Systems and method for a communications broker

• US 7,356,038 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2002
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.), Alcoa Closure Systems International Incorporated (Howmet Aerospace, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gilbert, Quenton Lanier
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson; Robert W.
• Application Number:
  US10/244,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20040052264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,034 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/338
• US Class Current: 370/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4523 using lightweight directory access protocol [LDAP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2066 Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2272 Subscriber line supervision circuits, e.g. call detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/06 using auxiliary connections for control or supervision , e.g. where the auxiliary connection is a signalling system number 7 link
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

Systems and method for a communications broker include a memory with a look-up table, one or more connections to associated communications networks and a processor. The processor is configured to receive a phone number and a request for information related to the phone number and utilizes the look-up table to determine a communications network associated with the phone number. The processor is further configured to transmit the request to the communications network for the information related to the phone number, receive a first response to the request and transmit a second response. Other systems and methods are also provided.

Claims

1. A communications broker comprising:

a memory with a look-up table;

one or more connections to associated communications networks; and

a processor operative to;

receive a phone number and a request for information related to the phone number, the request for information comprises one of information on functional status of a phone associated with the phone number and information on roaming status of the phone associated with the phone number;

utilize the look-up table to perform a lookup using the phone number to determine a communications network associated with the phone number;

transmit the request to the communications network for the information related to the phone number;

retrieve the requested information from the phone;

transmit a first response to the requested information;

receive the first response to the request, the first response is un-marshaled and, based on information in the un-marshaled first response, a second response is composed; and

transmit the second response.

2. The communications broker of claim 1, wherein the processor receives the phone number from an application program interface (“

API”

operating in an advanced intelligent network (“

AIN”

) component.

3. The communications broker of claim 1, wherein the communications network is one of a time division multiple access (“

TDMA”

), global system for mobile communications (“

GSM”

), and code division multiple access (“

CDMA”

) communications network.

4. The communications broker of claim 1, wherein the first response includes the information relating to the phone number.

5. The communications broker of claim 1, wherein the request is transmitted to at least one component of the communications network.

6. The communications broker of claim 5, wherein the first response is received from the at least one component of the communications network.

7. The communications broker of claim 1, wherein the request is formatted before the request is transmitted to the communications network.

8. The communications broker of claim 1, wherein the processor runs an application program interface (“

API”

) to receive the phone number and the request for information.

9. Method for acquiring information relating to a phone number, comprising:

receiving a phone number and a request for information related to the phone number, the request for information comprises one of information on functional status of a phone associated with the phone number and information on roaming status of the phone associated with the phone number;

determining a communications network associated with the phone number by utilizing a look-up table for determining the communications network on which the phone operates;

formatting the request in an appropriate communication logic before transmitting the request to the communications network;

transmitting the formatted request to the communications network on which the phone operates;

retrieving the requested information from the phone and transmitting a first response to the requested information;

receiving the first response to the requested information;

un-marshaling the first response and, based on information in the un-marshaled first response, composing a second response; and

transmitting the second response.

10. The method for acquiring information of claim 9, further comprising receiving the phone number and the request from an application services provider (“

ASP”

) application using an application program interface (“

API”

).

11. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed preform the steps of:

receiving a phone number with a request for information related to the phone number, the request for information comprises one of information on functional status of a phone associated with the phone number and information on roaming status of the phone associated with the phone number;

determining a communications network associated with the phone number;

transmitting the request to the communications network;

retrieving the requested information from the phone and transmitting a first response to the requested information;

receiving the first response to the request; and

un-marshaling the first response and, based on information in the un-marshaled first response, transmitting a second response.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the determining step further includes utilizing a look-up table for determining the communications network.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising formatting the request before transmitting the request to the communications network.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising receiving the phone number and the request from an application services provider (“

ASP”

) application using an application program interface (“

API”

).