Patent US5978673A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5978673A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Providing location-based call forwarding within a mobile telecommunications network
Assignee: Ericsson Inc
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Filing: 1996-12-13
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Granted: 1999-11-02
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Expires: 2016-12-13
Abstract
Abstract Call forwarding data, including forward to numbers for a particular mobile station are correlated with a particular service area and stored at a home location register (HLR) associated with that particular mobile station. Whenever the mobile station travels into a mobile switching center (MSC) serving that particular service area, the MSC performs a location update with the HLR. A location update signal further includes data representing the identity of the service area currently serving the mobile station. Upon receiving the location update signal from the serving MSC, the HLR analyzes the received data to determine the identity of the service area currently serving the mobile station and retrieves the call forwarding data associated with that particular service area. The retrieved call forwarding data are then analyzed to determine whether the forward to numbers are located in the current service area for the mobile station and, if so, transmitted back to the serving MSC in order to provide location-based call forwarding to the roaming mobile station.
Inventors
- 👤 Vladimir Alperovich
- 👤 Eric Valentine
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 14:20
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/54; H04W; H04W4/00; H04W4/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A method for providing location-based call forwarding data to a mobile switching center (MSC) serving a mobile station within a mobile telecommunications network, said method comprising the steps of: receiving a signal at a home location register (HLR) indicating that said mobile station is currently within a service area associated with said MSC; retrieving a predetermined set of call forwarding data designated for use within the service area within which the mobile station is currently located; and providing said retrieved predetermined set of call forwarding data from said HLR to said MSC for call forwarding use when said mobile station is located within said service area.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
106 words
A method for providing location-based call forwarding data to a mobile switching center (MSC) serving a mobile station within a mobile telecommunications network, said method comprising the steps of: receiving a signal at a home location register (HLR) indicating that said mobile station is currently within a service area associated with said MSC; retrieving a predetermined set of call forwarding data designated for use within the service area within which the mobile station is currently located; and providing said retrieved predetermined set of call forwarding data from said HLR to said MSC for call forwarding use when said mobile station is located within said service area.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of receiving said signal at said HLR further includes the step of receiving a Mobile Application Part (MAP) based location update signal from said MSC, said location update signal further including a network address representing said MSC.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of analyzing said network address representing said MSC to determine said location of said service area.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said service area comprises a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) area.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said service area comprises a MSC coverage area.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said signal received by said HLR further includes data identifying a location area where said mobile station is currently located, and said service area comprises said location area currently serving said mobile station.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said retrieved predetermined set of call forwarding data comprises a selected one of a plurality of sets of forward-to-numbers and said step of poroviding further includes the step of determining which set of forward-to-numbers should be utilized for said service area.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 7, wherein said step of providing further includes the step of determining whether any of said determined set of forward-to-numbers are currently located within said service area.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said step of providing further includes the step of excluding, from said determined set, forward-to-numbers determined to not currently be located within said service area.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for retrieving location-based call forwarding subscriber data associated with a particular mobile station from a home location register (HLR) associated with said mobile station within a mobile telecommunications network, said method comprising the steps of: detecting the presence of a particular mobile station by a mobile switching center (MSC) serving a particular service area; transmitting a signal to a home location register (HLR) associated with said mobile station to update said HLR with a current location of said mobile station; determining the identity of said service area providing mobile service to said mobile station; retrieving a set of predetermined call forwarding data associated with said mobile station and designated for use by the mobile station within said determined service area; and transporting said retrieved predetermined call forwarding data from said HLR to said MSC serving said service area.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for retrieving location-based call forwarding subscriber data associated with a particular mobile station from a home location register (HLR) associated with said mobile station within a mobile telecommunications network, said method comprising the steps of: detecting the presence of a particular mobile station by a mobile switching center (MSC) serving a particular service area; transmitting a signal to a home location register (HLR) associated with said mobile station to update said HLR with a current location of said mobile station; determining the identity of said service area providing mobile service to said mobile station; retrieving a set of predetermined call forwarding data associated with said mobile station and designated for use by the mobile station within said determined service area; and transporting said retrieved predetermined call forwarding data from said HLR to said MSC serving said service area.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 10, wherein said service area served by said MSC further includes a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) area.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 11, wherein said service area served by said MSC further includes a MSC coverage area.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 11, wherein said service area served by said MSC further includes a location area.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said signal transmitted to said HLR further includes data identifying said location area.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 10, wherein said retrieved predetermined set of call forwarding data includes forward-to-numbers associated with said current location.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 15, wherein said forward-to-numbers include one or more mobile station numbers and said method further includes the step of determining whether said forward-to-numbers associated with said current location are currently located in said service area.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 16, wherein any of said forward-to-numbers determined to be outside said service area are excluded from said set of predetermined call forwarding data.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
77 words
A system for providing location-based call forwarding data to a mobile station within a mobile telecommunications network, said system comprising: a MSC; and a HLR having a storage record, said HLR configured to: receive a signal identifying a mobile switching center (MSC) currently serving said mobile station and the current location of said mobile station; and retreive a predetermined set of call forwarding data from said storage record associated with said mobile station for said current location.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
77 words
A system for providing location-based call forwarding data to a mobile station within a mobile telecommunications network, said system comprising: a MSC; and a HLR having a storage record, said HLR configured to: receive a signal identifying a mobile switching center (MSC) currently serving said mobile station and the current location of said mobile station; and retreive a predetermined set of call forwarding data from said storage record associated with said mobile station for said current location.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 18, wherein said signal further comprises a Mobile Application Part (MAP) based location update signal, said location update signal further including a network address representing said MSC.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 19, wherein said HLR is further configured to: analyze said network address representing said MSC to determine a service area associated with said current location.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 20, wherein said service area further includes a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) area.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 20, wherein said service area further includes a MSC coverage area.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system of claim 18, wherein said signal received by said HLR further includes data identifying a location area associated with said current location of said mobile station and wherein said service area further includes said location area currently serving said mobile station.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 18, wherein said retrieved call forwarding data include forward-to-numbers.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
53 words
The system of claim 24, wherein said forward-to-numbers further include one or more mobile station numbers and said HLR is further configured to: determine whether said forward-to-numbers are currently located within said service area; and provide said forward-to-numbers to said MSC if said forward-to-numbers are determined to be located within said service area.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 25, wherein any of said forward-to-numbers not currently located within said service area are not provided to said MSC.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
93 words
A method for providing location-based call forwarding to a mobile subscriber, comprising the steps of: storing by a mobile subscriber at a HLR call forwarding data for said mobile subscriber for each one of a plurality of service areas; determining; if a current service area associated with said mobile subscriber matches one of said plurality of service areas; and providing call forwarding service to said mobile subscriber in accordance with said call forwarding data associated with said current service area if said current service area matches one of said plurality of service areas.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
93 words
A method for providing location-based call forwarding to a mobile subscriber, comprising the steps of: storing by a mobile subscriber at a HLR call forwarding data for said mobile subscriber for each one of a plurality of service areas; determining; if a current service area associated with said mobile subscriber matches one of said plurality of service areas; and providing call forwarding service to said mobile subscriber in accordance with said call forwarding data associated with said current service area if said current service area matches one of said plurality of service areas.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 27, wherein said step of determining further comprises the step of receiving a signal from a mobile switching center (MSC) serving said mobile subscriber, said signal including data identifying said current service area.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 27, wherein said call forwarding data further includes forward-to-number, said forward-to-numbers including one or more mobile station numbers and wherein said method further includes the steps of: determining whether said forward-to-numbers are currently located within said service area; and providing said forward-to-numbers to said MSC.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 29, further including the step of excluding forward-to-numbers not currently located with in said service area from being provided to said MSC.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
92 words
A method for providing location-based call forwarding data to a mobile switching center (MSC) serving a mobile station (MS) in a mobile telecommunications network, said method comprising the steps of: receiving a signal at a Home Location Register (HLR) indicating that said MS is currently within a service area associated with said MSC; and providing a predetermined set of call forwarding data from said HLR to said MSC based on the location of said service area wherein the predetermined set of call forwarding data is designated for use within said service area.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
92 words
A method for providing location-based call forwarding data to a mobile switching center (MSC) serving a mobile station (MS) in a mobile telecommunications network, said method comprising the steps of: receiving a signal at a Home Location Register (HLR) indicating that said MS is currently within a service area associated with said MSC; and providing a predetermined set of call forwarding data from said HLR to said MSC based on the location of said service area wherein the predetermined set of call forwarding data is designated for use within said service area.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 31, wherein said predetermined set of call forwarding data includes one or more sets of forward-to-numbers and said step of providing further includes the step of determining which set of forward-to-numbers to provide based on said location.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 32, wherein said step of providing further includes the step of determining which forward-to-numbers in said determined set are currently located within said service area.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 33, wherein said step of providing further includes the step of: determining which forward-to-numbers in said determined set are not currently located in said service area; and excluding from said determined set said determined forward-to-numbers not currently located within said service area.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-11-01 | 2003-05-03 | 2003-11-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-11-01 | 2007-05-03 | 2007-11-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-11-01 | 2011-05-03 | 2011-11-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |