GB2389271A

GB2389271A - Delivering text messages to hosts from other networks using 'any network access' (ana) equipment

Info

Publication number: GB2389271A
Application number: GB0206803A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jeffrey Wilson
Original assignee: Intellprop Ltd
Current assignee: Intellprop Ltd
Priority date: 2002-03-22
Filing date: 2002-03-22
Publication date: 2003-12-03
Anticipated expiration: 2022-03-22
Also published as: GB0206803D0; GB2389271B

Abstract

Telecommunications apparatus, and associated method, the apparatus comprising an Any Network Access (ANA) device (1) and a control device (2), the ANA apparatus being arranged such that, in use, a message in a home network is transmitted to the ANA device and the ANA device is configured to recognise a trigger condition which is associated with the message, on recognising the trigger condition, the ANA device is operative to transmit a request signal to the control device for an instruction signal, said instruction signal being representative of how the message is to be handled by the ANA device. The invention advantageously allows for the provision of new types of messaging services, and in particular, in the situation when the MO (Mobile Originated) message and the corresponding MT (Mobile Terminated) message both require IN (Intelligent Network) intervention the delivery process.

Description

TELECOMMUNICATIONS APPARATUS

The present invention relates to telecommunications apparatus and in particular, but not exclusively, apparatus for handling text messages within mobile telephone networks.

5 Text messaging allows users of mobile telecommunications terminals to exchange Short Messages with other terminals or with entities in a network known as applications or hosts. A prevalent implementation of a text messaging service is the set of GSM services known as SMS (Short Message Services.) 10 The GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) Short Message Service defines Mobile Originated and Mobile terminated Short Messages, which are respectively sent to and from a Short Message Service Centre (SMSC.) The SMSC used is normally one belonging to the network on which the sending user is registered. The address of the 15 SMSC (or logical address of an SMSC group) is programmed into the user's terminal or Subscriber Identity Module (SIM.) Using this address, GSM mobile networks are able to route a Short Message to an appropriate SMSC, even if the message was initiated on another network.

In GSM, the prevalent use of an SMSC in the delivery of each Short 20 Message follows the original intention of the GSM specifications, which

assumed that initially radio coverage would be patchy, battery life would be poor, and for these and other reasons phones would be frequently unreachable. With the maturity of the technologies, an increasing percentage of text messages are now deliverable on the first attempt, and 25 the overhead and extra delay incurred by transmitting to an SMSC is

becoming undesirable for many types of service that use SMS. The SMSC may now be seen as a peripheral device, providing a store and forward function only for those messages which need it.

Other enhancements to the GSM model for SMS have been introduced. A 5 technique known as 'Any Network Access' (ANA) overcomes previous limitations with regard to delivery of messages to hosts from other networks. Before the advent of ANA techniques, it was not true that messages could be sent to hosts from any network. Hosts were normally only accessible to subscribers of the network to which the host was 10 attached. ANA allows applications or hosts to be addressed by using one or more virtual mobile telephone numbers, which fit into the numbering plan of the GSM system. Use of a standardised telephone number allows hosts to be reached in the same way as a mobile telephone, with the voice call or text message being routable from any network. However, the 15 message does not terminate at a mobile terminal, but at a special equipment, referred to here as the ANA equipment, which appears to the network to behave as a network node with multiple virtual mobile telephones attached. Calls or messages sent to one of these virtual telephone numbers are routed to the ANA equipment.

20 According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided telecommunications apparatus, the apparatus comprising an intermediary device and a control device, the intermediary device being adapted to perform the function of receiving messages from a different mobile telecommunications network from the home mobile telecommunications 25 network with which the intermediary device is associated, the apparatus being arranged such that, in use, a message in the home network is transmitted to the intermediary device and the intermediary device is configured to recognise a trigger condition which is associated with the

( message, on recognising the trigger condition, the intermediary device is operative to transmit a request signal to the control device for an instruction signal, said instruction signal being representative of how the message is to be handled by the intermediary device.

5 Thus, advantageously, the invention provides greater efficiency as a result of combining the cross-network communication capability of an intermediary device with intelligent network control provided by a control device. The invention allows for the provision of new types of messaging services, and in particular, in the situation when the MO 10 (Mobile Originated) message and the corresponding MT message both require IN (Intelligent Network) intervention in the delivery process.

An example of an intermediary device is a so-called Any Network Access IANA) device which allows messages to be sent directly from a first network, say a foreign network in a particular country, to a second 15 network, say a home network in another country, the home network containing the ANA device. This is typically achieved by the ANA appearing to the first network as a network node with multiple virtual mobile numbers attached. The message is routed to one of the virtual numbers of the ANA device as an MT format message. The ANA device 20 then typically forwards the message to an SMS Host or other equipment.

Alternatively the ANA device may forward the message to another network node in either MT or MO format. The MO message is then relayed by the ANA to a switching centre in the second network. An example of an ANA device is shown in patent specification no.

25 WO 00/47004.

A 'message' (as distinct from a voice call) may comprise one or a combination of text representative of alphanumeric characters, graphics material, audio material, or video material. For example a message may be an SMS message, or may be an EMS (Enhanced Message Service) 5 message.

Although it is envisaged that the intermediary device and the control device are provided externally of each other, they may be provided as a single entity in which the request for the instruction signal is performed as an internal function.

10 The trigger condition may be activated by received data which is associated with the message. Such trigger data may include details of the sender of the message, or may include data which is associated with a characteristic of the message.

For example, a trigger condition may be activated by the fact that the 15 destination number of the message has juxtaposed thereto a particular number or string of numbers which the intermediary device is programmed to recognise, and thus the trigger condition is activated when a message is received which has such a destination number.

The intermediary device is preferably operative to transmit a request 20 signal to the control device, which request signal comprises information which is determined by the trigger condition.

The request may, therefore, comprise at least some of the data which activated the trigger condition. Alternatively, the intermediary device may be provided with a data processor (typically in conjunction with data

( storage means) which is operative to determine, in response to the particular trigger condition, the form and/or content of the request signal sent to the control device.

The intermediary device may be configured such that the trigger S condition is activated by the simple fact of the intermediary device having received a message, and the intermediary device being further configured to send a request signal to the control device for instructions, such a request signal preferably comprising received data associated with the message.

10 The control device desirably comprises a data processor which, in use, is operative to determine the instructions to be sent to the intermediary device in response to the request signal.

The control device preferably stores instructions relating to how a message is to be handled in response to a respective trigger condition.

15 The apparatus may further comprise a router device which is arranged to receive the message prior to said message being received by the intermediary device.

The router device may be configured to recognise a trigger condition which is associated with the message as received by the router device.

20 On recognising the trigger condition of the router device said router device may be configured to transmit a request signal for an instruction signal to the control device, the instruction signal relating to how the router device should handle the message.

The control device may be configured to send an instruction signal to the router device, which instruction signal comprises instructions for the router device to send the message to the intermediary device.

The control device is preferably configured to send an instruction signal 5 to the router device which comprises instructions for the message to be sent to the intermediary device via a store-and-forward device.

The control device preferably stores address data of the intermediary device and most preferably the control device stores a plurality of addresses of the intermediary device.

10 Trigger data associated with the message as received by the intermediary device may comprise the address assigned to the message by the control device. The control device may be configured to send an instruction signal to the intermediary device which relates to an instruction to withhold data 15 associated with the message, for example the telephone number of the sender, from the addressee of the message.

The control device may be configured to send an instruction to the intermediary device which is to withhold data associated with the message, for example the telephone number of the sender, from the 20 address of the message.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a telecommunications network comprising the apparatus in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of transmitting a message from a first mobile telecommunications network to a second mobile telecommunications network comprising transmitting the message to an intermediary device associated with the second 5 network, the intermediary device being adapted to relay the message received from the first network to the second network, on recognising a trigger condition associated with message, transmitting a request signal to a control device for an instruction signal, and transmitting from the control device to the intermediary device an instruction signal relating to 10 how the message is to be handled by the intermediary device.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided an intermediary device which is adapted to relay a message received from a first mobile telecommunications network to a second mobile tele-

communications network, the intermediary device being configured to 15 recognise a trigger condition which is associated with a message which is sent to said device, and on recognising the trigger condition the device is operative to transmit a request signal to a control device for an instruction signal, the instruction signal relating to instructions as to how the intermediary device should handle the message.

20 According to a fifth aspect of the invention there is provided a control device which is adapted to receive and process a request signal from an intermediary device, the intermediary device being adapted to relay a message received from a first mobile telecommunications network to a second mobile telecommunications network with which the intermediary 25 device is associated, the control device being arranged such that in use, in response to receiving the request signal, the control device is operative to send an instruction signal to the intermediary device, the instruction

signal relating to instructions as to how the intermediary device should handle the message.

Several embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 5 Figure I is a block diagram showing telecommunications apparatus in accordance with the invention comprising a router device and an intermediary device which are in communication with a control device and shown as part of one network A; and Figure 2 is a block diagram showing telecommunications 10 apparatus comprising a text message host, an intermediary device and a control device.

With reference to Figure 1 there is shown telecommunications apparatus comprising an Any Network Access (ANA) device 1, an SMS SCP (Service Control Point) 2, a SMSC (Short Message Service Centre) 3 and 15 an SMS Router 4 which form part of a telecommunications network A. The ANA 1 and the SMS Router 4 are arranged to be in communication with the SMS SCP 2.

The device ANA 1 performs the conventional function of an Any Network Access device in enabling messages originating from other 20 networks, such as network B. to be handled by network A. Those messages are shown by broken lines. The device ANA 1 also performs the function of an intermediary device in accordance with the invention, as will be explained hereafter.

The conventional functions of ANA 1 is to receive MT messages, such as that indicated at 10 in Figure 1, from another network such as network B. and to appear to network B as a network node having multiple virtual mobile numbers attached. The MT message 10 is then converted by 5 ANA 1 and the resulting message (not shown) is conventionally transmitted to the Host. However in addition to receiving MT messages from other networks, the ANA is also able to advantageously receive MT messages from network A. Provision of intelligent control to the ANA allows MT traffic to be treated according to service logic which may 10 reside internally or in a separate controller. The ANA or like function then becomes a focus for intelligent handling of MT traffic in network A, whether sourced from network A or another Network. The ANA is operable to convert MT messages into other message formats (eg MO message or Host protocol) and forward messages to Hosts, SMSCs, 15 MSCs or other destinations.

The SMS SCP 2 acts as a control device in network A and comprises a data processor device and an associated data storage device (not shown).

The arrangement of Figure 1 will be used to illustrate the apparently straightforward case of an MO message being sent from terminal TA 1 to 20 the SMSC 3, and then forwarded on to a recipient, such as terminal TA 2, as an MT message, but where the sending subscriber wishes to withhold his CLI (Calling Line Identity) from the delivered message.

Present networks do not normally support this facility, and one reason is that many networks use their SMSCs for billing purposes. If the CLI 25 were to be withheld prior to the message arriving at the SMSC, either in the handset, or by an SMS IN operating on the MO message in isolation, then the Short Message would not be readily billable using the existing systems.

( One solution to this problem is to control both MO message handling, and MT message handling.

In use the arrangement of Figure 1 operates as follows. The sending user of TA 1 prefixes his destination number, for example, with 141 to signify 5 that he would like to withhold his CLI on delivery. The presence of 141 on the destination number is detected by the SMS Router 3 as an IN (Intelligent Network) trigger condition. Consequently the SMS Router 3 transmits a request signal for instructions in the form of a query to the SMS SCP 2 to find how to handle the message. The query comprises the 10 CLI and the destination number.

On receipt of the message the SMS SCP instructs the SMS router to forward the call to a unique number in the address range of the ANA device 1, and stores the CLI and the destination number. A pool of numbers in the address range of ANA 1 is maintained by the SMS SCP 2 15 for use with services such as this. The SMS Router 4 then forwards the message, using the ANA number as the new destination The message arrives at the SMSC 3, is billed as usual, and is then forwarded to the ANA 1 system. The ANA 1 recognises the IN trigger condition of having received a message with one of the unique numbers in its address range 20 and in so doing a request signal for instructions is sent to the SMS SCP 2 which comprises the value of the unique ANA number. The data processor of the SCP 2 correlates the unique number with the stored data from the query of the SMS Router 4, and replies to the ANA 1 with the intended destination number, and an instruction to withhold the CLI. The 25 ANA number then forwards the message to the intended recipient which may be a terminal TA 2 in the network A, or a terminal in another network in which case the message will be received by an ANA in that other network.

Thus it will be appreciated that ANA 1 is performing significant additional functions to the function associated with the handling of incoming MT messages from other networks.

Figure 2 shows another embodiment of the invention which comprises an 5 SMS Host 7, an ANA 5, an SMSC 8, an SMS SCP 6 and a billing database 9 which is used to illustrate the example of the SMS Host 7 sending a reverse-billed message to one of a number of a subscribers (not shown). The dotted arrows show the delivery and billing check paths for normal 10 SMSC based delivery which is the standard approach. In that conventional approach the message and the subscriber details are first sent from the SMS Host 7 to the SMSC 8. A credit check enquiry comprising the subscriber's details (which may include the destination number of the subscriber) is then transmitted to the pre-pay billing 15 database 9 where the credit available to the subscriber is determined. If there is sufficient credit available a response is sent from the database 9 to the SMSC 8 to that effect. The message and associated subscriber destination number are then forwarded to the ANA 5 for onward transmission to the destination in a second network. This conventional 20 approach, however, precludes direct delivery and so suffers from the problems of delay inherent in SMSC based delivery.

The solid arrows shown on Figure 2 show how the hitherto conventional procedure is performed in accordance with the invention, The SMS Host 7 forwards to the ANA 5 the message and the subscriber's details 25 (which would typically include the destination number of the subscriber).

The ANA 5 is configured to recognise (typically by way of a programmed data processor) data associated with message from the SMS

Host, which could be a string of digits, or another flag of some kind would indicate that it is a message which has been sent from the SMS Host, and a trigger condition is accordingly activated.

In such a trigger condition, the ANA 5 is operative to transmit a request 5 for instructions to the SMS SCP 6, such request comprising details of the subscriber and the identity of the SMS Host 7. The SMS SCP 6 is configured to recognise that, in response to the identity of the SMS Host 7, the details of the subscriber need to be sent to the database 9 of which it has stored the address, in the form of a credit enquiry. The Pre 10 pay Billing Database 9 processes the enquiry from the SMS SCP 6 to determine whether the subscriber in question has sufficient credit to cover the charge for the service of sending the message to him. The response from the database 9 is then sent to the SMS SCP 6 which is indicative of whether the message should, or should not, be sent to the 15 subscriber. On receipt of the response the SMS SCP 6 is operative to forward the response, together with an identification of the subscriber, to the ANA 5 in the form of an instruction signal. If the response from the database 9 is a positive one the ANA 5 is operative to send the message to the destination number of the subscriber. If the response from the 20 database 9 is negative:her. the ANA 5 is operative to inform the SMS Host 7 accordingly.

Thus in the example shown in Figure 2 of MT only traffic the step of forwarding the message to the SMSC 8 is obviated, providing a substantial improvement in efficiency. In particular the implementation of 25 the invention shown in Figure 2 advantageously allows for direct delivery of a message service for pre-pay subscribers which requires reverse billing. As shown by the broken arrows in Figure 2 such a pre-pay subscriber message service conventionally requires the message to be

forwarded to an SMSC prior to delivery in order to conduct a credit check. IN control of the ANA 7 by the SMS SCP 6 allows the SMSC 8 to be bypassed, and thus direct delivery via the ANA is possible. Such direct 5 delivery is of particular importance for certain types of message, e.g. for messages with perishable contents.

Claims

f ILL CLAIMS

1. Telecommunications apparatus, the apparatus comprising an intermediary device and a control device, the intermediary device being adapted to perform the function of receiving messages from a different 5 mobile telecommunications network from the home mobile telecommunications network with which the intermediary device is associated, the apparatus being arranged such that, in use, a message in the home network is transmitted to the intermediary device and the intermediary device is configured to recognise a trigger condition which 10 is associated with the message, on recognising the trigger condition, the intermediary device is operative to transmit a request signal to the control device for an instruction signal, said instruction signal being representative of how the message is to be handled by the intermediary device. 15 2. Telecommunications apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the trigger condition is activated by received data which is associated with the message.

3. Telecommunications apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the intermediary device is operative to transmit a request signal to 20 the control device, which request signal comprises information which is determined by the trigger condition.

4. Telecommunications apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the intermediary device is configured such that the trigger condition is activated by the simple fact of the intermediary 25 device having received a message, and the intermediary device being

(' is further configured to send a request signal to the control device for instructions. 5. Telecommunications apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which the request signal comprises received data associated with message.

5 6. Telecommunications apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the control device comprises a data processor which, in use, is operative to determine the instructions to be sent to the intermediary device in response to the request signal.

7. Telecommunications apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim 10 in which the control device stores instructions relating to how a message is to be handled in response to a respective trigger condition.

8. Telecommunications apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim which comprises a router device which is arranged to receive the message prior to said message being received by the intermediary device.

15 9. Telecommunications apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which the router device may be configured to recognise a trigger condition which is associated with the message as received by the router device.

lo. Telecommunications apparatus as claimed in claim 9 in which on recognising the trigger condition of the router device said router device 20 may be configured to transmit a request signal for an instruction signal to the control device, the instruction signal relating to how the router device should handle the message.

iL 11. Telecommunications apparatus as claimed in any of claims 8 to 10 in which the control device is configured to send an instruction signal to the router device, which instruction signal comprises instructions for the router device to send the message to the intermediary device.

5 12. Telecommunications apparatus as claimed in claim 11 in which the control device is configured to send an instruction signal to the router device which comprises instructions for the message to be sent to the intermediary device via a store-and-forward device.

13. Telecommunications apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim 10 in which the control device stores address data of the intermediary device. 14 A telecommunications network comprising the apparatus as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 13.

15. A method of transmitting a message from a first mobile 15 telecommunications network to a second mobile telecommunications network comprising transmitting the message to an intermediary device associated with the second network, the intermediary device being adapted to relay the message received from the first network to the second network, on recognizing a trigger condition associated with 20 message, transmitting a request signal to a control device for an instruction signal, and transmitting from the control device to the intermediary device an instruction signal relating to how the message is to be handled by the intermediary device.

16. An intermediary device which is adapted to relay a message received from a first mobile telecommunications network to a second mobile talecommunications network, the intermediary device being configured to recognise a trigger condition which is associated with a 5 message which is sent to said device, and on recognising the trigger condition the device is operative to transmit a request signal to a control device for an instruction signal, the instruction signal relating to instructions as to how the intermediary device should handle the message. 10 17. A control device which is adapted to receive and process a request signal from an intermediary device, the intermediary device being adapted to relay a message received from a first mobile telecommunications network to a second mobile telecommunications network with which the intermediary device is associated, the control IS device being arranged such that in use, in response to receiving the request signal, the control device is operative to send an instruction signal to the intermediary device, the instruction signal relating to instructions as to how the intermediary device should handle the message. 20 18. Telecommunications apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in the accompanying Figures.

19. A telecommunications network substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in the accompanying Figures.

20. A method of transmitting a message from a first mobile 25 telecommunications network to a second mobile telecommunications

-It network substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying Figures.

21. A control device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying Figures.

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