Apparatus, method and system for subscriber control of timed and regional membership in multiple member termination groups for multiple leg telecommunication sessions

• US 6,714,636 B1
• Filed: 09/24/1999
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Baiyor, Robert John, Strom, Thomas Dale, Smith, Harold Robert Jr., Earl, Deborah Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AL AUBAIDI, RASHA S
• Application Number:
  US09/404,901
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 379/211.01, 379/211.02, 379/211.04
• US Class Current: 379/211.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location where the service is an information service H04M2242/15; services independent of location H04M3/42229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53375 Message broadcasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/565 relating to time schedule aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management

Abstract

A system, apparatus and method are provided for subscriber control of timed and regional membership in multiple member termination groups for multiple leg telecommunication sessions, such as for providing outgoing call legs for a flexible alerting service, to different groups of members, at different times of day or different geographic locations. The preferred system includes a home location register coupled to a mobile switching center. The home location register has, stored in a memory, a plurality of secondary directory numbers associated with a primary directory number, and includes instructions to determine whether each secondary directory number, of the plurality of secondary directory numbers, is currently incorporated within a selected alerting group based upon a predefined time period parameter or a geographic location parameter for a mobile unit corresponding to the secondary directory number. The mobile switching center has an interface for receiving an incoming call leg designating the primary directory number and for differentially processing and routing each outgoing call leg associated with each secondary directory number currently incorporated within the selected alerting group.

Claims

1. A method for subscriber control of membership in a multiple member termination group for a multiple leg telecommunication session, the method comprising:

(a) receiving an incoming call leg designating a primary directory number,

(b) determining a plurality of secondary directory numbers associated with the primary directory number;

(c) determine whether each secondary directory number, of the plurality of secondary directory numbers, is currently incorporated within a selected alerting group based upon a determination of a geographic location of a mobile unit corresponding to the secondary directory number; and

(d) differentially processing and routing each outgoing call leg associated with each secondary directory number currently incorporated within the selected alerting group.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining step (c) further comprises:

determining whether each secondary directory number, of the plurality of secondary directory numbers, is currently incorporated within a selected alerting group based upon a predefined time period parameter and a current time.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the predefined time period parameter is a selected time of day.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the predefined time period parameter is a selected day of a week.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the predefined time period parameter is a selected holiday.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected alerting group is a subset of an alerting group comprising all of the secondary directory numbers of the plurality of secondary directory numbers associated with the primary directory number.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining step (c) further comprises:

(c1) initially including all of the secondary directory numbers of the plurality of secondary directory numbers to form an initial alerting group;

(c2) determining whether each secondary directory number, of the plurality of secondary directory numbers, is excluded from the initial alerting group based upon time period or geographic location parameters; and

(c3) forming the selected alerting group as a remainder subset of secondary directory numbers of the initial alerting group following exclusion determination.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining step (c) further comprises:

determining whether each secondary directory number, of the plurality of secondary directory numbers, is included within the selected alerting group based upon time period and geographic location parameters.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises:

transmitting a message containing, for each secondary directory number of the selected alerting group, corresponding routing and answering parameters.

10. A system for subscriber control of membership in a multiple member termination group for a multiple leg telecommunication session, the system comprising:

a database baving stored in a memory a plurality of secondary directory numbers associated with a primary directory number, wherein the database includes instructions to determine whether each secondary directory number, of the plurality of secondary directory numbers, is currently incorporated within a selected alerting group based upon a geographic location of a mobile unit corresponding to the secondary directory number; and

,

a switching center coupled to the database, the switching center further having an interface for receiving an incoming call leg designating the primary directory number and for differentially processing and routing each outgoing call leg associated with each secondary directory number currently incorporated within the selected alerting group.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the database includes further instructions to determine whether each secondary directory number, of the plurality of secondary directory numbers, is currently incorporated within a selected alerting group based upon a predefined time period parameter and a measurement of a current time.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the predefined time period parameter is a selected time of day.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the predefined time period parameter is a selected day of a week.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the predefined time period parameter is a selected holiday.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the database includes further instructions to determine the selected alerting group as a subset of an alerting group comprising all of the secondary directory numbers of the plurality of secondary directory numbers associated with the primary directory number.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the database includes further instructions to initially include all of the secondary directory numbers of the plurality of secondary directory numbers to form an initial alerting group;

to determine whether each secondary directory number, of the plurality of secondary directory numbers, is excluded from the initial alerting group based upon time period or geographic location parameters; and

to form the selected alerting group as a remainder subset of secondary directory numbers of the initial alerting group following exclusion determination.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the database includes further instructions to determine whether each secondary directory number, of the plurality of secondary directory numbers, is included within the selected alerting group based upon time period and geographic location parameters.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the database includes further instructions to transmit a message to the switching center, the message containing a listing of each secondary directory number of the selected alerting group and corresponding routing and answering parameters for each secondary directory number of the selected alerting group.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the database is a home location register.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the switching center is a mobile switching center.

21. An apparatus for subscriber control of membership in a multiple member termination group for a multiple leg telecommunication session, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface for reception of an incoming call leg designating a primary directory number and for transmission of an outgoing call leg;

a memory having a plurality of secondary directory numbers associated with the primary directory number; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the network interface, wherein the processor, when operative, includes program instructions to determine whether each secondary directory number, of the plurality of secondary directory numbers, is currently incorporated within a selected alerting group based upon a determination of a geographic location of a mobile unit corresponding to the secondary director number, and to differentially process and route each outgoing call leg associated with each secondary directory number of the selected alerting group.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processor includes further instructions to determine whether each secondary directory number, of the plurality of secondary directory numbers, is currently incorporated within a selected alerting group based upon a predefined time period parameter and a determination of a current time.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the predefined time period parameter is a selected time of day.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the predefined time period parameter is a selected day of a week.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the predefined time period parameter is a selected holiday.

26. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the processor includes further instructions to determine the selected alerting group as a subset of an alerting group comprising all of the secondary directory numbers of the plurality of secondary directory numbers associated with the primary directory number.

27. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the processor includes further instructions to initially including all of the secondary directory numbers of the plurality of secondary directory numbers to form an initial alerting group;

to determine whether each secondary directory number, of the plurality of secondary directory numbers, is excluded from the initial alerting group based upon time period or geographic location parameters; and

to form the selected alerting group as a remainder subset of secondary directory numbers of the initial alerting group following exclusion determination.

28. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the processor includes further instructions to determine whether each secondary directory number, of the plurality of secondary directory numbers, is included within the selected alerting group based upon time period and geographic location parameters.

29. A system for subscriber control of membership in a multiple member termination group for a multiple leg telecommunication session, the system comprising:

a home location register having stored in a memory a plurality of secondary directory numbers associated with a primary directory number, wherein the home location register includes instructions to determine whether each secondary directory number, of the plurality of secondary directory numbers, is currently incorporated within a selected alerting group based upon a geographic location parameter for a mobile unit corresponding to the secondary directory number; and

a mobile switching center coupled to the home location register, the mobile switching center further having an interface for receiving an incoming call leg designating the primary directory number and for differentially processing and routing each outgoing call leg associated with each secondary directory number currently incorporated within the selected alerting group.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the predefined time period parameter is a selected time of day, a selected day of a week, or a selected holiday.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein the home location register includes further instructions to initially including all of the secondary directory numbers of the plurality of secondary directory numbers to form an initial alerting group;

to determine whether each secondary directory number, of the plurality of secondary directory numbers, is excluded from the initial alerting group based upon the predefined time period or geographic location parameters; and

to form the selected alerting group as a remainder subset of secondary directory numbers of the initial alerting group following exclusion determination.

32. The system of claim 29 wherein the home location register includes further instructions to determine whether each secondary directory number, of the plurality of secondary directory numbers, is included within the selected alerting group based upon the predefined time period and geographic location parameters.

33. The system of claim 29 wherein the home location register includes further instructions to transmit an ANSI-41 compatible LocationRequest RETURN RESULT message to the mobile switching center, the ANSI-41 compatible LocationRequest REGION RESULT message containing a listing of each secondary directory number of the selected alerting group and corresponding routing and answering parameters for each secondary directory number of the selected alerting.

34. The system of claim 29, wherein the home location register further includes instructions to determine whether each secondary directory number is currently included within a selected alerting group based on a parameter associated with a selected time of day, a selected day of a week, or a selected holiday.

35. A method for subscriber control of membership in a multiple member termination group for a multiple leg telecommunication session, the method comprising:

(a) receiving an incoming call leg designating a primary directory number;

(b) determining a plurality of secondary directory numbers associated with the primary directory number;

(c) determining whether each secondary directory number, of the plurality of secondary directory numbers, is currently incorporated within a selected alerting group based upon a determination of a geographic location of a mobile unit corresponding to the secondary directory number; and

(d) routing each outgoing call leg associated with each secondary directory number currently incorporated within the selected alerting group.

36. A system for subscriber control of membership in a multiple member termination group for a multiple leg telecommunication session, the system comprising:

a database having stored in a memory a plurality of secondary directory numbers associated with a primary directory number, wherein the database includes instructions to determine whether each secondary directory number, of the plurality of secondary directory numbers, is currently incorporated within a selected alerting group based upon a geographic location of a mobile unit corresponding to the secondary directory number; and

,

a switching center coupled to the database, the switching center further having an interface for receiving an incoming call leg designating the primary directory number and for routing each outgoing call leg associated with each secondary directory number currently incorporated the selected alerting group.

37. An apparatus for subscriber control of membership in a multiple member termination group for a multiple leg telecommunication session, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface for reception of an incoming call leg designating a primary directory number and for transmission of a outgoing call leg;

a memory having a plurality of secondary directory numbers associated with the primary directory number; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the network interface, wherein the processor, when operative, includes program instructions to determine whether each secondary directory number, of the plurality of secondary directory numbers, is currently incorporated within a selected alerting group based upon a determination of a geographic location of a mobile unit corresponding to the secondary directory number, and to route each outgoing call leg associated with each secondary directory number of the selected alerting group.

38. A system for subscriber control of membership in a multiple member termination group for a multiple leg telecommunication session, the system comprising:

a home location register having stored in a memory a plurality of secondary directory numbers associated with a primary directory number, wherein the home location register includes instructions to determine whether each secondary directory number, of the plurality of secondary directory numbers, is currently incorporated within a selected alerting group based upon a geographic location parameter for a mobile unit corresponding to the secondary directory number; and

a mobile switching center coupled to the home location register, the mobile switching center further having an interface for receiving an incoming call leg designating the primary directory number and for routing each outgoing call leg associated with each secondary directory number currently incorporated within the selected alerting group.