Data network computing device call processing

• US 6,560,216 B1
• Filed: 09/17/1998
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alianza, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Openwave Systems Incorporated (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: McNiff, Peter Gerald, Wilhoite, Michael Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Chi ho A
• Application Number:
  US09/154,977
• Time in Patent Office: 1,692 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/389, 370/392, 370/401, 370/410, 370/312, 370/328, 370/349, 455/433, 455/560, 455/561
• US Class Current: 370/349
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 where one of the core networks is a wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks

Abstract

A telecommunications service node is connected to a data network using a packet data protocol and a telephone network using a circuit switched protocol. The service node is also connected to a wireless roaming network using the IS-41 signaling protocol. The service node stores status information, including location and registration information, for mobile computing devices connected to the data packet network. The location information includes a temporary data network address for visiting mobile computing devices. The service node manages voice calls to and from the mobile computing devices. If a call is received to a mobile computing device which is not registered, the service node will attempt to connect the call to a wireless telephone associated with the mobile computing device, or a predefined destination established as a preference by the user. In the case of a voice call between a telephone connected to the telephone network and a mobile computing device connected to the data network, the service node acts as a gateway and translates between the data packet protocol and the circuit switched protocol. A personal information manager executing in a mobile computing device may be used for managing call processing functions of the mobile computing device.

Claims

1. A device for linking data networks and a wireless network, the device comprising:

a wireless network interface to the wireless network, the wireless network interface having a unique destination point code address on the wireless network;

a data network interface to the data networks, the data networks having a plurality of Internet Protocol addresses assignable to devices on said data networks, the device'"'"'s data network interface having a unique IP address on said data network;

a database comprising information related to computers that are capable of registering on said data networks, the computers having a permanent IP address that is associated with a home data network and the computers being capable of connecting to other data networks in addition to a home data network, wherein said information includes a current registration status of each computer, the permanent IP address of each computer, a current IP address of each computer and one or more telephone numbers associated with each computer;

a processor coupled to said database and to said network interfaces,

wherein the processor receives registration messages from computers on said data networks when said computers connect to one of said data networks, the registration messages identifying a current IP address for the connected computers,

wherein the processor routes IP voice data to a called computer using the information stored in the database, and

wherein the processor receives a deregistration message from at least one computer when a screen saver is activated on the at least one computer.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor routes the IP voice data to a telephone when the called computer is not currently registered on one of the data networks, the telephone being identified by the telephone number associated with the called computer.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the telephone is a wireless telephone on the wireless network.

4. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a processor for translating between a packet data protocol on the data networks and a circuit switched protocol on the wireless network.

5. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

means for communicating with a Home Location Register (HLR) on the wireless network.

6. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

means for communicating with a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) on the wireless network.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a bridge for connecting circuit switched voice data on the wireless network to IP voice data on the data networks.

8. An apparatus for routing Internet Protocol (IP) voice data to computers, wherein the computers can be moved among a plurality of data networks, including a home computer network, the apparatus comprising:

an interface to a wireless network, wherein the apparatus is assigned a unique destination point code associated with said wireless network;

an interface to said data networks, wherein the apparatus is assigned a unique IP address associated with said data network;

a database for maintaining status information of the computers, wherein the status information includes temporary IP addresses that are assigned to computers that are connected to non-home data networks;

a first software algorithm for receiving registration messages from the computers, wherein said first software algorithm updates a temporary IP address in said database after receiving a registration message from a computer that is connected to a non-home data network, and

wherein said first software algorithm receives a deregistration message from at least one computer when a screen saver is activated on the at least one computer; and

a second software algorithm for establishing a speech path for calls from wireless devices on the wireless network to computers on said data network,

wherein said second software algorithm uses information in said database to locate a called computer when the called computer is connected to a non-home data network, and wherein said second software algorithm establishes said speech path such that the computer appears to be connected on said wireless network to said wireless device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

a processor that the routes the IP voice data to a telephone when the called computer is not currently registered on one of the data networks, the telephone being identified by a telephone number that is associated with the called computer in the database.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the telephone is a wireless telephone on the wireless network.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

A processor for translating between a packet data protocol on the data networks and a circuit switched protocol on the wireless network.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

means for communicating with a Home Location Register (HLR) on the wireless network, and

means for communicating with a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) on the wireless network.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

a bridge for connecting circuit switched voice data on the wireless network to IP voice data on the data networks.

14. A method of operation of a telecommunication node, wherein said telecommunication node facilitates calls to mobile computing devices disposed on a data network, wherein each of said mobile computing devices are associated with permanent IP addresses of a home data network, said method comprising:

providing a connection to said data network, wherein the telecommunication node possesses an unique IP address associated with said data network;

providing a connection to said wireless network, wherein the telecommunication node possesses an unique destination point code associated with said wireless network;

maintaining a database containing status information of mobile computing devices, wherein said status information includes temporary IP addresses assigned to mobile computing devices that are connected to non-home data networks;

receiving a location response message for a mobile computing device from a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) for a call initiated by a wireless devices on said wireless network;

determining a current IP address of said mobile computing device by accessing said database;

establishing a voice path between said wireless device and said mobile computing device such that said mobile computing device appears to said wireless device to be disposed on said wireless network; and

receiving a deregistration message from a mobile computing device when a screen saver is activated on the mobile computing device.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

communicating with a Home Location Register (HLR) on the wireless network to determine routing information to a wireless telephone, when a called mobile computing device is not registered on any of the data networks.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

updating the database when mobile computing devices register on the data network using an IP address that is not a home IP address for the devices.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving a new registration message from the mobile computing device when the screen saver on the mobile computing device is deactivated.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

translating between a packet data protocol on the data networks and a circuit switched protocol on the wireless network.