Corporate communication system

• US 5,839,067 A
• Filed: 11/12/1996
• Issued: 11/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Jonsson, Bjorn Erik Rutger
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe, Willis R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vo, Hieu T.
• Application Number:
  US08/737,409
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422, 455/418, 455/414, 455/411, 455/406, 455/575, 455/461, 455/445, 455/433, 455/561, 379/201, 379/211, 379/219
• US Class Current: 455/432.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4283 Call holding circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/622 Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]

Abstract

A corporate/organization communications system includes a number of mobile telephones and a local network which has a private automatic branch exchange (PABX) with a number of extensions. Access units are connected to the extensions. A service node, referred to as a mobility server, is connected to the PABX as an adjunct and manages all calls to and from the mobile telephones. The mobile telephones are adapted to make outgoing calls to the PABX only. The mobility server checks the services requested in a call from a mobile telephone. If the requested services match a service profile associated with the mobile telephone, the mobility server initiates the set up of the requested outgoing call. If they do not match the outgoing call is rejected. In this manner, a company or organization can control all outgoing calls from its mobile telephones. Calls directed to the mobile telephones are managed by a call park, call alert and call back sequence.

Claims

1. A corporate/organization communications system comprising mobile telephones which are associated with a company/organization and which are operating in a mobile telephone network, a local network comprising access units connected to extensions of a private automatic branch exchange PABX which is connected to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) wherein said company/organization allots an individual service profile to each one of said mobile telephones, said mobile telephones being adapted to make outgoing calls to a service node only, said service node being adapted to control services requested by any of said mobile telephones in an outgoing call by comparing said requested services with the service profile allotted to the mobile telephone from which the outgoing call is made, said individual service node being connected to said local network, thus allowing said company/organization to exercise control over the services requested from any one of said mobile telephones although said company/organization has no control over the mobile telephone network.

2. A corporate/organization communications system in accordance with claim 1, said company/organization, referred to as the central company/organization, having a subsidiary, said subsidiary having:

subsidiary associated mobile telephones operating in said mobile telephone network and

a subsidiary local network comprising access units connected to extensions of a subsidiary PABX which is connected to the PSTN wherein said company/organization allots an individual service profile to each one of said subsidiary mobile telephones, said subsidiary mobile telephones being adapted to make outgoing calls to a subsidiary service node only, an outgoing call from a subsidiary mobile telephone which is visiting the central company/organization being forwarded to the subsidiary service node where it is subjected to service control.

3. A corporate/organization communications system in accordance with claim 2, wherein a base station in the mobile telephone network which serves said central company/organization is programmed with a home number which are used by said subsidiary mobile telephones when making an outgoing call, said base station forwarding calls, which are using said home number, to the service node of said central company/organization, said service node redirecting said forwarded outgoing call to the subsidiary service node where it is subjected to said service control.

4. A corporate/organization communications system in accordance with claim 3, wherein a first direct line extends between the PABX of said central company/organization and the subsidiary PABX, and a second direct line extends between said base station and said central company/organization PABX.

5. A corporate/organization communications system in accordance with claim 4, wherein several local networks, each one associated with a respective subsidiary, are interconnected via several first direct lines into a company network, and wherein services requested by company/organization associated mobile telephones are controlled by the service node at the respective subsidiary.

6. A corporate/organization communications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said access units are corporate cordless telephones.

7. A corporate/organization communications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said access units are desk top telephones.

8. A corporate/organization communications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein each mobile telephone is associated with two subscriptions, one being corporate/organization related and one being private, each mobile telephone, when making a call to said service node, being adapted to use either the corporate/organization related subscription, in which case said service node controls any services requested in a call from any one of said mobile telephones by comparing the requested services with a predetermined service profile allotted to the calling mobile telephone, or the private subscription, in which case said service node does not perform said control.

9. A corporate/organization communications system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said PABX is provided with a functionality operating such that when there is an incoming call directed to a user of any of said mobile telephones and said user does not answer the call, the call is directed to said service node.

10. A corporate/organization communications system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said service node comprises information relating to the individual services an individual one of said mobile telephones has access to, said individual services being predetermined for each one of said mobile telephones and forming a service profile associated with the respective mobile telephone, said service node comparing the service requested in an outgoing call from an individual mobile telephone with the service profile associated with said individual mobile telephone in order to see if there is a match, said service node, upon a match, setting up said outgoing call, said service node, when there is no match, rejecting said outgoing call.

11. A corporate/organization communications system in accordance with claim 10, wherein each mobile telephone is associated with two mobile telephone numbers, one being the directory number and one being secret, that said directory number leads to said service node, said secret number being known only to the service node and leading to the mobile telephone associated with said secret number.

12. A corporate/organization communications system in accordance with claim 11, wherein an incoming call to said service node which uses the directory number being parked in said service node and being provided with an identification, said service node paging the called mobile telephone using its secret number, said paged mobile telephone, in response to said paging, making an outgoing call to said service node, said service node identifying the paged mobile telephone, and said service node finally connecting the parked incoming call with the call from said paged mobile telephone using the identity of said paged mobile telephone and the identity of said parked call.

13. A corporate/organization communications system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said service node, upon receipt of an outgoing call from a mobile telephone, establishing the identity of calling mobile telephone, checking all of the calls it has parked in order to determine if the call from the mobile telephone is (a) in response to an alert sent from the service node in which case the service node connects the call from the identified mobile telephone with parked call having associated therewith the corresponding identity or is (b) not in response to an alert sent from the service node in which case said control step is performed.

14. A service node for controlling service requested by a number of corporate/organization subscription mobile telephones, said service node comprising a conventional private automatic branch exchange the program software of which is modified to comprise additional functions required to provide a corporate/organization communications system in accordance with claim 1.

15. A corporate/organization communications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein all of the mobile telephones are adapted to make outgoing calls to a common telephone number only.

16. A method of charging mobile telephone calls from mobile telephones served by a service node in accordance with claim 15, wherein calls from said company/organization mobile telephones are charged collectively by the operator of the mobile telephone network and wherein said charging is based upon the total number of outgoing calls which as destination use said common telephone number.

17. A service node for controlling services requested by any mobile telephone associated with a corporate/organization, comprising switch means with ports for connection to a private automatic branch exchange (PABX), memory storage means comprising service profile list means for each one of said mobile telephones and controller means for controlling the services requested in a call from an individual one of said mobile telephones with the service profile associated with said individual mobile telephone to ascertain if there is a match, said controller means initiating an outgoing call, the destination of which is signalled to said service node from said individual mobile telephone, if the requested services matches the service profile associated with said individual mobile telephone.