MXPA00002401A - Network hub for interconnecting a wireless office environment with a public cellular telephone network - Google Patents

Abstract

A network hub (38) for interconnecting a first network (40) transceiving signals according to a SS7 protocol with a second network (12) transceiving signals according to a TCP/IP protocol is disclosed. The network hub (38) includes means for interconnecting the hub (38) with each of the first and second networks. A processing means within the hub converts received signals between being carried by the SS7 and TCP/IP protocols. The conversions are assisted by a translation table (70) including active mobile identification numbers and IP addresses within the second network and a second table (72) listing all signal point codes for nodes within the first network.

Description

NETWORK NUCLEUS TO INTERCONNECT A WIRELESS OFFICE ENVIRONMENT WITH A PUBLIC CELL PHONE NETWORK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the interconnection of wireless office environments with a public cellular telephone network / and more particularly with a network core that provides message transmission from the core to the telephone network public cellular using the SS7 protocol and the transmission from the core to the wireless office environment using the TCP / IP protocol. Description of the Related Art Public access cellular telephone systems are currently available for use throughout the world. As a result of the success of these systems for • providing mobile telecommunication services to the public / considerable interest has arisen in the business sector to provide a wireless communication feature added to conventional private wireless telephone systems. Such a characteristic is typically implemented through the use of a private cellular telephone system. Due to the costs of mobile terminals, it is preferable in any private cellular telephone system established by a company to employ the same type of mobile cellular as employees within public access cellular telephone systems. In addition, since many employees already have mobile terminals and have subscriptions with a public access telephone system, it is preferable that the mobile stations used can operate with and between each of the systems. At a minimum, this requires that the private cellular telephone system operate within the same cellular frequency band as the public access cellular telephone system, and use the same type of switching equipment and base stations or switching equipment and transmitting stations. compatible base. It is also likely that the radiofrequency coverage regions of the private cellular telephone system and the public access cellular telephone system may be at least partially connected. In addition, the private cellular telephone system and the public access cellular telephone system must communicate with each other regarding the service of the mobile stations, the allocation of channels (frequency) for communication, the routing of communications, and the transfer of station communications. mobile It is preferred that the wireless offices are connected to an existing home location register (HLR) of the cellular network in order to allow automatic movement between the cellular network and the wireless office.

As the popularity of wireless offices increases, each new wireless office must connect to the signaling system network number 7 (SS7) that forms the structure of existing public access cellular telephone systems. Each additional connection of a wireless office adds an additional node to the cellular network and requires a large amount of work to update each node within the cellular network with the knowledge of a new wireless office node. This level of work is repeated in the case of each wireless office added to the network, which creates an immense task for the cellular network provider. In addition, when a private network is added as a node to the public access cellular phone system, the wireless office nodes are not owned by the cellular network providers. This raises security issues, and the cellular network operators do not want to add nodes that are not under their total control. The nodes not controlled by the cellular network provider pose a serious security problem due to access by unscrupulous third parties to the networks. private nodes. In addition, nodes that are not under the control of cellular network operators can often be re-started, which raises the problem of the number of administration messages that must be transmitted over the network. A) Yes, many problems arise in direct relationship with numerous new wireless office nodes directly connected to the central network of public access. COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes the above problems and other problems with an improved communication system that employs a network core. A first public access cellular telephone network operates in accordance with the protocol of signaling systems number 7 (SS7) to transmit signals between several nodes and the public access network. A second communication system comprises a TCP / IP network that uses the TCP / IP protocol. The second network is interconnected with a plurality of private wireless networks and transmits signals through the TCP / IP protocol. A network core interconnects the first communication network and the second communication network and allows the transfer of signals between them. The network includes a processing device to convert signals carried by the SS7 protocol into signals carried by the TCP / IP protocol and vice versa. This is achieved by replacing the MTP and SSCP layers of an SS7 protocol signal with a TCP / IP layer for transmissions from the SS7 network to the TCP / IP network, and to replace a TCP / IP layer with MTP and SSCP layers to transitions from the TCP / IP network to the SS7 network. A translation table within the core of the network allows the location of mobile stations that receive wireless network service connected to the network core to be determined.

The translation table includes the mobile identification numbers of the registered mobile stations. Each entry of a mobile identification number further includes an associated IP address for the wireless network serving the mobile station. This allows calls from the public network to be routed to the wireless office that serves a mobile station. An address table of the American Cellular Network offers signaling control points (addresses) for all nodes within the public access cellular telephone network. This allows transmissions from wireless networks to any location within the public access cellular telephone network once the communication reaches the network core. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a fuller understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a public access cellular telephone network; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication system that includes a private cellular telephone network of wireless office environment, a public access cellular telephone network and a network core for interconnecting the public network and the private network; Figures 3a and 3b illustrate signaling system protocols number 7 (SS7) and TCP / IP protocol for transporting messages S-41 in accordance with the present invention; Figure 4 is a signal flow diagram and operation of nodes illustrating the addition of a mobile to a translation table within the network core; Figure 5 is a signal flow diagram and operation node illustrating receipt of the message from HLR by the wireless office / VLR; and Figure 6 is a signal flow diagram and node operation illustrating the removal of a mobile identification number from the core translation table of the network. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figure 1, there is shown a schematic diagram of a public access cellular telephone network 12 (such as what is known as the public land mobile network - PLMN). The public access cellular telephone network 12 includes a plurality of interconnected switching nodes 14 commonly known as mobile switching centers (PLMN-MSCs) 14. Although only 3 mobile switching centers 14 are illustrated, it will be understood that system 12 probably includes much more interconnected nodes. The mobile switching centers 14 may comprise one or more known telecommunication switching devices, including those commonly employed and known in the art to provide either digital or analog cellular telephony services to a plurality of mobile stations (not illustrated). ). The mobile switching centers 14 are interconnected between them for communication both through voice trunks and signaling links 20 together providing a known ISUP (Rl or RII) type connection. The trunks provide voice and data communication paths that are used to carry subscriber communications between the mobile switching centers 14. The signaling links 20 carry command signals (such as IS-41 or other signaling system messages). number 7 (SS7)) between the mobile switching centers 14. These - signals can be used, for example, to establish and cut voice and data communication links in voice trunks and to control the provision of call services to mobile stations. The mobile switching centers 14 are also connected to the base stations comprising a home location register (PLMN-HLR) 22 through signaling links 20 that provide a known MAP type connection (IS-41, MAP for GSM, MAP for PDC, or another connection of type SS7). The HLRs 22 store data for each mobile station, including the location of the mobile station, which comprises a direct or indirect address SS7 (signaling point code) to the VLR (or VLR / MSC) where the mobile station provided a record for the last time. Since each node is part of the SS7 network, the nodes further include associated signaling points (SP) 24 and signaling transfer points (STP) 26. Within an SS7 network each node essentially comprises a signaling point 24 Signaling transfer points 26 provide switching in IS-41 message packets based on signaling protocols within the SS7 network. The VLRs of Figure 1 are illustrated co-located within the MSCs 14. However, it will be noted that the VLRs may comprise separate logical nodes located at a different position within the network. The VLRs include a list of mobile station mobile identification numbers currently registered within the service area of the associated MSCs 14. For routing purposes, all the VLRs include a table 30 of all the nodes included within the network. Table 30 allows the representation of the mobile identification number (MIN) of a mobile station in the HLR address with which the mobile station is associated when the mobile station used registers with the VLR. Referring now to Figure 2, the present invention is illustrated in which a network core 38 is employed to interconnect a public access cellular telephone network 12 with a wireless office environment (private cellular telephone system) 40. The core of the network 38 can operate on systems that use IS-41 signaling, MAP signaling for GSM MAP signaling for PDC or other types of SS7 signaling. For the purpose of comments, the following description should be made in relation to a system that uses an IS-41 signaling but it should be taken into account that the system can be applied to systems that use other types of signaling. The public access cellular telephone network 12 consists of numerous mobile switching centers 14 and home location registers 22 interconnected with the network core 38 through the signaling protocol links SS7 20 and associated signaling points 25 and points of communication. signaling transfer 26 according to the previously described, in relation to figure 1. Communications between the network core 38 and the public access cellular network where they are achieved through the exchange of messages of type IS-41 50 using protocols SS7 messaging system according to what is illustrated in FIG. 3a. In accordance with this protocol, the signal connection control part layer (SCCP) 52 is employed with the message transfer part layer (MTP) 54 to route messages 50 of IS-41 type formatted in layer 56 of part Transaction Capability Application (TCAP) from the network core 38 to HLR nodes 22 and MCS 14 within the public access cellular telephone system 12. The TCP / OP network 45 that connects the wireless offices 40 to the network core 38 they can not provide a means of transport for IS-41 messages in accordance with all SS7 messaging protocols. The SCCP layer 52 and the consequent MTP layer 54 can not be used for end-to-end routing of formatted IS-41 type messages TCAP layer 56. In accordance with the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 3b, the TCP / IP layer 60 replaces the MTP layer 54 and the SSCP layer 52 of the SS7 protocol while the TCAP 56 layer remains intact to carry the IS-41 50 messages. To allow communication between the TCAP layer 56 and the TCP layer / IP 60, there must be an adaptation layer 58 between the TCAP layer and the TCP / IP layer. The adaptation layer 58 acts as a translation interface between the different protocols. The conversion between the transport of the IS-41 50 messages by the SS7 protocol or by the TCP / IP protocol is carried out through a processing means within the network core 38 allows the interconnection of the public network 12 to the wireless offices 40. The network core 38 includes an IP address for communication using the TCP / IP protocol and a signal point code (address ) for communications regarding the SS7 protocol. The network core 38 further includes a translation table 70 for storing the mobile identification numbers (MIN) of mobile stations 41 that receive service from a wireless office 40 interconnected with the network core 38. Associated with the stored MINs are the IP addresses of the wireless office 40 in which a mobile station is registered. The translation table 70 allows the location of mobile stations in accordance with the IP address of their wireless service offices 40. A network table 72 is also included within the kernel 38 and includes a list of all modes and point codes Signaling (addresses) within the public access cellular network 12. Table 72 also includes a list of all mobile identification numbers and their corresponding HLRs. The network table 72 allows the location and addressing of the messages to all the nodes in the public cellular telephone network 12. As an interface between the public access cellular telephone network 12 and the wireless offices 40, the network core 38 will include a signaling point code (address) and an IP address. Nodes within the public access cellular telephone network 12 will consider the network core 38 as a single node within the public access cellular phone system and will have access to the nucleus through the signaling point code. Accordingly, the addition of wireless offices 40 to the core 38 does not require additional maintenance to update nodes within the public access telephone network 12 since the wireless office does not comprise a new node. Network core 38 may also include functionalities to allow restriction of the total number of active users within a wireless office or to restrict particular users in terms of access to a wireless office. In this way, the network core 38 will allow acting as protection between the SS7 (public) network and the wireless (private) network networks to provide security together with the reliability of the SS7 network. While the network core 38 within the above description has been illustrated as a separate node, it will be seen that the core is a logical node that can be physically co-located with the other cellular nodes such as HLR, VLR, MSC or a wireless office. Furthermore, while the previous description has been made in relation to the public access cellular system using an SS7 network, it is also possible to use an X.25 network instead of the SS7 network.

Referring now to Figure 4, a signal and node diagram illustrating the process is illustrated when the network core 38 receives a register of a bit station 41 from a wireless office 40. The mobile station 41 transmits a message of registration 100 to the wireless office / VLR 40 within a service area the mobile station is currently located. The wireless office 40 sends the registration request message 102 to the network core 38. In response to receiving this message 102, the network core 38 adds the mobile identification number of the mobile station 41 to the translation table 70 inside the kernel together with the IP address of the wireless office 40 that transfers the message. The network core 38 then sends the network table 72.to determine the address of the home location register 22 (also identified in the registration request message) of the mobile station. 41 and send the registration request message 104 to the HLR such that the location and status of the mobile station 41 can be updated by the HLR. The responses (106, 108, 110) are then returned to the network core 38, wireless office 40 and mobile station 41. Referring now to Figure 5, a node signal diagram illustrating the reception by the core is shown. network 38 of a message from the HLR 22 through the SS7 network for the wireless office 40. The HLR 22 generates an IS-41 message 112 towards the wireless office / VLR 40 as for example, the message of the routing service of displacement. The destination address of the shift routing request 112 is the signaling point code (address of the network core 38 within the SS7 network.) By supplying the shift routing request 112 to the network core 38, the core employs the mobile identification number stored within the message in accordance with IS-41 protocol standards to find the IP address of the wireless office with which the mobile station associated with the mobile identification number is registered. access to the translation table 70. The displacement routing request is then sent to the IP address identified at 114. The wireless office 40 offers a response to the request at 116 to the network kernel 38, and the kernel 38 sends the response to the HLR 22 at 118. Referring now to Figure 6, the reception by the network core 38 of a message that is and indicates that the mobile station 41 is no longer registered with the wireless office. The HLR 22 initially generates a record cancellation message 120 for the network core 38: in the network core 38, the translation table 70 is used to find the IP address of the wireless office / VLR 40 associated with the mobile 41. The cancellation request is then sent to the wireless office at 122, and a response is received at 124. The network core 38 then removes the mobile identification number from the translation table 70 and informs the HLR 22 of this situation in step 126. The network core 38 can also remove the mobile identification number for the mobile 41 from the translation table 70 if the wireless office 40 sends a disable CCS message to the HLR 22. this way, the translation table 70 update is carried out automatically. While the concept of network core 38 has been commented on in relation to the use of the core as a bridge between an SS7 network and a wireless office, a TCP / IP network, the kernel can be useful in several other applications for example, in The concept of a kernel with automatic update of mobile registration can also be applied to similar representation protocols of GSM and PDC. The concept can also be useful for applications that try to avoid connecting several different types of small nodes, for example, MSC / VLR to an SS7 / CC7 network using an IP network. Similarly, the network kernel concept could be useful for representation among other types of protocols using E.164 type routers (normal telephone numbers) to SS7 networks. For example, if the O / VLR is employing ISDN, in network cores 38 it could provide the bridge to the cellular network with the additional advantage that the abr is not aware of the type of ISDN carrier for WO / VLR. Although illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the detailed description above a preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the presented mode but can be performed with numerous adjustments, modifications and substitutions without departing from the spirit of the invention in accordance with what is presented and defined in the following claims.

Claims (15)

1. CLAIMS A network core, characterized in that it has: a device for interconnecting the network core (38) with a first network (12) for transmitting and receiving signals through an SS7 protocol; a device for interconnecting the network core (38) to at least two private wireless networks (40) for transmitting and receiving signals through a TCP / IP protocol; a processor to process the received signals to convert the signals between the signals carried by the SS7 protocol and by the TCP / IP protocol; a translation table (70) which is used in association with the processor to represent between SS7 signaling point codes and IP addresses; and a device for automatically updating the translation table (70) in response to contacts involving a particular mobile identification number. The network core according to claim 1, wherein the processor further replaces layers of message transfer part (MTP) (54) and signal connection control part (SSCP) (52) of the SS7 protocol with TCP layers (IP (60) and adaptation (58) for transmission from the first network (12) to the at least two private wireless networks (40). The network core according to claim 1, wherein the processor further replaces a TCP / IP layer (60) with message transfer part (MTP) layers (54) and signal connection control part (SSCP) ) (52) to transmit from the at least two private wireless networks (40) to the first network (12). The network core according to claim 1, further including an address table of the North American Cellular Network (72) associated with the processor in order to allow transmission to nodes (14,22) within the first network (12) from the at least two private wireless networks (40). The network core according to claim 1, wherein the translation table (70) stores mobile identification numbers and an associated IP address for the wireless office (40) serving a mobile station (41) associated with the mobile identification number to allow transmissions from the first network (12) to the at least two private wireless networks (40). The network core according to claim 1, wherein the at least two private wireless networks (40) are directed from a first network (12) through a unique signaling point code associated with the network core ( 38). A communication system, characterized in that it has: a first communication network (12) operating in accordance with the SS7 protocol for transmitting signals; a second communication network operating in accordance with a TCP / IP protocol for transmitting signals; a network core (38) for interconnecting the first communication network (12) with the second communication network, the network core (38) converts received signals between those carried by the SS7 protocol and those carried by the TCP / IP protocol; and a plurality of private wireless networks (40) connected to the second communication network (40), the plurality of private wireless networks (40) directed from the first network (12) through a single signaling point code associated with the network core (38). The communication system according to claim 7, wherein the network core (38) further replaces layers of message transfer part (MTP) (54) and part of signal connection control (SSCP) (52) of the SS7 protocol with a TCP / IP layer (60) and an adaptation layer (56) for transmission from the first network (12) to the second network. The communication system according to claim 7, wherein the network core (38) replaces a TCP / IP layer (60) with a message transfer part (MTP) layer (54) and a connection control part of the network. signal (SSCP) (52) for transmission from the second network to the first network (12). . The communication system according to claim 7, wherein the network core (38) further includes a translation table (70) for representation between SS7 signaling point codes and IP addresses. . The communication system according to claim 10, wherein the network core (38) further includes a device for updating the translation table (70) in response to contacts that involve a particular mobile identification number. . The communication system according to claim 7, wherein the network core (38) further includes an address table of the North American Cellular Network (72) to allow transmission to nodes (14, 22) within. the first network (12) from the second network (40). The communication system according to claim 7, wherein the network core (38) further includes a translation table (70) that stores mobile identification numbers and an assigned IP address for the wireless office (40) that gives service to a mobile station (41) associated with the mobile identification number to allow transmissions from the first network (12) to the second network. The communication system according to claim 7, wherein the network core (38) further includes a device for selecting which mobile stations (41) can access one of several wireless networks (40). The communication system according to claim 7, wherein the network core (38) further includes a device for limiting the total number of users who can access a wireless network (40). 16. a network core, characterized in that it has: - a device for interconnecting the network core (38) with a first network for transmitting and receiving signals through a protocol (SS7); a device for interconnecting the network core (38) with a second network for transmitting and receiving signals via a TCP / IP protocol, the second network being further connected to several private wireless networks (40); an address table of the cellular network (72) for locating transmission endpoints within the first network (12); a transmission table (70) for locating mobile stations (41) that receive service from the private wireless networks (40) connected to the second network, the translation table (70) includes identification numbers of active mobiles within the wireless networks connected private (40) and IP addresses for the private wireless networks (40) when the mobile identification numbers are active, and a processor for processing received signals to convert the signals for transport between the SS7 protocol and the TCP / IP. . The network core according to claim 16, wherein the cellular network address table (71) further includes signaling point codes for all nodes (14, 22) in the first network (12) _. . The network core according to claim 16, wherein the processor further replaces layers of message transfer part (MTP) (54) and signal connection control part (SSCP) (52) of the SS7 protocol with a TCP layer / IP (60) and an adaptation layer (58) for transmission of the first network (12) to the second network. The network core according to claim 18, wherein the processor further replaces a TCP / IP layer (60) with message transfer part (MTP) layers (54) and signal transmission control part (SSCP) ( 52) for transmission from the second network to the first network (12). The network according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of private wireless networks (40) are directed from the first network (12) through a signaling point code associated with the network core (38).