Portability of non-geographic telephone numbers of intelligent network services

• US 6,002,759 A
• Filed: 12/11/1996
• Issued: 12/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Larsson, Mikael, Olsson, Bjorn, Kallioniemi, Karl-Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolinsky, Scott
• Application Number:
  US08/764,633
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 379/219, 379/220, 379/221, 379/201, 379/207, 379/229, 379/230, 379/231, 455/445, 455/432, 455/433, 455/434, 455/436, 455/438, 455/439, 455/440
• US Class Current: 379/220.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0435 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13102 Common translator
• 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 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 Code signals, frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13284 Call tracing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13286 Direct in-dialling in PBX, DDI
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13513 UPT - personal as opposed to terminal mobility, inc. number portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13532 mobile networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13535 distributed systems - also domains in service creation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13547 subscriber, e.g. profile, database, database access
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 : Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/28 : Number portability ; Network address portability

Abstract

A telecommunications network (10) comprises a set of telephone service operator domains (20), including domains (20A-20C) having intelligent network-type services having non-geographic telephone numbers. A call-originating domain (20G) accesses a non-geographic service number database (30G) to obtain address information concerning the domain which currently handles the called service (90). The address information obtained from the non-geographic service number database includes the address a node in the domain which handles the service, e.g., the address of a gateway node (GW), and optionally the addresses of a service switching point (SSP), a service control function (SCF), and a service data function (SDF) which handles the called service (90). When changing telephone service operators (e.g., changing to a new domain), the non-geographic service number database is updated to reflect the change. Access of the database and usage of the addresses obtained therefrom in the routing message permit the service (90) to retain the same directory number when changing telephone service operators.

Claims

1. A telecommunications network comprising a set of domains, wherein a call-originating domain included in the set of domains uses a portable directory number of an intelligent network-tee service to access a non-geographic service number database to obtain information to be included as a parameter in a routing message for routing a call made from the call-originating domain to the intelligent network-type service, and wherein the information includes an address of a node in a non-originating domain which currently handles the intelligent network-type service, the non-originating domain being included in the set of domains and the intelligent network-type service being performed by a service control function (SCF) of the non-originating domain.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein the information obtained from the non-geographic service number database includes an address of a gateway node of the non-originating domain.

3. The network of claim 1, wherein the information obtained from the non-geographic service number database includes an address of a service switching point (SSP) in the nonoriginating domain.

4. The network of claim 1, wherein the information obtained from the non-geographic service number database includes an address of a service control point (SCP) whereat resides the service control function (SCF) which performs the intelligent network-type service in the non-originating domain.

5. The network of claim 1, wherein the information obtained from the non-geographic service number database includes an address of a service data function (SDF) whereat data for the intelligent network-type service is stored.

6. The network of claim 1, wherein the non-geographic service number database is accessed by a gateway node of the call-originating domain.

7. The network of claim 1, wherein the non-geographic service number database is accessed by a transit exchange node of the call-originating domain.

8. The network of claim 1, wherein a service control point (SCP) in a domain which formerly handled the intelligent network-type service receives a call for the intelligent network-type service and accesses the non-geographic service number database to determine which domain currently handles the intelligent network-type service, and wherein the service control point (SCP) in the domain which formerly handled the intelligent network-type service routes the call to a service control point (SCP) in the domain which currently handles the intelligent network-type service.

9. The network of claim 1, wherein the non-geographic service number database is located in the call-originating domain.

10. The network of claim 1, wherein the non-originating domain comprises a database which is queried to determine an address of at least one of the following:

(1) a service switching point (SSP) in the non-originating domain which is to be utilized to reach the intelligent network-type service;

(2) the service control function (SCF) or service control point (SCP) which is to be utilized by the intelligent network-type service;

(3) a service data function (SDF) or service data point (SDP) which is to be utilized by the intelligent network-type service.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the node is a gateway node of a non-originating domain.

12. The network of claim 1, wherein the non-originating domain comprises a database which is queried as follows.

(1) by the node of the non-originating domain to determine an address of a service switching point (SSP) in the non-originating domain which is to be utilized to reach the intelligent network-type service;

(2) by the service switching point (SSP) in the non-originating domain to determine an address of the service control function (SCF) or service control point (SCP) which is to be utilized by the intelligent network-type service;

(3) by the service control function (SCF) or the service control point (SCP) in the non-originating domain to determine an address of a service data function (SDF) or service data point (SDP) which is to be utilized by the intelligent network-type service.

13. The network of claim 1, wherein the database is accessed by a local exchange node of the call-originating domain.

14. A telecommunications network comprising a set of domains, wherein a call-originating domain included in the set of domains accesses a database to obtain routing information, wherein the routing information includes both an address of a signal switching point node in the originating domain and an address of a service control function node of a non-originating domain, the non-originating domain being included in the set of domains, and wherein the signal switching point node in the originating domain communicates with the service control function node of the non-originating domain for execution of a call.

15. The network of claim 14, wherein the database is accessed by a gateway node of the call-originating domain.

16. The network of claim 14, wherein the database is accessed by a transit exchange node of the call-originating domain.

17. The network of claim 14, wherein the database is accessed by a local exchange node of the call-originating domain.

32. The method of claim 15, wherein the non-geographic service number database is accessed by a gateway node of the call-originating domain.

33. The method of claim 15, wherein the non-geographic service number database is accessed by a transit exchange node of the call-originating domain.

34. The method of claim 15, wherein the non-geographic service number database is accessed by a local exchange node of the call-originating domain.

18. A method of routing calls through a Telecommunications network, the telecommunications network having a set of domains, the method comprising:

using a directory number of an intelligent network-type service to access, in a call-originating domain included in the set of domains, a non-geographic service number database to obtain an address of a node of a telecommunications domain which currently handles the intelligent network-type service; and

including the address of the node of the telecommunications domain which currently handles the intelligent network-type service as a parameter in a routing message for routing a call made from the call-originating domain to the node, the telecommunications domain which currently handles the intelligent network-type service being included in the set of domains and the intelligent network-type service being formed by a service control function (SCF) of the non-originating domain.

19. The method of claim 18, where the node is a gateway node of the non-originating domain.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the node is a service switching point (SSP) in a non-originating domain.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the node is a service control point (SCP) whereat resides the service control function (SCE) which performs the intelligent network-type service in a non-originating domain.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the node is a service data function (SDF) whereat data for the intelligent network-type service is stored.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the non-geographic service number database is accessed by a gateway node of the call-originating domain.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the non-geographic service number database is accessed by a transit exchange node of the call-originating domain.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the non-geographic service number database is accessed by a service control point (SCP) in a domain which formerly handled the intelligent network-type service upon reception of a call to the intelligent network-type service by the service control point (SCP) in a domain which formerly handled the intelligent network-type service, and

wherein the service control point (SCP) in the domain which formerly handled the intelligent network-type service routes the call to a service control point (SCP) in the domain which currently handles the intelligent network-type service.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the non-geographic service number database is located in the call-originating domain.

27. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing a database in the non-originating domain which is queried to determine an address of at least one of the following:

(1) a service switching point (SSP) in the non-originating domain which is to be utilized to reach the intelligent network-type service;

(2) the service control function (SCF) or service control point (SCP) which is to be utilized by the intelligent network-type service;

(3) a service data function (SDF) or service data point (SDP) which is to be utilized by the intelligent network-type service.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the database of the non-originating domain returns a global title as the address.

29. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing a database in the non-originating domain which is queried as follows:

(1) by the node in the non-originating domain to determine an address of a service switching point (SSP) in the non-originating domain which is to be utilized to reach the intelligent network-type service;

(2) by the service switching point (SSP) in the non-originating domain to determine an address of the service control function (SCF) or service control point (SCP) which is to be utilized by the intelligent network-type service;

(3) by the service control function (SCF) or the service control point (SCP) in the non-originating domain to determine an address of a service data function (SDF) or service data point (SDP) which is to be utilized by the intelligent network-type service.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein the non-geographic service number database is accessed by a local exchange node of the call-originating domain.

31. A method of routing calls through a telecommunications network, the telecommunications network having a set of domains, the method comprising:

accessing, in a call-originating domain included in the set of domains, a database to obtain an address of a node of a telecommunications domain which currently handles an intelligent network-type service, the telecommunications domain which currently handles the intelligent network-type service being included in the set of domains;

including the address of the node of the telecommunications domain which currently handles the intelligent network-type service as a parameter in a routing message for routing a call made from the call-originating domain to the node;

wherein the information obtained from the database includes an address of a signal switching point node in the originating domain and an address of a service control function node of a non-originating domain, and

wherein the signal switching point node in the originating domain communicates with the service control function node of the non-originating domain for executing the intelligent network-type service.

35. A telecommunications network comprising a set of domains, wherein a service switching point (SSP) of a call-originating domain included in the set of domains communicates with a service control point (SCP) in a domain which formerly handled a called intelligent network-type service, the domain which formerly handled the called intelligent network-type service being in the set of domains, whereby the service control point (SCP) in the domain which formerly handled the called intelligent network-type service determines that the called intelligent network-type service is no longer handled by the domain which formerly handled the called intelligent network-type service and thereupon accesses a database Lo obtain routing information, the routing information including an address of a service control point (SCP) of a domain currently handling the called intelligent network-type service for execution of the called intelligent network-type service, the domain currently handling the called intelligent network-type service being in the set of domains and the intelligent network-type service being performed by a service control function (SCF) of the non-originating domain.

36. A method of routing calls through a telecommunications network, the telecommnunications network having a set of domains, the method comprising:

using a service switching point (SSP) of a call-originating domain included in the set of domains to communicate with a service control point (SCP) in a domain which formerly handled a called intelligent network-type service, the domain which formerly handled the called intelligent network-type service being in the set of domains;

using the service control point (SCP) in the domain which formerly handled the called intelligent network-type service to determine that the called intelligent network-type service is no longer handled by the domain which formerly handled the called intelligent network-type service; and

thereupon

accessing a database to obtain routing information, the routing information including an address of a service control point (SCP) of a domain currently handling the called intelligent network-type service for execution of the called intelligent network-type service, the domain currently handling the called intelligent network-type type service being in the set of domains and the intelligent network-type service being performed by a service control function (SCF) of the domain currently handling the called indwelling network-type service.

37. A telecommunications network comprising a set of domains, wherein a call placed to a called entity having a portable directory number is routed to a service control point (SCP) in a domain which formerly handled the called entity, and wherein the service control point (SCP) in the domain which formerly handled the called entity accesses a database to determine which domain currently handles the called entity and which obtains information to be included as a parameter in a routing message for routing the call, and wherein the service control point (SCP) in the domain which formerly handled the called entity routes the call to a service control point (SCP) in the domain which currently handles the called entity, the domain which formerly handled the called intelligent network-type service and the domain which currently handles the called intelligent network-type service being in the set of domains and the intelligent network-type service being performed by a service control function (SCF) of the domain which currently handles the called intelligent network-type service.

38. A method of routing calls through a telecommunications network, the telecommunications network having a set of domains, the method comprising:

routing a call placed to a called entity having a portable directory number to a service control point (SC P) in a domain which formerly handled the called entity, the domain which formerly handled the called intelligent network-type service being in the set of domains;

accessing, from the service control point (SCP) in the domain which formerly handled the called entity, a database to determine which domain currently handles the called entity and for obtaining information to be included as a parameter in a routing message for routing the call, the domain which currently handles the called intelligent network-type service being in the set of domains; and

routing the call from the service control point (SCP) in the domain which formerly handled the called entity routes to a service control point (SCP) in the domain which currently handles the called entity, the intelligent network-type service being performed by a service control function (SCF) of the domain which currently handles the called intelligent network-type service.