Optimal voicemail deposit for roaming cellular telephony

• US 8,204,500 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Starhome GmbH
• Original Assignee: Starhome GmbH
• Inventors: Weintraub, Guy, Danon, Noam
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, TIMOTHY X
• Application Number:
  US11/646,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20070197213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,000 Days
• Field of Search: 455/413, 455/433
• US Class Current: 455/433
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/545 with loop avoiding arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections

Abstract

Apparatus and method for management of optimal voicemail deposit to the voicemail of a currently roaming mobile telephony user during late call forwarding, is located at the user'"'"'s home network and includes a disconnection unit for disconnecting an international link upon detection of late call forwarding; a triggering unit that ensures that a trigger signal is available for triggering the passing of control of the call to allow direct forwarding of the caller to the voicemail; and a direct forwarding unit that receives the control and carries out the forwarding. Generally the roaming user only generates a single trigger, and this causes difficulties if multiple services need triggering for the same call, such as a prepaid unit and the optimal voicemail deposit. The disclosure teaches methods which when used in combination provide a system that can operate at the home network irrespective of the configuration of the roaming network.

Claims

1. Apparatus for management of optimal voicemail deposit to the voicemail of a currently roaming mobile telephony user during late call forwarding, the apparatus being located at the home network of said user, the apparatus comprising:

a triggering unit located at said home network, configured to set triggers for a mobile terminated call directed from a caller to said currently roaming mobile telephony user of the home network, one of said triggers indicating a late forwarding status of a call, as said call is forwarded back to said home network when unanswered, such that as said roaming user is currently roaming in a visited network, and the mobile call connects from said home network over an International link in order to terminate with said roaming user in said visited network, and is late forwarded over the International link to said apparatus at the home network after failure to answer by said roaming mobile telephony user, said late forwarding is indicated at said home network by said trigger;

a disconnection unit located at said home network, operative, in response to triggering from said home network located triggering unit, to match said late forwarded leg to a respective outgoing leg across said home network, to disconnect said international link of said mobile terminated call following subjecting of said call to said late call forwarding; and

a direct forwarding unit operative to receive said call after said late forwarding for said control, and to further forward said caller to said voicemail, thereby providing an optimal voicemail deposit without said international links but within said home network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said triggering unit comprises an emulator for emulating Standard Optical Routing signals from the roaming network.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said emulator is connected to a signaling probe, thereby to obtain international signaling data.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said emulator is connected to a signaling relay of international signaling data.

5. Method for management of optimal voicemail deposit to the voicemail of currently roaming mobile telephony user during late call forwarding, the method being carried out at the home network of said user, the method comprising:

forwarding a call from a caller to a roaming user at a roaming network from said home network;

providing at said home network a trigger signal to indicate that said call forwarded to said roaming network is unanswered, said indicating being during passing control of a late forwarded call from said roaming network to said home network to allow direct forwarding to a respective voicemail;

determining that the forwarded call is not answered;

when determining that the forwarded call is not answered, said determining being as a result of activation of said home network trigger signal, disconnecting the call at the roaming network, late forwarding the call back to the home network;

matching the late forwarded call to the respective originating call, and disconnecting an international link associated with said call; and

using said trigger, connecting said caller to said voicemail without said international link, thereby to make a direct voicemail deposit.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising emulating Standard Optical Routing (SOR) signals from the roaming network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said emulating is based on International signaling detected by a probe.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said emulating is based on international signaling data obtained from a relay.

9. Apparatus for management of optimal voicemail deposit to the voicemail of a currently roaming mobile telephony subscriber during late call forwarding, the apparatus being located at the home network of said user, the apparatus comprising:

a triggering unit configured to set, at said home network, a home network trigger for a mobile terminated call directed from a caller to said roaming subscriber of the home network wherein said roaming subscriber is currently roaming in a visited network, the trigger indicating an unanswered status of said call, the mobile call thus connecting from said home network over an International link in order to terminate in said visited network, then late forwarded over the international links to the apparatus at the home network after not being answered by the subscriber, such that when the call is disconnected at the visited network after being identified as a late forwarding call, the control of the call is handed over for direct forwarding within said home network, said direct forwarding within said home network being carried out depending on said trigger indicating that said call was forwarded to said roaming network and unanswered, said setting being irrespective of triggering being required for other purposes;

a disconnection unit at said home network, for disconnecting said international link of said mobile terminated call in respone to said home network trigger, following subjecting of said call to said late call forwarding;

a direct forwarding unit at said home network, for carrying out said direct forwarding by forwarding said caller to said voicemail, thereby providing an optimal voicemail deposit without the inclusion of international links.