Patent ID: 6424832
Filing Date: 2002-07-23
Classification: H04Q,H04W

Abstract:
A method of supporting functionality for roamer port calls delivered locally or after a location query to a Home Location Register (HLR) in a radio telecommunications network in which Number Portability (NP) is implemented, said network having a plurality of mobile switching centers (MSCs), said method comprising the steps of:storing in each MSC, a MIN-MDN pair, said MIN-MDN pair being an association between a mobile identification number (MIN) and a mobile directory number (MDN) obtained from registration information for each served mobile station; receiving a roamer port call in a roamer port MSC for a mobile station, wherein the roamer port MSC includes a roamer port which is shared with at least one neighboring MSC which neighbors the roamer port MSC, said roamer port call including the MDN of the called mobile station; identifying in the roamer port MSC, the MIN of the called mobile station utilizing the stored MIN-MDN pair, and the step of identifying the MIN of the called mobile station including: determining in the roamer port MSC whether a MIN-MDN pair for the called mobile station is stored in the roamer port MSC; upon determining that a MIN-MDN pair for the called mobile station is not stored in the roamer port MSC, sending a message from the roamer port MSC to the neighboring MSC, said message inquiring whether the neighboring MSC has stored a MIN-MDN pair for the called mobile station; and upon determining that the neighboring MSC has stored a MIN-MDN pair for the called mobile station, sending the MIN from the neighboring MSC to the roamer port MSC; determining whether the called mobile station is operating in the roamer port MSC utilizing its identified MIN; and delivering by the roamer port MSC, the roamer port call to the called mobile station upon determining that the called mobile station is operating in the roamer port MSC.