Signaling gateway with multiple imsi with multiple msisdn (mimm) service in a single sim for multiple roaming partners

Abstract

A method and apparatus for mobile communication in multiple mobile communications networks. Embodiments include installing a SIM that includes at least one IMSI and at least one MSISDN in a mobile communications device. The SIM is used to receive and place calls while the user is in the user's home network and while the user is roaming in another network. In various embodiments, one of a home MSISDN and a local MSISDN is used.

1 - 60 . (canceled) 
   
   
       61 . A method for mobile communication in multiple mobile communications networks, the method comprising:
 a Foreign Public Mobile Network (FPMN) allocating at least one local Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) to a Home Public Mobile Network (HPMN) for the use of subscribers of a multiple IMSI multiple Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network number (MSISDN) service (MIMM) of the HPMN when roaming outside of the HPMN.   
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the FPMN is a partner network of the HPMN. 
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein the FPMN allocates a designated range of local IMSIs to the HPMN for the HPMN to provision to its MIMM subscribers. 
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein when a MIMM subscriber roams outside of the HPMN, the HPMN performing registration of one of the FPMN local IMSIs at the HPMN, such that a MIMM subscriber device appears as a roaming device in the FPMN, even though the FPMN local IMSI is used. 
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein when the MIMM subscriber roams outside of the HPMN, the HPMN performing authentication of the FPMN local IMSI at the HPMN using a HPMN Ki, such that the MIMM subscriber device appears as a roaming device in the FPMN, even though the FPMN local IMSI is used. 
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 65 , further comprising the MIMM subscriber selecting an IMSI to use when roaming outside of the HPMN. 
   
   
       67 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the selected IMSI is an IMSI in the designated range of local IMSIs allocated to the HPMN, wherein the HPMN has provisioned the selected IMSI for the MIMM subscriber to use when roaming. 
   
   
       68 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein the selected IMSI is registered at a Visited Public Mobile Network (VPMN), which is not a FPMN, and wherein the VPMN has a roaming relationship with the FPMN such that a more favorable roaming rate may be available with the use of the selected IMSI. 
   
   
       69 . The method of  claim 65 , further comprising routing any calls to or from the MIMM subscriber device through the HPMN regardless of the location of the device, and regardless of which of multiple MSISDNs assigned to the MIMM subscriber is called, and wherein all IMSIs and all MSISDNs available to the MIMM subscriber device are active at all times. 
   
   
       70 . The method of  claim 69 , further comprising the HPMN maintaining a voicemail system such that calls to the MIMM subscriber device on an unlimited number of phone numbers associated with the MIMM subscriber device are routed to the voicemail system at all times. 
   
   
       71 . The method of  claim 69 , further comprising the HPMN maintaining a short message service (SMS) system such that SMSs to the MIMM subscriber device on an unlimited number of phone numbers associated with the MIMM subscriber device are routed to the SMS system at all times. 
   
   
       72 . The method of  claim 65 , further comprising the MIMM subscriber choosing one of the at least one FPMN local IMSIs to use when roaming outside of the HPMN, wherein the chosen IMSI is not local to a network in which the MIMM subscriber is roaming, wherein the FPMN of the selected IMSI has a roaming relationship with the network and has a relatively inexpensive roaming rate with the network. 
   
   
       73 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein performing registration further comprises using an IMSI allocated by the partner FPMN to register the MIMM subscriber device in a Visited Public Mobile Network visited (VPMN) that is not a FPMN partner network of the HPMN. 
   
   
       74 . The method of  claim 65 , further comprising adding local IMSIs and local MSISDNs to a SIM of the MIMM subscriber device via an over-the-air (OTA) interface. 
   
   
       75 . The method of  claim 65 , further comprising determining whether a new IMSI is needed when the location of the MIMM subscriber device changes. 
   
   
       76 . The method of  claim 65 , further comprising providing services to the 2 MIMM subscriber in an identical manner whether or not the user is roaming, wherein the services comprise a general packet radio service (GPRS), an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) service, and a short message service (SMS) service. 
   
   
       77 . The method of  claim 76 , further comprising routing USSD messages to a signaling gateway, wherein the signaling gateway acts as a home location register (HLR) of a local IMSI. 
   
   
       78 . The method of  claim 77 , further comprising:
 modifying the USSD messages as necessary; and   relaying the USSD messages from the signaling gateway to a “real” HLR, wherein a “real” HLR is a HLR of the HPMN.   
   
   
       79 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein all calls to and from the MIMM subscriber device, regardless of a location of the MIMM subscriber device, are routed through a signaling gateway that functions as a virtual HLR, a virtual visited location register (VLR), a virtual gateway mobile switching center (GMSQ, a virtual short message service center (SMSQ, and a virtual service node. 
   
   
       80 . The method of  claim 65 , further comprising storing roaming information about the MINIM subscriber at a FPMN. 
   
   
       81 . The method of  claim 65 , further comprising routing signaling on any calls to or from the MINIM subscriber device, regardless of which of multiple MSISDNs assigned to the MIMM subscriber is called, through the HPMN regardless of the location of the MIMM subscriber device, wherein the physical routing of the call is optimized between the network that has the associated MIMM subscriber MSISDN that is called, and the network where the MIMM subscriber device is located, and wherein all IMSIs and all MSISDNs available to the MIMM subscriber device are active at all times. 
   
   
       82 . A computer-readable medium having instruction stored thereon which, when executed in a mobile communication system, cause a method to be performed in the system, the method comprising:
 a Foreign Public Mobile Network (FPMN) allocating at least one local Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) to a Home Public Mobile Network (HPMN) for the use of subscribers of a multiple IMSI multiple Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network number (MSISDN) service (MIMM) of the HPMN when roaming outside of the HPMN.   
   
   
       83 . The medium of  claim 82 , wherein the FPMN is a partner network of the HPMN. 
   
   
       84 . The medium of  claim 83 , wherein the FPMN allocates a designated range of local IMSIs to the HPMN for the HPMN to provision to its MIMM subscribers. 
   
   
       85 . The medium of  claim 84 , wherein when a MIMM subscriber roams outside of the HPMN, the HPMN performing registration of one of the FPMN local IMSIs at the HPMN, such that a MIMM subscriber device appears as a roaming device in the FPMN, even though the FPMN local IMSI is used. 
   
   
       86 . The medium of  claim 85 , wherein when the MIMM subscriber roams outside of the HPMN, the HPMN performing authentication of the FPMN local IMSI at the HPMN using a HPMN Ki, such that the MIMM subscriber device appears as a roaming device in the FPMN, even though the FPMN local IMSI is used. 
   
   
       87 . The medium of  claim 86 , further comprising the MIMM subscriber selecting an IMSI to use when roaming outside of the HPMN. 
   
   
       88 . The medium of  claim 87 , wherein the selected IMSI is an IMSI in the designated range of local IMSIs allocated to the HPMN, wherein the HPMN has provisioned the selected IMSI for the MIMM subscriber to use when roaming. 
   
   
       89 . The medium of  claim 88 , wherein the selected IMSI is registered at a Visited Public Mobile Network (VPMN), which is not a FPMN, and wherein the VPMN has a roaming relationship with the FPMN such that a more favorable roaming rate may be available with the use of the selected IMSI. 
   
   
       90 . The medium of  claim 86 , further comprising routing any calls to or from the MIMM subscriber device through the HPMN regardless of the location of the device, and regardless of which of multiple MSISDNs assigned to the MIMM subscriber is called, and wherein all IMSIs and all MSISDNs available to the MIMM subscriber device are active at all times. 
   
   
       91 . The medium of  claim 90 , further comprising the HPMN maintaining a voicemail system such that calls to the MIMM subscriber device on an unlimited number of phone numbers associated with the MIMM subscriber device are routed to the voicemail system at all times. 
   
   
       92 . The medium of  claim 90 , further comprising the HPMN maintaining a short message service (SMS) system such that SMSs to the MIMM subscriber device on an unlimited number of phone numbers associated with the MIMM subscriber device are routed to the SMS system at all times. 
   
   
       93 . The medium of  claim 86 , further comprising the MIMM subscriber choosing one of the at least one FPMN local IMSIs to use when roaming outside of the HPMN, wherein the chosen IMSI is not local to a network in which the MIMM subscriber is roaming, wherein the FPMN of the selected IMSI has a roaming relationship with the network and has a relatively inexpensive roaming rate with the network. 
   
   
       94 . The medium of  claim 86 , wherein performing registration further comprises using an IMSI allocated by the partner FPMN to register the MIMM subscriber device in a Visited Public Mobile Network visited (VPMN) that is not a FPMN partner network of the HPMN. 
   
   
       95 . The medium of  claim 86 , further comprising adding local IMSIs and local MSISDNs to a SIM of the MIMM subscriber device via an over-the-air (OTA) interface. 
   
   
       96 . The medium of  claim 86 , further comprising determining whether a new IMSI is needed when the location of the MIMM subscriber device changes. 
   
   
       97 . The medium of  claim 86 , further comprising providing services to the MIMM subscriber in an identical manner whether or not the user is roaming, wherein the services comprise a general packet radio service (GPRS), an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) service, and a short message service (SMS) service. 
   
   
       98 . The medium of  claim 97 , further comprising routing USSD messages to a signaling gateway, wherein the signaling gateway acts as a home location register (HLR) of a local IMSI. 
   
   
       99 . The medium of  claim 98 , further comprising:
 modifying the USSD messages as necessary; and   relaying the USSD messages from the signaling gateway to a “real” HLR, wherein a “real” HLR is a HLR of the HPMN.   
   
   
       100 . The medium of  claim 86 , wherein all calls to and from the MIMM subscriber device, regardless of a location of the MIMM subscriber device, are routed through a signaling gateway that functions as a virtual HLR, a virtual visited location register (VLR), a virtual gateway mobile switching center (GMSC), a virtual short message service center (SMSC), and a virtual service node. 
   
   
       101 . The medium of  claim 86 , further comprising storing roaming information about the MIMM subscriber at a FPMN. 
   
   
       102 . The medium of  claim 86 , further comprising routing signaling on any calls to or from the MINIM subscriber device, regardless of which of multiple MSISDNs assigned to the MINIM subscriber is called, through the HPMN regardless of the location of the MINIM subscriber device, wherein the physical routing of the call is optimized between the network that has the associated MINIM subscriber MSISDN that is called, and the network where the MINIM subscriber device is located, and wherein all IMSIs and all MSISDNs available to the MIMM subscriber device are active at all times.