Abstract:
Incoming calls or messages for a mobile station (30) that has been ported from a first HLR (90A) to a second HLR (90B) are first received by a gateway node (80). The gateway node, in turn, transmits a signal (145) requesting routing instruction to a centralized database (150) connected to the gateway node. Utilizing the received Mobile Station Integrated Services Digital Network (MSISDN) number, the centralized database determines the network address of the new HLR currently serving the ported mobile station. The received signal requesting routing information is then routed to the new HLR. The new HLR retrieves the requested information and transmits it back to the gateway node. The gateway node, utilizing the received routing information received from the new HLR, accordingly routes the incoming calls or messages to the ported mobile station.
Abstract:
Selective carrier denial in a cellular system restricts some or all carrier-handled calls from a given cellular subscriber while simultaneously allowing other cellular calls. A restriction flag or indicator in a Visitor Location Register (VLR) of the cellular system is set by a Home Location Register (HLR) which contains a list of those carriers denied to subscribers. When the restriction flag is set, the HLR is interrogated to determine if the call is restricted. Alternatively, the restriction flag may reside within the subscriber's mobile phone. Further, the VLR or mobile phone may, respectively, contain a list of denied carriers and internally determine if carrier denial applies without resort to the HLR.
Abstract:
A mobile subscriber is able to request an outgoing call setup without dialing a Numbering Plan Area (NPA) number. A mobile subscriber specifies a particular NPA number to be used with all subsequently dialed local calls. The user specified NPA number is encapsulated into an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) message and transported over to the associated home location register (home HLR). Whenever the mobile station performs a location update, or stores a new NPA number, the home HLR copies the stored NPA number to the serving mobile switching center (MSC). Subsequently, whenever the mobile station originates an outgoing call setup with only a local directory number, the MSC retrieves the copied NPA number and generates a complete B-number by concatenating the retrieved NPA number with the subscriber dialed local directory number. The generated B-number is then utilized to properly process the outgoing call setup.
Abstract:
An International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number transmitted by a mobile station is first analyzed by the serving mobile switching center (MSC) associated with an International Telecommunication Union (ITU)-based SS7 network. If the received IMSI number instead belongs to an American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-based SS7 network, the serving MSC prepends a country code representing the mobile subscriber to the received IMSI number. The least significant digits of the resulting number are further truncated to conform to the E.214 standard (the maximum length of fifteen digits). A Mobile Application Part (MAP)-based signal, such as a location update signal, is transmitted utilizing the generated E.214 number as the Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP) called party number parameter and routed to an international gateway connecting the ITU-T-based SS7 network with the ANSI-based SS7 network. The international gateway deletes the country code prepended to the IMSI number from the received MAP signal and forwards the MAP signal to the destination node within the ANSI-based SS7 network.
Abstract:
A mobile station communication network includes a high penetration network which schedules high transmission power level paging to reach a mobile station for which an acknowledgment signal is not received. A home location register stores mobile station high penetration network (HPN) subscriber feature information. The HPN analyzes mobile station class to determine an appropriate response when a mobile station fails to acknowledge a page request. The HPN further maintains a record of short message service (SMS) time out (timer) values and examines the ID of the center that generated the message to determine when the SMS center will time out. Just prior to the time out, the HPN will send a "user unavailable" signal to the originating SMS center to avoid unnecessary paging request retries by the SMS center.
Abstract:
A request for call forwarding activation along with forward-to-number is received from a mobile station via one of the data channels such as a Stand-alone Dedicated Control Channel (SDCCH). The activation request itself is transported by an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) message. The serving mobile switching center (MSC) analyzes the forward-to-number and establishes a speech connection with the mobile station by calling back the mobile station. Next, the MSC originates an outgoing call towards the forward-to-number and, as a result, establishes a speech connection between the mobile station and the telephone terminal associated with the forward-to-number. By establishing a speech connection between the two parties, the mobile subscriber requesting the call forwarding activation can verbally verify the forward-to-number. As an alternative, TCAP messages can be communicated between the serving MSC and the local exchange serving the forward-to-number to request the local exchange to verify the validity of the forward-to-number.
Abstract:
A call forwarding activation request is transmitted from a mobile station to the serving mobile switching center (MSC) over a data channel incapable of carrying voice data. However, mobile subscribers and mobile service providers would like to establish a speech connection between the mobile station and the forward-to-number to ensure that the forward-to-number has been dialed correctly and that desired parties are at the other end. Accordingly, whenever a call forwarding activation request is received by the mobile station, the mobile station itself initiates an outgoing call setup toward the forward-to-number. The connection-less signal encapsulating the activation request is transmitted to the serving MSC only after the successful completion of such call setup. After receiving the transmitted connection-less signal, the serving HLR alters the call forwarding feature status to active.
Abstract:
A call is originated from a mobile station (80) being served by a visited mobile switching center (MSC) and associated with a particular MSC as a home MSC. A base station subsystem (BSS) (40) connected to the visited MSC dynamically establishes an A-interface with an application module within the home MSC transparently through the visited MSC. Thereinafter, all subscriber transmitted data are routed from the serving BSS to the home MSC. The application module within the home MSC then processes the data to provide mobile service to the mobile station.
Abstract:
A routing address representing an alternative terminal is assigned to a particular service area. Such a service area comprises a Local Access and Transport Area (LATA), Mobile Switching Center (MSC) area, Location Area, and Cell Area. Whenever an incoming call is received towards a mobile station currently located within the particular service area, instead of transmitting a routing address representing the mobile station, the serving Mobile Switching Center (MSC) transmits a signal containing the routing address representing the alternative terminal. Instead of routing the call to the intended mobile station, the Gateway Mobile Switching Center (GMSC) utilizes the received routing address and reroutes the incoming call to the alternative terminal. By rerouting all incoming calls towards the alternative terminal in case of an emergency, all available access channels are reserved for making outgoing calls by the mobile subscribers located within the emergency service area.