Voice mail service notification between mobile systems

• US 6,298,232 B1
• Filed: 01/15/1999
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Prieto, Almudena, de Viguri, Jesus, Matrinez, Miguel, Marin, Jose Luis
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US09/231,767
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 455/426, 455/412, 455/413, 455/417, 455/466, 455/432, 379/88.13, 379/84, 379/88.04, 379/100.08
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages
• 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: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

The present invention concerns the provision of voice message notifications to a mobile subscriber regardless of the type of network in which the mobile subscriber is located. An interworking function translates a first voice message notification from first protocol associated with a first network into a second voice message notification according to a second protocol associated with a second network. The first and second networks may be a GSM network and an IS-41 network. The first or the second voice message notification may be a qualification directive, an SMS message or an SMS message which includes a CPHS voice message waiting indicator.

Claims

1. In a mobile communication system an interworking function which provides home network functionality to a subscriber roaming in a visited network which operates according to a different protocol, the interworking function comprising:

means for receiving a first message from a first node according to a first protocol associated with a first network;

means for converting said first message from said first protocol into a second voice message notification according to a second protocol associated with a second network;

means for sending said second voice message notification to a second node according to the second protocol associated with the second network.

2. The interworking function according to claim 1, further comprising of:

means for determining whether said first message is a first voice message notification.

3. The interworking function according to claim 2 wherein said means for determining further comprises:

means for determining whether said first message contains a CPHS voice message waiting indicator; and

means for determining whether said first message contains a predetermined text string.

4. The interworking function according to claim 2, wherein said means for determining comprises:

means for determining whether said first message was sent from a voice message system.

5. The interworking function according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for determining whether said second network supports a CPHS voice message waiting indicator; and

wherein said means for converting inserts said CPHS voice message waiting indicator into said second voice message notification if said second network supports said CPHS voice message waiting indicator.

6. The interworking function according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for determining whether said second network identifies voice message notifications using predetermined text strings; and

means for inserting a predetermined text string into said second voice message notification.

7. The interworking function according to claim 2, further comprising:

a database;

means for performing a database analysis function, wherein a home network subscriber number from said first voice message notification is matched to a corresponding entry in said database; and

means for retrieving said corresponding entry from said database, wherein said second voice message notification is sent to said second node using a visited network subscriber number which is contained in said corresponding entry.

8. The interworking function according to claim 7, further comprising:

means for determining whether a subscriber is registered in said second network; and

means for setting a voice message waiting flag in a record in said database if said subscriber is not registered in said second network.

9. The interworking function according to claim 1, wherein said first protocol is a GSM protocol and said first message is an SMS message.

10. The interworking function according to claim 9, wherein said SMS message contains a CPHS voice message waiting indicator.

11. The interworking function according to claim 1, wherein said second protocol is a GSM protocol and said second voice message notification is an SMS message.

12. The interworking function according to claim 11, wherein said SMS message contains a CPHS voice message waiting indicator.

13. The interworking function according to claim 1, wherein said first protocol is an IS-41 protocol and said first message is a qualification directive.

14. The interworking function according to claim 1, wherein said second protocol is an IS-41 protocol and said second voice message notification is a qualification directive.

15. The interworking function according to claim 1, further comprising:

a database including operational and maintenance means to add, remove, and print strings in said database.

16. A mobile communications system for providing voice message notifications for a subscriber comprising:

means for receiving a voice message in a voice message system service center located in a first network;

means for sending a first voice message notification from said service center to a first node according to a first protocol associated with said first network;

means for receiving at the first node the first voice message notification;

means for converting said first voice message notification from said first protocol into a second voice message notification according to a second protocol associated with a second network; and

means for forwarding said second voice message notification, in accordance with the second protocol, to said subscriber located in said second network.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said first protocol is a GSM protocol, said first voice message notification is an SMS message, said second protocol is an IS-41 protocol and said second voice message notification is a qualification directive.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said SMS message contains a CPHS voice message indicator.

19. The system according to claim 16, wherein said first protocol is an IS-41 protocol, said first voice message notification is a qualification directive, said second protocol is a GSM protocol and said second voice message notification is an SMS message.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said SMS message contains a CPHS voice message indicator.

21. In a mobile communication system a method for providing home network functionality to a subscriber roaming in a visited network which operates according to a different protocol, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first message from a first node according to a first protocol associated with a first network;

converting said first message from said first protocol into a voice message notification according to a second protocol associated with a second network;

sending said second voice message notification to a second node according to the second protocol associated with the second network.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of:

determining whether said first message is a first voice message notification.

23. The method according to claim 22 wherein said step of determining further comprises:

determining whether said first message contains a CPHS voice message waiting indicator; and

determining whether said first message contains a predetermined text string.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein said step of determining comprises the step of:

determining whether said first message was sent from a voice message system.

25. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether said second network supports a CPHS voice message waiting indicator; and

wherein said step of converting further comprises the step of inserting said CPHS voice message waiting indicator into said second voice message notification if said second network supports said CPHS voice message waiting indicator.

26. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether said second network identifies voice message notifications using predetermined text strings; and

inserting a predetermined text string into said second voice message notification.

27. The method according to claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

performing a database analysis function, wherein a home network subscriber number from said first voice message notification is matched to a corresponding entry in said database; and

retrieving said corresponding entry from said database, wherein said step for sending is performed in accordance with a visited network subscriber number which is contained in said corresponding entry.

28. The method according to claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether a subscriber is registered in said second network; and

setting a voice message waiting flag in a record in said database if said subscriber is not registered in said second network.

29. The method according to claim 21, wherein said first protocol is a GSM protocol, said first message is an SMS message, said second protocol is an IS-41 protocol and said second voice message notification is a qualification directive.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein said SMS message contains a CPHS voice message waiting indicator.

31. The method according to claim 21, wherein said first protocol is an IS-41 protocol, said first message is a qualification directive, said second protocol is a GSM protocol and said second voice message notification is an SMS message.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein said SMS message contains a CPHS voice message waiting indicator.

33. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

adding, removing or printing strings in a database using operational and maintenance commands.

34. In a mobile communication system, a method for receiving a voice mail notification comprising the steps of:

receiving a voice mail at a service center;

sending a message from the service center to a home location register associated with a subscriber, the message requesting the subscriber'"'"'s current location;

sending a voice mail notification in a first protocol from the service center to a node associated with the current location of the subscriber if the node associated with the current location of the subscriber operates in accordance with the first protocol;

sending a voice mail notification in a first protocol from the service center to a node which converts the voice mail notification to a second protocol if the node associated with the current location of the subscriber operates in accordance with the second protocol; and

forwarding the voice mail notification to the subscriber.