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US5481592A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

System for automatically completing calls to mobile telephone subscribers

Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1994-10-05
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Granted: 1996-01-02
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Expires: 2014-10-05
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Abstract

Abstract A system and method which can complete a call to a specific Inmarsat subscriber ship. When a call arrives at a gateway switch, a test is made to determine if the called ship is in the gateway's local database. If it is, then a current region code is retrieved from the database and substituted for the dialed code for call processing. A call is then placed to the ship. If the call can be completed, the call is processed normally. If the call cannot be completed because the ship cannot be located in the selected region, then the call is automatically retried to each of the other regions, in a predetermined order. The local database in the gateway switch will be updated whenever a call is completed whether the call was originated or terminated at the mobile terminal.

Inventors

  • 👤 Mikhail S. Azer

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 11:04
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W84/00; H04W84/02; H04B; H04B7/00; H04B7/14; H04B7/15; H04B7/185; H04B7/1853; H04B7/18545; H04B7/18556; H04W84/04

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim 174 words
A method, usable in a wireless communications system, for completing a wireless call to a mobile subscriber regardless of the region in which the subscriber is located, said wireless communications system comprising a gateway switch connected to a plurality of wireless transmission-receiver stations, each of said stations providing wireless service to a predefined region of the earth, and each of said stations having a unique region code which code is used to route call to subscribers served by that station, said method comprising the steps of: A. receiving a call to said subscriber at said gateway switch, said call including one of said region codes; B. said gateway switch extending said call to the one of said stations having said region code; C. responsive to said gateway switch receiving a prespecified signal from said one station having said region code which indicates that the call cannot be completed to said subscriber, said gateway switch substituting another region code and extending said call to the other of said stations which has said substituted region code.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 174 words
A method, usable in a wireless communications system, for completing a wireless call to a mobile subscriber regardless of the region in which the subscriber is located, said wireless communications system comprising a gateway switch connected to a plurality of wireless transmission-receiver stations, each of said stations providing wireless service to a predefined region of the earth, and each of said stations having a unique region code which code is used to route call to subscribers served by that station, said method comprising the steps of: A. receiving a call to said subscriber at said gateway switch, said call including one of said region codes; B. said gateway switch extending said call to the one of said stations having said region code; C. responsive to said gateway switch receiving a prespecified signal from said one station having said region code which indicates that the call cannot be completed to said subscriber, said gateway switch substituting another region code and extending said call to the other of said stations which has said substituted region code.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 53 words
A method according to claim 1 further including, prior to Step B, the additional step of: inquiring of a local database at said gateway switch for the last entered region code corresponding to the subscriber identified by said received call; and including the routing of said call therein code provided b said database.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 42 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said transmitter-receiver station is located in a satellite and said extending step includes extending said call to an earth station associated with said satellite, said earth station providing the links to and from said satellite.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said steps B and C are repeated until the call is completed in one of said regions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 34 words
A method according to claim 4 wherein said gateway includes a database, said method further including the steps of: completing said call to said subscriber; and updating said database with said subscriber's current region.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said steps B and C are repeated until all regions have been tried.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 21 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein, after all regions have been tried, an announcement is played to a calling party.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 34 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said gateway includes a database, said method further including the steps of: completing said call to said subscriber; and updating said database with said subscriber's current region.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 37 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said gateway includes a database, said method further including the step of: responsive to receipt of a call originating with a subscriber, updating said database with said subscriber's current region.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 153 words
A wireless communications system capable of completing a wireless call to a subscriber regardless of the region in which the subscriber is located, said wireless communications system comprising a gateway switch connected to a plurality of satellite earth stations, each of said earth stations having a unique region code and each of said earth stations being in communication with a satellite that provides wireless service to a predefined region of the earth, characterized by: said gateway switch having means for extending an incoming call to the satellite earth station corresponding to a region code in a dialed telephone number and receiving a prespecified signal from said earth station having said region code wherein said prespecified signal indicates that the call cannot be completed to said subscriber; and said gateway switch having means for substituting another region code and extending said call to the one of said earth stations having said substituted region code.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 153 words
A wireless communications system capable of completing a wireless call to a subscriber regardless of the region in which the subscriber is located, said wireless communications system comprising a gateway switch connected to a plurality of satellite earth stations, each of said earth stations having a unique region code and each of said earth stations being in communication with a satellite that provides wireless service to a predefined region of the earth, characterized by: said gateway switch having means for extending an incoming call to the satellite earth station corresponding to a region code in a dialed telephone number and receiving a prespecified signal from said earth station having said region code wherein said prespecified signal indicates that the call cannot be completed to said subscriber; and said gateway switch having means for substituting another region code and extending said call to the one of said earth stations having said substituted region code.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 27 words
A wireless system according to claim 10 wherein said means for substituting substitutes a further region code until the call is completed in one of said regions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 36 words
A wireless system according to claim 10 wherein said means for substituting includes a database, said means for substituting further comprising: means for updating said database with said subscriber's current region when said call is completed.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 37 words
A wireless system according to claim 10 wherein said gateway includes a database, said system further including: means for updating said database with said subscriber's current region, responsive to receipt of a call originating with a subscriber.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4737978A Cited
US5410728A Cited
US5173933A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-01-01 1999-07-03 2000-01-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-01-01 2003-07-03 2004-01-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-01-01 2007-07-03 2008-01-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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