Integrated wireless/wireline registration

• US 6,628,947 B1
• Filed: 12/09/1999
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yu, Christopher C., Christie, Oral A., Alston, Douglas B.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US09/456,672
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: 379/207.02, 455/435, 455/432, 455/433, 455/422, 455/461
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/206 composed of PSTN and wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 Traffic distributors
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for routing telephone calls directed to a wireless unit located in the wireless network to a landline device located in the landline network. The system utilizes a location register in the form of a service control point (SCP) located in the landline network to store certain information pertaining to landline numbers and respective routing numbers associated with landline devices. The SCP is functionally coupled to a Visitors'"'"' Location Register (VLR) as well as to a landline network element that facilitates the routing of communications to both landline devices and over to the MTSO and its associated Home Location Register (HLR) in the wireless network. The system provides for the registering of the wireless unit with the landline network by the dialing of an administrative number from a landline device and causes the VLR in the landline network to directly communicate with the HLR in the wireless network to keep both the landline and the wireless networks up to date as to the registration status and specific routing for the various subscribers. The system is thereby able to route calls efficiently and to alleviate the tromboning effect that often occurs when calls are redirected from a wireless unit to a landline device.

Claims

1. In a telecommunications system including a wireless network and a landline network, the wireless network having a mobile telephone switching office (MTSO) and serving a wireless unit associated with a wireless number, the landline network including a landline network element and serving a landline device associated with a landline number, a method for routing communications directed to the wireless number to the landline device, the method comprising the steps of:

A. making a registration of the wireless unit with the landline network element; and

B. transmitting a signal from the landline network element to the MTSO identifying the wireless unit as being registered; and

C. in response to the signal being sent to the MTSO, causing the MTSO to route a communication intended for the wireless number to the landline device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the landline network element includes information associating the wireless number and the landline number, and wherein Step A comprises the steps of:

receiving identification information associated with a call from the landline number directed to an administrative number;

making a recognition of the call directed to the administrative number as indicative of a request for the registration of the wireless unit, the recognition being based on the identification information associated with the call and on the information associating the wireless number and the landline number; and

making the registration of the wireless unit with the landline network element.

3. The method of claim 2, after the step of making a recognition of the call, further comprising the step of validating the landline number with respect to entitlement of the registration.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after Step B, Step B′

of transmitting a confirmatory message to the landline network element from the MTSO after the message is received.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising, after Step B′

, Step B″

of making a confirmatory announcement of the registration to the call after the confirmatory message is received.

6. The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of providing a menu of options to the call after making the recognition of the call and making a confirmatory announcement of a selection of an option to the call.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of making a recognition of an additional call directed to the administrative number as indicative of a request for the registration of an additional wireless unit, the recognition being based on the identification information associated with the additional call and on the information associating the wireless number and the landline number.

8. The method of claim 2 further comprising, after making a registration of the wireless unit, the step of triggering a query in the landline network element after receiving a call directed to the wireless number.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of triggering a query in the landline network element comprises determining the landline number associated with the wireless number.

16. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of making a recognition of an additional call directed to the administrative number as indicative of a request for the registration of an additional wireless unit, the recognition being based on the identification information associated with the additional call and on the information associating the wireless number and the landline number.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of canceling the registration of the wireless unit after receiving a power up signal transmitted from the wireless unit.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of canceling the registration of the wireless unit after receiving instructions from the landline device.

10. A telecommunications system comprising:

a wireless network serving a wireless unit associated with a wireless number;

a landline network serving a landline device associated with a landline number, said landline network being functionally coupled to said wireless network to facilitate the routing of telecommunications therebetween;

switching means operatively associated with said wireless network;

routing means functionally coupled to said landline network and being selectively operative for routing telecommunications directed to said wireless number to the landline device associated with said landline number; and

control means functionally coupled to said routing means and to said switching means, said control means being operative to receive and to store a registration signal corresponding to a registration of said wireless unit and to transmit an activation signal to said switching means after receiving said registration signal; and

whereby said switching means is operative in response to receipt of said activation signal to route a signal intended for said wireless number to said landline device.

11. The telecommunications system of claim 10, wherein said routing means comprises:

means for receiving identification information associated with a call directed to an administrative number from said landline device;

means for recognizing said call directed to said administrative number as indicative of a request for registration of said wireless unit, said recognizing being based on said identification information associated with the call and on information associating said wireless number and said landline number; and

means for providing said control means with data after said recognizing step, said data comprising said identification information associated with said call and said information associating the wireless number with said landline number, whereby said control means makes the registration of said wireless unit with said landline network element in accordance with said data.

12. The telecommunications system of claim 10, wherein said control means comprises a service control point having a visitor location register functionally coupled thereto, and said switching means comprises a mobile telephone switching office having a home location register functionally coupled thereto.

13. The telecommunications system of claim 11, wherein said routing means further comprises means for validating said landline number with respect to entitlement of said registration.

14. A telecommunications system including a wireless network and a landline network that are functionally coupled to facilitate the routing of telecommunications therebetween, the wireless network having a mobile telephone switching office (MTSO) and serving a wireless unit associated with a wireless number, the landline network serving a landline device associated with a landline number and including a landline network element for routing communications directed to the wireless number to the landline device associated with the landline number, the landline network element comprising:

a service control point (SCP) functionally coupled to the landline network element and operative to make a registration of the wireless unit, and to transmit a message to the landline network element after the registration, the message identifying the wireless unit such that the landline network element routes a communication received for the wireless number to the landline device; and

an intelligent peripheral functionally coupled to the landline network element and the SCP, the intelligent peripheral operative to provide a menu of options to a call and making a confirmatory announcement after a selection of an option to the call.

15. The landline network element of claim 14, further comprising:

means for receiving identification information associated with the call directed to an administrative number from the landline device;

means for making a recognition of the call directed to the administrative number as indicative of a request for the registration of the wireless unit, the recognition being based on the identification information associated with the call and on the information associating the wireless number and the landline number; and

means for providing the SCP with data after the recognition is made, the data comprising the identification information associated with the call and the information associating the wireless number with the landline number, whereby the SCP makes the registration of the wireless unit with the landline network element in accordance with the data.

19. In a telecommunications system including a wireless network and a landline network, the wireless network having a mobile telephone switching office (MTSO) capable of accessing an associated home location register (HLR) having a routing number stored therein, the MTSO serving a wireless unit having an associated wireless number associated with a subscriber, the wireless number being associated with the routing number, the landline network including a landline network element and serving a landline device associated with a landline number, a method for routing communications directed to the wireless number to the landline device, the method comprising the steps of:

registering the wireless unit with the landline network element;

making the landline number associated with the landline device appear as the routing number associated with the wireless number of the subscriber in the home location register;

receiving a call in the wireless network at the MTSO directed to the wireless number associated with the subscriber;

locating the routing number in the home location register of the MTSO associated with the wireless number; and

routing the call to the landline device associated with the landline number.

20. In a telecommunications system including a wireless network and a landline network, the wireless network serving a wireless unit associated with a wireless number associated with a subscriber, the landline network including a landline network element and serving a landline device associated with a landline number, the telecommunications system including an access tandem functionally coupled between the landline network element and the wireless network, a method for routing communications directed to the wireless number to the landline device associated with the landline number, the method comprising the steps of:

A. making the landline number associated with the landline device appear as a routing number associated with the wireless number of the subscriber in a location register of the landline network element;

B. receiving a call at the access tandem directed to the wireless number associated with the subscriber;

C. pausing the processing of the call in the access tandem and querying the landline network element for instructions;

D. locating the routing number in the location register of the landline network element associated with the wireless number called after receipt of the query;

E. transmitting routing instructions to the access tandem from the landline network element after locating the routing number associated with the wireless number in the location register; and

F. routing the call via the access tandem to the landline device associated with the landline number.

21. A telecommunications system having a wireless network and a landline network functionally coupled to facilitate the routing of telecommunications therebetween, the wireless network serving a wireless unit associated with a wireless number, the landline network serving a landline device associated with a landline number, the landline network comprising:

an access tandem for routing communications directed to the wireless number to the landline device associated with the landline number; and

a service control point (SCP) functionally coupled to the access tandem and operative to make a registation of the wireless unit, and to transmit a message to the access tandem after the registration, the message identifying the wireless unit such that the access tandem routes a communication received for the wireless number to the landline device.