Integrated cellular VoIP for call rerouting

• US 20050186960A1
• Filed: 02/23/2005
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobileum, Incorporated fka Roamware
• Original Assignee: Mobileum, Incorporated fka Roamware
• Inventors: Jiang, Yue Jun
• Granted Patent: US 7,379,436 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1095 Inter-network session transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/123 where the packet-switched network is an Internet Protocol Multimedia System-type network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• 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 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

Integrated Cellular Voice over Internet Protocol (“VoIP”) systems (“ICV systems”) are described that redirect or reroute wireless network voice and data traffic to roaming subscribers via VoIP networks. The ICV system monitors roaming links of a first communication system. The first communication system may include a home network and a visited network. The ICV system detects a mobile device registering with the visited network. The ICV system receives location information corresponding to a location of the mobile device and selects a routing number corresponding to the location. The ICV system uses the selected routing number to transfer calls received at the home network to the mobile device via a second communication system.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first communication system comprising a home network and a visited network;

at least one second communication system coupled to the home network and the visited network; and

a gateway coupled to at least one of the first and second communication systems, wherein the gateway monitors roaming links of the first communication system and detects a mobile device registering with the visited network, wherein the gateway receives location information corresponding to a location of the mobile device and selects a routing number corresponding to the location, wherein the gateway uses the selected routing number to transfer calls received at the home network to the mobile device via the second communication system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication system is a cellular system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second communication system includes at least one of a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system and a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein receiving location information further comprises receiving at least one of an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), a Visited Location Register (VLR), a Visited Mobile Switching Center (VMSC), and subscription information of the mobile device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein receiving location information further comprises receiving location information from Mobile Application Part (MAP) transaction messages between the mobile device and the first communication system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway determines if unconditional call forwarding is enabled at the mobile device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein selecting a routing number further comprises selecting a local number from a set of numbers that corresponds to at least one of a country, zone, and network of the location of the mobile device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile device includes at least one of a cellular telephone, personal computer, portable computing device, portable telephone, portable communication device, subscriber device, and personal digital assistant.

9. A system comprising:

a gateway coupled to first and second communication systems; and

a client application coupled to a mobile device, the client application detecting a coupling with the second communication system and transferring a message to the gateway via the coupling, the message including identification information of the mobile device, wherein the gateway determines a routing number of the second communication system that corresponds to a location of the mobile device, wherein the gateway establishes an association between the routing number and an address of the mobile device on the second communication system, wherein the gateway transfers a call received at the first communication system to the mobile device via the second communication system using the routing number and address of the mobile device.

10. A system comprising:

circuitry that monitors roaming links of a first communication system, wherein the first communication system includes at least one of a home network and a visited network;

circuitry that detects a mobile device registering with the visited network;

circuitry that receives location information corresponding to a location of the mobile device;

circuitry that selects a routing number corresponding to the location; and

circuitry that uses the selected routing number to transfer calls received at the home network to the mobile device via a second communication system.

11. A device comprising:

a monitoring system that monitors roaming links of a first communication system, wherein the first communication system includes at least one of a home network and a visited network;

a detector that detects a mobile device registering with the visited network;

a receiver that receives location information corresponding to a location of the mobile device;

a selection system that selects a routing number corresponding to the location; and

a transmitter that uses the selected routing number to transfer calls received at the home network to the mobile device via a second communication system.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the first communication system is a cellular system.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the second communication system includes at least one of a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system and a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) system.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein receiving location information further comprises receiving at least one of an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), a Visited Location Register (VLR), a Visited Mobile Switching Center (VMSC), and subscription information of the mobile device.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein receiving location information further comprises receiving location information from Mobile Application Part (MAP) transaction messages between the mobile device and the first communication system.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein selecting a routing number further comprises selecting a local number from a set of numbers that corresponds to at least one of a country, zone, and network of the location of the mobile device.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein the mobile device includes at least one of a cellular telephone, personal computer, portable computing device, portable telephone, portable communication device, subscriber device, and personal digital assistant.

18. A device comprising:

means for monitoring at least one roaming link of a first communication system;

means for detecting a roaming device registering with a visited network;

means for receiving location information corresponding to a location of the roaming device;

means for selecting a routing number that corresponds to the location, the routing number corresponding to a second communication system; and

means for transferring calls received at a home network to the roaming device via the second communication system in accordance with the routing number, wherein the home network and the visited network are networks operating under the first communication system.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the first communication system is a cellular system and the second communication system includes at least one of a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system and a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) system.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the means for selecting further comprises means for selecting a local number from a set of numbers that corresponds to at least one of a country, zone, and network of the location of the mobile device.

21. The device of claim 18, wherein the mobile device includes at least one of a cellular telephone, personal computer, portable computing device, portable telephone, portable communication device, subscriber device, and personal digital assistant.

22. A method comprising:

monitoring at least one roaming link of a first communication system;

detecting a roaming device registering with a visited network;

receiving location information corresponding to a location of the roaming device;

selecting a routing number that corresponds to the location, the routing number corresponding to a second communication system; and

transferring calls received at a home network to the roaming device via the second communication system in accordance with the routing number, wherein the home network and the visited network are networks operating under the first communication system.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first communication system is a cellular system.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the second communication system includes at least one of a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system and a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) system.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the detecting further comprises at least one of intercepting a signal of the roaming device and probing the signal.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein receiving location information further comprises receiving at least one of an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), a Visited Location Register (VLR), a Visited Mobile Switching Center (VMSC), and subscription information of the roaming device.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein receiving location information further comprises receiving location information from Mobile Application Part (MAP) transaction messages between the roaming device and the first communication system.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the MAP transaction messages are transferred between a Home Location Register (HLR) of a Home Public Mobile Network (HPMN) of the roaming device and a Visited Location Register (VLR) of a Visited Public Mobile Network (VPMN) with which the roaming device is roaming.

29. The method of claim 22, further comprising determining if unconditional call forwarding is enabled at the roaming device.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising, in response to determining that unconditional call forwarding is disabled, registering the selected routing number at a Home Location Register (HLR) of a Home Public Mobile Network (HPMN) of the roaming device.

31. The method of claim 22, further comprising assigning at least one set of routing numbers to the home network of the roaming device, wherein assigning includes the second communication system assigning the set of routing numbers.

32. The method of claim 22, wherein selecting a routing number further comprises selecting a local number from a set of numbers that corresponds to at least one of a country, zone, and network of the visited network.

33. The method of claim 22, wherein transferring further comprises:

forwarding the received call to the second communication system;

requesting the selected routing number;

receiving the selected routing number in response to the request; and

routing the received call through the second communication system to the roaming device using the selected routing number.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein requesting the selected routing number comprises transferring a request for the selected routing number from the second communication system to the visited network via the home network.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein receiving the selected routing number comprises receiving the selected routing number at the second communication system from the visited network via the home network.

36. The method of claim 22, wherein the roaming device includes at least one of cellular telephones, personal computers, portable computing devices, portable telephones, portable communication devices, subscriber devices, and personal digital assistants.

37. A method comprising:

detecting at a mobile device a coupling with an Internet Protocol (IP) network;

transferring a message to a gateway of the IP network via the coupling, the message including identification information of the mobile device;

selecting a routing number that corresponds to a location of the mobile device, the routing number corresponding to the IP network;

establishing an association between the selected routing number and an IP address of the mobile device; and

transferring a call received at a cellular network to the mobile device via the IP network using the routing number and the IP address of the mobile device.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising determining the location of the mobile device.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising determining if unconditional call forwarding is enabled at the mobile device.

40. The method of claim 37, further comprising assigning at least one set of routing numbers in response to the location of the mobile device.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein selecting a routing number further comprises selecting a local number from a set of numbers that corresponds to at least one of a country, zone, and network of the location of the mobile device.

42. The method of claim 37, wherein the mobile device includes at least one of a cellular telephone, Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) device, personal computer, portable computing device, portable telephone, portable communication device, subscriber device, and personal digital assistant.