Communication system including means for transmitting internet addresses via SMS

• US 7,065,199 B1
• Filed: 07/08/1998
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Teliasonera AB
• Original Assignee: Telia AB (Government of Norway)
• Inventors: Hyllander, Klas, Winroth, Mats Olof
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US09/485,707
• Time in Patent Office: 2,904 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 455/466, 455/415, 455/422.1, 370/352, 370/389, 379/211.02
• US Class Current: 379/211.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/64 Hybrid switching systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 where one of the core networks is a wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

A communication system, adapted to establish connections to, and between, Internet users, including a cellular radio communication network adapted to provide a short message service (SMS), and a server adapted to facilitate the establishment of a telephony/Internet connection between a mobile subscriber station of said network and an Internet user. SMS is used to transfer, from the mobile subscriber station to the server, information identifying the Internet address for the Internet user and, from the server to the mobile subscriber station, information relating to the required connection between the mobile subscriber station and the Internet user.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a cellular radio communication network including a short message service (SMS); and

a telephony/Internet server adapted to facilitate establishment of a telephony/Internet connection between a mobile subscriber station of said cellular radio communication network and a specific Internet user the mobile subscriber station is seeking to be connected to,

wherein said SMS is adapted to transfer inquiry information identifying an Internet address for said specific Internet user as part of a first SMS message from said mobile subscriber station to said telephony/Internet server and to transfer return information as a second SMS from said telephony/Internet server to said mobile subscriber station after receipt of the first SMS at said telephony/Internet server, said second SMS specifying at least if the telephony/Internet connection being sought by the mobile subscriber station is possible and the telephony/Internet server'"'"'s telephone number.

2. The communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Internet address for said specific Internet user identifies an Internet-connected computer terminal of said specific Internet user and said SMS further transfers a specific identity for said mobile subscriber station from the mobile subscriber station to said telephony/Internet server.

3. The communication system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said specific identity for said mobile subscriber station is a telephone number for said mobile subscriber station.

4. The communication system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said telephony/Internet server includes analysing means for effecting analysis to determine the telephone number identity of said mobile subscriber station on receipt of said SMS-transferred inquiry information.

5. The communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said telephony/Internet server includes means for establishing and storing an Internet address list of Internet addresses for each mobile subscriber station user subscribing to the system and each one of said Internet addresses has an Internet address list number.

6. The communication system as claimed in claim 5, wherein a mobile subscriber station is adapted to request from said telephony/Internet server, and said telephony/Internet server is adapted to supply to the mobile subscriber station, a complete listing of the Internet address list.

7. The communication system as claimed in claim 5, wherein each mobile subscriber station is adapted to search for a specific one of the Internet addresses stored by said telephony/Internet server.

8. The communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cellular radio communication network is a GSM network.

9. A communication system comprising:

a cellular radio communication network including a short message service (SMS); and

a telephony/Internet server adapted to facilitate establishment of a telephony/Internet connection between a mobile subscriber station of said cellular radio communication network and a specific Internet user the mobile subscriber station is seeking to be connected to,

wherein said SMS is adapted to transfer inquiry information identifying an Internet address for said specific Internet user from said mobile subscriber station to said telephony/Internet server and to transfer return information from said telephony/Internet server to said mobile subscriber station specifying at least if the telephony/Internet connection being sought by the mobile subscriber station is possible,

wherein the Internet address for said specific Internet user identifies an Internet-connected computer terminal of said specific Internet user and said SMS further transfers a specific identity for said mobile subscriber station from the mobile subscriber station to said telephony/Internet server, and

wherein said return information transferred to said mobile subscriber station by said SMS also includes the telephony/Internet server'"'"'s telephone number.

10. The communication system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said telephony/Internet server is adapted, on receipt of a telephone call from said mobile subscriber station, the telephone call being made using the telephony/Internet server'"'"'s telephone number provided to the mobile subscriber station as part of the return information, to:

identify said mobile subscriber station making the telephone call;

associate the telephone call with the Internet address previously transferred to said telephony/Internet server from said mobile subscriber station; and

connect the telephone call to the Internet address.

11. The communication system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said telephony/Internet server is adapted to identify said mobile subscriber station making the telephone call using telephone number analyzing means.

12. The communication system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said Internet address is maintained associated with the telephone number of said mobile subscriber station for a specific period of time which is monitored by a system timer.

13. The communication system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said telephony/Internet server is adapted to connect the telephone call directly to the Internet address.

14. The communication system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said telephony/Internet server is adapted to connect the telephone call to the Internet address via at least one additional Internet server adapted to provide Internet telephony services that stands alone or as the last one of a chain of servers.

15. A communication system comprising:

a cellular radio communication network including a short message service (SMS); and

a telephony/Internet server adapted to facilitate establishment of a telephony/Internet connection between a mobile subscriber station of said cellular radio communication network and a specific Internet user the mobile subscriber station is seeking to be connected to,

wherein said SMS is adapted to transfer inquiry information identifying an Internet address for said specific Internet user from said mobile subscriber station to said telephony/Internet server and to transfer return information from said telephony/Internet server to said mobile subscriber station specifying at least if the telephony/Internet connection being sought by the mobile subscriber station is possible,

wherein said telephony/Internet server includes means for establishing and storing an Internet address list of Internet addresses for each mobile subscriber station user subscribing to the system and each one of said Internet addresses has an Internet address list number, and

wherein said return information transferred to said mobile subscriber station by said SMS also includes the telephony/Internet server'"'"'s telephone number and the Internet address list number corresponding to one of the Internet addresses in the Internet address list in the telephony/Internet server.

16. The communication system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said Internet address list numbers received by SMS from the telephony/Internet server are stored in a respective mobile subscriber station'"'"'s telephone number list.

17. A communication system comprising:

a cellular radio communication network including a short message service (SMS); and

a telephony/Internet server adapted to facilitate establishment of a telephony/Internet connection between a mobile subscriber station of said cellular radio communication network and a specific Internet user the mobile subscriber station is seeking to be connected to,

wherein said SMS is adapted to transfer inquiry information identifying an Internet address for said specific Internet user from said mobile subscriber station to said telephony/Internet server and to transfer return information from said telephony/Internet server to said mobile subscriber station specifying at least if the telephony/Internet connection being sought by the mobile subscriber station is possible,

wherein said telephony/Internet server includes means for establishing and storing an Internet address list of Internet addresses for each mobile subscriber station user subscribing to the system and each one of said Internet addresses has an Internet address list number, and

wherein said telephony/Internet server is adapted, on receipt of an SMS-transferred connection request inquiry from a mobile subscriber station indicating an unlisted Internet address, to;

store, and assign an address list number to the received unlisted Internet address; and

transfer back to the mobile subscriber station, via SMS, the following return information to enable a user of said mobile subscriber station to call said unlisted Internet address;

a newly assigned address list number;

the telephony/Internet server'"'"'s telephone number; and

information that a call connection is now possible to the previously unlisted Internet address.

18. A method for enabling a mobile subscriber station of a cellular radio communication network to make an Internet telephone call to a specific Internet user, comprising the steps of:

using a short message service (SMS) of the cellular radio communication network to send a first SMS message with inquiry information identifying the Internet address for said specific Internet user from said mobile subscriber station to a telephony/Internet server; and

sending return information as a second SMS message from said telephony/Internet server to said mobile subscriber station after receipt of the inquiry information by the telephony/Internet server, the second SMS message specifying at least if the telephony/Internet connection indicated by the Internet address for said specific Internet user is possible using the SMS and the telephony/Internet server'"'"'s telephone number.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the inquiry information transferred by SMS to said telephony/Internet server further includes a specific identity for said mobile subscriber station and the Internet address is the Internet address for an Internet-connected computer terminal of said specific Internet user.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said specific identity of said mobile subscriber station is a telephone number for said mobile subscriber station.

21. The method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising the step of said telephony/Internet server receiving said SMS-transferred inquiry information and using telephone number analysis to determine the telephone number identity of said mobile subscriber station.

22. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the step of said telephony/Internet server establishing and storing a list of Internet addresses for each mobile subscriber station user wishing to make Internet telephone calls as an Internet address list and providing each one of said Internet addresses with a corresponding address list number.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising the step of said mobile subscriber station requesting a complete listing of the Internet address list from said telephony/Internet server.

24. The method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising the step of said mobile subscriber station searching for a specific one of the Internet addresses stored by said telephony/Internet server.

25. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein said cellular radio communication network is a GSM network.

26. A method for enabling a mobile subscriber station of a cellular radio communication network to make an Internet telephone call to a specific Internet user, comprising the steps of:

transferring inquiry information identifying the Internet address for said specific Internet user received from said mobile subscriber station to a telephony/Internet server using a short message service (SMS) of the cellular radio communication network; and

transferring return information from said telephony/Internet server to said mobile subscriber station specifying at least if the telephony/Internet connection indicated by the Internet address for said specific Internet user is possible using the SMS,

wherein the inquiry information transferred by SMS to said telephony/Internet server further includes a specific identity for said mobile subscriber station and the Internet address is the Internet address for an Internet-connected computer terminal of said specific Internet user, and

wherein the return information transferred to said mobile subscriber station by said SMS includes the telephony/Internet server'"'"'s telephone number.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26, further comprising the steps of:

said mobile subscriber station placing a telephone call to the telephony/Internet server'"'"'s telephone number received as part of the SMS-transferred return information; and

said telephony/Internet server then receiving the telephone call from said mobile subscriber station and performing the sub-steps of;

identifying said mobile subscriber station making the telephone call;

associating the telephone call with the Internet address previously transferred to said server by from said mobile subscriber station; and

connecting the telephone call to the Internet address.

30. The method as claimed in claim 27, further comprising the step of said telephony/Internet server connecting the telephone call directly to the Internet address.

31. The method as claimed in claim 27, further comprising the step of said telephony/Internet server connecting the telephone call to the Internet address via at least one additional Internet server adapted to provide Internet telephony services that stands alone or as the last one of a chain of servers.

28. The method as claimed in clam 27, further comprising the step of said telephony/Internet server identifying said mobile subscriber station making the telephone call using telephone number analysis.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28, further comprising the step of the telephony/Internet server associating said Internet address with the telephone number of said mobile subscriber station for a specific monitored period of time.

32. A method for enabling a mobile subscriber station of a cellular radio communication network to make an Internet telephone call to a specific Internet user, comprising the steps of:

transferring inquiry information identifying the Internet address for said specific Internet user received from said mobile subscriber station to a telephony/Internet server using a short message service (SMS) of the cellular radio communication network;

transferring return information from said telephony/Internet server to said mobile subscriber station specifying at least if the telephony/Internet connection indicated by the Internet address for said specific Internet user is possible using the SMS; and

said telephony/Internet server responding to receipt of said SMS-transferred information from said mobile subscriber station with further SMS transferred return information including the server'"'"'s telephone number and an address list number for the Internet address corresponding to one of the Internet addresses in the address list of Internet addresses for each mobile subscriber station user wishing to make Internet telephone calls in the telephony/Internet server.

33. The method as claimed in claim 32, further comprising the step of said mobile subscriber station receiving said address list numbers by SMS from the telephony/Internet server and storing said received address list numbers in a respective mobile subscriber station'"'"'s telephone number list.

34. A method for enabling a mobile subscriber station of a cellular radio communication network to make an Internet telephone call to a specific Internet user, comprising the steps of:

transferring inquiry information identifying the Internet address for said specific Internet user received from said mobile subscriber station to a telephony/Internet server using a short message service (SMS) of the cellular radio communication network;

transferring return information from said telephony/Internet server to said mobile subscriber station specifying at least if the telephony/Internet connection indicated by the Internet address for said specific Internet user is possible using the SMS;

said telephony/Internet server establishing and storing a list of Internet addresses for each mobile subscriber station user wishing to make Internet telephone calls as an Internet address list and providing each one of said Internet addresses with a corresponding address list number; and

said telephony/Internet server receiving an SMS-transferred connection request from a mobile subscriber station indicating an unlisted Internet address, said telephony/Internet server then;

storing, and assigning an address list number to the unlisted Internet address; and

sending back to the mobile subscriber station, via SMS, information to enable a user of said mobile subscriber station to call said unlisted Internet address as follows;

a newly assigned address list number;

the telephony/Internet server'"'"'s telephone number; and

an indication that a call connection is now possible to the previously unlisted Internet address.

35. A method for enabling a mobile subscriber station of a cellular radio communication network to make an Internet telephone call to an Internet user, comprising the steps of:

a user of said mobile subscriber station sending the following to a telephony/Internet server using a short message service (SMS) of the cellular radio communication network;

information identifying the Internet address for said Internet user; and

information specifically identifying said mobile subscriber station;

said telephony/Internet server responding to receipt of said information by sending a return SMS to said mobile subscriber station, said return SMS including;

information indicating that connection to said Internet address is possible; and

the telephony/Internet server'"'"'s telephone number;

a user of said mobile subscriber station receiving the return SMS from the server with the telephony/Internet server'"'"'s telephone number and then placing a telephone call to the telephony/Internet server'"'"'s telephone number; and

the server receiving the telephone call from the mobile subscriber station then performing the steps of;

identifying the mobile subscriber station as placing the telephone call;

associating the telephone call with the Internet address previously received in the SMS from the mobile subscriber station; and

connecting the telephone call to the Internet address.

36. A method for enabling a mobile subscriber station of a cellular radio communication network to make an Internet telephone call to an Internet user, comprising the steps of:

establishing and storing a list of Internet addresses for each mobile subscriber station user wishing to make Internet telephone calls;

assigning, for each address in the Internet address list, a number which uniquely identifies these addresses;

a user of said mobile subscriber station sending inquiry information to a telephony/Internet server using a short message service (SMS) of the cellular radio communication network, the inquiry information including information identifying the Internet address for said Internet user and a specific identity of said mobile subscriber station;

said telephony/Internet server receiving said inquiry information and sending return information to said mobile subscriber station using said SMS, the return information including an indication that connection to said Internet address is possible, the telephony/Internet server'"'"'s telephone number, and an address list number, each address list number corresponding to one of the Internet addresses in the mobile subscriber station user'"'"'s address list in the telephony/Internet server;

a user of said mobile subscriber station receiving the return information via SMS from the telephony/Internet server then placing a telephone call to the telephony/Internet server'"'"'s telephone number included with the return information;

the telephony/Internet server receiving the telephone call from the mobile subscriber station then transmitting a voce message to said mobile subscriber station requesting the user to key in an address list number;

said mobile subscriber station user then keying in said address list number; and

said telephony/Internet server then connecting the user of said mobile subscriber station to an Internet user at the Internet address corresponding to the keyed in address list number.

37. The method as claimed in claim 36, said telephony/Internet server responding to an absence of a response from the Internet user at the Internet address corresponding to the keyed in address list number by notifying the user of said mobile subscriber terminal by means of either a voice message, or tones.

38. The method as claimed in claim 37, said voice message being that the Internet user is engaged, or is not replying, or does not have an Internet telephony application.