Method of Routing a Call Made to a Fixed Telephone Number of a UMA-Subscriber in a Telecommunication Network

• US 20100227609A1
• Filed: 07/13/2007
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Bot, Johannes, Morales Barbosa, Camilo, den Brok, Antoine
• Granted Patent: US 8,150,390 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/426.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of routing a call made to a fixed telephone number of a UMA-subscriber in a telecommunication network. A service control entity stores a so-called ‘near list’ comprising a cell identifier of each cell overlapping a WLAN coverage area of a WLAN AP associated with the UMA-subscriber. The service control entity also receives location information of the UMA-subscriber from a switching node (2) or from a location server (16). If the cell identifier of the serving cell is in the near list, the service control entity prompt the caller to select out of a list of options. If the cell identifier of the serving cell is not in the near list, the caller will be prompted but with a different message and with different options to select. The caller is for example offered the opportunity to wait for the called party to arrive at home, and be dialed back.

Claims

1-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A method of routing a call made to a fixed telephone number of a UMA-subscriber in a telecommunication network that comprises a switching node, a location server and an intelligent network, the intelligent network comprising a service control entity, said method comprising said service control entity:

storing a list associated with said UMA-subscriber, said list comprising a cell identifier (CI) of each cell overlapping a WLAN coverage area of a WLAN AP associated with said UMA-subscriber;

receiving a trigger message from said switching node, said trigger message comprising said fixed number of said UMA-subscriber;

receiving location information of said UMA-subscriber from said switching node or from said location server, said location information comprising a cell identifier of a cell serving said UMA-subscriber; and

performing a first action if said cell identifier of said serving cell is in said list, and a second action, different from said first action, if said cell identifier of said serving cell is not in said list;

wherein said first action comprises;

checking if the UMA-subscriber is currently in said WLAN coverage area of said WLAN AP associated with said UMA-subscriber; and

if the result of said checking is affirmative, connecting the call to said UMA-subscriber via said WLAN AP;

or

if the result of said checking is negative, sending a calling party making the call a message indicating that the UMA-subscriber is currently in at least one of the cells of said list but not in said WLAN coverage area.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein if the result of said checking is negative, said first action further comprises prompting the calling party to select one out of at least one of the following options:

dialing back when UMA-subscriber is in said WLAN coverage area;

receiving an SMS notification when said UMA-subscriber is in said WLAN coverage area;

being put through to GSM/UMTS and bearing cost for second leg of the connection; and

leaving a voice message for said UMA-subscriber.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said second action comprises:

sending a calling party making the call a message indicating that the UMA-subscriber is currently in none of the cells of said list.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said second action further comprises:

prompting the calling party to select one out of at least one of the following options;

dialing back when UMA-subscriber is in said WLAN coverage area;

receiving an SMS notification when said UMA-subscriber is in at least one of said cells in said list;

receiving an SMS notification when said UMA-subscriber is in said WLAN coverage area;

being put through to GSM/UNITS and bearing cost for a second leg of a connection to said UMA-subscriber; and

leaving a voice message for said UMA-subscriber.

14. Method of claim 10, wherein said service control entity:

stores a hunting list comprising MSISDN numbers of a plurality of mobile phones associated with said UMA-subscriber;

receives location information of each of said plurality of mobile phones from said switching node or from said location server, said location information comprising for each of said plurality of mobile phones, a cell identifier of a cell serving said mobile phone; and

performs said first action if said at least one cell identifier is in said near list, and said second action, different from said first action, if none of said cell identifiers are in said near list.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said telecommunication network further comprises a UMC connected to said switching node and having an associated location area code (LAC), and wherein said UMC:

reports said LAC to said switching node when said UMA-subscriber attaches to said switching node through said UMC.

16. A service control entity for providing intelligent network services to users of a mobile telecommunications network, said mobile telecommunications network comprising a switching node and a location server, said service control entity being connectable to said switching node and to said location server, and said service control entity comprising a processing unit, an input unit connected to the processing unit and an output unit connected to the processing unit, wherein the processing unit is arranged to:

store a list associated with said UMA-subscriber, said list comprising a cell identifier, CI, of each cell overlapping a WLAN coverage area of a WLAN AP associated with said UMA-subscriber;

receive a trigger message from said switching node, said trigger message comprising a fixed number of said UMA-subscriber;

receive location information of said UMA-subscriber from said switching node or from said location server, said location information comprising a cell identifier of a cell serving said UMA-subscriber; and

perform a first action if said cell identifier of said serving cell is in said list, and a second action, different from said first action, if said cell identifier of said serving cell is not in said list;

wherein said first action comprises;

checking if the UMA-subscriber is currently in said WLAN coverage area of said WLAN AP associated with said UMA-subscriber; and

if the result of said checking is affirmative, connecting the call to said UMA-subscriber via said WLAN AP;

or

if the result of said checking is negative, sending a calling party making the call a message indicating that the UMA-subscriber is currently in at least one of the cells of said list but not in said WLAN coverage area.

17. The service control entity of claim 16, wherein the service control entity is included as part of said mobile telecommunication network.