GB2397730A

GB2397730A - Telecommunications services apparatus and methods

Info

Publication number: GB2397730A
Application number: GB0400788A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jeffrey Wilson
Original assignee: Intellprop Ltd
Current assignee: Intellprop Ltd
Priority date: 2003-01-14
Filing date: 2004-01-14
Publication date: 2004-07-28
Anticipated expiration: 2024-01-14
Also published as: GB2397730B; GB0300779D0; GB0400788D0

Abstract

A Virtual Mobile equipment (13) in a Network A (2) periodically generates MAP-LOCATION-UPDATE signals indicating that a virtual mobile telephone number within a number range associated with a different Network B (3) is located at an address of apparatus within the Network A (2). An SMS Router (12) within the equipment (13) is then responsive to reception of text message signals having a representation of the virtual mobile telephone number associated with Network B (3) so as to route the text message signals to, for example, a host (14) in Network B (3).

Description

1 2397730

TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES APPARATUS AND METHODS

This invention concerns the field of telecommunications and in particular the field of mobile telecommunications including but not limited to GSM, and specifically relates to telecommunications services apparatus and methods.

The invention may enhance the capabilities of a technique commonly known in the art as Virtual Mobile (VM) and may extend its usability to allow it to be operated on equipment that is shared between two or more networks, or that is operated by one network on behalf of another. Message traffic may also be transferred more cost effectively between networks by allowing an alternative transport medium to be used.

Virtual Mobile is a technique that allows text messages (including SMS, EMS, MMS and the like) sent to an MSISDN (mobile station ISDN) number to be delivered to a specific equipment or apparatus (or group of the same) in a network whether or not the sender is attached to the same network. The equipment behaves like a mobile phone in the sense that it can be addressed from any network. There are several known techniques for implementing Virtual Mobile and the differences between them centre on the implementation of the HLR (Home Location Register) function that maintains the data about the current location of the destination equipment. Unlike a mobile phone, the destination apparatus does not normally move, although in principle it can.

One of these techniques is known in the art as 'Location Update', whereby the apparatus sends GSM MAP-LOCATION-UPDATE messages to the HLR in the subscription network where the subscriber record for the MSISDN in question is stored. This gives the location of that MSISDN, the virtual mobile phone, as being the address of the apparatus. Hence any messages directed to that MSISDN will automatically be routed to the network address of the apparatus.

In current implementations, the apparatus is normally resident in the subscription network of the MSISDN. However it is an aim of at least an embodiment of this invention to allow the apparatus to be located in any network, and still allow the Location Update method to work.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided telecommunications services apparatus for use in a first telecommunications network, the apparatus comprising means for generating signals indicating that a virtual mobile telephone whose number is within a number range associated with a second telecommunications network different to the first telecommunications network is located at an address of the apparatus in the first telecommunications network, and means responsive to reception of message signals routed to said address of the apparatus, the message signals also including a representation of the virtual mobile telephone number associated with the second telecommunications network.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a telecommunications services method for use with telecommunications services apparatus in a first telecommunications network, the method comprising generating signals indicating that a virtual mobile telephone whose number is within a number range associated with a second telecommunications network different to the first telecommunications network is located at an address of the apparatus in the first telecommunications network, and responding to reception of message signals routed to said address of the apparatus within the first telecommunications network, the message signals also including a representation of the virtual mobile telephone number associated with the second telecommunications network.

Further aspects of the invention provide a computer program for carrying out the above method, and a storage medium on which such computer program is stored.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention can therefore make it possible to set up a Virtual Mobile facility in a Network A on behalf of a Network B. without making any changes within Network B. The Virtual Mobile apparatus may be in another Network A, and receive messages directed to an MSISDN that is a subscription number belonging to Network B. All that is required is that a valid MSISDN number registered with Network (such as comes with an ordinary telephone purchased for use on Network B) is used but the telephone is not switched on, and that the apparatus in Network A sends GSM MAP-LOCATION-UPDATE messages to the HER in Network B giving the present location of the MSISDN as the apparatus in Network A. The present technique differs from Virtual Mobile as known in the current art.

Currently, Virtual Mobile is operated by Network A such that subscribers in any network may send messages that terminate on equipment in Network A. This is achieved by publishing a virtual telephone number, i.e. an MSISDN, that is in Network A's number range. Standard network routing ensures that text messages and related signalling messages made for this MSISDN from any network are routed to Network A. The present technique differs from the known art in the following key respects.

According to the technique, a Virtual Mobile number may be published that is a number in Network B's number range. In the case of text messages, network routing ensures that the SRI-SM (Send Routing Information for Short Message) message from the SMSC (Short Message Service Centre) is routed to Network B's HER. The Location Update process performed by the apparatus in Network A however identifies equipment in Network A as the correct destination for the message. The message is therefore delivered to the apparatus in Network A. There is a key technical difference also in the resultant MTforwardSM MAP message that is delivered to Network A. With the present technique, the MTforwardSM message from the sender's SMSC to Network A contains the IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) associated with Network B's virtual MSISDN as the destination address in the MAP layer and a Network A routing address in the SCCP layer, while for Virtual Mobile as known in the current art, the IMSI and routing addresses at the MAP and SCCP layers respectively both contain addresses relating to Network A, i.e. the IMSI is a network A IMSI.

Application of the preferred embodiment of this invention allows a smaller Network B that does not have its own virtual mobile facility to make use of capacity on a partner Network A's Virtual Mobile equipment. Simply by allocating a range of MSISDNs on Network B's HER, and configuring Network A's Virtual Mobile equipment to generate periodic location updates for these MSISDNs, messages addressed to these MSISDNs will now terminate on the Virtual Mobile equipment in Network A. The present technique makes use of this feature of Location Update and Virtual Mobile, by further providing that, once the said messages have arrived at the Virtual Mobile equipment in Network A, they may be routed to a Host or service provider in Network B over a cost effective route such as TCP/IP or X.25, rather than utilising further SS7 bandwidth in Networks A or B. According to a still further aspect of the invention there is provided a telecommunications services apparatus for use with a telecommunications system, the apparatus being operative in a network A and comprising means for generating signals indicative of the location of a virtual mobile telephone whose number is part of a number range associated with a different network B. the apparatus being responsive to reception of text messages routed to an address of the apparatus in network A, said messages also containing a representation of the telephone number associated with the different network B. The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying single figure drawing which shows a block diagram of telecommunications services apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, mobile telephone networks including a sender's network (1), a Network A (2) and a Network B (3) are interconnected. One or more SMS Hosts (14) are attached to Network B. while Network A operates a Virtual Mobile equipment (13), which preferably contains at least one SMS Router (12) as a destination for certain Virtual Mobile numbers, one or more of which numbers are allocated to services on behalf of Network B's Host(s) (14), and other numbers are allocated to services on behalf of its own Hosts (15). The (or each) SMS Router (12) may, for example, be a Telsis (RTM) SMS Router, manufactured by Telsis Limited. This s equipment is capable of connection to mobile telephone networks using known and standardised signalling protocols including SS7 and TCP/IP. Using known signalling routing techniques, the network can arrange for SMS messages directed to the network's SMSCs to be routed via the SMS Router to other destinations.

The Virtual Mobile equipment (13) periodically generates MAP-LOCATIONUPDATE messages for the certain MSISDNs that are associated with Network B. and these update Network B's HLR (9) to indicate that the location of the virtual mobiles is the SMS Router (12) in Network A. When a user (4) sends a text message to one of the Virtual Mobile numbers associated with Network B. his SMSC (5) sends an SRI-SM query (6, 8) that is routed by GSM networks via a mobile switching centre MSC (7) to Network B's HLR (9). The response (10,11) to this query (6,8) directs the SMSC (5) to deliver the message to the SMS Router (12) in Network A. The Virtual Mobile equipment (13) may then determine that the Virtual Mobile number used is associated with Network B. and route the message via SS7 or via a data network to Network B's Host (14).

The Virtual Mobile (VM) equipment (13) in the preferred embodiment may be implemented on one or more SMS Routers (12) in Network A. Using techniques known in the art, the VM equipment (13) is usually arranged to contain an HLR function, so that Virtual Mobile numbers associated with Hosts (15) on Network A have their associated HLR function resident on the VM equipment (13). In this way traffic addressed to the VM MSISDNs does not put load on the nehvork's normal HLRs. Network A is configured, usually by means of distinct number ranges, so that Network A's Global title translation and signalling routing directs any traffic relating to the VM MSISDNs that is destined for an HLR to arrive at the VM equipment (13).

The VM equipment (13) is further configured so that, for selected numbers or number ranges belonging to Network B. periodic location update messages are generated by the VM equipment (13). These cause the location of these virtual numbers as recorded by Network B's HLR (9) to be the SMS Router(s) (12) that form part of the VM equipment (13) in Network A. Messages directed to these virtual numbers will then ultimately be routed to the identified equipment in Network A. It is therefore necessary for Network A's VM equipment (13) to generate location update messages for the virtual numbers associated with Network B. With these changes, Network A can implement VM services on behalf of Network B with no charges to Network B. It is merely necessary for Network B to allocate suitable numbers or number ranges and to provision them onto its HLR(s) (9) in the usual way as for new mobile phones, such that location update messages will be accepted in the normal way.

For small scale or trial purposes, an alternative is to obtain one or more mobile telephone SIMs from Network B (e.g. by buying one or more new mobile telephones).

If these telephones are then left switched off, the numbers may be used as virtual numbers by Network A's VM equipment (13). In this case, not even any configuration changes are required by Network B. and the system may be set up entirely from outside Network B's territory. Text messages sent to this number will not normally incur any charge to the virtual telephone holder.

In so far as the embodiments of the invention described above may be implemented, at least in part, using software-controlled processing apparatus, it will be appreciated that a computer program providing such software control and a storage medium by which such a computer program is stored are envisaged as aspects of the invention.

Claims

1. Telecommunications services apparatus for use in a first telecommunications network, the apparatus comprising means for generating signals indicating that a virtual mobile telephone whose number is within a number range associated with a second telecommunications network different to the first telecommunications network is located at an address of the apparatus in the first telecommunications network, and means responsive to reception of message signals routed to said address of the apparatus, the message signals also including a representation of the virtual mobile telephone number associated with the second telecommunications network.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the message signals are text message 1 5 signals.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, including means for routing the message signals to the second telecommunications network in response to reception of message signals having a representation of the virtual mobile telephone number associated with the second telecommunications network.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, claim 2, or claim 3, including virtual mobile equipment having a home location register function.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the virtual mobile equipment is operable to determine which telecommunications network is associated with a particular virtual mobile telephone number and according to said determined association selectively generating signals indicating the location of said virtual mobile telephone.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the virtual mobile equipment comprises at least one SMS router.

7. A telecommunications services method for use with telecommunications services apparatus in a first telecommunications network, the method comprising generating signals indicating that a virtual mobile telephone whose number is within a number range associated with a second telecommunications network different to the first telecommunications network is located at an address of the apparatus in the first telecommunications network, and responding to reception of message signals routed to said address of the apparatus within the first telecommunications network, the message signals also including a representation of the virtual mobile telephone number associated with the second telecommunications network.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the message signals are text message signals.

9. A method according to claim 7 or claim 8, including routing the message signals to the second telecommunications network in response to reception of message signals having a representation of the virtual mobile telephone number associated with the second telecommunications network.

10. A method according to claim 7, claim 8, or claim 9, including virtual mobile equipment having a home location register function.

11. A method according to claim 10, including determining, by means of the virtual mobile equipment, which telecommunications network is associated with a particular virtual mobile telephone number and according to said determined association selectively generating signals indicating the location of said virtual mobile telephone.

12. A method according to claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the virtual mobile equipment comprises at least one SMS router.

13. A computer program for implementing a method according to any one of claims 7 to 12.

14. A storage medium storing a computer program according to claim 13.