Redundant mobile switching center (MSC) architecture for a radio telecommunications network
US6408182B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 16, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jun 18, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 16, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04W24/00
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A telecommunications network architecture and method of providing failover operations between mobile switching centers (MSCs). A plurality of MSCs and at least one base station controller (BSC) are connected to an Internet Protocol (IP) network in which transmission paths and control paths are logically separated. The BSC reports to a primary MSC and includes an alternative MSC list identifying at least one backup MSC for the primary MSC. The BSC determines when the primary MSC has failed, and utilizes a control path in the IP network to notify the backup MSC that the BSC has switched its reporting to the backup MSC. The BSC also utilizes a transmission path in the IP network to send mobile station communications from the BSC to the backup MSC. Mobile station location updating requests are sent from the backup MSC to a home location register (HLR). The requests include a new element that informs the HLR that the backup MSC is now serving the mobile station due to a failure of the primary MSC. Subscriber information is then downloaded from the HLR to a visitor location register (VLR) in the backup MSC. Routing number requests are sent from the HLR to the backup MSC when an incoming …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.