Apparatus, and associated method, for facilitating formation of a call connection in a radio communication system with a service center identified by a short dialing code

• US 20070135144A1
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Buckley, Adrian, Sundresh, Bokinakere
• Granted Patent: US 7,917,136 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27485 Appending a prefix to or inserting a pause into a dialling sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 by downloading data to substation equipment

Abstract

Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating call connection with a selected service center from a mobile node. A mobile node is provided with short dialing codes used in a network with which the mobile node is registered by SMS messages sent thereto, such as pursuant to registration procedures. Values of the short dialing codes downloaded to the mobile node are stored at a storage location, such as at a SIM card, indexed together with corresponding codes normally used by a user of the mobile nodes, such as the codes used in the home network of the mobile node. When a user places a call to a service center, the stored values are retrieved, and transposed, if needed, to ensure better that the call to the selected service center is successfully completed.

Claims

1. Apparatus for a radio communication system having a mobile node operable to communicate with a network part of a communication network, and at least a first service center coupled to the network part, a call originated at the mobile node selectably routable to a selected one of the at least the first service center to form a call connection therebetween, said apparatus for facilitating routing of the call to the selected one of the at least the first service center, said apparatus comprising:

a first storage element configured to store first values that identify at least the first service center, a selected one of the first values entered at the mobile node when initiating origination of the call to the selected one of the at least the first service center;

a second storage element configured to store second values used at a network part of the communication network at which the mobile node is presently registered; and

an indexer coupled to said first storage element and to said second storage element, said indexer configured to index together the selected one of the first values, when used to initiate the origination of the phone call, to a corresponding one of the second values.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mobile node comprises a transmit part and wherein said indexer is further configured to provide indications of the corresponding one of the second values to the transmit part pursuant to the origination of the call to the selected one of the first service center.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second storage element comprises an updateable storage element configure to permit updating of the second values.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the network part of the communication network includes a first network portion and at least a second network portion, the first network portion configured to use a first set of the second values and the second network portion configured to use a second set of the second values, the second values stored at said second storage element formed of the first set when the mobile node is associated with the first network portion and the second value stored at said second storage element formed of the second set when the mobile node is associated with the second network portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the first network portion defines a first coverage area and the at least the second network portion defines at least a second coverage area, wherein the mobile node registers with a selected one of the first network portion and the at least the second network portion corresponding to in which of the first and at least second coverage areas, respectively, that the mobile node is positioned, and wherein the second values stored at said second storage element are provided thereto pursuant to registration of the mobile node.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the radio communication system is configured to provide for short message service messaging and wherein the second values stored at said second storage element are provided to the mobile node as part of a short message service message.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the short message service defines an Envelope command message and wherein the short message service message used to provide the second values to said second storage element comprises an Envelope command message.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the first network portion defines a home network with which the mobile node is associated and wherein the second values stored at said second storage element are substantially identical to the first values stored at said first storage element when the mobile node is positioned within the first coverage area.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the mobile node registers with the network part when passing between any of the first and at least second coverage areas, new ones of the second values stored at said second storage element each time that the mobile node registers with the network part.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mobile node comprises a memory card at least releasably engageable therewith and wherein said first storage element and said second storage element are embodied thereat.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the radio communication system comprises a Global System for Mobile communications—

compliant system and wherein the memory card at which said first and second storage elements, respectively, are embodied comprises a Subscriber Identity Module card.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the network part comprises a first network portion and at least a second network portion, the first network portion defining a home network with which the mobile node is associated, the first values stored at said second storage element used at the home network to identify the at least the first service center.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said indexer is further adapted to receive indications of initiation of the origination of the phone call and wherein said indexer operates responsive thereto to index together the selected one of the first values to the corresponding one of the second values.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the mobile node comprises a user interface, wherein the user initiates the origination of the call by way of the user interface and wherein said indexer is coupled to the user interface.

15. A method of communicating in a communication system having a mobile node operable to communicate with a network part of a communication network, and at least a first service center coupled to the network part, a call originated by the user at the mobile node selectably routable to a selected one of the at least the first service center to form a call connection therebetween, said method for facilitating routing of the call to the selected one of the at least the first service center, said method comprising:

storing first values that identify at least the first service center, a selected one of the first values when initiating origination of the call to the selected one of the at least the first service center;

storing second values that identify the at least the first service center, the second values used at a network part of the communication network at which the mobile node is presently registered; and

indexing together the selected one of the first values, when used initiate the origination of the phone call, to a corresponding one of the second values.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the mobile node further comprises a transmit part and wherein said method further comprises the operation of providing the corresponding one of the second values, indexed together with the selected one of the first values during said operation of indexing, to the transmit part to be transmitted therefrom.

17. The method of claim 15 whererin the second values stored during said operation of storing the second values are provided to the mobile node during registration of the mobile node with the network part of the radio communication system.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the radio communication system provides for short message service messaging, defining an Envelope command message, said method further comprising the operation, prior to said operation of storing the second values, of sending an Envelope command message to the mobile node, the second values contained in the Envelope command message.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the mobile node comprises a receive part and a storage element at which the second values are stored during said operation of storing, and wherein said method further comprises the operations of:

detecting the Envelope command message at the receive part; and

forwarding on the Envelope command message to the storage element.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the operation of acknowledging storage of the second values contained in the Envelope command message at the storage element.