Abstract:
The method for transferring data sends the data as part of a first permanent identifier associated with an end user in a communication system. The first permanent identifier is sent along with a second permanent identifier, also associated with the end user, during a communication procedure prior to establishing a traffic channel in the communication system. Besides the data, the first permanent identifier includes routing information to a home system forming part of the communication system. Based at least in part on recognizing the second permanent identifier, a home system sends at least the first permanent identifier to a destination entity. The destination entity extracts the data from the first permanent identifier. In this manner, a traffic channel does not need to be established to transmit the data.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The following applications, filed concurrently with the subject application, are related to the subject application: application No. 09/353,596 entitled METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING DATA USING EXPANDED PERMANENT IDENTIFIER by the inventor of the subject application; and application No. 09/260,734 entitled METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING DATA by the inventor of the subject application. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of communication; and more particularly, a method for transferring data using a permanent identifier including routing information. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a logical block diagram of a conventional communication system that provides mobility. This logical block diagram represents either wireless or wireline (or landline) communication systems that provide subscriber mobility. As shown, an end user  2  communicates with a destination entity  6  via a first communication device  4 , a serving system  12 , a network  14 , a home system  16 , and a second communication device  8 . The end user  2  represents an entity (human, system or machine) which generates information for communication to the destination entity  6  (also a human, system or machine). 
     The first communication device  4  represents a device for interfacing with the serving system  12 . For instance, taking wireless communication as an example, the serving system  12  includes any number of base stations, mobile switching centers, authentication centers, etc. to provide wireless communication services for a coverage area in which the communication device  4  is located, and the communication device  4  represents a mobile station. Continuing with the wireless communication example, the network  14  presents a public or private communication network such as the Public Switch Telephone Network, a public packet network or a private packet network, and the home system  16  represents the wireless communication service provider with whom the user of the mobile station.(i.e., the communication device  4 ) has established an agreement to provide mobile wireless communication services. Accordingly, the home system  16 , like the serving system  12 , also includes any number of base stations, mobile switching centers, authentication centers, etc. to provide mobile wireless communication services for a coverage area. Because a particular mobile wireless communication service provider has a limited coverage area, service providers having different coverage areas establish roaming agreements to serve each other&#39;s customers. In this example, the second communication device  8  could be a mobile station or wireline connection to the home system  16 . Alternatively, in this example or any other embodiment, the second communication device  8  is connected to the home system  16  via a network such as the network  14 . As a further alternative, the second communication device  8  forms part of the home system  16 . 
     As an example of how FIG. 1 represents a wireline mobile communication system, the serving system  12  represents the landline mobile communication service provider for the location in which the communication device  4  is located, the network  14  represents, for example, a long distance landline carrier, and the home system  16  represents another landline mobile communication service provider with whom the end user  2  has established an agreement to provide landline mobile communication services. The first communication device  4  could then represent an intelligent or programmable phone. One embodiment of an intelligent phone allows the end user  2  to place a programmed integrated circuit card into the intelligent phone, and convert the intelligent phone into the end user&#39;s personal phone. Namely, the programmed integrated circuit card provides the intelligent phone with the subscriber information for the end user  2  such that communication of this information to the serving system  12  and communication between the serving system  12  and the home system  16  allows, for example, (1) calls to the end user  2  to be routed to the intelligent phone (i.e., communication device  4 ) or (2) the end user  2  to originate calls in the serving system  12  as if he were still in the area served by the home system  16 . 
     The wireline and wireless examples given above provide only two examples of the many possible mobile communication systems represented by FIG.  1 . 
     The mobile communication systems represented by the logical block diagram of FIG. 1 present various challenges to the serving system  12  and the home system  16  which want to provide communication services only to valid users and receive appropriate payment for having provided those services. Accordingly, each communication system has associated therewith numerous different standards and protocols for ensuring that the above mentioned goals are achieved. 
     The most prevalent techniques employed by these standards utilize permanent identifiers associated with the end user  2 . One of the identifiers is assigned by the home system  16 , and is referred to hereinafter as the first permanent identifier. The first permanent identifier includes two portions. The first portion includes routing information to the home system  16 , and identifies the home system  16  with which the serving system  12  should communicate. The second portion of the first permanent identifier identifies the end user  2  to the home system  16 , and is often an identification number. Many wireless communication standards refer to the first permanent identifier as the mobile station identifier (MSID). 
     An example of the first permanent identifier is the International Mobile Station (or Subscriber) Identification (IMSI) specified by the International Telecommunication Union-Telecommunication Sector (ITU-T) Recommendations E.212. The format of the IMSI is given below: 
       IMSI (up to 15 digits)= MCC (3 digits)+ MNC (1 to 3 digits)+ MSIN (9-11 digits) 
     The mobile country code (MCC) forms the first three digits of the IMSI and identifies the country in which the home system  16  is located. Together with the mobile network code (MNC), which forms the next 1 to 3 digits, the MCC forms a home system code identifying the home system  16 . Communication standards in the United States often refer to this home system code as the home network identifier (HNI). The next 9-11 digits form the identification number pre-assigned to the end user  2  by the home system  16 . 
     Another permanent user identifier (hereinafter “the second permanent identifier”), while known by the home system  16  and associated with the end user  2 , is not necessarily assigned by the home system  16 . This identifier is also associated in some manner with the first communication device  4  or a portion thereof being used by the end user  2 . In a mobile wireless communication system, the second permanent identifier could be the electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station serving as the first communication device  4 . In a wireline mobile communication system such as the intelligent phone example discussed above, the second permanent identifier could be the serial number of the programmed integrated circuit card. The second permanent identifier could even be the phone number of, for example, and integrated services digital network (ISDN) phone. 
     The home system  16  typically stores the first and second permanent identifier pair for each subscriber such as the end user  2 . When communicating with the serving system  12 , the communication device  4  supplies the first and second permanent identifiers to the serving system  12 . Based on the routing information in the first permanent identifier, the serving system  12  knows to communicate with the home system  16  to, for example, validate the end user  2 . To validate the end user  2 , the serving system  12  provides one or both of the first and second permanent identifiers to the home system  16 . Typically, if the home system  16  receives only one of these identifiers, the home system  16  will request the other identifier from the serving system  12 . 
     If both the first and second permanent identifiers provided by the serving system  12  match a corresponding first and second permanent identifier pair stored at the home station  16 , the home station  16  validates the end user  2 . This process may be used as part of a procedure to verify (for billing purposes) or authenticate (to eliminate fraud) the end user  2  as well. Referring again to the wireless example, this validation process is typically performed as part of the registration procedure included in most wireless communication standards. 
     Once validated, the serving system  12  provides communication services to the end user  2 . For example, in a wireless system, a serving system  12  will open a traffic channel to a valid mobile station upon receiving such a request from the mobile station by the end user  2  originating the call. Having opened this traffic channel, the end user  2  can now transmit data to the destination entity  6 . 
     A need, however, exists for end users to more efficiently transmit data than available through the lengthy process of requesting and establishing a traffic channel. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The method for transferring data according to the present invention forms a first permanent identifier associated with an end user (human, system or machine) in a mobile communication system. The first permanent identifier includes routing information to a home system in the mobile communication system, and also includes data associated with the end user in a predetermined portion thereof. A communication device in the mobile communication system used by the end user sends a second permanent identifier and the first permanent identifier, both destined for the home system. The second permanent identifier is also associated in some manner with the end user, and serves to identify the end user. 
     Based on the second permanent identifier, a home system can recognize the end user associated with a received first and second permanent identifier pair, and at least in accordance with this recognition, sends at least the first permanent identifier to destination entity (human, system or machine). The destination entity extracts the predetermined portion of the first permanent identifier as data. In this manner data is transferred from the end user to the destination entity over the mobile communication system without having to establish a traffic channel. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various drawings, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a logical block diagram of a conventional communication system; 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a logical block diagram of a system embodiment for the end user in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a logical block diagram of a system embodiment of the destination entity in FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a logical block diagram of an embodiment of a communication system according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The method of transferring data will be described using the conventional communication system illustrated in FIG.  1 . Accordingly, a description of the elements illustrated in FIG. 1 will not be repeated. 
     As discussed above, the numerous standards and protocols associated with the many mobile communication systems represented by FIG. 1 employ a first permanent identifier and a second permanent identifier. To transmit data, the communication device  4  initiates a procedure within the standard or protocol that requires the transfer of the first and second permanent identifiers. For example, in a mobile wireless communication system, many standards require that the mobile station transmit the first and second permanent identifiers as part of the registration procedure. 
     However, the communication device  4  modifies the first permanent identifier prior to transmission. Alternatively, the end user  2  supplies the communication device with a modified first permanent identifier. Specifically, the first portion of the first permanent identifier contains the routing information to the home system  16 , but the second portion or a part thereof, which normally includes the user identification number pre-assigned by the home system  16 , includes data from the end user  2 . 
     The second permanent identifier remains unchanged. Consequently, the first permanent identifier will be referred to as the variable identifier, and the second permanent identifier will be referred to as the fixed identifier. 
     For instance, when the IMSI is the variable identifier, the modified IMSI has the format given below: 
     
       
           IMSI (up to 15 digits)= MCC (3 digits)+ MNC (1-3 digits)+data(9-11 digits). 
       
     
     As part of the initiated procedure, the serving system  12  supplies the variable and fixed identifiers to the home system  16  via the network  14  and the second communication device  8 . If the serving system  12  only supplies one of the variable and fixed identifiers, the home system  16  requests the other identifier. The home system  16  compares the variable and fixed identifiers to stored variable and fixed identifier pairs. If the home system  16  finds a match between the received fixed identifier and a stored fixed identifier, but the received variable identifier does not match the stored variable identifier associated with the matching stored fixed identifier, then the home system  16  recognizes that the received variable identifier stores data. When the home system  16  recognizes that the received variable identifier stores data, the home system  16  sends the received variable and fixed identifiers to the destination entity  6  associated with the matching stored fixed identifier via the second communication device  8 . The home system  16  also fails to validate the first communication device  4  for the serving system  12 . As a result, the serving system  12  has the option to deny service to the first communication device  4 . 
     Based on the received fixed identifier, the destination entity  6  recognizes that the received fixed and variable identifiers originated from the end user  2 . Furthermore, because the variable identifier does not match the variable identifier for the end user  2 , the destination entity  6  recognizes the variable identifier as containing data. Alternatively, simply receiving the identifiers,from the home system  16  causes a recognition that the variable identifier contains data. The destination entity  6  having recognized that the variable identifier contains data extracts the second portion of the variable identifier as data. 
     As one skilled in the art will appreciate, the method according to the present invention allows an end user  2  to transfer data to a destination entity without having to request and establish a traffic channel. 
     As discussed previously, the end user  2  can be a human, system or machine. For instance, the end user  2  may be an end user system as shown in FIG.  2 . FIG. 2 illustrates a logical block diagram of an end user system  100 . As shown, an end user system  100  includes a first central processing unit (CPU)  102  connected to a first read-only memory ( 104 ) and a first random access memory ( 106 ). The first CPU  102  performs some function in accordance with received input based on a predetermined program stored in the first ROM  104 . Intermediate and final processing results are stored in the first RAM  106 . According to the programming stored in the first ROM  104 , the first CPU  102  transfers data to the communication device  2  for transmission. 
     As one skilled in the art will appreciate, the end user system  100  could be any of a plurality of end user systems, such as an automated teller machine, a sensing or measuring device (e.g., gas or electric meter), a vending machine, a vehicle, an autonomous vehicle, a robot, a security alarm system, an environmental or weather tracking system, etc., which receive input in some fashion, such as from a human or sensor(s). Consequently, a need exists for the end user system  100  to transfer data accumulated in the processing of its function to a remotely located destination entity  6  associated therewith. 
     As a more specific example, the end user system  100  could be a vehicle tracking device measuring the distance traveled by the vehicle and detecting the location of the vehicle. By means of the first communication device  4 , the serving system  12 , the network  14 , the home system  16  and the second communication device  8 , the end user system  100  transfers data on distance and location to the destination entity  6  according to the method of the present invention. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the first communication device  4  forms a part of the end user system  100  or the end user system  100  forms a part of the first communication device  4 . In a possible mobile wireless communication system, the first communication device  4  is a mobile station, and the mobile station forms part of the end user system  100 . 
     As also discussed previously, the destination entity  6  could be a human, system or machine. For instance, the destination entity  6  may be the processing system  110  shown in FIG.  3 . As shown, the processing system  110  includes a second CPU  112  connected to a second ROM  114  and a second RAM  116 . The second CPU  112  performs processing functions in accordance with a predetermined program stored in the second ROM  114 , and stores intermediate and final processing results in the second RAM  116 . 
     Continuing with the vehicle tracking example, the processing system  110  is a processing system for a transport company that extracts the data transferred thereto by the end user system  100 , and uses the extracted data to, for example, prepare appropriate billing of the customer. 
     As an alternative, the second communication device  8  could form part of the destination entity  6 , or the destination entity  6  could form part of the second communication device  8 . 
     Furthermore, the home system  16  could communicate directly with the destination entity  6  via a communication line (e.g., fiber optic, cable, etc.); thus, eliminating the second communication device  8 . The second communication device  8  could also be eliminated in another alternative embodiment wherein the destination entity  6  forms part of the home system  16  or the home system  16  forms part of the destination entity  6 . 
     As a further alternative, and preferably as part of the embodiment wherein the destination entity  6  forms a part of the home system  16  or the home system  16  forms a part of the destination entity  6 , the home system  16  does not store any variable identifiers. Instead, the home system  16  does not expect to ever validate the end user  2  so that communication services can be provided thereto. The home system  16  expects only to receive data from the end user  2 . Accordingly, when the home system  16  receives a fixed identifier from the serving system  12  that matches a stored fixed identifier, the home system  16  sends the variable and fixed identifiers to the destination entity  6 . 
     FIG. 4 illustrates another logical block diagram of a mobile communication system according to the present invention. The embodiment of FIG. 4 is the same as that shown in FIG. 1 except for the addition of (1) third-Mth communication devices  8 - 1 , . . . ,  8 -M connected to the home system  16  and (2) second-Nth destination entities  6 - 1 , . . . ,  6 -N connected to the third-Mth communication devices  8 - 1 , . . . ,  8 -M. 
     In this embodiment, the home system  16  supports multiple destination entities  6 ,  6 - 1 , . . . ,  6 -N. The home system  16  stores a unique address for each of the first-Nth destination entities  6 ,  6 - 1 , . . . ,  6 -N. Accordingly, to properly direct data to one of the first-Nth destination entities  6 ,  6 - 1 , . . . ,  6 -N the end user  2  or communication device  4  creates the second portion of the variable identifier such that a predetermined part thereof includes the unique address of the intended destination entity recipient. The remaining parts of the second portion of the variable identifier are then available for sending data. 
     For example, assume ten or less destination entities are supported by the home system  16  such that a single digit could be used to uniquely identify the destination entities. Also assume for the purposes of this example that the variable identifier is the IMSI. Then, the modified IMSI could have the format given below: 
     
       
           IMSI (up to 15 digits)= MCC (3 digits)+ MNC (1-3 digits)+unique destination entity identifier or address(1 digit)+data(8-10 digits). 
       
     
     While in this example, the unique destination entity identifier is shown as forming the first part of the second portion of the variable identifier, the unique destination entity may form any part of the second portion of the variable identifier. 
     When handling a received fixed and variable identifier pair wherein the received fixed identifier matches a fixed identifier stored at the home system  16 , the home system  16  obtains the destination entity identifier in the predetermined part of the second portion of the variable identifier. The home, system  16  then sends the fixed and variable identifiers to the destination entity  6 ,  6 - 1 , . . . , 6 -N identified by the destination entity identifier. 
     As an alternative, the second communication devices  8 ,  8 - 1 , . . . ,  8 -M could form part of the destination entities  6 ,  6 - 1 , . . . ,  6 -N or the destination entities  6 ,  6 - 1 , . . . ,  6 -N could form part of the second communication devices  8 ,  8 - 1 , . . . ,  8 -M. 
     Furthermore, the home system  16  could communicate directly with one or more of the destination entities  6 ,  6 - 1 , . . . ,  6 -N via a communication line (e.g., fiber optic, cable, etc.); thus, eliminating one or more of the second communication devices  8 ,  8 - 1 , . . . ,  8 -M. The second communication devices  8 ,  8 - 1 , . . . ,  8 -M could also be eliminated in another alternative embodiment wherein the destination entities  6 ,  6 - 1 , . . . ,  6 -N form part of the home system  16 . 
     While most of the examples given with respect to the present invention have been of wireless mobile communication systems, one skilled in the art will recognize from the forgoing disclosure that the present invention also applies to wireline mobile communication systems. 
     The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications are intended to included within the scope of the following claims.