MOBILE GATEWAY

• US 20110122827A1
• Filed: 07/28/2009
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VoIP-Pal.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Digifonica (International) Limited (VoIP-Pal.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: HUTTUNEN, Pentti Kalevi, SOBOLYEV, Maksym, BJORSELL, Johan Emil Viktor
• Granted Patent: US 8,630,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks

Abstract

A method of initiating a call to a callee using a mobile telephone involves: receiving, from a user of the mobile telephone, a callee identifier associated with the callee; transmitting an access code request message to an access server, said access code request message including said callee identifier; receiving an access code reply message from the access server in response to said access code request message, said access code reply message including an access code different from said callee identifier and associated with said callee identifier; and initiating a call with the mobile telephone using said access code to identify the callee.

Claims

1. A method of initiating a call to a callee using a mobile telephone, the method comprising:

receiving, from a user of the mobile telephone, a callee identifier associated with the callee;

transmitting an access code request message to an access server, said access code request message including said callee identifier;

receiving an access code reply message from the access server in response to said access code request message, said access code reply message including an access code different from said callee identifier and associated with said callee identifier; and

initiating a call with the mobile telephone using said access code to identify the callee.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting comprises transmitting said access code request message to said access server on a non-voice network.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting comprises transmitting a location identifier of a location associated with the mobile telephone to said access server.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein transmitting said location identifier comprises transmitting an IP address of the mobile telephone in a wireless IP network.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein transmitting said location identifier comprises transmitting an identifier of a wireless voice signal station in wireless communication with the mobile telephone.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein transmitting said location identifier comprises transmitting a user-configured identifier of a location associated with the mobile telephone.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving said access code reply message comprises receiving said access code reply message from said access server on a non-voice network.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving said access code reply message comprises receiving, in said access code reply message, said access code temporarily associated with said callee identifier.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving said access code reply message comprises receiving, in said access code reply message, a telephone number identifying a channel operably configured to cooperate with an IP network to cause a call involving the mobile telephone and the callee to be routed through the IP network.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein initiating said call comprises engaging a routing controller to route said call on said IP network to the callee.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving from the mobile telephone said access code request message;

communicating with a routing controller to obtain from the routing controller said access code wherein said access code identifies a channel and is useable by the mobile telephone to cause the routing controller to establish a call to the callee using the channel; and

transmitting said access code reply message to the mobile telephone.

12. A mobile telephone apparatus comprising:

means for receiving, from a user of the mobile telephone, a callee identifier associated with the callee;

transmitting means for transmitting an access code request message to an access server, said access code request message including said callee identifier;

means for receiving an access code reply message from the access server in response to said access code request message, said access code reply message including an access code different from said callee identifier and associated with said callee identifier; and

means for initiating a call using said access code to identify the callee.

13. The mobile telephone apparatus of claim 12 wherein said transmitting means comprises a non-voice network interface for transmitting said access code request message to said access server on a non-voice network.

14. The mobile telephone apparatus of claim 12 wherein said access code request message further includes a location identifier of a location associated with the mobile telephone.

15. The mobile telephone apparatus of claim 14 wherein said location identifier comprises an IP address of the mobile telephone in a wireless IP network.

16. The mobile telephone apparatus of claim 14 wherein said location identifier comprises an identifier of a wireless voice signal station in wireless communication with the mobile telephone.

17. The mobile telephone apparatus of claim 14 wherein said location identifier comprises a user-configured identifier of a location associated with the mobile telephone.

18. The mobile telephone apparatus of claim 12 wherein said means for receiving an access code reply message comprises a non-voice network interface for receiving said access code reply message on a non-voice network.

19. The mobile telephone apparatus of claim 12 wherein said access code includes a telephone number.

20. The mobile telephone apparatus of claim 12 wherein said means for initiating comprises a mobile telephone network interface.

21. A system for initiating a call to a callee, the system comprising the mobile telephone apparatus of claim 12, and further comprising:

a routing controller; and

an access server comprising;

means for receiving from the mobile telephone said access code request message;

means for communicating with said routing controller to obtain from said routing controller said access code wherein said access code identifies a channel and is useable by the mobile telephone to cause the routing controller to establish a call to the callee using the channel; and

means for transmitting said access code reply message including said access code to the mobile telephone.

22. A mobile telephone apparatus comprising:

a processor circuit;

a network interface in communication with said processor circuit; and

a computer readable medium in communication with said processor circuit and encoded with codes for directing said processor circuit to;

receive, from a user of the mobile telephone, a callee identifier associated with the callee;

cause an access code request message to be transmitted to an access server, said access code request message including said callee identifier;

receive an access code reply message from the access server in response to said access code request message, said access code reply message including an access code different from said callee identifier and associated with said callee identifier; and

initiate a call using said access code to identify the callee.

23. The mobile telephone apparatus of claim 22 wherein said network interface comprises a non-voice network interface, and wherein said codes for directing said processor circuit to cause said access code request message to be transmitted include codes for directing said processor circuit to cause said access code request message to be transmitted to said access server using said non-voice network interface on a non-voice network.

24. The mobile telephone apparatus of claim 22 wherein said access code request message further includes a location identifier of a location associated with the mobile telephone.

25. The mobile telephone apparatus of claim 24 wherein said location identifier comprises an IP address of the mobile telephone in a wireless IP network.

26. The mobile telephone apparatus of claim 24 wherein said location identifier comprises an identifier of a wireless voice signal station in wireless communication with the mobile telephone.

27. The mobile telephone apparatus of claim 24 wherein said location identifier comprises a user-configured identifier of a location associated with the mobile telephone.

28. The mobile telephone apparatus of claim 22 wherein said network interface comprises a non-voice network interface, and wherein said codes for directing said processor circuit to receive an access code reply message include codes for directing said processor circuit to cause said access code reply message to be received from said access server using said non-voice network interface on a non-voice network.

29. The mobile telephone apparatus of claim 22 wherein said access code includes a telephone number identifying a channel operably configured to cooperate with an IP network to cause a call involving the mobile telephone and the callee to be routed through the IP network.

30. The mobile telephone apparatus of claim 22 wherein said network interface comprises a mobile telephone network interface, and wherein said codes for directing said processor circuit to initiate include codes for directing said processor circuit to cause a call to be initiated using said mobile telephone network interface on a mobile telephone network.

31. A system for initiating a call to a callee, the system comprising the mobile telephone of claim 22, and further comprising:

a routing controller; and

an access server comprising a processor circuit and a computer readable medium in communication with the processor circuit, the computer readable medium encoded with codes for directing said processor circuit to;

receive from the mobile telephone said access code request message;

communicate with said routing controller to obtain from said routing controller said access code wherein said access code identifies a channel and is useable by the mobile telephone to cause the routing controller to establish a call to the callee using the channel; and

transmit said access code reply message to the mobile telephone.

32. A computer readable medium encoded with codes for directing a processor circuit to initiate a call to a callee using a mobile telephone, said codes being operable to direct the processor circuit to:

receive, from a user of a mobile telephone, a callee identifier associated with a callee;

transmit an access code request message to an access server, said access code request message including said callee identifier;

receive an access code reply message from the access server in response to said access code request message, said access code reply message including an access code different from said callee identifier and associated with said callee identifier; and

initiate a call using said access code to identify the callee.

33. A method for enabling a mobile telephone to initiate a call to a callee through a channel, the method comprising:

receiving from the mobile telephone an access code request message including a callee identifier associated with the callee;

communicating with a routing controller to obtain from the routing controller an access code identifying the channel, said access code being different from the callee identifier and useable by the mobile telephone to initiate a call to the callee using the channel; and

transmitting an access code reply message including said access code to the mobile telephone.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein receiving comprises receiving said access code request message on a non-voice network.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprising causing the routing controller to produce said access code.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein producing comprises selecting said access code from a pool of access codes, where each access code in said pool of access codes identifies a respective telephone number.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising determining a local calling area associated with the mobile telephone.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein determining comprises accessing a dialing profile associated with the caller, said dialing profile including a location field having contents identifying at least a default location of the caller.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein determining comprises receiving an IP address of the mobile telephone in a wireless IP network.

40. The method of claim 37 wherein determining comprises receiving an identifier of a wireless voice signal station in wireless communication with the mobile telephone.

41. The method of claim 37 wherein determining comprises receiving a user-configured identifier of a location associated with the mobile telephone.

42. The method of claim 37 wherein selecting comprises selecting an access code in said local calling area associated with the mobile telephone.

43. The method of claim 36 wherein each access code in said pool of access codes further identifies a respective channel operably configured to cooperate with an IP network to cause a call involving the mobile telephone and the callee to be routed through the IP network.

44. The method of claim 43 further comprising causing said routing controller to establish communication through said IP network in response to a call received on said channel.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein producing further comprises storing a caller identifier associated with the mobile telephone in association with said access code.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein causing said routing controller to establish communication comprises causing said routing controller to establish communication only if said caller identifier associated with said access code identifies the mobile telephone.

47. The method of claim 36 wherein producing further comprises storing said callee identifier in association with said access code.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein producing further comprises searching said pool of access codes for an access code associated with said callee identifier to identify the channel usable by the mobile telephone to initiate a call to the callee.

49. The method of claim 35 wherein producing further comprises storing, in association with said access code, a timestamp for use in determining when the usability of said access code to initiate a call to the callee will expire.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein causing said routing controller to establish communication comprises causing said routing controller to establish communication only if the usability of said access code to initiate a call to the callee has not expired.

51. The method of claim 33 wherein transmitting comprises transmitting said access code reply message on a non-voice network.

52. A system for enabling a mobile telephone to initiate a call to a callee through a channel, the system comprising:

means for receiving from the mobile telephone an access code request message including a callee identifier associated with the callee;

means for communicating with said routing controller to obtain from said routing controller an access code identifying the channel, said access code being different from the callee identifier and useable by the mobile telephone to initiate a call to the callee using the channel; and

means for transmitting an access code reply message including said access code to the mobile telephone.

53. The system of claim 52 wherein said means for receiving comprises a non-voice network interface for receiving said access code request message on a non-voice network.

54. The system of claim 52 further comprising means for producing said access code.

55. The system of claim 54 wherein said means for producing comprises a processor circuit operably configured to select said access code from a pool of access codes, where each access code in said pool of access codes identifies a respective telephone number.

56. The system of claim 55 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to determine a local calling area associated with the mobile telephone.

57. The system of claim 56 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to determine a local calling area associated with the mobile telephone using a dialing profile associated with the caller, said dialing profile including a location field having contents identifying at least a default location of the caller.

58. The system of claim 56 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to determine a local calling area associated with the mobile telephone using an IP address of the mobile telephone in a wireless IP network.

59. The system of claim 56 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to determine a local calling area associated with the mobile telephone using an identifier of a wireless voice signal station in wireless communication with the mobile telephone.

60. The system of claim 56 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to determine a local calling area associated with the mobile telephone using a user-configured identifier of a location associated with the mobile telephone.

61. The system of claim 56 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to select an access code in said local calling area associated with the mobile telephone.

62. The system of claim 55 wherein each access code in said pool of access codes further identifies a respective channel operably configured to cooperate with an IP network to cause a call involving the mobile telephone and the callee to be routed through the IP network.

63. The system of claim 62 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to establish communication through said IP network in response to a call received on said channel.

64. The system of claim 63 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to store a caller identifier associated with the mobile telephone in association with said access code.

65. The system of claim 64 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to cause said routing controller to establish communication only if said caller identifier associated with said access code identifies the mobile telephone.

66. The system of claim 55 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to store said callee identifier in association with said access code.

67. The system of claim 66 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to search said pool of access codes for an access code associated with said callee identifier to identify the channel usable by the mobile telephone to initiate a call to the callee.

68. The system of claim 54 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to store, in association with said access code, a timestamp for use in determining when the usability of said access code to initiate a call to the callee will expire.

69. The system of claim 68 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to establish communication only if the usability of said access code to initiate a call to the callee has not expired.

70. The system of claim 52 wherein said means for transmitting comprises a non-voice network interface for transmitting said access code reply message on a non-voice network.

71. A system for enabling a mobile telephone to initiate a call to a callee through a channel, the system comprising:

a processor circuit;

a network interface in communication with said processor circuit; and

a computer readable medium in communication with said processor circuit and encoded with codes for directing said processor circuit to;

receive from the mobile telephone an access code request message including a callee identifier associated with the callee;

communicate with said routing controller to obtain from said routing controller an access code identifying the channel, said access code being different from the callee identifier and useable by the mobile telephone to initiate a call to the callee using the channel; and

cause an access code reply message including said access code to be transmitted to the mobile telephone.

72. The system of claim 71 wherein said network interface comprises a non-voice network interface, and wherein said codes for directing said processor circuit to receive include codes for directing said processor circuit to cause said access code request message to be received using said non-voice network interface on a non-voice network.

73. The system of claim 71 wherein said computer readable medium is further encoded with codes for directing said processor circuit to cause said access code to be produced.

74. The system of claim 73 wherein said codes for directing said processor circuit to cause said access code to be produced cause said access code to be selected from a pool of access codes, where each access code in said pool of access codes identifies a respective telephone number.

75. The system of claim 74 wherein said computer readable medium is further encoded with codes for directing said processor circuit to cause to be determined a local calling area associated with the mobile telephone.

76. The system of claim 75 wherein said codes for directing said processor circuit to cause to be determined cause a dialing profile associated with the caller to be accessed, said dialing profile including a location field having contents identifying at least a default location of the caller.

77. The system of claim 75 wherein said codes for directing said processor circuit to cause to be determined cause to be received an IP address of the mobile telephone in a wireless IP network.

78. The system of claim 75 wherein said codes for directing said processor circuit to cause to be determined cause to be received an identifier of a wireless voice signal station in wireless communication with the mobile telephone.

79. The system of claim 75 wherein said codes for directing said processor circuit to cause to be determined cause to be received a user-configured identifier of a location associated with the mobile telephone.

80. The system of claim 75 wherein said codes for directing said processor circuit to cause said access code to be produced further cause to be selected an access code in said local calling area associated with the mobile telephone.

81. The system of claim 74 wherein each access code in said pool of access codes further identifies a respective channel operably configured to cooperate with an IP network to cause a call involving the mobile telephone and the callee to be routed through the IP network.

82. The system of claim 81 wherein said computer readable medium is further encoded with codes for directing said processor circuit to cause communication through said IP network to be established in response to a call received on said channel.

83. The system of claim 82 wherein said codes for directing said processor circuit to cause said access code to be produced cause a caller identifier associated with the mobile telephone to be stored in association with said access code.

84. The system of claim 83 wherein said codes for directing said processor circuit to cause communication to be established cause communication to be established only if said caller identifier associated with said access code identifies the mobile telephone.

85. The system of claim 74 wherein said codes for directing said processor circuit to cause said access code to be produced cause said callee identifier to be stored in association with said access code.

86. The system of claim 85 wherein said codes for directing said processor circuit to cause said access code to be produced cause said pool of access codes to be searched for an access code associated with said callee identifier to identify the channel usable by the mobile telephone to initiate a call to the callee.

87. The system of claim 73 wherein said codes for directing said processor circuit to cause said access code to be produced cause a timestamp for use in determining when the usability of said access code to initiate a call to the callee will expire, to be stored in association with said access code.

88. The system of claim 87 wherein said codes for directing said processor circuit to cause communication to be established cause communication to be established only if the usability of said access code to initiate a call to the callee has not expired.

89. The system of claim 71 wherein said network interface comprises a non-voice network interface, and wherein codes for directing said processor circuit to transmit include codes for directing said processor circuit to cause said access code reply message to be transmitted using said non-voice network interface on a non-voice network.

90. A computer readable medium encoded with codes for directing a processor circuit to enable a mobile telephone to initiate a call to a callee through a channel, the codes being operable to direct the processor circuit:

receive from the mobile telephone an access code request message including a callee identifier associated with the callee;

communicate with said routing controller to obtain from said routing controller an access code identifying the channel, said access code being different from the callee identifier and useable by the mobile telephone to initiate a call to the callee using the channel; and

cause an access code reply message including said access code to be transmitted to the mobile telephone.