Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
  • H04M3/4228—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers in networks
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M7/00—Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
  • H04M7/12—Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W8/00—Network data management
  • H04W8/18—Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Definitions

• the present invention relates in general to the field of telecommunications systems, and in particular, to enabling subscriber modifications of selected subscription features in telecommunications systems.
• Description of Related Art Today's communications systems, whether wireless or wireline, offer subscribers a myriad of customization options for features to which they subscribe.
• Examples of such features include call waiting, call forwarding, and call blocking.
• Call waiting can generally be turned on or off.
• Call forwarding may be customized by specifying the number to which calls should be forwarded.
• call blocking may be customized by specifying one or more numbers that should be blocked.
• a subscriber may access subscription information over the Internet. Such an access may include, for example, retrieving the subscription information and/or modifying the subscription information.
• the subscriber uses a software application, such as a web browser, to submit a Mobile Subscriber Number (MSN) and a password.
• a server e.g., a World Wide Web (WWW) server
• WWW World Wide Web
• the subscriber's subscription information is stored in a subscription information node, such as, for example, a Home Location Register (HLR) in a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) or a Service Control Point (SCP) in an intelligent overlay network (e.g., a Signaling System #7 (SS7) network).
• HLR Home Location Register
• PLMN Public Land Mobile Network
• SCP Service Control Point
• SS7 Signaling System #7
• the server routes the submitted information (e.g., the MSN and the password) to a gateway node, such as a Gateway Mobile Services Switching Center (GMSC), in the telecommunications network.
• GMSC Gateway Mobile Services Switching Center
• the gateway node may thereafter route the submitted information to the correct subscription information node using conventional signaling and/or a specially-designed protocol.
• An important technical advantage of the present invention is that it enables a subscriber to see and change services settings using a data terminal with a view screen that is connected to the Internet. Another important technical advantage of the present invention is that it provides a mechanism for communication between a server and a subscription information node.
• Yet another important technical advantage of the present invention is the ability to improve the efficiency of such communication by employing a gateway node as the Internet access point.
• FIGURE 1 A illustrates a portion of an exemplary wireless telecommunications network
• FIGURE IB illustrates a portion of an exemplary SS7 network that may overlay the wireless telecommunications network
• FIGURE 2A illustrates an exemplary embodiment in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention
• FIGURE 2B illustrates another exemplary embodiment in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention
• FIGURE 3A illustrates an exemplary general sequence diagram in accordance with the present invention
• FIGURE 3B illustrates an exemplary protocol-specific sequence diagram in accordance with the present invention
• FIGURE 4 illustrates an exemplary display of subscription information for a subscriber in accordance with the present invention
• FIGURE 5 illustrates an exemplary method in flowchart form for accessing subscription information in accordance with the present invention.
• FIGURES 1 A-5 of the drawings like numerals being used for like and corresponding parts of the various drawings.
• the wireless network portion 100 includes a gateway node (e.g., GMSC 105).
• the gateway node 105 is connected to the remainder of the wireless network portion 100 via communication line 110.
• the remaining portion includes a connection to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) 175 and two each of a Mobile Services Switching Center (MSC) 125, an HLR 130, a Visitor Location Register (VLR) 140, an Equipment Identity Register (EIR) 145, and an Authentication Center (AC) 135.
• PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network
• MSC Mobile Services Switching Center
• HLR 130 Home Location Register
• VLR Visitor Location Register
• EIR Equipment Identity Register
• AC Authentication Center
• the wireless network portion 100 may include more or fewer than two of these elements. These elements may be connected and operated in conventional manners as known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
• Also included as part of the wireless network portion 100 are multiple Base
• BSCs Station Controllers
• BSs Base Stations
• BTSs Base Transceiver Stations
• cells 165 defined by the respective BTSs.
• BSCs Base Station Controllers
• BSs Base Stations
• BTSs Base Transceiver Stations
• cells 165 defined by the respective BTSs.
• MSs 170 are shown within the cells 165.
• a subscriber (not pictured) is ordinarily associated with each MS 170. The subscriber may have the ability to activate and/or customize various features. The available features and established customizations are stored in subscriber information (e.g., a subscriber data record) in a subscription information node, such as the HLR 130.
• subscriber information node such as the HLR 130.
• the exemplary wireless network portion 100 includes more than a single HLR 130.
• the gateway node 105 is also connected to an SS7 network via communication line 115. This Intelligent SS7 Network includes a Signal Transfer
• STP Point
• FIGURE IB a portion of an exemplary SS7 network (designated generally by 180) that may overlay the wireless telecommunications network is illustrated.
• the exemplary SS7 network portion 180 may overlay the exemplary wireless network portion 100 of FIGURE 1 A as indicated by the presence of the STP 120 in both FIGURES.
• An SCP 185 and a Service Switching Point (SSP) 190 are interconnected to and interoperative with the STP 120 in conventional manners as known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
• SSP Service Switching Point
• more than a single subscription information node, namely two SCPs 185 is shown. It should be understood that the present invention is equally applicable to other configurations of the exemplary SS7 network portion 180, including those configurations with other numbers and/or types of nodes.
• the Internet 205 includes a WWW server 215.
• the WWW server 215 is connected to the gateway node 105 via a communication line 210, which operates in accordance with a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP IP).
• TCP IP Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
• the gateway node 105 is connected via communication line 110A to an HLR1 130A and via communication line HOB to an HLR2 130B.
• the gateway node 105 may communicate with the HLRl 130A and the HLR2 130B using conventional messages of a conventional protocol, such as the Mobile Application Part (MAP) protocol, or special-purpose messages in a MAP or other protocol format.
• MAP Mobile Application Part
• the subscriber contacts the WWW server 215 using an Internet application, such as a web browser.
• the Internet application preferably displays relevant information using a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) page 220.
• HTML HyperText Markup Language
• other (especially Internet-related) software and/or protocols may be used to display and/or interact with the relevant information.
• Java-enabled or Java-based software may be employed by the subscriber.
• the subscriber interacts with the subscription information using the HTML page 220. For example, the subscriber enters an identification, such as a Mobile Subscriber Number (MSN) 225, and an authentication, such as apassword 230, that may be subsequently submitted.
• MSN Mobile Subscriber Number
• the MSN 225 and the password 230 are submitted via the HTML page 220 and the WWW server 215 to the gateway node 105 to initiate a subscription information access. Therefore, it is preferable that the identification option selected be an option that enables the gateway node 105 to route the subscription information access request to the HLR that contains the subscriber's subscription information. It should be noted that other computer networks, such as a corporate intranet, may be the origination point for the subscription information access request instead of the Internet.
• FIGURE 2B another exemplary embodiment in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention is illustrated (designated generally by 280).
• This second aspect is similar to the first aspect explained above with reference to FIGURE 2A.
• the subscription information to be accessed is stored at a subscription information node in an intelligent SS7 network.
• the gateway node 105 is connected via the communication line 115A to the SCP1 185 A and via the communication line 115B to the SCP2 185B.
• the gateway node 105 may communicate with the SCP1 185A and the SCP2 185B using conventional messages of a conventional protocol, such as the Intelligent Network Application Part (INAP) protocol, or special-purpose messages in an INAP or other protocol format.
• INAP Intelligent Network Application Part
• the WWW server 215 routes subscription information access requests to the gateway node 105.
• the gateway node 105 is then able to forward the request directly to the appropriate subscription information node based on the submitted identity.
• inefficient excess telecommunications network signaling is reduced (because the WWW server 215 need not interrogate each possible subscription information node), and unnecessary access delays are decreased (because the WWW server 215 need not sequentially interrogate subscription information nodes until the appropriate node is contacted).
• the WWW server 215 is not required to store and use an additional database. Referring now to FIGURE 3A, an exemplary general sequence diagram in accordance with the present invention is illustrated.
• the sequence diagram 300 illustrates signals exchanged between and among the Internet 205, the gateway node 105, and an HLR 130 or an SCP 185 (designated generally as "HLR/SCP 130/185").
• the signals may be, for example, messages, packets, or datagrams formatted into a known protocol (e.g., TCP/IP between the Internet 205 and the gateway node 105,
• the subscriber using an Internet application, initiates a subscription information access by submitting certain information (signal 305) via the WWW server 215 to the gateway node 105.
• the information may include the MSN 225 and the password 230 (of FIGURES 2A and 2B).
• the gateway node 105 consults its internal database to determine the appropriate HLR/SCP 130/185 based, at least in part, on the MSN 225.
• the gateway node 105 then forwards the identification and authentication information to the HLR/SCP 130/185 to begin a subscription information session (signal 310).
• the subscriber from the Internet 205, requests subscription information (signal
• the gateway node 105 then forwards the instruction to send the subscription information (signal 320) to the HLR SCP 130/185.
• the HLR/SCP 130/185 transmits the subscription information to the gateway node 105 (signal 325).
• the gateway node 105 then forwards the subscription information to the subscriber via the Internet 205 (signal 330).
• the subscriber After the subscriber has reviewed the various customizations of the selected services as displayed from the subscription information, the subscriber transmits a request to modify the subscription information from the Internet 205 (signal 335).
• the gateway node 105 then forwards the request to modify the subscription information to the HLR SCP 130/185 (signal 340).
• This exemplary signal order and sequence flow advantageously enables the subscriber to modify the subscription information without receiving the subscription information from the HLR SCP 130/185, if the modification request immediately follows the initiation of the subscription information access. (Thus, the signals 315-330 would be superfluous in this alternative.) This is possible, for example, when the subscriber knows what change(s) are desired without needing to review the subscription information.
• the Internet software application may be configured so as to permit the subscriber to submit the subscription information modification request simultaneously with the identification and authentication information.
• the method and system of the present invention may be set up so that the default procedure is for the HLR/SCP 130/185 to automatically send the subscription information to the subscriber on the Internet 205 after the HLR/SCP 130/185 receives the identification and authentication information.
• the signals 315-320 would be superfluous in this alternative.
• the HLR/SCP 130/185 transmits an acknowledgment to the gateway node 105 indicating that the subscription information has been successfully modified (signal 345).
• the HLR/SCP 130/185 may transmit a non-acknowledgment signal.
• the gateway node 105 then forwards the acknowledgment of the subscription information modification to the Internet 205 (signal 350).
• the subscriber may conclude the session by signaling to the gateway node 105 to terminate the access (signal 355).
• the gateway node 105 may then forward an end subscription information session signal to the HLR SCP 130/185 (signal 360).
• FIG. 380 illustrates signals exchanged between and among the Internet 205 (as shown in FIGURE 3 A but not explicitly in FIGURE 3B), the gateway node 105, and the HLR/SCP 130/185.
• the signals in this exemplary embodiment, are formatted according to TCP/IP between the Internet 205 and the gateway node 105 and according to MAP/INAP between the gateway node 105 and the HLR/SCP 130/185.
• the signals 315, 330, 335, and 350, which are shown more completely in the sequence diagram 300 (of FIGURE 3 A), between the Internet 205 and the gateway node 105 are not shown in detail in FIGURE 3B so as to avoid obscuring the details of the signals between the gateway node 105 and the HLR SCP 130/185 of the sequence diagram 380.
• the sequence diagram 380 illustrates one exemplary manner in which the signals 320, 325, 340, and 345 (of the sequence diagram 300 of FIGURE 3A) may be effectuated using MAP/INAP.
• the gateway node 105 After the gateway node 105 receives a request for subscription information (signal 315) from the Internet 205 (e.g., using an IP-based signal), the gateway node 105 begins a Transaction Capability Application Part (TCAP) dialogue with the HLR/SCP 130/185.
• TCAP Transaction Capability Application Part
• the "BEGIN" message/"INVOKE” component (signal 320') is sent to the HLR/SCP 130/185.
• the operation/data in the signal 320' is "SEND SI" (where “SI” is an abbreviation for "subscription information”).
• the HLR/SCP 130/185 responds by sending a "CONTINUE” message/"RESULT” component (signal 325') to the gateway node 105.
• the operation/data in the signal 325' is "SEND SI”.
• the gateway node 105 After the Internet 205 and the gateway node 105 exchange the signals 330 and 335 (as explained above with reference to FIGURE 2A), the gateway node 105 sends to the HLR/SCP 130/185 a "CONTINUE" message/"INVOKE” component (signal 340'). The operation/data in the signal 340* is "MODIFY SI”. The HLR/SCP 130/185 responds by sending an "END" message/"RESULT" component (signal 345') to the gateway node 105. The operation/data in the signal 345' is "MODIFY SI". The gateway node 105 may then acknowledge the modified subscription information
• the "SEND SI” data/operation includes the MSN 225 and the password 230 in the "INVOKE” component of the signal 320' and includes subscription information in the "RESULT” component of the signal 325'.
• the "MODIFY SI” data/operation includes the altered subscription information (or altered portion thereof and/or request therefor) in the "INVOKE” component of the signal 340' and includes the altered subscription information (in its entirety or only some portion thereof) in the "RESULT” component of the signal 345'.
• Subscription information 400 is composed of all or part of the subscriber information in the subscriber data record, which is stored and maintained in the associated subscription information node.
• the subscription information 400 illustrates at least a portion of the subscriber information in a form that may be used on a view screen to provide to the subscriber a description of the wireless account and available features.
• the subscription information 400 preferably is displayed on an HTML page 220 using a web browser or other HTML-capable software application.
• the subscription information 400 may be displayed, for example, on a large view screen of a data terminal device so that the subscriber may easily review all settings of all services/features.
• the specific subscription information 400 shown is exemplary only and that other subscriber information, such as other account information or additional features or wireless contract details or wireless capabilities (e.g., coverage area), may be displayed in the same or a different organizational structure.
• the subscription information 400 includes account information 410, which includes, by way of example, the MSN, the subscriber's name, the MS's telephone number, and the wireless account number. It should be understood that less or additional data may instead be included within the account information 410.
• the subscription information 400 also includes a listing of the features (e.g., the services) 420 available to the subscriber and their various statuses. The status may include, for example, whether the feature is activated (e.g., turned "on" or in effect) and whether any customizations are in effect.
• the features listing 420 may include, by way of example, the call barring, call waiting, call forwarding, and multi-party calling services, and any other service(s)/feature(s).
• the available and/or activated customizations 430 may be displayed.
• the subscriber is therefore able to conveniently review the subscription information 400 and request desired modifications accordingly. For instance, assuming that the subscriber has a barred number only under the Customization # 1 and that the subscriber wishes to add a second number, the subscriber may request the institution of a second customization (e.g., the Customization #2) under the call barring service.
• the modification request is routed to the subscription information node as explained above with reference to, for example, FIGURES 2A, 2B, 3A, and
• Flowchart 500 illustrates an embodiment in which the subscriber retrieves the subscription information and then requests a modification thereof.
• a subscriber requests access to subscription information (step 510) using, for example, a browser or other software application program that understands HTML.
• the WWW server (or any general Internet/Intranet node or router) routes the request to a gateway node (e.g., GMSC) of the subscriber's telecommunication network (step 520).
• the gateway node routes the request to the subscription information node (step 530).
• the subscription information node sends the subscription information to the subscriber via the Internet (or Intranet, etc.) (step 540).
• the subscription information node may send the subscription information through the gateway node for forwarding to the Internet using, for example, an Internet Point of Presence (INET-POP).
• INET-POP Internet Point of Presence
• the subscription information node may send the subscription information to the WWW server without using the INET-POP.
• the INET-POP may be bypassed if the subscription information node also has direct access to the Internet (the initial request may include the Internet address of the WWW server). This reduces telecommunications network signaling while still retaining at least one benefit of the present invention (e.g., alleviating the burden on the WWW server to know which subscription information node to route the initial request to).
• Other routing paths from the subscription information node to the WWW server are within the scope of the present invention as well.
• the subscriber may view the subscription information (step 550). If the subscriber wishes to make changes to the subscription information, the subscriber requests one or more modifications of one or more customizations available under one or more features (step 560). The request(s) are transmitted to the subscription information node (step 570) through the gateway node or through a routing path that was previously established (e.g., when the subscription information node initially sent the subscription information). The subscription information is modified at the subscription information node (step 580). The modification(s) to the subscription information may then be acknowledged by, for example, enabling the subscriber to view the updated subscription information (step 590).

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• 1999
  • 1999-12-17 AU AU21353/00A patent/AU2135300A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-12-17 WO PCT/SE1999/002418 patent/WO2000039988A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1999-12-17 EP EP99965663A patent/EP1155554A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1999-12-17 JP JP2000591774A patent/JP2002534848A/ja not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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