Route information message for delivery of prepaid flexible alerting call

• US 7,773,735 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2005
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Rudolph, Michael Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US11/199,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20070041533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,827 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114.01, 379/114.05, 379/114.15, 379/114.17, 379/114.2, 379/114.21, 379/114.28, 379/114.29, 379/127.02, 379/127.06, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/202.01, 379/211.04, 379/221.09, 379/221.14, 455405-408, 455/414.1
• US Class Current: 379/114.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/16 according to connection obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/62 based on trigger specification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8022 Determining tariff or charge band
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8351 before establishing a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/854 Available credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7421 Determine tariff or charge band
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8108 before establishing a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8166 Available credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42255 with the subscriber having a personal network-independent number

Abstract

A plurality of route information messages that correspond to a plurality of telecommunication devices are sent to a prepaid service control point for delivery of a prepaid flexible alerting call.

Claims

1. A method, comprising the steps of:

receiving an incoming call request at an originating mobile switching center of a code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular network, wherein the incoming call request is for a prepaid flexible alerting call to a pilot number of a prepaid cellular subscriber served by the originating mobile switching center;

arming, by the originating mobile switching center, one or more prepaid triggers for the prepaid flexible alerting call;

receiving, at the originating mobile switching center, a call leg identifier and route information for each call leg of a plurality of call legs, wherein the plurality of call legs correspond to a respective plurality of telecommunication devices associated with the prepaid cellular subscriber account for delivery of the prepaid flexible alerting call;

sending, from the originating mobile switching center, to a prepaid service control point of the CDMA cellular network, a plurality of route information messages that correspond to the plurality of call legs;

initializing each call leg of one or more confirmed call legs with the one or more prepaid triggers for delivery of the prepaid flexible alerting call, wherein the plurality of call legs comprises the one or more confirmed call legs.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving, from a home location register of the CDMA cellular network, the one or more prepaid triggers for the prepaid flexible alerting call, wherein the one or more triggers comprise an initial Termination (IT) trigger, a called party muting address available (CdRAA) trigger, an answer trigger, and a disconnect trigger;

wherein the step of receiving the call leg identifier and route information comprises the step of;

receiving, from the home location register, one or more route information messages, wherein the route information messages comprise the route information and the call leg identifiers for the plurality of call legs.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of:

sending, to the prepaid service control point and in response to the answer trigger, an answer message with the call leg identifier, of the plurality of call leg identifiers, that corresponds to an answered call leg for billing of the prepaid flexible alerting call;

connecting the answered call leg to an incoming call leg for the prepaid flexible alerting call; and

releasing unused call legs of the one or more confirmed call legs.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of

receiving, by the originating mobile switching center, a call control directive message from the prepaid service control point to cause a release of the one or more call legs for the one or more of the plurality of telecommunication devices.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of sending the plurality of route information messages comprises the steps of:

sending, to the prepaid service control point and in response to the CdRAA trigger, an AnalyzedInformation messages for each call leg of the plurality of call legs, wherein the AnalyzedInformation messages comprise the call leg identifiers and route information for each call leg or the plurality of call legs; and

receiving, from the prepaid service control point, one or more confirmation messages that correspond to the one or more confirmed call legs, wherein the prepaid service control point selects the one or more confirmed call legs from the plurality of call legs based on one or more ratings for the plurality of call legs and the route information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of arming the one or more prepaid triggers comprises the step of:

arming, by the originating mobile switching center, one or more code division multiple access (CDMA) prepaid triggers for the prepaid flexible alerting call.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

sending a Transfer to Number Request message, by the originating mobile switching center and to the home location register, if there is no answer by the one or more confirmed call legs, wherein the Transfer to Number Request message comprises the pilot number and a GroupInfo parameter that indicates a NoneReachable trigger;

receiving a transfer response message, at the originating mobile switching center and from the home location register, wherein the transfer response message comprises a call forwarding no reply number for the pilot number, a calling party routing address available trigger (CgRAA), an answer trigger, and a disconnect trigger;

sending, to the prepaid service control point and in response to the CgRAA trigger, an Analyzed Information message with the call forwarding no reply number for the pilot number;

initializing a call leg to the call forwarding no reply number with the answer trigger and the disconnect trigger.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

an originating mobile switching center of a code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular network that receives an incoming call request for a prepaid flexible alerting call to a pilot number of a prepaid cellular subscriber served by the originating mobile switching center;

wherein the originating mobile switching center is configured to arm one or more prepaid triggers for the prepaid flexible alerting call;

wherein the originating mobile switching center is configured to receive a call leg identifier and route information for each call leg of a plurality of call legs, wherein the plurality of call legs correspond to a respective plurality of telecommunication devices associated with the prepaid cellular subscriber account for delivery of the prepaid flexible alerting call;

wherein the originating mobile switching center is configured to send, to a prepaid service control point of the CDMA cellular network, a plurality of route information messages that correspond to the plurality of call legs;

wherein the originating mobile switching center is configured to initialize each call leg of one or more confirmed call legs with the one or more prepaid triggers for delivery of the prepaid flexible alerting call, wherein the plurality of call legs comprises the one or more confirmed call legs.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the originating mobile switching center is configured to receive the one or more prepaid triggers for the prepaid flexible alerting call from a home location register of the CDMA cellular network, wherein the one or more triggers comprise an Initial Termination (IT) trigger, a called party routing address available (CdRAA) trigger, an answer trigger, and a disconnect trigger;

wherein the originating mobile switching center is configured to receive, from the home location register, one or more route information messages, wherein the route information messages comprise the route information and the call leg identifiers for the plurality of call legs.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the mobile switching center is configured to receive an answer message that corresponds to a first telecommunication device of the one or more of the plurality of telecommunication devices and a first call leg of the one or more call legs;

wherein the mobile switching center is configured to send to the prepaid service control point a call leg identifier, of the plurality of call leg identifiers, that corresponds to the first call leg for billing of the prepaid flexible alerting call;

wherein the mobile switching center is configured to connect the first call leg to an incoming call leg for the prepaid flexible alerting call;

wherein the mobile switching center is configured to release unused call legs of the one or more call legs.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the prepaid service control point is configured to send a call control directive message to the mobile switching center to cause a release of the one or more call legs for the one or more of the plurality of telecommunication devices.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the originating mobile switching center is configured to send, to the prepaid service control point and in response to the CdRAA trigger, an Analyzedlnformation message for each call leg of the plurality of call legs, wherein the Analyzedlnformation messages comprise the call leg identifiers and route information for each call leg of the plurality of call legs;

wherein the originating mobile switching center is configured to receive, from the prepaid service control point, one or more confirmation messages that correspond to the one or more confirmed call legs, wherein the prepaid service control point selects the one or more confirmed call legs from the plurality of call legs based on one or more ratings for the plurality of call legs and the route information.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the one or more prepaid triggers comprise one or more code division multiple access (CDMA) prepaid triggers for the prepaid flexible alerting call.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the originating mobile switching center is configured to send a Transfer to Number Request message to the home location register if there is no answer by the one or more confirmed call legs, wherein the Transfer to Number Request message comprises the pilot number and a GroupInfo parameter that indicates a NoneReachable trigger,

wherein the originating mobile switching center is configured to receive a transfer response message from the home location register, wherein the transfer response message comprises a call forwarding no reply number for the pilot number, a calling party routing address available trigger (CgRAA), an answer trigger, and a disconnect trigger;

wherein the originating mobile switching center is configured to send, to the prepaid service control point and in response to the CgRAA trigger, an Analyzed Information message with the call forwarding no reply number for the pilot number;

wherein the originating mobile switching center is configured to initialize a call leg to the call forwarding no reply number with the answer trigger and the disconnect trigger.

15. An article, comprising:

one or more computer-readable signal-bearing media; and

means in the one or more media for receiving an incoming call request at an originating mobile switching center of a code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular network, wherein the incoming call request is for a prepaid flexible alerting call to a pilot number of a prepaid cellular subscriber served by the originating mobile switching center;

means in the one or more media for arming, by the originating mobile switching center, one or more prepaid triggers for the prepaid flexible alerting call;

means in the one or more media for receiving, at the originating mobile switching center, a call leg identifier and route information for each call leg of a plurality of call legs, wherein the plurality of call legs correspond to a respective plurality of telecommunication devices associated with the prepaid cellular subscriber account for delivery of the prepaid flexible alerting call;

means in the one or more media for sending, from the originating mobile switching center and to a prepaid service control point of the CDMA cellular network, a plurality of route information messages that correspond the plurality of call legs; and

means in the one or more media for initializing each call leg of one or more confirmed call legs with the one or more prepaid triggers for delivery of the prepaid flexible alerting call, wherein the plurality of call legs comprises the one or more confirmed call legs.

16. The article of claim 15, further comprising:

means in the one or more media for receiving, from a home location register of the CDMA cellular network, the one or more prepaid triggers for the prepaid flexible alerting call, wherein the one or more triggers comprise an Initial Termination (IT) trigger, a called party routing address available (CdRAA) trigger, an answer trigger, and a disconnect trigger;

wherein the means in the one or more media for receiving the call leg identifier and route information comprises;

means in the one or more media for receiving, from the home location register, one or more route information messages, wherein the route information messages comprise the route information and the call leg identifiers for the plurality of call legs.

17. The article of claim 16, further comprising:

means in the one or more media for sending, to the prepaid service control point and in response to the answer trigger, an answer message with the call leg identifier, of the plurality of call leg identifiers, that corresponds to an answered call leg for billing of the prepaid flexible alerting call;

means in the one or more media for connecting the answered call leg to an incoming call leg for the prepaid flexible alerting call; and

means in the one or more media for releasing unused call legs of the one or more confirmed call legs.

18. The article of claim 16, wherein the means in the one or more media for sending the plurality of route information messages comprises:

means in the one or more media for sending, to the prepaid service control point and in response to the CdRAA trigger, an AnalyzedInformation message for each call leg of the plurality of call legs, wherein the AnalyzedInformation messages comprise the call leg identifiers and route information for each call leg of the plurality of call legs; and

means in the one or more media for receiving, from the prepaid service control point, one or more confirmation messages that correspond to the one or more confirmed call legs, wherein the prepaid service control point selects the one or more confirmed call legs from the plurality of call legs based on one or more ratings for the plurality of call legs and the mute information.

19. The article of claim 15, further comprising:

means in the one or more media for receiving, by the originating mobile switching center, a call control directive message from the prepaid service control point to cause a release of the one or more call legs for the one or more of the plurality of telecommunication devices.

20. The article of claim 15, further comprising:

means in the one or more media for sending a Transfer to Number Request message, by the originating mobile switching center and to the home location register, if there is no answer by the one or more confirmed call legs, wherein the Transfer to Number Request message comprises the pilot number and a GroupInfo parameter that indicates a NoneReachable trigger,

means in the one or more media for receiving a transfer response message, at the originating mobile switching center and from the home location register, wherein the transfer response message comprises a call forwarding no reply number for the pilot number, a calling party routing address available trigger (CgRAA), an answer trigger, and a disconnect trigger;

means in the one or more media for sending, to the prepaid service control point and in response to the CgRAA trigger, an Analyzed Information message with the call forwarding no reply number for the pilot number; and

means in the one or more media for initializing a call leg to the call forwarding no reply number with the answer trigger and the disconnect trigger.