Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04Q—SELECTING
  • H04Q3/00—Selecting arrangements
  • H04Q3/72—Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
  • H04M1/57—Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
  • H04M3/42025—Calling or Called party identification service
  • H04M3/42034—Calling party identification service
  • H04M3/42042—Notifying the called party of information on the calling party
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W4/00—Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
  • H04W4/90—Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W76/00—Connection management
  • H04W76/50—Connection management for emergency connections
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W8/00—Network data management
  • H04W8/26—Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Definitions

• 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 even when they are not associated with a particular telephone number.
• Caller identification services have been available for some time.
• calls between telephone customers in the United States are established on the basis of a numbering plan which requires each customer line to be identified by a ten-digit directory number, or calling party telephone number.
• the number comprises a three-digit area code defining a specific geographic region, followed by a three-digit office code identifying a particular central office which is, in turn, followed by a four-digit customer line identifier served by the central office.
• the A-number is passed on to the telephonic communication device where the called party is located.
• the calling party name which has previously been associated with the A-number, is displayed at the telephonic communication device.
• the device may be a separate apparatus in electronic communication with a desk-top telephone, or alternatively, fully-integrated into a telephone, such as a mobile cellular telephone.
• the association of a calling party name and a specified calling party number is accomplished by the called party. More primitive caller identification services merely present the calling party telephone number to the called party, without any calling party name.
• caller identification services function adequately with respect to the called party subscriber.
• the calling party is screening calls, and the calling party must make contact using a telephone directory number which is not normally associated with their name (e.g., from a pay phone during an emergency)
• a telephone directory number which is not normally associated with their name (e.g., from a pay phone during an emergency)
• Traditional caller identification services only provide the A-number, or at best, a single name associated with the A-number for recognition purposes. This may not serve the needs of the called party.
• a system and method providing caller identification services when the identity of the calling party is not necessarily associated with a predetermined calling party telephone number.
• Such a system and method would allow the called party to associate a calling party name with a preselected personal identification code, such that only the code was needed for transmission to the called party to identify the associated calling party name.
• the use of such a system and method would also allow individuals within a family unit to uniquely identify themselves, even though all persons were obliged to use the same calling party telephone number. Further, unique identification of calling parties by name would be possible even when a telephone with an unknown or unrecognized calling party telephone number was used to place a call to the called party, as may occur during emergencies or other circumstances .
• the system and method of- the present invention can be implemented in two different ways, a terminal solution or a network solution.
• the terminal solution makes use of a cellular telephone terminal, or other telephonic communication device, which maintains an index in a memory.
• the index contains a list of calling party telephone numbers in a one-to-one correspondence with a list of calling party names.
• the names can also be designated as "tags.”
• the index is ordered according to a set of Personal Identification Codes (PICs) , where each tag is associated with a unique PIC.
• PICs Personal Identification Codes
• the terminal solution also includes a switching center which is adapted to receive a PIC, along with the calling party telephone number, or B-number, during a call set-up operation.
• a switching center which is adapted to receive a PIC, along with the calling party telephone number, or B-number, during a call set-up operation.
• the PIC is passed along to the switching center (with a special function code to alert the switching center to the incoming PIC) .
• the PIC and B-number are passed on to the terminal station after the Temporary Local Directory Number (TLDN) is assigned. If no support is provided by the terminal, then the A-number (i.e., the number of the calling party) is sent on to the mobile station for scanning, and a tag value associated with the A-number is displayed.
• TLDN Temporary Local Directory Number
• the network solution While the terminal solution requires a telephonic communication device programmed to scan for a PIC, the network solution implements PIC scanning operations in the Home Location Register (HLR) or Visitor Location Register (VLR) currently associated with the called party. In this case, the PIC is accepted by the HLR
• the PIC is matched up within the HLR to an A' -number, which the called party has preselected as a part of its user profile.
• the HLR substitutes the A 1 -number for the A-number of the calling party, and passes it on to the mobile station for scanning using the conventional caller identification module located within the called party mobile station.
• the tag, or calling party name, associated with the A' -number is then displayed at the called party mobile station.
• the index is maintained in the HLR, instead of in the called party terminal.
• the network solution allows the use of conventional telephones or caller identification devices which have not been modified to implement the terminal solution discussed previously.
• the method of the present invention comprises the steps of receiving a PIC and a calling party telephone number at the switching center, sending the PIC to the telephonic communication device (for the terminal solution implementation) , and searching the index within the communication device for the selected calling party name which corresponds to the PIC.
• the PIC instead of passing the PIC to the mobile station from an HLR or VLR, the PIC is scanned within the HLR/VLR to match an A 1 -number.
• the A' -number is sent to the mobile station for conventional scanning operations with respect to caller identification, and the tag corresponding to the A' -number in the mobile station is displayed to the called party.
• Fig. 1 illustrates the system and method of the present invention as a terminal solution
• Fig. 2 illustrates the system and method of the present invention as a network solution.
• the system and method of the present invention can be implemented in either of two ways, by means of a terminal solution or a network solution.
• the terminal solution uses a telephonic communication device, typically a cellular phone, which has been specially modified.
• the network solution can be implemented using conventional telephonic communication devices, such as cellular telephones, and makes use of a specially programmed Home Location Register (HLR) or Visitor Location Register (VLR) , or other wireless communications network node.
• HLR Home Location Register
• VLR Visitor Location Register
• the terminal solution for implementing the system and method of the present invention can be seen.
• the system 20 of the present invention comprises a Mobile Station (MS) 80 and an HLR/VLR 60.
• the HLR 60 communicates with the MS 80 by means of a switching center, such as the Serving Mobile Service Center (SMSC) 70.
• the MS 80 which can be described as a telephonic communication device, may also be replaced by a separate element (similar to conventional caller identification devices) which is in electronic communication with a conventional telephone.
• the MS 80 has a memory 85 which contains a list or index 250.
• the index 250 comprises a series of Personal Identification Codes (PICs)-, typically arranged in serial order, associated with several different A- numbers (i.e., calling party telephone numbers) and "tags," or calling party names.
• the index 250 is set up by the MS 80 subscriber in any order of preference desired, so that each PIC in the index 250 corresponds to a desired tag, or calling party name.
• a series of A-numbers are also included in the index, as is well known in the art of caller identification. However, in conventional caller identification services, there is no PIC included in the index, and identical A-numbers are not
• the method of the present invention using the terminal solution, is implemented by first having the calling party operate a telephone 30 having a keypad 35, enter a function code, a PIC, and the telephone number of the called party (which corresponds to the MS 80) .
• the combination of the function code, a PIC, and B-number is noted in Figure 1 as the combination 100.
• An example of a typical combination 100 would be a series of digits similar to "*555 + 01 + 333-333-3333" wherein the entry "*555” is the function code (which enables reception of the PIC by the HLR/VLR 60) , the entry "01" is the PIC, and the entry "333-333-3333” is the B-number of the called party, which in this case is MS 80.
• the combination 100 is sent over a wire line interface 90 to the Public Service Telephone Network (PSTN) 40.
• PSTN Public Service Telephone Network
• a cellular telephone may be used in place of the telephone 30, and in that case an air interface 90 is substituted for the wire line connection 90 and the PSTN 40 is replaced by a Base Station (BS) 40.
• BS Base Station
• the PSTN/BS 40 sends the combination 100 over the network connection 110 to a switching center, such as a Gateway Mobile Switching Center (GMSC) 50, and a location_request message 120, including the combination 100, is sent from the GMSC 50 to an HLR 60 or VLR 60, where it is received by a program module 69.
• GMSC Gateway Mobile Switching Center
• a query is made within the HLR/VLR 60 at step 130 to determine whether the user profile contained in the HLR/VLR 60 indicates that the MS 80 supports the PIC scanning function.
• a route_request message 140 containing the B-number (i.e., the called party telephone number or telephone number corresponding to the MS 80) and the PIC is sent to a mobile service center, such as the Serving Mobile Service Center (SMSC) 70, from the HLR/VLR 60.
• SMSC Serving Mobile Service Center
• a paging message 150 is sent to the MS 80.
• the paging message 150 is acknowledged at step 160 and a Temporary Local Directory Number (TLDN) is assigned at step 170 by the SMSC 70 to the MS 80.
• An alert message, containing the PIC, is then sent to the MS 80 from the SMSC 70 at step 200.
• This also prompts sending a return_result message 180 containing the TLDN from the SMSC 70 to the HLR/VLR 60.
• the TLDN is in turn passed on to the GMSC 50 from the HLR/VLR 60 as a return_result message 190.
• the messages 180, 190 serve to close the transactions opened by the original location_request message 120 and the route_request message 140.
• the index 250 contained in the memory 85 of the MS 80 is scanned by a software module 87 which resides in the MS 80 at step 210 in an attempt to match the PIC to a tag in the index 250.
• the tag corresponding to the PIC is then displayed on the MS 80 display 82 at step 220 (or announced by voice to the subscriber) . If the user of the MS 80 desires, the call may be answered at step 230, and the call connection completed at step 240. If no tag is matched, then the A-number corresponding to the PIC will be displayed (or announced) .
• the preceding series of steps assumes that the query within the HLR/VLR 60 at step 130 results in the conclusion that the enhanced caller identification services of the present invention are supported in the MS 80. If the inquiry meets with a negative result, such that the services are not supported, then the route_request message 140 will simply carry the A- number of the calling party telephone 30 to the SMSC 70. Then, instead of the PIC being sent in the alert message 200 to the MS 80, the A-number will be sent. Thus, the scanning program module 87 within the MS 80 will use the A-number to match a tag in the index 250, instead of the PIC.
• FIG. 1 shows an MS 80 having a memory 85 as the telephonic communication device of the present invention.
• a specially-developed intelligent interface box similar to conventional caller identification modules currently available, can also be used in conjunction with a conventional telephone terminal to provide the enhanced caller identification services of the present invention.
• the telephonic communication device of the present invention comprises an intelligent peripheral in electronic communication with a conventional telephone terminal .
• the memory 85 contains an index 250 with a first plurality of calling party telephone numbers, or A-numbers, and a second plurality of tags, or calling party names . Selected ones of the first plurality of calling party telephone numbers are indexed in a one- to-one correspondence with each one of the second plurality of calling party names, or tags, according to a third plurality of PICs. Whereas the PICs within the index 250 are unique, the tags and A-numbers may be duplicated any number of times.
• a program module 87 also resident within the memory 85, is adapted to receive a preselected PIC from a network node, which is typically an HLR/VLR 60, and to search the index 250 for a selected calling party name or tag corresponding to the preselected PIC which it has received.
• the PIC is selected from the third plurality of PICs within the memory 85 and index 250.
• the network node 60 which is typically an HLR or VLR, is adapted to receive a function code that prompts sending the preselected PIC to the telephone communication device or MS 80.
• multiple tags, or calling party names can be entered for the same A- number, using different PICs. That is, if two brothers live at the same home address, and each would like to be identified individually to other parties, they can each be designated with a different PIC. This occurs even though each brother has the same A-number.
• the MS 80 does not support this service, the A-number received by the MS 80 will be matched to the first tag corresponding to the A-number, and that first matching tag will be displayed at the MS 80 instead.
• the index 260 is maintained within the HLR/VLR 60, in a corresponding memory 65.
• the initial steps by the calling party using telephone 30 to forward the combination 100 through the PSTN/BS 40 to the GMSC 50 and the HLR/VLR 60 are the same as described for the terminal solution.
• the query as to whether the MS 80 user subscribes to the enhanced caller identification services of the present invention i.e., the node is authorized to receive the PIC
• a program module 67 within the HLR/VLR 60 is used to scan the index 260 in a manner similar to that described for the terminal solution.
• the matching PIC is used to substitute an A' -number (i.e., prime number) for the A-number sent to the HLR/VLR 60 by the location_request message 120.
• the route_request message 140 containing the B-number of the MS 80, along with the A' -number substituted for the actual A-number of the telephone 30, are sent to the SMSC 70.
• the MS 80 is paged at step 150, and the page is acknowledged at step 160 as before.
• the alert message 200 is sent from the SMSC 70 to the MS 80, carrying the A' -number to the MS 80.
• the table 88 which is well known in the art of caller identification, and carried within the memory 85 of the MS 80, is scanned for a matching A 1 -number which is equated with a tag.
• the table 88 values have been preselected by the user of the MS 80 to provide a display of the tag value which corresponds to preselected A' -numbers.
• the corresponding tag from the table 88 is displayed on display 82 (or announced via synthesized voice) at step 225.
• the user of the MS 80 may decide to answer the call at step
• the call can be completely set up at step 240.
• step 265 assumes that the inquiry as to whether the MS 80 user subscribes to the enhanced services of the present invention in step 265 was answered affirmatively. If the query meets with a negative result, then the A-number of the telephone 30 is passed on to the SMSC 70 in the route_request message 140, in place of a preselected A' -number. The alert message 200 will then carry the A-number of the telephone 30 to the MS 80, instead of the A' -number, and the scanning of the table 88 will make use of the A-number in step 215, instead of the A' -number. Thus, the displayed (or announced) result will be a tag, or calling party name, which corresponds to the A-number, and not the A' -number. The other steps in the process are the same.
• the network solution is not capable of providing multiple PICs for a single A' -number maintained in the index 260.
• the tag displayed (or announced) at step 225 will always correspond to the A 1 -number which is encountered first by the scanning program among the PICs maintained in the index 260. If no tag is found to correspond with the A 1 -number, then the A' -number itself will be displayed, or announced, to the subscriber.
• a tag or calling party name can be stored in the table 260 in the place of an A' -number. That is, the alternative table 260 may comprise a series of personal identification codes in a one-to-one correspondence with a series of tags, or calling party names.
• the program module 67 within the HLR/VLR 60 is used to scan the index 260 in a manner similar to that previously described.
• the matching PIC is used to substitute a tag for the A-number sent to the HLR/VLR 60 by the location_request message 120.
• the route_request message 140 containing the B-number of the MS 80, along with the tag substituted for the actual A-number of the telephone 30, are sent to the SMSC 70.
• the tag is sent in place of the A' - number .
• the MS 80 is paged at step 150, and the page is acknowledged in step 160.
• the alert message 200 is sent from the SMSC 70 to the MS 80, carrying the tag to the MS 80 (in place of the A' -number) .
• the table 88 is not needed in this case, and the MS 80, using the tag, may display the name of the calling party directly.
• a program module such as program module 87 shown in Fig. 1, will be used within the MS 80 to determine that a tag has been received, and should be displayed to the user of the MS 80. If the MS 80 user does not subscribe to the enhanced services of the present invention, as determined in step 265, then the A-number of the telephone 30 is passed onto the SMSC 70 in the route_request message 140, in place of the tag. The remainder of the process is as described for the process wherein an A' -number is not available for sending to the SMSC 70, and the A-number is sent instead, described above.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)
• Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)
• Telephone Function (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=23460156

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Cited By (6)

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Citations (4)

• 2000
  • 2000-06-30 MX MXPA02001242A patent/MXPA02001242A/es unknown
  • 2000-06-30 CN CN00811352A patent/CN1369169A/zh active Pending
  • 2000-06-30 WO PCT/SE2000/001403 patent/WO2001019059A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2000-06-30 BR BR0013035-4A patent/BR0013035A/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2000-06-30 AU AU60411/00A patent/AU6041100A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (4)

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