Temporary ENUM gateway

• US 8,644,302 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2010
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Mitchell, Don
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Hemant
• Application Number:
  US12/926,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20110081010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 370259-271, 370351-356, 3703955-39554, 455/3.05, 455/3.06, 455403-4262, 4554561-466, 4555501-560, 4555751-5759, 455 901- 903, 709201-207, 709217-248
• US Class Current: 370/353
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

A temporary ENUM architecture assigns a temporary ENUM at call time. For an originated communication requiring routing to a party which needs a particular callback format not supported, the TempENUM provides consistency with the specific format required by the receiving party. The TempENUM is assigned for the duration of the call or communication, or for a given amount of time thereafter. The TempENUM service gateway includes a TempENUM database, a module that assigns a suitable TempENUM at the time of call routing, and a module that handles a lookup in the TempENUM database, and maps the assigned TempENUM to a calling party identifier (CgPID). The TempENUM database stores a TempENUM from a coordinator system and relates the actual calling party identifier (CgPID) for use in callback attempts. Either during the initial call or communication, or shortly thereafter, the receiving party uses the TempENUM number to return communication the initial caller.

Claims

1. An electronic numbering (ENUM) gateway, comprising:

an ENUM receiving module to receive a call associated with non-ENUM conforming caller identity information, an ENUM receiving entity mapping an ENUM with external resources associated with said ENUM;

an ENUM database to associate an alternate conforming ENUM with said non-ENUM conforming caller identity information;

an assignment module to assign said alternate conforming ENUM as an entry in said ENUM database; and

a lookup module to lookup said alternate conforming ENUM in said ENUM database to retrieve said caller identity information.

2. The electronic numbering (ENUM) gateway according to claim 1, wherein:

said entry in said ENUM database is a temporary entry that expires after a given amount of time.

3. The electronic numbering (ENUM) gateway according to claim 1, wherein said caller identity information comprises:

a phone number of a user device initiating said call.

4. The electronic numbering (ENUM) gateway according to claim 3, wherein:

said phone number does not conform to a 10-digit North American Numbering Plan phone number.

5. The electronic numbering (ENUM) gateway according to claim 3, wherein:

said phone number includes a country code.

6. The electronic numbering (ENUM) gateway according to claim 1, wherein said caller identity information comprises:

an email address.

7. The electronic numbering (ENUM) gateway according to claim 1, wherein said caller identity information comprises:

an instant messaging address.

8. The electronic numbering (ENUM) gateway according to claim 1, wherein said caller identity information comprises:

a vehicle ID.

9. The electronic numbering (ENUM) gateway according to claim 1, wherein said caller identity information comprises:

a mobile directory number (MDN).

10. The electronic numbering (ENUM) gateway according to claim 1, wherein:

a temporary ENUM gateway forms a temporary ENUM service.

11. The electronic numbering (ENUM) gateway according to claim 1, wherein:

said alternate conforming ENUM conforms to requirements of a called party device relating to calling party identification information.

12. The electronic numbering (ENUM) gateway according to claim 11, wherein:

said alternate conforming ENUM conforms to 10-digit North American Numbering Plan requirements.

13. The electronic numbering (ENUM) gateway according to claim 1, wherein:

said call is a wireless device phone call.

14. The electronic numbering (ENUM) gateway according to claim 1, wherein:

said call is a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) device phone call.

15. A method of associating an electronic number (ENUM) to a given communication, comprising:

receiving a call associated with non-ENUM-conforming caller identity information, an ENUM receiving entity mapping an ENUM with external resources associated with said ENUM;

receiving a request for an alternate conforming ENUM relating to said non-ENUM-conforming caller identity information;

associating said alternate conforming ENUM with said non-ENUM-conforming caller identity information; and

storing said associated alternate conforming ENUM as an entry in an ENUM database.

16. The method of associating an electronic number (ENUM) to a given communication according to claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a request to lookup said alternate conforming ENUM; and

retrieving, from said ENUM database, said alternate conforming ENUM associated with said non-ENUM-conforming caller identity information.

17. The method of associating an electronic number (ENUM) to a given communication according to claim 15, further comprising:

routing a return communication from a called party device back to a caller device.

18. The method of associating an electronic number (ENUM) to a given communication according to claim 15, wherein:

said alternate conforming ENUM conforms to requirements of a called party device.

19. The method of associating an electronic number (ENUM) to a given communication according to claim 15, wherein:

said alternate conforming ENUM conforms to 10-digit North American Numbering Plan requirements.

20. The method of associating an electronic number (ENUM) to a given communication according to claim 15, wherein:

said received request includes calling party information.

21. The method of associating an electronic number (ENUM) to a given communication according to claim 20, wherein said calling party information includes:

a phone number.

22. The method of associating an electronic number (ENUM) to a given communication according to claim 20, wherein said calling party information includes:

an instant message IP address.

23. The method of associating an electronic number (ENUM) to a given communication according to claim 20, wherein said calling party information includes:

a mobile directory number (MDN).

24. The method of associating an electronic number (ENUM) to a given communication according to claim 20, wherein said calling party information includes:

an email address.