GB2413463A

GB2413463A - Improvements to messaging service in a wireless communication network

Info

Publication number: GB2413463A
Application number: GB0506311A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jeffrey Wilson
Original assignee: Intellprop Ltd
Current assignee: Intellprop Ltd
Priority date: 2004-03-29
Filing date: 2005-03-29
Publication date: 2005-10-26
Anticipated expiration: 2025-03-29
Also published as: GB0506311D0; GB2413463B

Abstract

Apparatus 22 in a mobile telephone network 21 is operable to read information from a home location register 1 in respect of a voice service, and to apply equivalent information to a messaging service 3, so that changes to voice service information automatically apply to the message service without separate intervention by the user.

Description

24 1 3463

TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES APPARATUS AND METHODS

This invention relates to a telecommunications services apparatus and methods for use with a mobile telecommunications system, such as a mobile telephone system. In particular, the invention relates to improvements in message handling.

The invention is described in the context of GSM networks, but has applicability to other mobile network types. The term text messaging where used in this document is taken to mean any form of text messaging including but not limited to SMS, EMS, MMS, video messaging and the like.

In traditional GSM networks, the Short Message Services (SMS) provide a facility for the transfer of a Short Message between an originating Mobile Station (MS) and a Short Message Service Centre (SMSC), and between the SMSC and a receiving MS.

Messaging between a network Host or Application and an MS is also supported. The SMSC is a store and forward device, conceived to overcome the limitations of early GSM deployments where network coverage and MS battery life were not as good as they are today. In modern networks, the requirement for storage is very much reduced, with typically 80%+ of messages being directly deliverable on the first attempt.

Indeed some new GSM networks are being deployed with no SMSCs at all.

The GSM Specifications (now under the ownership of the 3r Generation Partnership Project, 3GPP) define a messaging architecture where the Message Centre that provides message storage resides in the home network of the message sender. This means that the delivery process, including all aspects of retry schedules and validity period, are all under the sole control of the sending network. The recipient therefore has generally no means of controlling this, since messages may come from any network anywhere in the world. If the recipient is temporarily unavailable, then multiple messages may be stored in many different networks, waiting for a future opportunity to deliver. If the recipient were to decide that he would like all of these messages delivered for example by email, then the architecture does not permit this, because the messages are under the control of other networks.

The GSM short message service, and equivalent messaging systems in other network types, are extremely popular and carry ever-increasing levels of traffic world-wide. A large proportion of this traffic is ephemeral. However in some cases it would be desirable to be able to keep a permanent record of short messages, either sent or received, to divert messages to an alternative destination, to copy messages to a second destination, to copy messages to email, to screen messages against Spam, etc. With the present GSM system this is not possible, because in some circumstances messages do not even pass through the home network. It is possible to modify the present architecture in a way that facilitates all of these benefits and opens up the possibility of many new types of service with both GSM text messages and voice calls, and which can be applied selectively to certain customers, or to all customers if required.

Examples of application of such an improved architecture are- Sending copies of Short Messages either transmitted or received by a subscriber to an email system for archiving purposes.

Diversion of SMS to an alternative handset or to an equipment, e.g. for voice read-back.

Lawffil interception of SMS.

Interception of incoming or outgoing voice calls for a subscriber for the purpose of, for example, recording the call.

Providing location privacy for recipients Anti-Spam protection Access to diverted messages Access to messages from other means, e.g. fixed networks or email Of these, a key application that is relevant to the present invention is diversion, also known as forwarding. While diversion is widely supported for voice calls, it is not generally supported for messaging facilities such as SMS.

Various techniques have been described for addressing the problem of ensuring that a recipient's network is able to take control of all mobile terminated messaging for some or all subscribers, thereby avoiding the problem that in present architectures the receiving network is not in control of message delivery. Divert functionality requires that the recipient's network can control message delivery for all messages for a given subscriber, even when he is roaming.

PCT - WO 03/049461 describes how a signalling apparatus can be used to modify the Visitor Location Register address that is returned in the reply to a 'MAP Send Routing Information for Short Message' or a 'MAP Send Routing Information' query, thereby causing a subsequent message or voice call to be directed to a suitable apparatus for interception and processing of the transmission.

Various techniques have been described which arrange for a 'MAP Send Routing Information for Short Message' or a 'MAP Send Routing Information' query to be directed to a signalling apparatus, enabling a suitable modified response to be generated.

One such technique takes advantage of the concept known in the art as the Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO). An MVNO operates as a distinct network from the customer's perspective, but in fact shares some physical infrastructure with a host network. The MVNO can set its own tariffs and manage its own subscribers. The MVNO normally has its own number ranges and operator code. It is known in the art that subscribers can, in many territories, move their subscription to an alternative operator in the region while retaining the same telephone number (Mobile Station ISDN number, or MSISDN). This process requires the operators in the region to support 'Mobile Number Portability', which is also a regulatory requirement in many territories. Such moved subscriptions are known as 'ported' subscriptions, and the subscriber is said to have ported their number to a different operator. Technical solutions for support of number portability are well-known, and result in certain signalling messages passing via both the original and the new operator. In the prior art, these solutions have only been applied to moving numbers to a different operator.

Another technique is to arrange that all 'MAP Send Routing Information for Short Message' and 'MAP Send Routing Information' queries are intercepted by a signalling apparatus prior to reaching the HER. The signalling apparatus may then reply on behalf of the HLR, giving the address of a signalling apparatus in the network instead of the destination VLR as the destination for the subsequent message or call.

A further technique is to arrange for the HLR to forward some or all 'MAP Send Routing Information for Short Message' and 'MAP Send Routing Information' queries to a signalling apparatus. The signalling apparatus may then reply on behalf of the HLR, giving the address of a signalling apparatus in the network instead of the destination VLR as the destination for the subsequent message or call.

Other techniques are possible, which achieve the aim of ensuring that messages and or calls for some or all subscribers are routed via an apparatus in the network that is able to provide the desired functionality, such as diversion, recording, copying to email etc. In the prior art it is difficult to provide services that operate on a subscriber's received messages. These mobile terminated (MT) messages in some circumstances do not even pass through the subscriber's home network; this is the case if the subscriber is roaming on another network, and a message is sent to him from any network other than his subscription network.

Although WO 03/049461 describes how a signalling apparatus can be used in principle to overcome this difficulty, and to allow services to operate on all MT messages even when the recipient is roaming, application of this technique requires that 'MAP Send Routing Information for Short Message' or 'MAP Send Routing formation' queries be intercepted by an apparatus, for the purpose of modifying an address in the response. In practice, arranging for all such messages to be directed to an apparatus, without also directing a large number of other unwanted messages via the apparatus, can be difficult in many networks, thereby rendering the technique less attractive.

A technique such as that described above using MVNO principles can overcome this problem, by providing an effective way to arrange, for example, that 'MAP Send Routing Information for Short Message' and 'MAP Send Routing Information' messages for a subset of a network's subscribers can be conveniently intercepted. This then allows the principles of WO 03/049461 to be efficiently applied to achieve access to all MT messages or calls for said subscribers.

A further difficulty arises, even if the network signalling is arranged as described above to ensure that messages and/or calls can be handled under the control of the receiving network. This difficulty concerns the control of any services that are then made available to the network's subscribers. For example, the signalling techniques described above allow a network to take control of all received text messages, so that in principle an SMS Divert service could be offered. However such a service also requires provisioning, registration and activation. Of these at least registration and activation must be carried out by the subscriber, since it is only the subscriber who can decide when a divert should be active and to which number.

If a network were to offer, for example, an SMS Divert service to its subscribers, it could also have a problem in deciding how to implement the registration and activation processes so as to make it easy and intuitive for its customers. If the user were required to use SMS, USSD, IVR or any other specific action to activate and deactivate his SMS Diverts, then the operator would need to disseminate information and instructions to its customers to allow them to do this. This would be expensive to do, and may only be adopted by a small minority of customers, thereby limiting the usefulness of the new service.

The present invention addresses this problem, advantageously for the case of Message Diversion (e.g. SMS Divert), but also for other applications where equivalent voice settings are already used and understood by the majority of customers and where these settings are already stored in the HLR.

It is a further aim of embodiments of the present invention to avoid requiring any modifications to the HER in respect of provisioning, registration and activation of a Divert service for messaging.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided telecommunications services apparatus for use in a mobile telecommunications network having a home location register, the apparatus comprising means for reading information from the home location register in respect of a voice service, and means for applying equivalent S information to a messaging service, wherein changes to voice service information also apply to the messaging service.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a telecommunications services method for a mobile telecommunications network having a home location register, the method comprising reading information from the home location register in respect of a voice service, and applying equivalent information to a messaging service, wherein changes to voice service information also apply to the messaging service.

Other aspects of the invention include a computer program having computer executable instructions, which when loaded on to a computer is operable to cause the computer to perform the above method, and a computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having recorded thereon information signals representative of the computer program.

According to the another aspect of the invention there is provided a telecommunications services apparatus in a mobile telecommunications network, the apparatus being operable to read information from an HER in respect of a voice service, and apply equivalent information to a messaging service, wherein changes to voice service information automatically apply to the messaging service without separate intervention by the user.

According to a further aspect of the invention, information read from the HER relates to registration and/or activation information for said voice service.

According to a further aspect of the invention, text and voice diversion to the same number is configured by the one setting.

According to a further aspect of the invention, information in respect of a voice service is read from an HLR using USSD.

According to a further aspect of the invention, information in respect of a voice service is read from an HLR using a MAP signalling message.

According to a further aspect of the invention, said information causes the behaviour of the messaging service to substantially mirror the behaviour of the voice service.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the HLR implementation is unmodified.

According to a further aspect of the invention, unconditional message divert functionality is configured to follow the settings of unconditional Voice call divert.

According to a further aspect of the invention, said message divert functionality is applied to SMS.

According to a further aspect of the invention, if a text message divert is active to a non-text-capable destination, then a diverted text message may be converted to speech and delivered as an audio message.

The present invention is particularly applicable to unconditional diversion (also known as unconditional forwarding) of messages, but could also be applied to various forms of conditional diversion.

A further aim of embodiments of the present invention is to make the use of a message forwarding system intuitive for the user, such that new or unfamiliar instruction in its use is not required.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing (Figure 1) which shows a mobile telephone network including apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a network (21) containing telecommunications services apparatus (22).

Signalling messages (11,13) are exchanged with a message processor (3) in the apparatus (22), either directly or via a home location register HLR (1). The apparatus implements an end-user service using the signalling messages, possibly in conjunction with a service database (4). A voice service is configured by the user via registration and activation messages (12) to the HLR (1). By means of messages between the message processor (3) and the HLR (1), the apparatus reads the voice service configuration and applies it to the end user service.

A key advantage of the technique is that a messaging service such as SMS Divert can have its registration and activation settings automatically configured by virtue of following equivalent settings that are already in the HLR (l) for a voice service. Call Forwarding Unconditional (CFU) is an unconditional voice call divert that can be configured in the HLR by means of standardised USSD messages, or by menu selections within a mobile handset. Similarly, a user can review his voice divert settings by interrogating the HLR, either by USSD or by using handset menu selections. The handset MMI simply provides a convenient user interface for producing the standardized USSD messages that are used to control voice call forwarding.

Methods for implementing text message divert are various, but all require some sort of registration and activation on the part of the user.

In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus reads information from the HLR (1) in respect of a voice service, and applies equivalent information to a messaging service.

For an SMS Divert (unconditional), the apparatus would read the unconditional call forwarding settings from the HLR and apply them to the messaging service without separate intervention by the user. An advantage of this technique is that no additional barriers or difficulties are presented to the user, above and beyond the situation that already exists for voice calls. When the messaging service is provisioned, the user will automatically obtain text and voice diversion to the same number configured by the one familiar setting. Even users who are unaware of the message divert facility, will discover that their text messages are now conveniently and automatically diverted to the same destination as their voice calls when a divert is active.

Preferably, information in respect of a voice service is read from the HLR (1) using USSD, since this method is already standardised and widely supported. The same settings are then applied to a text divert or message divert service. A benefit of this approach is that a subscriber can be provisioned with the message divert service very easily since no separate registration and activation is required for the message service.

Other methods of reading HLR information are possible, e.g. using MAP signalling messages.

Another key aspect of the technique is that no HLR modification is required in respect of setting up a message divert service, since existing supported interfaces to the HLR may be used to obtain the voice divert settings.

Preferably divert of text messages may also be conditional upon a class of service for the user's subscription, and upon characteristics of the text message. For example certain types of text message such as OTA handset-configuration messages should not be diverted.

In principle the invention may be applied to other types of service where the HLR already contains some configuration that can be accessed and applied to said service.

If a text message divert is active to a non-text-capable destination, then a diverted text message may be converted to speech by a text-to- speech converter and delivered as an audio message. The apparatus implementing the service, e.g. divert, may be operable to examine the registered number and decide whether it represents a text-capable destination number. Fixed line and other numbers that are not generally text capable may be handled by text to speech or other means, or simply not diverted.

In so far as the embodiment(s) 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 mobile telecommunications network having a home location register, the apparatus comprising means for reading information from the home location register in respect of a voice service, and means for applying equivalent information to a messaging service, wherein changes to voice service information also apply to the messaging service.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information read from the home location register includes information relating to registration and/or activation information for the voice service.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein text and voice diversion to the same number is configurable by one setting.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein information in respect of the voice service is read from the home location register using USSD.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein information in respect of the voice service is read from the home location register using a MAP signalling message.

6. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the means for applying equivalent information is operable to cause the operation of the messaging service substantially to mirror the operation of the voice service.

7. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the home location register implementation is unmodified.

8. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the means for applying equivalent information is operable to configure unconditional message divert functionality so as to follow the settings of unconditional voice call divert functionality.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the message divert functionality is applied to SMS messages.

10. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, including means for diverting a text message, and a text-to-speech converting means, wherein if a text message divert is active to a destination not capable of receiving the message in text message form, such a diverted text message may be converted to speech by the converting means and delivered as an audio message.

11. Telecommunications services apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

12. A telecommunications services method for a mobile telecommunications network having a home location register, the method comprising reading information from the home location register in respect of a voice service, and applying equivalent information to a messaging service, wherein changes to voice service information also apply to the messaging service.

13. A telecommunications services method substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

14. A computer program having computer executable instructions, which when loaded on to a computer is operable to cause the computer to perform the method according to claim 12 or claim 13.

15. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having recorded thereon information signals representative of the computer program according to claim 14.