Hybrid mobile switching center for combined GSM/IS-41 communication

Abstract

A single CDMA radio access network is used in conjunction with both a GSM core and an IS-41 core using a hybrid MSC to support mobile stations having subscriptions in either the GSM core or IS-41 core without requiring more than a single subscription.

1 . A method for effecting communication with a first wireless mobile station (MS) having a subscription in a GSM core infrastructure and with a second wireless MS having a subscription in a CDMA infrastructure without requiring either MS to have more than a single subscription, comprising: 
 receiving, at an MSC, at least one identifier from at least one MS;    based on the identifier, determining the core infrastructure in which the MS has a subscription;    undertaking, through the MSC, authentication with the MS using information from the core infrastructure in which the MS has a subscription; and    collecting accounting data using the core infrastructure in which the MS has a subscription,    wherein the identifier is an international mobile subscriber identifier (IMSI).    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving act is undertaken using a CDMA RAN.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising billing a user of an MS using the accounting data collected by the associated core infrastructure.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising, based on the determining act: 
 using GSM protocol in at least part of the authenticating act when the MS has a subscription in the GSM core infrastructure, and otherwise using IS-41 protocol in at least part of the authenticating act when the MS has a subscription in the CDMA core infrastructure.    
   
   
       5 . A mobile switching center for a wireless communication system, comprising: 
 means for receiving an identifier international mobile subscriber identifier (IMSI) from an MS;    means for using the identifier IMSI to determine whether the MS has a subscription in a GSM core infrastructure or a CDMA core infrastructure; and    means for communicating with both core infrastructures.    
   
   
       6 . A wireless mobile station (MS), comprising: 
 at least one storage device including an international mobile subscriber identifier (IMSI);    at least one radio communicating the identifier IMSI to a CDMA radio access network (RAN); and    one and only subscription in a GSM core infrastructure.    
   
   
       7 . The MS of  claim 6 , wherein the MS communicates with a mobile switching center (MSC) using the CDMA RAN and execute authentication with the GSM core infrastructure while the MS is located in an area serviced by a CDMA core infrastructure.  
   
   
       8 . The MS of  claim 7 , wherein the MS sends the IMSI as part of a location update message.