Redirecting Cellular Telephone Communications Through a Data Network

A method comprising:

• receiving a request to access a service to be provided for a mobile device;
• providing a telephone number associated with a server adapted for discovery of a mobile device identifier associated with the mobile device requesting access to the service;
• receiving a telephone call setup message from the mobile device directed to the telephone number;
• and
• associating the mobile device identifier with the request for access to the service in response to receiving the telephone call setup message from the mobile device directed to the telephone number.

A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations including:

• initiating a telephone call setup message directed to a telephone number associated with a server, wherein the server is adapted for discovery of a mobile device identifier for a mobile device;
• receiving an incoming communication from the server in response to the telephone call setup message, wherein the incoming communication includes a code;
• and
• sending an outgoing communication to the server in response to the incoming communication, wherein the outgoing communication includes the code and an application instance identifier for use in associating the mobile device identifier and the application instance identifier.

A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations including:

• sending a request for a telephone number, wherein the request is sent to a server adapted for discovery of a mobile device identifier for a mobile device and the request includes an application instance identifier;
• receiving a response to the request, wherein the response includes a telephone number;
• and
• initiating a telephone call setup message directed to the telephone number for use in associating the mobile device identifier and the application instance identifier, wherein the server is adapted for discovery of a mobile device identifier for a mobile device.

A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations including:

• disabling a user interface display on the mobile device for a telephone call;
• initiating a telephone call setup message after disabling the user interface display, wherein the telephone call setup message is directed to a telephone number associated with a server adapted for discovery of a mobile device identifier for a mobile device;
• and
• sending an outgoing communication to the server, wherein the outgoing communication includes an application instance identifier for use in associating the mobile device identifier and the application instance identifier.

A system comprising:

• a mobile device having an application adapted to initiate a telephone call setup message to a telephone number;
• and
• one or more servers, wherein the one or more servers are adapted to:
• identify a mobile device identifier based on the telephone call setup message;
• receive an application instance identifier for the application sent by the application;
• and
• associate the mobile device identifier with application instance identifier.

A method comprising:

• receiving a request to verify an application on a mobile device, wherein the application has an associated application instance identifier;
• obtaining a mobile device identifier used to communicate with the mobile device;
• initiating one or more telephone call setup messages directed to the mobile device using the mobile device identifier, wherein the one or more telephone call setup messages are initiated by a server for use in verifying an association of the application instance identifier with the mobile device identifier;
• and
• associating the application instance identifier with the mobile device identifier based on detecting the one or more telephone call setup messages.

A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus on a mobile device cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations including:

• transmitting an application instance identifier to a server system;
• detecting one or more one or more telephone call setup messages directed to the mobile device using a mobile device identifier, wherein the one or more telephone call setup messages are initiated by the server system for use in verifying an association of the application instance identifier with the mobile device identifier;
• and
• sending one or more reports to the server system over a data network including information obtained from the detection of the one or more telephone call setup messages, wherein the one or more reports include the application instance identifier.

A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus on a mobile device cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations including:

• transmitting an application instance identifier to a server system;
• requesting call forwarding for the mobile device to a selected destination;
• and
• communicating with the server system to initiate one or more telephone call setup messages to the mobile device using a mobile device identifier, wherein the one or more telephone call setup messages are initiated by a server system for use in verifying an association of the application instance identifier with the mobile device identifier.

A system comprising:

• a mobile device having an installed application with a corresponding application instance identifier;
• and
• one or more servers, wherein the one or more servers are adapted to:
• receive a mobile device identifier used communicate with the mobile device;
• receive the application instance identifier;
• associate the mobile device identifier with the application instance identifier;
• initiate one or more telephone call setup messages directed to the mobile device using the mobile device identifier;
• and
• verify the association of the mobile device identifier with the application instance identifier based on a detection of the one or more call setup messages.

A method comprising:

• registering a cellular telephone identifier with a visitor location register associated with a bridge mobile switching center adapted to receive communication through a cellular backbone network and route communications over a packet-switched network;
• determining that cellular communications using the cellular telephone identifier are disabled;
• notifying a home location register associated with the cellular telephone that the cellular telephone is roaming in a network served by the visitor location register;
• receiving a communication directed to the cellular telephone at the bridge mobile switching center;
• and
• routing the received communication to the cellular telephone.

A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus on a mobile device cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations including:

• sending a request to a server over a packet-switched network for telephone services associated with a cellular telephone identifier, wherein the server is adapted to register the cellular telephone identifier with a visitor location register associated with a bridge mobile switching center adapted to receive communication through a cellular backbone network and route communications over a packet-switched network and the visitor location register is adapted to notify a home location register associated with the cellular telephone that the cellular telephone is roaming in a network served by the visitor location register;
• disabling cellular communications using the cellular telephone identifier on the mobile device;
• and
• receiving a communication directed to the cellular telephone identifier from the bridge mobile switching center over a packet-switched network.

A system comprising:

• a server adapted to communicate with an application on a mobile device and to establish voice over Internet protocol communications with the mobile device using the application;
• a bridge mobile switching center adapted to receive communication through a cellular backbone network and route communications over a packet-switched network;
• and
• a visitor location register associated with the bridge mobile switching center, wherein the visitor location register is adapted to notify a home location register associated with a cellular telephone identifier for the mobile device that the mobile device with the cellular telephone identifier is roaming in a network served by the visitor location register.