Called mobile subscriber present status

• US 6,236,853 B1
• Filed: 10/14/1998
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Mee, John, Maquire, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): BANKS HAROLD, MARSHA DENISE
• Application Number:
  US09/172,294
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412, 455/414, 455/422, 455/432, 455/433, 455/435, 455/445, 455/456, 455/421, 455/458, 455/417, 455/427, 455/428, 379/210, 379/211, 379/212, 379/188, 379/196, 379/197, 379/198
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to the problem of providing information about a called subscriber'"'"'s status in a mobile communications system, and more particularly to the problem that occurs when a caller is unable to determine whether the subscriber being called is either out of the service area or has merely switched off his mobile phone. A new parameter MSSTATUS is given which will indicate the status of a Mobile Station as ready to receive a call, MSSTATUS=ZOK, powered off as in an IMSI detach, MSSTATUS=ZIMSIDETACH, or out of the coverage area, MSSTATUS=ZIMPLICITDETACH. A message will then be given to the caller which may provide a more detailed description of the status of the subscriber being called. In addition, a new Interrogation Facility is provided which will give the caller the opportunity to receive information on the time and date of detach, IMSI or implicit, the specific reason for their unavailability, and the location of the person being called when detach occurred.

Claims

1. A method for providing information about a called Subscriber B'"'"'s status in a mobile communication system, wherein Subscriber B is a subscriber to said mobile communication system and Subscriber A, being a subscriber in any communication system, first dials Subscriber B'"'"'s number which is translated by a Home Location Register into an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), said method comprising the steps of:

assigning a parameter to said IMSI;

assigning to said parameter one of three values, a first value indicating the status of Subscriber B as ready to receive a call, a second value indicating Subscriber B powered off and IMSI Detached, or a third value indicating that Subscriber B has moved out of the coverage area of said mobile system and is Implicitly Detached;

completing a call set-up from Subscriber A to Subscriber B if said parameter equals said first value;

providing a first message to Subscriber A indicating that Subscriber B is unavailable for calls if said parameter equals said second value;

providing a second message to Subscriber A indicating that Subscriber B is unavailable for calls if said parameter equals said third value; and

providing a third message to Subscriber A, offering an Interrogation Facility to Subscriber A which provides further information about the unavailability of Subscriber B, if said parameter equals said second value or said third value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of assigning said first value to said parameter is performed if a Visitors Location Register (VLR) parameter, for a Service Area in which Subscriber B is located, equals YES.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step assigning said second value to said parameter is performed when Subscriber B has powered off.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of assigning said third value to said parameter is performed when Subscriber B is no longer detected by periodic registration.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein Subscriber B is no longer detected because Subscriber B has moved out of a coverage area of said mobile communications system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first message indicates that Subscriber B is powered off.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said second message indicates that Subscriber B is out of a coverage area or no longer responding.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein Subscriber B has the facility to block Subscriber A from accessing the Interrogation Facility.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

Subscriber A accepting said Interrogation Facility;

announcing to Subscriber A that Subscriber B has IMSI detached, the time and date of the IMSI Detach, and a location of Subscriber B at the time of IMSI Detach, if said parameter equals said second value; and

announcing to Subscriber A that Subscriber B has Implicitly Detached, the time and date of the Implicit Detach, and a location of Subscriber B at the time of Implicit Detach if said parameter equals said third value.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said location of Subscriber B is a Location Area at detach.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said location of Subscriber B is a longitude and latitude of Subscriber B at detach.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said longitude and latitude are provided by GPS.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said messages are recorded announcements.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said messages are alphanumeric symbols.