GB2301732A - Message delivery in a mobile communications system - Google Patents
Message delivery in a mobile communications system Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2301732A GB2301732A GB9510844A GB9510844A GB2301732A GB 2301732 A GB2301732 A GB 2301732A GB 9510844 A GB9510844 A GB 9510844A GB 9510844 A GB9510844 A GB 9510844A GB 2301732 A GB2301732 A GB 2301732A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- message
- mobile
- location
- database
- delivery
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status 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 status listed.)
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Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
- H04W4/00—Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
- H04W4/12—Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
- H04W4/14—Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
- H04W88/00—Devices specially adapted for wireless communication networks, e.g. terminals, base stations or access point devices
- H04W88/18—Service support devices; Network management devices
- H04W88/184—Messaging devices, e.g. message centre
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)
Abstract
A mobile MS is operable in a system (particularly a GSM system) of networks 100, 110, 120, some, but not all, of which support a short message service. When a message is attempted to be delivered from a service centre SC via a message service gateway SMS-GMSC, the mobile's home location register HLR determines whether the network where the MS is currently located supports message delivery. If it does not support message delivery, the HLR stores the origin SC of the delivery attempt. When the mobile MS updates its location, the HLR alerts the SC which then attempts re-delivery of the message. The HLR may maintain a list of visitor location registers VLRs which do support the short message service, whereby it is possible to restrict the issuing of such alerts by the HLR to the SC to just those occasions when a mobile is served by a VLR which does support messaging.
Description
MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM
This invention relates to mobile communications systems, and in particular to the delivery of messages to mobiles in such a system.
Some mobile communications systems offer a service whereby short alphanumeric messages can be sent to mobiles. Typically a mobile receives the message and displays it on a screen, in a similar manner to a pager. A message can be received when the mobile is either idle or busy and is stored until the user discards it.
Systems based on the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) standard have such a messaging service, called the Short Message
Service (SMS). SMS improves upon basic paging services, ensuring that messages have reached their intended destination and informing the originator of the outcome of their message.
The message system to support this service comprises a number of service centres (SC) joined to a message gateway, known as the Short
Message Service Gateway Mobile Switching Centre (SMS-GMSC). The
SMS-GMSC links the message system to the rest of the cellular communications system. To send a message from one mobile to another, a Mobile Originated Short Message Transfer Procedure is first used to transfer the message from the originating mobile, via the SMS-GMSC, to a service centre (SC). A Mobile Terminated Short Message Transfer
Procedure (SMMT) is then used to transfer the message from the SC, via the SMS-GMSC, to the destination mobile.
The SMS-GMSC generally does little more then relay messages between the SC and the cellular communications system. The SC and SMS-GMSC commonly coexist, although since the GSM specifications refer to these entities individually, they are mentioned separately in this document.
To deliver a message from the SC, the SMS-GMSC needs to know which part of the system the destination mobile is currently being serviced by.
This requires routing information from the Home Location Register (HLR) of the cellular communications system. The HLR stores the address of the last Mobile Switching Centre (MSC) that served the mobile. The message is forwarded to the serving MSC and then on to the mobile. If the mobile is switched off at the time of the delivery attempt, or if the mobile is unreachable for some reason, such as a poor wireless link, the delivery will fail. A failed delivery attempt causes the HLR to store the address of the SC which attempted delivery, such that it can be alerted later when the mobile is reachable e.g. when the mobile re-registers upon being turned on.
With standardisation in the wireless market, it is increasingly common to find a number of differently operated networks which use the same wireless system. GSM networks exist in most European countries, and roaming agreements between operators allow subscribers to use their mobile terminal in these different networks. A subscriber who is used to a certain range of services in his home network, commonly expects those same services in other networks where he uses his terminal. However, it is sometimes not possible to have the same range of services, and in particular some networks may not support messaging services.
If an attempt is made to deliver a message to a mobile while it is served by a network which does not support the short message service, a 'facility not supported' error is returned to the SMS-GMSC of the home network.
Some service providers guarantee that their customers will receive all of their messages, and adopt a polling mechanism to achieve this. Polling is where the SC re-sends the failed messages at intervals in the hope that the mobile will re-appear in a network which does support messaging.
Polling can be at constant time intervals, or at increasingly greater time intervals as delivery attempts fail. Polling is inefficient because the SC is guessing when the mobile will enter a network which supports messaging.
Polling also incurs a high signalling overhead by the repetitive sending of the same information.
Polling is currently the only solution to this problem, since there is no other mechanism to initiate the re-sending of a message, when a message fails due to the SMS facility not being supported in another network.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a mechanism which ensures that messages are delivered to a mobile, without the problems from which polling suffers.
According to the present invention there is provided a method of delivering messages to a mobile in a wireless communications system, part of which system supports message services, the method comprising the steps of:
initiating delivery of a message to the mobile;
determining whether the mobile is currently served by a part of the system which supports message services;
when the mobile is served by a part of the system which does not support message services:
storing details of the origin of the message;
alerting that message origin in response to the mobile updating its location; and
attempting re-delivery of the message to the mobile.
The invention also provides a method of recording attempts to deliver messages to a mobile in a wireless communications system having a message service network joined to a subscriber location database of the system, part of the system supporting message services, the method comprising the steps of:
the message network requesting message routing information from the location database;
the location database issuing an error signal to the message network when the mobile is not currently served by a part of the system which supports message services;
the message network instructing the location database to store an address representing a part of the message network which attempted delivery
whereby to allow the location database to alert that part of the message network which attempted delivery when the mobile updates its location.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a wireless communications system for serving mobile subscribers, part of which system supports messaging services, the system comprising:
a message system for storing and delivering messages to mobiles;
a subscriber database for storing details of a mobile's location within the system
the subscriber database having:
means for determining, in response to the message system initiating delivery of a message to a mobile, whether the mobile is currently served by a part of the system which supports messaging;
means for storing details of the origin of the message when the mobile is in a part of the system which does not support messaging:
means for alerting that message origin in response to the mobile updating its location
such that the message system may attempt re-delivery of the message to the mobile.
The invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a mobile communications scenario in which the invention may be used; and
Figure 2 shows the signalling associated with an embodiment of the invention.
Figure 1 shows three mobile communications networks; 100, 110, 120. A mobile station MS is shown in network 100, the subscriber's home PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network). Networks 110 and 120 represent other networks (Visitor PLMNs or VPLMNs) with whom the Home PLMN (HPLMN) operator has roaming agreements, allowing MS to be served in these areas. HPLMN 100 and VPLMN 120 support the Short Message
Service (SMS), but VPLMN 110 does not.
To illustrate one of the prior art methods of message delivery, where polling is used, movement of MS through the networks is considered.
1. The MS Is located in his Home PLMN (HPLMN) 100, (at 140).
2. The MS communicates its location to the VLR 101 in the HPLMN
100 which in turns send an Update Location to the HLR.
3. The HLR alerts updates the subscriber profile with location data
from that VLR 101.
4. The SC attempts to send a message to the MS and so the SMS
GMSC requests routing information from the HLR. The HLR sees
that the MS supports SMMT. All other checks pass successfully
and thus routing information is returned to the SMS-GMSC.
5. The SMS-GMSC sends the message to the MS successfully.
6. The MS roams to VPLMN 110, (at 150).
7. The MS communicates its location to the VLR 102 in VPLMN 110,
which in turn sends an Update Location to the HLR.
8. The HLR updates the subscriber profile with location data from
that VLR 102.
9. The SC attempts to send a message to the MS so the SMS
GMSC requests routing information from the HLR. The HLR sees
that the VPLMN does NOT support SMMT. The Facility Not
Supported Error is returned to the SMS-GMSC.
10. The SC now adopts a polling algorithm to then re-send the
message. It polls and is unsuccessful in re-sending the message
(guessing).
11. The MS roams to VPLMN 120, (160).
12. The MS communicates its location to the VLR 103 in VPLMN 120
which in turn sends an Update Location to the HLR.
13. The HLR updates the subscriber profile with location data from
that VLR 103.
14. A while later, the SC (after the next polling interval has been
exceeded) then re-sends the message successfully to the MS.
Attempts are made to re-deliver while the MS is still in a network which does not support messaging (step 10). Also, there is a delay between the
MS roaming into the network 120, which does support messaging, and a further re-delivery attempt (step 14).
An event-driven mechanism is where the network informs the HLR when it detects any sign of a mobile being reachable. There are numerous ways in which the network becomes aware of the mobile being reachable, such as when the mobile attempts to make call, triggers an Update Location by roaming to an area served by a different VLR, etc.
The advantages of an event-driven mechanism, as provided by the invention, over polling are apparent when considering the roaming behaviour of an MS. The following scenarios are considered: 1. The MS roams into a VPLMN for a long time that doesn't support
SMMT and then roams into a VPLMN that supports SMMT and
remains there.
2. The MS roams frequently between VPLMNs that alternately
support/don't support SMMT.
An SC polling algorithm may be consistent (polling at regular intervals until message re-delivered) or may be graded (an algorithm exists that polls the
HLR less frequently as polling attempts fail. This ultimately results in polling ceasing and the message never getting sent to the MS).
In scenario 1 a consistent polling algorithm will ensure that the MS receives his message. Yet the longer the MS remains in the nonsupported VPLMN, the greater the amount of (wasted) traffic between the
HLR and SC.
In scenario 1 (taking the worst case scenario) a graded mechanism may give up on polling so the MS may never get his message in scenario 1.
In scenario 2 a consistent or graded polling mechanism will not ensure successful re-delivery of a short message when the MS has roamed from a VPLMN that doesn't support SMMT to one that supports SMMT to one that doesn't support SMMT again, within the polling interval.
An event driven mechanism: 1. Ensures that messages are re-delivered to the MS when it
roams into a network that supports SMMT as described in
scenarios 1 and 2.
2. Eliminates polling and the overheads incurred at the SC and the
HLR.
The invention refers to an implementation for Phase 1 of GSM, this is described with reference to Figure 2. Figure 2 shows signalling between parts of the mobile network. For simplicity, the signalling between the SC and the SMS-GMSC has not been specified, since the SMS-GMSC generally does little more than relay messages between the SC and the cellular communications system. The SC and the SMS-GMSC commonly coexist. The actual messages sent between the SC and SMS-GMSC have no bearing on this proposal. However, since the GSM specifications refers to these entities individually both entities have been shown in the message diagram in Figure 2.
The MS is currently served by VLR1. A Message Waiting Flag (MWF) at the VLR1 indicates whether there are messages waiting to be delivered to the MS. This is set to FALSE.
211. The SC attempts to sends message to the MS and the SMS
GMSC requests routing information from the HLR by sending a
SendRoutinglnfoForSM request.
212. A Facility Not Supported Error is returned back to the SC, via the
SMS-GMSC, because the current serving network does not
support SMMT.
213. On receiving this Error, the SMS-GMSC sends a
SetMessageWaitingData request to the HLR to add the SC
address into the subscriber's MWD.
214. The update is successful and an acknowledgement is returned.
215. The MS then roams to VLR2 and informs VLR2 of its presence.
216. VLR2 subsequently sends an Update Location to the HLR.
217. The HLR sends a Cancel Location to the old VLR (VLR1) to
inform it to remove the subscriber from its database as the MS no
longer resides there.
218. An acknowledgement is returned from VLR1.
219. The Update Location request triggers the alerting mechanism.
The SC address is deleted from the MWD and an
AlertServiceCentre is sent to the SC, via the SMS-GMSC. The
Phase 1 AlertServiceCentre is a class 4 message (i.e. no
successful or error response is sent back to the HLR from the
SC).
220 The SC attempts re-delivery of the message and the SMS-GMSC
requests routing information again from the HLR.
221. The HLR returns routing information to the SMS-GMSC.
222. The SMS-GMSC forwards the message on to the serving MSC
and onto the MS.
Summarising the implementation:
Receiving a Facility Not Supported error from the HLR is a trigger for the
SMS-GMSC to send a Set Message Waiting Data request to the HLR, which updates the MWD with the SC address.
When the subscriber roams to a new VLR, an Update location message is sent to the HLR. This is a trigger for the HLR to send out alerts to those
SCs listed in the MWD. On receipt of the alert SCs will attempt to redeliver the waiting messages.
A further reduction in the number of alerts is possible and this implementation can be used for Phase 1, Phase 2 and subsequent versions of the GSM mobile communications system. If a MS has messages waiting for it and it roams to a new VLR within the same
VPLMN that does not support the SMMT Service, then the sending out of an alert is unnecessary because the HLR will still return the Facility Not
Supported error. By maintaining a list of VLRs, and an indication as to whether they do or do not support the short message service, it is possible to restrict the issuing of alerts to just those occasions when a mobile is served by a VLR which does support messaging. This list of VLRs can be held at the HLR.
Claims (12)
1. A method of delivering messages to a mobile in a wireless communications system, part of which system supports message services, the method comprising the steps of:
initiating delivery of a message to the mobile;
determining whether the mobile is currently served by a part of the system which supports message services;
when the mobile is served by a part of the system which does not support message services:
storing details of the origin of the message;
alerting that message origin in response to the mobile updating its location; and
attempting re-delivery of the message to the mobile.
2. A method of delivering mesages as claimed in claim 1 wherein the communications system comprises a plurality of networks, some of which support message services.
3. A method of delivering mesages as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the step of alerting the message origin occurs only when the mobile updates its location as being a part of the system which does support message services.
4. A method of delivering mesages as claimed in claim 3, further comprising maintaining a database of parts of the system which support message services, and consulting the database when the mobile updates its location.
5. A method of delivering mesages as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the step of initiating delivery of a message comprises sending a request for routing information to a subscriber database of the system, at which subscriber database the steps of determining, storing and alerting are implemented.
6. A method of recording attempts to deliver messages to a mobile in a wireless communications system having a message service network joined to a subscriber location database of the system, part of the system supporting message services, the method comprising the steps of:
the message network requesting message routing information from the location database;
the location database issuing an error signal to the message network when the mobile is not currently served by a part of the system which supports message services;
the message network instructing the location database to store an address representing a part of the message network which attempted delivery
whereby to allow the location database to alert that part of the message network which attempted delivery when the mobile updates its location.
7. A method of recording as claimed in claim 6 wherein the location databse stores the address as part of message waiting data.
8. A method of recording as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the message network comprises a message gateway linked to a number of message service centres, and the location database is a Home Location
Register (HLR).
9. A wireless communications system for serving mobile subscribers, part of which system supports messaging services, the system comprising:
a message system for storing and delivering messages to mobiles;
a subscriber database for storing details of a mobile's location within the system
the subscriber database having:
means for determining, in response to the message system initiating delivery of a message to a mobile, whether the mobile is currently served by a part of the system which supports messaging;
means for storing details of the origin of the message when the mobile is in a part of the system which does not support messaging:
means for alerting that message origin in response to the mobile updating its location
such that the message system may attempt re-delivery of the message to the mobile.
10. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the communications system is a cellular communications system.
11. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10 wherein the subscriber database is a Home Location Register (HLR).
12. A method of delivering messages or a method of recording substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9510844A GB2301732A (en) | 1995-05-27 | 1995-05-27 | Message delivery in a mobile communications system |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9510844A GB2301732A (en) | 1995-05-27 | 1995-05-27 | Message delivery in a mobile communications system |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9510844D0 GB9510844D0 (en) | 1995-07-19 |
| GB2301732A true GB2301732A (en) | 1996-12-11 |
Family
ID=10775196
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9510844A Withdrawn GB2301732A (en) | 1995-05-27 | 1995-05-27 | Message delivery in a mobile communications system |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2301732A (en) |
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2001008431A1 (en) * | 1999-07-27 | 2001-02-01 | Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) | Method, system and mobile switching center (msc) for reporting capability to perform periodic broadcast short message service (sms) |
| EP1223781A2 (en) * | 2001-01-12 | 2002-07-17 | Lucent Technologies Inc. | Interworking and interoperability of GPRS systems with systems of other technology families |
| EP1259036A1 (en) * | 2000-12-04 | 2002-11-20 | NTT DoCoMo, Inc. | E-mail distribution control method and mail server |
| WO2003055240A1 (en) * | 2001-12-21 | 2003-07-03 | Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) | Delivering messages in a telecommunications network |
| WO2011150793A1 (en) * | 2010-06-04 | 2011-12-08 | 中兴通讯股份有限公司 | Roaming retrying method for mobile terminated short message and system therefor |
Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1994007338A1 (en) * | 1992-09-18 | 1994-03-31 | Nokia Telecommunications Oy | A method for starting a short message transmission |
-
1995
- 1995-05-27 GB GB9510844A patent/GB2301732A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1994007338A1 (en) * | 1992-09-18 | 1994-03-31 | Nokia Telecommunications Oy | A method for starting a short message transmission |
Cited By (12)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2001008431A1 (en) * | 1999-07-27 | 2001-02-01 | Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) | Method, system and mobile switching center (msc) for reporting capability to perform periodic broadcast short message service (sms) |
| US6606502B1 (en) | 1999-07-27 | 2003-08-12 | Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) | Method system and mobile switching center (MSC) for reporting capability to perform periodic broadcast short message service (SMS) |
| EP1259036A1 (en) * | 2000-12-04 | 2002-11-20 | NTT DoCoMo, Inc. | E-mail distribution control method and mail server |
| EP1259036A4 (en) * | 2000-12-04 | 2003-07-23 | Ntt Docomo Inc | E-mail distribution control method and mail server |
| AU2002224132B2 (en) * | 2000-12-04 | 2004-06-24 | Ntt Docomo, Inc. | E-mail distribution control method and mail server |
| AU2002224132C1 (en) * | 2000-12-04 | 2005-02-24 | Ntt Docomo, Inc. | E-mail distribution control method and mail server |
| US7313385B2 (en) | 2000-12-04 | 2007-12-25 | Ntt Docomo, Inc. | E-mail distribution control method and mail server |
| EP1223781A2 (en) * | 2001-01-12 | 2002-07-17 | Lucent Technologies Inc. | Interworking and interoperability of GPRS systems with systems of other technology families |
| EP1223781A3 (en) * | 2001-01-12 | 2002-09-04 | Lucent Technologies Inc. | Interworking and interoperability of GPRS systems with systems of other technology families |
| US6912389B2 (en) | 2001-01-12 | 2005-06-28 | Lucent Technologies Inc. | Interworking and interoperability of GPRS systems with systems of other technology families |
| WO2003055240A1 (en) * | 2001-12-21 | 2003-07-03 | Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) | Delivering messages in a telecommunications network |
| WO2011150793A1 (en) * | 2010-06-04 | 2011-12-08 | 中兴通讯股份有限公司 | Roaming retrying method for mobile terminated short message and system therefor |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9510844D0 (en) | 1995-07-19 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |