CA2208601C

CA2208601C - System and method for automatic registration notification for over-the-air activation

Info

Publication number: CA2208601C
Application number: CA002208601A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Arun K. Chatterjee; Brian Kevin Daly; David William James Holmes; Ileana A. Leuca
Original assignee: AT&T Wireless Services Inc
Current assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
Priority date: 1996-07-15
Filing date: 1997-06-24
Publication date: 2001-03-20
Anticipated expiration: 2017-06-24
Also published as: JP3939397B2; DE69737487T2; EP0820206A3; US20040176086A1; EP1519611A2; US8301140B2; US6188899B1; EP1519611B1; TW338221B; EP1519611A3; US6915132B2; US8874109B2; US20090191872A1; CA2208601A1; JPH10117385A; US20130012207A1; US8515423B2; NO973157D0; BR9703967B1; EP0820206A2

Abstract

A method and system automatically activates a mobile station in a wireless communications network. The system includes an over the air activation function (OTAF) processor in the network that initiates an activation process in response to receiving a registration message from a mobile switching center serving the mobile station requesting the activation. Each mobile station has a unit of information stored into it at the time of its manufacture to enable it to request over the air activation. That unit of information is either the network routing address of the OTAF processor, or alternately, it is a value that is translatable into that address, either an OTAF ID
number that is the same value for every mobile station or it is a sequentially serialized dummy value for the mobile identification number (a dummy MIN). When the mobile station is turned on for the first time in the network, it requests activation over the air by transmitting to the local mobile switching center a registration order. The registration order will include one of the three alternative forms of the information unit described above, either the routing address of the OTAF processor, or the OTAF ID
number, or a dummy MIN.

Description

Title: SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATIC REGISTRATION
NOTIFICATION FOR OVER-THE-AIR ACTIVATION
1 Technical Field 3 The invention broadly relates to over-the-air activation of mobile wireless 4 telephones and more particularly relates to a method and apparatus for providing routing information to send a registration notification from a mobile switching center to 6 an over-the-air activation processor in the fixed supporting network.

8 Background of the Invention to The term "mobile station", as used herein, includes a comprehensive set of 11 mobile telecommunications units that share the common property of communicating 12 information with a base station in a network by means of electromagnetic waves.
13 Mobile stations include mobile telephone devices such as mobile wireless telephone sets 14 and cellular telephone sets that are primarily designed to exchange voice information with a base station. The term also includes mobile data communications devices such as 16 pagers, mobile facsimile machines, and global positioning system (GPS) vehicle locator 17 devices that are primarily designed to exchange data. The term "mobile station" also 18 includes hybrid devices such as personal communications services (PCS) units, that 19 have both telephony and facsimile communications features. Communications by mobile stations can be by radio waves, such as are used in cellular radio telephony.
21 However, mobile stations can also communicate over electromagnetic links that include 22 Earth-orbiting satellites, or alternate electromagnetic links that include optical or infra-23 red radiation.

1 Where the base station is connected in a fixed supporting network to other 2 communications nodes, the network requires routing information for the mobile station 3 to enable the other communications nodes to send information to the mobile station.
4 Registration is the process used by a mobile station to announce its current location and to enable the fixed supporting network to direct incoming calls to the appropriate base 6 station. When a mobile station is brought into the operating range of a new base station, the mobile station must announce its current location. In order to accomplish 8 this, the mobile station must send a message with its mobile identity number (MIN) to 9 the new base station. The MIN is a number assigned to the mobile station by the fixed supporting network to enable billing the customer for services and to enable the 11 network to route incoming calls. The MIN must be programmed into the mobile station 12 prior to the first time that the unit is used by the customer. This process is called 13 activation.
14 For example, normally, a mobile wireless telephone set may not initiate or complete radio telephone calls until it is registered with and authorized for service by a 16 service provider. Mobile wireless telephone service providers require that any new 17 customer take the mobile wireless telephone set to an authorized service center for 18 programming so that the telephone set becomes authorized for service in the network.
19 Information must be entered and stored into the mobile wireless telephone set which is 2o specific to the mobile subscriber and specific to the desired service for the set. In 21 cellular mobile telephone communication services, for example, such information is 22 referred to as number assignment module (NAM) designation parameters.
Examples of 23 NAM parameters that the cellular telephone service provider now manually enters into 24 the cellular telephone set include system identification, telephone number, access overhead class, group identification, initial paging channel, security lock code, local use 26 flag, AB system selection, and MIN mark flag. The cellular telephone customer must 27 present the new cellular telephone set to the service provider or a representative so that i the NAM module, which constitutes approximately 30 bytes of information, can be 2 manually entered into the cellular telephone set. There are millions of new customers 3 each year for cellular mobile telephone communication services. Hundreds of 4 employees of the service provider or representative, located over a wide geographic area, are responsible for manually entering the NAM module into unprogrammed 6 cellular telephone sets for the new customers. This necessitates the use of a centralized 7 data base to assist the service provider in coordinating the activation process. The 8 service provider's employee typically uses a workstation computer to enter the 9 customer's application data. The workstation is remotely connected to the central data base and sends the new customer's application data to the data base for processing. The 11 centralized data base may perform a credit check on the new customer, may keep track 12 of available services, telephone numbers, network access data, and other information, 13 and then assigns the MIN to the new customer's cellular telephone set. The MIN and 14 other NAM parameters are transmitted by the centralized data base back to the service i5 provider's workstation for manual entry by the employee into the cellular telephone set.
16 This presents a cumbersome and costly procedure both to the customer as well as to the 17 service provider.
18 Thus, there exists a need for a method and system to automatically route 19 activation information sent over-the-air from the mobile wireless telephone set, through the fixed supporting network to an over-the-air activation processor in the network, 21 where the activation parameters for the NAM module can be prepared and 22 automatically downloaded over the network and sent over-the-air to the mobile wireless 23 cellular telephone set.

1 Summary of the Invention 2 In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a 3 method for activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network to 4 program a mobile identification number (MIN) into the mobile station prior to the first time that it is used, comprising the steps of: receiving at a wireless network node a 6 registration message, said registration message including a received MIN
selected from 7 the group consisting of a valid MIN and a dummy MIN, said dummy MIN being 8 translatable into an address for an over the air activation processor in an SS7 network 9 coupled to the wireless network; said registration message further including, in addition to said received MIN, an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station;
storing 11 said ESN in a visitor location register (VLR); if said received MIN is a valid MIN, 12 routing said received message to a home location register (HLR); if said received MIN is 13 a dummy MIN: translating said dummy MIN into said address for said over the air 14 activation processor; routing said registration message to said over the air activation processor; initiating an activation process at said over the air activation processor in 16 response to said received registration message; and transmitting activation parameters 17 to said mobile station in response to said activation process using said ESN stored in 18 said VLR.
19 In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network to 21 program a mobile identification number (MIN) into the mobile station prior to the first 22 time that it is used, comprising the steps of: receiving at a wireless network node a 23 registration message, said registration message including an address for an over the air 24 activation processor in an SS7 network coupled to the wireless network;
said registration message further including an electronic serial number (ESN) in addition to 26 said address for said over the air activation processor; storing said ESN
in a visitor 1 location register (VLR); routing said registration message to said over the air activation 2 processor; initiating an activation process at said over the air activation processor in 3 response to said received registration message; and transmitting activation parameters 4 to said mobile station in response to said activation process using said ESN
stored in 5 said VLR.

6 In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided 7 a system for activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network to 8 program a mobile identification number (MIN) into the mobile station prior to the first 9 time that it is used, comprising: an over the air activation processor in an SS7 network coupled to the wireless network; a mobile switching center at a node in said wireless 11 network, receiving a registration message, said registration message including an 12 address for said over the air activation processor and, in addition to said address, an 13 electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station; a visitor location register (VLR) 14 coupled to said mobile switching center, said ESN being stored in said VLR;
said mobile switching center causing a routing of said registration message in said SS7 network to 16 said over the air activation processor; said over the air activation processor initiating an 17 activation process in response to said received registration message and causing 18 transmission of parameters to said mobile station using said ESN stored in said VLR.
19 In accordance with still yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network 21 coupled to a Signaling System 7 (SS7) network to program a mobile identification 22 number (MIN) into the mobile station prior to the first time that it is used, comprising 23 the steps of: receiving at a mobile switching center in the wireless communications 24 network a registration message, said registration message including a received MIN, said received MIN being selected from the group consisting of a valid MIN and a 26 dummy MIN, said dummy MIN being translatable into an address for an over the air 5a 1 activation processor in the SS7 network; said registration message further including an 2 electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station; storing said ESN of the mobile 3 station in a visitor location register (VLR); if said received MIN is a valid MIN, routing 4 said registration message to a home location register (HLR); if said received MIN is a dummy MIN: translating said dummy MIN into said address at a signal transfer point 6 (STP) in the SS7 network; routing said registration message with the STP
over said SS7 7 network to said over the air activation processor; initiating an activation process at said 8 over the air activation processor in response to said received registration message; and 9 transmitting activation parameters over the SS7 network and the wireless communications network to said mobile station in response to said activation process 11 using said ESN stored in said VLR.
12 In accordance with still yet another aspect of the present invention there is 13 provided a system for activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network 14 coupled to a Signaling System 7 (SS7) network to program a mobile identification number (MIN) into the mobile station prior to the first time that it is used, comprising:
16 an over the air activation processor in the SS7 network; a mobile switching center 17 receiving a registration message from the mobile station, said registration message 18 including a received MIN, said received MIN including a valid MIN and a dummy MIN, 19 said dummy MIN being translatable into an address for said over the air activation processor; a visitor location register (VLR) coupled to said mobile switching center;
21 said registration message further including, in addition to said received MIN, an 22 electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station; a signal transfer point in the SS7 23 network coupled to said mobile switching center; a home location register (HLR) 24 coupled to said signal transfer point; if said received MIN is a valid MIN, routing said registration message to said HLR; if said received MIN is a dummy MIN, said signal 26 transfer point translating said dummy MIN into said address and routing said Sb 1 registration message over the SS7 network to said over the air activation processor in 2 said network; said over the air activation processor initiating an activation process in 3 response to said received registration message and causing transmission of parameters 4 over the SS7 network and the wireless communications network to said mobile station using said ESN.

7 Brief Description of the Drawings 8 Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent 9 from the following detailed description taken together with the drawings in which:
Fig. 1 illustrates a network reference model, in accordance with the invention.
11 Fig. 2 illustrates the physical architecture of the over-the-air activation network.
12 Fig. 3 illustrates the information flow for over-the-air activation registration, in 13 accordance with the invention.
14 Fig. 4A is a flow diagram of the method for an advantageous embodiment of the invention for over-the-air activation using the OTAF ID number.
16 Fig. 4B is a variation of the flow diagram of Fig. 4A, adding steps to provide a 17 simultaneous voice path over-the-air to the carrier's business office.
18 Fig. 5 is a flow diagram of the method for an alternate embodiment of the 19 invention where a sequentially serialized dummy MIN is used in the over-the-air activation process.

1 Fig. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating the method of the invention for a previously 2 activated mobile station which seeks registration in a new service area.
3 Fig. 7 is a schematic block diagram of a network signal transfer point, in 4 accordance with the invention.
Fig. 8A is a functional block diagram of a mobile station.
6 Fig. 8B illustrates plurality of mobile stations, each with the same OTAF ID
7 number store therein.
8 Fig. 8C illustrates plurality of mobile stations, each with a different dummy MIN
9 stored therein.

2 Detailed Description 3 The invention is a method and system for activating a mobile station in a wireless 4 communications network. The system includes an over the air activation processor in the network that initiates an activation process in response to receiving a registration 6 message from a mobile switching center serving the mobile station requesting the 7 activation. This activation process is referred to herein as the "OTAF", which is an 8 abbreviation for "over the air activation function."
9 Each 'mobile station has a unit of information stored into it at the time of its manufacture to enable it to request over the air activation. That unit of information is il either the network routing address of the OTAF processor, or alternately, it is a value 12 that is translatable into that address. There are two alternatives for expressing the 13 value that is translatable into the routing address of the OTAF processor.
The first 14 alternative is an OTAF ID number that is stored in each mobile station. The same value of the OTAF ID number is stored in every mobile station. The second alternative is to 16 store a sequentially serialized dummy value for the mobile identification number or 17 dummy MIN. The dummy MIN is different for each mobile station.
18 When the mobile station is turned on for the first time in the network, it cannot 19 conduct a normal communications session with other subscriber units because it has not 2o been activated in the network. In accordance with the invention, the mobile station 21 requests activation over the air by transmitting to the local mobile switching center a 22 registration order. The registration order will include one of the three alternatives 23 described above, either the routing address of the OTAF processor, or the OTAF ID
24 number, or a dummy MIN.
The local mobile switching center receives registration orders from previously 26 activated mobile stations, as well as from new mobile stations. If a previously activated 27 mobile station is moved into the coverage area of a local mobile switching center, the 1 mobile station must become registered in the new area before it can conduct normal 2 communications sessions. A previously activated mobile station will have a valid MIN
3 which it sends in the registration order transmitted to the local mobile switching center.
4 The valid MIN is not distinguished by the mobile switching center from a dummy MIN.
In both cases, the mobile switching center prepares a registration notification message 6 containing the MIN and forwards it to the signal transfer point (STP) in the network.
7 In accordance with the invention, the translation tables in the signal transfer 8 point (STP) are constructed to map all dummy MINs to the network routing address of 9 the OTAF processor. There, the activation process is initiated for the requesting mobile station in response to the OTAF processor receiving the registration notification 11 message. A record is created in the visitor location register (VLR) at the mobile 12 switching center, to enable the activation parameters resulting from the activation 13 process to be sent back to the mobile station, using the dummy MIN value.
14 Instead, if the MIN in the registration notification message received by the signal i5 transfer point (STP) is a valid MIN, the translation table maps the registration i6 notification message to the network routing address of the home location register (HLR) 17 that is responsible for handling the registration request from its assigned mobile station.
18 This request is only for the registration of a previously programmed phone in the new 19 local service area, not for the activation of a new phone.
Further in accordance with the invention, the mobile switching center is able to 21 recognize and distinguish a registration order from a mobile station using the OTAF ID
22 number to request activation. In this case, the mobile switching center inserts the 23 OTAF ID number into the registration notification message it prepares for sending to 24 the signal transfer point (STP). Since the OTAF ID number is the same for every mobile station, the electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station, that is sent with 26 every registration order, is also included in the registration notification message sent to 27 the signal transfer point. A record is created in the visitor location register (VLR) at the 1 mobile switching center, to enable the activation parameters resulting from the 2 activation process to be sent back to the mobile station using the ESN.
3 In accordance with the invention, the translation tables in the signal transfer 4 point (STP) are constructed to map the OTAF ID number to the routing address of the OTAF processor. There, the activation process is initiated for the requesting mobile 6 station in response to the OTAF processor receiving the registration notification message.
8 In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the unit of information stored in 9 the mobile station at the time of its manufacture to enable it to request over the air activation is the network routing address, itself, of the OTAF processor. In this 11 embodiment, there is no need for an address translation by the signal transfer point 12 (STP). In this embodiment, the mobile switching center forwards the registration 13 notification message directly to the OTAF processor. The identity of the mobile 14 switching center and the ESN of the mobile station is included in the registration notification message. A record is created in the visitor location register (VLR) at the 16 mobile switching center, to enable the activation parameters resulting from the 17 activation process to be sent back to the mobile station using the ESN.
18 Further in accordance with the invention, the subscriber of the mobile station 19 can place a simultaneous voice call to an activation center in the network using the mobile station. The subscriber can provide to the activation center credit information 21 and the subscriber can specify the types of service features wanted for the mobile 22 station. The activation center then sends authorization data to the OTAF
processor in 23 response to the information received from the subscriber over the voice channel. The 24 OTAF processor can then complete the activation process in response to the authorization data.
26 Turning now to the figures, Fig. 1 shows a network reference model for the over-27 the-air activation function that controls delivery of the over-the-air activation messages i to the mobile station. The mobile station 100 includes the mobile station (MS) and the 2 short message entity (SME). The mobile station 100 communicates over-the-air with the 3 base mobile station interworking function (BMI) which includes the base station BS
4 102, the mobile switching center MSC 104, and the visitor location register VLR 106.
5 The base station, BS, is connected by means of the link A to the mobile switching center, 6 MSC, which in turn is connected by means of the link B to the visitor location register, 7 VLR. Also shown in Fig. 1 is the home location register, HLR 108, which is assigned to 8 handle the maintenance of location and business records for the specific mobile 9 telephone 100. The home location register 108 is typically located at a geographically 10 remote location from the BMI currently servicing over-the-air communications with the 11 mobile station 100. The HLR is connected by means of the link D to the VLR
106. Also 12 shown in Fig. l is the over-the-air activation function OTAF 110' which is connected by 13 means of a link Q2 to the mobile switching center 104 and is also connected by means of 14 the link D2 to the home location register 108. The OTAF function 110' performs activation processing in response to a registration order from the mobile station 100 i6 which has not previously been activated, and downloads activation parameters in the 17 form of NAM parameters to the mobile station 100. The links A, B, D, D2, Q2, and UM
18 shown in Fig. 1 are interfaces between network entities, as defined in the standard TIA
19 IS-41, revision C ANSI ballot version, January 3, 1996.
Fig. 2 illustrates the over-the-air activation physical architecture. The mobile 21 station 100 communicates over-the-air with the local base station 102, using the IS-136 22 standard. This standard is documented in TIA IS-136 Revision A, March 21,1996.
23 The base station 102, the mobile switching center 104, and the visitor location register 24 106, are typically co-located at a local base station complex. The MSC 104 communicates over the fixed supporting network to the signal transfer point, STP 114, 26 which in turn will forward messages from the MSC 104 to either the home location 27 register, HLR 108, or alternately to the over-the-air activation function processor, 1 OTAF processor 110. The VLR 106 at the base station complex can also directly access 2 a particular HLR 108 in the fixed supporting network. Also shown in Fig. 2 is an 3 activation center 112 which includes business systems and billing systems which are 4 connected in the fixed supporting network to the OTAF processor 110 and to the HLR
108.
6 The over-the-air activation feature requires a notification be sent from the MSC
7 104 to the OTAF processor 110. This registration notification is via an IS-41 message 8 on the Signaling System 7 (SS7) network. The fixed supporting network requires 9 routing information to be able to send the registration notification from the MSC 104 to to the proper network node, which in this case is the OTAF processor 110. In accordance 11 with the invention, the mobile stations 100 are pre-programmed with information at the 12 time of their manufacture to be able to request over-the-air activation.
The unit of 13 programmed information is either the network routing address of the OTAF
processor 14 110 or alternately it is a value that is translatable into that address.
When the unactivated mobile station 100 powers up in the network, the mobile station requests 16 activation over-the-air by transmitting to the local mobile switching center 104 a 17 registration order that includes one of the three alternatives for pre-programmed 18 information, either the routing address of the OTAF processor 110, or the OTAF ID
19 number, or a dummy MIN value. The MSC 104 then forwards this information through the network to the over-the-air activation function processor 110.
21 In a previously activated mobile station 100, that is a mobile station 100 that has 22 been programmed with a valid mobile identification number MIN, the registration 23 order transmitted over-the-air contains the mobile station's MIN, encoded in an IS-136 24 mobile station ID (MSID). (See the standard TIA IS-136 revision A, March 21, 1996).
The IS-136 standard specifies rules for encoding the MIN into the MSID. The MSID is 26 sent in layer 2 of the registration order which is described in the IS-41 standard.
27 Typically this operation takes place for a previously activated mobile station 100 which 1 is moved into the coverage area of the local mobile switching center 104 and must 2 become registered in the new area before it can conduct normal communication 3 sessions. The registration notification is carried in the mobile application part (MAP) 4 layer of the SS7 transport, as is specified in the IS-41 standard.
Cellular telephone networks use the global title translation (GTT) on the MIN
at 6 the signal transfer point 114 in a fixed supporting network, to route IS-41 messages to 7 the home location register, HLR 108, in normal communications sessions.
Global title 8 translation (GTT) is described in the standard ANSI T1.112 -1992, SS7, Signalling 9 Connection Control Part (SCCP). The global title indicator type 2 is used, with a translation type value of 3 to specify the "MIN to HLR" translation in the STP
114.
11 The global title address information field contains the ten digit MIN (BCD
encoded).
12 For Example, the MSC 104 and the VLR 106 will send the registration notification to 13 the signal transfer point 114, which performs the GTT translation on the MIN to obtain 14 routing information in the form of a point code and subsystem number in the fixed supporting network, to the HLR 108. Thus, in normal communications sessions, the 16 registration notification is routed from the MSC 104 and VLR 106 to the HLR

17 which is responsible for the specified MIN from the requesting mobile station 100.
18 When a mobile station 100 has not previously been activated, the NAM
19 parameters have not been loaded to the mobile station and there is no corresponding 2o HLR record in any HLR 108 the fixed supporting network for that mobile station. The 21 unactivated mobile station 100 does not have a valid MIN stored in it. If the unactivated 22 mobile station attempts 100 registration, there is no corresponding HLR 108 associated 23 with that mobile station. Since there is no valid MIN in the mobile station 100, the 24 global title translation cannot be performed in the signal transfer point 114 in the fixed supporting network. This would normally prevent over-the-air activation since it would 26 not be possible in the prior art to communicate over-the-air activation requests from the 27 mobile station 100 to an OTAF processor 110 in the fixed supporting network.

1 Correspondingly, it would not be possible download NAM activation parameters from 2 the OTAF processor 110 to the mobile station 100. During the over-the-air activation 3 process, the OTAF processor 110 must deliver the NAM parameters to the mobile 4 station 100. In order to do this, the over-the-air activation function processor 110 must have an address of the serving MSC 104 plus the mobile station must have registration 6 information in the VLR 106 of the serving MSC 104. In accordance with the invention, 7 mobile stations 100 will be pre-programmed with information at the time of their 8 manufacture to enable them to request over-the-air activation. That unit of information 9 is either the network routing address of the OTAF processor 110, or alternately it is a value that is translatable into that address. There are two alternatives for expressing 11 the value that is translatable into the routing address to the OTAF
processor 110, the 12 first being an OTAF ID number that is stored in each mobile station 100.
The same 13 value of the OTAF ID number is stored in every mobile station 100. The second 14 alternative is to store a sequentially serialized dummy value for the mobile identification number, called a dummy MIN. The dummy MIN is different for each mobile station 16 100.
17 In the advantageous embodiment of the invention, an OTAF ID number is stored 18 in each mobile station 100. The OTAF ID number is a ten digit E.164 telephony 19 number, using BCD encoding. The format follows standard IS-41 digit encoding (such as used in the IS-41 Sender Identification Number). This standard format is described 21 further in the CCITT Blue Book, Volume II - Fascicle IL2, Telephone Network and 22 ISDN - Operation Numbering, Routing and Mobile Service, Recommendation E.164;
23 Numbering Plan for the ISDN Era. The OTAF ID number is an address which appears 24 as a directory number for the OTAF processor 110, but is used only for routing and is a non-dialable number not supporting voice circuits. The registration order in the IS-136 26 standard is modified to carry the OTAF ID number in the air interface message. In 27 addition, the mobile station 100 must supply an MSID value in the message to uniquely 1 identify the mobile station sending the message. This MSID value is constructed using 2 the electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station 100, as is specified in the IS-136 3 standard. This standard specifies how and MSID is to be constructed if a mobile station 4 does not have a valid MIN.
Upon receipt of the air interface registration order, the MSC 104 and VLR 106 6 construct an IS-41 registration notification message using the information supplied in 7 the air interface registration order from the mobile station 100. The MSC

8 recognizes that the mobile station 100 supplied an OTAF ID number, and thus the MIN
9 field is not populated in the registration notification message. The OTAF ID
number is included in the Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP) layer of the mobile ii application part (MAP) of the IS-41 message. The SCCP layer is described in the 12 published standard ANSI T1.112 Signalling System No. 7 (SS's - Signalling Connection 13 Control Point (SCCP). The MSC 104 and VLR 106 then send the registration 14 notification message to the signal transfer point 114 in the fixed supporting network.
The VLR 106 also creates a record of the mobile station 100 using the ESN and the 16 MSID for the mobile station 100.
17 The STP 114 receives the registration notification message and recognizes that it 18 is to perform the global title translation (GTT) on the OTAF ID number, in order to get 19 the fixed supporting network address of the OTAF processor 110. A new translation type has to be used for the "OTAF ID number to OTAF processor" translation.
The 21 STP 114 translates the OTAF ID number into the routing address information 22 (PC/SSN) for the OTAF processor 110 in the fixed supporting network, and a 23 registration notification message is forwarded to the OTAF processor 110.
24 This routing mechanism, in accordance with the invention, allows for routing a registration notification message without the need to have a mobile identification 26 number MIN preprogrammed into the mobile station 100.

1 The information flow diagram of Fig. 3 illustrates the over-the-air activation 2 registration flow for activation registration using the global title translation on the 3 OTAF ID number. The figure is organized with the vertical axis representing time and 4 the horizontal axis representing messages passing between the mobile station 5 (labeled MS), the mobile switching center 104 (labeled MSC), the signal transfer point 6 114 (labeled STP), and the OTAF processor 110 (labeled OTAF). When a subscriber 7 powers up a mobile station MS, the mobile station engages in an acquisition phase to 8 obtain a channel assignment from the base station, which is identified in the Fig. 3 as 9 system overhead. Then the mobile station MS sends an IS-136 registration order 10 (message A) to the MSC 104 containing the OTAF ID number (designated OTAF
ID in 11 Fig.3).
12 Then the MSC 104 receives the registration order (message A) from the air 13 interface and it formats an IS-41 registration notification (message B) identified as 14 "REGNOT" in Fig. 3. The MSC 104 sends the REGNOT to the STP 114 for routing.

15 Then the STP 114 performs a global title translation on the OTAF ID number 16 (OTAF ID) and routes the REGNOT (message C) to the OTAF processor 110.

17 The OTAF processor 110 processes the REGNOT and returns a REGNOT

18 return result (message D) to the MSC 104.

19 Fig. 3 also shows an MS originate attempt where the mobile station MS
attempts to originate a voice connection to the fixed supporting network. The simultaneous voice 21 origination attempt and registration order will take place in the four step sequence of 22 messages E, F, G, and H shown in Fig. 3, which is the same as the four step sequence of 23 messages A, B, C, and D previously described for Fig. 3.
24 Fig. 4A illustrates a flow diagram of a sequence of operational steps for carrying out over-the-air activation using an OTAF ID number. Step 402 begins by 26 programming the over-the-air function ID number into a new mobile station 100 at the 27 time of manufacture.

1 Step 404 in Fig. 4A has the mobile station 100 turn on the unit's power for the 2 first time in the network. Then in step 406, mobile station 100 prepares the registration 3 order message to include the OTAF ID number and the ESN. Then in step 408, the 4 mobile station 100 transmits station 100 a registration order over-the-air to the base station and the mobile switching center.
6 In step 410 of Fig. 4A, the mobile switching center 104 detects the OTAF ID
7 number and inserts it into the registration notification message along with the ESN, 8 which it then sends to the STP 114 in the SS7 network. The MSC 104 also puts the ESN
9 into a VLR record in the VLR 106.
to Then step 412 of Fig. 4A has the STP 114 translate the OTAF ID number into a 11 routing address to the OTAF processor 110. The STP sends the registration notification 12 message to the OTAF processor 110 in the network.
13 In step 414 of Fig. 4A has the OTAF processor 110 initiate the activation process 14 for the mobile station 100. In step 416, the OTAF processor 110 sends the activation parameters in the form of the NAM parameters, for the mobile station, back to the 16 mobile switching center 104.
i7 Then step 418 of Fig. 4A has the mobile switching center 104 and base station 18 102 transmit the activation parameters over-the-air to the mobile station 100 using the 19 VLR record in the VLR 106 to identify which mobile station 100 is intended to receive the activation parameters.
21 Fig. 4B illustrates a flow diagram of a variation in the method shown in Fig. 4A, 22 wherein step 414' has the OTAF processor 110 initiate the activation process for the 23 mobile station 100 and then wait for authorization from the business office activation 24 center 112, shown in Fig. 2.
Step 415 of Fig. 4B has a voice path established over-the-air by the mobile station 26 subscriber. The mobile station subscriber places a simultaneous call over-the-air to the 27 carrier's business office activation center 112, using a special dialed number such as "1-1 800-ACTIVATE". The subscriber can provide to the business office activation center 2 112 credit information and the subscriber can specify the types of service features 3 wanted for the mobile service. The business office activation center 112 then sends 4 authorization data to the OTAF processor 110.
Step 416' of Fig. 4B then has the OTAF processor 110 complete the activation 6 process and send the activation parameters for the mobile station back to the mobile 7 switching center 104. Then step 418 of Fig. 4B has the mobile switching center 104 and 8 base station 102 transmit the activation parameters over-the-air to the mobile station 9 100.
Fig. 5 illustrates a flow diagram of a sequence of operational steps for an 11 alternate embodiment of the invention, wherein each new mobile station 100 is 12 programmed at the time of manufacture with a sequentially serialized dummy MIN
13 mobile ID number. This is shown in step 502 of Fig. 5. Step 504 has the mobile station 14 100 turn the unit's power for the first time in the network. Step 506 has a mobile station 100 prepare registration order message to include the dummy MIN. Step 508 has the 16 mobile station 100 transmit the registration order over-the-air to the base station and 17 mobile switching center 104..
18 Step 510 of Fig. 5 has the MSC 104 prepare registration notification message 19 with the dummy MIN. This operation is the same as if the mobile station 100 were requesting a normal registration for a previously activated mobile station, the mobile 21 switching center 104 being unable to distinguish between a dummy MIN and a valid 22 MIN. The mobile switching center 104 then sends the registration notification message 23 to the STP 114 in the SS7 network. The MSC 104 puts the dummy MIN into a VLR
24 record in the VLR 106. In step 512, the STP 114 translates all dummy MINs into the routing address of the OTAF processor 110. All of the plurality of sequentially 26 serialized dummy MIN values are translated by the STP 114 into a single OTAF

1 processor address in the fixed supporting network. Then the STP 114 sends the 2 registration notification message to the OTAF processor 110.
3 Then step 514 of Fig. 5 has the OTAF processor 110 initiate the activation 4 process for the mobile station 100. In step 516, the OTAF processor 110 sends the activation parameters for the mobile station back to the MSC 104.
6 Then in step 518 of Fig. 5, the MSC 104 and base station 102 transmit the 7 activation parameters over-the-air to the mobile station 100 using the VLR
record in 8 VLR 106 to identify with the dummy MIN which mobile station 100 is the intended 9 recipient for~the activation parameters.
Fig. 6 is flow diagram of the sequence of operational steps for a previously 1i activated mobile station 100 having a valid MIN, which seeks registration in a new 12 service area.
i3 In step 602, the previously activated mobile station 100 seeks registration in the 14 new services area. In step 604, the mobile station 100 turns on the unit's power in the network. In step 606 the mobile station 100 prepares a registration order message to 16 include the valid mobile identification number (MIN). In step 608, the mobile station 17 100 transmits the registration order over-the-air to the base station 102 and MSC 104.
18 In step 610, the MSC 104 prepares the registration notification message with the valid 19 MIN and sends it to the STP 114 in the SS7 network. The MSC also puts the valid MIN
in a VLR record in VLR 106. In step 612, the STP 114 translates the valid MIN
into the 21 routing address of the HLR 108 assigned to the mobile station 100. The STP
114 sends 22 the registration notification message to the HLR 108. In step 614, the HLR
108 initiates 23 the registration process for the mobile station for the new service area.
In step 616, the 24 HLR 108 sends the new registration information for MS 100 back to the MSC
104. In step 618, the VLR 106 updates the new registration information and begins local service 26 to the mobile station 100 using the VLR record.

i Fig. 7 illustrates the STP 114 and its translation table 700 and shows how a 2 plurality of dummy MINs having different, sequentially serialized values, are translated 3 in translation 702 into a single OTAF address. Fig. 7 shows several example 4 translations of input expressions in the dialed number format to output Signaling System 7 (SS7) network addresses. For example, the dialed number "911" input to the 6 translation table 700, is translated into the SS7 network address of emergency services.
7 As another example, the dialed number "1-800-ACTIVATE" input to the translation 8 table 700, is translated into the SS7 network address of the business office activation 9 center 112 shown in Fig.2. As another example, the dialed number format for the valid i0 MIN "VALID MIN-5" input to the translation table 700, is translated into the SS7 li network address of the HLR-5 home location register for that MIN. As another 12 example, the dialed number format for the valid MIN "VALID MIN-6" input to the 13 translation table 700, is translated into the SS7 network address of the different HLR-6 14 home location register for that different valid MIN. In accordance with the invention, all of the dummy MINs are translated by the translation 702 in the translation table 700 16 into the network address of the OTAF processor 110. Still further in accordance with 17 the invention, the OTAF ID number is translated by the translation table 700 into the 18 SS7 network address of the OTAF processor 110.
19 Fig. 8A shows a schematic diagram of a mobile station 100 with a preprogrammed OTAF ID number 810 or alternately with a pre-programmed dummy 21 MIN 832. Mobile station 100 includes RF transmit and receive circuits, digital circuits, 22 and voice circuits. Mobile station 100 also includes the RAM memory 806 which stores 23 the NAM parameters in the NAM register after they are downloaded over the air from 24 the OTAF processor 110. Mobile station 100 also includes the programmable read only memory (ROM) 808 that is programmed at the time of manufacture with the ESN
and 26 with the OTAF ID number 810. In the alternate embodiment of the invention, mobile 27 station 100 alternately includes the programmable ROM 830 (shown in dotted outline in 1 Fig. 8A) that is programmed at the time of manufacture with the ESN and with a 2 sequentially serialized dummy MIN 832.
3 Fig. 8B shows how a plurality of mobile stations 100,100', and 100" are all 4 preprogrammed with the identical OTAF ID number 810, in the advantageous 5 embodiment.
6 Fig. 8C shows how a plurality of mobile stations 100, 100', and 100" in the 7 alternate embodiment, are preprogrammed with mutually different dummy MIN
values 8 832, 832', and 832".

Claims

1. A method for activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network to program a mobile identification number (MIN) into the mobile station prior to the first time that it is used, comprising the steps of:
receiving at a wireless network node a registration message, said registration message including a received MIN selected from the group consisting of a valid MIN
and a dummy MIN, said dummy MIN being translatable into an address for an over the air activation processor in an SS7 network coupled to the wireless network;
said registration message further including, in addition to said received MIN, an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station;
storing said ESN in a visitor location register (VLR);
if said received MIN is a valid MIN, routing said received message to a home location register (HLR);
if said received MIN is a dummy MIN:
translating said dummy MIN into said address for said over the air activation processor;
routing said registration message to said over the air activation processor;
initiating an activation process at said over the air activation processor in response to said received registration message; and transmitting activation parameters to said mobile station in response to said activation process using said ESN stored in said VLR.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said network node receives a plurality of said registration messages from a plurality of mobile stations, each of the plurality of registration messages including the same said information translatable into said address.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said information translatable into said address is an over the air function (OTAF) ID number.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said network node receives a plurality of said registration messages from a plurality of mobile stations, each of the plurality of registration messages including mutually distinct said information translatable into said address.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said information translatable into said address is a dummy mobile identification number (MIN).

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
establishing a voice channel between said mobile station and an activation center;
sending authorization data from said activation center to said over the air activation processor in response to information received from said voice channel; and completing said activation process in response to said authorization data.

7. A method for activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network to program a mobile identification number (MIN) into the mobile station prior to the first time that it is used, comprising the steps of:

receiving at a wireless network node a registration message, said registration message including an address for an over the air activation processor in an SS7 network coupled to the wireless network;
said registration message further including an electronic serial number (ESN) in addition to said address for said over the air activation processor;
storing said ESN in a visitor location register (VLR);
routing said registration message to said over the air activation processor;
initiating an activation process at said over the air activation processor in response to said received registration message; and transmitting activation parameters to said mobile station in response to said activation process using said ESN stored in said VLR.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said network node receives a plurality of said registration messages from a plurality of mobile stations, each of the plurality of registration messages including the same said address.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said network node receives a plurality of said registration messages from a plurality of mobile stations, each of the plurality of registration messages including mutually distinct values of said address.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:
establishing a voice channel between said mobile station and an activation center;
sending authorization data from said activation center to said over the air activation processor in response to information received from said voice channel; and completing said activation process in response to said authorization data.

11. A system for activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network to program a mobile identification number (MIN) into the mobile station prior to the first time that it is used, comprising:
an over the air activation processor in an SS7 network coupled to the wireless network;
a mobile switching center at a node in said wireless network, receiving a registration message including a received MIN, said received MIN being selected from the group consisting of a valid MIN and a dummy MIN, said dummy MIN being translatable into an address for said over the air activation processor;
a visitor location register (VLR) coupled to said mobile switching center;
said registration message further including an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station, wherein said ESN is stored in said VLR;
a signal transfer point coupled to said mobile switching center in said SS7 network;
a home location register (HLR) coupled to said signal transfer point;
if said received MIN is a valid MIN, said signal transfer point routing said registration message to said HLR;
if said received MIN is a dummy MIN, said signal transfer point translating said dummy MIN into said address and routing said registration message to said over the air activation processor in said SS7 network;
said over the air activation processor initiating an activation process in response to said received registration message and causing transmission of parameters to said mobile station using said ESN stored in said VLR.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said mobile system center receives a plurality of said registration messages from a plurality of mobile stations, each of the plurality of registration messages including the same said information translatable into said address.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said information translatable into said address is an over the air function (OTAF) ID number.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein said mobile system center receives a plurality of said registration messages from a plurality of mobile stations, each of the plurality of registration messages including mutually distinct said information translatable into said address.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said information translatable into said address is a dummy mobile identification number (MIN).

16. The system of claim 11 further comprising:
an activation center in said network having a voice channel established with said mobile station;
said activation center sending authorization data to said over the air activation processor in response to information received from said voice channel; and said over the air activation processor completing said activation process in response to said authorization data.

17. A system for activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network to program a mobile identification number (MIN) into the mobile station prior to the first time that it is used, comprising:
an over the air activation processor in an SS7 network coupled to the wireless network;
a mobile switching center at a node in said wireless network, receiving a registration message, said registration message including an address for said over the air activation processor and, in addition to said address, an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station;
a visitor location register (VLR) coupled to said mobile switching center, said ESN being stored in said VLR;
said mobile switching center causing a routing of said registration message in said SS7 network to said over the air activation processor;
said over the air activation processor initiating an activation process in response to said received registration message and causing transmission of parameters to said mobile station using said ESN stored in said VLR.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said mobile system center receives a plurality of said registration messages from a plurality of mobile stations, each of the plurality of registration messages including the same said address.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein said mobile system center receives a plurality of said registration messages from a plurality of mobile stations, each of the plurality of registration messages including mutually distinct values of said address.

20. The system of claim 17 further comprising:
an activation center in said network having a voice channel established with said mobile station;
said activation center sending authorization data to said over the air activation processor in response to information received from said voice channel; and said over the air activation processor completing said activation process in response to said authorization data.

21. A method for activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network coupled to a Signaling System 7 (SS7) network to program a mobile identification number (MIN) into the mobile station prior to the first time that it is used, comprising the steps of:
receiving at a mobile switching center in the wireless communications network a registration message, said registration message including a received MIN, said received MIN being selected from the group consisting of a valid MIN and a dummy MIN, said dummy MIN being translatable into an address for an over the air activation processor in the SS7 network;
said registration message further including an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station;
storing said ESN of the mobile station in a visitor location register (VLR);
if said received MIN is a valid MIN, routing said registration message to a home location register (HLR);
if said received MIN is a dummy MIN:
translating said dummy MIN into said address at a signal transfer point (STP) in the SS7 network;

routing said registration message with the STP over said SS7 network to said over the air activation processor;
initiating an activation process at said over the air activation processor in response to said received registration message; and transmitting activation parameters over the SS7 network and the wireless communications network to said mobile station in response to said activation process using said ESN stored in said VLR.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said network node receives a plurality of said registration messages from a plurality of mobile stations, each of the plurality of registration messages including the same said information translatable into said address.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said information translatable into said address is an OTAF ID number.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein said network node receives a plurality of said registration messages from a plurality of mobile stations, each of the plurality of registration messages including mutually distinct said information translatable into said address.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said information translatable into said address is a dummy MIN.

26. The method of claim 21 further comprising the steps of:
establishing a voice channel between said mobile station and an activation center;
sending authorization data from said activation center to said over the air activation processor in response to information received from said voice channel; and completing said activation process in response to said authorization data.

27. A system for activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network coupled to a Signaling System 7 (SS7) network to program a mobile identification number (MIN) into the mobile station prior to the first time that it is used, comprising:
an over the air activation processor in the SS7 network;
a mobile switching center receiving a registration message from the mobile station, said registration message including a received MIN, said received MIN
including a valid MIN and a dummy MIN, said dummy MIN being translatable into an address for said over the air activation processor;
a visitor location register (VLR) coupled to said mobile switching center;
said registration message further including, in addition to said received MIN, an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station;
a signal transfer point in the SS7 network coupled to said mobile switching center;
a home location register (HLR) coupled to said signal transfer point;
if said received MIN is a valid MIN, routing said registration message to said HLR;

if said received MIN is a dummy MIN, said signal transfer point translating said dummy MIN into said address and routing said registration message over the SS7 network to said over the air activation processor in said network;
said over the air activation processor initiating an activation process in response to said received registration message and causing transmission of parameters over the SS7 network and the wireless communications network to said mobile station using said ESN.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein said mobile switching center receives a plurality of said registration messages from a plurality of mobile stations, each of the plurality of registration messages including the same said information translatable into said address.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein said information translatable into said address is an OTAF ID number.

30. The system of claim 27 wherein said mobile switching center receives a plurality of said registration messages from a plurality of mobile stations, each of the plurality of registration messages including mutually distinct said information translatable into said address.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein said information translatable into said address is a dummy MIN.

32. The system of claim 27 further comprising:
an activation center in said network having a voice channel established with said mobile station;
said activation center sending authorization data to said over the air activation processor in response to information received from said voice channel; and said over the air activation processor completing said activation process in response to said authorization data.