Method And System Of Delivering An SMS Message
A Mobile Switching Center (MSC) receives a short message service (SMS) message from a mobile station. The MSC checks a link between it and an MME to see if the link is currently set. If the link is not currently set, the mobile station is re-registered at the MSC, which re-established the link between the MSC and the MME. The mobile station will resend the SMS message to the MSC, which now utilizes the re-established link to deliver the SMS message.
1 . A method for delivering a short message service (SMS) message, the method comprising:
receiving at a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) an SMS message from a mobile station;
if a link between the MSC and an MME is not currently set for the mobile station, re-registering the mobile station at the MSC;
receiving at the MSC a second SMS message from the mobile station; and
delivering the second SMS message.
2 . A method for delivering a short message service (SMS) message in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the link is an SGs association.
3 . A method for delivering a short message service (SMS) message in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the SGs association is Null.
4 . A method for delivering a short message service (SMS) message in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the SGs association is NULL because a mobile VLR record associated with the mobile station was deleted.
5 . A method for delivering a short message service (SMS) message in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of receiving at a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) an SMS message from a mobile station comprises encapsulating, by the MME, the SMS message in an Uplink-Unidata message prior to sending to the MSC.
6 . A method for delivering a short message service (SMS) message in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of re-registering the mobile station at the MSC comprises establishing an SGs association between the MSC and the MME.
7 . A method for delivering a short message service (SMS) message in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of delivering the second SMS message comprises delivering the second SMS message to a Short Message Service Center (SMSC).
8 . A method for delivering a short message service (SMS) message in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of delivering the second SMS message comprises delivering the second SMS message to an SMS-IWMSC (SMS Interworking MSC).
9 . A method for delivering a short message service (SMS) message in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of receiving at the MSC a second SMS message from the mobile station comprises receiving the second SMS message upon the expiration of a timer.
10 . A method for re-establishing an association between a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) and an MME, the method comprising:
receiving at a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) an SMS message from a mobile station;
if a link between the MSC and an MME is not currently set for the mobile station, sending an alert request from the MSC to the MME;
setting a link at the MME to NULL;
receiving a tracking area update message from the mobile station; and
re-registering the mobile station at the MSC.
11 . A method for re-establishing an association between a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) and an MME in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the link is an SGs association.
12 . A method for re-establishing an association between a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) and an MME in accordance with claim 10 , the method further comprising the step of sending a location update from the MME to the MSC.
13 . A method for re-establishing an association between a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) and an MME in accordance with claim 10 , the method further comprising the step of receiving at the MSC a second SMS message from the mobile station.
14 . A method for re-establishing an association between a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) and an MME in accordance with claim 10 , the method further comprising the step of delivering the second SMS message.
15 . A method for re-establishing an association between a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) and an MME in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the step of sending an alert request from the MSC to the MME comprises sending the alert request with an unknown IMSI error.
16 . A method for re-establishing an association between a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) and an MME in accordance with claim 10 , the method further comprising the step of setting a reliability flag at the MME to “false” for the mobile station.
17 . A method for re-establishing an association between a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) and an MME in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the step of determining if a link between the MSC and an MME is not currently set for the mobile station comprises determining that a VLR record associated with the mobile station has been deleted.
18 . A method for re-establishing an association between a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) and an MME in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the step of determining if a link between the MSC and an MME is not currently set for the mobile station comprises determining that an SGs association is equal to SGs-NULL.
19 . A method for re-establishing an association between a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) and an MME in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the tracking area update message comprises TA/LA (Tracking Area/Location Area) updating information.
20 . A method for delivering a short message service (SMS) message, the method comprising:
receiving at a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) an SMS message from a mobile station;
storing the SMS message at the MSC;
if a link between the MSC and an MME is not currently set for the mobile station, re-registering the mobile station at the MSC; and
delivering the second SMS message upon successful re-registration of the mobile station.