Method and system for message routing

• US 6,724,863 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bedingfield, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, KAREN L
• Application Number:
  US09/742,377
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.12, 379/88.11, 379/88.13, 379/220.01
• US Class Current: 379/88.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• 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

Abstract

A method and system for forwarding information, such as a message waiting indicator (MWI) message, to a telephone number corresponding to a foreign network (e.g., a wireless network) and a shared NPA/NXX. The invention evaluates individual telephone numbers of shared NPA/NXXs to determine to what networks to send information. In a representative embodiment, the invention uses a pseudo NPA to deliver an MWI message from a messaging service provider to a wireless (i.e., foreign network) telephone number of a shared NPA/NXX. A voicemail platform delivers to a signal transfer point an MWI message that references a pseudo NPA. The signal transfer point translates the pseudo NPA to a point code corresponding to the foreign network, and routes the MWI message to the point code. A converter of the foreign network translates the pseudo NPA back to the associated real NPA.

Claims

1. A method for forwarding information in a telephone network comprising:

designating a pseudo telephone number that corresponds to a telephone number;

receiving information intended for the telephone number;

determining whether the telephone number is associated with a foreign network that is part of a shared NPA/NXX associated with the telephone number;

forwarding the information to a signal transfer point if the telephone number is associated with a foreign network that is part of a shared NPA/NXX, wherein the information references the pseudo telephone number;

determining from the pseudo telephone number a point code that corresponds to the foreign network;

forwarding the information to the point code; and

translating the pseudo telephone number to the telephone number such that the information references the telephone number.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the foreign network is a wireless network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is a message waiting indicator message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is forwarded by an integrated unified messaging system, and wherein the information is an indicator message for showing that data has been received in the integrated unified messaging system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the telephone number comprises a numbering plan area number (NPA) and a central office number (NXX), and the pseudo number comprises a pseudo numbering plan area number and the central office number (NXX),

and wherein the pseudo numbering plan area number corresponds to the numbering plan area number (NPA).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the point code comprises the signal transfer point consulting a translation table that cross-references numbering plan area/central office numbers (NPA/NXXs) with point codes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of translating the pseudo telephone number to the telephone number comprises consulting a translation table of the foreign network, wherein the translation table cross-references pseudo numbering plan area numbers with real numbering plan area numbers.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

translating the information to a protocol compatible with the foreign network;

transmitting the information to a telephone of the foreign network, wherein the telephone corresponds to the telephone number; and

indicating receipt of the information on the telephone.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the point code corresponds to a converter of the foreign network, and wherein the converter completes the step of translating the pseudo telephone number to the telephone number by accessing a translation table that cross-references pseudo numbering plan area numbers with real numbering plan area numbers.

10. A system for forwarding information in a telephone network comprising:

a messaging service provider;

a telephone list to which the messaging service provider has access, the telephone list including a pseudo telephone number corresponding to a telephone number;

a signal transfer point in communication with the messaging service provider;

a first translation table to which the signal transfer point has access, wherein the first translation table cross-references pseudo telephone numbers with point codes;

a converter of the foreign network in communication with the signal transfer point; and

a second translation table to which the converter has access, wherein the second translation table cross-references pseudo telephone numbers with real telephone numbers.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the messaging service provider forwards the information to the pseudo telephone number,

wherein the signal transfer point translates the pseudo telephone number referenced in the information to a point code and forwards the information referencing the pseudo telephone number to the point code,

and wherein the point code corresponds to the converter and the converter translates the pseudo telephone number to the telephone number and forwards the information to the telephone number.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the foreign network is a wireless network and the signal transfer point is contained in a wireline network.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the information is a message waiting indicator message.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the messaging service provider is an integrated unified messaging system and the information is an indicator message for showing that data has been received in the integrated unified messaging system.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the converter is adapted to translate the information to a protocol compatible with the foreign network.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a mobile switch in communication with the converter;

an antenna in communication with the mobile switch; and

a wireless telephone in communication with the antenna, wherein the wireless telephone corresponds to the telephone number.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the messaging service provider forwards the information to the pseudo telephone number,

wherein the signal transfer point translates the pseudo telephone number referenced in the information to a point code and forwards the information referencing the pseudo telephone number to the point code,

wherein the point code corresponds to the converter and the converter translates the pseudo telephone number to the telephone number and forwards the information to the mobile switch, wherein the information references the telephone number,

wherein the mobile switch forwards the information referencing the telephone number to the antenna, and

wherein the antenna forwards the information referencing the telephone number to the wireless telephone.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein, in response to receiving the information referencing the telephone number, the mobile switch activates one of a message waiting indicator and an indicator showing data has been received by the messaging service provider on the wireless telephone.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the telephone number comprises a numbering plan area number (NPA) and a central office number (NXX), and the pseudo number comprises a pseudo numbering plan area number and the central office number (NXX),

wherein the pseudo numbering plan area number corresponds to the numbering plan area number (NPA),

and wherein the first translation table cross-references numbering plan area/central office numbers (NPA/NXXs) with point codes and the second translation table cross-references pseudo numbering plan area numbers with real numbering plan area numbers.

20. A method for determining a network to which to forward information intended for a telephone number of a shared central office, the method comprising:

forwarding the information to the telephone number, if the telephone number does not belong to a foreign network;

creating a pseudo telephone number corresponding to the telephone number, if the telephone number belongs to a foreign network;

associating the pseudo telephone number with a point code of the foreign network; and

forwarding the information to the point code, wherein the information references the pseudo telephone number.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising translating the pseudo telephone number to the telephone number such that the information references the telephone number.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising forwarding the information to the telephone number.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the foreign network is a wireless network.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the information is a message waiting indicator message generated by a messaging service provider.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the information is generated by an integrated unified messaging system, and wherein the information is an indicator message for showing that data has been received in the integrated unified messaging system.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the information further includes the data.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the telephone number includes a numbering plan area number, and wherein the step of creating the pseudo telephone number comprises replacing the numbering plan area number with a pseudo numbering plan area number.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein, if the telephone number does not belong to a foreign network, the step of forwarding the information to the telephone number comprises forwarding the information to the telephone number through a host switch that owns the telephone number.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of forwarding the information to the telephone number, if the telephone number does not belong to a foreign network, comprises forwarding the information to a signal transfer point through a host switch that does not own the telephone number, and forwarding the information to a point code associated with the telephone number.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein the foreign network is a global computer network.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the global computer network is the Internet and the information is an Internet-based message waiting indicator message.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the Internet-based message waiting indicator message generates a pop-up window displayed over a graphical user interface of a web browser.