Patent ID: 7568012

Claim:
A system for routing short messages (SMS) sent by a mobile terminal, including a mobile telephone, from a foreign network to a receiver within a home network of the mobile terminal, which receiver is an external short-message entity having a receiver number and being different from a mobile terminal and connected with the home network, including a computer, wherein a short message-service center of the foreign network transmits an inquiry about the validity and availability of the receiver number of the external short-message entity to the home network, characterized in that the inquiry of the short-message service center of the foreign network to the home network occurs at a virtual home location register of the home network, based on the receiver number of the external short-message entity, which virtual home location register replies to the inquiry with an acknowledgment containing information on a virtual mobile switching center of the home network, via which the short message (SMS) is to be transmitted to the external short-message entity; wherein included is a short-message service center in the foreign network of the mobile terminal sending the short message (SMS) and an external short-message entity having a receiver number and being different from a mobile terminal of the home network, said external short-message entity being connected with the home network, characterized in that a computer unit is provided in the home network, which, upon inquiry of the short-message service center of the foreign network whether the receiver number of the external short-message entity is valid and available, replies with an instruction containing the acknowledgment of the validity of the receiver number of the external short-message entity and information on a virtual mobile switching center to which the short message (SMS) is to be sent; wherein the external short-message entity is simulated to the short message-service center of the foreign network; wherein the inquiry requests an indication of whether the receiver number is a real mobile telephone of the home network or is reserved to a software application; wherein the reply informs the short-message service center of an existence of the real mobile telephone and an associated entry in the virtual mobile switching center.