Apparatus and method for routing communications

• US 7,558,578 B1
• Filed: 01/18/2000
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Interoute Communications Ltd. (GTT Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interoute Communications Ltd. (GTT Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: De Beer, Leon
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Iqbal; Khawar
• Application Number:
  US09/869,295
• Time in Patent Office: 3,458 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/450, 455/452, 455/513, 455/455, 455/435.1, 455/406, 455/405, 455/414.1, 455/1, 370/351, 370/354, 370/389, 370/352, 379/114.01, 379/114.02, 379/114.1, 379/219, 379/220.01, 37922101-22107, 379/414.01, 379/414.02
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/30 the meter or calculation of charges not being controlled from an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/92 Autonomous calculations of charges in terminal, i.e. meter not controlled from exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

A mobile telephone is provided with a look-up table enabling the mobile telephone to select preferred routes for connecting outgoing calls on the basis of predetermined codes which populate the look-up table. When operating in a cellular communications network a communications channel may thereby be selected from a plurality of available channels and ongoing transmission of an outgoing call may be routed via a further network selected in accordance with the route codes. The look-up table may be stored in a SIM card of the mobile telephone and may be updated via transmission of data from a remote control center via a cellular network or via a docking station to which the mobile telephone is releasably connectable. When the call is routed via a packet switching network, the routing code may include a string of network node addresses.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile telephone in a cellular telephone communications system including a plurality of mobile network service providers and a plurality of land line network service providers, the method comprising:

storing preferred route codes in a look-up table of the mobile telephone, each preferred route code identifying a mobile network service provider and a land line network service provider to be used to route a call to a corresponding call destination and based on results of a route selection decision by a control centre remote from the mobile telephone;

originating an outgoing telephone call to a call destination by the input of user generated call destination information;

accessing the look-up table using an address determined at least in part by the user generated call destination information to obtain a selected preferred route code that corresponds to the call destination;

selecting a communication channel of the mobile network service provider identified by the selected preferred route code corresponding to the call destination;

transmitting the selected preferred route code via the selected communication channel to establish communication for the outgoing telephone call to the call destination corresponding to the user generated call destination information via the mobile network service provider and the land line network service provider identified by the selected preferred route code; and

periodically scanning received transmissions to identify available communications channels for which the mobile telephone has functional capability and attempting to complete a registration procedure for each available channel,

wherein said selecting comprises selecting from those available channels of said cellular telephone communications system in respect of which registration is completed.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the decision is based at least in part on least-cost.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the decision is based at least in part on performance of at least one network selected in accordance with the preferred route.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the preferred route codes further determine a choice of a further network for forward connection between a network of the service provider of the selected communication channel and the call destination via the further network.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the control centre collates billing information in respect of services provided by the service provider and one or more further service providers of the further networks in facilitating the making of the call to the call destination.

6. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the mobile telephone adds a prefix code to the user generated call destination information.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the prefix code includes a customer identification field containing user specific identification data.

8. A method as claimed in of claim 6 wherein the prefix code includes a charging information field for identifying a control entity to be billed by one or more service providers corresponding to the selected network connection route.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising electing from the available channels a home channel for receipt of incoming calls.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising electing from the available channels in respect of which registration is completed an update receiving channel for receipt of updating information broadcasts.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the look-up table is stored in a portable storage medium removably installed in the mobile telephone.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the storage medium is a smart card.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the portable storage medium is a SIM (subscriber identity module) card which also stores subscriber specific data for identification and authentication purposes.

14. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the look-up table is populated with an initial set of data before installation of the storage medium in the mobile telephone.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising periodically updating the data stored in the look-up table by receiving data blocks each containing a respective portion of updated data and, for each received data block, overwriting a corresponding portion of the existing data with updated data from the received block.

16. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the look-up table comprises:

a routing table containing the preferred route codes;

a carrier selection table containing, for each preferred route code, a list in order of priority of carrier selections to be used, subject to availability; and

a carrier access table containing, for each carrier selection, a channel selection identifying a communications channel provided by a service provider of the mobile telephone system and a prefix code to be added to the dialed number identifying a further network for routing the call.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the look-up table further comprises a carrier availability table containing information indicating which of the channels are currently available.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the accessing the look-up table comprises:

addressing the routing table to obtain a preferred route code;

using the preferred route code to address the carrier selection table to obtain a list of carrier selections;

addressing the carrier access table using the first carrier selection on the list to obtain the prefix code and channel selection data for the first channel selection; and

addressing the carrier availability table using the channel selection data to determine if the first carrier selection is one of the available channels in respect of which registration is completed and, if so, initiating the call to the call destination using the prefix code via the channel selection data for the first carrier selection.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18 wherein, if the first carrier selection is determined not to be an available channel, the carrier availability table is addressed using channel selection data for a further carrier selection from the list and, if it is determined that the further carrier selection is an available channel, the call is initiated using the prefix code and channel selection data for the further carrier selection.

20. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the mobile telephone searches for available communications channels of the cellular telephone communications system and updates the carrier availability table accordingly.

21. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the look-up table comprises default route data and wherein if accessing the look-up table with the call destination information fails to locate corresponding data defining a preferred route code, the preferred route code is derived from the default route data.

22. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein updating information for updating the look-up table is communicated to the mobile telephone via a selected one of the available communications channels.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the updating information is transmitted using an SMS (short message service) protocol.

24. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the updating information is transmitted as a multipoint broadcast to a plurality of mobile telephones.

25. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the updating information is transmitted to the mobile telephone as a web page.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25 wherein the web page is transmitted using Wireless Application Protocol.

27. A method as claimed in claim 25 wherein the mobile telephone processes the web page to extract updating information;

stores the extracted updating information in a buffer memory; and

updates the look-up table with updating information read from the buffer memory.

28. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the updating information is communicated to the mobile telephone by detachably connecting the mobile telephone to a docking station and transmitting the updating information to the mobile telephone via the docking station.

29. A method as claimed in claim 28 wherein the docking station is connected to receive a multipoint broadcast of updating information via a broadcast network.

30. A method as claimed in claim 29 wherein the docking station receives updating information as signals multiplexed in a television transmission signal.

31. A method as claimed in claim 30 wherein the signal is multiplexed in the vertical blanking interval of the television transmission signal.

32. A method as claimed in claim 29 wherein the broadcasting network is an optical cable network.

33. A method as claimed in claim 29 wherein the broadcasting network is a satellite television network.

34. A method as claimed in claim 28 wherein the docking station is connected to a telephone line and updating information is received from the control centre in response to making a telephone call request to the control centre via the telephone line.

35. A method as claimed in claim 34 wherein the docking station comprises a modem connected to the telephone line and which generates the telephone call request in response to user actuation of the docking station.

36. A method as claimed in claim 34 wherein the mobile telephone comprises a modem connected to the telephone line via the docking station and which generates the telephone call request in response to user actuation of the mobile telephone.

37. A method as claimed in claim 28 wherein the mobile telephone comprises an internal battery which is recharged by detachably connecting the mobile telephone to the docking station.

38. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the preferred route code determines a route via a packet switched network and comprises network address information defining at least one node of the network which is to be included in the selected route.

39. A method as claimed in claim 38 wherein the network address information defines at least one further node of the network which is not to be included in the selected route.

40. A method as claimed in claim 38 wherein the outgoing telephone call is transmitted as a packetised signal using a protocol in which such signals include a start address indicator interpreted by the network as being representative of a network address from which the call originates and further comprising transmitting the outgoing telephone call including start address information defined by the preferred route code.

41. A method as claimed in claim 40 wherein the start address information is representative of a start address which is different from the actual start address of the outgoing telephone call in the network.

42. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the telephone call is originated to communicate data comprising a type of data selected from a set of alternative types of data.

43. A method as claimed in claim 42 wherein the set of alternative types of data comprises voice data, image data and data formatted in accordance with an Internet protocol.

44. A method as claimed in claim 41 wherein the look-up table stores respective preferred route codes for each of the types of data.

45. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cellular telephone system comprises part of a packet switching network in which the mobile telephone constitutes a node of the network and wherein the call destination constitutes a further node of the network.

46. A mobile telephone for use in a cellular telephone communications system including a plurality of mobile network service providers and a plurality of land line network service providers, the mobile telephone comprising:

a look-up table storing preferred route codes each identifying a mobile network service provider and a land line network service provider to be used to route a call to a corresponding call destination and based on results of a route selection decision by a control centre remote from the mobile telephone;

an input section configured to originate an outgoing telephone call to a call destination by the input of user generated call destination information;

an accessing section configured to access the look-up table using an address determined at least in part by the user generated call destination information to obtain a selected preferred route code that corresponds to the call destination;

a channel selector configured to select a communication channel of the mobile network service provider identified by the selected preferred route code corresponding to the call destination;

a communication device configured to transmit the selected preferred route code via the selected communication channel to establish communication for the outgoing telephone call to the call destination corresponding to the user generated call destination information via the mobile network service provider and the land line network service provider identified by the selected preferred route code; and

a scanning device configured to periodically scan received transmissions to identify available communications channels for which the mobile telephone has functional capability and attempt to complete a registration procedure for each available channel,

wherein the channel selector is operable to perform selection from those available channels of said cellular telephone communications system in which registration is completed.

47. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 46 further comprising a code generator configured to add a prefix code to the user generated call destination information.

48. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 47 wherein the prefix code includes a customer identification field containing user specific identification data.

49. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 47 wherein the prefix code includes a charging information field for identifying a control entity to be billed by one or more service providers corresponding to the selected network connection route.

50. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 46 further comprising an electing device configured to elect from the available channels in respect of which registration is completed a home channel for receipt of incoming calls.

51. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 50 wherein the electing device is further operable to elect from the available channels an update receiving channel for receipt of updating information broadcasts.

52. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 46 wherein the look-up table is stored in a portable storage medium removably installed in the mobile telephone.

53. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 52 wherein the storage medium is a smart card.

54. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 52 wherein the portable storage medium is a SIM (subscriber identity module) card which also stores subscriber specific data for identification and authentication purposes.

55. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 46 further comprising an updating unit configured to periodically update the data stored in the look-up table by receiving data blocks each containing a respective portion of updated data and, for each received data block, overwrite a corresponding portion of the existing data with updated data from the received block.

56. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 46 wherein the look-up table comprises:

a routing table containing the preferred route codes;

a carrier selection table containing, for each preferred route code, a list in order of priority of carrier selections to be used, subject to availability; and

a carrier access table containing, for each carrier selection, a channel selection identifying a communications channel provided by a service provider of the mobile telephone system and a prefix code to be added to the dialed number identifying a further network for routing the call.

57. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 56 wherein the look-up table further comprises a carrier availability table containing information indicating which of the channels are currently available.

58. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 57 wherein the accessing section comprises:

a first addressing section configured to address the routing table to obtain a preferred route code;

a selector configured to use the preferred route code to address the carrier selection table to obtain a list of carrier selections;

a second addressing section configured to address the carrier access table using the first carrier selection on the list to obtain the prefix code and channel selection data for the first channel selection; and

a third addressing section configured to address the carrier availability table using the channel selection data to determine if the first carrier selection is one of the available channels in respect of which registration is completed and, if so, initiate the call to the call destination using the prefix code via the channel selection data for the first carrier selection.

59. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 58 wherein, if the first carrier selection is determined not to be an available channel, the third addressing section is operable to address the table using channel selection data for a further carrier selection from the list and, if it is determined that the further carrier selection is an available channel, to initiate the call using the prefix code and channel selection data for the further carrier selection.

60. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 57 further comprising a searching section configured to search for available communications channels of the cellular telephone communications system and an updating section configured to update the carrier availability table accordingly.

61. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 46 wherein the look-up table comprises default route data and wherein the accessing section is operable, if accessing the look-up table with the call destination information fails to locate corresponding data defining a preferred route code, to derive preferred route code from the default route data.

62. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 46 further comprising an extracting section configured to extract updating information for updating the look-up table from signals communicated to the mobile telephone via a selected one of the available communications channels.

63. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 62 wherein the updating information is extracted from signals encoded using an SMS (short message service) protocol.

64. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 63 wherein the extracting section is operable to extract the updating information from data transmitted to the mobile telephone as a web page.

65. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 64 wherein the extracting section extracts updating information from the web page using Wireless Application Protocol.

66. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 64 wherein the extracting section comprises a processor operable to process the web page to extract updating information;

store the extracted updating information in a buffer memory; and

update the look-up table with updating information read from the buffer memory.

67. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 46 further comprising a connecting section operable to detachably connect the mobile telephone to a docking station and an interface configured to receive the updating information transmitted in use to the mobile telephone via the docking station.

68. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 67 co-operable in use with a docking station connected to a telephone line such that updating information is received from the control centre in response to making a telephone call request to the control centre via the telephone line;

wherein the mobile telephone comprises a modem connectable in use to the telephone line via the docking station and which modem is operable to generate the telephone call request in response to user actuation of the mobile telephone.

69. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 46 wherein the preferred route code determines a route via a packet switched network and comprises network address information defining in use at least one node of the network which is to be included in the selected route.

70. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 69 wherein the network address information defines in use at least one further node of the network which is not to be included in the selected route.

71. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 69 further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit the outgoing telephone call as a packetised signal using a protocol in which such signals include a start address indicator interpreted in use by the network as being representative of a network address from which the call originates and transmit the outgoing telephone call including start address information defined by the preferred route code.

72. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 46 and operable to output communications signals representative of a type of data selected from a set of alternative types of data.

73. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 72 wherein the types of data comprise voice data, image data and data formatted in accordance with an Internet protocol.

74. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 72 wherein the look-table stores respective preferred route codes for each of the types of data.

75. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 74 operable to receive a broadcast of updating information via a broadcast network and further comprising a decoder for decoding signals multiplexed in the vertical blanking interval of a television transmission signal.

76. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 74 further comprising a receiver configured to receive updating information via a telephone line.

77. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 76 further comprising a modem.

78. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 77 further comprising an initiator configured to initiate the generation of a telephone call via the telephone line requesting the transmission of updating information.

79. A storage medium storing computer program instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of operating a mobile telephone in a system including a plurality of mobile network service providers and a plurality of land line network service providers comprising steps of:

storing preferred route codes in a look-up table of the mobile telephone, each preferred route code identifying a mobile network service provider and a land line network service provider to be used to route a call to a corresponding call destination and based on results of a route selection decision by a control centre remote from the mobile telephone;

originating an outgoing telephone call to a call destination by the input of user generated call destination information;

accessing the look-up table using an address determined at least in part by the user generated call destination information to obtain a selected preferred route code that corresponds to the call destination;

selecting a communication channel of the mobile network service provider identified by the selected preferred route code corresponding to the call destination;

transmitting the selected preferred route code via the selected communication channel to establish communication for the outgoing telephone call to the call destination corresponding to the user generated call destination information via the mobile network service provider and the land line network service provider identified by the selected preferred route code; and

periodically scanning received transmissions to identify available communications channels for which the mobile telephone has functional capability and attempting to complete a registration procedure for each available channel, wherein said selecting comprises selecting from those available channels of said cellular telephone communications system in respect of which registration is completed.

80. A communications signal comprising processor implementable instructions for carrying out a method of operating a mobile telephone in a system including a plurality of mobile network service providers and a plurality of land line network service providers comprising steps of:

storing preferred route codes in a look-up table of the mobile telephone, each preferred route code identifying a mobile network service provider and a land line network service provider to be used to route a call to a corresponding call destination and based on results of a route selection decision by a control centre remote from the mobile telephone;

originating an outgoing telephone call to a call destination by the input of user generated call destination information;

accessing the look-up table using an address determined at least in part by the user generated call destination information to obtain a selected preferred route code that corresponds to the call destination;

selecting a communication channel of the mobile network service provider identified by the selected preferred route code corresponding to the call destination;

transmitting the selected preferred route code via the selected communication channel to establish communication for the outgoing telephone call to the call destination corresponding to the user generated call destination information via the mobile network service provider and the land line network service provider identified by the selected preferred route code; and

periodically scanning received transmissions to identify available communications channels for which the mobile telephone has functional capability and attempting to complete a registration procedure for each available channel,

wherein said selecting comprises selecting from those available channels of said cellular telephone communications system in respect of which registration is completed.