Network-based system for rerouting phone calls from phone networks to VoIP clients for roamers and subscribers who do not answer

• US 8,478,277 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2006
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobileum, Incorporated fka Roamware
• Original Assignee: Mobileum, Incorporated fka Roamware
• Inventors: Jiang, John Yue Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAHEED, KHALID W
• Application Number:
  US11/592,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20070167167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,433 Days
• Field of Search: 455/435.1, 455/445, 455/453, 455/432.1, 455/433, 455/435.2, 455/428
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/548 with remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 where one of the core networks is a wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13282 Call forward, follow-me, call diversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A system, method, computer product and service are provided which, when a subscriber'"'"'s VoIP client is online and the subscriber'"'"'s non-VoIP wireless or fixed line number is called, will automatically route the call over IP to the subscriber'"'"'s VoIP client. This routing may be performed by the subscriber'"'"'s wireless or fixed line home operator and can be conditioned to depend on whether the non-VoIP number is roaming or not answering.

Claims

1. A system for routing traffic of a subscriber associated with a first communication network comprising a visited network, the system comprising:

a gateway coupled to the first communication network and a second communication network, wherein the gateway monitors roaming links of the first communication network and detects the subscriber registering a subscriber communication device with the visited network,

wherein the gateway receives location information corresponding to a location of the subscriber communication device at the first communication network and a status of a client application installed on one of the subscriber communication device and a separate communication device from the subscriber communication device, capable of receiving an incoming call, associated with the subscriber being coupled to the gateway via the second communication network,

wherein the gateway, upon determining a connection of the client application to the second communication network, automatically transfers the traffic directed to the subscriber communication device via the first communication network to the client application using the second communication network, and the gateway further comprising a mechanism to determine status of at least one of the client application and the subscriber communication device,

wherein the first communication network is at least one of a Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) and a cellular network, and the second communication network is an IP-based network, and

wherein the gateway is further configured to switch traffic between the subscriber communication device and the client application during an ongoing call.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein that first communication network comprises a visited network and a home network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway selects a routing identifier associated with at least one client application and transfers the traffic of the subscriber to the client application at the associated routing identifier.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second communication network is at least one of a VoIP network, a SIP/IMS network, a Wi-Fi network, and a Wi-Max network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the subscriber communication device is one selected from a group, consisting of a mobile station, a fixed line telephone, a Wi-Fi enabled mobile telephone, a personal computer, a portable computing device, a portable telephone, a portable communication device, a telephone adaptor, and a personal digital assistant.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the client application is a VoIP client of a service provider including at least one selected from a group consisting of Skype, Vonage, Gizmon, Google, Yahoo®

, and MSN.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the routing identifier is at least one selected from a group consisting of a Skype-IN, a mobile number of the subscriber communication device, a fixed landline number, a temporary assigned routing number corresponding to the location of the subscriber, and a temporary late call forwarding number assigned to the subscriber.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a VoIP gateway, a Skype gateway, an MSN gateway, a Google Talk Gateway, a Yahoo®

Talk Gateway, a Gizmon Gateway for Instant Messaging, and a VoIP Gateway for an instant message and VoIP client.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway includes a SIP/IMS gateway with a directory service.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway includes a Vonage gateway with a directory service.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising a switch when the gateway is an IM-VoIP gateway.

12. The system of claim 3, wherein the subscriber registers one or more client applications with the gateway using one or more routing identifiers.

13. The system of claim 3, wherein the subscriber registers each of the one or more client applications with the gateway using one routing identifier.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway determines if unconditional call forwarding is enabled by the subscriber at an HLR via the first communication network.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway performs redirection of the traffic to one or more client applications based on one or more application logics.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein determining the status of the client application includes identifying the client application as one of being active and in-active with the gateway.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein determining the status of the subscriber includes identifying the subscriber communication device as one of being active and in-active with the first communication network.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway transfers the traffic directed to the subscriber communication device to the routing identifier of the client application via the second communication network when the status of the subscriber is identified as in-active and the status of the client application is identified as active.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway transfers the traffic directed to the subscriber communication device to the routing identifier of the client application via the second communication network based on pre-defined criteria.

20. The system of claim 3, wherein the gateway transfers the traffic directed to the subscriber communication device to the routing identifier of the client application via the first communication network when the status of the client application is identified as in-active.

21. The system of claim 3, wherein the gateway routes the traffic of an incoming call to the subscriber at the routing identifier of the client application associated with the subscriber as a VoIP call.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway routes the traffic of an MT SMS to the subscriber as an IM to the client application associated with the subscriber.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein receiving location information further comprises acquiring at least one selected from a group consisting of an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), a Visited Location Register (VLR), a Visited Mobile Switching Center (VMSC), and subscription information of the subscriber from a roamer probe database (RPD).

24. The system of claim 1, wherein receiving location information further comprises acquiring location information from Mobile Application Part (MAP) transaction messages between the home network and the visited network.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein selecting a routing identifier further comprises selecting a telephone number at the home network from a set of numbers.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway is coupled to one or more home networks in the first communication network.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the gateway transfers the traffic of one or more subscribers associated with the home network in the first communication network.

28. A system comprising:

a gateway coupled to a first communication system and a second communication system; and

a client application, capable of receiving an incoming call, installed on one of a subscriber communication device and a separate communication device from the subscriber communication device, the client application detecting a coupling with the second communication system and transferring at least one message to the gateway via the coupling, the message comprising one of identification information of the client application, one or more instructions and status information,

wherein the gateway establishes an association between a subscriber and a routing identifier associated with the client application on the second communication system, wherein the gateway determines routing to the client application via the second communication system that corresponds to the routing identifier of the client application,

wherein the gateway transfers the traffic received at the first communication system to the client application as a VoIP call via the second communication system using the routing and the status information,

wherein the first communication network is at least one of a Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) and a cellular network, and the second communication network is an IP-based network, and

wherein the gateway is further configured to switch traffic between the subscriber communication device and the client application during an ongoing call.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein header of the message contains IP routing information from the client application to the gateway.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the status information includes at least one of call blocking and unblocking information by the client application.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the status information defines unconditional call forwarding status of the subscriber and if so the forwarding address.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the instructions include control instructions to the gateway using Instant Messaging.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein the instructions include control instructions to the gateway using SMS.

34. A method for routing traffic of a subscriber, the method comprising:

detecting a registration of a subscriber communication device to a visited network, the subscriber communication device being initially registered to a home network, the home network and the visited network being a part of a first communication network;

receiving location information corresponding to a location of the subscriber communication device at the first communication network;

detecting, at a gateway, status of at least one client application installed on one of the subscriber communication device and a separate communication device from the subscriber communication device, capable of receiving an incoming call, associated with the subscriber, the client application being coupled to the gateway via a second communication network, wherein the gateway is coupled to the first communication network;

selecting a routing identifier associated with the client application, the routing identifier corresponding to the location of the subscriber; and

transferring traffic of the subscriber communication device to the client application at the associated routing identifier using the second communication network, wherein the transfer of traffic is performed based on the detected status of the client application,

wherein the first communication network is at least one of a Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) and a cellular network, and the second communication network is an IP-based network, and

wherein the gateway enables switching of traffic between the subscriber communication device and the client application during an ongoing call.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

determining at the gateway whether unconditional call forwarding is enabled by the subscriber at an HLR via the first communication network.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the gateway performs redirection of the traffic to one or more client applications based on one or more application logics.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein detecting the status of the client application includes:

identifying the client application as one of being active and in-active with the gateway.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein detecting the status of the subscriber includes:

identifying the subscriber as one of being active and in-active with the first communication network.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein the gateway transfers the traffic of the subscriber to the routing identifier of the client application via the second communication network when the status of the subscriber is identified as in-active and the status of the client application is identified as active.

40. The method of claim 34, wherein the gateway transfers the traffic of the subscriber to the routing identifier of the client application via the second communication network based on pre-defined criteria.

41. The method of claim 34, wherein the gateway transfers the traffic of the subscriber to the routing identifier of the client application via the first communication network when the status of the client application is identified as in-active.

42. The method of claim 34, wherein receiving location information further comprises acquiring at least one selected from a group consisting of an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), a Visited Location Register (VLR), a Visited Mobile Switching Center (VMSC), and subscription information of the subscriber from a roamer probe database (RPD).

43. The method of claim 34, wherein receiving location information further comprises:

acquiring location information from Mobile Application Part (MAP) transaction messages between the home network and the visited network.

44. The method of claim 34, wherein selecting the routing identifier further comprises:

selecting a telephone number at the home network from a set of numbers.

45. The method of claim 34, wherein the gateway routes the traffic of an incoming call to the subscriber at the routing identifier of the client application associated with the subscriber as a VoIP call.

46. The method of claim 34, wherein the gateway routes the traffic of an MT SMS to the subscriber as an IM to the client application associated with the subscriber.

47. The method of claim 34, wherein the gateway transfers the traffic of one or more subscribers associated with the home network in the first communication network.

48. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer usable program code for causing a computer to route traffic of a subscriber, the computer program product comprising:

computer usable program code for detecting a registration of a subscriber communication device to a visited network, the subscriber communication device being initially registered to a home network, the home network and the visited network being a part of a first communication network;

computer usable program code for receiving location information corresponding to a location of the subscriber communication device at the first communication network;

computer usable program code for detecting, at a gateway, status of at least one client application installed on one of the subscriber communication device and a separate communication device from the subscriber communication device, capable of receiving an incoming call, associated with the subscriber, the client application being coupled to the gateway via a second communication network, wherein the gateway is coupled to the first communication network;

computer usable program code for selecting a routing identifier associated with the client application, the routing identifier corresponding to the location of the subscriber;

computer usable program code for transferring traffic of the subscriber communication device to the client application at the associated routing identifier using the second communication network, wherein the transfer of traffic is performed based on the detected status of the client application, and

computer usable program code for enabling the gateway to switch traffic between the subscriber communication device and the client application during an ongoing call.

49. The computer program product of claim 48, further comprising a computer usable program code for determining at the gateway whether unconditional call forwarding is enabled by the subscriber at an HLR via the first communication network.

50. The computer program product of claim 48, further comprising a computer usable program code for enabling the gateway to perform redirection of the traffic to one or more client applications based on one or more application logics.

51. The computer program product of claim 48, further comprising a computer usable program code for enabling the gateway to transfer the traffic of the subscriber to the routing identifier of the client application via the second communication network when the status of the subscriber is identified as in-active and the status of the client application is identified as active.

52. The computer program product of claim 48, further comprising a computer usable program code for enabling the gateway to transfer the traffic of the subscriber to the routing identifier of the client application via the second communication network based on pre-defined criteria.

53. The computer program product of claim 48, further comprising a computer usable program code for enabling the gateway to transfer the traffic of the subscriber to the routing identifier of the client application via the first communication network when the status of the client application is identified as in-active.

54. The computer program product of claim 48, further comprising a computer usable program code for enabling the gateway to route the traffic of an incoming call to the subscriber at the routing identifier of the client application associated with the subscriber as a VoIP call.

55. The computer program product of claim 48, further comprising a computer usable program code for enabling the gateway to route the traffic of an MT SMS to the subscriber as an IM to the client application associated with the subscriber.

56. The computer program product of claim 48, wherein receiving location information further comprises acquiring at least one selected from a group consisting of an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), a Visited Location Register (VLR), a Visited Mobile Switching Center (VMSC), and subscription information of the subscriber from a roamer probe database (RPD).

57. The computer program product of claim 48, wherein receiving location information further comprises acquiring location information from Mobile Application Part (MAP) transaction messages between the home network and the visited network.

58. The computer program product of claim 48, wherein selecting the routing identifier further comprises selecting a telephone number at the home network from a set of numbers.