US 5,504,804 A · Providing individual subscriber services in a cellular mobile communications network

Abstract

In a cellular mobile communications network, routing decisions pertaining to supplementary services are made by a home location register (HLR). For calling subscriber supplementary services, such as private numbering plans, a mobile services switching center (MSC) requests that the HLR perform the necessary routing decisions, and the HLR responds accordingly. For called subscriber supplementary services, such as call forwarding on busy, the MSC sends status information (such as the busy condition) to the HLR, and the HLR responds by determining supplementary call routing information, which is then sent to the MSC. Determining the supplementary call routing information may require that the HLR select from among several routing alternatives, in dependence on a condition such as time-of-day. In an alternative embodiment of called subscriber services, the HLR may recognize, upon initially being asked for a roaming number for a called subscriber, that a called subscriber condition exists that requires making a choice from among several possible routings. The HLR may solicit choice-determinative information from the MSC, which in turn prompts the calling subscriber for this information. The requested information may be returned to the MSC from the calling subscriber in the form of a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal. The MSC may convert the DTMF signal into a message containing the requested information, for transmission to the HLR.

Claims37

Dependent claims

In a mobile communications system comprising a home location register coupled to a mobile services switching center, a method for providing a supplementary service to a calling subscriber, comprising the steps of:

sending a supplementary service category for the calling subscriber from the home location register to the mobile services switching center;
detecting, in the mobile services switching center, initiation of a call from the calling subscriber and presence of the supplementary service category for the calling subscriber;
sending a supplementary service request from the mobile services switching center to the home location register in response to said detecting step;
receiving the supplementary service request in the home location register, and in response thereto, determining, in the home location register, call routing information in accordance with supplementary service parameters;
and
sending the call routing information from the home location register to the mobile services switching center.

3 more elements

In a mobile communications system comprising a home location register coupled to a mobile services switching center, a method for providing a supplementary service to a called subscriber, comprising the steps of:

detecting, in the mobile services switching center, initiation of a call from a calling subscriber to the called subscriber;
sending in response to the detected call initiation, from the mobile services switching center to the home location register, a request for a roaming number corresponding to the called subscriber;
sending in response to the request for a roaming number, from the home location register to the mobile services switching center, the roaming number and a call monitor command for the called subscriber;
using the roaming number in the mobile services switching center to route a call from the calling subscriber to the called subscriber;
detecting, in the mobile services switching center, a status condition and presence of the call monitor command for the called subscriber, the status condition being indicative of non-completion of the call from the calling subscriber to the called subscriber;
sending a supplementary service request and the status condition from the mobile services switching center to the home location register in response to said detecting step;
receiving the supplementary service request and the status condition in the home location register, and in response thereto, determining, in the home location register, supplementary call routing information in accordance with supplementary service parameters;
and
sending the supplementary call routing information from the home location register to the mobile services switching center.

6 more elements

detecting, in the mobile services switching center, initiation of a call from a calling subscriber to the called subscriber;
sending in response to the detected call initiation, from the mobile services switching center to the home location register, a request for a roaming number corresponding to the called subscriber;
detecting, in the home location register in response to the request for a roaming number, an availability condition for the called subscriber;
sending, in response to the detected availability condition, an information request from the home location register to the mobile services switching center;
in the mobile services switching center, in response to receiving the information request, soliciting and subsequently receiving requested information from the calling subscriber;
sending the requested information from the mobile services switching center to the home location register;
using, in the home location register, the requested information to determine supplementary call routing information to a selected destination in accordance with supplementary service parameters;
sending, from the home location register to the mobile services switching center, the supplementary call routing information;
using the supplementary call routing information in the mobile services switching center to route a call from the calling subscriber to the selected destination.

6 more elements

In a mobile communications system comprising a home location register coupled to a mobile services switching center, a system for providing a supplementary service to a called subscriber, comprising:

means for detecting, in the mobile services switching center, initiation of a call from a calling subscriber to the called subscriber;
means for sending in response to the detected call initiation, from the mobile services switching center to the home location register, a request for a roaming number corresponding to the called subscriber;
means for sending in response to the request for a roaming number, from the home location register to the mobile services switching center, the roaming number and a call monitor command for the called subscriber;
means for using the roaming number in the mobile services switching center to route a call from the calling subscriber to the called subscriber;
means for detecting, in the mobile services switching center, a status condition and presence of the call monitor command for the called subscriber, the status condition being indicative of non-completion of the call from the calling subscriber to the called subscriber;
means, responsive to an output of said means for detecting, for sending a supplementary service request and the status condition from the mobile services switching center to the home location register;
means for receiving the supplementary service request in the home location register, and in response thereto, determining, in the home location register, supplementary call routing information in accordance with supplementary service parameters;
and
means for sending the supplementary call routing information from the home location register to the mobile services switching center.

6 more elements

In a mobile communications system comprising a home location register coupled to a mobile services switching center, a system for providing a supplementary service to a called subscriber, comprising:

means for detecting, in the mobile services switching center, initiation of a call from a calling subscriber to the called subscriber;
means for sending in response to the detected call initiation, from the mobile services switching center to the home location register, a request for a roaming number corresponding to the called subscriber;
means for detecting, in the home location register in response to the request for a roaming number, an availability condition for the called subscriber;
means for sending, in response to the detected availability condition, an information request from the home location register to the mobile services switching center;
means, responsive to receiving an information request in the mobile services switching center, for soliciting and subsequently receiving requested information from the calling subscriber;
means for sending the requested information from the mobile services switching center to the home location register;
means for using, in the home location register, the requested information to determine supplementary call routing information to a selected destination in accordance with supplementary service parameters;
means for sending, from the home location register to the mobile services switching center, the supplementary call routing information;
and
means for using the supplementary call routing information in the mobile services switching center to route a call from the calling subscriber to the selected destination.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Providing individual subscriber services in a cellular mobile communications network

Life of this patent

Providing individual subscriber services in a cellular mobile communications network

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims37