Method and system for providing communication services to a roaming wireless device
AssigneeBuzzinbees
InventorsMichel Anslot, Philippe Bouckaert, Gilles Coppe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Method and system for optimizing the roaming mechanism through handling by the visited network the data that are sent by the wireless devices without routing these data to the home network. International gateways are therefore not used or are used for much fewer communications, thereby decreasing the cost of roaming for telecommunication operators. In addition, the invention allows processing in the home network the authentication and charging operation that needs sensitive information, preserving thereby the security of data.
Claims14
A method of providing a communication service for a wireless device registered in a home network and that is roaming in a visited network, the visited network comprising routing means (STP, V-MSC/VLR, V-SGSN), characterized in that the method comprises the following steps:
- provisioning the routing means (STP, V-MSC/VLR, V-SGSN) of the visited network with a plurality of identifiers that identify a plurality of wireless devices that are registered in the home network, defining thereby in the visited network a plurality of provisioned wireless device;
- provisioning the routing means (STP, V-MSC/VLR, V-SGSN) of the visited network with an address of a module (V-MLR) located in the visited network and comprising at least a home location register (V-HLR), and assigning the address of the module (V-MLR) to the plurality of identifiers provisioned in the routing means (STP, V-MSC/VLR, V-SGSN), so that the routing means (STP, V-MSC/VLR, V-SGSN) can access the address of the module (V-MLR) located in the visited network based on an identifier of the plurality of provisioned identifiers;
- at the routing means (STP, V-MSC/VLR, V-SGSN) of the visited network:
- receiving a message from a wireless device, the message comprising at least an identifier;
- determining, based on said identifier, whether the message is received from a provisioned wireless device;
- if the message is received from a provisioned wireless device, then determining, based on said identifier, the address of said module (V-MLR) that is assigned to the provisioned wireless device and then, based on this address, sending to said module (V-MLR) located in the visited network and comprising at least a home location register (V-HLR) at least one of:
- an authentication request message if the message received from the provisioned wireless device is a request for attachment;
- an update location message if the message received from the provisioned wireless device is a response to an identity request, the identity request being exchanged during a phase of update location of the wireless device.
A system for providing a communication service for a wireless device registered in a home network and that is roaming in a visited network comprising routing means (STP, V-MSC/VLR, V-SGSN), the system being characterized in that:
- the routing means (STP, V-MSC/VLR, V-SGSN) of the visited network are configured to be provisioned with a plurality of identifiers that identify a plurality of wireless devices that are registered in the home network, defining thereby a plurality of provisioned wireless device for the visited network;
- the system comprises a module (V-MLR) located in the visited network and comprising at least a home location register (V-HLR),
- the routing means (STP, V-MSC/VLR, V-SGSN) of the visited network are configured to be provisioned with an address of said module (V-MLR), and to access the address of said module (V-MLR) based on any identifier of the plurality of provisioned identifiers;
- the routing means of the visited network comprises at least some routing equipments (STP, V-MSC/VLR, V-SGSN) that are configured to:
- receive from a wireless device a message comprising at least an identifier
- determine, based on said identifier, whether the message is received from a provisioned wireless device;
- perform the following steps if the message is received from a provisioned wireless device:
- determining, based on said identifier, the address of said module (V-MLR) that is assigned to the provisioned wireless device and then, based on this address, sending to said module (V-MLR) located in the visited network and comprising at least a home location register (V-HLR) at least one of:
- an authentication request message if the message received from the provisioned wireless device is a request for attachment;
- an update location message if the message received from the provisioned wireless device is a response to an identity request, the identity request being exchanged during a phase of update location of the wireless device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.