U.S. patent application number 09/063304 was filed with the patent office on 2002-01-17 for method of routing a short message and an apparatus for routing a short message.
Invention is credited to COMBARROS, JOSE JAVIER CABERO, EDLUND, PETER, ESTABAN, MIGUEL COBO, JOSSE, THIERRY.
Application Number | 20020006125 09/063304 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 20406680 |
Filed Date | 2002-01-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020006125 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
JOSSE, THIERRY ; et
al. |
January 17, 2002 |
METHOD OF ROUTING A SHORT MESSAGE AND AN APPARATUS FOR ROUTING A
SHORT MESSAGE
Abstract
In a method of routing a short message with high or low priority
from a service centre to a mobile station in a public land mobile
network providing both packet data service and circuit switched
service, a choice is made, in advance, as to whether the short
meassage should be received by the mobile station either via a
specific one of the services or via any of the services. Based upon
said choice in step, the priority of the short message sent from
the service centre, and an indication of whether the mobile station
is reachable via one, both or none of the services, a route via one
of the services, a route via both services or no route at all is
selected. If a route via one of the services is selected, the short
message is routed in accordance with the selected route. If a route
via both services is selected, the route via the service having a
higher preference than the other service is selected, and the short
message is routed in accordance with the route via said service
having the higher preference. If the routing of the short message
to the mobile station is unsuccessful via the route via said
service having the higher preference, the short message is routed
in accordance with the route via said other service having lower
preference.
Inventors: |
JOSSE, THIERRY; (STOCKHOLM,
SE) ; ESTABAN, MIGUEL COBO; (MADRID, ES) ;
COMBARROS, JOSE JAVIER CABERO; (MADRID, ES) ; EDLUND,
PETER; (TUMBA, SE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BURNS DOANE SWECKER & MATHIS L L P
POST OFFICE BOX 1404
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22313-1404
US
|
Family ID: |
20406680 |
Appl. No.: |
09/063304 |
Filed: |
April 21, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
370/354 ;
370/400 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 88/184 20130101;
H04W 4/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
370/354 ;
370/400 |
International
Class: |
H04L 012/66; H04L
012/28; H04L 012/56 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 22, 1997 |
SE |
9701509-3 |
Claims
1. A method of routing a short message with high or low priority
from a service centre to a mobile station in a public land mobile
network providing both packet data service and circuit switched
service, comprising the steps of: a) making a choice, in advance,
as to whether the short meassage should be received by the mobile
station either via a specific one of the services or via any of the
services, b) based upon said choice in step a), the priority of the
short message sent from the service centre, and an indication of
whether the mobile station is reachable via one, both or none of
the services, selecting a route via one of the services, a route
via both services or no route at all, c) if a route via one of the
services is selected in step b), routing the short message in
accordance with the selected route, d) if a route via both services
is selected in step b), selecting the route via the service having
a higher preference than the other service, and routing the short
message in accordance with the route via said service having the
higher preference, e) if the routing of the short message to the
mobile station is unsuccessful via the route via said service
having the higher preference, as selected in step d), routing the
short message in accordance with the route via said other service
having lower preference.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising selecting, in
advance, which one of the services should have the higher
preference.
3. A method of routing a short message from a mobile station to a
service centre in a public land mobile network providing both
packet data service and circuit switched service, comprising making
a choice, in advance, as to whether the short meassage should be
sent by the mobile station either via a specific one of the
services or via any of the services, and, if the short message is
to be sent via any of the services, affording a higher preference
to one of the services.
4. The method as claimed in claim 3, comprising making said choice
on a per short message basis.
5. An apparatus for routing a short message with high or low
priority from a service centre to a mobile station in a public land
mobile network providing both packet data service and circuit
switched service, comprising means adapted to enable a choice, in
advance, as to whether the short meassage should be received by the
mobile station either via a specific one of the services or via any
of the services, means adapted to select, on the basis of said
choice, the priority of the short message sent from the service
centre, and an indication of whether the mobile station is
reachable via one, both or none of the services, a route via one of
the services, a route via both services or no route at all, means
adapted to route the short message in accordance with the selected
route, if a route via one of the services is selected, means
adapted, on the one hand, to select the route via the service
having a higher preference than the other service, and, on the
other hand, to route the short message in accordance with the route
via said service having the higher preference, if a route via both
services is selected, means adapted to route the short message in
accordance with the route via said other service having lower
preference if the routing of the short message to the mobile
station is unsuccessful via the route via the service having the
higher preference.
6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, comprising means adapted to
enable, in advance, the selection of which one of the services
should have the higher preference.
7. An apparatus for routing a short message from a mobile station
to a service centre in a public land mobile network providing both
packet data service and circuit switched service, comprising means
adapted, on the one hand, to enable a choice, in advance, as to
whether the short message should be sent by the mobile station
either via a specific one of the services or via any of the
services, and, on the other hand, to afford a higher preference to
one of the services if the short message is to be sent via any of
the services.
8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said means adapted
to enable a choice, are adapted to enable a choice on a per short
message basis.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a short message routing method and
apparatus in a public land mobile network providing both packet
data service and circuit switched service.
STATE OF THE ART
[0002] Short message service in general is widely known in mobile
telecommunication networks. A special type of such a network,
called GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), has been specified by
ETSI (European Telecommunication Standardization Institute) in the
GSM specification GSM 03.60, Feb. 27, 1997, Version 1.1. Both
mobile terminated and mobile originated short message transfer
between the various nodes in the GPRS communication system, are
described in this GSM specification.
[0003] The specification does not give the network operator and/or
the subscriber or end-user any flexibility in controlling how the
short messages are routed through the network.
[0004] This will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1-4 on
the appended drawing.
[0005] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an embodiment of part of an
existing public land mobile network providing both packet data
service and circuit switched service in accordance with the
invention,
[0006] FIG. 2 illustrates a known successful mobile terminating
transfer via packet service of a short message in the network in
FIG. 1,
[0007] FIG. 3 illustrates a known unsuccessful mobile terminating
transfer via packet service of a short message in the network in
FIG. 1, and
[0008] FIG. 4 illustrates a known successful mobile originating
transfer via packet service of a short message in the network in
FIG. 1.
[0009] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an embodiment of part of an
existing public land mobile network providing both packet data
service and circuit switched service. The illustrated network
includes a home location register HLR, a mobile switching
centre/visitors location register MSC/VLR, a base station system
BSS, a short message services gateway mobile switching centre
SMS-GMSC combined with a short message services inter working
mobile switching centre SMS-IWMSC, a short message service centre
SM-SC, a serving general packet radio service support node SGSN,
and a gateway general packet radio service support node GGSN. In
FIG. 1, a single mobile station MS is also shown.
[0010] An example of a successful short message service (SMS) to
the mobile station (MS) in the network in FIG. 1, i.e. a successful
mobile terminating transfer of a short wmessage (SM), will be
described with reference to FIG. 2.
[0011] In step 1, the short message service center (SM-SC)
determines that it shall send a SMS to a MS and forwards the SMS to
the SMS-GMSC. In step (2), the SMS-GMSC examines the address of the
MS and sends a "send routing info (SRI) for SM" message to the
HLR.
[0012] In step 3, the HLR returns a "SRI for SM acknowledgement"
message to the SMS-GMSC. In the transfer illustrated in FIG. 2,
this message is supposed to contain both the SGSN address and the
MSC address of the MS assuming that the HLR has stored these
addresses after previous GPRS and GSM routing area/location
updating.
[0013] In accordance with this known transfer, the SMS is always
sent first via GPRS.
[0014] Thus, in step (4), the SM-GMSC forwards the SMS to the
SGSN.
[0015] In step (5), the SGSN transfers the SMS to the MS.
[0016] In case of a successful short message transfer to the MS, in
step (6), SGSN returns a report to the SMS-GMSC indicating
successful delivery of the SMS.
[0017] In step (7), the SMS-GMSC returns a report to the SM-SC
indicating successful delivery of the SMS.
[0018] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of an unsuccessful SMS
transfer to a MS. Steps (1)-(4) in FIG. 3 are identical to steps
(1)-(4) in FIG. 2.
[0019] In step (5) in FIG. 3, however, the SGSN attempts to
transfer the SMS to the MS but fails. This may occur i.a. if the MS
is not attached to GPRS or when the radio channel conditions are
bad.
[0020] In step (6) in FIG. 3, the SGSN sets the mobile station not
reachable flag MNRF and returns a failure report to SMS-GMSC
indicating unsuccessful delivery of the SMS.
[0021] In step (7) in FIG. 3, the SMS-GMSC selects the alternative,
lower preference route for the short message using the MSC address
received in step (3) as described in connection with FIG. 2. Thus,
the SMS is forwarded to the MSC/VLR. In step (8), the MSC-VLR
attempts to transfer the SMS to the MS by means of existing GSM
procedures, but in this example, it is supposed that the attempt
fails.
[0022] In step (9) in FIG. 3, the MSC/VLR sets the mobile station
not reachable flag MNRF and returns a failure report to the
SMS-GMSC indicating unsuccessful delivery of the SMS.
[0023] In step (10)in FIG. 3, the SMS-GMSC sends a "short message
delivery report status" message to the HLR.
[0024] In step (11), the HLR updates its message waiting indication
fields and returns a "short message delivery report status
acknowledgement" message to the SMS-GMSC.
[0025] In step (12), finally, the SMS-GMSC returns a failure report
to the SM-SC indicating unsuccessful delivery of the SMS.
[0026] The two transfer procedures described above in connection
with FIGS. 2 and 3 do not provide any flexibility in that the SMS
is always sent first via GPRS and in that the operator of the
network and/or the end-user of the MS, i.e. the user of the
terminating MS, is not allowed to control how the SMS should be
routed through the network.
[0027] In FIG. 4, an example of a known successful SMS transfer
from a MS to a SM-SC is illustrated.
[0028] In step (1) in FIG. 4, the SM is transferred from the MS to
the SGSN via the BSS.
[0029] In step (2) in FIG. 4, the SGSN forwards the SMS to the
SMS-IWMSC.
[0030] In step (3), the SMS is supposed to be successfully
transferred to the SC.
[0031] In step (4), a report of the successful transfer is sent
from the SC to the SMS-IWMSC.
[0032] In step (5), the SMS-IWMSC reports the successful transfer
to the SGSN, and in step (6), the successful transfer is reported
by the SGSN to the MS.
[0033] Also in mobile originating transfers of SMSs, the SMSs are
always sent first over GPRS, thus, no flexibility is provided for
mobile originating SMS transfer since the network operator and/or
the end-user of the MS are not allowed to control how the mobile
originating SMS should be routed through the network.
[0034] This means that for each mobile terminating or mobile
originating SMS transfer, the GPRS will always have preference over
the circuit switch (CS) service, i.e. the SMS is sent first over
GPRS, and the end-user will, first, always be charged according to
GPRS fares. Only if the mobile terminated SMS transfer fails with
GPRS, the end-user will be charged according to the CS service
fares.
[0035] As stated above, presently, the SMS will always be sent
first over GPRS. As a consequence, the network operator has no way
to re-route the SMS over CS in case of GPRS capacity problems,
congestion problems, network problems etc. A SMS transfer has to
fail over GPRS before the SMS will be sent to CS. Thus, signalling
capacity will be used for nothing. Furthermore, the end-user will
always be charged first according to the GPRS fares and will be
charged according to the CS fares only if the SMS fails over GPRS
and succeeds over CS. The operator does not offer any different
charges based on the path used for the delivery of the SM.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0036] The object of the invention is, therefore, to provide
flexibility to the network by enabling the operator and/or the
end-user to control how the short messages are routed through the
network.
[0037] This is attained by the method, according to the invention,
of routing a short message with high or low priority from a service
centre to a mobile station in a public land mobile network
providing both packet data service and circuit switched service, in
that a choice is made, in advance, as to whether the short meassage
should be received by the mobile station either via a specific one
of the services or via any of the services. Based upon said choice
in step, the priority of the short message sent from the service
centre, and an indication of whether the mobile station is
reachable via one, both or none of the services, a route via one of
the services, a route via both services or no route at all is
selected. If a route via one of the services is selected, the short
message is routed in accordance with the selected route. If a route
via both services is selected, the route via the service having a
higher preference than the other service is selected, and the short
message is routed in accordance with the route via said service
having the higher preference. If the routing of the short message
to the mobile station is unsuccessful via the route via said
service having the higher preference. the short message is routed
in accordance with the route via said other service having lower
preference.
[0038] This object is also attained by the apparatus, according to
the invention, for routing a short message with high or low
priority from a service centre to a mobile station in a public land
mobile network providing both packet data service and circuit
switched service, in that means are provided to enable a choice, in
advance, as to whether the short meassage should be received by the
mobile station either via a specific one of the services or via any
of the services. Means are also provided to select, on the basis of
said choice, the priority of the short message sent from the
service centre, and an indication of whether the mobile station is
reachable via one, both or none of the services, a route via one of
the services, a route via both services or no route at all. Means
are provided to route the short message in accordance with the
selected route, if a route via one of the services is selected.
Means are provided to, on the one hand, select the route via the
service having a higher preference than the other service, and, on
the other hand, route the short message in accordance with the
route via said service having the higher preference, if a route via
both services is selected. Means are provided to route the short
message in accordance with the route via said other service having
lower preference if the routing of the short message to the mobile
station is unsuccessful via the route via the service having the
higher preference.
[0039] Hereby, a flexibility for both the network operator and the
end-user will be obtained.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0040] The invention will now be described with reference to FIGS.
5, 6, and 7 on the appended drawing.
[0041] FIG. 5 illustrates a successful mobile terminating transfer
of a short message in the network in FIG. 1 in accordance with the
invention,
[0042] FIG. 6 illustrates a successful mobile originating transfer
of a short message in the network in FIG. 1 with the mobile station
preference set to one of the services provided, and
[0043] FIG. 7 illustrates a successful mobile originating transfer
via circuit service of a short message in the network in FIG. 1
with the mobile station preference set to the other of the services
provided.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0044] Mobile terminated short message transfer
[0045] In accordance with the invention, a new category is
introduced in the HLR in order to allow the route via which the SMS
is to be delivered. to be chosen. This category should have the
values indicated in the below Table I:
1 TABLE I VALUES COMMENTS SGSN PATH Only SGSN address sent to
SMS-GMSC MSC PATH Only MSC address sent to SMS-GMSC SGSN/MSC PATH
Both SGSN and MSC address sent to SMS-GMSC
[0046] The end-user will be able to set the SMS path category to
the desired value on the MS using the same procedures as other GSM
supplementary services, while the network operator will be able to
set the category by command.
[0047] The setting to a specific value, i.e. SGSN and/or MSC, can
be done in view of either a charging issue in that one path may be
less expensive than the other or a capacity issue in that the GPRS
network may be overloaded. In case the end-user does not have any
preference, the SGSN/MSC value will increase the probability of a
successful short message delivery.
[0048] Based on the priority of the SMS, high or low, that is set
and sent by the SC, the HLR will provide to the SMS-GMSC, the node
address on the basis of the below Table II:
2 TABLE II From HLR.backslash.From SC HIGH PRIORITY LOW PRIORITY
SGSN PATH SGSN address SGSN address* MSC PATH MSC address MSC
address** SGSN/MSC PATH Both addresses Both addresses*** *indicates
that the SGSN address is sent only if GNRF is not set in the HLR.
**indicates that the MSC address is sent only if MNRF is not set in
the HLR. ***indicates that the SGSN address is sent only if GNRF is
not set in the HLR and the MSC address is sent only if MNRF is not
set in the HLR.
[0049] In case the SMS failed due to IMSI Detached or Paging
failure, the MSC/VLR sets the MNRF flag and the HLR is notified by
the SMS-GMSC with the cause: "Absent Subscriber" enclosing the
sub-causes: "IMSI Detached" or "CS Paging failure".
[0050] As a consequence, the HLR sets the MNRF flag and also stores
the sub-cause received.
[0051] If the HLR gets the information that the MS is GPRS and/or
IMSI detached, or the GPRS and/or CS paging failed, two new
sub-causes will be added to the cause "Absent Subscriber", namely,
"GPRS Detached" or "GPRS Paging failure".
[0052] The following different cases can occur:
[0053] If only the SGSN address was sent as a result of "SRI for
SM" and the SMS is rejected for GPRS, i.e. GPRS detached or GPRS
paging failure, the SGSN will set the GNRF flag.
[0054] If both the MSC and the SGSN addresses were sent as "SRI for
SM" result and the SMS is rejected for CS and GPRS, i.e. mixed
between the four sub-causes above, the MSC/VLR will set the MNRF
flag and the SGSN will set the GNRF flag.
[0055] Then, the SMS-GMSC will notify the HLR in sending SM
Delivery Report Status operation with the error "Absent Subscriber"
enclosing one or several of the sub-causes depending on the
context.
[0056] As a consequence, the HLR will set the flag GNRF and/or the
flag MNRF in accordance with the sub-causes received. These
sub-causes will also be stored in the HLR.
[0057] The two flags are reset in case:
[0058] the HLR receives a notification that the MS is reachable
again with "Ready For SM operation" from the MSC/VLR or the SGSN. A
new originating entity parameter will be sent in this operation in
order for the HLR to reset the corresponding MNRF or GNRF flag
depending on the originating entity, the HLR receives the SM
Delivery Report Status operation with the indication that the SM
was successfully delivered for CS or GPRS.
[0059] If the SGSN and the MSC addresses were sent at "SRI for SM"
and if the first attempt via one path was unsuccessful and the
second attempt via the other path was successful, the SM Delivery
Report Status operation:
[0060] with the error "Absent Subscriber" enclosing different
sub-causes for CS or GPRS, i.e. failure in the first attempt,
and
[0061] with the indication that the MS is successfully delivered
for CS or GPRS, will be sent from the SMS-GMSC to the HLR in order
for the HLR to set/reset the corresponding MNRF and/or GNRF
flag.
[0062] In accordance with the invention, a new category is
introduced in the SMS-GMSC in order to allow how the SMS shall be
delivered in case the SMS-GMSC receives the SGSN and the MSC
addresses from the HLR. This category should have values in
accordance with the below Table III:
3 TABLE III VALUES COMMENTS SGSN PRIORITY Send the Short Message to
the SGSN MSC PRIORITY Send the Short Message to the MSC
[0063] In FIG. 5, an unsuccessful mobile terminated SMS transfer
via both paths, i.e. SGSN and MSC, is described in connection with
the categories introduced in accordance with the invention as
described above.
[0064] Step (1): Short message transfer from SM-SC to SMS-GMSC.
[0065] Step (2): "SRI for SM" sent to the HLR.
[0066] Step (3): "SRI for SM acknowledgement" received from the
HLR, including both the SGSN address and the MSC address.
[0067] Based on the priority of the SM as sent by the SC and based
on the SMS path category, the HLR sends, in accordance with Table
II above, either the SGSN address or the MSC address or both
addresses to the SMS-GMSC.
[0068] If the SMS-GMSC receives both addresses, the SMS-GMSC will
check the SMS path priority category as indicated in Table III
above, in order to determine whether the SM should first go through
SGSN (4a-5a-6a) or MSC (4b-5b-6b). Upon receipt of a failure
report, the SMS-GMSC sends the short message through the other
path.
[0069] Step (4a/7b): Forward the SM to the SGSN.
[0070] Step (5a/8b): Supposed message transfer failure.
[0071] Step (6a/9b): Failure report to the SMS-GMSC.
[0072] Step (4b/7a): Forward the SM to the MSC/VLR.
[0073] Step (5b/8a): Supposed message transfer failure.
[0074] Step (6b/9a): Failure report to the SMS-GMSC.
[0075] Step (10): SM delivery report status to the HLR [reason:
GPRS/IMSI detached].
[0076] Step (11): SM delivery report status acknowledgement from
the HLR.
[0077] Step (12): Failure report to the SC [reason: GPRS/IMSI
detached and/or GPRS/circuit switch paging failure].
[0078] Mobile originated short message transfer
[0079] In accordance with the invention, a SMS path priority
category as indicated above is introduced in the MS in order to
determine, on a per SMS basis, the way the SMS shall be delivered
to the network. This category has the values in accordance with the
below Table IV:
4TABLE IV VALUES COMMENTS SGSN PRIORITY Send the Short Message via
SGSN MSG PRIORITY Send the Short Message via MSC SGSN/MSC PRIORITY
Send the Short Message via MSC or SGSN
[0080] With reference to FIG. 6, an example of a successful mobile
originated SMS transfer will be described with the MS category set
to "SGSN PRIORITY" in accordance with the above Table IV.
[0081] Step (1): Message Transfer from the MS.
[0082] The MS sends the SMS Path Priority via the radio interface
to the BSS.
[0083] Step (1a): SM transfer to the SGSN.
[0084] Step (2a): Forward the SM to the SMS-IWMSC.
[0085] Step (3): SM transfer to the SC.
[0086] Step (4): Successful report from the SC to the
SMS-IWMSC.
[0087] Step (5): Successful report from the SMS-IWMSC to the
SGSN.
[0088] Step (6): Successful report from the SGSN to the MS.
[0089] With reference to FIG. 7, an example of a successful mobile
originated SMS transfer will be described with the MS category set
to "MSC PRIORITY" in accordance with the above Table IV.
[0090] Step 1: SM transfer from MS.
[0091] The MS sends the SMS Path Priority via the radio interface
to the BSS.
[0092] Step (1b): SM transfer to the MSC/VLR.
[0093] Step (2b): The MSC/VLR forwards the SM to the SMS-IWMSC.
[0094] Step (3b): The SMS-IWMSC transfers the SM to the SC.
[0095] Step (4): Report of successful transfer sent from the SC to
the SMS-IWMSC.
[0096] Step (5): Report of successful transfer sent from the
SMS-IWMSC to the MSC/VLR.
[0097] Step (6): Report of successful transfer sent from the
MSC/VLR to the MS.
[0098] The category "SGSN/MSC PRIORITY" can also be used in order
for the BSS to make the decision to send the SMS either on the GPRS
channel or the CS channel (e.g. channel congestion). This category
enables the network to make the decision of the mode of mobile
originated SMS transmission instead of the user.
[0099] The advantage attained by means of the invention is to allow
the network operator and the end-user, i.e. the subscriber, to
decide how SMSs shall be routed in the network. Considering the the
cost for the delivery of a SMS can depend on the way it is routed,
i.e. either using a circuit switched path or a packet switched
path, it is important to define these scenarii for the
implementation of SMS in GPRS.
[0100] Also, this flexibility makes it possible for the network
operator to offer different charges on the basis of the path used
for the delivery of the short message.
[0101] As should be apparent from the above, a greater flexibility
is obtained in accordance with the invention.
[0102] This flexibility will allow the operator to handle the
network resources in a more efficient way.
* * * * *