SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC ROAMING IN A PRIVATE MICROCELLULAR NETWORK

摘要

A method and apparatus for automatic roaming in a private microcellular network is described. The invention allows a roaming mobile subscriber to automatically receive at a visited site calls placed to a home site. A mobility user database (MUD) stores mobile identification information concerning the mobile subscriber, and a home site identifier associated with the mobile subscriber. The MUD provides the home side identifier in response to a query specifying the corresponding mobile identification information. The mobile identification information may be the mobile identification number (MIN) of the subscriber. Assignment of the MIN to the subscriber is not under control of the network. When the mobile subscriber roams to the visited site, the visited site queries the MUD with the mobile identification information. The MUD, which is responsive to queries from a number of sites, responds with the home site identifier of the subscriber. The visited site assigns a forwarding number to the mobile subscriber, and sends a forwarding instruction to the home site identified by the home site identifier. The home site associates the mobile subscriber with a home number assigned by the telephone system. Upon receiving the forwarding instruction, the home site also associates the home number with the forwarding number so that calls directed to the home number are forwarded to the forwarding number of the subscriber.