Method and system for diverting wireless network communications

• US 7,356,001 B1
• Filed: 06/03/2002
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Delker, Jason, Jones, Bryce A., McConnell, Von K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad; Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong; Blanche
• Application Number:
  US10/161,497
• Time in Patent Office: 2,136 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1328 Call transfer, e.g. in PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13294 CDMA, code division multiplexing, i.e. combinations of H04Q2213/13291 and/or H04Q2213/13292 with space division
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13384 Inter-PBX traffic, PBX networks, e.g. corporate networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/02 Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/105 PBS [Private Base Station] network H04W84/12 - H04W84/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/06 between gateways and public network devices

Abstract

A private wireless network is able to provide wireless telecommunication services to subscriber mobile stations that also subscribe to a public wireless network. The private wireless network includes a private base transceiver station (BTS), a private mobile switching center (MSC), and a gateway service control point (SCP). The private BTS provides a private network wireless coverage area within which the mobile station can communicate with the base transceiver station over an air interface. The gateway SCP has a private network database containing private network data records for subscribing mobile stations. A private network data record includes a private network service profile and a private network locator address. The public wireless network has a home location register (HLR) with a public network database containing public network data records for subscribing mobile stations. A public network data record includes a public network service profile and a public network locator address. When a subscriber mobile station is active on the private wireless network, the private network locator address identifies the private MSC, and the public network locator address identifies the gateway SCP. By providing the private network wireless coverage area so that it overlaps the public network'"'"'s wireless coverage area, the subscriber mobile station may be handed off between the private and public wireless networks.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a public wireless network subscriber profile store in a public wireless network, the public wireless network subscriber profile store including for a public wireless network subscriber a public wireless network subscriber record, the public wireless network subscriber record having a forward-to parameter settable to indicate an address to which communications destined for the public wireless network subscriber should be forwarded;

a public wireless network controller in the public wireless network, for directing the transmission of communications destined for the public wireless network subscriber; and

a wireless local area network controller for (i) associating a wireless local area network subscriber with a wireless local area network, and (ii) directing the transmission of communications destined for the wireless local area network subscriber,

wherein, in response to the wireless local area network subscriber associating with the wireless local area network, the wireless local area network controller refers to a local profile record for the wireless local area network subscriber to determine the public wireless network subscriber whose communications should be forwarded to the wireless local area network subscriber and the wireless local area network controller then sends to the public wireless network controller at least one signaling message specifying as a forward-to address an address of the wireless local area network subscriber selected from the group consisting of a telephone number of the wireless local area network subscriber, an e-mail address of the wireless local area network subscriber, an IEEE/packet-data address of the wireless local area network subscriber, and an 802.11/packet-data address of the wireless local area network subscriber, so as to cause the forward-to parameter for the determined public wireless network subscriber to be set to the specified forward-to address of the wireless local area network subscriber, and

wherein, upon receiving the at least one signaling message, the public wireless network controller sets the forward-to parameter in the public wireless network subscriber record to indicate the specified forward-to address of the wireless local area network subscriber, so as to indicate that communications destined to the public wireless network subscriber should be forwarded to the specified forward-to address of the wireless local area network subscriber.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one signaling message carries both a mobile identification number (MIN) of the public wireless network subscriber and the address of the wireless local area network subscriber.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the address of the wireless local area network subscriber is a telephone number of the wireless local area network subscriber.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the local profile record contains a designation of at least the public wireless network subscriber, the designation having been provided by wireless local area network subscriber.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the public wireless network controller comprises a switch.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the public wireless network controller comprises a service control point (SCP).

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the public wireless network controller comprises a home location register (HLR).

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a home location register (HLR), wherein the public wireless network controller references the HLR to determine where to direct the transmission of communications destined for public wireless network subscribers.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless local area network controller comprises a switch.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless local area network controller comprises an IEEE 802 compliant network server.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless local area network controller comprises a wireless access point for associating wireless local area network subscribers, over an air interface, with the wireless local area network, and for transmitting the communications to the wireless local area network subscribers.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless local area network controller comprises a mail server.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless local area network controller comprises a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) server.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the address of the wireless local area network subscriber is a telephone member of the wireless local area network subscriber, the telephone number being attributed to the wireless local area network subscriber by the PBX server.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one signaling message comprises a signaling message selected from the group consisting of an SMTP message, an HTTP message, an FTP message, an FSP message, an MGCP message, and a SIP message.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the address of the wireless local area network subscriber is a telephone number of the wireless local area network subscriber.

17. A system comprising:

a public wireless network subscriber profile store in a public wireless network, the public wireless network subscriber profile store including for a public wireless network subscriber a public wireless network subscriber record, the public wireless network subscriber record having a forward-to parameter settable to indicate an address to which communications destined for the public wireless network subscriber should be forwarded;

a public wireless network controller in the public wireless network, for directing the transmission of communications destined for the public wireless network subscriber; and

a wireless local area network controller for (i) associating a wireless local area network subscriber with a wireless local area network, and (ii) directing the transmission of communications destined for the wireless local area network subscriber,

wherein, in response to the wireless local area network subscriber associating with the wireless local area network, the wireless local area network controller sends to the public wireless network controller at least one signaling message specifying as a forward-to address an address of the wireless local area network subscriber selected from the group consisting of a telephone number of the wireless local area network subscriber, an e-mail address of the wireless local area network subscriber, an IEEE/packet-data address of the wireless local area network subscriber, and an 802.11/packet-data address of the wireless local area network subscriber, and

wherein, upon receiving the at least one signaling message, the public wireless network controller sets the forward-to parameter in the public wireless network subscriber record to indicate the specified forward-to address of the wireless local area network subscriber, so as to indicate that communications destined to the public wireless network subscriber should be forwarded to the specified forward-to address of the wireless local area network subscriber,

wherein the wireless local area network controller comprises a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) server,

wherein the address of the wireless local area network subscriber is a telephone number of the wireless local area network subscriber, the telephone number being attributed to the wireless local area network subscriber by the PBX server,

wherein the PBX server also provides for disassociating the wireless local area network subscriber with the wireless local area network,

wherein, in response to the wireless local area network subscriber disassociating with the wireless local area network, the PBX server sends the public wireless network controller at least one further signaling message to cancel forwarding of communications destined for the public wireless network subscriber to the telephone number of the wireless local area network subscriber, and

wherein, the public wireless network controller then responsively cancels the forwarding of communications destined for the public wireless network subscriber to the telephone number of the wireless local area network subscriber.

18. A system comprising:

a public wireless network subscriber profile store in a public wireless network, the public wireless network subscriber profile store including for a public wireless network subscriber a public wireless network subscriber record, the public wireless network subscriber record having a forward-to parameter settable to indicate an address to which communications destined for the public wireless network subscriber should be forwarded;

a public wireless network controller in the public wireless network, for directing the transmission of communications destined for the public wireless network subscriber; and

a wireless local area network controller for (i) associating a wireless local area network subscriber with a wireless local area network, and (ii) directing the transmission of communications destined for the wireless local area network subscriber,

wherein, in response to the wireless local area network subscriber associating with the wireless local area network, the wireless local area network controller sends to the public wireless network controller at least one signaling message specifying as a forward-to address an address of the wireless local area network subscriber selected from the group consisting of a telephone number of the wireless local area network subscriber, an e-mail address of the wireless local area network subscriber, an IEEE/packet-data address of the wireless local area network subscriber, and an 802.11/packet-data address of the wireless local area network subscriber, and

wherein, upon receiving the at least one signaling message, the public wireless network controller sets the forward-to parameter in the public wireless network subscriber record to indicate the specified forward-to address of the wireless local area network subscriber, so as to indicate that communications destined to the public wireless network subscriber should be forwarded to the specified forward-to address of the wireless local area network subscriber,

wherein the wireless local area network controller also provides for disassociating wireless local area network subscriber with the wireless local area network,

wherein, in response to a given wireless local area network subscriber disassociating with the wireless local area network, the wireless local area network controller sends the public wireless network controller at least one further signaling message to cancel forwarding of communications destined for the public wireless network subscriber to the address of the wireless local area network subscriber, and

wherein, the public wireless network controller then responsively cancels the forwarding of communications destined for the public wireless network subscriber to the address of the wireless local area network subscriber.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one further signaling message comprises a signaling message selected from the group consisting of an SMTP message, an HTTP message, an FTP message, an FSP message, an MGCP message, and a SIP message.

20. A mobility management method comprising:

in response to a wireless local area network subscriber associating with a wireless local area network, the wireless local area network sending at least one signaling message to a public wireless network controller to cause the public wireless network controller to set a forward-to parameter for at least one designated public wireless network subscriber to be a telephone number of the wireless local area network subscriber; and

the public wireless network controller responsively setting the forward-to parameter for the at least one designated public wireless network subscriber to be the telephone number of the wireless local area network subscriber, so that communications destined for the at least one designated public wireless network subscriber will then be forwarded to the telephone number of the wireless local area network subscriber

in response to the wireless local area network subscriber disassociating from the wireless local area network, the wireless local area network sending at least one further signaling message to the public wireless network controller, to cancel forwarding of communications destined for the at least one designated public wireless network subscriber to the telephone number of the wireless local area network subscriber; and

the public wireless network controller responsively canceling the forwarding of communications destined for the at least one designated public wireless network subscriber to the telephone number of the wireless local area network subscriber.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the wireless local area network comprises a PBX server that attributes the telephone number to the wireless local area network subscriber, and wherein sending the at least one signaling message to the public wireless network controller comprises the PBX server sending the at least one signaling message to the public wireless network controller.