Methods and apparatus for a multi-technology subscriber base for global roaming

• US 20030157938A1
• Filed: 01/23/2003
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Murakami, Kazutaka, Xiong, Ming, Haase, Oliver
• Granted Patent: US 7,610,328 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

Global Roaming, i.e., the combination of terminal and user mobility, requires the technology independent notion of a user who owns multiple devices. Any network infrastructure that supports global roaming needs to model and manage this user concept in a multi-technology subscriber database. This modeling not only requires the novel assignment of traditional subscriber attributes to the now separated entities of users, terminals, and addresses. For backward compatibility reasons, it also has to be compliant with the standard, single-technology subscriber models. Moreover, user configured inter-technology dependencies between service settings need to be taken into account to (1) enforce external integrity constraints, and (2) reduce space consumption of the multi-protocol subscriber base. The present invention a methodology for connecting to a subscriber having multiple devices accessible via a communications network and utilizing differing communications protocols. The methodology includes the steps of assigning at least one address to said subscriber; assigning at least one first type service profile per communication protocol used to set up a call request to said subscriber andassigning one second type service profile per each one of said devices. A destination selection policy is provided for describing routing parameters of an incoming call to the subscriber. A destination selection policy and the first and second type profile are referenced in order to make a connection to an appropriate one of said multiple devices using an appropriate one of said communications protocols. A user profile is disclosed which is a collection of at least one terminal profile and at least one incoming call handling (ICH) service profile, the ICH service profile includes the at least one first and second type profile.

Claims

1. A method of connecting to a subscriber having multiple devices accessible via a communications network and utilizing differing communications protocols, said method comprising the steps of:

assigning at least one address to said subscriber;

assigning at least one first type service profile per communication protocol used to set up a call request to said subscriber;

assigning one second type service profile per each one of said devices;

providing a destination selection policy for describing routing parameters of an incoming call to said subscriber; and

referencing said destination selection policy and said first and second type profile in order to make a connection to an appropriate one of said multiple devices using an appropriate one of said communications protocols.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a terminal level profile is a collection of terminal level, address independent service information, including location information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a user profile is a collection of at least one terminal profile and at least one incoming call handling (ICH) service profile, wherein said ICH service profile includes said at least one first and second type profile.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said terminal level profile is dynamically updated.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first type profile includes service related data classified as address related.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said second type profile includes service related data classified as both address and terminal related.

7. The method of claim 1, further including a core incoming call handling service profile, said core service profile having one core terminal per technology and being utilized for standard compliant connection queries regarding said subscriber.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of referencing includes checking a device'"'"'s availability and checking barring of incoming call service settings for said device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said routing parameters of said destination call policy are based on information selected from the group consisting of:

time-of-day, caller identification, currently available network and current location.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein an ordered list of devices to be alerted is computed if more than one device is available for connection after said step of referencing.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein an appropriate gateway is selected in case originating and terminating protocols for call set-up differ.

12. An architecture for a database to enable connecting to a subscriber having multiple devices accessible via a communications network and utilizing differing communications protocols, at least one address being assigned to said subscriber, said architecture comprising:

at least one first type service profile per communication protocol used to set up a call request to said subscriber,

at least one second type service profile per each one of said devices;

a destination selection policy for describing routing parameters of an incoming call to said subscriber; and

wherein said destination selection policy and said first and second type profile are referenced in order to make a connection to an appropriate one of said multiple devices using an appropriate one of said communications protocols.

13. The architecture of claim 12, wherein a terminal level profile is a collection of terminal level, address independent service information, including location information.

14. The architecture of claim 13, wherein a user profile is a collection of at least one terminal profile and at least one incoming call handling (ICH) service profile, wherein said ICH service profile includes said at least one first and second type profile.

15. The architecture of claim 13, wherein said terminal level profile is dynamically updated.

16. The architecture of claim 12, wherein said first type profile includes service related data classified as address related.

17. The architecture of claim 12, wherein said second type profile includes service related data classified as both address and terminal related.

18. The architecture of claim 12, further including a core incoming call handling service profile, said core service profile having one core terminal per technology and being utilized for standard compliant connection queries regarding said subscriber.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein said routing parameters of said destination call policy are based on information selected from the group consisting of:

time-of-day, caller identification, currently available network and current location.

20. A method of connecting to a subscriber having multiple devices accessible via a communications network and utilizing differing communications protocols, said method comprising the steps of:

assigning at least one address to said subscriber; and

referencing service profiles of said subscriber corresponding to said multiple devices and said differing protocols and a terminal level profile which is a collection of terminal level, address independent service information, including dynamically updated location information, a destination selection policy also being referenced in order to attempt to connect to said subscriber at least one of a most appropriate one of said multiple devices.