Multiple-termination routing in a wireless network environment with an internet protocol core

• US 8,208,413 B1
• Filed: 02/13/2006
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rockstar Bidco LP (Rockstar Consortium Inc.)
• Inventors: Bienn, Marvin, Bharatia, Jayshree A., Stephens, Gary B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elliott, IV, Benjamin H
• Application Number:
  US11/352,757
• Time in Patent Office: 2,325 Days
• Field of Search: 370352-354, 370260-271, 379/70, 379/81, 379/82, 379/93.07, 379/93.11, 379/142.07, 379/156, 379/211.02, 379/212.01, 379/309
• US Class Current: 370/271
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Provided is a method for multiple-termination routing in a wireless network environment that includes an Internet Protocol (“IP”) core. The method includes receiving a call delivery request. The call delivery request is based upon intelligent network protocols and includes a called number. The call features associated with the called number are retrieved, a determination is made whether the call features include multiple-termination routing information for a plurality of potential terminating devices, wherein at least one termination to be routed utilizes Session Initiation Protocol. When the call features include the multiple-termination routing information, call setups are initiated to each of the plurality of potential terminating devices. Upon detecting a first potential terminating device to complete one of the plurality of initiated call setups, any remaining initiated call setup or setups are released. In another aspect, the call setups are initiated consecutively to each of the plurality of potential-terminating devices, in an order designated in the multiple-termination routing information. Upon detecting a first potential terminating device to complete the call setup, foregoing initiation of a subsequent call setup to the remaining potential terminating devices.

Claims

1. A method, for execution by an originating mobile switching center, for multiple-termination routing in a wireless network environment that includes an Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) core, the method comprising;

receiving a call delivery request, wherein the call delivery request is based upon intelligent network (“

IN”

) protocols and includes a called number;

issuing a location request (“

LOCREQ”

) invoke message based upon the called number to retrieve call features associated with the called number;

determining whether the call features associated with the called number include multiple-termination routing information; and

when the determined call features include multiple-termination routing information for a termination to a Session Initiation Protocol (“

SIP”

) based device, initiating a multiple-termination call setup that includes a call setup to the called number and further includes a call setup to the SIP based device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

when the call delivery request is a SIP INVITE, responding to the received call delivery request with a ringback message, wherein the ringback message instructs the sender of the call delivery request to generate ringback to a calling party terminating device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein initiating the multiple-termination call setup further comprises:

consecutively initiating the call setups to the called number and the call setup to the SIP based device;

extending a call setup leg to the consecutively initiated call setups in response to a received provisional response, wherein the received provisional response provides call connection information to be used for establishing a bearer path; and

upon detecting a first potential terminating device to complete the call setup, foregoing initiation of a subsequent call setup to any remaining potential terminating devices.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein initiating the multiple-termination call setup further comprises:

concurrently initiating the call setups to the called number and the call setup to the SIP based device;

extending a call setup leg to each of the concurrently initiated call setups in response to a received provisional response, wherein the received provisional response provides call connection information that is to be used for establishing a bearer path; and

upon detecting a first potential terminating device to complete the call setup, releasing the call setup to any of the terminating devices.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the multiple-termination routing information comprises:

a member list providing a plurality of terminating devices; and

information indicating when to request instructions on call processing relating to a device of the plurality of terminating devices.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the terminating device is a public switched telephone network (“

PSTN”

) protocol-based device, sustaining signaling communication with a media gateway for enabling the PSTN-protocol based device to interwork with the IP core while initiating the multiple-termination call setup.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

providing timing information as to when to invoke error treatment for a plurality of bearers for the multiple-termination call setup.

8. An originating mobile switching center comprising:

a processing module; and

memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory stores operational instructions that cause the processing module to;

receive a call delivery request, wherein the call delivery request is based upon intelligent network protocols and includes a called number;

issue a location request (“

LOCREQ”

) invoke message based upon the called number to retrieve call features associated with the called number;

determine whether a locreq return result, received in response to the LOCREQ invoke message, contains call features that include multiple-termination routing information; and

when the locreq return result includes multiple-termination routing information for a termination to a Session Initiation Protocol (“

SIP”

) based device, initiate a multiple-termination call setup that includes a call setup to the called number and further includes a call setup to the SIP based device.

9. The originating mobile switching center of claim 8 wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that cause the processing module to:

when the call delivery request is a SIP INVITE, respond to the received call delivery request with a ringback message that instructs the sender of the call delivery request to generate ringback to a calling party terminating device.

10. The originating mobile switching center of claim 8 wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that cause the processing module to:

consecutively initiate the multiple-termination call setup to the called number and to the SIP based device;

extend a call setup leg to the consecutively initiated call setups in response to a received provisional response, wherein the received provisional response provides call connection information to be used for establishing a bearer path; and

upon detecting a first potential terminating device to complete the call setup, forego initiation of a subsequent call setup to any remaining terminating devices.

11. The originating mobile switching center of claim 8 wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that cause the processing module to:

concurrently initiate the multiple-termination call setup to the called number and to the SIP based device;

extend a call setup leg to each of the concurrently initiated call setups in response to a received provisional response, wherein the received provisional response provides call connection information that is to be used for establishing a bearer path; and

upon detecting a first potential terminating device to complete the call setup, release the multiple-termination call setup to the terminating devices.

12. The originating mobile switching center of claim 8 wherein the multiple-termination routing information comprises:

a member list providing a plurality of terminating devices; and

information indicating when to request instructions on call processing relating to a device of the plurality terminating devices.

13. The originating mobile switching center of claim 8, wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that cause the processing module to:

when the terminating device is a public switched telephone network (PSTN)-protocol based device, sustain signaling communication with a media gateway for enabling the PSTN-protocol based device to interwork with the IP core while initiating the multiple-termination call setup.

14. A method, for execution by an originating mobile switching center, for multiple-termination routing in a wireless network environment that includes an Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) core comprising;

receiving a session initiation protocol (“

SIP”

) INVITE, wherein the SIP INVITE is based upon intelligent network protocols and includes a called number;

retrieving call features associated with the called number;

determining whether the call features associated with the called number include multiple-termination routing information; and

when the determined call features include multiple-termination routing information for termination to a Session Initiation Protocol (“

SIP”

) based device, initiating a multiple-termination call setup that includes a call setup to the called number and further includes a call setup to the SIP based device.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

responding to the received call delivery request with a ringback message, which instructs the sender of the call delivery request to generate ringback to a calling party terminating device.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein initiating the multiple-termination call setup further comprises:

consecutively initiating the call setup to each of the plurality of potential terminating devices; and

extending a call setup leg to the consecutively initiated call setups in response to a received provisional response, wherein the received provisional response provides call connection information to be used for establishing a bearer path; and

upon detecting a first potential terminating device to complete the call setup, foregoing initiation of a subsequent call setup to remaining potential terminating devices.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein initiating the multiple-termination call setup further comprises:

concurrently initiating the call setup to each of the called number and the call setup to the SIP based device;

extending a call setup leg to each of the concurrently initiated call setups in response to a received provisional response, wherein the received provisional response provides call connection information that is to be used for establishing a bearer path; and

upon detecting a first potential terminating device to complete the call setup, releasing the call setup to any of the terminating devices.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the multiple-termination routing information comprises:

a member list providing a plurality of terminating devices; and

information indicating when to request instructions on call processing relating to a device of the plurality of terminating devices.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

when the terminating device is a public switched telephone network (PSTN)-protocol based device, sustaining signaling communication with a media gateway for enabling the PSTN-protocol based device to interwork with the IP core while initiating the multiple-termination call setup.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

providing timing information as to when to invoke error treatment for a plurality of bearers for the multiple-termination call setup.

21. The method of claim 14 wherein retrieving the call features associated with the called number comprises:

sending a LocationRequest Invoke message to a home location register for call features associated with the called number, and

receiving a LocationRequest Return Result from the home location register that includes the call features.