Method for routing a service request in a telecommunication system, using e.164 numbers and a dns

• US 20060098621A1
• Filed: 06/13/2003
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Isabel Plata Andres, Victor Ferraro-Esparza
• Original Assignee: Isabel Plata Andres, Victor Ferraro-Esparza
• Inventors: Ferraro-Esparza, Victor, Plata Andres, Isabel
• Granted Patent: US 7,644,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/37 E-mail addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/38 Telephone uniform resource identifier [URI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/385 Uniform resource identifier for session initiation protocol [SIP URI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4555 Directories for electronic mail or instant messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]

Abstract

A method for routing a service request in a telecommunication system in cases where the identifier received for the destination of the service is not (or can not be) suitable for routing the service, such as when a E.164 number is received in IP based multimedia telecommunication systems. Upon reception of a service request in a telecommunications node of the telecommunication system in charge of serving control for services, a query comprising the received identifier is made to a translation database. As a result, a plurality of identifiers related to the received identifier are received that can have different formats and imply different service types. The service is further routed from said telecommunications node according to an identifier selected among said plurality of identifiers that contains the primarily received identifier in the user name portion.

Claims

1. A method for routing a service request in a telecommunication system towards a destination user, the method comprising the steps of:

a) storing a collection of identifiers related to a first identifier assigned to said user;

b) receiving a service request that comprises said first identifier;

c) obtaining a plurality of identifiers among said collection of identifiers;

d) selecting a second identifier among said plurality of identifiers; and

e) routing said service request according to said selected second identifier;

wherein

at least one identifier among said plurality of identifiers stored in step a) has a format that comprises a user-name portion and a domain-name portion, wherein the user-name portion contains said first identifier; and

in step d) said second identifier is selected having a format comprising a user-name portion and a domain-name portion, wherein said user-name portion contains said first identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step c) further comprises the steps of:

c1) sending a query to a database that contains said collection of identifiers related to said first identifier, said query comprising the content of the first identifier;

c2) receiving a response to said query that comprises a plurality of identifiers among said collection of identifiers.

3. The method of claims 1, wherein said first identifier is a E.164 number and said second identifier is a Uniform Resource Locator for Session Initiation Protocol.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said second identifier contains number portability information.

5. An apparatus for routing a service request in a telecommunication system, the apparatus comprising:

communication means arranged for receiving a service request towards a destination user, said service request comprising a first identifier assigned to said destination user;

processing means arranged for obtaining a plurality of identifiers related to said first identifier and for selecting a second identifier among said plurality of identifiers; and

routing means arranged to route said service request according to said selected second identifier;

wherein

said processing means are arranged to select a second identifier among said plurality of identifiers having a format that comprises a user-name portion and a domain-name portion, wherein said user-name portion contains said first identifier.

6. A system for routing a service request in a telecommunication system, the system comprising:

a data base, in charge of storing a collection of identifiers related to a first identifier associated to a user; and

a serving node of said telecommunication system in charge of receiving a service request towards a destination user and further routing said service request;

said data base being arranged to receive a query comprising the content of said first identifier, and to answer said query with a plurality of identifiers among said collection of identifiers;

said serving node being arranged for querying said data base upon reception of a service request that comprises said first identifier, and further routing said service request according to an identifier selected among said plurality of identifiers;

wherein

said serving node is further arranged for routing service request according to an identifier selected among said plurality of identifiers that has a format comprising a user-name portion and a domain-name portion, wherein said user-name portion contains said first identifier.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said first identifier is a E.164 number and said second identifier is a Uniform Resource Locator for Session Initiation Protocol.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said wherein said second identifier contains number portability information.