Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Zoned or cellular telephone system
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-26
2004-07-13
Nguyen, Lee (Department: 2682)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Zoned or cellular telephone system
C455S435100, C455S558000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06763232
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The following invention concerns a communication system, particularly for a mobile telephone system, and a process for running a communication system.
The economic success, of operators or offerers of communication systems, hereinafter called communication unit, particularly depends on the offer, for example in the area intended, for example delimited by country borders, a complete coverage to their subscribers, who for example want to use a stationary or mobile telephone unit (hereinafter called user unit). For communication units that subsequently share a market in an area already covered by competitors (first communication unit), the problem arises, the competitors are not willing to accept the possibility of having a common use of the area being covered already by the competitors with agreements—so-called Roaming agreements. In order to be able to reach such a national coverage, for communication units entering subsequently in the competition or locally operating (second communication unit) two alternatives generally have developed that are known as “National roaming” and Indirect roaming”.
In “National roaming” contracts are made between two communication units operating within a country border, that either allow one of the contract parties to use the network of the other contract party (unilateral case) or to both contract parties the right of using the other network connected to the contract party.
In contrast to this, in “Indirect roaming”, agreements are made between two communication units of different countries, in which that communication unit (second communication unit) inside the country borders that is in search of a contract party outside the country borders is given the possibility, by means of this contract party (third communication unit) to acquire the use of the area inside the country borders which because of the impossibility of a national agreement would not be available to the second communication unit. In “Indirect roaming” thus no agreements between communication units situated inside country borders respectively national communication units are necessary.
In order to be able to offer to the user, because of the aforementioned contracts (“National roaming” or “Indirect Roaming” has the possibility) of an enlarged communication exchange, a comfort or service which is attractive or which has already been accepted by him, it is necessary to provide to the user (subscriber), when using the communication network connected to the other contract party, i.e. the first or third communication unit, the same functionality and services as if he was already using the communication network accepted by him and provided for example by the second communication unit.
In order to be able to fulfil this requirement, it has been proposed for example in WO 98/10614, to include on the subscriber data module (subscriber identity module; SIM card) foreseen for the user unit, corresponding subscriber data (international mobile subscriber identities, IMSI) with corresponding own profiles on several different subscriber data modules. In this case a user or subscriber who moved from the area of one communication unit to another area of the other communication unit, also had to change the corresponding subscriber data module, which is generally known as “Chip roaming” and which in everyday use was unsuitable for “Indirect roaming” purposes.
In order to avoid having several SIM cards, it has been proposed according to WO 92/19078, a SIM card with two corresponding subscriber data (IMSIs), which, according to the area and use of the communication unit, by turning the SIM card by 180° makes the use of two different communication units possible. This well-known process moreover for the subscriber has the consequence that for example in case of a change between the communication network visited by one communication unit and the communication network of the other communication unit, for example a home radio network, the SIM card has to be physically drawn out, turned over and reinserted. This, too, causes the subscriber discomfort and generally limits the handling.
In order to avoid these disadvantages it has already been proposed, also in WO 98/10614, to provide a special programme in the user unit and in the corresponding subscriber file (home location register HLR). With this programme to be installed in a fixed way, however, disadvantages or limitations have to be tolerated, namely that only a special user unit, adapted for it, has this programme, and thus it is clearly different from conventional user units, and that this well-known process is to be considered only semiautomatic. This installation of the programme both in the user unit and in the corresponding subscriber file is however not interesting for the offerer respectively for the communication unit, since the economic success of the communication unit depends on the decision of the consumer, for which use of the area included by the communication unit he opts, this decision of the consumer being influenced also by the range of different user units offered by the communication unit, which are sold together with a licence of the communication unit.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore the object of the present invention consists in providing a communication system and a process which prevent the aforementioned disadvantages and particularly which create the possibility to guarantee undisturbed movements between areas belonging to different communication units but nevertheless the same service of the single offerer or communication units used in case of a change.
These objects are solved, as far as the device is concerned, by the characteristics of claim
1
and as far as the process is concerned, by the characteristics of claim
7
.
According to the invention in the communication system the third subscriber identification data assigned to a third communication unit and the second subscriber identification data assigned to a second communication unit are assigned to the second subscriber data module, so that according to the possible structure of the connection a total coverage of the communication units belonging to the second subscriber identification data and to the third subscriber identification data is possible, the third subscriber identification data and the second subscriber identification data containing a common profile, in order to offer to the subscriber the well-known service necessary for him. With this arrangement or fixation according to the invention on the second subscriber data module, it is guaranteed that the subscriber identification data, in each case matched to the single communication units, allow the access to the corresponding areas assigned to the communication units and possibly widened by roaming agreements, but that at the same time basic settings which are registered in the profile of the subscriber identification data and which the subscriber or user has got used to, can be called on both by the communication unit assigned to third subscriber identification data and by the communication unit assigned to second subscriber identification data. With this special arrangement on the subscriber data module it is guaranteed that a mechanical change or exchange of the subscriber data module like in the conventional case is not necessary.
There is thus the possibility of providing to subscribers of a second communication unit, by involving a third communication unit which has made a so-called Roaming contract with a first communication unit, an access to an area which made no “Roaming agreement” with the second communication unit. In this way an operator or a communication unit which still would like to set up in business and acquire market shares and has no or few Roaming contracts, has the possibility to offer his subscribers an access to other networks, which have made a multitude of roaming contracts and thus to cover areas that belong neither directly to the second communication unit nor to the third communication unit, and where for example a roaming contract be
Lord Phil
Odorfer Thomas
Cho Un C
Cowan Liebowitz & Latman P.C.
Montague Mark
Viag Interkom GmbH & Co.
LandOfFree
Communication system and suitable process for running a... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Communication system and suitable process for running a..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Communication system and suitable process for running a... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3207820