Routing Call to UMA-Capable Terminals using a Geographic Number

• US 20100297989A1
• Filed: 07/13/2007
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Noldus, Rogier
• Granted Patent: US 8,611,880 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/417
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/28 Number portability ; Network address portability

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of routing a call made to a fixed telephone number of a UMA-subscriber in a mobile telecommunications network comprising a first and a second switching node and a location server. Location information of said UMA-subscriber is acquired wherein said location information comprises a location area code or a combination of location area code and cell identifier associated with a serving BSC or a serving GANC. The call is connected to the UMA-subscriber when the location area code or combination of location area code and cell identifier is associated with one of a group of GANCs, or connected to an alternative destination, such as a voicemail service, if the location area code or combination of location area code and cell identifier is not associated with said one of a group of GANCs. The methods described in the present invention disclosure allow for very efficient offering of UMA in combination with geographic numbers.

Claims

1-26. -26. (canceled)

27. A method of routing a call made to a fixed telephone number of a UMA-subscriber having a GSM/UMA subscription or a UMTS/UMA subscription, in a mobile telecommunications network comprising a first switching node, a second switching node and a location server, said method comprising:

associating a Location Area Code (LAC) with each Generic Access Network Controller (GANG) of a group of GANCs;

acquiring from said location server location information of said UMA-subscriber, said location information comprising a LAC or a combination of LAC and cell identifier (LAC+CI) associated with a serving BSC or one of said GANCs serving said UMA-subscriber; and

connecting the call to said UMA-subscriber when said LAC or said combination LAC+CI is associated with one of said group of GANCs, or otherwise connecting the call to an alternative destination.

28. The method of claim 27, said mobile telecommunications network further comprises a service control entity, and wherein said service control entity:

receives said location information from said location server;

sends a connect message to said first switching node in order to connect the call to said UMA-subscriber when said LAC or said combination LAC+CI is associated with said one of said group of GANCs, or otherwise connect the call to said alternative destination.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said service control entity before receiving said location information from said location server:

stores a list comprising an MSISDN and a related fixed number for said UMA-subscriber;

receives a trigger message from said switching node, said trigger message comprising said fixed number;

finds a specific MSISDN associated with said fixed number using said list;

sends a query message to said location server, said query message comprising said specific MSISDN; and

receives a response message from said location server, said response message comprising said location information.

30. The method of claim 27, said mobile telecommunications network further comprising a service control entity, wherein said service control entity:

receives a trigger message from said first switching node, said trigger message comprising said location information; and

sends a connect message to said first switching node in order to connect the call to said UMA-subscriber when said LAC or said combination LAC+CI is associated with said one of said group of GANCs, or otherwise connect the call to said alternative destination.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein said first switching node:

receives an ISUP IAM message from a third switching node, said ISUP IAM message comprising a called party number comprising said fixed telephone number and a routing prefix;

sends a MAP SRI message to said location server;

receives subscription information and location information from said location server; and

sends a trigger message to said service control entity, using said received subscription information, said trigger message comprising said location information.

32. The method of claim 31, said telecommunications network further comprising a Signaling Relay Function, wherein said Signaling Relay Function:

stores a list comprising a fixed number and an associated location server for said UMA-subscriber;

receives a MAP SRI message from said first switching node, said MAP SRI message comprising said fixed telephone number;

forwards the MAP SRI message to said location server associated with said fixed telephone number using said list;

receives a MAP SRI result message from said location server, said MAP SRI result message containing subscription information and location information of said subscriber; and

forwards said subscription information and location information to said first switching node.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein said location server:

receives a MAP SRI message from said first switching node; and

sends a MAP PRN message to said second switching node, said MAP PRN message including a UMA-specific LSA setting, said LSA setting indicating to said second switching node that a UMA-specific restriction must be applied for connecting the call.

34. The method of claim 27, wherein said second switching node:

receives a MAP PRN from said location server, said MAP PRN including UMA-specific LSA setting, said LSA setting indicating to said second switching node that a UMA-specific LSA restriction must be applied for connecting the call; and

applies said UMA-specific LSA restriction to said call so that the call is only offered if the UMA subscriber is currently under UMA access, served by one of said group of GANCs.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein said location server:

receives a MAP Location Update (LU) message or a MAP Restore Data (RD) message from said second switching node; and

sends a MAP ISD message to said second switching node, said MAP ISD message including UMA-specific LSA subscription information, said LSA subscription information comprising an indication to said second switching node that a UMA-specific restriction must be applied for connecting the call, and an additional field to indicate that the UMA-specific restriction must be applied only when the UMA-subscriber is called on the UMA-subscriber'"'"'s fixed number.

36. The method of claim 27, wherein said second switching node:

receives a MAP ISD message from said location server, said MAP ISD message including UMA-specific LSA subscription information, said LSA subscription information comprising an indication to said second switching node that a UMA-specific restriction must be applied for connecting the call, and an additional field to indicate that the UMA-specific LSA restriction must be applied only when the subscriber is called on the subscriber'"'"'s fixed number; and

applies said UMA-specific LSA restriction to said call so that the call is only offered if the UMA subscriber is called on the UMA subscriber'"'"'s fixed number and is currently under UMA access, served by one of said group of GANCs, or if the UMA subscriber is called on the UMA subscriber'"'"'s MSISDN.

37. The method of claim 27, said mobile telecommunications network further comprising a service control entity, wherein said service control entity:

runs an Intelligent Network (IN)-service;

receives location information of a UMA-subscriber in an Intelligent Network trigger message; and

uses the location information for its service logic processing.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein, if the subscriber is found to be under UMA access, a home zone indicator is placed in a Call Detail Record, wherein said home zone indicator indicates to a billing system that the rate of the call must be adapted.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein said IN-service is a prepaid service or a VPN service.

40. The method of claim 27, wherein said service control entity is a Service Control Point and said first switching node is a Gateway MSC and said second switching node is a Visiting MSC of a GSM network.

41. The method of claim 27, said mobile telecommunications network further comprises a service control entity, wherein:

said service control entity stores a list comprising an MSISDN and a related fixed number for said UMA-subscriber;

said first switching node receives an ISUP IAM message from a further switching node, said ISUP IAM message comprising said fixed telephone number and a routing prefix;

said first switching node sends a trigger message to said service control entity, said trigger message comprising said fixed number;

said service control entity receives a trigger message from said first switching node, said trigger message comprising said fixed number;

said service control entity finds a specific MSISDN associated with said fixed number using said list;

said service control entity sends a query message to said location server, said query message comprising said specific MSISDN;

said service control entity receives a response message from said location server, said response message comprising said location information comprising a location area code or combination of location area code and cell identifier associated with a serving BSC or a serving GANC; and

said service control entity sends a connect message to said first switching node in order to connect the call to said UMA-subscriber when said LAC or said combination LAC+CI is associated with one of a group of GANCs, or connect the call to an alternative destination, if said LAC or said combination LAC+CI is not associated with said one of said group of GANCs.

42. The method of claim 27, said mobile telecommunications network further comprising a service control entity, wherein:

said first switching node receives an ISUP IAM message from a third switching node, said ISUP TAM message comprising a called party number comprising said fixed telephone number and a routing prefix;

said first switching node sends a MAP SRI message to said location server;

said first switching node receives subscription information and location information from said location server;

said first switching node sends a trigger message to said service control entity, using said received subscription information, said trigger message comprising said location information;

said control entity receives said trigger message from said first switching node; and

said control entity sends a connect message to said first switching node in order to connect the call to said subscriber when said LAC or said combination LAC+CI is associated with said one of said group of GANCs, or to connect the call to an alternative destination if said LAC or said combination LAC+CI is not associated with said one of said group of GANCs.

43. The method of claim 27, said mobile telecommunications network further comprising a service control entity, wherein:

said location server receives a MAP SRI message from said first switching node;

said location server sends a MAP PRN message to said second switching node, said MAP PRN message including a UMA-specific LSA setting, said LSA setting indicating to said second switching node that a UMA-specific restriction must be applied for connecting the call;

said second switching node receives said MAP PRN from said location server;

said second switching node applies said UMA-specific LSA restriction to said call so that the call is only offered if the UMA subscriber is currently under UMA access, served by one of said group of GANCs.

44. The method of claim 27, said mobile telecommunications network further comprising a service control entity, wherein:

said location server receives a MAP Location Update (LU) message or a MAP Restore Data (RD) message from said second switching node;

said location server sends a MAP ISD message to said second switching node, said MAP ISD message including UMA-specific LSA subscription information, said LSA subscription information comprising an indication to said second switching node that a UMA-specific restriction must be applied for connecting the call, and an additional field to indicate that the UMA-specific restriction must be applied only when the subscriber is called on the subscriber'"'"'s fixed number;

said second switching node receives said MAP ISD message from said location server;

said second switching node applies said UMA-specific LSA restriction to said call so that the call is only offered if the UMA subscriber is called on the subscriber'"'"'s fixed number and currently under UMA access, served by one of said group of GANCs, or if the subscriber is called on the subscriber'"'"'s MSISDN.

45. A service control entity for providing intelligent network services to users of a mobile telecommunications network, said mobile telecommunications network comprising a first switching node, a second switching node, a location server and a group of Generic Access Network Controllers, GANCs, each having its associated Location Area Code (LAC), said service control entity being connectable to said first 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:

receive location information of a UMA-subscriber from said location server via said input unit, said location information comprising a location area code (LAC) or a combination of location area code and cell identifier (LAC+CI) associated with a serving BSC or a serving GANC;

send, via said output unit, a connect message to said first switching node in order to connect the call to said UMA-subscriber when said LAC or said combination LAC+CI is associated with said one of a group of GANCs, or otherwise connect the call to an alternative destination.

46. A service control entity for providing intelligent network services to users of a mobile telecommunications network, said mobile telecommunications network comprising a first switching node, a second switching node, a location server, and a group of Generic Access Network Controllers (GANCs) each having an associated Location Area Code (LAC), said service control entity being connectable to said first switching node and to said location server, 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:

receive a trigger message from said first switching node via said input unit, said trigger message comprising location information of a UMA-subscriber, said location information comprising a LAC or a combination of LAC and cell identifier (LAC+CI) associated with a serving BSC or a serving Generic Access Network Controller (GANC);

send a connect message to said first switching node via said output unit in order to connect the call to said UMA-subscriber when said LAC or said combination LAC+CI is associated with one of said group of GANCs, or otherwise connect the call to an alternative destination.

47. A switching node for use in a mobile telecommunications network, said mobile telecommunications network further comprising a service control entity, a second switching node, a location server, and a group of Generic Access Network Controllers (GANCs), each having an associated Location Area Code (LAC) said switching node being connectable to said service control entity and to said location server, said switching node 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:

receive an ISUP IAM message from a third switching node via said input unit, said ISUP IAM message comprising a called party number comprising a fixed telephone number of a UMA-subscriber and a routing prefix;

send a MAP SRI message to said location server via said output unit;

receive subscription information and location information from said location server via said input unit, said location information comprising a LAC or a combination of a LAC and cell identifier (LAC+CI) associated with a serving BSC or a serving Generic Access Network Controller (GANC);

send a trigger message to said service control entity via said output unit, using said received subscription information, said trigger message comprising said location information.

48. A location server for use in a mobile telecommunications network, said mobile telecommunications network further comprising a first switching node, a second switching node, and a group of Generic Access Network Controllers (GANCs) each having an associated Location Area Code (LAC), said location server being connectable to said first switching node and to said second switching node, said location server 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:

receive a MAP SRI message from said first switching node via said input unit; and

send a MAP PRN message to said second switching node via said output unit, said MAP PRN message including a UMA-specific LSA setting, said LSA setting indicating to said second switching node that a UMA-specific restriction must be applied for connecting a call to a UMA-subscriber.

49. A switching node for use in a mobile telecommunications network, said mobile telecommunications network further comprising a first switching node, a location server, and a group of Generic Access Network Controllers (GANCs), each having an associated Location Area Code (LAC), said switching node being connectable to said first switching node and to said location server, said switching node 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:

receive a MAP PRN from said location server via said input unit, said MAP PRN including UMA-specific LSA setting, said LSA setting indicating to said switching node that a UMA-specific LSA restriction must be applied for connecting a call to a UMA-subscriber; and

apply said UMA-specific LSA restriction to said call so that the call is only offered if the UMA-subscriber is currently under UMA access, served by one of said group of GANCs.

50. A location server for use in a mobile telecommunications network, said mobile telecommunications network further comprising a first switching node, a second switching node, and a group of Generic Access Network Controllers (GANCs) each having its associated Location Area Code (LAC) said location server being connectable to said first switching node and to said second switching node, said location server 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:

receive a MAP Location Update (LU) message or a MAP Restore Data (RD) message from said second switching node via said input unit;

send a MAP ISD message to said second switching node via said output unit, said MAP ISD message including UMA-specific LSA subscription information, said LSA subscription information comprising an indication to said second switching node that a UMA-specific restriction must be applied for connecting the call, and an additional field to indicate that the UMA-specific restriction must be applied only when the UMA-subscriber is called on the subscriber'"'"'s fixed number.

51. A switching node for use in a mobile telecommunications network, said mobile telecommunications network further comprising a first switching node, a location server, and a group of Generic Access Network Controllers (GANCs) each having its associated Location Area Code (LAC) said switching node being connectable to said first switching node and to said location server, said switching node 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:

receive a MAP ISD message from said location server via said input unit, said MAP ISD message including UMA-specific LSA subscription information, said LSA subscription information comprising an indication to said switching node that a UMA-specific restriction must be applied for connecting the call, and an additional field to indicate that the UMA-specific LSA restriction must be applied only when the UMA-subscriber is called on the subscriber'"'"'s fixed number;

apply said UMA-specific LSA restriction to said call so that the call is only offered if the UMA subscriber is called on the subscriber'"'"'s fixed number and currently under UMA access, served by one of said group of GANCs, or if the subscriber is called on the subscriber'"'"'s MSISDN.