Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Zoned or cellular telephone system
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-22
2002-03-12
Maung, Nay (Department: 2681)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Zoned or cellular telephone system
C455S434000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06356755
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to communication systems, and more specifically to improved methods and arrangements for reducing unnecessary signaling and processing that can occur within mobile communications networks that employ call optimization techniques.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
There has long been a need to provide reliable and cost-efficient communications around the world. This need has traditionally has been addressed by installing terrestrial communication networks and providing satellite connectivity within and/or between the various terrestrial communication networks when necessary. In such a communication system there is usually at least one optimal route available for completing a communication or call. An optimal routing of the call, from the subscriber's unit to an end destination, may require the allocation of several different terrestrial and/or satellite network resources. It is typically preferred that such calls be established and maintained through those resources that are best positioned/configured to provide the desired level of service at an optimal cost to the service provider. As such, calling optimization techniques are often employed to efficiently utilize the network resources.
With recent increased demand for mobile communications, such as cellular radio-based telecommunications, the need to provide call optimization has increased dramatically. This is especially true for mobile telecommunication networks that include hundreds or thousands of network resources, including ground stations and satellites.
With this in mind,
FIG. 1
is a block diagram depicting a portion of a conventional communications system
10
that is configured to optimize a call from a mobile station through either satellite resources and/or available terrestrial resources.
Communications system
10
as depicted in FIG.
1
and described herein is not intended to provide a exhaustive description of such a communications system. Providing such a description is beyond the scope of the present invention. Instead, communications system
10
is provided to focus on specific problems associated with such a system and certain types of optimization techniques that are used therein to allocate resources. For a more complete description of such an exemplary communications system and related optimization techniques see co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/996,480 filed Dec. 23, 1997, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Referring again to
FIG. 1
, communications system
10
includes a satellite-configured mobile communications network
12
and a switched network
14
. While switched network
14
is typically a public switched telephone network (PSTN) that is configured to provide further communications services, in certain arrangements switched network
14
can be any type of communications network and need not actually be a “switched network”.
Within mobile communications network
12
there is shown a mobile station (MS)
16
, a base station system (BSS)
18
and a switching system (SS)
20
. Mobile station (MS)
16
typically includes a mobile radio terminal, such as, for example, a car phone or other portable phone or data communication device that is used by mobile subscribers.
Mobile station (MS)
16
is configured to communicate through radio frequency (RF) signals with a base transceiver station (BTS)
22
and base station controller (BSC)
24
within base station system (BSS)
18
.
In turn, base station system (BSS)
18
is connected to a combined mobile switching services switching center/visitor location register (MSC/VLR)
26
within switching system (SS)
20
. Typically, several base station systems (BSSs) are served by a single MSC/VLR. MSC/VLR
26
essentially controls calls to and from other telephony and data communication systems. The visitor location register (VLR) within MSC/VLR
26
usually includes a data base containing information about each mobile station (MS) currently located within the area served by the MSC/VLR
26
.
As depicted, in addition to communicating with mobile station (MS)
16
, base station system (BSS)
18
is also configured to communicate to at least one similarly configured MSC/VLR
30
via a satellite
28
. Typically, although not necessary, satellite
28
is in a geosynchronous orbit and is capable of supporting communications over a large geographical region.
The exemplary optimization techniques described herein are typically employed to support the determination as to whether it would be more advantageous to complete a mobile station related call through either a substantially terrestrial route or a satellite-assisted route.
To understand how such optimization techniques are used, it is important to understand the basic subscriber registration functions performed within mobile communications network
12
. To utilize mobile communication network
12
, mobile station (MS)
16
needs to register with MSC/VLR
26
. Typically, a registration process occurs when mobile station (MS)
16
is activated within or enters the coverage area of network
12
, and more specifically when mobile station (MS)
16
is within the coverage area supported by a MSC/VLR.
To support the registration process, a home location register (HLR)
32
is provided within switched system (SS)
20
. Home location register (HLR)
32
is connected to each MSC/VLR and contains subscriber information with respect to each subscribed mobile station (MS). As mobile station (MS)
16
, for example, moves within the coverage area of mobile communications network
12
, mobile station (MS)
16
registers with each successive MSC/VLR. Upon registration, each MSC/VLR requests information about mobile station (MS)
16
, and, in doing so, also provides updated location information to HLR
32
. In this manner, home location register (HLR)
32
and the current MSC/VLR are made aware of the location of mobile station (MS)
16
, and the current MSC/VLR is provided subscriber information about mobile station (MS)
16
.
When a call optimization technique is employed, there may be a need for the mobile station (MS)
16
to register with a more optimal MSC/VLR, such as, for example, registering with MSC/VLR
26
to utilize base station system (BSS)
18
and satellite
28
. In this example, a call optimizer
34
is included within mobile communications network
12
to analyze a called party number that is included within the Access Request message transmitted by mobile station (MS)
16
over a Random Access Channel (RACH). Call optimizer
34
can be a separate block (as shown), or otherwise can be included within BSS
18
, MSC/VLR
26
, and/or HLR
32
.
Call optimizer
34
determines if a more optimal MSC/VLR for the mobile originated call. Based on this determination, mobile station (MS)
16
may be required to “re-register” with a more optimal MSC/VLR.
One of the problems with this exemplary call optimization process arises when mobile station (MS)
16
is barred from making certain types or all types of outgoing calls based on the type of subscribed service. By way of example, a subscriber may be barred under his or her subscriber service contract from making international calls. When an attempt is made to place such a barred call, the call optimizer
34
may determine that re-registration of mobile station (MS)
16
is required to optimize the call. This re-registration process requires additional signaling and processing to occur within mobile communications network
12
, and more specifically, for example, between and within the MSC/VLR
26
(i.e., the optimal MSC/VLR) and HLR
32
.
Once this re-registration process has been completed, then MSC/VLR
26
attempts to complete the call, only to determine that the call is barred. Mobile station (MS)
16
will then need to be re-registered again with the original MSC/VLR following this failed call attempt.
By way of additional example, a subscriber that initiates a non-barred call and then hangs up, may also impact the mobile communications network
12
b
Alperovich Vladimir
Valentine Eric
Ericsson Inc.
Gelin Jean A
Jenkens & Gilchrist P.C.
Maung Nay
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