Method and apparatus for supporting enhanced international dialing in cellular systems

• US 20060177043A1
• Filed: 12/12/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Li, Yan, Nasielski, John Wallace
• Granted Patent: US 7,715,829 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/355.80
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27485 Appending a prefix to or inserting a pause into a dialling sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided that support enhanced international dialing in cellular systems using handset based code dialing. According to one aspect, the handset analyzes the dialed digits before sending the dialed number to the network. If the dialed digits begin with the country code of the area from which the call is placed, the country code will be removed and a national access code will be added in front of the digit strings. For international calls the dialed number may begin with a + indicator, followed by a country coded, an area code, and a customer number. The digit string is automatically translated into a new number based on the numbering plan of the area in which a call is being placed. The new number can then be sent to the network to set up the call.

Claims

1. A method of dialing a call using international number in a CDMA serving network, comprising:

entering a dialed number comprising a digit string that corresponds to an international telephone number,

wherein the dialed number begins with a + indicator, followed by a country code, an area code and a customer number,

automatically translating the digit string into a new number based on a numbering plan of the area in which the call is being placed; and

sending the new number to the CDMA serving network to set up the call.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the new number comprises a national number, and wherein automatically translating the digit string into the national number, comprises:

analyzing the digit string, before sending the dialed number to the CDMA serving network, to detect if the digit string includes a country code of an area to which the call is being placed,

wherein the call is a international call if the country code in the dialed number is different with the country code of the area which the call is being placed,

wherein the country code of an area is associated with a location information field that is used to match location information broadcast by the CDMA serving network;

removing the country code from the digit string if the country code in dialed digits is matched with the country code of serving network; and

adding a national access code on demand to the digit string to generate a new number.

3. The method of claim 2,

wherein dialed numbers beginning with a special prefix code do not require the national access code in the area identified by the location information broadcasted by the serving network, and

wherein the national access code is used to make a national call in the area associated with the location information, and

wherein the national access code is located in front of an area code and customer number if a special prefix code does not match.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein analyzing the digits, before sending the dialed number to the CDMA serving network, to detect if the digits further comprise a country code of an area to which the call is being placed, further comprises:

comparing the country code of the CDMA serving network and to a country code of the dialed number to determine whether the call is an international call or a national call.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein if the call is a national call, adding a national access code to the digit string to generate a new number, comprises:

removing the country code from the dialed digit string;

comparing a special prefix code;

adding national access code to the digit string to generate a new number if the special prefix code does not match.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein removing the country code from the digit string if the country code is detected, comprises:

removing the country code and + indicator from the digit string if the country code is detected.

7. A method of placing a call in a serving wireless network that serves users in an area of operation, comprising:

entering a called number which comprises a country code, an area code and a customer number;

determining whether the called number further comprises an optional indicator and further determining whether the country code corresponds to a country code of the serving network before sending the called number to the serving network;

if the called number includes the optional indicator and the country code does not correspond to the country code of the serving network, translating the optional indicator to an international access code for the serving network to generate a modified called number; and

inserting the international access code of the serving network into the modified called number to generate a new called number.

8. The method of claim 7, if the called number has a “

+”

indicator and is not the local number of the visited country, determining that the call is an international call, and wherein inserting the international access code of the serving network into the modified called number to generate a new called number, comprises;

inserting the international access code of the serving network at the beginning of the modified called number to generate a new called number

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

sending the new called number to the serving network to setup the call.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

if the called number includes the optional indicator and the country code corresponds to the country code of the serving network, removing the country code to produce a reduced called number comprising the area code and the customer number; and

inserting a national access code of the reduced called number into the reduced called number to generate a new called number.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

if the called number includes a “

+”

indicator and is the local number of the visited country, removing the country code from the called number to produce a reduced called number comprising the area code and the customer number; and

if the reduced called number does not begin a special prefix code, inserting a national access code into the reduced called number to generate a new called number.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

sending the new called number to the serving network to setup the call.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the optional indicator is a “

+”

code.

14. A processor for use in a wireless device that enables dialing a call using international number in a CDMA serving network, comprising:

an input which receives a dialed number comprising a digit string that corresponds to an international telephone number, wherein the dialed number begins with a + indicator, followed by a country code, an area code and a customer number,

means for automatically translating the digit string into a new number based on a numbering plan of the area in which the call is being placed; and

means for sending the new number to the CDMA serving network to set up the call.

15. The processor of claim 14, wherein the new number comprises a national number, and wherein means for automatically translating the digit string into the national number, comprises:

means for analyzing the digit string, before sending the dialed number to the CDMA serving network, to detect if the digit string includes a country code of an area to which the call is being placed,

wherein the call is a international call if the country code in the dialed number is different with the country code of the area which the call is being placed,

wherein the country code of an area is associated with a location information field that is used to match location information broadcast by the CDMA serving network;

means for removing the country code from the digit string if the country code in dialed digits is matched with the country code of serving network; and

means for adding a national access code on demand to the digit string to generate a new number

16. The processor of claim 15,

wherein dialed numbers beginning with a special prefix code do not require the national access code in the area identified by the location information broadcasted by the serving network, and

wherein the national access code is used to make a national call in the area associated with the location information, and

wherein the national access code is located in front of an area code and customer number if a special prefix code does not match.

17. The processor of claim 15, wherein means for analyzing the digits, before sending the dialed number to the CDMA serving network, to detect if the digits further comprise a country code of an area to which the call is being placed, further comprises:

means for comparing the country code of the CDMA serving network and to a country code of the dialed number to determine whether the call is an international call or a national call.

18. The processor of claim 15, wherein if the call is a national call, means for adding a national access code to the digit string to generate a new number, comprises:

means for removing the country code from the dialed digit string, and then adding national access code to the digit string to generate a new number if the special prefix code does not match.

19. The processor of claim 15, wherein means for removing the country code from the digit string if the country code is detected, comprises:

means for removing the country code and + indicator from the digit string if the country code is detected.

20. A processor for use in a wireless device that enables dialing a call using international number in a CDMA serving network, wherein the processor receives an input comprising a dialed number comprising a digit string that corresponds to an international telephone number, wherein the dialed number begins with a + indicator, followed by a country code, an area code and a customer number, comprising:

a translator which automatically translates the digit string into a new number based on a numbering plan of the area in which the call is being placed; and

a transmitter that sends the new number to the CDMA serving network to set up the call.

21. The processor of claim 20, wherein the new number comprises a national number, and wherein the translator comprises:

an analyzer unit which analyzes the digit string, before sending the dialed number to the CDMA serving network, to determine if the digit string includes a country code of an area to which the call is being placed, wherein the call is a international call if the country code in the dialed number is different with the country code of the area which the call is being placed, and wherein the country code of an area is associated with a location information field that is used to match location information broadcast by the CDMA serving network;

a modification unit which removes the country code from the digit string if the country code in dialed digits is matched with the country code of serving network, and which adds a national access code on demand to the digit string to generate a new number

22. The processor of claim 21,

wherein dialed numbers beginning with a special prefix code do not require the national access code in the area identified by the location information broadcasted by the serving network, and

wherein the national access code is used to make a national call in the area associated with the location information, and

wherein the national access code is located in front of an area code and customer number if a special prefix code does not match.

23. The processor of claim 21, wherein the analyzer unit further comprises:

a comparison unit which compares the country code of the CDMA serving network and to a country code of the dialed number to determine whether the call is an international call or a national call.

24. The processor of claim 21, wherein if the call is a national call, the modification unit removes the country code from the dialed digit string, and adds a national access code to the digit string to generate a new number if the special prefix code does not match.

25. The processor of claim 21, wherein the modification unit removes the country code and + indicator from the digit string if the country code is detected.

26. A wireless device which enables dialing a call using international number in a CDMA serving network, wherein the wireless device receives an input comprising a dialed number comprising a digit string that corresponds to an international telephone number, wherein the dialed number begins with a + indicator, followed by a country code, an area code and a customer number, comprising:

a translator which automatically translates the digit string into a new number based on a numbering plan of the area in which the call is being placed; and

a transmitter that sends the new number to the CDMA serving network to set up the call.

27. The wireless device of claim 26, wherein the new number comprises a national number, and wherein the translator comprises:

an analyzer unit which analyzes the digit string, before sending the dialed number to the CDMA serving network, to determine if the digit string includes a country code of an area to which the call is being placed, wherein the call is a international call if the country code in the dialed number is different with the country code of the area which the call is being placed, and wherein the country code of an area is associated with a location information field that is used to match location information broadcast by the CDMA serving network;

a modification unit which removes the country code from the digit string if the country code in dialed digits is matched with the country code of serving network, and which adds a national access code on demand to the digit string to generate a new number

28. The wireless device of claim 27,

wherein dialed numbers beginning with a special prefix code do not require the national access code in the area identified by the location information broadcasted by the serving network, and

wherein the national access code is used to make a national call in the area associated with the location information, and

wherein the national access code is located in front of an area code and customer number if a special prefix code does not match.

29. The wireless device of claim 27, wherein the analyzer unit further comprises:

a comparison unit which compares the country code of the CDMA serving network and to a country code of the dialed number to determine whether the call is an international call or a national call.

30. The wireless device of claim 27, wherein if the call is a national call, the modification unit removes the country code from the dialed digit string, and adds a national access code to the digit string to generate a new number if the special prefix code does not match.

31. The wireless device of claim 27, wherein the modification unit removes the country code and + indicator from the digit string if the country code is detected.