EP1201096A1

EP1201096A1 - Apparatus and method for inactive mobile station calling party identification

Info

Publication number: EP1201096A1
Application number: EP00946688A
Authority: EP
Inventors: José M. ORITZ
Original assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB
Current assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB
Priority date: 1999-08-02
Filing date: 2000-06-30
Publication date: 2002-05-02
Also published as: MXPA02001051A; WO2001010151A1; AU6040900A; CN1367989A

Abstract

A method providing identification of parties calling an inactive mobile station (20) comprises the steps of activating an inactive mobile station (20) to produce an activated mobile station (105); sending a registration notification message (180) from the activated mobile station (150) to a first Mobile Switching Center (MSC) (40); authenticating the registration notification message (180) using a Home Location Register (HLR), the HLR (50) including a first memory (60) adapted to store a list (70) comprising a plurality of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers; sending the list (70) from the HLR (50) to the first MSC (40); sending the list from the first MSC (20) to a Visitor Location Register (VLR) (220) and sending the list (70) to the activated mobile station (150) from the VLR (220). The invention also relates to a system.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INACTIVE MOBILE STATION CALLING PARTY IDENTIFICATION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technical Field This invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for caller identification services. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and system providing identification of calling parties attempting to reach an inactive mobile station, after the mobile station has been re-activated.

History of Related Art

Personal communication products, such as mobile telephones, have become very important to the public for business and personal reasons . These instruments provide a mechanism for communication with almost immediate results. In particular, cellular telephone equipment provides a wide variety of features for the convenience of customers. These include three-way calling, voice mail systems, call waiting, and caller identification, among others. However, there are times when Mobile Station (MS) subscribers are not available, such as when the MS is occupied on another call, shut off, or has a dead battery. When the MS is in such a state, there is no uniform mechanism for informing the subscriber whether an attempt to make contact was made, and if so, by whom.

When the MS is active, caller identification services provide the advantage of identifying the calling party to the called party before a call is accepted. This feature is especially advantageous to mobile station subscribers, since it imparts the ability to reject calls which are undesired and waste monetary resources (as well as air time) . Similarly, voice mail systems are also quite useful. When the subscriber is outside the service area, or turns the phone off, the calling party may still leave a message to the called party for later recall. Mobile subscribers are then free to review these messages at some later time.

While caller identification and voice mail services are useful after a fashion, they also give rise to several limitations. For example, a subscriber that leaves its phone inactive, (i.e., turned off) for long periods of time may amass a number of messages in voice mail storage. In order to determine the value of these messages, the subscriber is forced to use air time in order to check each message, one by one. Thus, many potentially useless messages are recorded, and all must be heard to determine their usefulness to the subscriber. Currently, there is no way to identify the party placing the call to an inactive mobile station, or parties which choose to leave voice mail messages in lieu of a direct connection with the called party.

Therefore, what is needed is a system and method which identifies parties calling an inactive mobile station. Such a system and method should provide a mechanism for retrieving a list of all parties placing calls to the inactive subscriber phone during periods of inactivity. Further, if such parties choose to leave voice mail messages, the system and method should provide a mechanism for indicating which of the calling parties has chosen to leave a message, and further, to match specific messages in the voice mail system with specific calling party identities.

Such a solution to the limitations of the current caller identification and voice mail systems provides the advantage to users of being able to activate a mobile phone and immediately identify calling parties which have attempted to reach the subscriber during the inactive period. Further, any voice mail messages left for the subscriber are immediately identified without using air time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A system which identifies parties calling an inactive mobile station includes a Home Location Register (HLR) which has a memory and database to store subscriber categories, classes, status (i.e., active or inactive), and other data. The conventional database is expanded by the instant invention to include a memory or register for storing a list of telephone numbers or other identification information related to unsuccessful calling parties (i.e., those calling parties attempting to reach the inactive MS) . The system also includes the inactive MS which has a second memory and, upon activation, is able to store the list of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers maintained by the HLR. The list of numbers is typically sent to the MS via an associated Mobile Switching Center (MSC) and Radio Base Station (BS) over the air interface.

The list received by the MS subscriber enables scrolling for review. This allows the subscriber to decide which calls to return. The system may also comprise a voice mail system, in which case the subscriber will also be apprised of unsuccessful calling parties which have chosen to leave a message for later recall.

The method of identifying of parties attempting to contact an inactive MS comprises the steps of activating the MS, sending a registration message to the associated MSC for authentication of the MS by the HLR, sending the list stored in the HLR memory to the MSC, and, in turn, sending the list to the MS over the air interface as a part of the registration notification return result message. The method may also include the initial steps of sending a location request message from the calling party to the HLR which identifies the calling party by its telephone number, storing the number in the HLR memory, and sending a message back to the calling party to indicate the inactive status of the MS.

The method to identify unsuccessful calling parties may also include the steps of sending a voice mail message query to the calling party to determine whether a voice mail message will be recorded, storing any resulting message in the voice mail system, storing a voice mail message indicator indexed to the telephone number (or other information, such as the EIN) identifying the calling party, and possibly, storing the calling party telephone number in the voice mail system with the message .

Finally, the method, when combined with using a voice mail system, may include polling the voice mail system using the HLR to match recorded calling party voice mail messages with the telephone numbers of unsuccessful calling parties. Thus, a voice mail message indicator may be produced by the HLR, noting that a handoff has been made to the voice mail system, or in the alternative, polling the voice mail system by the HLR may be used to match messages within the voice mail system to corresponding telephone numbers within the list of unsuccessful calling parties maintained by the HLR.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A more complete understanding of the structure and operation of the present invention may be had by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 illustrates the system and method of the present invention operating during the attempt of an unsuccessful calling party to contact an inactive mobile station;

Fig. 2 illustrates the system and method of the present invention as embodied by an activated mobile station retrieving a list of telephone numbers identifying unsuccessful calling parties;

Fig. 3 illustrates the system and method of the present invention as embodied by the activities of an unsuccessful calling party in the process of leaving a voice mail system message for the inactive mobile station subscriber; and

Fig. 4 illustrates the system and method of the present invention as embodied by storage of voice mail messages and system polling to provide a list of telephone numbers identifying unsuccessful calling parties for later recall by the activated mobile station.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PRESENTLY PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS The system and method of the present invention can be most easily understood by dividing them each into two parts. The first deals with a calling party attempting to contact an inactive mobile station, and the second involves the process used to retrieve a list which identifies such parties when the mobile station is reactivated.

Turning now to Fig. 1, the system and method of the present invention operating in conjunction with the activities of an unsuccessful calling party can be seen. The Mobile Station (MS) 20 typically comprises a cellular terminal which calling parties attempt to contact. The MS 20 includes a memory 30 for storing a list of calling parties which attempt to make contact during periods of inactivity, but are unsuccessful. This failure to make contact occurs when the MS 20 is "inactive," defined for the purpose of this invention as being any state of operation wherein the MS 20 does not act to provide a complete communication path between the calling party and the called party. Thus, an inactive mobile station may be one which is turned off, has a dead battery, or is located outside of the service area.

The memory 30 may be non-volatile, requiring the operator of the MS 20 to specifically command erasure of the list, or it may be a volatile memory which maintains the contents of the list of unsuccessful calling parties only as long as the MS 20 is turned on. The MS 20 also provides the capability to erase the list maintained in volatile memory by pressing the keypad CLEAR key; individual entries in the list, or the entire list, may be erased in this manner. Arrow keys on the MS 20 keypad provide a mechanism for exploring the list and reviewing attempts to contact the MS 20 during inactive periods, and if desired, to dial a number that is in the list. The Home Location Register (HLR) 50 also includes a memory 60 to track attempted calls made to the MS 20. Typically, the HLR memory 60 will include a list of A- numbers; one for each attempt made by a calling party to contact the MS 20 while it is in an inactive state. The telephone number, or A-number, list 70 will typically be included as part of the subscriber profile for the MS 20. Every time an attempt is made to seize the MS 20 during a call attempt, the HLR 50 will check the status of the MS 20 (i.e., active or inactive), and if inactive, the HLR will store the calling party 80 telephone number into the memory 60 reserved for this purpose. When the MS 20 becomes activated, the list 70 stored in the memory 60 will be sent to the MS 20, and stored in the memory 30. The Mobile Switching Center (MSC) 40 is a telephony exchange which handles call traffic (i.e., communication between the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) and the HLR 50) , and is typically combined with a Radio Base Station (BS) 45. The MSC 40 conveys data and voice information to the called and calling parties. The BS 45 (illustrated as BS 160 in Figure 2) , transmits and receives signals over the air interface to the MS 20. Current telecommunications network protocols, including data signaling messages, will require the addition of proprietary parameters having available length and character string type to support transmission of the list 70 from the MSC 40, through the BS 160 to the MS 20.

Turning now to the detailed example of Figure 1, the calling party terminal, or subscriber A 80, which can operate through the PSTN or PLMN, attempts to call the inactive MS 20. The MSC 40 associated with the HLR 50 sends a Location Request Message 110 containing the telephone number which identifies the calling party A (e.g., the A-number) , and the telephone number which identifies the inactive mobile station 20 (e.g., the B- number) . The HLR 50 informs the MSC 40 of the inactive state of the MS 20 by way of a location-request-return- result message 120, and then the number identifying the calling party 80, e.g., the A-number, is stored in the memory 60 so as to become part of the list comprising a plurality of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers 70. While the list 70 may comprise telephone numbers, e.g., A-numbers, the list 70 may also comprise other types of identifying information, such as the calling party name, or the date and time the call was made. Each attempt to call the inactive MS 20 by the calling party 80 is recorded in this fashion, as long as the MS 20 is inactive and a call set-up operation cannot be completed between the calling party 80 and the MS 20.

If no voice mail service is available, the MSC 40 will inform the calling party A that the MS 20 is inactive at step 130. However, if voice mail is available, the system of the present invention includes a Voice Mail System (VMS) 90 with a memory 100 for message storage, such that a sequence of messages can pass between the MSC 40 and the VMS 90 as a voice mail sequence of operations 140, as is well-known in the art. This will result in storing a calling party 80 voice mail message in the VMS memory 100. In this embodiment of the invention, the VMS message storage memory area 100 is not used to store any information which connects selected or specific numbers from the list 70 with selected or specific voice mail messages recorded by the VMS 90. Thus, only voice mail messages, which may or may not correspond to the calls stored in the list 70, are stored in the memory 100.

When the inactive MS 20 is activated so as to produce an activated MS 150, the sequence of steps appearing in Fig. 2 is followed by the system 10 of the present invention. The method providing identification of parties calling the inactive MS 20 comprises the steps of activating the inactive MS 20 to produce an activated MS 150, sending a Registration Notification message 180 to the MSC 170 by way of the BS 160 (which may or may not form an integral part of the MSC 170) . Typically, the registration notification message 180 will be sent from the MS 150 to the BS 160, and, in turn will then, be sent on to the MSC 170 as a Registration Notification message 190. The message 190 will be authenticated by the HLR 50 at step 200, since the HLR 50 is in electronic communication with the MSC 170. At this time, if authentication at step 200 is successful, the list 70 stored in the call storage memory 60 will be sent from the MSC 170 as part of a registration-notification-return-result message 230, which passes from the MSC 170, through the BS 160, and on to the active MS 150. The list 70 is typically sent as part of the user profile in step 210 from the HLR 50 to the MSC 170, however, it may also be sent from the HLR 50 to a Visitor Location Register (VLR) 220, for transmission as part of a first registration- notification-result message 230 to the BS 160, and a second registration-notification-result message 240 to the active MS 150. In any case, the list 70 is then stored in the memory 30 of the active MS 150 at step 250. A VLR 220 will be involved in the scenario only when the inactive MS 20 is registered at a non-home MSC (i.e., at a visited MSC).

A more sophisticated version of the system 10 of the present invention, along with the method providing identification of parties calling an inactive mobile station 20, can be seen in Figure 3. In this embodiment of the invention, voice mail is available and provided by a VMS 90 with a memory 100 for message storage. The process of attempted contact by the calling party 80 to the inactive MS 20 is the same as that illustrated in Figure 1. However, in this case, the MSC 40 provides a voice mail query 260 to the calling party 80 to inquire as to whether the calling party 80 chooses to leave a voice mail message in the VMS 90. If so, the calling party voice mail message is stored in the memory 100, which is adapted to store some selected number of mail messages. In this embodiment, a number identifying the calling party stored in the memory 60, such as a selected A-number 75, along with a voice mail message indicator 77 (e.g., an asterisk "*" character) . Typically, the indicator 77 will be indexed to the number identifying the calling party, e.g., the selected A-number 75. The process of storing the voice mail message by the calling party 80 is noted in Figure 3 at step 270, where control is transferred from the MSC 40 to the VMS 90. In addition, a VMS Note message 280 may be sent from the MSC 40 to the HLR 50 so as to pass the telephone number identifying the calling party A 80 (e.g. , the A-number) and the calling number identifying the inactive MS 20 (e.g., the B-number) on to the HLR 50 for storage and matching to a particular message stored in the VMS memory 100 for later recall. Once the message 280 is sent to the HLR 50, a vms-note- return-result response message 290 is sent from the HLR to the MSC 40, confirming that a voice mail message has been saved in the memory 100, as well as the message indicator 77 in the memory 60. This particular embodiment is preferred for use when a manufacturer provides both the HLR 50 and VMS 90 as a single unit. In this case, there is no need to directly link the recorded calling party voice mail messages in the memory 100 with selected ones of the plurality of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers stored in the memory 60; the VMS note message 280 provides a mechanism for matching identification numbers in the list 70 with the stored messages in the memory 100.

Another implementation of the system 10 can be seen in Figure 4, wherein a VMS 90 is available for use by the calling party 80, and the identifying telephone numbers for unsuccessful calling parties 80 are stored both in the memory 60 and in the VMS memory 100. In this case, after the voice mail query message 260 is sent to the calling party 80, and affirmatively answered, a control transfer from the MSC 40 to the VMS 90 is made in step 370. The number identifying the calling party 80, such as the A-number, is sent within the control transfer signaling message at step 370. The voice mail message and A-number (along with the B- number of the MS 20) are stored simultaneously in the memory 100 at step 300. Thus, at this point, the HLR 50 has a list of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers 70 stored in its memory 60, and the VMS 90 has a corresponding set of telephone numbers stored with, and indexed to, directly corresponding voice mail messages in its memory 100. Typically, each set of messages will be identified with a time and date stamp in both memories 60 and 100.

When the MS 20 is activated so as to produce an activated MS 150 at step 310, a Registration Notification message 320 is sent from the MS 150 to the HLR 50. In this instance, the HLR polls the VMS 90 using the telephone number which identifies the MS 150, e.g., the B-number, to determine which of the recorded calling party voice mail messages saved in the memory 100 match selected numbers of the plurality of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers stored in the memory 60. These matched numbers are returned as a list in the polling-return-result message 340 so that the HLR list 70 may be updated to include a sub-list of selected telephone numbers of unsuccessful calling parties 75, e.g., A-numbers, with corresponding voice mail message indicators 77. This updating process occurs at step 350, and the active MS 150 will notify its user by announcement or display a message-waiting message that attempts have been made to contact the MS 150 when it was in an inactive state. In this implementation of the invention, the VMS 90 stores the voice mail messages in the memory 100 along with a tag, such as the telephone number of the unsuccessful calling party, or other identification information.

For the purposes of this invention, the "number identifying the calling party" may comprise a telephone number, an A-number, the date of the call, the time of the call, the name of the calling party, or other identifying information which may be useful to the MS subscriber making use of the caller identification service for inactive mobile stations.

As noted above, the most basic implementation of the instant invention involves simply saving a list of unsuccessful calling parties within the HLR memory 60 for downloading to the activated MS 150 at some time after activation. For circumstances including those times when the mobile station is turned-off, or has a dead battery, merely energizing the MS 150 will cause the production of a Registration Notification message 180, 320 so as to elicit a return-result message that provides a list 70 to the MS 150. In this case, the system 10 which identifies parties calling an inactive MS 20 comprises the HLR having a first memory 60 adapted to store a list 70 containing a plurality of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers and the MS 20 including a second memory 30 adapted to store the list 70. The numbers in the list 70 may comprise A- numbers, and the location request message 110 resulting from an unsuccessful calling party call set-up request directed to the inactive MS 20 prompts the HLR 50 to store a telephone number which identifies the calling party in the first memory 60. Once the inactive MS 20 is activated, and a Registration Notification message 320 is sent from the activated MS 150 to the home or serving MSC 170 in electronic communication with the HLR 50, the HLR 50 is prompted to send the list 70 to the home or serving MSC 170 for subsequent storage in the second memory 30 within the MS 150.

If a voice mail system is included within the system 10 of the present invention, the VMS 90 will have a third memory 100 adapted to store a number of voice mail messages along with a number of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers . Typically, the number of voice mail messages saved will be greater than or equal to the number of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers saved in the memory 100.

The VMS 90 will typically index the voice mail messages and unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers according to the telephone number which identifies the inactive mobile station, e.g., the B- number. The second memory 30 within the MS 20, 150 may include a voice mail message indicator 77 stored for select ones of the plurality of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers, comprising a sub-list 75.

The method of providing identification of parties calling an inactive MS 20 may be as simple as activating the inactive MS 20 to produce an activated MS 150, sending a Registration Notification message 180, 190 from the activated MS 150 to a first MSC 170, authenticating the Registration Notification message 180, 190 using an HLR 50 in electronic communication with the MSC 170, wherein the HLR 50 includes a first memory 60 adapted to store a list 70 comprising a plurality of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers; sending the list 70 stored in the first memory 60 from the HLR 50 to the VLR 220; sending the list 70 from the VLR 220 to an MSC 150 in electronic communication with the activated MS 150; and sending a registration-notification-return-result message 230, 240 including the list 70 to the activated MS 150 from the MSC 150. The method may further comprise the steps of sending a location request message 110 from a second MSC 40 in electronic communication with a calling party 80 to the HLR 50 which includes a number identifying the calling party 80, and a number identifying the inactive MS 20. Of course, the first MSC 170 can be the same as the second MSC 40. If the MS 20 is inactive, the number identifying the calling party is stored in the first memory 60, and a location-request- return-result message 120, including the status of the inactive MS 20, is sent from the HLR 50 to the second MSC 40.

If voice mail is available, the method of the present invention may include sending a voice mail query message 260 to the calling party 80; storing a voice mail message from the calling party 80 in the VMS 90, which includes a second memory 100 adapted to store a first number of voice mail messages; storing a number identifying the calling party 80 in the first memory 60 within the HLR 50, along with a voice mail message indicator 77 indexed to the number identifying the calling party.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limited sense. The various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover such modifications that fall within the scope of the invention, or their equivalents.

Claims

1. A system which identifies parties calling an inactive mobile station, comprising : a Home Location Register (HLR) including a first memory adapted to store a list containing a plurality of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers; and a mobile station including a second memory adapted to store the list containing a plurality of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers.

2. The system of Claim 1 , wherein each one of the plurality of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers comprises an A-number.

3. The system of Claim 1, wherein a location request message resulting from a calling party call setup request directed toward the inactive mobile station prompts the HLR to store a telephone number which identifies the calling party in the first memory.

4. The system of Claim 1, wherein the inactive mobile station is activated, and a registration notification message sent from the activated mobile station to a Mobile Service Center (MSC) in electronic communication with the HLR prompts the HLR to send the list to the MSC for subsequent storage in the second memory .

5. The system of Claim 1, comprising a Voice Mail System including a third memory adapted to store a first number of voice mail messages and a second number of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers, wherein the first number is greater than or equal to the second number.

6. The system of Claim 5, wherein the list containing a plurality of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers includes a voice mail message indicator for selected ones of the plurality of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers .

7. The system of Claim 5, wherein the first number of voice mail messages and the second number of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers are indexed according a telephone number which identifies the inactive mobile station.

8. The system of Claim 7, wherein the second number of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers each comprise an A-number.

9. The system of Claim 7, wherein the inactive mobile station telephone number comprises a B-number.

10. A method providing identification of parties calling an inactive mobile station, comprising the steps of : activating the inactive mobile station to produce an activated mobile station; sending a registration notification message from the activated mobile station to a first Mobile Switching Center (MSC) ; authenticating the registration notification message using a Home Location Register (HLR) in electronic communication with the first MSC, the HLR including a first memory adapted to store a list comprising a plurality of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers; sending the list stored in the first memory from the HLR to a Visitor Location Register (VLR) in electronic communication with the activated mobile station; sending the list from the VLR to the first MSC; and sending a registration notification return result message including the list to the activated mobile station from the VLR.

11. The method of Claim 10, wherein the list includes a voice mail message indicator corresponding to selected ones of the plurality of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers.

12. The method of Claim 10, further comprising the steps of : sending a location request message from a second MSC in electronic communication with a calling party to the HLR, the location request message including a number identifying the calling party and a number identifying the inactive mobile station; storing the number identifying the calling party in the first memory; and sending a location request return result message including the status of the inactive mobile station from the HLR to the second MSC.

13. The method of Claim 10, further comprising the steps of : sending a voice mail message query to a calling party; storing a calling party voice mail message in a Voice Mail System including a second memory adapted to store a first number of voice mail messages; storing a number identifying the calling party in the first memory; and storing a voice mail message indicator indexed to the number identifying the calling party in the first memory.

14. The method of Claim 13, further comprising the steps of: sending a location request message from a second MSC in electronic communication with a calling party to the HLR, the location request message including a number identifying the calling party and a number identifying the inactive mobile station; storing the number identifying the calling party in the first memory; and sending a location request return result message including the status of the inactive mobile station from the HLR to the second MSC.

15. The method of Claim 10, further comprising the steps of : sending a voice mail message query to a calling party; recording a calling party voice mail message; and storing a voice mail message indicator in the first memory.

16. The method of Claim 15, including the step of storing a selected one of the plurality of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers with the voice mail message.

17. The method of Claim 10, further comprising the steps of: sending a voice mail message query to a calling party; recording a calling party voice mail message; and storing a selected one of the plurality of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers with the voice mail message.

18. The method of Claim 17, further comprising the steps of : sending a location request message from a second MSC in electronic communication with a calling party to the HLR, the location request message including a number identifying the calling party and a number identifying the inactive mobile station; storing the number identifying the calling party in the first memory; and sending a location request return result message including the status of the inactive mobile station from the HLR to the second MSC.

19. The method of Claim 17, including the step of polling the Voice Mail System with the HLR to match recorded calling party voice mail messages with selected ones of the plurality of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers .

20. The method of Claim 19, including the step of storing a voice message mail indicator in the first memory for each of the selected ones of the plurality of unsuccessful calling party telephone numbers.