Communications network and method for screening incoming circuit switched calls

• US 6,473,422 B2
• Filed: 04/27/1998
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Sundell, Hans-Olof, Hall, Göran, Persson, Richard, Hummelgren, Henrik, Kannas, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsegaye, Saba
• Application Number:
  US09/067,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20020080770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,646 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/357, 370/310, 379/93, 379/96, 379/201.01, 379/207.13, 379/210.03, 379/211.02, 379/212.01, 455/465, 455/412, 455/515
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A communications network and method for screening incoming circuit switched calls directed to a mobile terminal operating in packet switched mode. The communications network includes a circuit switched network and a packet switched network. A called party uses the mobile terminal to transmit to the packet switched network a screening list containing at least one listed phone number. The packet switched network uses the screening list to inform the called party whenever an incoming circuit switched call of a calling party has a phone number matching anyone of the listed phone numbers.

Claims

1. A communications network for screening incoming circuit switched calls, said communications network comprising:

a packet switched network;

a circuit switched network coupled to the packet switched network;

a mobile terminal of a called party registered for packet switched communications capable of communicating through either the circuit switched network or the packet switched network, said mobile terminal having the ability to screen calls while said called party is communicating through said packet switched network by generating and transmitting to a visited packet mobile services switching center within said packet switched network a list having at least one listed phone number, each listed phone number corresponding to a calling party;

said circuit switched network further including a gateway mobile services switching center for determining whether a match exists between a phone number of an incoming circuit switched call and anyone of the at least one listed phone number; and

said visited packet mobile services switching center within said packet switched network for informing the called party currently operating in said packet switched network of the incoming circuit switched call when said gateway mobile services switching center has determined a match to exists.

2. The communications network of claim 1, wherein said mobile terminal includes means for updating the list.

3. The communications network of claim 2, wherein the means for updating includes transmitting a Calling Party Screening Update Signal to the packet switched network.

4. The communications network of claim 1, wherein said packet switched network and said circuit switched network include a home location register for storing the list as dynamic data.

5. The communications network of claim 1, wherein said packet switched network further includes a visited packet mobile services switching center for receiving the list from the mobile terminal.

6. The communications network of claim 1, wherein the circuit switched network includes a gateway mobile services switching center for determining whether a match exists between the phone number of the circuit switched call from said calling party and said anyone of the at least one listed phone number.

7. The communications network of claim 1, wherein said packet switched network includes a visited packet mobile services switching center for transmitting the phone number of the circuit switched call to the mobile terminal when the phone number of the circuit switch call matches said anyone of the at least one listed phone number.

8. The communications network of claim 7, wherein said mobile terminal includes means for transmitting an acceptance signal to the packet switched network in response to receiving the transmitted phone number.

9. The communications network of claim 8, wherein the packet switched network includes a visited packet mobile services switching center for disconnecting the packet switched communications between the mobile terminal and the packet switched network in response to receiving the acceptance signal.

10. The communications network of claim 9, wherein the circuit switched network includes a visited mobile services switching center for connecting the circuit switched call between the mobile terminal and the circuit switched network in response to receiving the acceptance signal.

11. The communications network of claim 1, wherein said circuit switched network includes a gateway mobile services switching center for terminating the circuit switched call when the phone number of the circuit switched call does not match said anyone of the at least one listed phone number.

12. The communications network of claim 1, wherein said circuit switched network includes a gateway mobile services switching center for rerouting the circuit switched call to a voice mail service when the phone number of the circuit switched call does not match said anyone of the at least one listed phone number.

13. The communications network of claim 1, wherein said circuit switched network includes a gateway mobile services switching center for forwarding the circuit switched call to a second phone number when the phone number of the circuit switched call does not match said anyone of the at least one listed phone number.

14. The communications network of claim 1, wherein said circuit switched network further includes means for validating the list for legible numbers.

15. A communications network having a circuit switched network coupled to a packet switched network, said communications network comprising:

a mobile terminal of a called party capable of communicating through either the circuit switched network or the packet switched network, said mobile terminal having the ability to screen calls while said mobile terminal of said called party is communicating through said packet switched network by generating a list having at least one listed phone number, each listed phone number corresponding to a calling party;

said circuit switched network and said packet switched network including a home location register for storing the list;

said circuit switched network further including a gateway mobile services switching center for determining whether a match exists between a phone number of an incoming circuit switched call and anyone of the at least one listed phone number; and

said packet switched network further includes a visited packet mobile services switching center for informing the called party currently operating in said packet switched network of the circuit switched call when the gateway mobile services switching center has determined a match exists.

16. The communications network of claim 15, wherein said mobile terminal includes means for updating the list.

17. The communications network of claim 15, wherein said visited packet mobile services switching center includes means for transmitting the phone number of the circuit switched call to the mobile terminal when the phone number of the circuit switch call matches said anyone of the at least one listed phone number.

18. The communications network of claim 17, wherein said mobile terminal includes means for transmitting an acceptance signal to the visited packet mobile services switching center in response to receiving the transmitted phone number.

19. The communications network of claim 18, wherein said visited packet mobile services switching center includes means for disconnecting the packet switched communications between the mobile terminal and the packet switched network in response to receiving the acceptance signal.

20. The communications network of claim 19, wherein the circuit switched network includes a visited mobile services switching center for connecting the circuit switched call between the mobile terminal and the circuit switched network in response to receiving the acceptance signal.

21. The communications network of claim 15, wherein said gateway mobile services switching center includes means for terminating the circuit switched call when the phone number of the circuit switched call does not match said anyone of the at least one listed phone number.

22. The communications network of claim 15, wherein said gateway mobile services switching center includes means for rerouting the circuit switched call to a voice mail service when the phone number of the circuit switched call does not match said anyone of the at least one listed phone number.

23. The communications network of claim 15, wherein said gateway mobile services switching center includes means for forwarding the circuit switched call to a second phone number when the phone number of the circuit switched call does not match said anyone of the at least one list phone number.

24. The communications network of claim 15, wherein said gateway mobile services switching center includes means for rerouting the circuit switched call to a voice mail service when the called party rejects the circuit switched call.

25. The communications network of claim 15, wherein said gateway mobile services switching center includes means for forwarding the circuit switched call to another phone number when the called party rejects the circuit switched call.

26. A method used in a communications network for screening incoming circuit switched calls, said method comprising:

communicating by means of a mobile terminal capable of communicating through either a circuit switched network or a packet switched network, said mobile terminal having the ability to screen calls while said mobile terminal of a called party is communicating through said packet switched network;

generating and transmitting a list from said mobile terminal to a visited packet mobile services switching center within said packet switched network, said list having at least one listed phone number, each listed phone number corresponding to a calling party;

determining whether a match exists between a phone number of an incoming circuit switched call and anyone of the at least one listed phone number by a gateway mobile services switching center within said circuit switched network; and

informing the called party currently communicating through said packet switched network of the circuit switched call when the match has been determined to exist, said information being provided by said visited packet mobile services switching center within said packet switched network.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of updating the list during packet switched communications.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of storing the list as dynamic data.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of transmitting the phone number of the circuit switched call to the mobile terminal when the phone number of the circuit switched call matches said anyone of the at least one listed number.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of transmitting an acceptance signal from the mobile terminal to the packet switched network in response to receiving the transmitted phone number.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising the steps of disconnecting the packet switched communication between the mobile terminal and the circuit switched network, and connecting the circuit switched call between the mobile terminal and the circuit switched network in response to receiving the acceptance signal.

32. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of terminating the circuit switched call when the phone number of the circuit switched call does not match said anyone of the at least one listed phone number.

33. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of rerouting the circuit switched call to a voice mail service when the phone number of the circuit switched call does not match said anyone of the at least one listed phone number.

34. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of forwarding the circuit switched call to a second phone number when the phone number of the circuit switched call does not match said anyone of the at least one listed phone number.

35. A method used in a communications network having a circuit switched network coupled to a packet switched network, said method comprising:

communicating in said communications network by a mobile terminal of a called party capable of communicating through either the circuit switched network or the packet switched network, said mobile terminal having the ability to screen calls while said mobile terminal of said called party is communicating through said packet switched network;

generating a list having by said mobile terminal having at least one listed phone number, each listed phone number corresponds to a calling party;

transmitting said list by said mobile terminal to a visited packet mobile services switching center within the packet switched network;

determining whether a match exists between a phone number of an incoming circuit switched call and anyone of the at least one listed phone number, said determination being performed by a gateway mobile switching center within said circuit switched network; and

informing said called party currently operating in said packet switched network of the circuit switched call when said gateway mobile switching center has determined a match, said information being provided by a visited packet mobile services switching center within said packet switched network.