Metod of communication in mobile telephone systems and subscriber identity module

Description:

The present invention relates to telephone systems, preferably to mobile telephone systems, in which the subscriber equipment, namely mobile equipment or stations, is controlled by the subscriber identification module. More specifically, the present invention relates to the connection process in such a telephone system, in which the subscriber identification module is used in a new way, as well as to the subscriber identification module, which is specially adapted to be used m the present process.

The closest technical solution is the GSM (Global Mobile Connection System) telephone system. The present invention is not limited to this use case, but is disclosed with reference to a similar type system.

The connection process is known, which is used in GSM connection systems [1].

The GSM system is a standard, homogeneous, intellectual system of telephone connection with mobile objects, which is not geographically limited to the territory of a state. The subscriber can use any subscriber equipment (MS - Mobile Station), ordering it using the subscriber identification module (SIM), which can be made in the form of an active printed wiring board or exchange block, installed in the subscriber equipment. subscriber and that communicates the subscriber identifier (IMSI Subscriber identifier of the international mobile link system), assigned to the subscriber number (MSISDN - International Number of mobile staff). The information regarding IMSI and MSISDN is included with the other information, which refers to the subscriber, the intimate database (HLR) by the network operator, including the subscriber. This system includes Visitor Database (VLR), and Switches (MSC - Mobile Link Switching Center). The information regarding the mobile station in MS action is kept temporarily in the VLR, which refers to the area where the mobile MS station is located.

Since the principles mentioned above, as well as the hardware part and the working principle of the system as a whole, are to a considerable extent standardized, the detailed description is not required.

The connection procedure used in the described system includes routing the subscriber equipment using the subscriber identification module, which confines a subscriber identifier (IMSI), assigned to the subscriber number (MSISDN).

The module for identifying the subscriber in the described system can be made in the form of an active plate with printed wiring or exchange block with the possibility of installing it the subscriber equipment in a single determined position with the possibility of executing a single identification function.

The disadvantage of the connection procedure and the module of identification of the subscriber described is the impossibility of performing some identification functions, because the module of identification of the subscriber is constrained with the possibility of performing a single identification function. Intricate systems like the ones mentioned above are widely used for service calls, and to some extent for particular calls, the distribution of expenses between service calls and particular calls is usually related to certain difficulties. In addition, one and the same subscription can also be used by different people, for example within the framework of one and the same company. In this case, the distribution of expenses between different people, who use the same subscription, can cause difficulties or do an additional thing.

The problem solved by the present invention is to ensure the universal use of the subscription and the modules for identifying the subscribers, which will allow the recording of the calls of different types and of the different users of one and the same mobile phone separately, for the detailed record of the expenses for telephone connection.

The problem is solved by the fact that according to the invention in the connection process in telephone systems, especially in mobile telephone systems, in which the subscriber equipment (MS) is controlled by the subscriber identification module, the subscriber identification module (SIM) and at least two identifiers (IMSI 1 and IMSI 2) are assigned, which are used selectively; at the same time, user, while using the subscriber equipment, selectively activates the desired identifier.

The problem is also solved by the fact that according to the invention the subscriber identification module (SIM) for use together with the subscriber equipment m the telephone system, especially m mobile phone systems, is constrained with the possibility of performing at least two identification functions, which are selectively activated.

New is that in the connection procedure according to the invention of the subscriber identification module, at least two identifiers are assigned, which are used selectively, the user of the subscriber equipment selectively activating the desired identifier.

Also new is that the subscriber identification module is built with the possibility of performing at least two identification functions, which are selectively activated, and that it is built in the form of an active plate with printed wiring, with the possibility of installing it in the equipment. to be subscribed in two different positions, preferably referring to one and the other front ends of the plate with printed wiring, while о position allows activating the first identifier, and the second position allows the activation of the second identifier.

In this way, the present invention is based on the fact that at least two different identifiers can be assigned to the subscriber identification module, which are selectively activated by the user, which at the moment is presented as a preferable variant. As will be shown, it is possible to use two identifiers, for example, a service call identifier and a particular call identifier, which refer to one and the same user. However, other identifiers can be used, which are attributed to several potential users of the subscriber identification module.

It is preferable that at the same time only one identifier can be activated, ie the exchange of the identifier means that the previously activated identifier must be deactivated before the new identifier can be considered activated. The corresponding HLR database is adopted for keeping the information, based on which the identifier has been activated, so that the water signals can be organized, and the information on the expenses entered, and so on correctly.

The subscriber identification module can be designed in such a way that the selective activation of the identifier, ie the selection of the identification function in the subscriber identification module can be achieved by means of keys or something similar, located on the subscriber identification module, or with the help of Special means, present on the subscriber identification module, for example of the so-called sensor contacts, when the subscriber identification module is made in the form of an active plate with printed wiring. In addition, the activation of the identifier may occur during the introduction of the so-called PIN (personal identification number). In this case, each identifier can be assigned a special code. This means that different users (whose number corresponds to the number of different identifiers) can use together one and the same way of identifying the subscriber. There is also the possibility to have the user PIN, supplemented with code elements for choosing the required identifier, for example, the service or particular water signal.

In the example of use preferably the subscriber identification module, according to the present invention, is made in the form of an active plate with printed wiring, intended for installation in the subscriber equipment in two different positions, preferably with one or the other front side at the same time. each position corresponds to one of the assigned identifiers. This allows to obtain the embodiment of the present invention, when each identification function is exactly marked on the printed wiring board, which facilitates its use. The change of the identifier is done by simply removing the printed wiring board with its subsequent installation, but in a new position, for example, when the service water signal is changed with the particular water signal or vice versa.

Further, it will be clarified that the subscriber identification module according to the present invention can be endowed with specially programmed circuits, which contain either integrated identification functions, or separate, parallel, identification functions. With the help of the active plate with printed wiring, which can occupy two different positions, the mentioned construction is easily achieved by placing the first circuit on one end of the plate with printed wiring, and of the second circuit on another end of the plate with printed wiring, all corresponding to the standards in force for plates with wiring printed of this kind regarding the location of contacts, etc. In this way one part of the printed wiring board can identify one identifier, while the other side can identify another identifier.

Regarding the location of data on subscriber numbers in the HLR database, according to the invention there are different variants.

In the first case, different identifiers of the subscriber identification module are assigned to one and the same subscriber number. The HLR database is intended to establish the link and record the information regarding the expenses for the combination of the identifier and the subscriber number in force, etc. In order to perform this operation correctly, the HLR database must be informed about which identifier is activated. This is only possible when only one identifier can be activated at a time, so when a new identifier is activated, the previous identifier is deactivated, and the HLR database is informed about it. The deactivation can be performed, for example, with the Cancel IMSI function (cancellation of the IMSI identifier), which is used in GSM systems. This deactivation means that the information about this identifier is deleted from the VLR database, and that the HLR database is always informed, if this identifier is activated again.

The input water signal, guided by the data, registered in the HLR database, is established according to the activated identifier.

If the data regarding the activated identifier are missing, then the input water signal can initially be established according to the identifier chosen from the number of possible identifiers. If it is found that the selected identifier is not activated, then the water signal is transferred and established according to the following identifier and so on according to the data registered in the HLR database.

It should be noted that the network operator can change the function entered in the HLR database without violating the requirements of the standards, for example for the GSM system.

In the second case of executing the invention, each of the different identifiers of the subscriber's identification module is assigned to a separate subscriber number. Of these subscriber numbers one number is the subscriber's external telephone number, while the other number (s) is used (sc) only in the memory of the HLR database and may be unknown to the subscriber and the public. In this case it is also convenient that only one identifier can be activated at a time, and that the HLR database is informed about it as well as the first variant. When the output water signal appears, the identifier selected and activated is used together with the subscriber number assigned in the usual way.

The incoming water signals are always set according to the identifier assigned to the special subscriber number, provided that this identifier is activated. If it is not activated, then the water signal can be transferred to another subscriber number with assigned identifier. It will be shown below that this transfer can be made directly without establishing the water signal according to the initially mentioned identifier, if the HLR database is known which identifier is activated.

For the transfer of the water signal, according to the present invention, the function of unconditional transferable type of water signal (CFU), which is a well known standard function, adopted to be managed by the subscriber, can be advantageously used.

With the addition of the appropriate function managed by the network operator m the HLR database, one or several subscriber numbers can be filled in for unconditional transfer m in case the attribute identifiers are not activated, and provided that the subscriber has not made any arrangements for another unconditional transfer of the water signal.

In the third case, which presents the development of the second case, two of the subscriber numbers are external telephone numbers, one of them being a service number and the other a particular number. The communication about the activated signal and the unconditional transfer of the water signal can be executed as in the second case.

In this way it is clear that the present invention has several different options for the subscriber regarding different identifiers and the number of external telephone numbers m during the use of a subscriber identification module.

The technical result of the invention is the possibility of recording separately the calls of different types and of the different users of one and the same mobile phone, for the detailed record of the expenses for the Telephone Call.

The invention is explained by figures m which is represented:

FIG. 1, a diagram illustrating the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3, the flow diagram of the information flow, which appears in the case of activating and deactivating the identifier according to the example of the execution of the present invention;

FIG. 4, the schematic with the additional addition to the HLR database m according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5, the block diagram illustrating the mode of use of the unconditional Transferal function of the water signal according to the present invention;

FIG. 6, the top view of the active plate with printed wiring, modified for its use as a way of identifying the subscriber according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of how the invention can be realized in the GSM mobile telephone system. The HLR database and the VLR database switch with each other as shown by arrows 1 and 2. The VLR database is wirelessly connected to the MS mobile station, which is controlled by the SIM-printed wiring board. be enabled to issue IMSI 1 or IMSI 2. The MSISDN subscriber number corresponds to these identifiers. The information regarding the MSISDN and its connection with the IMSI 1 and IMSI 2 identifiers are kept in the HLR database.

When the IMSI 1 or IMSI 2 identifiers are activated using the SIM printed wiring board installed in the MS mobile station, the information about this is transmitted to the HLR database, which transmits the information regarding the current MSISDN-IMSI 1 or MSISDN-IMSI 2 combination. in the VLR database as usual. Then the water signal is usually set taking into account the chosen combination.

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates the second embodiment of the present invention in which each IMSI 1 and IMSI 2 identifier is assigned to the MSISDN 1 and MSISDN 2 subscriber numbers accordingly, both being external telephone numbers. For the MSISDNIMSI 1 activated combination, the water signal is usually set.

Fig. 3 illustrates the basic steps in the information flow, which can be used to ensure that the HLR database is informed, which of the IMSI 1 and IMSI 2 identifiers are used.

In the initial position (upper part of the figure) it is assumed that the IMSI 1 identifier was activated by installing the SIM-printed wiring board in the mobile station with the first front part forward. The user removes the board with the printed wiring harness and о installs the other front again to activate the IMSI 2 identifier. Then IMSI 2 is communicated to the VLR database, which means that the IMSI 2 function is not registered, sends modification signals to the HLR database, which keeps the information that IMSI 2 is activated and deactivates IMSI 1, emitting the IMSI Cancel signal. 1. In this way, the temporary activation of IMSI 1 is canceled in the VLR database, which refers to the location area of ​​the MS mobile station. After this, the data regarding IMSI 2 are transmitted in the VLR database. Now the water signal can be set using the combination MSISDN - IMSI 2. If the user returns the SIM-printed wiring board to the initial position, that is, change the identifier, the corresponding activation of IMSI 1 and deactivation of IMSI 2 take place.

When the input water signal appears on the subscriber number, the identifier of which is not activated, the water signal is transferred to another subscriber number, using the unconditional transfer of the water signal. For this, the HLR database is increased by о area for each subscriber number, as shown in fig. 4. The added area is the area at the bottom of the figure. For MSISDN 1 here it is written: the signal is transmitted MSISDN 2 and vice versa. The transfer of the water signal in accordance with these added areas is provided that the user does not initiate any such dispositions, in this case it would have appeared in the area located directly above the added area.

The introduction of the additional areas of the HLR database is performed for convenience simultaneously with the consecutive sequences according to fig. 3. The inscription is illustrated using the block diagram in fig. 5.

Thus the unconditional transfer of the water signal can be made only if the subscriber did not request such a transmission of the water signal to another number. In other words, the subscriber can use the subscriber service as usual. If he does not use this possibility, the HLR database transfers the water signal from the inactive MSISDN-IMSI combination to the last activated and registered combination.

Obviously, the subscriber has several options: using one or two external phone numbers; automatic transfer of service water signals to the particular number and vice versa; or other transfers of the personally selected water signal.

In FIG. 6 illustrates schematically the active plate with printed wiring, which has been modified in accordance with the present invention in such a way as to have two identification functions. From a front side the printed wiring board 3 is usually endowed with a circuit 4 to provide the first identification function, if it is inserted in the mobile station, as marked by the arrow 5. The part of the plate with illustrated printed wiring may be part of the service water signal and may have a convenient and clear marking of this mode.

The other part of the printed wiring board is the part of the particular water signal. On the second side of the board with printed wiring is mounted the second circuit 6, separately, in accordance with the standards in force for the location of circuits and contacts. During the use of the particular water part, the printed wiring board is installed with the other front part, which is marked by the arrow 7, located on the side of the particular water signal. This part can also be comfortable and exactly marked.