Method and system for reporting events in telecommunication networks

• US 7,548,611 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GTE Wireless LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GTE Wireless Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Howe, Walter Wesley
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah; Olisa
• Application Number:
  US11/320,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20060277304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412, 455/413, 455/417, 379/88.22, 379/88.05, 379/76, 379/67.1, 379/88.06
• US Class Current: 379/88.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13288 Closed user groups, CUG
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for reporting to subscribers, wireless network events in a plurality of formats and languages depending upon the particular subscriber group to which a wireless subscriber belongs. When a subscriber requests a call, a switching node in the network invokes a trigger that identifies a location register for routing the call and sends a route request to the location register. While processing the route request, if the location register detects an event that would prevent the call from being routed, the location register identifies the subscriber group of the wireless subscriber and determines a directory number associated with the identified subscriber group and the detected event. The location register then returns the determined directory number to the switching node. Using the determined directory number, the switching node establishes the call to a message node, where a message associated with the determined directory number is executed. Accordingly, the wireless network reports the detected event in a format and language that the wireless subscriber, or an entity attempting to communicate with the wireless subscriber, can recognize.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a group associated with a wireless subscriber when an event that indicates an error in routing a call to the wireless subscriber is detected;

determining a directory number associated with the identified group and the detected event;

establishing a call between the wireless subscriber and a message node in the network using the determined directory number; and

providing a message from the message node to the wireless subscriber based on the directory number.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the group includes identifying a subscriber group associated with the wireless subscriber when the event is detected.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the group includes identifying the group when the detected event is associated with a call requested by the wireless subscriber.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the group includes identifying the group when the detected event is associated with a call that is requested by the wireless subscriber and that cannot be established in the network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the group includes retrieving from a subscriber services database in the network a group identifier associated with the calling wireless subscriber.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the directory number includes selecting the directory number from a table that includes one or more predetermined directory numbers indexed by event identifiers and group identifiers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the message includes providing the message in a voice format.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the message includes providing the message in a telecommunications device for deaf (TDD) format.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the message includes providing the message in a data format.

10. A processor-readable medium storing instructions configured to cause a processor to perform the method of claim 1 when executed by the processor.

11. A system comprising:

a first communications switching device;

a second communications switching device communicatively coupled to the first communications switching device; and

a message node communicatively coupled to the second communications switching device and storing a plurality of messages, each of the plurality of messages associated with a respective contact number;

wherein the first communications switching device is configured to receive a call request for a call from a communications device of a subscriber to a destination and determine that the call should be switched to the second communications switching device;

wherein the second communications switching device is configured to receive the call request, detect an event that indicates that the call cannot be connected to the destination, identify a group associated with the subscriber when the call cannot be connected to the destination, determine a contact number associated with the identified group and the detected event, and connect the call to the message node using the contact number when the call cannot be connected to the destination;

wherein the message node is configured to provide the message associated with the determined contact number via the call connection.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the subscriber is a wireless subscriber and the communications device is a wireless communications device.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a subscriber database storing a group identifier associated with the subscriber;

wherein the second communications switching device is configured to identify the group by retrieving from the subscriber database the group identifier.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the second communications switching device is configured to determine the contact number by selecting the contact number from a table that includes one or more predetermined contact numbers indexed by event identifiers and group identifiers.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the message is stored in a voice format.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the message is stored in a telecommunications device for deaf (TDD) format.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the message is stored in a data format.

18. A system comprising:

a first communications switching device;

a second communications switching device communicatively coupled to the first communications switching device; and

a message node communicatively coupled to the first communications switching device and storing a plurality of messages, each of the plurality of messages associated with a respective contact number;

wherein the first communications switching device is configured to receive a call request for a call from a communications device of a subscriber to a destination and determine that the call should be switched to the second communications switching device;

wherein the second communications switching point is configured to receive the call request, detect an event that indicates that the call cannot be connected to the destination, and indicate the event to the first communications switching device;

wherein the first communications switching device is further configured to identify a group associated with the subscriber when the call cannot be connected to the destination, determine a contact number associated with the identified group and the detected event, and connect the call to the message node using the contact number when the call cannot be connected to the destination;

wherein the message node is configured to provide the message associated with the determined contact number via the call connection.