Method and an arrangement for setting up of connection in a telecommunication network

• US 6,151,492 A
• Filed: 09/02/1997
• Issued: 11/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Melin, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gesesse, Tilahun
• Application Number:
  US08/894,918
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 455/433, 455/432, 455/455, 455/517, 455/524, 455/525, 455/518, 455/414, 455/456, 455/458, 455/462, 455/450, 370/17, 379/59
• US Class Current: 455/435.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

The invention relates to a subscriber service for establishing a connection between an A-subscriber (A1) and a B-subscriber (CXN61) in a telecommunications network (601). The A-subscriber wishes to be connected to any B-subscriber located in a given geographical area (GL64). The A-subscriber (A1) enters a subscriber service code which is received in a control unit (CPUk) in a switching station (PBXk). The subscriber service code includes a connection path (PBX1-REX2-BS64) to the area (GL64). The control unit (CPUk) localizes B-subscribers available in the are (GL64) and stores these subscribers in a preliminary list in a memory (605). Also stored in the list are B-subscribers that are permanently associated with the area (GL64). The control unit then set one or more B-subscribers from the preliminary list and then establishes the connection.

Claims

1. A method of performing a subscriber service in a telecommunications network (601, 101) which includes at least one switching station (PBX1-PBX3, PBXk;

GMSC), at least one radio exchange (REX1-REX6;

MSC1) and at least one base station (BS61-BS64;

BS11-BS12) for setting-up a connection between a calling A-subscriber (A1) and at least one called B-subscriber (CXNT1, MS1-MS5), said method comprising;

allocating subscriber service codes to separate geographical areas (GL11-GL12, GL41-GL44, GL64), each including at least the area covered by a base station;

associating the B-subscribers (MS1-MS3, CXN44-CXN46, CXN61) with a respective geographical area (GL11, GL44, GL64);

entering the subscriber service code, said code being entered by the A-subscriber and indicating the geographical area (GL64;

GL11-GL12) in which the connection with the B-subscribers shall be established;

localizing the B-subscribers that are associated with the geographical area (GL64;

GL11-GL12) given by the A-subscriber;

selecting at least one of the localized B-subscribers; and

establishing the connection from the A-subscriber to the selected B-subscribers, said subscribers constituting the called B-subscribers.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the telecommunications network includes a fixed network (602, PSTN) and a radio communications network (603, 102), and wherein the method further comprises allocating to the B-subscribers a subscriber category which indicates the user activity or function of the respective B-subscribers.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein

entering of the subscriber service code also gives the subscriber category of the B-subscribers;

and

entering of the subscriber service code is effected by the A-subscriber entering said code from its terminal (A1) to a central unit (CPUk) in the switching station (PBXk).

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the B-subscribers are associated with the geographical are given by the A-subscriber by virtue of their being located in said area.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the B-subscribers are associated with the geographical area given by the A-subscriber by virtue of their being allocated a geographical membership or affiliation in a subscriber register (606) in the switching station (PBXk).

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the entered subscriber service code also indicates the type of connection concerned (SINGLE, BROADCAST/S, BROADCAST/P) which, in turn, indicates how the B-subscribers shall be connected to the A-subscriber.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein entry of the subscriber service code comprises:

entering a first code (FC) which indicates the type of connection concerned (SINGLE, BROADCAST/S, BROADCAST/P); and

entering a second code (NR) which indicates the geographical area to which the connection to the B-subscribers shall be established.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the entered second code (NR) also gives the subscriber category of the B-subscribers.

9. A method according to claim 7, where the method further comprises identifying the first code (FC) and the second code (NR) in the central unit (CPUk), said central unit receiving and identifying said first and said second code as subscriber service input data in accordance with the first code (FC).

10. A method according to claim 7, wherein localizing of B-subscribers comprises:

collecting information concerning those B-subscribers that are located in the geographical area given by the A-subscriber, said area comprising the area covered by at least one base station (BS4) and said base station being identified in the second code (NR);

sending a signal (s2) from the central unit (CPUk) in the switching station (PBXk) to a radio exchange (REX2) via a switching station (PBX1), wherein the radio exchange (REX2) and the switching station (PBX1) are identified in the second code (NR); and

sending from the radio exchange (REX2) to the central unit (CPUk) a signal (s3) which contains said information.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein all mobile B-subscribers who are located in the geographical area given by the A-subscriber and all mobile and fixed B-subscribers which are allocated the geographical membership that coincides with the geographical area given by the A-subscriber are included in the information relating to said B-subscribers, wherein said method comprises the further step of storing information in a preliminary list of presumptive B-subscribers in a memory (605) in the switching station (PBXk).

12. A method according to claim 7, wherein localizing of B-subscribers includes collecting information concerning those B-subscribers that are permanently associated with the geographical area given by the A-subscriber, wherein the control unit (CPUk) questions a subscriber register (606) in which information relating to the geographical mebership allocated to the B-subscribers.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein said selection comprises selecting one of the B-subscribers from the preliminary list in accordance with a predetermined selection procedure, where the first code (FC) indicates that the connection is a connection to one single B-subscriber (SINGLE).

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the selection procedure is comprised of a predefined paging pattern.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the selection procedure comprises selecting the B-subscriber in the list that was latest connected to the A-subscriber.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein the selection procedure comprises selecting the B-subscriber in said list of subscribers that has the highest priority, said B-subscribers being divided in the subscriber register (606) into groups of different priorities.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein the selection procedure comprises:

comparing the subscriber category of the B-subscribers in the preliminary list with the subscriber category given by the A-subscriber in the second code (NR);

selecting B-subscribers from the preliminary list in the memory (605) in accordance with the subscriber category of the B-subscribers; and

storing a list of the selected B-subscribers in the memory (605).

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the selection procedure comprises selecting one of the B-subscribers from the list in accordance with a predetermined selection procedure when the first code (FC) indicates that the connection is a connection to one single B-subscriber (SINGLE).

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein the selection procedure comprises selecting all of the B-subscribers in the list when the first code (FC) indicates a connection to several B-subscribers (BROADCAST/S, BROADCAST/P).

20. A method according to claim 11, wherein the selection procedure comprises selecting all of the B-subscribers in the preliminary list when the first code (FC) indicates that the call shall be connected to several of the B-subscribers (BROADCAST/S, BROADCAST/P).

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein establishment of the connection comprises connecting the B-subscribers in the list singly to the A-subscriber when the first code (FC) indicates serial connection of the B-subscribers in the list.

22. A method according to claim 20, wherein establishment of the connection comprises connecting the B-subscribers in the list with the A-subscriber in parallel when the first code (FC) indicates parallel connection of the B-subscribers in the list.

23. A method according to claim 1, wherein establishment of the connection comprises:

connecting a first part of the connection from the A-subscriber to the switching station (PBXk);

sending a call request from the switching station (PBXk) to the selected B-subscribers; and

setting-up a second part of said connection from the switching station (PBXk) to the selected B-subscribers, which therewith constitute called B-subscribers when they answer said call request.

24. A telecommunications network (601, 101) in which there is provided a subscriber service for establishing a connection between a calling A-subscriber (A1) and at least one called B-subscriber (CXN61, MS1-MS5), wherein the telecommunication network (601, 101) includes at least one switching station (PBX1-PBX3, PBXk;

GMSC), at least one radio exchange (REX1-REX6;

MSC1) and at least one base station (BS61-BS64);

BS11-BS12), wherein

the calling A-subscriber (A1) has means whereby a subscriber service code can be entered, said code entered by said A-subscriber indicating a geographical area (GL64) to which the connection with the B-subscriber shall be established;

Wherein at least one of the switching stations (PBXk) has a control unit (CPUk) which includes subscriber service storage means and means for receiving and decoding the subscriber service code;

wherein means (606, REX2) are provided for storing the B-subscribers that are associated with respective geographical areas;

wherein the control unit (CPUk) has means for localizing the B-subscribers that are associated with the geographical area given by the A-subscriber in the subscriber service code and means for storing the localized B-subscribers in a memory (605);

wherein the control means (CPUk) has means for selecting at least one of the B-subscribers in the memory (605); and

wherein the control unit (CPUk) has means for ordering the connection to be established to the selected B-subscribers.

25. A telecommunications network according to claim 24, including a fixed network (602, PSTN) and a radio communications network (603, 102), wherein a radio exchange (REX2) has means for sending to the control unit (CPUk) a signal (s3) which contains information concerning the B-subscribers that are associated with the geographical area (GL64) given by the A-subscriber in the subscriber service code, by virtue of their being located in said area.

26. A telecommunications network according to claim 24, wherein the control unit (CPUk) has means for questioning a subscriber register (606) provided in at least one of the switching stations (PBXk) and containing information concerning those B-subscribers that are permanently associated with the geographical area (GL64) given by the A-subscriber in the subscriber service code when localizing the B-subscribers, said B-subscribers permanently associated with this area (GL64) being stored in the memory (605).

27. A telecommunications network according to claim 24, wherein the subscriber service code decoding means identifies a connection path (PBX1, REX2, BS64) to the geographical area (GL64) given by the A-subscriber when decoding the subscriber service code, said connection path being used in localizing the B-subscribers and in establishing the connection to the selected B-subscribers.