Mobility extended telephone application programming interface and method of use

• US 5,978,672 A
• Filed: 09/27/1996
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Global Mobility Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Hartmaier, Peter J., Gossman, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOLINAR, ANDREW M
• Application Number:
  US08/720,089
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412-417, 455/433, 455/445, 455/461
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/20 hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42127 Systems providing several special services or facilities from groups H04M3/42008 - H04M3/58
• 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 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• 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: H04M 7/009 in systems involving PBX or KTS networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A mobility extended telecommunications application and method of use which comprises an integrated wireless and wirelined network with central control and which has a programmed interface to translate between the different protocols of the wireless and the wirelined networks to allow for customized services to be furnished to said wireless network without the necessity of expensive switching and data handling devices. The application can be utilized between many networks and facilitates the utilization of the architecture of the wirelined network and the home location register of the wireless network for various applications on the wireless network.

Claims

1. An integrated wireless and wired communications system having a wireline network with centralized control of telephone services provided to end users along with customized services and a wide area wireless network that provides customized services and applications, thereby providing mobility management to end users from any call point within the wireless network, said system comprising:

a wireless switched intelligent network having a protocol and standardized messages to facilitate interaction with the network based applications for enhanced and customized services, the wireless network further comprising service control points adapted to hold data bases or execute applications and at least one mobile switching center;

a wireline switched intelligent network having a protocol and standardized messages to facilitate interaction with the network based applications for enhanced and customized services; and

means for connecting the wireline switched intelligent network to the wireless switched intelligent network enabling the wireless network to interact with the wireline network as if the wireline network was an integral part of the wireless network while providing local mobility and profile information to the integrated communications system, such means further comprising;

means for translating signals from the wireless network to the wireline network; and

means for translating signals from the wireline network to the wireless network.

2. A system as in claim 1 and including links to at least one resident application.

3. A system as in claim 2 wherein the wireline network consists of a single processor with or without telephones connected.

4. A system as in claim 2 wherein said resident application includes a private dialing plan.

5. A system as in claim 2 wherein said resident application includes voice mail.

6. A system as in claim 2 wherein said resident application includes a PBX.

7. A system as in claim 1 and including a network interface means that provides said local mobility and profile information, said interface means providing a link between said wireless network means and said wireline network means to convert the wireless network protocol and signals into the wireline network protocol and API.

8. A system as in claim 7 wherein said wireless network protocol is IS-41 and the wireline network service is provided by an application that supports TAPI, TSAPI or any other telephony Application Programming Interface (API) and said network interface converts between the API and IS-41 signals and network based applications.

9. A system as in claim 8 wherein said wireless network means includes a home location register means associated with its service control point.

10. A system as in claim 9 wherein data transmission to and from said home location register means is over X.25.

11. A system as in claim 9 wherein data transmission to and from said home location register is over TCP/IP.

12. A system as in claim 9 wherein data transmission to and from said home location register is over a private virtual circuit.

13. A system as in claim 7 wherein data transmission to and from the networks utilize remote service calls and procedures.

14. A system as in claim 7 wherein said wireless network means includes a home location register means associated with its service control points, said network interface means in effect acquiring said wireline network means as an intelligent node on said wireless network complete with its own unique addressing function.

15. A system as in claim 14 wherein said wireless network means is a cellular network and includes a link means adapted to allow said interface means to serve as a general service control point and home location register means in said cellular network.

16. A system as in claim 15 wherein said interface means functions as a general service control point and home location register means on a private network portion of said cellular network.

17. A system as in claim 1 wherein the enhanced and customized services allow the storage and updating of the status of mobile telephones.

18. A system as in claim 1 wherein said wireless network means includes a home location register means associated with said service control points and adapted to serve at least one service control point.

19. A system as in claim 18 wherein said home location register means is adapted to serve multiple service control points.

20. A system as in claim 18 and including at least one intelligent peripheral means.

21. A system as in claim 20 wherein said intelligent peripheral means comprises voice mail.

22. A system as in claim 20 wherein said intelligent peripheral means comprises message paging.

23. A system as in claim 18 wherein said service control point is host to a dialing application.

24. A system as in claim 18 wherein said service control point is host to a virtual private network.

25. A system as in claim 1 wherein said wireless intelligent network means includes a server supporting open architecture applications.

26. A system as in claim 25 wherein said server supports a Windows NT application.

27. A system as in claim 25 wherein said server supports data transmitting standards.

28. A method of employing a wireline network as a node element of a wide area wireless intelligent network to afford connection between said networks which have different protocols, signals and API, the method comprising:

providing a data processor having means resident thereon to translate the protocol, signals and API of the wireless network to that of the protocol, signals and API of the wireline network, and to translate the protocol, signals and API of the wireline network to the protocol, signals and API of the wireless network;

connecting the processor to the wireline network;

connecting the processor to a service control point and home location register of the wireless network; and

operating the connected networks through the data processor to afford a platform for custom application tailoring of an individual user'"'"'s needs on the wireless network and to provide mobility management to the wireless network by treating the wireline network as part of the wireless network, effectively forming the wireline network as an extension of the wireless network, facilitating call connection from one network to the other.

29. A method as in claim 28 and including the further step of acquiring fixed phones by said wireless network management as if they were mobile phones by inferring mobility based on actions of the fixed telephone.

30. A method as in claim 28 wherein private network based applications are connected to both wireline and wireless networks.

31. A method as in claim 30 wherein said wireless network is a cellular network and the wireline network appears as an extension of said cellular network with a sub service control point process causing said processor operation to provide mobility and profile information.

32. A method as in claim 31 wherein said sub service control point process also provides links to resident applications.

33. A method as in claim 32 wherein said resident application is electronic or multimedia mail.

34. A method as in claim 32 wherein said resident application is voice mail.

35. A method as in claim 32 wherein said resident application is a PBX.

36. A method as in claim 32 wherein said resident application is a private dialing plan.

37. A method as in claim 28 wherein the application programming interface used in said wireline network is TAPI, TSAPI, or any other telephony Application Programming Interface (API) means and the signal set of said wireless network is IS-41 or any other available signals supported with the wireless network.

38. A method as in claim 28 wherein other applications developed on said combined network extract and even modify subscriber or end user data stored in said service control point based application and may enhance said data with the added functionality of having knowledge of the subscriber or end user profile stored in the wireline based application.

39. A method as in claim 28 which allows for interconnection of the wireline network or wireless network profile and mobility information with applications developed locally on a private network.

40. A method as in claim 28 including the step of signaling from the wireline network interface to the home location register over X.25.

41. A method as in claim 28 including the step of signaling from the wireline network interface to the home location register over TCP/IP.

42. A method as in claim 28 wherein said operating step includes:

storing user profile information on said home location register, and

managing said user information on said service control point for applications on said wireline network.

43. A method as in claim 42 and including the additional step of running intelligent peripheral applications on said wireless network off of said service control point.

44. A method as in claim 43 wherein said peripheral application is voice-mail.

45. A method as in claim 43 wherein said peripheral application is message paging.

46. A method as in claim 42 and including the step of supporting open architecture applications on said wireline network by a server connected thereto.

47. A method as in claim 46 wherein said open architecture application is Windows NT, Windows 95, or Novell Network Operating System.

48. A method as in claim 42 wherein said wireline network supports applications using TAPI, TSAPI or any application with a telephone API means which use the data stored in the home location register of said wireless network.

49. A method as in claim 48 wherein said TAPI, TSAPI or any application with a telephone API means based application is voice mail.

50. A method as in claim 48 wherein said TAPI, TSAPI or any application with a telephone API means based application is electronic or multimedia-mail integration.

51. A method as in claim 42 wherein said user profile information includes information selected from the group consisting of current location, serial number, and services authorized.

52. An integrated network communications system, said system comprising:

a switched cellular network based on wireless intelligent network architecture having a protocol and signals and at least one service control point with a home location register;

a private wired network having at least one open architecture server hosting a PBX and having a protocol and signals or API; and

a mapping device between the networks which translates the cellular protocol, signals or API to the private network protocol, signals or API and the private network protocol, signals or API to cellular protocol, signals or API, to effectively form the private network and server as an extension of the cellular network whereby the server co-acts with the service control point and home location register of the cellular network to support various applications.

53. A system as in claim 52 wherein said application is call redirection and auto follow me service where calls made to a PBX are automatically directed to the station where a person is most likely to answer.

54. A system as in claim 52 wherein said application is fixed call forwarding using PBX trunks where forwarding is done at the PBX.

55. A system as in claim 52 wherein said application is an integration with pagers and meet me bridges where the system pages subscriber or end users to join a call.

56. A system as in claim 52 wherein said application is PBX voice mail message waiting indication.

57. A system as in claim 52 wherein said application is screening list management from the cell phone.

58. A system as in claim 52 wherein said application is call screening and subscribers or end users are able to set criteria for the screening.

59. A system as in claim 52 wherein said application includes a PBX set feature control via a cellular phone.

60. A system as in claim 52 wherein the mapping device includes a processor which translates between the cellular and wired network protocols thereby allowing application software to be extended with mobility features.

61. A system as in claim 60 wherein the mapping device interaction with the service control point causes a sub SCP routine to execute allowing the private network to function as a node on the cellular network.

62. A system as in claim 61 wherein signals and network messages from said cellular network are translated by the processor from IS41 into TSAPI, TAPI or other API signals for use by applications resident on the private network.

63. A system as in claim 61 wherein the mapping device is connected to the networks by X.25.

64. A system as in claim 61 including a network management means, the mapping device being operatively connected to the network management means whereby network operations are monitored.

65. A system as in claim 61 including an SS7 link from the mapping device to service transfer points in the cellular network where the mapping device serves as a general service control point/home location register in the private network.

66. A method of connecting applications executing on a private data network with applications executing on a public wireless network, said networks having different protocols, signals and API and said public network having a data base containing profile and status information, said method comprising:

translating the signals of the wireless network into signals for the private network;

extracting the profile and status information stored on the wireless network;

forwarding the translated signals, profile and status information to the private network;

running customized user applications on the private network based on signals received from the wireless network; and

translating signals from the private network applications into wireless network protocol to minimize the number of service control points required and to treat the private network as a node on the wireless network.

67. A method as in claim 66 wherein said wireless network is cellular.

68. A method as in claim 66 wherein said wireless network is Personal Communication Services (PCS).

69. A method as in claim 66 wherein said wireless network is Switched Mobile Radio (SMR).

70. A method as in claim 66 wherein said wireless network is Satellite.

71. A method as in claim 66 wherein said translation process occurs in the wireless network.

72. A method as in claim 66 wherein said translation process occurs in the private network.

73. A method as in claim 66 wherein said translation process occurs as a middle-ware sub process in an application running on a processor connected to the network.

74. A method for routing calls for a subscriber between a wireline network having a first protocol and a wireless network having a second protocol, comprising the steps of:

detecting if the subscriber is active on the wireless or wireline network;

when said calls are received by a network on which the subscriber is active;

routing said calls to the subscriber; and

when said calls are received by a network on which the subscriber is not active;

translating signals associated with said calls from a receiving network protocol to an active network protocol; and

routing said calls to the subscriber on said active network using said translated signals.

75. The method of claim 74 wherein the wireless network is a switched cellular network based on wireless intelligent network architecture having at least one service control point with a home location register.

76. The method of claim 75 wherein a last active location of the subscriber is tracked by the home location register.

77. The method of claim 74 wherein the wireline network is a private wireline network having at least one open architecture server hosting a PBX.

78. The method of claim 74 wherein said translating step is performed by a mapping device comprising:

a data processor having means resident thereon to translate the protocol of the wireless network to the protocol of the wireline network, and to translate the protocol of the wireline network to the protocol of the wireless network.

79. The method of claim 78 wherein a PBX detects activity of the subscriber on the wireline network and passes activity information to the mapping device.

80. The method of claim 79 wherein the detected activity comprises receiving or placing calls on the wireline network.

81. The method of claim 79 wherein the mapping device translates the activity information into signals for the wireless network and launches transactions with a home location register.

82. The method of claim 81 further comprising the steps of:

receiving, at said mapping device, signals from the home location register,

translating said signals into routing directives for the wireline network, and

sending said signals to the PBX for execution.