Mobile communication device receipt through second telecommunication network of call directed to registration in first telecommunication network

• US 8,218,462 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2005
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Rudolph, Michael J., Gayde, Ruth Schaefer, Ejzak, Richard P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANOHARAN, MUTHUSWAMY GANAPATHY
• Application Number:
  US11/084,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20060211423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,671 Days
• Field of Search: 370/351, 370/356, 370/352, 370/401, 370/349, 370/466, 455/445, 455/435.1, 455/433
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/12 Inter-network notification

Abstract

A network infrastructure device of an apparatus in one example comprises a first external interface and a second external interface. The network infrastructure device communicates with a first telecommunication network through the first external interface. The network infrastructure device communicates with a second telecommunication network through the second external interface. The network infrastructure device allows a mobile communication device that has a first registration in the first telecommunication network and a second registration in the second telecommunication network to receive, through the second telecommunication network, a call directed to the first registration. The first telecommunication network is unable to directly query the second telecommunication network for a status of the second registration.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a network infrastructure device that comprises a service control point component, an application server component, a first external interface, and a second external interface;

wherein the service control point component emulates a service control point through the first external interface to communicates with a first telecommunication network through the first external interface, wherein the first telecommunication network comprises a legacy cellular telecommunication network with a home location register;

wherein the application server component emulates an application server to communicates with a second telecommunication network through the second external interface, wherein the second telecommunication network comprises an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) telecommunication network with a home subscriber server;

wherein the service control point component communicates with the application server component through an internal interface;

wherein the network infrastructure device, the home subscriber server, and the home location register are distinct from each other;

wherein the network infrastructure device allows a mobile communication device that has a first registration in the first telecommunication network and a second registration in the second telecommunication network to receive, through the second telecommunication network, a call directed to the first registration;

wherein the home location register of the first telecommunication network maintains the first registration and the home subscriber server of the second telecommunication network maintains the second registration;

wherein the first telecommunication network is unable to directly query the second telecommunication network for a status of the second registration;

wherein the service control point component receives a query message from the first telecommunication network through the first external interface and communicates the query message to the application server component through the internal interface;

wherein the application server component checks for a recent failure flag upon receipt of the query message and sends a continuation message to the first telecommunication network if the recent failure flag exists, wherein the recent failure flag is associated with the call to indicate the failed delivery of the call through the second telecommunication network;

wherein the application server component obtains the status of the second registration through the second external interface if the recent failure flag does not exist;

wherein the network infrastructure device employs the status of the second registration to allow the mobile communication device to receive the call directed to the first registration through the second telecommunication network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first telecommunication network comprises a circuit-switched telecommunication network;

wherein the second telecommunication network comprises a packet-switched telecommunication network;

wherein the network infrastructure device communicates with the circuit-switched telecommunication network through the first external interface;

wherein the network infrastructure device communicates with the packet-switched telecommunication network through the second external interface;

wherein the network infrastructure device allows a mobile communication device that has a first registration in the circuit-switched telecommunication network and a second registration in the packet-switched telecommunication network to receive, through the packet-switched telecommunication network, a call directed to the first registration.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the circuit-switched telecommunication network and the first external interface are compliant with an ANSI-41 or Mobile Application Part communication protocol;

wherein the packet-switched telecommunication network and the second external interface are compliant with an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem standard.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the packet-switched telecommunication network is compliant with a Session Initiation Protocol communication protocol.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the application server component allocates a temporary routing number associated with the call, the second registration, and the application server component;

wherein the application server component communicates the temporary routing number to the service control point component through the internal interface;

wherein the service control point component communicates the temporary routing number to the first telecommunication network to allow the first telecommunication network to deliver the call directed to the first registration to the mobile communication device through the second telecommunication network.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the application server component receives an indication of a failed delivery of the call through the second telecommunication network;

wherein the application server component sends a redirect message to the second telecommunication network through the second external interface;

wherein the application server component sets the recent failure flag;

wherein the application server component clears the recent failure flag after a pre-determined time interval and/or event.

7. A method, comprising the steps of:

receiving a query message at a network infrastructure device, for a call to a mobile communication device, from a first telecommunication network through employment of a first network protocol, wherein the first telecommunication network comprises a legacy cellular telecommunication network with a home location register that maintains a first registration status for the mobile communication device in the first telecommunication network; and

determining, by the network infrastructure device, a second registration status of the mobile communication device in a second telecommunication network through employment of a second network protocol to allow for a call delivery of the call through the second telecommunication network, wherein the first telecommunication network is unable to directly query the second telecommunication network for the registration status, wherein the second telecommunication network comprises an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) telecommunication network with a home subscriber server that maintains the second registration status for the mobile communication device in the second telecommunication network, wherein the network infrastructure device, the home subscriber server, and the home location register are distinct from each other;

wherein the step of determining the second registration status comprises the steps of;

checking for an existence of a recent failure flag associated with the failed delivery of the call through the second telecommunication network;

sending a continuation message to the first telecommunication network if the recent failure flag exists; and

determining the registration status of the mobile communication device in the second telecommunication network if the recent failure flag does not exist.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

sending a reply message to the first telecommunication network to initiate the delivery of the call through the second telecommunication network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of directing the call from the first telecommunication network through the second telecommunication network comprises the steps of:

allocating a temporary routing number for the call; and

communicating the temporary routing number to the first telecommunication network through employment of the first network protocol.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

receiving a failure indication for the delivery of the call through the second telecommunication network;

sending a redirect message to the second telecommunication network through employment of the second network protocol;

setting the recent failure flag associated with the failed delivery of the call through the second telecommunication network; and

clearing the recent failure flag after a pre-determined time interval and/or event.

11. A method, comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a service control point component of a network infrastructure device, a first query message from a mobile switching center of a legacy cellular network through employment of a legacy network protocol of the legacy cellular network, wherein the first query message comprises a dialed number associated with a call to a mobile communication device that is registered in the legacy cellular network, wherein the first query message is based on an advanced termination trigger at a home location register of the legacy cellular network;

sending, from the service control point component, a second query message that comprises the dialed number to an application server component of the network infrastructure device;

checking, at the application server component, for an existence of a recent failure flag associated with the dialed number upon receipt of the second query message;

checking, at the application server component, if a temporary routing number is available;

sending, from the application server component, a continue message to the mobile switching center of the legacy cellular network through the service control point component, if the recent failure flag exists or the temporary routing number is not available, to cause a routing of the call through the legacy cellular network; and

performing, at the application server component, a call delivery of the call to the mobile communication device through an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem network if the recent failure flag does not exist and the temporary routing number is available, wherein the Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem network comprises a home subscriber server which is distinct from the home location register and maintains a second registration of the mobile communication device, wherein the network infrastructure device, the home subscriber server, and the home location register are distinct from each other;

wherein the step of performing the call delivery comprises the steps of;

setting, at the application server component, a recent failure flag associated with the mobile communication device upon receipt of an indication of a failed delivery of the call from the interrogating call session control function;

clearing, at the application server component, the recent failure flag after a pre-determined event; and

sending, from the application server component, a redirect message that comprises the dialed number to the interrogating call session control function.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of performing, at the application server component, the delivery of the call to the mobile communication device through the Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem network if the recent failure flag does not exist comprises the steps of:

sending, from the application server component, a third query message that comprises the dialed number to the home subscriber server of the Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem network through employment of an Internet Protocol network protocol of the Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem network;

receiving, at the application server component, a registration status associated with the mobile communication device from the home subscriber server;

sending, from the application server component, the continue message to the mobile switching center of the legacy cellular network through the service control point component if the registration status indicates that the mobile communication device is unavailable through the Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem network; and

performing, at the application server component, the delivery of the call to the mobile communication device through the Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem network if the registration status indicates that the mobile communication device is available through the Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem network.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of performing, at the application server component, the delivery of the call to the mobile communication device through the Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem network if the registration status indicates that the mobile communication device is available through the Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem network comprises the steps of:

allocating, by the application server component, a temporary routing number, from a pool of temporary routing numbers, for the call to the mobile communication device;

associating, by the application server component, the temporary routing number with a public user ID associated with the mobile communication device;

sending, from the application server component, the temporary routing number to the service control point component;

sending, from the service control point component, a trigger result message that comprises the temporary routing number to the mobile switching center of the legacy cellular network;

receiving, at the application server component, a first invite message from an interrogating call session control function, wherein the invite message comprises the temporary routing number;

sending, from the application server component, a second invite message to the interrogating call session control function, wherein the second invite message comprises the public user ID associated with the mobile communication device; and

releasing, by the application server component, the temporary routing number to the pool of temporary routing numbers.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of clearing, at the application server component, the recent failure flag after the pre-determined event comprises the step of:

starting a timer upon an event;

clearing the recent failure flag, at the application server component, after an expiration of the timer.