| 摘要 |
A device 60 for automatically processing non-network-specific mobile device location request signals. The device comprises a database 64 storing details of telephone numbers detected as having been ported away from their Home Network 20-50. A first receiver receives input request signals requesting the location of a mobile device without specifying a particular network to try. A processor 66 processes the input request signals to obtain the telephone number of the mobile device to be located, queries the database 64 to determine if the telephone number is recorded as having been ported, and if it is determined that it is not recorded as having been ported, it selects the Home Network of the telephone number, but otherwise it selects another network determined by consulting the ported numbers database and possibly also a heurstics table which specifies a preferred ordering of the networks to try, all other things being equal. A first transmitter then generates and transmits a location request signal to the selected network. The resulting reply is forwarded to the originally requesting device (possibly after translating between the terminology used by the selected network and a common terminology used by the device 60). The reply is also used to update the ported numbers database where it provides new information.
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