Method and system for call forwarding between a wireless switching apparatus and a fixed telephony network using a virtual number
First Claim
1. A method of forwarding a telephone call from a caller intended to be directed to a first, fixed, telephony number toward a second, mobile, telephony number in order to render an intended responder associated with the second telephony number reachable at a mobile phone instead of a fixed telephone, comprising:
- having the caller place a call to a virtual mobile telephony number associated with the first telephony number;
receiving the call at a mobile telephony network switching apparatus;
upon receiving, at the mobile telephony network switching apparatus, the call from the caller to the virtual mobile telephony number, identifying the first telephony number associated with the virtual mobile telephony number, and first routing the call to the first telephony number;
receiving the call at a fixed telephony network switching apparatus associated with the first telephony number;
conditioned by the fact that call forwarding from the first telephony number to the second telephony number is enabled,identifying a feature code associated with the virtual mobile phone number;
extracting the second telephony number from the virtual mobile phone number using the feature code; and
routing the call from the fixed telephony network switching apparatus to the mobile telephony network switching apparatus using the extracted second telephony number; and
if the responder accepts, terminating the call from the caller at the second telephony number instead of at the first telephony number, so as to establish a direct telephone call between the caller and the responder.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and a related system for forwarding a telephone call from a caller intended to be directed to a first, fixed, telephony number to a second, mobile, telephone number in order to render an intended responder associated with the mobile telephony number reachable at a mobile phone instead that at a fixed telephone. The method includes having the caller place a call to a virtual mobile telephony number associated with the fixed telephony number; conditioned to the fact that call forwarding from the fixed telephony number to the mobile telephony number is enabled, routing the call to the mobile telephony number; and, if the responder accepts, terminating the call from the caller at the mobile telephony number of the responder instead of at the fixed telephony number, so as to establish a direct telephone call between the caller and the responder. This direct telephone call is viewed by the caller as a call to a mobile telephony number, and, in particular, the caller sustains the cost of the call.
19 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of forwarding a telephone call from a caller intended to be directed to a first, fixed, telephony number toward a second, mobile, telephony number in order to render an intended responder associated with the second telephony number reachable at a mobile phone instead of a fixed telephone, comprising:
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having the caller place a call to a virtual mobile telephony number associated with the first telephony number; receiving the call at a mobile telephony network switching apparatus; upon receiving, at the mobile telephony network switching apparatus, the call from the caller to the virtual mobile telephony number, identifying the first telephony number associated with the virtual mobile telephony number, and first routing the call to the first telephony number; receiving the call at a fixed telephony network switching apparatus associated with the first telephony number; conditioned by the fact that call forwarding from the first telephony number to the second telephony number is enabled, identifying a feature code associated with the virtual mobile phone number; extracting the second telephony number from the virtual mobile phone number using the feature code; and routing the call from the fixed telephony network switching apparatus to the mobile telephony network switching apparatus using the extracted second telephony number; and if the responder accepts, terminating the call from the caller at the second telephony number instead of at the first telephony number, so as to establish a direct telephone call between the caller and the responder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of operating a switching apparatus of a mobile telephony network in order to forward a telephone call from a caller intended to be directed to a first, fixed, telephony number toward a second, mobile, telephony number so as to render an intended responder associated with the second telephony number reachable at a mobile phone instead of a fixed telephone, comprising:
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associating a virtual mobile telephony number with the first telephony number; receiving a call placed to the virtual mobile telephony number at the mobile telephony network switching apparatus; upon receiving, at the mobile telephony network switching apparatus, the call from the caller to the virtual mobile telephony number, identifying the first telephony number associated with the virtual mobile telephony number, and first routing the call from the caller to the first telephony number; receiving the call at a fixed telephony network switching apparatus associated with the first telephony number; conditioned on the fact that call forwarding from the first telephony number to the second telephony number is enabled, identifying a feature code associated with the virtual mobile phone number; extracting the second telephony number from the virtual mobile phone number using the feature code; and routing the call from the fixed telephony network switching apparatus to the mobile telephony network switching apparatus using the extracted second telephony number; and provided that the responder accepts, terminating the call from the caller at the second telephony number instead of at the first telephony number, so as to establish a direct telephone call between the caller and the responder. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. In a telephone communications system comprising a fixed telephony network and a mobile telephony network, a system for forwarding a telephone call from a caller intended to be directed to a first, fixed, telephony number toward a second, mobile, telephony number in order to render an intended responder associated with the second telephony number reachable at a mobile phone instead of a fixed telephone, comprising:
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a database associating a virtual mobile telephony number with the first telephony number; and a call transport layer of the mobile telephony network adapted to; receive a call placed to the virtual mobile telephony number at the call transport layer; identify the first telephony number associated with the virtual mobile telephony number; route the call to the first telephony number at the fixed telephony network upon receiving the call at the call transport layer; in case a call forwarding from the first telephony number to the second telephony number is enabled; identify a feature code associated with the virtual mobile phone number; extract the second telephony number from the virtual mobile phone number using the feature code; and route the call to from the fixed telephone network to the call transport layer using the extracted second telephony number; and if the responder accepts, terminate the call from the caller at the second telephony number instead of at the first telephony number, so as to establish a direct telephone call between the caller and the responder. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification