System and method for providing advanced wireless telephony services using a wireline telephone number

• US 7,450,945 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2002
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bedingfield, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee; Justin Y
• Application Number:
  US10/245,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,247 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445, 455/417, 4554321-433, 455/551, 455/186.1, 455/461, 455405-409, 455/414.1, 455/456.1, 455/517, 379/142.07, 379/211.01, 379/220.01, 379/220.02, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/201.12, 379/114.01, 379/114.05, 379/111, 37911501-11503, 379/211.02
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• 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: 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: H04M 7/00 Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing advanced telephony services to telephone numbers served by telecommunications networks lacking the infrastructure to provide these advanced services directly are described. In an embodiment of the present invention, a service-providing network, which has the capability of providing advanced telephony services to a service subscriber for calls that traverse it, provides advanced telephony services to calls directed to a telephony device on a native transport network. The native transport network is a network that naturally carries a subscriber'"'"'s calls but does not have the capabilities required to provide advanced services. In one embodiment, the system switch provisioning and trunking configurations to provide the advanced telephony services.

Claims

1. A method for providing a service to a telephony device, comprising:

providing a telephone number in a wireline service-providing network, wherein the telephone number utilizes an advanced telecommunications service provided by a first element of the wireline service-providing network based on a profile of a wireless subscriber disposed within the wireline service-providing network;

associating a wireless telephony device of the wireless subscriber with the telephone number;

receiving a call directed to the telephone number;

providing the advanced telecommunications service from the first element of the wireline service-providing network to the call;

routing the call to a wireless transport network, including a trunk group associated with subscribers belonging to a specified class, the wireless transport network in communication with the wireless telephony device and re-routing the call to the wireline service providing network for receipt by a wireline telephony device associated with the telephone number when the wireless telephony device is unavailable, wherein routing the call to the wireless transport network comprises using a pseudo Number Plan Area (NPA) to identify the call being provided with the advanced telecommunications service for routing to the wireless network;

wherein routing the calls over the designated trunk group comprises associating the specified class of wireless subscribers having an assigned directory number from the wireline service-providing network with a wireless telephony device and routing originating calls made from the wireless telephony device over the designed trunk group through the wireline service-providing network to obtain the telecommunications service for the class members; and

receiving via a wireless subscriber control a preference associated with the advanced telecommunications service from the first element of the wireline service-providing network;

wherein the wireless subscriber controls an identity and nature of the advanced telecommunications service via the wireless subscriber control comprising a wireline link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications service comprises a service selected from the group consisting of a call delivery service, a call forwarding service, a call rescue service, a custom ring-pattern service, a call logging service, a call reporting service, a voice mail service, a custom messaging service, a message waiting indicator service, a message notification service, a caller identification (caller ID) service, a privacy director service, an anonymous call rejection service, and a personal identification number (PIN) override service.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the associating the telephony device with the telephone number comprises configuring a switch in the wireline service-providing network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the associating the telephony device with the telephone number comprises configuring a service control point in the wireline service-providing network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the preference is contained within the profile of the wireless subscriber.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising modifying the telecommunications service based upon the preference.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising billing a subscriber for provision of the telecommunications service.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the wireless transport network to route calls originating from the wireless telephony device through the wireline service-providing network in order to obtain the telecommunications service;

receiving at the wireline service-providing network, a wireless call directed from the wireless telephony device associated with the telephone number;

providing the telecommunications service to the wireless call; and

routing the wireless call to a wireless carrier network associated with a called telephone number.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the telecommunications service comprises a service selected from the group consisting of a call logging service and a usage monitoring service.

10. A system for providing a service to a wireless device, comprising:

a wireless telephony device;

a wireless transport network in communication with the wireless telephony device;

a wireline telephony device;

a wireline service-providing network in communication with the transport network;

a telephone number associated with the wireline service-providing network and with the wireless telephony device;

a first element in the wireline service-providing network, the first element providing a telecommunications service to calls directed to and originating from the wireless telephony device; and

a designated trunk group associated with the wireless transport network, the designated trunk group routing calls originating from the wireline service-providing network to the wireless transport network in order to receive the telecommunications service using the wireless telephony device, and routing calls originating from the wireline service-providing network to a wireless switch within the wireless transport network when the wireless telephony device is in a roaming state, wherein the calls routed over the designated trunk group are associated with subscribers belonging to a specified class, wherein the class comprises wireless subscribers having an assigned directory number from the wireline service-providing network which is associated with a wireless telephony device and wherein, for members of the class, originating calls made from the wireless telephony device are routed over the designated trunk group through the wireline service-providing network to obtain the telecommunications service for the class members.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the telecommunications service comprises a service selected from the group consisting of a call delivery service, a usage monitoring service, a call forwarding service, a call rescue service, a custom ring-pattern service, a call logging service, a call reporting service, a voice mail service, a custom messaging service, a message waiting indicator service, a message notification service, a caller identification (caller ID) service, a privacy director service, an anonymous call rejection service, and a personal identification number (PIN) override service.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the wireline service-providing network comprises an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN).

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the wireline service-providing network comprises a packet-switching network.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the first element comprises a service switching point (SSP).

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the first element comprises a service control point (SCP).

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the first element comprises a media gateway controller.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the first element is operable for providing a telecommunications service based on a profile of a wireless subscriber disposed within the wireline service-providing network.

18. A method for providing a service to a telephony device, comprising:

assigning a wireline directory number to a wireless subscriber;

disposing the directory number from a wireline service-providing network in a memory device of the telephony device, wherein the directory number triggers access to a telecommunications service provided by a first element of the wireline service-providing network;

associating a wireless telephony device with the directory number;

routing calls originating at the wireless telephony device over a designated trunk group therein, wherein the calls routed over the designated trunk group are associated with subscribers belonging to a specified class, wherein the class comprises wireless subscribers having an assigned directory number from the wireline service-providing network which is associated with a wireless telephony device and wherein, for members of the class, originating calls made from the wireless telephony device are routed over the designated trunk group through the wireline service-providing network to obtain the telecommunications service for the class members;

providing the telecommunications service associated with the wireline service-providing network to the calls prior to routing the calls to the wireless telephony device, wherein the calls are re-routed to a wireline telephony device associated with the directory number when the wireless telelphony device is unavailable.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the telecommunications service comprises a service selected from the group consisting of a usage monitoring service and a call logging service.