Mobile application gateway for connecting devices on a cellular network with individual enterprise and data networks

• US 8,023,479 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2006
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tango Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tango Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Schmid, Glen, Lewis, Lathan, Silver, Andrew, Landgren, Patricia
• Primary Examiner(s): HSU, ALPUS
• Application Number:
  US11/509,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20070206563A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,853 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/352, 370/356, 370/401, 379/207.02, 379/229, 455/445, 455/554.1, 455/556.1
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/64 Hybrid switching systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1307 Call setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13152 Callback
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1318 Ringing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13206 User-to-user signaling, UUS
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13336 Store & forward, messaging systems email H04Q2213/13375
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/61 : Time-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 : Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 : Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A mobile application gateway for connecting devices on a cellular network with individual networks, such as enterprise voice and data networks and/or residential networks. The effects of the present invention are far reaching in terms of transferring effective call control from the cellular network into the control of the individual network such as the enterprise, and enabling new business models for the purchase of cellular service from a public cellular carrier by an enterprise. The invention may consist of a primarily of core network and services components based on the IMS network architecture, and is backward compatible to support legacy systems in place in current telecom and data networks.

Claims

1. A method for connecting a cellular phone with an enterprise network, comprising:

deploying a carrier gateway server in a carrier network that provides cellular telecommunication services to cellular phones;

deploying an enterprise gateway server in the enterprise network;

coupling the enterprise gateway server with the carrier gateway server;

establishing a secure tunnel between the enterprise gateway server and the carrier gateway server via at least one of a gateway general packet radio service support node function of the enterprise network and a home agent function of the enterprise network, wherein the secure tunnel supports selectable security and encryption specific to requirements of the enterprise network;

receiving, by the carrier gateway server, an indication that a call is originating or terminating with a first cellular phone associated with the enterprise network;

identifying, by the carrier gateway server, the enterprise network;

notifying, by the carrier gateway server, the enterprise gateway server of the call;

determining, by the enterprise gateway server, a call routing for the call;

informing, by the enterprise gateway server, the carrier gateway server of the call routing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the enterprise network further comprises identifying, by the carrier gateway server, the enterprise network based on calling party information of the call.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the enterprise network further comprises identifying the enterprise network by information in at least one of an originating trigger or a terminating trigger.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the enterprise network further comprises identifying the enterprise network based on subscription information maintained by the carrier network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the subscription information is obtained from one of a home subscriber server and a home location register.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling the enterprise gateway server with a private branch exchange deployed in the enterprise network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating with the enterprise gateway server to obtain the call routing comprises performing a signaling exchange between the carrier gateway server and the enterprise gateway server.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the enterprise gateway server as an endpoint of the enterprise network.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating, by the carrier gateway server to the enterprise gateway server, an indication that the call is being originated or terminated; and

communicating the call routing from the enterprise gateway server to the carrier gateway server.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the call routing is based on a criteria of the enterprise network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the call routing specifies one of routing the call within the carrier network or routing the call into the enterprise network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the call routing is based on a least cost routing determined by the enterprise gateway server.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the carrier gateway server, whether to notify the enterprise gateway server of the call based on information stored in a subscriber profile maintained in the carrier network.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the carrier gateway server, whether to notify the enterprise gateway server of the call based on information stored in an application server maintained in the carrier network.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the carrier gateway server based on information stored within the carrier network, whether to route the call based on policies set by the carrier network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the policies specify at least one of a rule to enable calls to be routed based on service subscription information, a rule to enable calls to be routed using specific resources, a rule to enable calls at specific times, a rule to enable calls to be routed based on specific congestion levels, a rule to enable calls based on identification information of the called or calling party, a rule to enable calls based on location information of the called or calling party, a rule that specifies triggers, and a rule that specifies it is required to record the call.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the enterprise gateway server, whether to route the call over dedicated resources based on information stored within the enterprise network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the dedicated resources comprise at least one of resources to enable least-cost routing, resources to enable security, resources to enable high performance, resources to address congestion levels, resources to enable priority access and high availability, and resources to enable access to specific enterprise features.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the enterprise gateway server based on information stored within the enterprise network, whether to route the call based on policies set by the enterprise network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the policies specify at least one of a rule to enable calls to be routed using specific resources, a rule to enable calls at specific times, a rule to enable calls based on identification information of the called or calling party, a rule to enable calls based on location information of the called or calling party, a rule that specifies triggers, and a rule that specifies it is required to record the call.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the enterprise gateway server based on information stored within the enterprise network, whether to route the call based on policies set by a called or calling party of the call.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the policies comprise at least one of a rule to enable calls to be routed using specific resources, a rule to enable calls to be routed at specific times, a rule based on identification information of a called or calling party, a rule to enable calls based on location information of the called or calling party, a rule that specifies triggers, and a rule that specifies it is required to record the call.

23. A system for connecting a cellular phone with an enterprise network, the system comprising:

a cellular network including a carrier gateway server; and

the enterprise network including an enterprise gateway server coupled with the carrier gateway server, wherein a secure tunnel is established between the enterprise gateway server and the carrier gateway server via at least one of a gateway general packet radio service support node function of the enterprise network and a home agent function of the enterprise network, and wherein the secure tunnel supports selectable security and encryption specific to requirements of the enterprise network, wherein the carrier gateway server receives an indication that a call is originating or terminating with a first cellular phone associated with the enterprise network, identifies the enterprise network, communicates with the enterprise gateway server to obtain a routing for the call, notifies the enterprise gateway server of the call, and wherein the enterprise gateway server determines a call routing for the call and informs the carrier gateway server of the call routing.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the carrier gateway server identifies the enterprise network based on calling party information of the call.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the carrier gateway server identifies the enterprise network by information in at least one of an originating trigger or a terminating trigger.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the enterprise network further comprises a private branch exchange coupled with the enterprise gateway server.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the carrier gateway server identifies the enterprise network based on subscription information maintained by the cellular network.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the subscription information is obtained from one of a home subscriber server and a home location register.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the carrier gateway server communicates with the enterprise gateway server by a signaling exchange to obtain the call routing.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the enterprise gateway server is configured as an endpoint of the enterprise network.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the carrier gateway server communicates an indication that the call is being originated or terminated with the enterprise gateway server, and wherein the enterprise gateway server communicates the call routing to the carrier gateway server in response thereto.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the call routing is based on a criteria of the enterprise network.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein the call routing specifies one of routing the call within the carrier network or routing the call into the enterprise network.

34. The system of claim 23, wherein the call routing is based on a least cost routing determined by the enterprise gateway server.

35. The system of claim 23, wherein the carrier gateway server determines whether to notify the enterprise gateway server of the call based on information stored in a subscriber profile maintained in the cellular network.

36. The system of claim 23, wherein the carrier gateway server determines whether to notify the enterprise gateway server of the call based on information stored in an application server maintained in the cellular network.

37. The system of claim 23, wherein the carrier gateway server determines whether to route the call based on policies set by the cellular network based on information stored within the cellular network.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the policies specify at least one of a rule to enable calls to be routed based on service subscription information, a rule to enable calls to be routed using specific resources, a rule to enable calls at specific times, a rule to enable calls to be routed based on specific congestion levels, a rule to enable calls based on identification information of the called or calling party, a rule to enable calls based on location information of the called or calling party, a rule that specifies triggers, and a rule that specifies it is required to record the call.

39. The system of claim 23, wherein the enterprise gateway server determines whether to route the call over dedicated resources based on information stored within the enterprise network.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the dedicated resources comprise at least one of resources to enable least-cost routing, resources to enable security, resources to enable high performance, resources to address congestion levels, resources to enable priority access and high availability, and resources to enable access to specific enterprise features.

41. The system of claim 23, wherein the enterprise gateway server determines whether to route the call based on policies set by the enterprise network and that are stored within the enterprise network.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the policies specify at least one of a rule to enable calls to be routed using specific resources, a rule to enable calls at specific times, a rule to enable calls based on location information of the called or calling party, a rule to enable calls based on identification information of the called or calling party, a rule that specifies triggers, and a rule that specifies it is required to record the call.

43. The system of claim 23, wherein the enterprise gateway server determines whether to route the call based on policies set by a called or calling party of the call and that are maintained within the enterprise network.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the policies comprise at least one of a rule to enable calls to be routed using specific resources, a rule to enable calls to be routed at specific times, a rule based on identification information of a called or calling party, a rule to enable calls based on location information of the called or calling party, a rule that specifies triggers, and a rule that specifies it is required to record the call.