US 7,925,762 B1 · Roaming support method and systems in UMTS

Abstract

The invention relates to a communication method and system wherein a network element of a roaming user is attachable to a visited first network and be served by a serving means of the home network. When the network element of the roaming user is registering or initiating a connection to a called network element of the visited network, a network element of the visited network, such as proxy means, either adds information on the called network element or on a service element of the visited network when sending a message to the home network. The message is preferably sent as a protocol message, in particular a message of the Session Initiation Protocol.

Drawings

Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO

Drawings

Claims33

Dependent claims

A system, comprising:

a second network element of a first network;
a third network element,
wherein the second network element is operationally connectable to a mobile network element which mobile network element roams to a first visited network, and the second network element is capable of accessing the third network element,
wherein the second network element is configured to receive a first message from the mobile network element used to register to the first network or to connect to the third network element or a network element of the first network,
wherein the second network element is configured as a proxy call state control function, the second network element is further configured to send a second message to the third network element configured as a serving call state control function, the second message comprising a registration, the second message further comprising additional information related to the handling or processing of a connection from the mobile network element to the network element of the first network, or related to an address of, or identifier identifying, a further network element of the first network,
wherein the third network element is configured to use the additional information for handling the connection or processing of at least one connection-related function, or to access the further network element, or to store the additional information and to provide the additional information upon request, and
wherein the second network element is configured to store a pointer pointing to a local service element of the first network.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description3,406 words

Summary988 words

#1. Field of the Invention

#The invention relates to the field of mobile communication. In particular, the invention addresses the handling of connections or connection-related parameters when a connection involves two or more networks.

#2. Description of the Prior Art

Brief description of the drawings3 figures

#FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of the invention which provides service information transfer from a visited network to a home network;

#FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment of the invention in which the transfer of service information from the visited to the home network is performed on a call-basis by transmitting a pointer; and

#FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the invention providing a transfer of service information from the visited to the home network in which a pointer is passed at the registration phase.

Detailed description2,332 words

#FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the invention in a condition where a mobile network element 1 such as a mobile terminal, for example mobile phone, has roamed to another network (“visited network”) from its home network in which it is registered as a subscriber. The visited network comprises a further network element 3 which is, in this embodiment, a control means or function such as a proxy CSCF (Call State Control Function). This function or the means 3 performing this function, as well as the other network elements are described in for example 3GPP's TR 23.821 v1.0.0. (accessible for instance via Internet www.3gpp.org). The borderline between the visited network and the home network is represented by a broken line 4. The home network comprises a serving CSCF 6 to which the subscriber of network element 1 is registered and where the call state control including for example charging is handled.

#When the mobile network element 1 requests to be connected to another network element registered to the visited network, the network element 1 sends a message 2 to the proxy element 3 identifying the other network element for example by name or number or other identifier. This message preferably is a protocol message. In a preferred embodiment, the protocol message is a SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) word indicating name and/or number of the called party. The protocol word may be a SIP:INVITE message.

#The proxy means 3 comprises, or has access to, a table which comprises additional information such as service class, for example payphone, charging information, for example charging rate, etc., mapped to the subscriber identification (for example name or number) of the subscribers of the visited network. In addition, the proxy means 3 contains or may have access to network or network element related information such as for example time zone, service capabilities of visited network or network elements and service interworking information for visited network and home network co-operation. When receiving message 2, the proxy means 3 looks up the additional information or parameters stored for the called party by using the identification (name or number) included in message 2, and sends a message 5 to the serving function or means 6 of the home network. In addition, information related to visited network or network elements may additionally or alternatively be included in message 5.

Facts

Application

10/343,707Filed 10 Aug 2000

Granted

12 Apr 2011

Term ended

14 Mar 2025

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 1,677 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification2 codes

H04W 8/12
Mobility data transfer: between location registers or mobility servers
H04W
Wireless communication networks

Timeline

10 Aug 2000Application filedUS 10/343,707
22 Aug 2003Assigned to Nokia Corporationassignment of assignor's interest
12 Jan 2005Assigned to Nokia Corporationcorrected assignment correcting the second inventors' name on the recordation form cover sheet and notice of recordation, noting that such error is on the part of the applicant. reel/frame 014511/0987
12 Apr 2011GrantedUS 7,925,762 B1
20 Jun 2014Assigned to Inventergy, Inc.assignment of assignor's interest
20 Jun 2014Assigned to Hudson Bay IP Opportunities Master Fund, LP, AS Collateral Agentsecurity interest
1 Oct 2014Assigned to Dbd Credit Funding LLCsecurity interest
14 Oct 2014Assigned to Inventergy, Increlease of security interest
3 Nov 2014Assigned to Inventergy, Inc.release of security interest
4 Jan 2017Assigned to Dbd Credit Funding LLC, AS Collateral Agentsecurity interest
19 Jun 2017Assigned to Invt Spe LLCassignment of assignor's interest
14 Mar 2025Term endedEstimated, includes 1,677 days of adjustment

Roaming support method and systems in UMTS

Life of this patent

Roaming support method and systems in UMTS

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims33

Description3,406 words

Drawings

Classification2 codes

Life of this patent

Description3,406 words