephone number, the method comprising: receiving, by a verification apparatus, a request to register a mobile telephone number; registering, by the verification apparatus in response to the request, the mobile telephone number, wherein the registering comprises: obtaining, from a home location register, a first mobile subscriber identity number corresponding to the mobile telephone number, and then storing the mobile telephone number and the corresponding first mobile subscriber identity number in a database of the verification apparatus; receiving, by the verification apparatus from an application server, a request for verification of the mobile telephone number; and verifying, by the verification apparatus in response to receiving the verification request, the mobile telephone number, wherein the verifying comprises: obtaining, from a home location register, a second mobile subscriber identity number registered in association with the mobile telephone number; and indicating, by the verification apparatus to the application server, whether the first mobile subscriber identity number matches the second mobile subscriber identity number. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the application server is arranged to provide a third party service which utilizes the messaging-or-positioning service; the request for verification is generated by the application server arranged to provide the third party service; and the application server is arranged to provide the third party service, in response to the indicating, by sending a request for performance of the messaging-or-positioning service. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the application server operates as a broker node of services in a communications system; the application server is arranged to provide a third party service which utilizes the messaging-or-positioning service; and the broker node performs the service, or sends a request for performance of the messaging-or-positioning service to a mobile radio communications network in the communications system, or sends a verification response indicative of the result of the verifying to the application server. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the indicating comprises: sending, from the verification apparatus, a verification response indicative of whether the first mobile subscriber identity number matches the second mobile subscriber identity number. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein: the verification response comprises an indication of whether or not the first mobile subscriber identity number and the second mobile subscriber identity number have been issued by the same mobile network operator. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the messaging-or-positioning service forms part of a third party service, and the method further comprises sending a message to the mobile telephone number via the mobile radio communications system, the message indicating that delivery of the third party service has been terminated, in response to determining that the first mobile subscriber identity number does not match the second mobile subscriber identity number. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the obtaining of the registering step or the obtaining of the verifying step comprises sending an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) query to a home location register. ### Claim 28 A verification apparatus for verification of a mobile telephone number in order to determine whether a messaging-or-positioning service in a mobile radio communications system should be performed in relation to the mobile telephone number, the verification apparatus comprising: a database for storing of a mobile telephone number and an associated mobile subscriber identity number; a processor; a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory stores one or more computer programs executable by the processor to implement: receiving a request to register a mobile telephone number; registering, in response to the request, the mobile telephone number, wherein the registering comprises: obtaining, from a home location register, a mobile subscriber identity number corresponding to the mobile telephone number, and then storing the mobile telephone number and the corresponding mobile subscriber identity number in the database; receiving, from the application server, a request for verification of the mobile telephone number; verifying, in response to receiving the verification request, the mobile telephone number, wherein the verifying comprises: obtaining, from a home location register, a mobile subscriber identity number registered in association with the mobile telephone number to be verified; and indicating, to the application server, whether the mobile subscriber identity number received in the verifying matches the mobile subscriber identity number stored in the registering. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The verification apparatus of claim 28, wherein: the indicating comprises sending a verification response that includes an indication of whether or not the stored mobile subscriber identity number and the received mobile subscriber identity number have been issued by the same mobile network operator. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The verification apparatus of claim 28, wherein: the obtaining, as part of the registering or as part of the verifying, comprises sending an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) query to a home location register. ### Claim 31 (depends on 28) The verification apparatus of claim 28, wherein the messaging-or-positioning service forms part of a third party service and the one or more computer programs are further executable send a message to a mobile telephone number, wherein the message indicates that delivery of the third party service has been terminated in relation to the mobile telephone number. ### Claim 32 (depends on 28) The application server operating as a broker node of services in the communications system, the broker node comprising the verification apparatus of claim 28. ### Claim 33 A non-transitory computer program product comprising computer readable storage storing a computer program for providing a third party service which utilizes a messaging-or-positioning service, the computer program comprising computer program code portions which, when run on an application server, causes the application server to: register a mobile telephone number with a verification apparatus, wherein the registering comprises sending a registration request to the verification apparatus, the registration request for registering comprising an indication of the mobile telephone number to be registered; and verify the mobile telephone number subsequent to the registering, wherein the verifying comprises: sending, to the verification apparatus, a request for verification of the mobile telephone number, receiving an indication from the verification apparatus of whether a mobile subscriber identity number corresponding to the mobile telephone number in a home location register at a time of the verifying matches a mobile subscriber identity number corresponding to the mobile telephone number in a home location register at a time of the registering; and determining, by the application server that performed the verifying, whether a messaging-or-positioning service in a mobile radio communications system should be performed in relation to the mobile telephone number, wherein the determining is dependent on the verifying. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The non-transitory computer program product of claim 33, the computer program further comprising computer program code portions which, when run on an application server, causes the application server to: receive a verification response indicative of the result of the verification of a mobile telephone number; and store, in a third party service customer information register in the application server, as part of a third party service subscription, a record of the indication. ### Claim 35 A non-transitory computer program product comprising computer readable storage storing a computer program for verification of a mobile telephone number in order to determine whether a messaging-or-positioning service in a mobile radio communications system should be performed in relation to the mobile telephone number, the computer program comprising computer program code portions which, when run on a verification apparatus, causes the verification apparatus to: receive a request to register a mobile telephone number; register, in response to the request, the mobile telephone number, wherein the registering comprises: obtaining, from a home location register, a mobile subscriber identity number corresponding to the mobile telephone number, and then storing the mobile telephone number and a corresponding mobile subscriber identity number in the database of the verification apparatus; verify, in response to receiving a verification request, the mobile telephone number, wherein the verifying comprises: obtaining, from a home location register, a mobile subscriber identity number registered in association with the mobile telephone number in the home location register; determining whether the mobile subscriber identity number received in the verifying matches the mobile subscriber identity number stored in the registering; and initiate the performance of the messaging-or-positioning in response to determining that the mobile subscriber identity number received in the verifying matches the mobile subscriber identity number stored in the registering. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The non-transitory computer program product of claim 35, wherein obtaining the mobile subscriber identity number from the home location register, as part of the register operation, comprises sending an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) query requesting a mobile subscriber identity number registered in association with the mobile telephone number in the home location register, the IMSI query comprising the mobile telephone number.