Method and apparatus for implementing configurable call forwarding bins in a mobile telephone system

• US 6,157,831 A
• Filed: 01/11/1997
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Lamb, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, NGUYEN THANH
• Application Number:
  US08/781,261
• Time in Patent Office: 1,424 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414, 455/417, 455/445, 455/432, 455/436, 455/433, 379/210, 379/211, 379/212
• US Class Current: 455/433
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

The present invention provides an improved home location register (HLR) that includes an application program for implementing configurable call forwarding bins in a mobile telephone system. According to the invention, a number of call forwarding bins are provided for subscribers. Each forwarding bin must be individually authorized to become available to a subscriber. Furthermore, if a bin is authorized, depending on whether a bin is locked or not, either the cellular carrier or the subscriber can activate the bin and/or modify a forward-to number in the bin. Moreover, a priority list is provided, corresponding to a particular status of the subscriber'"'"'s cellular phone. (i.e. busy, no answer, etc.) and whether the subscriber is in the home area or a roaming area. The priority list identifies selected bin numbers that the application program needs to check. The bin that has the highest priority on the list and is authorized and activated will be selected. The forward-to number in that bin will be used for call forwarding. If none of the bins in the priority list is authorized and activated, a switch default number is used to redirect incoming calls, so that an announcement will be played to calling parties. Therefore, by using the improved HLR of the invention, more call forwarding bins-can be implemented. Moreover, these bins can be easily configured in desired ways to allow either a cellular carrier or a subscriber to control the use of selected bins. Additionally, in providing call forwarding services, a plurality of bins are checked to find an appropriate forward-to number, thus avoiding sending erroneous messages to calling parties.

Claims

1. A method of implementing call forwarding bins configurable to implement preselected call forwarding features in a mobile telephone system, each call forwarding bin storing a forward-to number, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a status of a subscriber'"'"'s cellular phone;

(b) determining the status of the cellular phone and whether the cellular phone is in a home area or a roaming area;

(c) checking a pre-defined priority list associated with the status of the cellular phone and whether the cellular phone is in a home area or a roaming area, the priority list identifying a plurality of call forwarding bins each assigned with a predetermined priority and each containing a forward-to phone number;

(d) providing control of the subscriber'"'"'s ability to activate and deactivate any of the plurality of call forwarding bins identified in the priority list;

(d) determining which call forwarding bin on the priority list has the highest priority, is activated, and is available to the subscriber;

(e) retrieving a forward-to phone number from the call forwarding bin that has the highest priority on the priority list, is activated, and is available to the subscriber; and

(f) redirecting an incoming call destined for the subscriber'"'"'s cellular phone to the forward-to phone number.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each call forwarding bin is available to the subscriber if the bin is authorized by a cellular carrier and is activated.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing control of the subscriber'"'"'s ability to modify any one of the forward-to phone numbers in the plurality of call forwarding bins.

4. A home location register (HLR) for implementing call forwarding bins configurable to implement preselected call forwarding features in a mobile telephone system, each call forwarding bin storing a forward-to number, the HLR comprising:

a first portion configured to receive a status of a subscriber'"'"'s cellular phone;

a second portion configured to determine the status of the cellular phone and whether the subscriber'"'"'s cellular phone is in a home area or a roaming area;

a third portion configured to check a pre-defined priority list associated with the status of the cellular phone and whether the subscriber'"'"'s cellular phone is in a home area or a roaming area, the priority list identifying the call forwarding bins;

a fourth portion configured to provide control of the subscriber'"'"'s ability to activate and deactivate any of the call forwarding bins;

a fifth portion configured to determine which bin on the priority list has the highest priority, is activated, and is available to the subscriber;

a sixth portion configured to retrieve a forward-to number from the bin that has the highest priority on the priority list, is activated, and is available to the subscriber; and

a seventh portion configured to redirect an incoming call destined for the subscriber'"'"'s cellular phone to the forward-to number.

5. The HLR of claim 4, wherein each call forwarding bin is available to the subscriber if the bin is authorized by a cellular carrier and is activated.

6. The HLR of claim 4, further comprising an eighth portion configured to provide control of the subscriber'"'"'s ability to modify forward-to numbers in the call forwarding bins.

7. A call forwarding bin configurable for implementing a predetermined call forwarding feature for a subscriber'"'"'s cellular phone, comprising:

an authorized flag for providing authorization of the bin to a subscriber;

an active flag for activating and deactivating the bin;

a forward-to number flag for providing a forward-to number for redirecting an incoming call destined to the subscriber'"'"'s cellular phone when the bin is authorized and activated and is selected for call forwarding; and

a lock flag for controlling the subscriber'"'"'s ability to modify the active flag that allows the subscriber to activate and deactivate the bin and for controlling the subscriber'"'"'s ability to modify the forward-to number associated with the bin.

8. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for implementing call forwarding bins configurable to implement preselected call forwarding features in a mobile telephone system, each call forwarding bin storing a forward-to number, the computer program product comprising;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect receiving a status of a subscriber'"'"'s cellular phone;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect determining the status of the cellular phone and whether the subscriber'"'"'s cellular phone is in a home area or a roaming area;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect checking a pre-defined priority list associated with the status of the cellular phone and whether the subscriber'"'"'s cellular phone is in a home area or a roaming area, the priority list identifying a plurality of call forwarding bins each assigned with a predetermined priority;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect determining which bin on the priority list has the highest priority and is available to the subscriber;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect retrieving a forward-to number from the bin that has the highest priority on the priority list and is available to the subscriber;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect redirecting an incoming call destined for the subscriber'"'"'s cellular phone to the forward-to number; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect providing control of the subscriber'"'"'s ability to activate and deactivate predetermined call forwarding bins.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein each call forwarding bin is available to the subscriber if the bin is authorized by a cellular carrier and is activated.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect providing control of the subscriber'"'"'s ability to modify forward-to numbers in predetermined call forwarding bins.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect providing control of the subscriber'"'"'s ability to modify forward-to numbers in predetermined call forwarding bins.