Patent ID: 7222192

Claim:
A method for mobile subscriber location management and for routing messages in a mobile communications network environment, the method comprising: in a routing node separate from a home location register (HLR) and a visitor location register (VLR) and being located in a communication path between the HLR and the VLR: (a) receiving signaling messages transmitted between the HLR and the VLR related to the location or subscription of a mobile subscriber; (b) extracting mobile subscriber information from a first signaling message; (c) caching the mobile subscriber information; and (d) using the cached information in the processing and routing of subsequent signaling messages transmitted by the HLR or the VLR relating to the mobile subscriber, wherein using the cached information in the processing and routing of subsequent signaling messages includes receiving a ProvideRoamingNumber message generated by the HLR in response to a request for routing information for a mobile terminated call to the subscriber and using the cached information to identify serving MSC and VLR information for the subscriber.