Virtual private network for a telephone network

• US 6,175,622 B1
• Filed: 02/10/1998
• Issued: 01/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Northern Telecom Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Chiniwala, Sima, Welling, Jr., James B., Maxwell, Stewart Hodde, Pham, Thanh, Vaserfirer, Anatoly
• Primary Examiner(s): Zele, Krista
• Assistant Examiner(s): Deane, Jr., William J.
• Application Number:
  US09/021,525
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 379/207, 379/219, 379/220, 379/221, 379/265, 379/211, 455/432, 455/435, 455/461
• US Class Current: 379/221.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13531 virtual networks - inc. PVN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A system and method for allowing a wireline or wireless carrier or service provider to transparently provide a virtual private network to wireless callers of the network. The method works in a telecommunications network including a service switch point, a service control point, and a first and second telephone. The method provides a virtual private network for the first and second telephone by performing a series of steps. First, an identifier for the first telephone is stored in a memory accessible by the service control point. Next, a first dialed number is received from the first telephone by the service switch point. The service switch point notifies the service control point to determine if the identifier for the first telephone is in the memory. If so, the service control point converts the number dialed by the first telephone to a second dialed number. The service control point then provides the second dialed number, being assigned to the second telephone, to the service switch point. The service switch point may then connect the first and second telephones using the second dialed number.

Claims

1. In a telecommunications network including a service switch point, a service control point, and a first and second telephone, a method for providing a virtual private network for the first and second telephone comprising the steps of:

storing an identifier for the first telephone in a memory accessible by the service control point;

receiving a first dialed number from the first telephone into the service switch point;

querying the service control point to determine if the identifier for the first telephone is in the memory;

if the identifier for the first telephone is in the memory, interpreting the first dialed number to a second dialed number, the second dialed number being assigned to the second telephone;

providing the second dialed number to the service switch point;

instructing the service switch point to connect the first and second telephones using the second dialed number; and

if the first and second telephones have disconnected an the first telephone dials a third telephone;

receiving a third dialed number from the first telephone into the service switch point;

querying the service control point to determine if the identifier for the first telephone is in the memory;

if the identifier for the first telephone is in the memory, interpreting the third dialed number to a fourth dialed number, the fourth dialed number being assigned to the third telephone, and the third dialed number being a subset of the first and second dialed number;

providing the fourth dialed number to the service switch point;

instructing the service switch point to connect the first and third telephones using the fourth dialed number.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first telephone is a wireless telephone.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the second telephone is part of a private network and the first dialed number is assigned to the second telephone by the private network and wherein the first and second numbers are different.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first dialed number is shorter than the second dialed number.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first number includes a region code for identifying the second telephone.

6. A method according to claim 2 wherein the first telephone has a home region and further comprising the step of:

if the first dialed number does not include a region code, providing a region code for interpreting the second dialed number, the region code corresponding to the home region.

7. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

if the identifier for the first telephone is not in the memory, allowing the service switch point to connect the first and second telephones using the first dialed number.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising, if the second telephone concurrently dials a fourth telephone with the third dialed number:

storing an identifier for the second telephone in a memory accessible by another service control point;

receiving the third dialed number from the second telephone into another service switch point;

querying the another service control point to determine if the identifier for the second telephone is in the memory;

if the identifier for the second telephone is in the memory, interpreting the second dialed number to a fourth dialed number, the fourth dialed number being assigned to the fourth telephone;

providing the fourth dialed number to the another service switch point; and

instructing the another service switch point to connect the second and fourth telephones using the fourth dialed number.

9. A programming product for use in a telecommunications network including a service switch point, a service control point, and a first and second telephone, the software product providing a virtual private network for the first and second telephone and comprising:

instructions for storing an identifier for the first telephone in a memory accessible by the service control point;

instructions for receiving a first dialed number from the first telephone into the service switch point;

instructions for querying the service control point to determine if the identifier for the first telephone is in the memory;

instructions for interpreting the first dialed number to a second dialed number, the second dialed number being assigned to the second telephone responsive to a determination that the identifier for the first telephone is in the memory;

instructions for providing the second dialed number to the service switch point; and

instructions for instructing the service switch point to connect the first and second telephones using the second dialed number;

instructions for, if the first and second telephones have disconnected and the first telephone dials a third telephone;

receiving a third dialed number from the first telephone into the service switch point;

querying the service control point to determine if the identifier for the first telephone is in the memory;

if the identifier for the first telephone is in the memory, interpreting the third dialed number to a fourth dialed number, the fourth dialed number being assigned to the third telephone, and the third dialed number being a subset of the first and second dialed number;

providing the fourth dialed number to the service switch point;

instructing the service switch point to connect the first and third telephones using the fourth dialed number; and

wherein the first telephone is a wireless telephone, the second telephone is part of a private network and the first dialed number is assigned to the second telephone by the private network and wherein the first and second numbers are different.

10. A programming product according to claim 9 wherein the first telephone has a home region and further comprising:

instructions responsive to whether the first dialed number does not include a region code, for providing a region code for interpreting the second dialed number, the region code corresponding to the home region.

11. A programming product according to claim 9 wherein the service switch point is allowed to connect the first and second telephones using the first dialed number if the identifier for the first telephone is not in the memory.

12. A programming product according to claim 9 wherein the first telephone is a wireless telephone.

13. A programming product according to claim 9 wherein the second telephone is part of a private network and the first dialed number is assigned to the second telephone by the private network and wherein the first and second numbers are different.

14. A programming product according to claim 9 wherein the first dialed number is shorter than the second dialed number.

15. A programming product according to claim 9 wherein the first number includes a region code for identifying the second telephone.

16. A programming product according to claim 9 further comprises, if the second telephone concurrently dials a fourth telephone with the third dialed number, instructions for:

storing an identifier for the second telephone in a memory accessible by another service control point;

receiving the third dialed number from the second telephone into another service switch point;

querying the another service control point to determine if the identifier for the second telephone is in the memory;

if the identifier for the second telephone is in the memory, interpreting the second dialed number to a fourth dialed number, the fourth dialed number being assigned to the fourth telephone;

providing the fourth dialed number to the another service switch point; and

instructing the another service switch point to connect the second and fourth telephones using the fourth dialed number.