Apparatus and method of PSTN based network roaming and SCP based subscriber management for internet telephony systems

A method of public switching telephone network based roaming call origination for subscribers roaming in remote packet data networks that are communicable with the subscriber's home packet data network, wherein each packet data network includes a visitor location register, a home location register, a gatekeeper, and a gateway node, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) registering a placket data communication device of a caller on a remote packet data network, said packet date communication device having a directory number;
• (b) originating a call from the packet data communication device on the remote network to a third party;
• and wherein said registering comprises
• connecting said packet data communication device to said remote packet data network wherein a packet data network address is assigned to said packet data communication device;
• having said remote network initiate a registration request with the remote gatekeeper by supplying the remote gatekeeper with the home directory number;
• forwarding said registration request from the remote gatekeeper, upon recognition of a non-local directory number, to the remote network visitor location register;
• forwarding the registration request to the home network home location register supplying the home directory number;
• returning, from the home network home location register to the remote network visitor location register, service profile and authentication data;
• and
• storing, in the rewrote network visitor location register, the service profile and authentication data, the home network directory number, the packet data address assigned in said connecting step, and the remote network gateway directory number.

A method of public switching telephone network based roaming call termination for subscribers roaming in remote packet data networks that are communicable with the subscriber's home packet data network, wherein each packet data network includes a visitor location register, a home location register, a gatekeeper, and a gateway node, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) registering a packet data communication device of a called pat on a remote packet data network, said packet data communication device having a directory number;
• (b) terminating a call from the packet data communication device on the remote network with a third party;
• and wherein said registering step comprises the steps of:
• connecting said packet data communication device to said remote packet data network wherein a packet data network address is assigned to said packet data communication device;
• having said remote network initiate a registration request with the remote gatekeeper by supplying the remote gatekeeper with the home directory number;
• forwarding said registration request from the remote gatekeeper, upon recognition of a non-local directory number, to the remote network visitor location register;
• forwarding the registration request to the home network home location register supplying the home directory number;
• returning, from the home network home location register to the remote network visitor location register, the service profile and authentication data;
• and
• storing, in the remote network visitor location register, the service profile and authentication data, the home network directory number, the packet data address assigned in said connecting step, and the remote network gateway directory number.

A computer program product for managing calls between subscribers on a packet data telephony network and subscribers not on a packet data telephony network from the packet data telephony network subscriber's home area, wherein said packet data network includes a home location register, a gatekeeper, and a gateway node, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program product comprising:

• computer program code for registering a packet data communication device of a caller with the home location register of a packet data network, said packet data communication device having a directory number;
• computer program code for originating a call from the packet data communication device to a third party on a different network;
• computer program code for terminating a call to the packet data communication device from a third party on a different network;
• wherein said computer program code for registering comprises:
• computer program code for connecting said packet data communication device to said packet data network wherein a packet data network address is assigned to said packet data communication device;
• computer program code for sending a registration initiation message to said gatekeeper;
• computer program code for forwarding said registration initiation message to said home location register for service profile and authentication data validation purposes;
• computer program code for returning, from said home location register, service profile and authentication, data to said gatekeeper;
• computer program code for storing said service profile and authentication data in said gatekeeper;
• computer program code for storing, in the home location register, the directory number of the gateway, the directory number of the packet data communication device, and the packet data address of the packet data communication device assigned by said computer program code for connecting;
• and wherein said computer program code for originating comprises:
• computer program code for initiating, via said gatekeeper, an origination in which the caller's directory number and a third party's directory number are supplied to said gateway, and
• computer program code for routing the call from said gateway to said third party on said different network.

The computer program product of clam 24 wherein said terminating computer program code comprises:

• computer program code for sending the directory number from the central office to the home location register upon receipt of a call into the central office;
• computer program code for returning the directory number of the gateway and the packet data address of the packet data communication devices;
• computer program code for routing the call to the gateway, and
• computer program code for routing the call from the gateway to the packet data communication device.

A computer program product for managing calls between subscribers on a packet data telephony network and subscribers not on a packet data telephony network while the packet data telephony network subscriber is roaming outside the subscriber's home area on a remote packet data telephony network wherein each packet data network includes a visitor location register, a home location register, a gatekeeper, and a gateway node, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program product comprising:

• computer program code for registering a packet data communication device for a caller on a remote packet data network, said packet data communication device having a directory number;
• computer program code for originating a call from the packet data communication device on the remote network to a third party;
• computer program code for terminating a call to the packet data communication device on the remote network from a third party;
• wherein said registering code comprises:
• computer program code for connecting said packet data communication device to said remote packet data network wherein a packet data network address is assigned to said packet data communication device;
• computer program code for having said remote network initiate a registration request with the remote gatekeeper by supplying the remote gatekeeper with the home directory number;
• computer program code for forwarding said registration request from the remote gatekeeper, upon recognition of a non-local directory number, to the remote network visitor location register;
• computer program code for forwarding the registration request to the home network home location register supplying the home directory number;
• computer program code for returning from the home network home location register to the remote network visitor location register, service profile and authentication data;
• and
• computer program code for storing, in the remote network visitor location register, the service profits and authentication data, the home network directory number, the packet data address assigned in said connecting step, and the remote network gateway directory number.

An apparatus for managing calls between subscribers on a packet data telephony network and subscribers not on a packet data telephony network from the packet data telephony network subscriber's home area, wherein said packet data network includes a home location register, a gatekeeper, and a gateway node, said apparatus comprising:

• means for registering a packet data communication device with the home location register of a packet data network;
• means for originating a call from the packet data communication device to a third party on a different network means;
• for terminating a call to the packet data communication device from a third party on a different network;
• wherein said registering means comprises:
• means for connecting said packet data communication device to said packet data network wherein a packet data network address is assigned to said packet data communication device;
• means for sending a registration initiation message to said gatekeeper;
• means for forwarding said registration initiation message to said home location register for service profile and authentication data validation purposes;
• means for returning, from said home location register, service profile and authentication data to said gatekeeper;
• means for storing said service profile and authentication data in said gatekeeper;
• and
• means for storing, in the home location register, the directory number of the gateway, the directory number of the packet data communication device, and the packet data address of the packet data communication device assigned during said connecting step.

An apparatus for managing calls between subscribers on a packet data telephony network and subscribers not on a packet data telephony network while the packet data telephony network subscriber is roaming outside the subscriber's home area on a remote packet data telephony network, wherein each packet data network includes a visitor location register, a home location register, a gatekeeper, and a gateway node, said apparatus comprising:

• means for registering a packet data communication device of a caller on a remote packet data network, said packet data communication device having a directory number;
• means for ongoing a call from the packet data communication device on the remote network to a third party;
• means for terminating a call to the packet data communication device on the remote network from a third party;
• and
• wherein said registering means comprises:
• means for connecting said packet data communication device to said remote packet data network wherein a packet data network address is assigned to said packet data communication device;
• means for having said remote network initiate a registration request with the remote gatekeeper by supplying the remote gatekeeper with the home directory number;
• means for forwarding said registration request from the remote gatekeeper, upon recognition of a non-local directory number, to the remote network visitor location register;
• means for forwarding the registration request to the home network home location register supplying the home directory number;
• means for returning, from the home network home location register to the remote network visitor location register, service profile and authentication data;
• and
• means for storing, in the remote network visitor location register, the service profile and authentication data, the home directory number, the packet data address assigned by said connecting means, and the remote network gateway directory number.