Management of subscriber data in mobile system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile system comprising a mobile network having a mobile services switching centre (MSC, MSCA) for switching connections in the mobile network, and at least one subscriber database server (CSE) for maintaining data on the subscribers of the mobile network. The mobile services switching centre (MSC, MSCA) comprises means for querying for and receiving subscriber data from the subscriber database server (CSE) wherein subscriber data are maintained in www page format, and the subscriber database server (CSE) comprises at least one www page for each subscriber in the mobile network, in which page the subscriber's subscriber data are stored, the search address of the www page being created based on the subscriber's identity.

1 . A mobile system comprising 
 a mobile network having a mobile services switching centre (MSC, MSCA, MSCB) for switching connections in the mobile network, and at least one subscriber database server (CSE) for maintaining data on the subscribers of the mobile network, characterized in that 
 the mobile services switching centre (MSC, MSCA, MSCB) comprises means for querying for and receiving subscriber data from the subscriber database server (CSE) wherein subscriber data are maintained in www page format, and  
 the subscriber database server (CSE) comprises at least one www page for each subscriber in the mobile network, in which page the subscriber's subscriber data are stored, the search address of the www page being created based on the subscriber's identity.  
   
     
     
         2 . A mobile system as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the system comprises 
 a subscriber data main server (CSE) wherein subscriber-specific www pages are stored, and    at least one subscriber data local server (LSE, LSEA, LSEB) located between the mobile services switching centre (MSC, MSCA, MSCB) and the main server (CSE) for temporarily maintaining subscriber data.    
     
     
         3 . A mobile services switching centre (MSC, MSCA, MSCB) for switching connections in a mobile network, characterized in that 
 the mobile services switching centre (MSC, MSCA, MSCB) comprises means for querying for and receiving subscriber data from a subscriber database server (CSE, LSE, LSEA, LSEB) wherein subscriber data are maintained in www page format.    
     
     
         4 . A subscriber data main server (CSE) for maintaining subscriber data in a mobile network, characterized in that the main server (CSE) comprises, for each subscriber in the mobile network, at least one www page wherein the subscriber's subscriber data are stored, the search address of the www page being created based on the subscriber's identity.  
     
     
         5 . A main server (CSE) as claimed in  claim 4 , characterized in that the main server comprises at least a subscriber-specific 
 main page wherein the most generally needed subscriber data are stored and whereto said search address points, and    at least one subpage wherein the necessary subscriber data are stored in special cases and whose search address is created by completing the search address of said main page.    
     
     
         6 . A main server (CSE) as claimed in  claim 4  or  5 , characterized in that the main server (CSE) comprises means for maintaining a www page specific log regarding subscriber data queries such that the log contains information on the local server (LSE, LSEA, LSEB) that sent a query for a page and the time the query was sent.  
     
     
         7 . A subscriber data local server (LSE, LSEA, LSEB) for temporary storage of subscriber data, characterized in that the local server (LSE, LSEA, LSEB) comprises 
 means for receiving queries for the subscriber data from a mobile services switching centre (MSC, MSCA, MSCB),    means for retrieving the queried subscriber data from a database in the local server (LSE, LSEA, LSEB),    means for retrieving the queried subscriber data further from a main server if said data are not found in the database of the local server (LSE, LSEA, LSEB),    means for transferring the retrieved subscriber data to the mobile services switching centre (MSC, MSCA, MSCB), and    means for storing the retrieved subscriber data in the local server (LSE, LSEA, LSEB) in www page format.    
     
     
         8 . A subscriber data local server (LSE, LSEA, LSEB) as claimed in  claim 7 , characterized in that the local server further comprises 
 means for receiving information about a change in subscriber data caused by the subscriber from the mobile services switching centre (MSC, MSCA, MSCB),    means for forwarding the information about said change in subscriber data to the main server (CSE), means for receiving the changed subscriber data in the form of a www page from the main server (CSE), and    means for forwarding an acknowledgement about the change in the subscriber data to the mobile services switching centre (MSC, MSCA, MSCB).    
     
     
         9 . A subscriber data local server as claimed in  claim 7  or  8 , characterized in that the local server further comprises 
 means for receiving subscriber data that are changed by an operator (OP) from the main server (CSE) in www page format, and  
 means for forwarding an acknowledgement of the reception of the changed subscriber data to the main server (CSE).  
 
     
     
         10 . A subscriber data local server (LSE, LSEA, LSEB) as claimed in any one of  claims 7  to  9 , characterized in that the local server (LSE, LSEA, LSEB) comprises 
 means for providing the new or changed subscriber data to be stored in the local server (LSE, LSEA, LSEB) with a time stamp,  
 means for checking the time stamp in association with the reception of a following query or notification of change relating to the same subscriber data,  
 means for selecting the stored data with the proviso that a predetermined time has not lapsed from the storage.