TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION

• US 20090310598A1
• Filed: 03/12/2007
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rebtel Networks AB
• Original Assignee: Rebtel Networks AB
• Inventors: Winbladh, Hjalmar, Lindroth, Jonas
• Granted Patent: US 8,374,168 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/50 for cross-charging network operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2046 Hybrid network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/52 Interconnection, inter-exchange, reseller billing, billing agreements between different operators, e.g. billing identifier added on the CDR in order to cross charge the other operator, inter-operator accounting, reconciliation, bill directly resellers customers
• 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 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42297 with number portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/44 Additional connecting arrangements for providing access to frequently-wanted subscribers, e.g. abbreviated dialling at the subscriber's set H04M1/27; automatic redialling H04M3/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1245 where a network other than PSTN/ISDN interconnects two PSTN/ISDN networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/76 Translation from the called subscriber's number to the outgoing or incoming control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A telephone connection is established between a first terminal (A) and a second terminal (B). The first terminal (A) is presumed to be associated with a subscription in a first home telephone network (α) in which the terminal (A) is identified by means of a first network identity (CLI_A). Correspondingly, the second terminal (B) is presumed to be associated with a subscription in a second home telephone network (β) in which the second terminal (B) is identified by means of a second network identity (CLI_B). According to the invention, a host resource (110) routes a call from the first terminal (A) to the second terminal (B) based on a combination of the first network identity (CLI_A) and a first common telephone number (#n) in the first home telephone network ( ) dialed by the first terminal (A). This is rendered possible because the first common telephone number (#α_n) is selected such that the first is combination unique. However, the first common telephone number (#α_n), as such, is adapted to be shared among a group of users in the first home telephone network.

Claims

1. A system for establishing a telephone connection between a first terminal (A) and a second terminal (B), the first terminal (A) being associated with a subscription in a first home telephone network (α

) in which the first terminal (A) is identified by means of a first network identity (CLI_A), and the second terminal (B) being associated with a subscription in a second home telephone network (β

) in which the second terminal (B) is identified by means of a second network identity (CLI_B), characterized in that the system comprises;

a host resource (110) adapted to route a call from the first terminal (A) to the second terminal (B) based on a first unique combination of the first network identity (CLI_A) and a first common telephone number (#α

_n) in the first home telephone network (α

) dialed by the first terminal (A), the first common telephone number (#α

_n) being adapted to be shared among a first group of users in the first home telephone network (α

),

a first interface node (N_α

) connecting the first home telephone network (α

) to at least one interconnecting network (N), and

a second interface node (Nβ

) connecting the second home telephone network (β

) to at least one of the at least one interconnecting network (N), wherein

at least one of the at least one interconnecting network (N) is represented by a packet switched network, and each of the a first and second interface nodes (Nα

, Nβ

) is adapted to handle telephone traffic over packet switched networks.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the host resource (110) is adapted to route calls from each of a first number of first terminals (A) in the first home telephone network (α

) to each of a second number of second terminals (B) in the second home telephone network (β

), the host resource (110) being associated with a database (120) storing an entry (<

CLI_A, #α

_n, CLI_B>

) for each first unique combination of;

the first network identity (CLI_A) of each of the first terminals (A),

the second network identity (CLI_B) of each of the second terminals (B), and

a respective first common telephone number (#α

_n) to be dialed by each first terminal (A) to reach each of the second terminals (B).

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one packet switched network is represented by the Internet.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein, after having routed the call, the host resource (110) is adapted to set up a bi-directional primary connection (L1, L2) between the first terminal (A) and the second terminal (B) provided that a call-accept message is generated by the second terminal (B).

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the primary connection comprises a first leg (L1) between the first terminal (A) and the host resource (110) and a second leg (L2) between the host resource (110) and the second terminal (B), and the host resource (110) is adapted to:

receive a termination request from the second terminal (B), and in response thereto disconnect the second leg (L2),

maintain the first leg (L1) during a threshold period (T) after having disconnected the second leg (L2), and

establish a bi-directional secondary connection (L1, L2′

) between the first terminal (A) and the second terminal (B) if a return call to a predefined telephone number (#β

_r) is received from the second terminal (B) before expiry of the threshold period (T).

6. The system according to claim 1,

wherein at least one of the first and second home telephone networks (α ,β

) is a wireless network.

7. A method of establishing a telephone connection between a first terminal (A) and a second terminal (B), the first terminal (A) being associated with a subscription in a first home telephone network (α

) in which the first terminal (A) is identified by means of a first network identity (CLI_A) and the second terminal (B) being associated with a subscription in a second home telephone network (β

) in which the second terminal (B) is identified by means of a second network identity (CLI_B), characterized by

receiving a dialing code from the first terminal (A), the dialing code identifying a first common telephone number (#α

_n) in the first home telephone network (α

), the first common telephone number (#α

_n) being adapted to be shared among a first group of users in the first home telephone network (α

),

receiving user data specifying the first network identity (CLI_A), and

routing a call from the first terminal (A) to the second terminal (B) based on a first unique combination of the first common telephone number (#α

_n) and the first network identity (CLI_A), and

setting up a bi-directional primary connection (L1, L2) between the first terminal (A) and the second terminal (B) provided that a call-accept message is generated by the second terminal (B), wherein the primary connection (L1, L2) is established via at least one interconnecting network (N) of packet switched type.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the at least one packet switched network is represented by the Internet.

9. The method according to claim 7, comprising:

receiving a termination request from the second terminal (B), and in response thereto;

disconnecting the second leg (L2),

maintaining the first leg (L1) during a threshold period (T) after having disconnected the second leg (L2), and

establishing a bi-directional secondary connection (L1, L2′

) between the first terminal (A) and the second terminal (B) if a return call to a predefined telephone number (#β

_r) is received from the second terminal (B) before expiry of the threshold period (T).

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the first unique combination of the first common telephone number (#α

_n) and the first network identity (CLI_A) is established by;

receiving an initial dialing instruction (D[A]) from the second terminal (B), the initial dialing instruction (D[A]) containing data uniquely identifying the first terminal (A),

receiving user data specifying the second network identity (CLI_B),

deriving the first network identity (CLI_A) based on the initial dialing instruction (D[A]),

allocating the first common telephone number (#α

_n) based on the first and second network identities (CLI_A, CLI_B) and any first common telephone numbers previously allocated to the first terminal (A) and/or the second terminal (B) in such a manner that a combination of the first network identity (CLI_A), the first common telephone number (#α

_n) and the second network identity (CLI_B) becomes unique,

storing an entry (<

CLI_A, #α

_n, CLI_B>

) representing the first unique combination, and

sending a service invitation message (S[B, #α

_n]) to the first terminal (A), the service invitation message (S[B, #α

_n]) including data specifying an identity of the second terminal (B) and the first common telephone number (#α

_n).

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the allocation of the first common telephone number (#α

_n) comprises;

investigating whether there exists an already stored entry in respect of the second terminal (B), and

investigating whether there exists an already stored entry in respect the first terminal (A),

if no previously stored entry exists in respect of either of the first terminal (A) and the second terminal (B), the first common telephone number (#α

_n) is allocated by arbitrarily selecting one number from a predefined pool of telephone numbers in the first network (α

),

if there exists at least one stored entry in respect of the second terminal (B) however there exists no stored entry in respect of the first terminal (A), the first common telephone number (#α

_n) is allocated to a number being identical to an already stored first common telephone number, and

If there exists at least one previously stored entry in respect of each of the originating and the second terminal (A, B), the first common telephone number (#α

_n) is allocated to a number adjoining, incrementally or decrementally, an already stored first common telephone number in respect of the first terminal (A).

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the first unique combination of the first common telephone number (#α

_n) and the first network identity (CLI_A) is established by;

receiving an initial service request (D[A]) from the second terminal (B), the initial service request (D[A]) containing data uniquely identifying the first terminal (A),

receiving user data specifying the second network identity (CLI_B),

deriving the first network identity (CLI_A) based on the initial service request (D[A]), and

allocating an identity-number pair (<

CLI_A, #α

_n, #β

_m, CLI_B>

) representing the first unique combination, the identity-number pair further containing a second common telephone number (#β

_m) in the second home telephone network (β

), the second common telephone number (#β

_m) being adapted to;

be used for routing a call from the second terminal (B) to the first terminal (A) based on a second unique combination of the second common telephone number (#β

_m) and the second network identity (CLI_B), and

be shared among a second group of users in the second home telephone network (β

).

13. A computer program product directly loadable into the memory of a computer, comprising software for controlling the steps of claim 7 when said program is run on the computer.

14. A computer readable medium (140), having a program recorded thereon, where the program is to make a computer control the steps of claim 7.