Number portability and services utilizing number range owner information

• US 20040053604A1
• Filed: 06/20/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Koposdi, Pal, Ratilainen, Rauno
• Granted Patent: US 7,844,261 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers

Abstract

Number portability is a service where a subscriber can keep his old telephone number within a portability cluster and thus retain easy contactibility. Because of number portability, a called address, i.e. B-number, no longer refers to the subscription network/number range owner and the old rule “the number range of the called party reveals the tariff level” is no longer valid. To overcome this defect all intelligent network-like service invocation requests are routed (3-2) via a network node performing a number portability function to the network node controlling the service. The node performing the number portability function performs (3-3) a mapping of the B-number and relays (3-4) the service invocation requests indicating the subscription network/number range owner.

Claims

1. A method of providing a service using information based on an address range in a communications system comprising at least a first entity invoking the service and a second entity having access to a number portability database, the method comprising at least the steps of:

detecting (3-1) a service invocation of a service to be invoked by the first entity;

routing (3-2) a request comprising an address and relating to the service invocation to the first entity via the second entity;

characterized by

mapping (3-3) in the second entity the address to the number portability database; and

relaying (3-4) from the second entity to the first entity the request which indicates the address range of the address.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized by

determining in the second entity that the request is to be relayed to the first entity on the basis of the protocol used in the request, and

performing said mapping if the request is to be relayed to the first entity.

3. A method according to claim 1, characterized by

adding a service key indicating the service into the request in response to detecting the service invocation;

determining in the second entity that the request is to be relayed to the first entity on the basis of the service key in the request, and

performing said mapping if the request is to be relayed to the first entity.

7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

if the address is in the number portability database, the address range is indicated by an indication added into the request before relaying (3-4) the request;

and

if the address is not in the number portability database, the address itself indicates the address range.

8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims,

characterized by

the number portability database comprising information on at least ported addresses of home subscribers;

and

the address range indicating whether the subscriber is a home subscriber or a visiting subscriber.

9. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the address range is used to determine a tariff level to be used.

4. A method of relaying a service invocation request in a communications system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving (201) the service invocation request in a network node providing at least a number portability service using a number portability database;

characterized by

determining (202, 203) whether the service invocation request relates to services provided in the network node;

if it does, triggering (207) the service the service invocation request relates to;

if it does not, the method further comprises the steps of;

mapping (204, 205) an address in the service invocation request to the number portability database; and

relaying (206) the service invocation request which indicates at least the address range of the address.

5. A method according to claim 4, characterized by recognizing (203) that the service invocation request relates to services provided in the network node on the basis of the service key value in the service invocation request.

6. A method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized by recognizing (202) that the message does not relate to services provided in the network node on the basis of the protocol of the service invocation request.

10. A method of relaying a service invocation request in a communications system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving (201) the service invocation request in a network node providing at least mapping of logical names with an address indicating a tariff level;

characterized by

determining (202, 203) whether the service invocation request relates to services provided in the network node;

if it does, triggering (207) the service the service invocation request relates to;

if it does not, the method further comprises the steps of;

performing the mapping to the address in the service invocation request; and

relaying the service invocation request with an address indicating the tariff level.

11. A system (1) comprising at least

a number portability database (NP_DB) comprising ported numbers;

a first node (SSP) for encountering a trigger for a service and, in response to the encountering, sending a service invocation request;

a second node (SCP) for invoking the service; and

a third node (SRR) for providing at least a number portability service (SCF_NP);

wherein the first node (SSP) is configured to send the service invocation request to the second node (SCP) via the third node (SRR);

characterized in that

the third node (SRR) is arranged to determine whether the service invocation request relates to services provided in the third node (SRR), and if it does not relate to services provided in the third node, to map an address in the service invocation request to the number portability database and to relay the service invocation request to the second node (SCP), the relayed service invocation request indicating the address range of the address.

12. A network node (SRR) in a communications system, the network node comprising at least a number portability service function (SCF_NP) having access to a number portability database (NP_DB), the network node being arranged to receive service invocation requests,

characterized in that

in response to receiving a service invocation request, the network node (SRR) is arranged to determine whether the service invocation request relates to a service function in the network node (SRR), and if the service invocation request does not relate to a service function in the network node, to map an address in the service invocation request to the number portability database and to relay the service invocation request indicating the address range of the address.

13. A network node (SRR) according to claim 12, characterized in that the network node (SRR) is arranged to perform said determination by comparing the protocol used to relay the service invocation request with protocols used by service functions in the network node, and to determine that the service invocation request does not relate to a service function in the network node, if the protocol is not one of the protocols used by service functions in the network node.

14. A network node (SRR) according to claim 13, characterized in that if the protocol is one of the protocols used by service functions, the network node (SRR) is arranged to further check, whether a service key in the service invocation request indicates one of the service functions in the network node and to determine that the service invocation request does not relate to a service function in the network node, if the service key does not indicate one of the service functions in the network node.

15. A network node (SRR) according to claim 12, characterized in that the network node (SRR) is arranged to perform said determination by checking, whether a service key in the service invocation request indicates one of the service functions in the network node and to determine that the service invocation request does not relate to a service function in the network node, if the service key does not indicate one of the service functions in the network node.