Method and system for providing a value added service that is available in a first network to a subscriber in a second network

• US 8,644,476 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2003
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Maas, Fedor
• Primary Examiner(s): HONG, HARRY S
• Application Number:
  US10/596,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20110123013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,704 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.01, 379/201.12, 379/207.02, 379/211.02, 379/219, 379/220.01, 379/221.08, 379/221.09, 379/221.11, 370/259, 370/352, 370/356, 455/414.1, 455/433
• US Class Current: 379/201.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Method and communication system for providing a value added service, such as an intelligent network (IN) service, which is available in a first network (5), to a subscriber (3) in a second network (7). The first network (5) comprises a first network node (11) for executing the value added service. The method comprises detecting in a terminating call to the subscriber (3) that the subscriber (3) desires to use the value added service, forwarding control of the call towards the first network node (11) associated with a forwarding number in the first network (5), executing the value added service by the first network node (11), and, when necessary, further directing the call towards the subscriber (3) associated with the terminating call. The present method can also be applied to originating calls from a subscriber. In this case, the call is further directed towards a destination associated with the call.

Claims

1. A method for providing a value added service, which is available in a first network, to a subscriber in and subscribed to a second network, in which the first network comprises a first network node for executing the value added service, the method comprising:

detecting in a terminating call to the subscriber that the subscriber desires to use the value added service;

forwarding control of the terminating call towards the first network node associated with a forwarding number in the first network;

executing the value added service by the first network node, and, when necessary, further directing the terminating call towards the subscriber in the second network associated with the terminating call,

wherein the subscriber is subscribed to the second network and is not subscribed to the first network.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising directing the call to the first network node using an indexing register, in which the indexing register indicates the type of value added service associated with the forwarding number.

3. The method according to claim 2, in which the first network is a public land mobile network (PLMN), the second network is a public switched telephone network (PSTN), the indexing register is a home location register (HLR) of the PLMN, and the first network node is a Service Node (SN) of the PLMN.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the home location register (HLR) comprises a terminating IN Category Keying (TICK) associated with the forwarding number.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first network is a public switched telephone network (PSTN) and the second network is a public land mobile network (PLMN), and the first network node is a Service Node of the PSTN.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the Service Node is a Service Control Point (SCP) or an Application Server (AS) or a Service Capability Server (SCS).

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the call to a subscriber is forwarded using a Call Forward Unconditional (CFU) mechanism.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the CFU mechanism is initiated by the subscriber.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the call is further directed towards the subscriber by overriding the Call Forwarding Unconditional mechanism.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the value added service comprise one or more of the following:

Intelligent Network service;

Malicious Call Barring;

Personalised Greeting Service;

VPN.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising directing the call to the first network node using an indexing register, in which the indexing register indicates the type of value added service associated with the forwarding number.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first network is a public land mobile network (PLMN), the second network is a public switched telephone network (PSTN), the indexing register is a home location register (HLR) of the PLMN, and the first network node is a Service Node (SN) of the PLMN.

17. The method according to claim 15 wherein the Service Node is a Service Control Point (SCP) or an Application Server (AS) or a Service Capability Server (SCS).

11. A method for providing a value added service, which is available in a first network, to a subscriber in and subscribed to a second network, in which the first network comprises a first network node for executing the value added service, the method comprising:

detecting in an originating call from the subscriber that the subscriber desires to use the value added service;

forwarding control of the originating call towards the first network node associated with a forwarding number in the first network;

executing the value added service by the first network node, and, when necessary, further directing the originating call towards a destination associated with the originating call,

wherein the subscriber is subscribed to the second network and is not subscribed to the first network.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the detecting comprises recognizing a match of at least part of a destination number in the call with a special predefined number.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the detecting comprises recognizing a match of an originating number of the subscriber.

16. The method according to claim 11 wherein the first network is a public switched telephone network (PSTN) and the second network is a public land mobile network (PLMN), and the first network node is a Service Node of the PSTN.

18. The method according to claim 11 wherein the value added service comprise one or more of the following:

intelligent network (IN) service;

Outgoing Call Screening;

Short Number Dialing;

VPN.

19. An exchange in a second network for providing communications to a subscriber, the second network being interconnectable with a first network having a first network node for executing a value added service, the exchange being arranged for:

detecting in a terminating call the desire of the subscriber to use a vale added service provided by a first network node of the first network;

forwarding control of the terminating call towards the first network node associated with a forwarding number in the first network; and

when necessary, after execution of the value added service by the first network node, further directing the terminating call towards the subscriber in the second network associated with the terminating call,

wherein the subscriber is subscribed to the second network and is not subscribed to the first network.

20. An exchange in a second network for providing communications to a subscriber, the second network being interconnectable with a first network having a first network node for executing a value added service including that of an intelligent network service, the exchange being arranged for:

detecting in an originating call the desire of the subscriber to use the value added service provided by a first network node of the first network;

forwarding control of the originating call towards the first network node associated with a forwarding number in the first network; and

when necessary, after execution of the value added service by the first network node, further directing the originating call towards a destination associated with the originating call,

wherein the subscriber is subscribed to the second network and is not subscribed'"'"'. to the first network.

21. The exchange according to claim 20, wherein the first network is a public land mobile network (PLMN), the second network is a public switched telephone network (PSTN), and the first network node is a Service Node (SN) of the PLMN.

22. The exchange according to claim 20, wherein the first network is a public switched telephone network (PSTN) and the second network is a public land mobile network (PLMN), and the first network node is a Service Node of the PSTN.

23. An indexing register associated with a service node of a first network, for providing a value added service including that of an intelligent network (IN) service, which is available in the first network, to a subscriber in and subscribed to a second network, in which the service node is arranged for executing the value added service, the indexing register being arranged to indicate the type of value added service associated with a forwarding number to the service node after receiving control of a terminating call to the subscriber, the terminating call comprising an indication that the subscriber desires to use the value added service, wherein the subscriber is subscribed to the second network and is not subscribed to the first network.

24. An indexing register associated with a service node of a first network, for providing a value added service, including that of an intelligent network (IN) service, which is available in the first network, to a subscriber in and subscribed to a second network, in which the service node is arranged for executing the value added service, the indexing register being arranged to indicate the type of value added service associated with a forwarding number to the service node after receiving control of an originating call from the subscriber, the originating call comprising an indication that the subscriber desires to use the value added service, wherein the subscriber is subscribed to the second network and is not subscribed to the first network.

25. The indexing register according to claim 24, in which first network is a public land mobile network (PLMN), the second network is a public switched telephone network (PSTN), the indexing register being a home location register (HLR) of the PLMN, and the first network node is a Service Node (SN) of the PLMN.

26. The indexing register according to claim 25, in which the home location register (HLR) comprises a terminating IN Category Keying (TICK) associated with the forwarding number.

27. The indexing register according to claim 24, in which the first network is a public switched telephone network (PSTN) and the second network is a public land mobile network (PLMN), and the first network node is a Service Node of the PSTN.

28. The indexing register according to claim 26, in which the Service Node is a Service Control Point (SCP) or an Application Server (AS)) or a Service Capability Server (SCS).

29. A service node for executing a value added service including that of an intelligent network (IN) service, which service node is part of a first network, the first network being interconnectable with a second network, the second network being arranged for providing communications to a subscriber, the service node being arranged to execute the value added service after receiving control of a terminating call to or originating call from the subscriber, the terminating or originating call comprising an indication that the subscriber desires to use the value added service, and when necessary, further directing the terminating or originating call towards a destination associated with the terminating or originating call,

wherein the subscriber is subscribed to the second network and is not subscribed to the first network.

30. The service node according to claim 29, wherein the service node is a Service Control Point (SCP) or an Application Server (AS) or a Service Capability Server (SCS).

31. The service node according to claim 29, wherein the call is a terminating call, the control of the terminating call is received by the service node using a Call Forward Unconditional mechanism, and the service node is further arranged to further direct the terminating call towards the subscriber by overriding the Call Forwarding Unconditional mechanism.