Methods of providing caller identification information and related registries and radiotelephone networks

• US 20060013375A1
• Filed: 07/15/2004
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Diggle, Frederick III, Smith, Donald, Ryals, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,195,136 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/201.120
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

Caller identification information may be provided for a plurality of radiotelephone networks operated by a plurality of service providers. For example, a registry may be provided including a first serial number and a first identification other than the first serial number for a first radiotelephone registered for service with a first service provider operating a first radiotelephone network. The registry may also include a second serial number and a second identification other than the second serial number for a second radiotelephone registered for service with a second service provider operating a second radiotelephone network. A caller identification request may be accepted from the second radiotelephone network operated by the second service provider wherein the caller identification request includes the first serial number for the first radiotelephone. Responsive to accepting the caller identification request, a caller identification response may be provided to the second radiotelephone network wherein the caller identification response includes the first identification for the first radiotelephone. Related radiotelephone networks and registries are also discussed.

Claims

1. A method of providing caller identification information for a plurality of radiotelephone networks operated by a plurality of service providers, the method comprising:

providing a registry including a first serial number and a first identification other than the first serial number for a first radiotelephone registered for service with a first service provider operating a first radiotelephone network and a second serial number and a second identification other than the second serial number for a second radiotelephone registered for service with a second service provider operating a second radiotelephone network;

accepting a caller identification request from the second radiotelephone network operated by the second service provider wherein the caller identification request includes the first serial number for the first radiotelephone; and

responsive to accepting the caller identification request, providing a caller identification response to the second radiotelephone network wherein the caller identification response includes the first identification for the first radiotelephone.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein providing the registry comprises,

accepting the first serial number and the first identification from the first radiotelephone network operated by the first service provider wherein the first serial number and the first identification correspond to the first radiotelephone registered with the first service provider, and

accepting the second serial number and the second identification from the second radiotelephone network operated by the second service provider wherein the second serial number and the second identification correspond to the second radiotelephone registered with the second service provider;

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

accepting a second caller identification request from the first radiotelephone network operated by the first service provider wherein the second caller identification request includes the second serial number for the second radiotelephone; and

responsive to accepting the second caller identification request, providing a second caller identification response to the first radiotelephone network wherein the second caller identification response includes the second identification for the second radiotelephone.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the serial numbers for the radiotelephones comprise electronic serial numbers (ESNs) for the radiotelephones.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein each serial number for each radiotelephone comprises a unique alphanumeric sequence permanently stored in read only memory for the respective radiotelephone.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first identification comprises at least one of a first telephone number and/or a first name of a user corresponding to the first radiotelephone and wherein the second identification comprises at least one of a second telephone number and/or a second name of a user corresponding to the second radiotelephone.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the registry is maintained outside the first radiotelephone network operated by the first service provider and outside the second radiotelephone network operated by the second service provider.

8. A method of providing caller identification for a radiotelephone communications system, the method comprising:

receiving a call set up request from a roaming radiotelephone wherein the call set up request includes a serial number for the roaming radiotelephone and a telephone number for a called telephone;

providing a caller identification request including the serial number for the roaming radiotelephone to a registry including serial numbers for a plurality of radiotelephones wherein the registry associates a serial number for each of the plurality of radiotelephones with a respective identification other than the serial number corresponding to the respective radiotelephone;

responsive to providing the serial number for the roaming radiotelephone, receiving a caller identification response from the registry wherein the caller identification response includes an identification other than the serial number corresponding to the roaming radiotelephone; and

responsive to receiving the identification corresponding to the roaming radiotelephone from the registry, forwarding the call set up request and the identification corresponding to the roaming radiotelephone from the registry to the called telephone.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the serial numbers for the plurality of radiotelephones comprise electronic serial numbers (ESNs) for the plurality of radiotelephones.

10. A method according to claim 8 wherein each serial number for each radiotelephone comprises a unique alphanumeric sequence permanently stored in read only memory for the respective radiotelephone.

11. A method according to claim 8 wherein the roaming radiotelephone is roaming outside a home radiotelephone network for the roaming radiotelephone, wherein the home radiotelephone network for the roaming radiotelephone is operated by a first service provider, and wherein receiving the call set up request from the roaming radiotelephone comprises receiving the call set up request at a radiotelephone network operated by a second service provider different than the first service provider.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the roaming radiotelephone is roaming in the radiotelephone network operated by the second service provider.

13. A method according to claim 12 further comprising:

transmitting billing information from the radiotelephone network operated by the second service provider to the home radiotelephone network operated by the first service provider.

14. A method according to claim 11 wherein the registry is maintained outside the home radiotelephone network operated by the first service provider and outside the radiotelephone network operated by the second service provider.

15. A method according to claim 8 further comprising:

after forwarding the call set up request, establishing a telephone communication between the roaming radiotelephone and the called telephone.

16. A method according to claim 8 wherein the called telephone comprises at least one of another radiotelephone and/or a land-line telephone.

17. A method according to claim 8 further comprising:

assigning a new telephone number to a new radiotelephone wherein the new radiotelephone includes a serial number other than the new telephone number prior to assigning the new telephone number; and

forwarding the serial number for the new radiotelephone and at least one of the new telephone number and/or a name of a user of the new radiotelephone to the registry.

18. A method according to claim 8 wherein the identification other than the serial number corresponding to the roaming radiotelephone comprises at least one of a telephone number and/or a name of a user corresponding to the roaming radiotelephone

19. A caller identification system for a radiotelephone communications system, the caller identification system comprising:

a database including a first serial number and a first identification other than the first serial number for a first radiotelephone registered for service with a first service provider operating a first radiotelephone network and a second serial number and a second identification other than the second serial number for a second radiotelephone registered for service with a second service provider operating a second radiotelephone network; and

a caller identification interface configured to accept a caller identification request from the second radiotelephone network operated by the second service provider wherein the caller identification request includes the first serial number for the first radiotelephone, and responsive to accepting the caller identification request, the caller identification interface being further configured to provide a caller identification response to the second radiotelephone network wherein the caller identification response includes the first identification for the first radiotelephone.

20. A caller identification system according to claim 19 wherein the data base is configured to,

accept the first serial number and the first identification from the first radiotelephone network operated by the first service provider wherein the first serial number and the first identification correspond to the first radiotelephone registered with the first service provider, and

accept the second serial number and the second identification from the second radiotelephone network operated by the second service provider wherein the second serial number and the second identification correspond to the second radiotelephone registered with the second service provider;

21. A caller identification system according to claim 19 wherein the caller identification interface is further configured to,

accept a second caller identification request from the first radiotelephone network operated by the first service provider wherein the second caller identification request includes the second serial number for the second radiotelephone, and

responsive to accepting the second caller identification request, to provide a second caller identification response to the first radiotelephone network wherein the second caller identification response includes the second identification for the second radiotelephone.

22. A caller identification system according to claim 19 wherein the serial numbers for the radiotelephones comprise electronic serial numbers (ESNs) for the radiotelephones.

23. A caller identification system according to claim 19 wherein each serial number for each radiotelephone comprises a unique alphanumeric sequence permanently stored in read only memory for the respective radiotelephone.

24. A caller identification system according to claim 19 wherein the first identification comprises at least one of a first telephone number and/or a first name of a user corresponding to the first radiotelephone and wherein the second identification comprises at least one of a second telephone number and/or a second name of a user corresponding to the second radiotelephone.

25. A caller identification system according to claim 19 wherein the registry is maintained outside the first radiotelephone network operated by the first service provider and outside the second radiotelephone network operated by the second service provider.

26. A radiotelephone communications system comprising:

a base station configured to receive a call set up request from a roaming radiotelephone wherein the call set up request includes a serial number for the roaming radiotelephone other than a telephone number for the roaming radiotelephone and a telephone number for a called telephone;

a caller identification interface configured to provide a caller identification request including the serial number for the roaming radiotelephone to a registry including serial numbers for a plurality of radiotelephones wherein the registry associates a serial number for each of the plurality of radiotelephones with a respective identification other than the serial number corresponding to the respective radiotelephone, and responsive to providing the serial number for the roaming radiotelephone, the communications interface being further configured to receive a caller identification response including an identification other than the serial number corresponding to the roaming radiotelephone; and

a communications interface configured to forward the call set up request and the identification corresponding to the roaming radiotelephone from the registry to the called telephone after receiving the identification corresponding to the roaming radiotelephone from the registry.

27. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 26 wherein the serial numbers for the plurality of radiotelephones comprise electronic serial numbers (ESNs) for the plurality of radiotelephones.

28. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 26 wherein each serial number for each radiotelephone comprises a unique alphanumeric sequence permanently stored in read only memory for the respective radiotelephone.

29. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 26 wherein the radiotelephone communications system is operated by a first service provider, wherein the roaming radiotelephone is roaming outside a home radiotelephone network for the roaming radiotelephone, wherein the home radiotelephone network for the roaming radiotelephone is operated by a second service provider different than the first service provider.

30. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 29 wherein the roaming radiotelephone is roaming in the radiotelephone network operated by the first service provider.

31. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 30 wherein the communications interface is further configured to transmit billing information to the home radiotelephone network operated by the second service provider.

32. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 29 wherein the registry is maintained outside radiotelephone communications system operated by the first service provider.

33. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 26 further comprising:

a mobile telephone switching office configured to establish a telephone communication between the roaming radiotelephone and the called telephone after forwarding the call set up request.

34. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 26 wherein the called telephone comprises at least one of another radiotelephone and/or a land-line telephone.

36. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 26 wherein the identification other than the serial number corresponding to the roaming radiotelephone comprises at least one of a telephone number and/or a name of a user corresponding to the roaming radiotelephone.