CONNECTED PORTFOLIO SERVICES FOR A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

• US 20090149167A1
• Filed: 10/27/2008
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kodiak Networks Inc (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kodiak Networks Inc (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Velayudhan, Arun, Ardah, Basem Ahmad, Negalaguli, Harisha Mahabaleshwara, Kundu, Gorachand, Ayyasamy, Ravi, Patel, Krishnakant M., Kumar, Ravi Shankar, Lawler, Bruce D., Chandana, Pratap, Kandula, Ramu, Chiou, Shan-Jen
• Application Number:
  US12/259,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20090149167A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/416
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• 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 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast

Abstract

Connected Portfolio Services for use in a mobile phone network include new mobile phone services: Scheduled Conference with Dial-Out and Dial-In modes of operation; Reservationless Conference; Instant Conferencing; Group Short Message Service with Reply All; Voice Short Message Service with Reply All; Family Connect; Buddy Connect; Quick Reach; and Email2Conference. Connected Portfolio Services also include a new handset client application, management of a limited pool of network routable numbers, and a prepaid billing solution.

Claims

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

a mobile phone network for making calls between mobile phones, wherein the calls are initiated by call setup and in-band signaling within the mobile phone network and voice frames for the calls are switched between the mobile phones by at least one mobile switching center across bearer paths in the mobile phone network; and

a real-time exchange that interfaces to at least one mobile switching center in the mobile phone network to provide the advanced voice services therein, the advanced voice services including a Scheduled Conference service, wherein an originator mobile phone can schedule a conference call with a group of other participant mobile phones at a predetermined date and time;

both the real-time exchange and the mobile phones that use the Scheduled Conference service communicate with each other using the call setup and in-band signaling within the mobile phone network, and the real-time exchange switches the voice frames for the conference call between the mobile phones across the bearer paths and through at least one mobile switching center in the mobile phone network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the Scheduled Conference service includes a Dial-Out mode of operation where the real-time exchange dials out the call to the mobile phones and bridges the conference call between the mobile phones.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the Scheduled Conference service includes a Dial-In mode of operation where the mobile phones dial in to a conference bridge number and the real-time exchange bridges the conference call between the mobile phones.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the real-time exchange sends a message to each participant and originator with the conference call'"'"'s details.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the message includes a conference bridge number.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the Scheduled Conference service includes a rejoin number, such that a participant is able to use the rejoin number to rejoin the conference call when the conference call is dropped.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the Scheduled Conference service is initiated by an email message sent to the real-time exchange.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a real-time billing mechanism is provided for a subscriber for the Scheduled Conference service.

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

a mobile phone network for making calls between mobile phones, wherein the calls are initiated by call setup and in-band signaling within the mobile phone network and voice frames for the calls are switched between the mobile phones by at least one mobile switching center across bearer paths in the mobile phone network; and

a real-time exchange that interfaces to at least one mobile switching center in the mobile phone network to provide the advanced voice services therein, the advanced voice services including a Reservationless Conference service, wherein an originator mobile phone can set up a conference call via the real-time exchange and communicate a conference bridge number and password to participants of the conference call;

both the real-time exchange and the mobile phones that use the Reservationless Conference service communicate with each other using the call setup and in-band signaling within the mobile phone network, and the real-time exchange switches the voice frames for the conference call between the mobile phones across the bearer paths and through at least one mobile switching center in the mobile phone network.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the real-time exchange sends a message to each participant and originator with the conference call'"'"'s details.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the message includes a conference bridge number.

12. An apparatus for providing advanced voice services in a mobile phone network, comprising:

a mobile phone network for making calls between mobile phones, wherein the calls are initiated by call setup and in-band signaling within the mobile phone network and voice frames for the calls are switched between the mobile phones by at least one mobile switching center across bearer paths in the mobile phone network; and

a real-time exchange that interfaces to at least one mobile switching center in the mobile phone network to provide the advanced voice services therein, the advanced voice services including an Instant Conferencing service, wherein an originator mobile phone sets up a group of participant mobile phones via the real-time exchange, the real-time exchange assigns a dial out number to the group and the originator mobile phone initiates a conference call with the group of participant mobile phones via the real-time exchange by dialing the dial out number, where the real-time exchange dials out to the participant mobile phones and bridges the conference call between the mobile phones.

both the real-time exchange and the mobile phones that use the Instant Conferencing service communicate with each other using the call setup and in-band signaling within the mobile phone network, and the real-time exchange switches the voice frames for the conference call between the mobile phones across the bearer paths and through at least one mobile switching center in the mobile phone network.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the group is set up via Internet access, Short Message Service (SMS), Wireless Access Protocol (WAP), or an operator.

14. An apparatus for providing advanced voice services in a mobile phone network, comprising:

a mobile phone network for making calls between mobile phones, wherein the calls are initiated by call setup and in-band signaling within the mobile phone network and voice frames for the calls are switched between the mobile phones by at least one mobile switching center across bearer paths in the mobile phone network; and

a real-time exchange that interfaces to at least one mobile switching center in the mobile phone network to provide the advanced voice services therein, the advanced voice services including Group Short Message Service (GSMS), wherein an originator mobile phone sets up a group of participant mobile phones via the real-time exchange, and the originator mobile phone simultaneously sends a text message to all of the participant mobile phones via the real-time exchange.

both the real-time exchange and the mobile phones that use the Group Short Message Service communicate with each other using the call setup and in-band signaling within the mobile phone network, and the real-time exchange switches the frames for the text message between the mobile phones across the bearer paths and through at least one mobile switching center in the mobile phone network.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein one or more of the participant mobile phones reply to the text message and the reply is sent by the real-time exchange to the originator mobile phone or to all of the participant mobile phones.

16. An apparatus for providing advanced voice services in a mobile phone network, comprising:

a mobile phone network for making calls between mobile phones, wherein the calls are initiated by call setup and in-band signaling within the mobile phone network and voice frames for the calls are switched between the mobile phones by at least one mobile switching center across bearer paths in the mobile phone network; and

a real-time exchange that interfaces to at least one mobile switching center in the mobile phone network to provide the advanced voice services therein, the advanced voice services including a Voice Short Message Service (VSMS), wherein an originator mobile phone sets up a group of participant mobile phones via the real-time exchange, and the originator mobile phone leaves a single voice message for all of the participant mobile phones via the real-time exchange without calling the participant mobile phones.

both the real-time exchange and the mobile phones that use the Voice Short Message Service communicate with each other using the call setup and in-band signaling within the mobile phone network, and the real-time exchange switches the voice frames for the voice message between the mobile phones across the bearer paths and through at least one mobile switching center in the mobile phone network.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the real-time exchange sends a text message to the participant mobile phones notifying them of the voice message.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the real-time exchange dials out to the participant mobile phones notifying them of the voice message.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the participant mobile phones call back to the real-time exchange to retrieve the voice message.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein one or more of the participant mobile phones reply to the voice message by leaving a reply voice message with the real-time exchange for the originator mobile phone or for all of the participant mobile phones.

21. An apparatus for providing advanced voice services in a mobile phone network, comprising:

a mobile phone network for making calls between mobile phones, wherein the calls are initiated by call setup and in-band signaling within the mobile phone network and voice frames for the calls are switched between the mobile phones by at least one mobile switching center across bearer paths in the mobile phone network; and

a real-time exchange that interfaces to at least one mobile switching center in the mobile phone network to provide the group-based communications services therein, wherein the real-time exchange manages a limited pool of network routable numbers that are used to provide the group-based communications services by allocating one number from the limited pool of network routable numbers for each participant in a particular session of the group-based communications services, such that each allocated number uniquely identifies a session context for a given participant;

both the real-time exchange and the mobile phones that use the group-based communications services communicate with each other using the call setup and in-band signaling within the mobile phone network, and the real-time exchange switches the voice frames for the group-based communications services between the mobile phones across the bearer paths and through at least one mobile switching center in the mobile phone network.