AU6063099A - A mobile telecommunications system and a method of call establishment therein - Google Patents

A mobile telecommunications system and a method of call establishment therein Download PDF

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Publication number
AU6063099A
AU6063099A AU60630/99A AU6063099A AU6063099A AU 6063099 A AU6063099 A AU 6063099A AU 60630/99 A AU60630/99 A AU 60630/99A AU 6063099 A AU6063099 A AU 6063099A AU 6063099 A AU6063099 A AU 6063099A
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AU
Australia
Prior art keywords
call
mobile
centre
validation
mobile user
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Abandoned
Application number
AU60630/99A
Inventor
Simon Cornish
Fergus O'brien
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
RMIT University
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB
Original Assignee
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Ltd
Melbourne Institute of Technology
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from AUPP7304A external-priority patent/AUPP730498A0/en
Application filed by Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Ltd, Melbourne Institute of Technology, Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB filed Critical Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Ltd
Priority to AU60630/99A priority Critical patent/AU6063099A/en
Publication of AU6063099A publication Critical patent/AU6063099A/en
Assigned to ROYAL MELBOURNE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL) reassignment ROYAL MELBOURNE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Amend patent request/document other than specification (104) Assignors: ROYAL MELBOURNE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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Description

P/00/0011 Regulation 3.2
AUSTRALIA
Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT
S
*5 S S. ~'S
ORIGE"NAL
Name of Applicants: Actual Inventors: Address for service in Australia: Invention Title: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Fergus O'BRIEN and Simon CORNISH CARTER SMITH BEADLE 2 Railway Parade Camberwell Victoria 3124 Australia A MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM AND A METHOD OF CALL ESTABLISHMENT THEREIN Details of Associated Provisional Application: PP7304 filed 25 November 1998 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us A MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM AND A METHOD OF CALL ESTABLISHMENT THEREIN This invention relates to mobile telecommunications systems and more particularly to a method of call establishment in such a system.
In most current mobile telecommunications systems, such as those based on international mobile telephony standard GSM (Global System for Mobiles), the current approach to the use of mobile stations, such as GSM telephones, relies upon storing a permanent subscription record of each telephone, or a corresponding subscriber identity in a centralised subscriber database, usually called the Home Location Register.
When a mobile telephone user initiates a call, one of the first stages of the call establishment process is to verify the presence of the subscriber, its correctness and additional details such as the form of encryption to be utilised for the call.
Another aspect of the subscription record stored in the HLR is that the GSM system regularly polls the mobile telephones to determine their location and this location information is stored in the HLR. The main reason for tracking the mobile telephones in this manner is to assist in setting up a call to the mobile telephone.
~The creation and updating of the HLR is becoming an increasingly difficult problem as the usage of mobile telephones escalates and the scope of usage across countries also increases.
Another problem resides in the security area, for example in military applications, where the conventional periodic location updating by polling would provide a direct fix on the user's location.
It is therefore desirable to provide a mobile telecommunications system which does not rely upon tracking of the location of users of the system.
It is also desirable to provide a method of call establishment for a mobile telephone which does not require any form of pre-subscription process for the mobile telephone.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a mobile telecommunications system in which at least one mobile user is provided with a 24 November 1999 JRG:TOC:#26774.CAP mobile user module for use at a mobile station, wherein the system includes a validation centre to receive and verify signals from the mobile station when the user wishes to originate a call from said mobile station, said validation centre being arranged to generate temporary subscriber information to register the mobile user of the telecommunications system for the duration of a call and to delete the temporary subscriber information to de-register the user upon completion of the call.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of call establishment in a mobile telecommunications system comprising: issuing a mobile user with a mobile user module for use at a mobile station; the mobile station with the mobile user module communicating with a S. validation centre for verifying signals from the mobile station when the user wishes to originate a call; t•oo.
generating temporary subscriber information to register the mobile user as a o oo temporary user of the mobile telecommunications system for the duration of the call; and t: deleting the temporary subscriber information to de-register the user upon to. completion of the call.
The validation centre is preferably arranged to send the temporary subscriber information to a mobile switching centre which includes a variable location register for storing the temporary subscriber information, and the mobile switching centre is •arranged to communicate with the mobile station to perform the set up for the call.
At the end of the call the temporary subscriber information is deleted from the variable location register at the mobile switching centre to de-register the user.
The mobile user module issued to the mobile user may be a smart card which includes memory means for storing pre-paid monetary values. When the mobile user wishes to originate a call, the mobile station sends a signal to the validation centre indicating that the smart card contains a sufficient monetary value to pay for the call, and when the signal is verified by the validation centre the temporary subscriber information is generated.
In an alternative embodiment, for instance for military applications, the mobile user module is preferably arranged to generate a user identifier in JRG:TOC:#26774.CAP 24 November 1999 4 accordance with a predetermined algorithm for verification by the validation centre.
The mobile user module is preferably provided with at least one ciphering key which is sent with the user identifier to the validation centre when the mobile user wishes to originate a call.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a mobile user module for a mobile user in a mobile telecommunications system which includes a validation centre, wherein the mobile user module is provided with at least one ciphering key and is arranged to generate a user identifier in accordance with a predetermined algorithm each time the mobile user wishes to originate a call, the user identifier and ciphering key being sent to the validation centre for Sverification before the call can be established.
Preferably, the mobile user module includes memory means to store a plurality of ciphering keys and each time the mobile user wishes to originate a call, the mobile user module selects one of the ciphering keys which is sent to the validation centre where the user identifier is verified and a corresponding ciphering key is selected. The use of ciphering keys is particularly useful for military Sl applications.
If it is desired to set up a call to the mobile user, this could be accomplished by sending a message to the mobile station, for instance a digital text message in the short message service (SMS) cellular broadcast mechanism which is used in a GSM network. Then the mobile station can either initiate its own call set up to respond to the digital message, or provide a paging display of text data prompting the mobile user to make a call in the manner described above. Preferably, in a military application, the digital message sent to the mobile station is encrypted by an algorithm known only by the mobile user module and the validation centre.
The present invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. in which: Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of the call set-up procedure when a user wishes to originate a call in a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 24 November 1999 JRG:TOC:#26774.CAP Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of the call set-up procedure for setting up a call to a mobile user.
Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a mobile telecommunications system which includes at least one mobile station 2, a mobile switching centre MSC 6 and a validation centre 8. The mobile station includes a mobile user module (MUM) 4, issued to a mobile user.
The MSC 6 includes a variable location register VLR 7 for storing temporary subscriber information and, as such, differs from the conventional subscriber database or Home Location Register (HLR) of a cellular mobile telecommunications system which stores permanent subscriber information. The validation centre 8 also differs from a conventional HLR in that it does not poll the mobile station(s) 2 at periodic intervals to determine the location(s) of the mobile station(s).
The method of call establishment or call set up procedure illustrated by Figure 1 will be described with particular reference to a military application based on a standard GSM telephone system. It will, however, be appreciated that the present invention is not restricted to a military environment or to mobile •telecommunications systems based on the GSM International standard.
The mobile user module (MUM) 4 is issued with a series of ciphering keys and when the mobile user wishes to originate a call, the mobile station 2 requests a mobile user identifier e.g. an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), from the MUM. The MUM selects one of the ciphering keys and generates an IMSI according to a predetermined algorithm, step 10. Preferably, the first few digits of the IMSI are arranged to identify the validation centre associated with a particular
MUM.
In an attach operation the IMSI is transmitted to the validation centre 8 where the IMSI is verified and a corresponding ciphering key is selected. The validation centre 8 then generates temporary subscriber information in the form of a mobile subscriber integrated services digital number (MSISDN) and sends this to the mobile switching centre MSC 6 (step 12).
JRG:TOC:#26774.CAP 24 November 1999 The temporary subscriber information MSISDN is stored in the variable location register VLR 7 at the MSC 6. At this point, the mobile user is now registered with the GSM network like a normal subscriber and the MSC begins encryption to initiate the call (step 14). Call set-up is performed between the mobile switching centre 6 and the mobile station 2 in the normal way (steps 16 and 18).
The validation centre 8 may initiate an out-of-band data session with the mobile station 2 at this time. In such a session, data can be transmitted by the validation centre 8 (step 20) to send messages to the mobile station 2 or to send new ciphering keys to mobile station 2 which, upon receipt are processed by the mobile station (step 22) to update the ciphering keys in the MUM 4.
When the mobile user's conversation is completed, the mobile station 2 sends an end call signal (step 24) to the MSC 6 which performs call release (step 26). After completion of the call, the mobile station 2 sends a detach signal to the validation centre 8 (step 28). When the detach signal is received, the validation centre 8 confirms detachment by sending an end process signal which is received by the mobile station 2 (step 30) and the validation centre 8 sends an instruction message to de-register the temporary subscriber MSISDN (step 32) to the MSC 6.
The temporary subscriber information MSISDN is then deleted from the variable location register 7 in the mobile switching centre 6 (step 34).
It will be apparent from the foregoing that the first time the GSM network o..
knows about the mobile user is when the user initiates a call and the temporary subscriber information is generated and sent to the mobile switching centre. At this point, all that is required is the knowledge that the mobile user can pay for the call, which is provided by the validation centre. When the call is terminated and the temporary subscriber information is deleted from the variable location register, the mobile user and its location are no longer known to the network.
In a civilian application, the mobile user module (MUM) 4 may simply be a smart card in the form of a pre-paid card or cash card which includes erasable programmable memory means for storing pre-paid amounts of money. In this case, when the mobile user wishes to originate a call, the mobile station 2 sends a signal to the validation centre 8 indicating that there is a sufficient amount of money in the 24 November 1999 JRG:TOC:#26774.CAP memory means of the smart card to pay for the call, and the signal is verified by the validation centre before the validation centre generates the temporary subscriber information.
At the end of the call, for charging purposes, the cost of the call may be notified by the mobile switching centre 6 to the validation centre 8, which can then either pay for the call in the case where the validation centre is run by the military organisation to which the mobile user is a member) or pass on the cost of the call to the mobile user by debiting the appropriate amount of money from the memory means of the pre-paid smart card.
Referring to Figure 2, when it is desired to set up a call to the mobile user, this may be initiated by the validation centre 8 generating and sending a digital Smessage to the mobile station 2 (step 40) prompting the mobile user to originate a call. The temporary subscriber information is generated and registered, the call is established and, upon termination of the call, the temporary subscriber information is deleted in a similar manner to that described with reference to Figure 1.
Consequently, corresponding reference numerals from Figure 1 have been applied to corresponding integers and steps in Figure 2.
i The digital message prompting the mobile user to initiate a call may be sent by use of the short message service (SMS) cellular broadcast mechanism in GSM systems or similar mechanism in other types of mobile networks. The SMS message is preferably encrypted by an algorithm known only to the MUM 4 and the validation centre 6.
As will be apparent from the foregoing, the system and method of call establishment described above has several benefits in connection with military usage, particularly with regard to the non-polling aspect and elimination of permanent subscriber information from the system. Also, the absence of a Home Location Register HLR means that usage across a private network, civil terrestrial and satellite networks becomes straightforward.
Whilst the preferred embodiment described above has been described with reference to a military application, it will be appreciated that it has advantages in civil and other non-military applications. For example, the load on the 24 November 1999 JRG:TOC:#26774.CAP telecommunications network in terms of data is only due to the actual calls being made, resulting in considerable storage and processing cost savings. Also, problems due to customers "churning" are substantially eliminated. Further, it is envisaged that the mobile telephones for use in the system will be relatively inexpensive to manufacture and purchase, and billing can be purely on an as-use basis rather than through a customer package.
It will also be appreciated that various modifications and alterations may also be made to the preferred embodiment described above without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. For instance, the present invention is not restricted to use in GSM networks, and could be applied to other forms of mobile networks, including analogue networks, such as AMPS, digital/analogue networks, DAMPS, CDMA and W-CDMA, and local mobile access, such as PCS.
24 November 1999 JRG:TOC:#26774.CAP

Claims (29)

1. A mobile telecommunications system in which at least one mobile user is provided with a mobile user module for use at a mobile station, wherein the system includes a validation centre to receive and verify signals from the mobile station when the user wishes to originate a call from said mobile station, said validation centre being arranged to generate temporary subscriber information to register the mobile user of the telecommunications system for the duration of a call and to delete the temporary subscriber information to de-register the user upon completion of the call.
2. A system according to claim 1 further including a mobile switching centre having a variable location register for storing the temporary subscriber information, wherein the mobile switching centre, upon receipt of the temporary subscriber information from the validation centre, is arranged to communicate with the mobile station to perform set up for the call.
3. A system according to claim 2 wherein the temporary subscriber information is deleted from the variable location register at the mobile switching centre after completion of the call.
4. A system according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein, at the end of a call, the mobile station is arranged to send an end call signal to the mobile switching centre which is arranged to release the call in response to the end call signal. A system according to any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein, after completion of the call, the mobile station is arranged to send a detach signal to the validation centre which is arranged to send an instruction message to the mobile switching centre to delete the temporary subscriber information from the variable location register. 24 November 1999 JRG:TOC:#26774.CAP
6. A system according to any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein, at the end of the call, the mobile switching centre is arranged to notify the cost of the call to the validation centre.
7. A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the mobile user module comprises a smart card including memory means for storing a monetary value.
8. A system according to claim 7 wherein, when the user wishes to originate a call, the mobile station sends a signal to the validation centre indicating that the smart card contains a sufficient monetary value to pay for the call, and when the signal is Sverified by the validation centre, the temporary subscriber information is generated.
9. A system according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the cost of the call is debited from the stored monetary value in the memory means of the mobile user's smart card.
10. A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the mobile user module is arranged to generate a user identifier in accordance with a predetermined algorithm for verification by the validation centre.
11. A system according to claim 10 wherein the mobile user module is provided with at least one ciphering key that is sent with the user identifier to the validation centre when the mobile user wishes to originate a call.
12. A system according to claim 11 wherein the mobile user module is provided with a plurality of ciphering keys and when the mobile user wishes to originate a call, the mobile user module selects one of the ciphering keys which is sent to the validation centre where the user identifier is verified and a corresponding ciphering key is selected.
13. A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the validation centre is arranged to transmit data to the mobile station during the call. JRG:TOC:#26774.CAP 24 November 1999 11
14. A system according to claim 11 or claim 12 wherein the validation centre is arranged to send new ciphering keys to the mobile station to update the at least one ciphering key in the mobile user module. A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein, when it is desired to set up a call to the mobile user, a message is sent to the mobile station prompting the mobile station to initiate the call by sending signals to the validation centre for validation and generation of the temporary subscriber information. .16. A system according to claim 15 wherein the message sent to the mobile station is a digital text message.
17. A mobile user module for a mobile user in a mobile telecommunications system which includes a validation centre, wherein the mobile user module is provided with at least one ciphering key and is arranged to generate a user identifier in accordance with a predetermined algorithm each time the mobile user wishes to Ioriginate a call, the user identifier and ciphering key being sent to the validation centre for verification before the call can be established.
18. A mobile user module according to claim 17 wherein the mobile user module includes memory means to store a plurality of ciphering keys, the mobile user module being arranged to select one of the ciphering keys when the mobile user wishes to originate a call and to send the selected ciphering key to the validation centre where a corresponding ciphering key is selected.
19. A mobile user module according to claim 17 or claim 18 wherein the mobile user module is arranged to receive new ciphering keys from the validation centre to update the at least one ciphering key stored in the mobile user module. 24 November 1999 JRG:TOC:#26774.CAP 12 A method of call establishment in a mobile telecommunications system comprising: issuing a mobile user with a mobile user module for use at a mobile station; the mobile station with the mobile user module communicating with a validation centre for verifying signals from the mobile station when the user wishes to originate a call; generating temporary subscriber information to register the mobile user as a temporary user of the mobile telecommunications system for the duration of the call; and deleting the temporary subscriber information to de-register the user upon Scompletion ofthe call.
21. A method according to claim 20 wherein the temporary subscriber information •go• is sent by the validation centre to a mobile switching centre where the temporary subscriber information is stored for the duration of the call. S22. A method according to claim 21 wherein the mobile switching centre communicates with the mobile station to perform set up of the call after receiving and storing the temporary subscriber information.
23. A method according to claim 21 or claim 22 wherein the temporary subscriber information is deleted from the mobile switching centre after completion of the call.
24. A method according to any one of claims 21 to 23 wherein, at the end of the call, the mobile station sends an end call signal to the mobile switching centre which then releases the call in response to the end call signal. A method according to any one of claims 21 to 24 wherein, after completion of the call the mobile station sends a detach signal to the validation centre, and the validation centre sends an instruction message to the mobile switching centre to delete the temporary subscriber information. 24 November 1999 JRG:TOC:#26774.CAP 13
26. A method according to any one of claims 21 to 25 wherein, at the end of the call, the mobile switching centre notifies the cost of the call to the validation centre.
27. A method according to any one of claims 20 to 26 wherein a monetary value is stored in memory means of the mobile user module, a signal representing the monetary value is sent from the mobile station to the validation centre for verification when the mobile user wishes to originate a call, and if the validation centre verifies there is sufficient monetary value for the call, the temporary subscriber information is generated. oooo
28. A method according to claim 27 wherein the cost of the call is debited from the monetary value stored in the memory means of the mobile user module. •coo
29. A method according to any one of claims 20 to 28 wherein, when the mobile user wishes to originate a call, the mobile user module generates a user identifier in accordance with a predetermined algorithm which is sent to the validation centre for verification. A method according to claim 29 wherein the mobile user module is provided with at least one ciphering key which is sent with the user identifier by the mobile station to the validation centre.
31. A method according to claim 29 wherein the mobile user module is provided with a plurality of ciphering keys and when the mobile user wishes to originate a call, the mobile user module selects one of the ciphering keys which is sent to the validation centre where the user identifier is verified and a corresponding ciphering key is selected. 24 November 1999 JRG:TOC:#26774.CAP 14
32. A method according to claim 30 or claim 31 wherein the validation centre sends new ciphering keys to the mobile station to update the at least one ciphering key in the mobile user module.
33. A method according to any one of claims 20 to 32 further including the step of initially sending a message to the mobile station prompting the mobile user to send signals to the validation centre for validation and generation of the temporary subscriber information when it is desired to set up a call to the mobile user.
34. A method according to claim 33 wherein the message is sent to the mobile station in the form of a digital text message. *35. A mobile telecommunications system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of the accompanying drawings.
36. A method of call establishment in a mobile telecommunications system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
37. A method of call establishment in a mobile telecommunications system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings. DATED: 24 November, 1999 CARTER SMITH BEADLE Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON ROYAL MELBOURNE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY 24 November 1999 JRG:TOC:#26774.CAP
AU60630/99A 1998-11-25 1999-11-24 A mobile telecommunications system and a method of call establishment therein Abandoned AU6063099A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU60630/99A AU6063099A (en) 1998-11-25 1999-11-24 A mobile telecommunications system and a method of call establishment therein

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AUPP7304A AUPP730498A0 (en) 1998-11-25 1998-11-25 A method of call establishment in a mobile telecommunications system
AUPP7304 1998-11-25
AU60630/99A AU6063099A (en) 1998-11-25 1999-11-24 A mobile telecommunications system and a method of call establishment therein

Publications (1)

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AU6063099A true AU6063099A (en) 2000-06-01

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AU60630/99A Abandoned AU6063099A (en) 1998-11-25 1999-11-24 A mobile telecommunications system and a method of call establishment therein

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Owner name: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL.), ROYAL MEL

Free format text: FORMER NAME: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON, ROYAL MELBOURNE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

MK5 Application lapsed section 142(2)(e) - patent request and compl. specification not accepted