Communications device, communications service and methods for providing and operating the same

• US 8,880,038 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2009
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globalgig Ltd. (iGEM Communications Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Voiamo Limited
• Inventors: Bramwell, Nigel, Sankar, Vinod
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, David Q
• Application Number:
  US12/990,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20110294472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,013 Days
• Field of Search: 455/413, 455/432.3, 455/445, 455/466
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/244 using a network of reference devices, e.g. beaconing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A communications device for use on a communications network comprising: at least two communications profiles, each communications profile being associated with a geographic region within which the communications device is to be used processing means arranged to allow an active communications profile to be selected from the at least two communications profiles.

Claims

1. A communications server for routing communications traffic between a first communications apparatus and a second communications apparatus, the second communications apparatus comprising a first mobile subscriber identity and a second mobile subscriber identity, the first mobile subscriber identity being associated with a first network operator in a first geographic region and the second mobile subscriber identity being associated with a second network operator in a second geographic region, the server comprising:

input module arranged to receive a communications signal from the second communications apparatus informing the server which mobile subscriber identity is active on the second communications apparatus;

input module arranged to receive communications traffic from the first communications apparatus directed to an inactive mobile subscriber identity of the second communications apparatus;

processor arranged to determine the active mobile subscriber identity of the second communications apparatus based on the communications signal received from the second communications apparatus;

output module arranged to route the communications traffic intended for the inactive mobile subscriber identity of the second communications apparatus to the active mobile subscriber identity of the second communications apparatus.

2. A communications server as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is arranged to determine the location of the second communications apparatus by determining the active mobile subscriber identity of the communications apparatus.

3. A communication server as claimed in claim 1, wherein each mobile subscriber identity has a unique identification number (MSISDN).

4. A communications server as claimed in claim 1, wherein each mobile subscriber identity of the second communications apparatus is associated with a unique access gateway number.

5. A communications server as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a data store, the data store comprising data relating to each mobile subscriber identity associated with the second communications apparatus wherein the currently active mobile subscriber identity of the second communications apparatus is updated upon receipt of the communications signal.

6. A communications server as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is arranged to determine the location of the second communications apparatus from the number dialed by the first communications apparatus.

7. A communications server as claimed in claim 1, wherein the routing destination is a voicemail account and the output module is arranged to route the communications traffic to the voicemail account.

8. A communications server as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first communications device is located in a first geographic region and the second communications device is located in a second geographic region.

9. A communications server as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communications traffic comprises one or more of the following types:

voice calls, SMS communications, MMS communications, data traffic.

10. A communications system comprising a communications server according to claim 1;

at least two access gateways wherein each gateway is arranged to be in communication with the communications server.

11. A communications system as claimed in claim 10, wherein each access gateway is located within a different geographic region.

12. A communications system as claimed in claim 11, wherein each access gateway is arranged to be in communication with one or more telecommunications networks located within the same geographic region as the access gateway.

13. A method of operating a communications server for routing communications traffic between a first communications apparatus and a second communications apparatus, the second communications apparatus comprising a first mobile subscriber identity and a second mobile subscriber identity, the first mobile subscriber identity being associated with a first network operator in a first geographic region and the second mobile subscriber identity being associated with a second network operator in a second geographic region, wherein one of the mobile subscriber identities is active and one of the mobile subscriber identities is inactive, the method comprising:

receiving a communications signal from the second communications apparatus informing the server which mobile subscriber identity is active on the second communications apparatus;

receiving communications traffic from the first communications apparatus directed towards the inactive mobile subscriber identity of the second communications apparatus;

determining a routing destination for the communications traffic based on the communications signal;

routing the communications traffic to the routing destination;

wherein determining the routing destination comprises determining the active mobile subscriber identity of the second communications apparatus; and

routing the communications traffic comprises routing the communications traffic to the active mobile subscriber identity of the second communications apparatus.

14. The method of 13 wherein a program encoded within a computer readable medium is provided to processors of a computer to control the communication server.