AU2005239454B2

AU2005239454B2 - Establishing a telecommunication link between two terminals while tracing the telecommunication network of the called subscriber

Info

Publication number: AU2005239454B2
Application number: AU2005239454A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Frank Paetsch
Original assignee: Teles AG Informationstechnologien
Current assignee: Teles AG Informationstechnologien
Priority date: 2004-04-30
Filing date: 2005-04-28
Publication date: 2009-07-30
Anticipated expiration: 2025-04-28
Also published as: AU2005239454A1; ATE518359T1; EP1749398B1; WO2005107227A1; EP1749398A1; DE102004021699B4; DE102004021699A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for establishing a telecommunication link between a first, calling terminal, located in a first telecommunication network, and a second called terminal, located in an actual telecommunication network. Said method comprises the following steps: setting up the call to the called terminal (2, 2'), evaluating signaling information of the actual telecommunication network relating to the call setup, determining the actual telecommunication network (7, 8) using said signaling information, and using said information before the call is put through to the called terminal (2, 2'). The information is especially used to allow the call to directly end up in the actual telecommunication network (7, 8) of the called terminal (2, 2').

Description

WO 2005/107227 PCT/DE2005/000825 ESTABLISHING A TELECOMMUNICATION LINK BETWEEN TWO TERMINALS WHILE TRACING THE TELECOMMUNICATION NETWORK OF THE CALLED SUBSCRIBER 5 Description The invention relates to a method for establishing a telecommunication link between a first, calling terminal and a second, called terminal and a 10 telecommunication device for use in such a method. Prior art The term "number portability" describes a functionality 15 which allows a telecommunication subscriber to take "his" directory number along when changing the network operator. If, for example, the subscriber previously had a mobile radio contract with the Deutsche Telekom AG, his mobile radio number began with the dial-in 20 number 0171 followed by his own directory number XXXXXXXX so that the mobile radio number was 0171XXXXXXXX. When changing to another network operator, for example E-plus, a completely new number had to be issued previously. "Number portability" 25 allows the previous number to be taken along. Apart from the actual number XXXXXXXX, the prefix (0171 in the above example) is also retained. Due to the unchanged prefix (0171), the connection 30 setup to a mobile radio device with such a "ported" directory number initially goes via the old network operator. In the network of the old network operator, it is then found that the called number now belongs to a new network (the network of the network operator E 35 plus in the above example) . The call is then forwarded from the network of the old network operator to the network of the new network operator.

2 During this process, however, the connection charges are no longer transparent, and, as a rule also increased, for the calling subscriber in the case of calls to ported directory numbers. In particular, the old network operator can demand additional fees for forwarding the call to the network of the new network operator. i In the field of international roaming, too, situations can easily occur in which the called terminal is not in the network in which the calling terminal assumes it to be and this leads to additional costs. Reference to any prior art in the specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this prior art forms part of the common ) general knowledge in Australia or any other jurisdiction or that this prior art could reasonably be expected to be ascertained, understood and regarded as relevant by a person skilled in the art. Summary of the invention The present invention is aimed at providing a method and a telecommunication device for 5 providing a telecommunication link between a calling terminal and a called terminal which provides for a cost-effective telecommunication link, the costs of which are also transparent to the user, even when the called subscriber is not in the network in which the calling subscriber assumes the called subscriber to be. According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for providing a 20 telecommunications link between a first calling terminal which is arranged in a first telecommunication network, and a second called terminal which is arranged in a current telecommunication network, the method comprising: setting up a connection to the called terminal, evaluating signalling information of the current telecommunication network relating to call setup, determining the current telecommunication network by means of this 25 signalling information, and using this information before switching the call through to the called terminal. According to one aspect of the invention, during the setting up of a connection to the called terminal, signaling information of the current telecommunication network of the called terminal relating to the call setup is evaluated.

3 In this process, the current telecommunication network of the called terminal is determined by means of this signaling information. This information is then used for the further call setup which may also include a call cleardown, before the call is switched through to the called terminal. One arrangement thus incorporates the idea of determining the network of the called subscriber by means of signaling information of this current network and using this information in a cost-effective manner before the call is terminated. The arrangements described herein make it possible to establish the identity of a network by evaluating the signaling information which is used in a telecommunication network. This ) information is not provided by the network operators and is not directly available. In one arrangement, the information relating to the identity of the current telecommunication network of the called terminal is used for implementing alternative routing of the connection to the called terminal. As a rule, the situation is that the called terminal is located in another telecommunication network than was assumed during the 5 call setup. The information relating to the identity of the current telecommunication network is then used for terminating the connection directly at the called terminal via the current telecommunication network of the called terminal, that is to say use is not made of the cost-intensive detour via the network via which the connection was initially set up but in which the called terminal is (no longer) located. 20 For example, the called terminal has a ported directory number which, on the basis of its prefix, is 4 allocated to another telecommunication network than the current telecommunication network of the called terminal. In another example, the called terminal is currently arranged in a foreign telecommunication network. The information relating to the identity of the current i telecommunication network is then used for terminating the connection at the current foreign telecommunication network in an alternative, more cost-effective manner, i.e. for setting up a connection directly via the foreign telecommunication network. In a further arrangement described herein, the information relating to the identity of the current telecommunication network is used for offering additional options relating to call D setup to the user. Such options can be currently the option of aborting the call setup or the option of alternative routing of the telecommunication link. It The respective options may be indicated visually or audibly to the user or at the calling terminal, together with the costs of the options. The evaluated signaling information of the current telecommunication network can relate 5 both to inband signaling and out-of-band signaling. An example of an evaluation of an inband signaling is an evaluation of the bell signal and/or call waiting signal. There are countries in which the individual networks have different bell signals and call waiting signals. The bell signals and call waiting signals can differ from one another especially by means of the audiofrequency, the tone sequences, the lengths of the tones and the tone 20 intervals. An example for the evaluation of an out-of-band signaling is the evaluation of facility messages and/or the evaluation of signaling sequences typical for the network. In a network A, for example, a message X always comes before a message Y whereas it is the reverse case in another 5 network B. As well, the networks can provide a configuration of particular information which is typical of the network such as, for example, of charging information. In one arrangement, a connection is provided between the first terminal and second terminal by using a gateway which is connected to a first telecommunication network and i which manages user information channels of a first further telecommunication network and user information channels of at least one second further telecommunication network, one of which represents the current telecommunication network of the called terminal, wherein, for establishing a connection between the calling terminal and the called terminal: a) information relating to a connection request from the calling terminal are first routed to 3 the gateway, b) the gateway determines from the signaling information of the current telecommunication network to which telecommunication network the called terminal is currently allocated, and c) the gateway provides a user information channel of the corresponding telecommunication network for the connection, wherein 5 d) the connection is terminated at the called terminal directly via the current telecommunication network. In this arrangement, it can be provided that the first telecommunication network is a fixed telecommunication network and the further telecommunication networks are mobile radio telecommunication networks, wherein the gateway provides each user information 20 channel with at least one specific plug-in card, provided with an identifier, for a mobile radio network. As an alternative, the first telecommunication network is also a mobile radio network. The telecommunication device according to one aspect of the invention can be a mobile radio gateway and has means which, in the case of a 6 call setup to a called terminal, evaluate signaling information of the current telecommunication network of the called terminal and, from this signaling information, determine the current telecommunication network of the called terminal. The means can be implemented by software which acquires and evaluates the signaling information of the current telecommunication network. Furthermore, the telecommunication device according to the invention may have means for establishing a connection to a called terminal directly via the current telecommunication network. The means for establishing a connection via the current communication network may ) comprise means for providing a user information channel of the corresponding communication network for the desired connection. The means for providing a user information channel may comprise a plug-in card provided with an identifier, particularly a SIM card, wherein at least one specific plug-in card for a mobile radio network is allocated to each user information channel. 5 The mobile radio gateway may include means which generate, and transmit to the calling terminal, information which represents options for the further call setup. For example, a user is offered to end the call setup or to carry out alternative routing. Description of a number of exemplary embodiments In the text which follows, the invention will be explained in greater detail by means of a 20 number of exemplary embodiments, referring to the figures of the drawing, in which: WO 2005/107227 PCT/DE2005/000825 -7 figure 1 shows a telecommunication arrangement with a fixed telecommunication network and a mobile radio gateway connected thereto; 5 figure 2 diagrammatically shows the configuration of a mobile radio gateway according to figure 1; figure 3 diagrammatically shows the configuration of a plug-in card of a gateway according to figure 10 2; figure 4 shows the top and bottom of a SIM card plug in of a plug-in card according to figure 3, and 15 figure 5 diagrammatically shows a functional block diagram of a mobile radio gateway. Figure 1 shows a telecommunication arrangement which 20 enables a connection to be set up between a calling communication device 1, 1' of a first communication network and a called communication network 2, 2' of a further communication network. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the communication device 1, 1' is a 25 telecommunication terminal, for example a telephone or a computer with an ISDN card. A telecommunication terminal 1, shown as a telephone by way of example in figure 1, is connected in a manner 30 known per se via a local exchange (not shown) to a circuit-switched telecommunication network 3 (PSTN public switched telephony network). The telecommunication network 3 is, in particular, the network of the former monopoly provider, the Deutsche 35 Telekom AG in Germany. The telecommunication network 3 is connected via a so-called interconnect access ICA 6 to the telecommunication network 4 of a further alternative network provider. The interconnection of WO 2005/107227 PCT/DE2005/000825 - 7a communication networks via interconnect accesses is known per se WO 2005/107227 PCT/DE2005/000825 -8 so that it will not be discussed in any greater detail here. For the interconnection, the operator of network 4 has to pay an interconnect charge to the operator of network 3. As an alternative, a terminal corresponding 5 to the lower terminal 1' shown in figure 1 is connected directly to the network 4 of an alternative network provider. Furthermore, a mobile radio gateway 5 is connected to 10 the network 4. The mobile radio gateway 5 is linked to the network 4, for example, by at least one primary rate interface (PRI) access 18 of the integrated services digital network ISDN which provides 30 B data channels and one D signaling channel (El line) . As an 15 alternative, the mobile radio gateway 5 can also be connected directly to the network 3 of the former monopoly provider, in principle. The mobile radio gateway 5 provides a network access to 20 a multiplicity of mobile radio networks 7, 8. In Germany, these are, for example, the networks D1, D2 and E-plus. In figure 1, two networks 7, 8 are shown by way of example. A called communication device of such a mobile radio network 7, 8 is, for example, a mobile 25 radio telephone 2, 2' which is individualized via a SIM card and allocated to the corresponding mobile radio network 7, 8. Thus, a telecommunication link can be set up to a mobile radio telephone 2, 2' via the respective mobile radio network 7, 8. 30 If a terminal 1, 1' of the fixed network 3, 4 now wishes to set up a telecommunication link, particularly a telephone link to a terminal 2, 2' of a mobile radio network 7, 8, the connection request is conducted via 35 the telecommunication network 3, 4, to which the calling terminal 1, 1' is connected, and possibly with interconnection of a further telecommunication network 4, to the mobile radio gateway 5.

WO 2005/107227 PCT/DE2005/000825 -9 As will still be explained in the text which follows, a multiplicity of mobile stations are integrated into the mobile radio gateway 5 which provide an access of the mobile radio gateway 5 to the individual mobile radio 5 networks 7, 8. The mobile radio gateway 5 detects from the prefix number of the incoming call the mobile radio network which is allocated to the called terminal 2, 2' . To set up a connection between a calling terminal 1, 1' and the called terminal 2, 2', it provides a user 10 information channel of the corresponding mobile radio network 7, 8 or of one selected as described in the text which follows. The mobile radio gateway 5 then serves as a mobile radio device itself and calls the terminal 2, 2' by the mobile radio network in which it 15 is located. The call is then conducted in a manner known per se via a base transceiver station (BTS), an associated control device and further network infrastructure of the mobile 20 radio network 7, 8 to the called terminal 2, 2'. As an alternative, it would also be possible to provide a connection in a mobile radio network 7, 8 via a transfer point of the telecommunication network 3. Such 25 transfer points which then forward the call into the mobile radio network, are known per se and are also used. Telecommunication links set up in this manner are disadvantageously associated with high charges raised by the operator of the telecommunication network 3 for 30 the call forwarding into the mobile radio network, to which interconnect charges may also be added additionally. A connection between a called terminal 1, 1' in the fixed network and a calling terminal 2, 2' of a mobile radio network set up according to figure 1, in 35 contrast, is characterized by a much more advantageous price structure since the mobile radio link between the gateway 5 with the called terminal 2, 2' and the fixed network link between the WO 2005/107227 PCT/DE2005/000825 - 10 calling terminal 1, 1' and the mobile radio gateway 5 are comparatively inexpensive. Instead of the costs for a call from the fixed network to the mobile network, the costs of a call from mobile to mobile plus small 5 additional costs for the fixed-network link are accrued. The method described above is known per se. According to the invention, it is modified in order to also take 10 into consideration the case where a call to a terminal is to be set up with a ported directory number which, on the basis of its prefix, is allocated to another telecommunication network than the current telecommunication network of the called terminal. There 15 may also be other reasons why the calling terminal is not located in the network in which the calling terminal assumes the called terminal to be. For example, the called terminal is located in a foreign network. 20 The mobile radio gateway 5 has a functional unit 100, shown diagrammatically, which, for example, is implemented by software and evaluates the signaling information or control commands of the network in which 25 the called subscriber is currently located. This signaling information is transmitted to the calling terminal and, accordingly, can be detected by the unit 100. 30 When a connection request is present, the evaluation of this signaling information is used for checking whether the called terminal 2, 2' is located in the network 7, 8 in which the call is currently initially set up. If this is the case, the connection is set up as planned. 35 If this is not the case, the connection is then terminated directly via the current telecommunication network of the called terminal 2, 2' at the latter. For this purpose, the mobile radio gateway 5 provides a WO 2005/107227 PCT/DE2005/000825 - 10a user information channel of the corresponding current mobile radio network 7, 8.

WO 2005/107227 PCT/DE2005/000825 - 11 For example, the called terminal has a ported directory number. The ported directory number is, for example: 0161-11223344. Originally, this is a directory number of the network A. The user has then changed the 5 provider and taken along his directory number. From the signaling information of the new network B, the mobile radio gateway or its unit 100, respectively, detects that this is a ported directory number. A connection is then set up directly into the new network B with the 10 dial-in number, for example, 0167, by using a SIM card of the network B. The mobile radio gateway 5 provides a user information channel of the network B for the connection. The number 0167-0161-11223344 is sent out on this channel of the network B and the "0167" can 15 also be omitted, in principle. The call is allocated to the terminal having the directory number 0161-11223344 in the current network B and directly terminated in the current network. 20 As an alternative, for example, the case may occur that the called terminal is allocated to a network to which the mobile radio gateway does not have any user information channels or SIM cards. The call is then preferably forwarded initially to another interposed 25 network of a third network provider from which the connection is then terminated at the current network. In this process, the most cost-effective path is selected. In a further alternative, the connection setup is aborted in such a case, but preferably only 30 after a relevant enquiry at the calling subscriber. It is also possible to send signaling information to the calling terminal 1, for example with regard to the fact that the called terminal has a ported directory 35 number or with regard to the charges to be expected when the connection is terminated.

WO 2005/107227 PCT/DE2005/000825 - 12 Figures 2 and 3 show the configuration of a mobile radio gateway 5 in detail. According to figure 2, the mobile radio gateway has a central processing unit 51, a graphics card 52, hard-disk and floppy drives 53, a 5 power supply 54 and a fan 55. A plug-in card 55 provides three PRI (El) connections to the fixed network and a different number of El connections can also be provided. The plug-in card 55 provides a switching network via which incoming connections are in 10 each case allocated to an output or user information channel to the mobile radio network. As an alternative, the switching network is provided by corresponding software in the central processing unit 51. 15 Furthermore, the mobile radio gateway 5 has a multiplicity of plug-in cards 57 for mobile radio which in each case provide a multiplicity of mobile stations, four mobile stations in each case in the exemplary embodiment shown. According to the prevailing standard 20 in the mobile radio field, these are GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) mobile stations. In the central processing unit 51, software is installed which determines the identity of the called 25 subscriber from signaling information of the network of the called subscriber. A plug-in card 57 for mobile radio is shown in greater detail in figure 3. The plug-in card 57 has in each 30 case two GSM modules 10a, 10b on the front and on the back, figure 3 only showing the GSM modules 10a, 10b represented on the top. Each GSM module 10a, 10b, which is shown only diagrammatically, has the functionality of a mobile device of a mobile radio network. To each 35 GSM module 10, 10b, a number of SIM cards are allocated, only one SIM card being activated at any particular time. The SIM cards are arranged on a SIM card plug-in 11. A GSM module 10a, 10b and a SIM card WO 2005/107227 PCT/DE2005/000825 - 12a in each case form a mobile station of a mobile radio network.

WO 2005/107227 PCT/DE2005/000825 - 13 The address of the plug-in card 57 can be adjusted via a DIP array 12. Connection to an internal switching network of the gateway 5 is made via a PCM bus 13 or a IOM bus 14. An antenna 15 for sending out or receiving 5 radio signals is screwed to the rear of the card. The plug-in card 57 also preferably has its own processor 16 with operating system which controls the individual modules. As an alternative, control is effected exclusively via the central processing unit. 10 Figure 4 shows the SIM card plug-in 11 of figure 3 in detail. Accordingly, receiving places for eight SIM cards 17 are in each case provided on the front and rear of the card plug-in 11 so that a total of sixteen 15 SIM cards 17 can be kept available. A maximum of four SIM cards 17 can be allocated to each GSM module 10a, lob. For example, four SIM cards 17-1, 17-2, 17-3, 17-4 are allocated to the one GSM module 10a, four plug-in cards 17-5, 17-6, 17-7, 17-8, etc. are allocated to the 20 GSM module lob. However, not all receiving places need to be occupied. The situation is then that in each case only one SIM card 16 can be used for an actual connection in a 25 mobile radio network 7, 8. In each case, a SIM card 16 is activated which allows a call to be terminated directly at the current mobile radio network. Figure 5 shows a switching network 19 which is 30 implemented, for example, in the plug-in card 55 for a PRI (El) interconnection according to figure 2. The switching network 19 is connected, on the one hand, via a PRI access 18 according to figure 1 to a fixed network. The incoming multiplexed data channels of the 35 PRI access 18 are distributed by the switching network 19 to a multiplicity of individual data channels 20-1, 20-2, 20-3 and 20-4. This is controlled via the central processor 51 of the gateway 5 another control unit.

WO 2005/107227 PCT/DE2005/000825 - 14 To simplify the representation, only four GSM modules 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d with in each case two SIM cards 17 1, 17-2, 17-3, 17-4, 17-5, 17-6, 17-7, 17-8 and two mobile radio networks 7, 8 are provided in figure 5a. 5 In each case, one of the SIM cards 17-1, 17-3, 17-6, 17-8, and thus one particular network, is allocated to the data channels 20-1, 20-2, 20-3, 20-4 by software controlled switches S. The switches S are controlled by means of the central processor 51 or another control 10 unit, taking into consideration the allocation of the software 100 shown diagrammatically, as previously explained. For each data channel 20-1, 20-2, 20-3, 20-4, in each 15 case one user information channel 21, 22, 23, 24 is provided via the GSM modules 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d for a direct mobile radio transmission to the called terminal. The allocation of a user information channel 21, 22, 23, 24 to a mobile radio network 17, 18 is 20 effected via the selected SIM card and in accordance with the result of the evaluation of the signaling information of the network in which the called subscriber is located, by the software 100.

Claims

1. A method for providing a telecommunication link between a first calling terminal which is arranged in a first telecommunication network, and a second called terminal which is arranged in a current telecommunication network, the method comprising: - setting up a connection to the called terminal , - evaluating signaling information of the current telecommunication network relating to call setup, determining the current telecommunication network by means of this signaling information, and using this information before switching the call through to the called terminal

) 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information relating to the identity of the current telecommunication network is used for implementing alternative routing of the connection to the called terminal.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the called terminal is located in another telecommunication network than was assumed during the call setup, wherein the 5 information relating to the identity of the current telecommunication network is used for terminating the connection at the called terminal directly via the current telecommunication network of the called terminal.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the called terminal has a ported directory number which, on the basis of its prefix, is allocated to another 20 telecommunication network than the current telecommunication network of the called terminal.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the called terminal is currently arranged in a foreign telecommunication network, the information relating to the identity of the current telecommunication network being used for terminating the connection at the 25 current foreign telecommunication network in an alternative, more cost-effective manner. 16

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information relating to the identity of the current telecommunication network is used for offering additional options relating to the call setup to a user.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the option of aborting the call setup is i offered to the user.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the option of alternative routing of the telecommunication link is offered to the user.

9. The method as claimed any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the respective options are indicated visually or audibly to the user, together with the costs of the options.

) 10. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the evaluatedsignaling information of the current telecommunication network relates to inband signaling.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the bell signal of the current telecommunication network is evaluated as signaling information. 5

12. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the evaluated signaling information of the current telecommunication network relates to out-of-band signaling.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein facility messages and/or signaling sequences typical for the network are evaluated as signaling information. 20

14. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a connection between the first terminal and the second terminal is provided by using a gateway which is connected to a first telecommunication network and which manages user information channels of a first further telecommunication network and user information channels of at least one second further telecommunication network , one of which represents the current 25 telecommunication network of the called terminal, wherein, for establishing a connection between the calling terminal and the called terminal, 17 - information relating to a connection request from the calling terminal is first routed to the gateway, - the gateway determines from the signaling information of the current telecommunication network to which telecommunication network the called terminal is currently allocated, and - the gateway provides a user information channel of the corresponding telecommunication network for the connection, wherein - the connection is terminated at the called terminal directly via the current telecommunication network.

) 15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first telecommunication network is a fixed telecommunication network and the further telecommunication networks are mobile radio telecommunication networks , wherein the gateway provides each user information channel with at least one specific plug-in card, provided with an identifier, for a mobile radio network. 5

16. A telecommunication device for use in the method as claimed in claim 1, comprising means which, in the case of a call setup to a called terminal , evaluate signalling information of the current telecommunication network of the called terminal and, from this signaling information, determine the current telecommunication network of the called ?0 terminal.

17. The telecommunication device as claimed in claim 16, comprising means for establishing a connection to a called terminal directly via the current telecommunication network

18. The telecommunication device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the 25 telecommunication device is a mobile radio gateway which can be connected to a first telecommunication network and which manages a first group of user information channels of a first further telecommunication network and at least one second group of user 18 information channels of a second further telecommunication network , wherein the means for establishing a connection via the current communication network comprise means for providing a user information channel of the corresponding communication network for the desired connection. 5

19. The telecommunication device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the means for providing a user information channel comprise a plug-in card provided with an identifier, particularly a SIM card, wherein at least one specific plug-in card for a mobile radio network is allocated to each user information channel.

20. The telecommunication device as claimed in claim 18 or 19, wherein the mobile ) radio gateway has means which generate, and transmit to the calling terminal, information which represents options for the further call setup.

21. A telecommunication device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

22. A method for providing a telecommunication link substantially as hereinbefore 5 described with reference to the accompanying drawings.