Method and apparatus for alerting a station in one network of a requested communication from a second network

• US 20030013442A1
• Filed: 09/12/2002
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Adrian, Holmes, David William James
• Granted Patent: US 7,092,712 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/12 Inter-network notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A mobile station can be selectively coupled to two or more networks. By maintaining an address translation table and introducing communication between the switching control units within the multiple networks, it is possible to provide notification to the mobile station of the existence of a communication request from a first network while the mobile station coupled to the second network.

Claims

1. In a communication system comprising a first network and a second network wherein a mobile station is capable of being coupled to either one of the first and second networks, a method for notifying the mobile station of a communication on a network to which the station is not presently coupled, the method comprising the steps of:

storing an address for the mobile station as it is coupled to one of said first and second networks;

receiving a communication request from that one of said first and second networks to which the mobile station is not presently coupled;

using the stored address of the mobile station as it is coupled to one of said first and second networks to send an alert that said communication request has been received.