Vodafone Group Plc.

Vodafone IP Licensing Limited

Vodafone Intellectual Property Licensing Limited

Vodaphone IP Licensing Limited

Nick Russell

Christopher Pudney

Gavin Wong

Peter Robert Dawes

Robert Edward Banks

David Hutton

Peter Wild

Peter Dawes

The invention relates to operating a Machine-Type Communication (MTC) device for communication with a cellular radio network. A transmission is made from the MTC device to the cellular radio network to register the MTC device with the cellular radio network. The transmission includes a message from the MTC device to the cellular radio network, identifying the MTC device as an MTC device to the cellular radio network. Also, the MTC device has an associated HPLMN. An instruction is received at the MTC device from the network not to make a transmission from the MTC device for accessing the network. The instruction specifies a criteria for the MTC device's HPLMN or preferred list of networks. The MTC Device compares the criteria with the HPLMN associated with the MTC device and avoids making a transmission to access the network for a period of time based on the result comparing step.

Operation of machine-type communication devices

A method and system for routing a voice connection over a cellular network to a mobile station is disclosed. The cellular network comprises a plurality of base stations, some of which have capability to provide the voice connection to the mobile station using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). A voice connection for the mobile station is identified at an Application Server of the cellular network. A request message is sent from the Application Server to a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), or Home Location Register (HLR), of the cellular network. The request message requests an indication ds to whether the mobile station is being served by a base station having capability to provide a voice connection using VoIP.

Voice over internet protocol provision

A mobile station is operated within at least one radio network having a plurality of base stations. Only some of the plurality of base stations support a Voice over Internet Protocol, VoIP, service. The mobile station is registered with a first base station of the plurality of base stations. The mobile station may be registered with a second base station. The mobile station determines that one of the first base station and the second base station has functionality to support VoIP and the other does not. A Routing Area Update Request message or Tracking Area Update Request message is sent from the mobile station to the second base station in response to determining support for VoIP.

Mobile voice over internet protocol operation

A method of routing legacy messages between a message center and a mobile telecommunications device registered with a mobile telecommunications network, which mobile telecommunications network includes a plurality of base stations each serving a plurality of mobile telecommunications devices, and a plurality of mobility management entities, each serving a plurality of said base stations, the mobility management entities (being adapted to communicate using a legacy protocol with a legacy network for routing the legacy messages between the message center and the mobile telecommunications device via the legacy network. A legacy message interworking function communicates with the mobility management entities using the legacy protocol and directly routes messages between the mobility management entities and the message center without routing the messages via the legacy network.

Messaging in mobile telecommunications networks

An apparatus for providing communication routing information for a subscriber in a mobile communications network, the subscriber being registered with at least one communication delivery network node, comprising: receiver for receiving a request for communication routing information for a subscriber from a network entity, wherein the communication routing information comprises the network routing address of the communication delivery network nodes which the subscriber is registered with; means for determining the capabilities of the network entity, the capabilities comprising the number of communication delivery network node routing addresses manageable by the network entity; identifier for identifying the at least one communication delivery network node the subscriber is registered with; comparator for comparing the number of communication delivery network node routing addresses manageable by the network entity with the number of communication delivery network nodes with which the subscriber is registered; and transmitter for delivering communication delivery network node routing information for the subscriber to the network entity wherein the number of communication delivery network node routing addresses provided to the network entity does not exceed the routing capabilities of the network entity.

Terminating SMS messages in LTE

An apparatus for delivering a message from an originating subscriber to a target subscriber across a communication network comprising; means for receiving in a first network a message from an originating subscriber to a target subscriber and an identifier of the target subscriber, the target subscriber being associated with the first network and the originating subscriber being associated with a second network, the message and identifier being received from the second network; means for identifying at least one network node associated with the target subscriber and being responsible for delivering messages to the target subscriber; means for selecting a network node from the at least one network node for delivery of the message; means for receiving from the second network an allowed time period for delivery of the message; means for determining the expected delivery time of the message for the selected network node; means for comparing the expected delivery time with the allowed time period for delivery; and means for forwarding the message to the selected network node for delivery to the target subscriber in dependence on the allowed time period exceeding the expected delivery time.

Method and apparatus for message delivery

A GSM, UMTS or LTE mobile telecommunications network is disclosed. In addition to the conventional radio access network comprising the base stations, one or more additional access points may be provided. An access point is typically connected to the network core by an IP transport broadband connection. The access point is configured to appear to the mobile terminal as a conventional base station. Arrangements are disclosed which allow the network to more simply route mobile terminating calls to a mobile terminal in a network including home base stations. Other arrangements are disclosed which allow the network to verify the validity of a mobile terminal accessing the telecommunications network using a home base station, and correspondingly the validity of the home base station to register itself as serving a given UE.

Telecommunications networks and devices

Retaining contact data for a subscriber to a mobile communication network may be provided by a method and apparatus components therefor that allow for storing contact data for subscribers to a mobile network located within an area served by a mobile switching center, receiving confirmation at the mobile switching center (MSC) that a subscriber has left the area, updating the contact data to identify that the subscriber has left the area, and retaining at least part of the contact data, the retained part of the contact data containing call forwarding details for the subscriber.

Growing community of inventors

Newbury, United Kingdom

Nick Russell