ARCHITECTURE AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CLOSED USER GROUPS AND LIMITING MOBILITY IN WIRELESS NETWORKS

• US 20070037597A1
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kodiak Networks Inc (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kodiak Networks Inc (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kundu, Gorachand, Patel, Krishnakant, Biswas, Deepankar, Boray, Giridhar
• Granted Patent: US 7,689,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast

Abstract

A system for providing advanced voice services (AVS) in wireless communications systems includes a Real-Time Exchange (RTX) that interfaces to a wireless communications network to provide the AVS therein, wherein the AVS comprise Closed User Groups and Limiting Mobility. The Closed User Groups allow a group of users to make and receive calls only to other members of a group, and calls outside of the group are disallowed. The Limiting Mobility uses location information to restrict a mobile unit to service within one or more specified systems, cells or location areas;

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing advanced voice services in a wireless network, comprising:

a wireless communications network for making calls to and from mobile units, wherein the calls are initiated by call setup and in-band signaling within the wireless communications network and voice frames for the calls are switched between the mobile units across bearer paths in the wireless communications network; and

a real-time exchange that interfaces to the wireless communications network to provide the advanced voice services therein, wherein the advanced voice services comprise Closed User Groups (CUGs) that allow a group of users to make and receive calls only to other members of a group, and calls outside of the group are disallowed;

wherein both the real-time exchange and the mobile units that use the advanced voice services communicate with each other to provide the advanced voice services for the mobile units.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the group members need only enter a short code, less than a mobile directory number, to identify and call other members in the group.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the group is identified by a Group Id.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein calls outside of the group are disallowed, except for specified members under specified conditions.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a CUG is comprised of members having Normal and Manager privileges.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein a Normal privilege member is allowed to make and receive intra-CUG calls only, but is not allowed to make or receive calls outside the CUG.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein a Normal privilege member is allowed to make and receive intra-CUG calls, and is allowed to receive calls outside the CUG, but is not allowed to make calls outside the CUG.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein a Manager privilege member is allowed to make and receive intra-CUG calls, as well as make and receive calls outside the CUG.

9. An apparatus for providing advanced voice services in a wireless network, comprising:

a wireless communications network for making calls to and from mobile units, wherein the calls are initiated by call setup and in-band signaling within the wireless communications network and voice frames for the calls are switched between the mobile units across bearer paths in the wireless communications network; and

a real-time exchange that interfaces to the wireless communications network to provide the advanced voice services therein, wherein the advanced voice services comprise limiting mobility for the mobile units using location information, thereby restricting a mobile unit to service within one or more specified systems, cells or location areas;

wherein both the real-time exchange and the mobile units that use the advanced voice services communicate with each other to provide the advanced voice services for the mobile units.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the location information comprises an identity of a system serving the mobile unit, an identity of a cell serving the mobile unit, and an identity of a location area serving the mobile unit.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the advanced voice services limit the mobility for the mobile units using location information to restrict the mobile unit to a combination of one or more specified systems, cells or location areas.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the location information is provided by a home location register.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the location information is compared against configured mobility information in determining whether to allow or bar a call by the mobile unit.