PCT
`
`WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION
`International Bureau
`
`INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)
`
`
`
`Published
`Without international search report and to be republished
`upon receipt of that report.
`
`(74) Agents: GRANATELLI, Lawrence, W.et al.; Graham & James
`LLP, 600 Hansen Way, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1043 (US).
`
`
`
` (11) International Publication Number:
`WO 98/31163
`(51) International Patent Classification © :
`
`
`H04Q 7/00
`
`16 July 1998 (16.07.98)
`(43) International Publication Date:
`
`
`(21) International Application Number: PCT/US98/00493|(81) Designated States: CA, JP, European patent (AT, BE, CH, DE,
`
`
`DK,ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL,PT, SE).
`
`
`
`(22) International Filing Date:
`9 January 1998 (09.01.98)
`
`
`
`(30) Priority Data:
`11 January 1997 (11.01.97)08/781,259 US
`
`
`
`
`
`(71) Applicant:
`TANDEM COMPUTERS,
`INCORPORATED
`[US/US]; LOC 200-16,
`10435 North Tantau Avenue,
`
`
`Cupertino, CA 95014 (US).
`
`
`(72) Inventor: LAMB,James, A.; 20701 Laramie Road, Elkhorn,
`NE 68022 (US).
`
`
`
`
`(54) Titles METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING ALIAS MOBILE ID NUMBERSIN A MOBILE TELEPHONE
`SYSTEM
`
`(57) Abstract
`
`
`
`wwe ee en ee ee rr ewe oe
`
`
`
`
`
`An improved homelocation register (HLR) that implements alias
`
`mobile ID numbers (MIN) in a mobile telephone system. According
`1324 :
`to the invention, the improved HLR includes an alias MIN module that
`comprises an alias MIN table and an alias MIN application program. The
`
`alias MIN table associates multiple phone numbersof a cellular phone to
`
`the cellular phone’s preprogrammed MIN. When the HLRreceives dialed
`
`digits from an MSC in a location request, the application program uses
`
`the dialed digits as key to locate the associated MIN of the receiving
`
`party’s cellular phone. The retrieved MINis then includedin the routing
`
`message and forwarded to the appropriate MSC that currently serves
`
`the receiving party’s cellular phone.
`In this way, the subscriber can be
`
`reached by dialing any of the pre-associated phone numbers. Therefore,
`
`significant convenience is provided to cellular subscribers and wireless
`service providers.
`
`
`
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`

`

`Zimbabwe
`
`Codes used to identify States party to the PCT on the front pages of pamphlets publishing international applications under the PCT.
`Slovenia
`SI
`Lesotho
`LS
`Slovakia
`SK
`LT
`Lithuania
`SN
`LU
`Senegal
`Luxembourg
`SZ
`Swaziland
`LV
`Latvia
`TD
`Chad
`Monaco
`MC
`TG
`MD
`Togo
`Republic of Moldova
`MG
`TJ
`Tajikistan
`Madagascar
`Turkmenistan
`MK
`The former Yugoslav
`Turkey
`Republic of Macedonia
`Mali
`Trinidad and Tobago
`Ukraine
`Mongolia
`Mauritania
`Uganda
`United States of America
`Malawi
`Uzbekistan
`Mexico
`Viet Nam
`Niger
`Netherlands
`Yugoslavia
`Norway
`New Zealand
`Poland
`Portugal
`Romania
`Russian Federation
`Sudan
`Sweden
`Singapore
`
`Albania
`Armenia
`Austria
`Australia
`Azerbaijan
`Bosnia and Herzegovina
`Barbados
`Belgium
`Burkina Faso
`Bulgaria
`Benin
`Brazil
`Belarus
`Canada
`Central African Republic
`Congo
`Switzerland
`Céte d’Ivoire
`Cameroon
`China
`Cuba
`Czech Republic
`Germany
`Denmark
`Estonia
`
`ES
`FI
`FR
`GA
`GB
`GE
`GH
`GN
`GR
`HU
`IE
`IL
`IS
`IT
`JP
`KE
`KG
`KP
`
`KR
`KZ
`Le
`LI
`LK
`LR
`
`Spain
`Finland
`France
`Gabon
`United Kingdom
`Georgia
`Ghana
`Guinea
`Greece
`Hungary
`Treland
`Israel
`Iceland
`Italy
`Japan
`Kenya
`Kyrgyzstan
`Democratic People’s
`Republic of Korea
`Republic of Korea
`Kazakstan
`Saint Lucia
`Liechtenstein
`Sri Lanka
`Liberia
`
`FOR THE PURPOSES OF INFORMATION ONLY
`
`™T
`
`R
`TT
`UA
`UG
`US
`UZ
`VN
`YU
`ZW
`
`ML
`MN
`MR
`MW
`MX
`NE
`NL
`NO
`NZ
`PL
`PT
`RO
`RU
`sD
`SE
`8G
`
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`METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING ALIAS MOBILE ID NUMBERS
`
`INA MOBILE TELEPHONE SYSTEM
`
`BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION
`
`The invention generally relates to a wireless communication network, and
`
`more particularly,
`
`relates to an improved home location register
`
`(HLR)
`
`that
`
`implements alias mobile ID numbers in a wireless communication network.
`
`Wireless communication is one of the fastest growing segments of the
`
`telecommunication industry. With the mobility of the wireless devices, such as
`
`cellular phones and pagers, a subscriber to a wireless service can makeorreceive a
`
`call, or receive a message without being restricted to any particular locations.
`
`Because of the convenience provided by wireless devices, they have been widely
`
`used by average consumers.
`
`Wireless communications are provided through a wireless communication
`
`network, which can berealized, for example, as a Signaling System 7 (SS7) network.
`
`The SS7 network uses the EIA/TIA Interim Standard 41 (IS-41) protocol, which is the
`
`standard commonly used in North America.
`
`The SS7 network is used for switching data messages pertaining to
`
`connecting telephone calls and for maintaining the signaling network. As shownin
`Fig. 1, the SS7 network 100 has three different types of nodes or signaling points:
`Service Switching Point (SSP) 112, Signal Transfer Point (STP) 116, and Service
`
`Control Point (SCP) 122.
`
`An SSP 112 is an local exchange in the telephone network. An SSP 112 uses
`
`the information provided by the calling party (such as dialed digits) and determines
`
`how to connect the call. An STP 116 serves as a router in the SS7 network and
`
`switches SS7 messagesas received from the various SSPs 112 through the network
`
`to their appropriate destinations. An STP 116 receives messagesin packet form from
`
`an SSP 112. These packets are either related to call connections or database
`
`queries for an SCP 122. If the packet is a request from an SSP 112 to connecta call,
`
`1
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`the message must be forwarded to the destination where the call will be terminated.
`
`The destination is determined by the dialed digits.
`
`If the message is a database
`
`query seeking additional information regarding a person who subscribes a wireless
`
`service, i.e., a “subscriber”, the destination will be a database. Access to telephone
`
`company databasesis provided through an SCP 122. These databases are used to
`
`store
`
`information about
`
`subscribers’
`
`services,
`
`calling
`
`card validation,
`
`fraud
`
`protection, etc.
`
`As shown in Fig. 1, the wireless network is shared by multiple regions 126,
`
`such as regions A and B. In each region 126, an SCP 122 is provided. Each region
`
`126 is further divided into a numberof registration areas 132, each of which is
`
`served by a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) 136. An MSC 136 provides wireless
`
`communication services to all properly registered cellular phones 142 in the
`
`registration area.
`
`Asillustrated in Fig. 1, an SCP 122 contains an authentication center (AC)
`
`146 and a homelocation registers (HLR) 152. AC 146 authenticates a subscriber's
`
`cellular phone through the use of an encrypted number called the A-Key. HLR 152 is
`
`used to store information regarding cellular subscribers in the region for which it
`
`provides services. HLR 152 also stores information identifying the services allowed
`
`for each subscriber.
`
`In addition to these, HLR 152 stores the current locations of
`
`cellular phones 142 of those subscriber's who initially activated their cellular phones
`
`through a wireless service provider in the region the HLR serves. This region is also
`
`referred to as the “home area” of those subscribers. Although not shown, a backup
`
`HLRis also provided in SCP 122.
`
`A visitor location register (VLR) 156 is also provided in each region 126. VLR
`
`156 is used when a cellular phone 142 is not recognized by a local MSC. VLR 156
`
`stores the current locations for the visiting subscribers.
`
`Nowadays, subscribers desire to have multiple phone numbers associated
`
`with their individual cellular phones. For example,
`
`a subscriber may want to have
`
`both home number and work numberas well as the original cellular phone number
`
`associated with his cellular phone.
`
`In this way,
`
`in an urgent situation, he can be
`
`2
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`reached bydialing any one of the three phone numbers. This is especially important
`
`if someone who tries to reach the subscriber knows only the subscriber’s home
`
`phone numberor his work numberbut not his cellular phone number.
`
`Moreover,
`
`in some countries, such as certain South American countries, the
`
`telephone company owns a number of MSCs operating with phone numbers of
`
`varying digits. For example, some MSCs may operate with seven-digit numbers,
`
`while other MSCs may operate with ten-digit numbers. This creates a problem for a
`
`cellular subscriber who roams from his homearea to a roaming area where the MSC
`
`operates with phone numbersofdifferent length. In such a case, the cellular phone
`
`may not be operable in the roaming area. This will cause significant inconvenience to
`
`the subscribers who do not know where they cannot receive calls. A subscriber can
`
`find out whether he can make a call by simply attempting to do so, but generally a
`
`subscriber cannot find out whether he can or cannot receive a call.
`
`Accordingly, there is a need for an improved HLR that can associate multiple
`phone numbers, even though they may have varying digits,
`to a single cellular
`phone. Furthermore, the related phone numbers must be manageable in a single
`
`record file in the HLR, so that less resources may be required. Additional attributes
`
`may be associated with individual phone numbers associated with a cellular phone
`
`so that the phone may ring one way(e.g., two rings) whena particular number(e.g.,
`
`home number) is dialed and ring another way (e.g.,
`
`three rings) when another
`
`number(e.g., work number)is dialed.
`
`SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention provides an improved home location register (HLR) that
`
`implements alias mobile ID numbers (MIN) in a mobile telephone system. According
`
`to the invention, the improved HLRincludes an alias MIN module that comprises an
`
`alias MIN table and an alias MIN application program. The alias MIN table associates
`
`multiple phone numbersof a cellular phone to the cellular phone’s preprogrammed
`
`MIN. When the HLR receives dialed digits from an MSCin a location request, the
`
`3
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`application program usesthe dialed digits as key to locate the associated MIN of the
`
`receiving party's cellular phone. The retrieved MIN is then included in the routing
`message and forwarded to the appropriate MSC that currently serves the receiving
`
`party’s cellular phone.
`
`In this way, the subscriber can be reached by dialing any of
`
`the pre-associated phone numbers. Therefore, significant convenienceis provided to
`
`cellular subscribers.
`
`Other objects and attainments together with a fuller understanding of the
`
`invention will become apparent and appreciated by referring to the following
`
`description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`Fig. 1 depicts a typical SS7 communication network;
`
`Fig. 2 shows an example of an HLR according to the invention;
`
`Fig. 3 showsa partial format of a subscriber's profile in a SUBSfile of an HLR
`
`according to the invention;
`
`Fig. 4 shows an example format of an alias MIN table according to the
`
`invention;
`
`Fig. 5 showsa call delivery flow diagram when the receiving party's cellular
`
`phoneis_in its home area;
`
`Fig. 6 showsa call delivery flow diagram when the receiving party's cellular
`
`phoneis outside its home area in a roaming area; and
`
`Fig. 7 showsa flow chart of the alias MIN module according to the invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
`
`Fig. 2 shows homelocation register (HLR) 200 according to the invention. As
`
`shown, HLR 200 comprises conventional HLR components 212, MPCM file 216,
`
`SUBSfile 222 and alias MIN (Mobile ID Number) module 226.
`
`4
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`MPCM file 216 is the “MSC ID Point Code Map File” which store MSCs’
`
`network configuration information. Each MSC communicating to an HLR has a
`
`corresponding MPCM file record stored in the MPCM file of the HLR. SUBSfile 222
`
`is the “subscribers’ file” which stores subscribers’ profiles on a per subscriber basis
`
`(i.e.,
`
`information for each cellular phone).
`
`Usually one SUBS file contains
`
`information about all of its home subscribers (i.e.
`
`the subscribers who initially
`
`activated their cellular phones in the region the HLR serves). Alias MIN module 226
`
`includes an alias MIN table 232 and an alias MIN application program 236.
`
`It will be
`
`understood by personsof ordinary skill in the art that functions performed by the HLR
`
`are implemented by a processor executing computer
`
`instructions stored in a
`
`memory.
`
`Fig. 3 showsa partial format of a subscriber's profile in SUBSfile 222. There
`
`are several segments in each subscriber's profile record of the SUBSfile, including
`
`the BASE_REC_INFO, SHARED_INFO, TRANSIENT_INFO, etc. Each segment
`
`includes multiple fields.
`
`The BASE_REC_INFO segment contains information
`
`needed by IS-41 applications to access a subscriber record. This segmentincludes
`
`the R_MIN_KEY, ESN fields, etc. The R_MIN_KEYfield is the subscriberfile’s
`
`primary key.
`
`It contains the subscriber's MIN (Mobile ID Number) stored in reverse
`
`byte order. The ESN field is the subscriberfile’s alternate key.
`
`It contains the
`
`Equipment Serial Number (ESN) associated with the subscriber's MIN.
`
`The SHARED-INFO segment of a subscriber’s profile record stores attributes
`
`includes the HOME_MSCID,
`common to the IS-41 applications. This segment
`SHARED_ACCESS_MAP, AUTH_ENABLED fields, etc. The HOME_MSCID field
`
`identifies the ID number of the MSC that is in the subscribers home area. The
`
`SHARED_ACCESSMAPfield is a bitmap identifying the IS-41 applications currently
`
`accessing the subscriber’s data. The AUTH_ENABLED field identifies whether or
`
`not authentication is enabled and should be performed for this subscriber.
`
`The TRANSIENT_INFO segment of a subscriber's profile
`
`stores
`
`registration information about
`
`this
`
`subscriber.
`
`The
`
`segment
`
`includes
`
`the
`
`the
`
`VLR_MSCID, REG_STATUS_IND fields, etc.
`
`the VLR_MSCID field identifies the
`
`5
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`MSCID of the VLR in a roaming area where the subscriber is currently registered.
`
`The REG_STATUS_IND field identifies the subscriber's registration status. The field
`
`stores the information relating to, e.g., whether the subscriber is registered, whether
`
`registration is active in the home area, and whetherthe registration is active in the
`
`roaming area.
`
`Fig. 4 shows an example format of alias MIN table 232 of the invention. In this
`
`table, the dialed digits, i.e., the dialed phone number, are the primary keyfor locating
`
`the associated MIN of the cellular phone which is being called. The associated MIN
`
`is stored in the cellular phone when the phoneis activated by a wireless service
`
`provider and cannot be changed. Asillustrated, subscriber A has m phone numbers
`
`associated with his cellular phone. Subscriber B has n phone numbers associated
`
`with her cellular phone. And subscriber N has w phone numbers associated with his
`
`cellular phone. These multiple phone numbers are also referred to as the “alias
`
`MINs”of the respective cellular phones.
`
`In a preferred embodimentof the invention,
`
`the number of phone numbers that can be associated with a single cellular phone
`
`can range from 1
`
`to 20 depending on the subscriber's choice.
`
`For example, a
`
`subscriber may want to have both home number and work number as well as the
`
`original cellular phone number associated with his cellular phone so that he can be
`
`reached by calling any of the three numbers.
`
`In this way, three phone numbers are
`
`associated with the MIN programmedin his cellular phone.
`
`The present invention can be best understood by the working examples
`
`described below.
`
`Fig. 5 illustrates how call delivery is made to an idle cellular phone currently
`
`located in its home area. Asillustrated, an SCP 502 and a VLR 526are provided in a
`
`home area 506 of a cellular phone 508. SCP 502 includes AC 516 and HLR 522.
`
`Whena calling party places a call to a receiving party, a call origination and the dialed
`
`digits (i.e., the directory number) are received by MSC 532 at step 552. Then, at step
`
`556, MSC 532 sends a location request (LOCREQ) message containing the dialed
`
`digits (DGTSDIAL) to HLR 522 in home area 506. Uponreceiving the dialed digits, the
`
`alias MIN application program of HLR 522 accesses the alias MIN table (such as
`
`6
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`shownin Fig. 4), using the dialed digits as the key to find the associated MIN of the
`
`receiving party's cellular phone. After having found the associated MIN, the application
`
`program usesthis MIN to access the receiving party’s profile in the SUBSfile (within
`
`the HLR) to determineif the receiving party is a legitimate subscriber. If the receiving
`
`party is a legitimate subscriber and the receiving party is determined as being currently
`
`served by MSC 532 based on the current location of the receiving party’s cellular
`
`phonestoredin his profile, HLR 522 sends a locreq response to MSC 532 at step 562.
`
`The locreq response contains routing information which includes the MSCID (MSC
`
`Identification) of the MSC serving the receiving party. Upon receiving the locreq
`
`response, MSC 532 recognizesitself as the serving MSC via the MSCID parameterin
`
`the locreq response, and then attempts to deliver the call to the receiving party's
`
`cellular phone identified in the locreq responseat step 566.
`
`Fig. 6 illustrates how call delivery is made to a cellular phonethat is outside its
`
`home area 612 in a roaming area 616. Home area 612 and roaming area 616
`
`correspond to two regions, such as regions A and B, respectively, shown in Fig. 1. In
`
`home area 612, an SCP 622 and a VLR 642 are provided. SCP 622 includes an AC
`
`632 and an HLR 636. An MSC 643is also located in home area 612. in roaming area
`
`616, an SCP 644 and a VLR 656 are provided. SCP 644 includes an AC 646 and an
`
`HLR 652. An MSC 688is also located in roaming area 616. In Fig. 6, although MSCs
`
`are shown asseparate entities from the HLR and VLRin the respective areas, in a real
`
`application the HLR/VLRfunctions may be integrated with the MSCs.
`
`As shownin Fig. 6, when a calling party places a call to a receiving party, a call
`
`origination and the dialed digits are received by originating MSC 643 at step 662. MSC
`
`643 is thus also referred to as an originating MSC. Then, at step 664, originating MSC
`
`643 sends a location request (LOCREQ) messagecontaining the dialed digits to HLR
`
`636 in home area 612. Steps 662 and 664 are the same as steps 552 and 556
`
`illustrated in Fig. 5. Upon receiving the dialed digits, the alias MIN application program
`in the alias MIN module of HLR 636 accessesthe alias MIN table (as shownin Fig. 3)
`
`using the dialed digits as the key to find the associated MIN for the receiving party's
`
`cellular phone. Then the application program uses the associated MIN as the key to
`
`7
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`accessthe receiving party’s profile in the SUBSfile to determine if the receiving party
`
`is a legitimate subscriber. If the dialed digits are assigned to a legitimate subscriber, at
`
`step 668, HLR 636 sends a routing address request (ROUTREQ) message to VLR
`
`656 in roaming area 616 where the receiving party’s cellular phone is currently
`
`registered. The current location information about the receiving party’s cellular phone
`
`was sent to HLR 636 by VLR 656after the receiving party arrived in the roaming area
`
`and the cellular phone registered with VLR 652. The ROUTREQ message contains the
`
`associated MIN of the receiving party’s cellular phone. VLR 656 then forwards the
`
`ROUTREQ to MSC 658 currently serving the receiving party’s cellular phone at step
`
`670. MSC 658 is also referred to as a serving MSC. In response to the ROUTREQ,
`
`serving MSC 658 consults its internal data structures to determine if the receiving
`
`party’s cellular phone is already engaged in a call on this MSC. Assuming that the
`
`cellular phone is not known to serving MSC 658, serving MSC 658 maythen obtain the
`
`receiving party’s profile from its VLR 656 by sending it a qualification request
`
`(QUALREQ) message at step 672. Step 672 can beeliminated if the receiving party’s
`
`profile has already been obtained by serving MSC 658priorto the call delivery attempt
`
`(e.g., at the time the receiving party's cellular phone registered in the registration area
`served by MSC 658).If the receiving party's cellular phone is unknown to VLR 656orif
`
`the information requested is not available at VLR 656, VLR 656 sends the QUALREQ
`
`message to HLR 636 in home area 612 at step 674. HLR 636 then sends a qualreq
`
`response to VLR 656at step 678. The qualreq response contains relevant information
`
`about the receiving party's profile. VLR 656 in turn sends the qualreq response to
`
`serving MSC 658at step 680. Upon receiving the qualreg, serving MSC 658allocates
`
`a temporary identifier TLDN (Temporary Local Directory Number) and returns this
`
`information to VLR 656in the routreq message at step 682. VLR 656in turn sends the
`
`routreq message to HLR 636 at step 684. When the routreq messageis received by
`HLR 636,it returns a locreq responseto originating MSC 643 at step 686. The locreq
`responseincludes routing information which includes the MSCID of serving MSC 658
`
`and the TLDN. Finally, originating MSC 643 establishes a voice path to serving MSC
`
`658 using existing interconnection protocols (e.g., SS7) and the routing information
`
`8
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`specified in the locreq response,asillustrated at step 688.
`
`Fig. 7 shows a flow chart illustrating the operation of alias MIN application
`
`program 236 of the HLR. As described above, the home area of a subscriber's
`
`cellular phone refers to the region such as region A or B shownin Fig.
`
`1 where the
`
`subscriberinitially activates his cellular phone through a wireless service provider he
`
`has selected in that region.
`
`In this example, assume that the subscriber is being
`
`called by someone. The steps of Fig. 6 may be performed by HLR 522of Fig. 5 or
`
`HLR 636 of Fig. 6 (although HLR 652 of Fig. 6 also has this capability under other
`
`circumstances).
`
`In Fig. 7, after an origination request with the dialed digits is
`
`received by an MSCin the home area of the receiving party's cellular phone, the
`
`MSC sendsa location request with the dialed digits to the HLR in that home areato
`
`attempt to reach the MSC currently serving the receiving party’s cellular phone, as
`
`illustrated by step 712. At step 716, application program 236 reads alias MIN table
`
`232 within the HLR, using the dialed digits as the key to locate the associated MIN of
`
`the receiving party’s cellular phone. At step 722, application program 236 uses the
`
`MIN retrieved from the alias MIN table as the key to access the SUBSfile 222 to
`
`locate the receiving party's profile. Then,
`
`from the receiving party's profile,
`
`application program 236 determines whether the receiving party is a legitimate
`subscriber at step 726. If he is not a legitimate subscriber, application program 236
`sends a denied message to the MSCat step 732. On the other hand, if the receiving
`
`party is a legitimate subscriber, at step 736, application program 236 sends an
`
`approval signal
`
`to the conventional HLR components 212 which then send the
`
`routing information to the appropriate MSC that currently serves the receiving party’s
`
`cellular phone. The routing information includes the MIN retrieved from the alias MIN
`
`table. Then, application program 236 exits at step 742.
`
`In this way, one may simply
`
`dial any one of the three numbers, for example, the subscriber's work number, to
`
`reach the subscriber. The caller need not to know the subscriber's original cellular
`
`phone numberor his home number.
`
`While
`
`the
`
`invention has been described in
`
`conjunction with
`
`specific
`
`embodiments, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be
`
`9
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`ERICSSON EXHIBIT 1012, Page 11
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`apparentto those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly,it is
`
`intended to embraceall such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the
`
`spirit and scope of the appendedclaims.
`
`10
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`WHATIS CLAIMED IS:
`
`1. A method for implementing alias mobile ID numbers (MINs)
`
`in a home
`
`location register (HLR) for a mobile telephone system, the method comprising the
`
`steps of:
`
`pre-associating a plurality of phone numbers with a programmed MIN of each
`
`of individual cellular phones of pre-selected subscribers;
`
`receiving dialed digits from a mobile switching center (MSC); and
`
`retrieving a corresponding MIN based on the dialed digits received form the
`
`MSC.
`
`2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the stepsof:
`
`determining whether
`
`a
`
`subscriber
`
`having
`
`a_
`
`cellular phone with
`
`the
`
`corresponding MIN is a legitimate subscriber; and
`
`providing the corresponding MIN in a routing message to an MSC currently
`
`serving the subscriber's cellular phone with the corresponding MIN.
`
`3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of sending a denied
`
`message to the MSCif the subscriberis not a legitimate subscriber.
`
`4. A home location register (HLR), comprising:
`
`a first portion configured to pre-associate a plurality of phone numbers with a
`
`programmedMIN ofeachofindividual cellular phones of pre-selected subscribers;
`
`a second portion configured to receive dialed digits from a mobile switching
`
`center (MSC); and
`
`a third portion configured to retrieve a corresponding MIN based on the dialed
`
`digits received from the MSC.
`
`5. The HLRof claim 4, further comprising:
`
`a fourth portion configured to determine whether a subscriber having a cellular
`
`11
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`WO 98/31163
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`phonewith the corresponding MIN is a legitimate subscriber; and
`
`a fifth portion configured to provide the corresponding MIN in a routing
`message to an MSC currently serving the subscriber's cellular phone with the
`
`corresponding MIN.
`
`6. The HLRof claim 5, further comprising:
`
`a sixth portion configured to send a denied message to the MSC if the
`
`subscriber is not a legitimate subscriber.
`
`7. Acomputer program product, comprising:
`
`a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein
`for implementing alias mobile ID numbers (MINs) in a homelocation register (HLR) for
`
`a mobile telephone system, the computer program product comprising:
`
`computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to
`
`effect pre-associating a plurality of phone numbers with a programmed MIN of each of
`
`individual cellular phones of pre-selected subscribers;
`
`computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to
`
`effect receiving dialed digits from a mobile switching center (MSC); and
`
`computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computerto
`
`effect retrieving a corresponding MIN based on the dialed digits received form the
`
`MSC.
`
`8. The computer program productof claim 7, further comprising:
`
`computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to
`
`effect determining whether a subscriber having a cellular phone with the corresponding
`MIN is a legitimate subscriber; and
`
`computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computerto
`effect providing the corresponding MIN in a routing message to an MSC currently
`
`serving the subscriber's cellular phone with the corresponding MIN.
`
`12
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`ERICSSON EXHIBIT 1012, Page 14
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`9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising computer
`
`readable program code devices configured to cause a computerto effect sending a
`
`denied message to the MSCif the subscriberis not a legitimate subscriber.
`
`13
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`ERICSSON EXHIBIT 1012, Page 15
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`ERICSSON EXHIBIT 1012, Page 16
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`ERICSSON EXHIBIT 1012, Page 16
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`
`HLR
`
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`TABLE
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`CONVENTIONAL HLR
`COMPONENTS
`
`MPCM FILE
`
`SUBS FILE
`
`ALIAS MIN MODULE
`
`232
`
`236
`
`ALIAS MIN
`
`ALIAS MIN
`APPLICATION
`PROGRAM
`
`FIG. 2
`
`SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)
`
`ERICSSON EXHIBIT 1012, Page 17
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`ERICSSON EXHIBIT 1012, Page 17
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`SUBS FILE RECORD
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`BASE _ REC _ INFO
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`
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`
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`
`REG _ STATUS _ IND
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`SUBSTITUTE SHEET(RULE 26)
`
`ERICSSON EXHIBIT 1012, Page 18
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`ERICSSON EXHIBIT 1012, Page 18
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`Alias MIN Table
`
`MIN 4
`
`e
`
`232
`
`SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)
`
`ERICSSON EXHIBIT 1012, Page 19
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`ERICSSON EXHIBIT 1012, Page 19
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`
`ERICSSON EXHIBIT 1012, Page 20
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`ERICSSON EXHIBIT 1012, Page 20
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`
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`SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)
`
`ERICSSON EXHIBIT 1012, Page 21
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`ERICSSON EXHIBIT 1012, Page 21
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`TIT
`
`236
`
`712
`
`716
`
`722
`
`726
`
`RECEIVE LOCATION
`REQUEST FROM MSC
`
`
`
`
`READ ALIAS MIN TABLE
`
`READ SUBS FILE
`
`
` SUBSCRIBER
`ALLOWED TO RECEIVE
`THE CALL?
`
`
`
`
`SEND AN APPROVAL SIGNAL
`
`732
`
`742
`
`FIG. 7
`
`SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)
`
`ERICSSON EXHIBIT 1012, Page 22
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`ERICSSON EXHIBIT 1012, Page 22
`
`