VOICE MAIL SERVICES IN A MULTI-NETWORK TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

Abstract: Voice mail services (20, 21), provided by one of a plurality of interconnected networks (2, 3) in a telecommunications system (1), including both fixed (2) and mobile telecommunication network (3), are made available to users (4, 12) of another of the networks (2, 3).

Description: Ti tl e Voice mail services in a multi-network telecommunications system. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to telecommunications and, in particular, to the provision of voice mail services in a telecommunications system comprising a plurality of interconnected telecommunications networks including wired or fixed and radio or mobile telecommunications networks. Background of the Invention Modern telecommunications systems comprise a plurality of interconnected telecommunications networks, among others a wired or fixed telecommunications network, such as the Public Switched Telecommunications Network (PSTN) or the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) , and wireless cellular radio or mobile telecommunications networks, such as operating in accordance with the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), for example. Traditionally, the wired or fixed networks and the radio or mobile networks have been separately developed, each providing a plurality of telecommunications services to their users or subscribers, such as voice mail services. Currently, users or subscribers having a connection or subscription to a fixed and mobile network, receive separate voice mail services from each network. That is, unanswered calls to the extension of a user in the fixed network end up in a voice mail system of the fixed network and unanswered calls to the extension of the user in the mobile network end up in the mobile voice mail system, for example. Accordingly, a user having a fixed and mobile subscription or extension has to use the fixed and the mobile voice mail systems separately. Summary of the Invention It is an object of the present invention to improve voice mail services in a telecommunications system comprising a plurality of interconnected telecommunications networks, including both fixed and mobile telecommunications networks. This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the present invention in that voice mail services provided by one of the networks are made available to users of another of the networks, thereby making the use of voice mail services in the telecommunications system less complicated. The solution according to the invention provides both an advantage for the user as well as the network operator. With the invention, voice mail services available in one or a plurality of the networks may be shared. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, users of the mobile network receive voice mail services from the fixed network. Accordingly, resources for providing voice mail services in the fixed network may be allocated to or used by users of the mobile network. In a further embodiment of the invention, incoming calls to a user of both the fixed and mobile network are routed to a voice mailbox of the user in the fixed network, such that the user needs only to check a single voice mailbox for messages received. The invention does not preclude a user or operator to provide separate voice mail services in the fixed and mobile tele- communications networks, for example. In such a case, in order to enhance the ease of use of the voice mail services for a user, a yet further embodiment of the invention provides that incoming calls to a user having a voice mailbox in the mobile network are routed to the voice mailbox of the user in the fixed network, on demand of the user. For the purpose of routing the incoming calls in the mobile network to the voice mailbox in the fixed network, data identifying a called user of the mobile network are checked for matching with stored user identification data, including a demand for routing. Such that, if matching data are formed, the incomming calls will be routed to the voice mailbox of the fixed network, and, if no matching data are found, the incoming calls will be routed to the voice mailbox of the user in the mobile network. The user identification data may comprise called party number information contained in the incoming calls, for example. In case of a single voice mailbox, for example located in the fixed network, for accessing this mailbox, a user may simply set up a call to the particular voice mailbox in the fixed network. However, in case a user is provided with separate voice mailboxes in both the fixed and mobile network, in a further embodiment of the invention, a user of the mobile network is provided access to his voice mailbox in the fixed network by routing to the voice mailbox in the fixed network calls of the user to his voice mailbox in the mobile network. Accordingly, users of the mobile network having availed themselves of the possibility of receiving all the voice mail in a single voice mailbox, may simply set up a call to their voice mailbox in the mobile network for retrieving messages in the voice mailbox located in the fixed network. In a further embodiment of the invention, for the purpose of routing to the voice mailbox in the fixed network of calls of a mobile user to his voice mailbox in the mobile network, further identification data of the user are checked for matching with stored further identification data. This further identification data may comprise calling party number information contained in calls of the user. With this embodiment of the invention, easy access to the improved voice mail service of the invention can be provided on a subscription basis. That is, subscribers or users which are not registered by the further identification data will not gain access from the mobile network to the voice mailbox in the fixed network, by simply calling their voice mailbox in the mobile network. In order to provide a user access to this voice mailbox from any network terminal, in a yet other embodiment of the invention, remote access identification data provided by the user, including identification and authentication data, are applied. A check on matching identification data, further identification data and authentication data, if applicable, can be performed in Service Control Point (SCP) equipment of the telecommunication system. However, in practical applications, the SCP equipment may have a limited storage capacity for data of this type. Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, a check on matching identification data, further identification data and authentication data, if applicable, is performed in Service Data Point (SDP) equipment of the telecommunications system, providing a sufficient data storage capacity for use of the service on a large scale. The invention further relates to a telecommunications system comprising a plurality of interconnected telecommunications networks, wherein at least one of the networks comprises means for providing voice mail services, and characterized in that the telecommunications networks and the means for providing voice mail services in one of the networks are arranged for providing voice mail services in another of the networks. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the one network comprises a wired or fixed telecommunications network, and the other network comprises a mobile or radio telecommunications network, such as a cellular mobile telecommunications network operating in accordance with any of the applicable standards. In particular a so-called Intelligent Network (IN) comprising a configuration of Service Switching Point (SSP) and Service Control Point (SCP) equipment is available. The fixed network may comprise voice mailbox equipment arranged for storing voice mail of incoming calls to a user in both the fixed and mobile network. In a further embodiment of the telecommunications system according to the invention, wherein both the mobile network and the fixed network comprise voice mailbox equipment arranged for storing voice mail of incoming calls to user in a particular network, means are provided arranged for checking data identifying a called user of the mobile network for matching with stored user identification data including a demand for routing, and for routing the incoming calls to the voice mailbox of the fixed network if matching data are found and, for routing the incoming calls to the voice mailbox of the user in the mobile network if no matching data are found. In a further embodiment, for providing a user of the mobile network access to his voice mailbox in the fixed network, the means are arranged for routing to the voice mailbox in a fixed network calls of the user to his voice mailbox in the mobile network. The above-mentioned features and advantages of the invention are illustrated in the following description with reference to the enclosed drawing. Brief Description of the Drawing The single figure shows a simplified block diagram of a telecommunications system providing wired and/or wireless telecommuni- cations services, and incorporating the present invention. Detailed Description of the Embodiment The invention will now be disclosed with reference to a so-called Intelligent Network (IN) telecommunications system environment 1, comprising a wired or fixed telecommunications network 2, such as the Public Switched Telecommunications Network (PSTN) or the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) and a cellular wireless or mobile radio telecommunications network 3, such as the Global System for Mobile communication (GSM). For clarification purposes, only single fixed and radio telecommunications networks have been disclosed. In practice, operators may provide telecommunications services through a plurality of networks, either fixed or mobile, and different operators may provide radio and wired or fixed telecommunications services to users in the same region or country, for example. In general, a subscriber or user 4 connects by a Local Exchange (LE) 5 to a Trunk Exchange (TE) 6. The LE 5 and the TE 6 are connected by a trunk line 7, while the user or subscriber 4 connects to the LE 5 by a drop line 8. In the embodiment shown, the TE 6 is of the type comprising Service Switching Point (SSP) equipment 9 for controlling the associated TE 6 in order to establish the required transmission links for exchanging calls by users or subscribers of the wired telecommunications network 2. For providing telecommunications services to users 4 of the telecommunications network 2, Service Control Point (SCP) equipment 10 is provided. The SCP 10 connects by a signalling link 11 to the SCP 9. The mobile radio telecommunications network 3 includes one or a plurality of mobile users 12, shown in the form of a mobile radio phone, one or more radio Base Stations (BS) 13 and a radio exchange or Mobile Service Center (MSC) 14. The MSC 14 connects to the TE 6 by a trunk line 15. The radio base station 13 connect to the MSC 14 by a wire or cable 16. Each mobile radio unit of a user 12 comprises transceiver means, one end of which is connected to a receive/transmit antenna 17 and another end of which is connected to a microphone/loudspeaker arrangement for voice communication and/or a data interface (not shown). Each base station 13 comprises radio transceiver means connected to a receive/transmit antenna 18 and provides radio service 19 to a geographically limited region, also called a cell . A typical cellular mobile network may comprise hundreds of base stations 13, thousands of mobile stations 12 and more than one MSC 14. Besides controlling the communications services provided in the mobile telecommunications network 3, the MSC 14 is arranged for connecting calls from mobile extensions or users 12 to extensions or users 4 of the fixed telecommunications network 2, and visa versa. In the embodiment shown, the fixed telecommunications network 2 and the mobile telecommunications network 3 both comprise means 20, respectively 21 for providing Voice Mail Services (VMS) to users of the associated network 2, respectively 3. The voice mail system indicated by reference numeral 20 is controlled from the SCP 10 and Service Data Point (SDP) equipment 22, among others provided for the purpose of registering and checking subscriptions of users to the voice mail system 20. Calls to the voice mail system 20, which may include a voice mailbox 23 for storing messages to users, are routed via the SSP 9 to which the voice mail system 20 connects by a line 24. The SCP 10 and the SDP 22 connect by a signalling link 25 for the purpose of exchanging data. Voice mail services in the mobile communications network 3 are handled through the MSC 14 to which the voice mail system 21 connects by a line 26. In practice, among others, the voice mail system 21 comprises voice mailbox equipment 27 for storing voice mail messages to users of the mobile communications network 3. At present, users or subscribers to the wired or fixed telecommunications network 2 receive voice mail services from the voice mail system 20 allocated to the wired telecommunications network 2 seperately from users or subscribers of the mobile telecommunications network 3, which receive voice mail services from the voice mail system 21 allocated to the mobile telecommunications network 3. That is, unanswered calls to a user or subscriber 4 of the wired telecommunications network 2 are handled by the voice mail system 20 and may end up in the voice mailbox 23, for example. Unanswered calls to users or subscribers 12 in the mobile telecommunications network 3 are handled by the voice mail service 21 and may end up in the voice mailbox equipment 27. Accordingly, a user having a subscription or extension to both the wired and wireless or mobile telecommunications network 2, 3 has to retrieve messages from the voice mailbox equipment 23, 27 separately. Further, activating and deactivating of the respective voice mail systems has to be performed via the appropriate extension (fixed or mobile). The present invention is based on the insight that by making voice mail services provided by one of the networks available to users of another of the networks, a more subscriber friendly use of the voice mail services can be achieved, such as the retrieval of messages stored in voice mail equipment available to a user. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, in view of the available resources in the fixed telecommunications network 2, users of the mobile telecommunications network 3 receive voice mail services from the fixed or wired telecommunications network 2. That is, unanswered calls to users in the mobile telecommunications network 3 may be routed to the voice mail equipment 23 of the users in the wired or fixed telecommunications network 2, for example. In the telecommunications system 1 as shown, in order to route such unanswered calls to a user 12 in the mobile telecommunications network 3, the MSC 14 may inquire the SCP 10 and/or the SDP 22 for data identifying the mailbox equipment 23 of the user, for example, and setting up a link to the respective voice mailbox equipment 23 via the TE 6 and SSP 9 of the wired telecommunications network 2. For this purpose, the MSC 14 may have a direct signalling link 28 with the SCP 10. Those skilled in the art will appreciate, that with this method of providing voice mail services in accordance with the invention, voice mailbox equipment 27 in the mobile telecommunications network 3 essentially may be omitted. However, in practice, current wired and wireless telecommunication networks each have their own voice mail systems, such as the voice mail systems 20 and 21, respectively. Accordingly, the improved voice mail service according to the present invention may be provided on a subscription basis, such that users may chose to avail themselves of the benefits of the present improved voice mail services. Preferably, a user is provided an option to indicate a demand for having all the voice mail stored in the voice mail equipment 23 of the wired telecommunications network 2, or to have the voice mail systems 20, 21 and the associated voice mailbox equipment 23, 27 operated separately. In the case of voice mail services provided on a subscription basis, for the purpose of routing (unanswered) incoming calls in the mobile network to the voice mailbox in the fixed network, data identifying a called user or subscriber 12 of the mobile network 3 are checked by the SCP 10 or, in case of a large number of subscribers or users, for example, by the SDP 22 for matching with stored user identifi- cation data, including a demand for routing. If matching data are found by the SCP 10 and/or SDP 22, this means that the user would like to receive all voice mail in his voice mailbox 23 of the wired telecommunications network 2. Accordingly, the call will be routed from the mobile telecommunications network 3 to the voice mailbox equipment 23 as disclosed above. If a user has not availed himself of the possibility of having all calls routed to the voice mailbox equipment 23 of the wired telecommunications network 2, or if a user has not indicated a demand for routing calls, the SDP 22 will not find matching data. This will be signalled to the MSC 14 via the SCP 10, such that the (unanswered) call to the user 12 in the mobile telecommunications network 3 will end up in the voice mailbox equipment 27 of user 12 of the mobile voice mail system 21. It will be appreciated, that the calling user will not have to notice from which voice mail service, either the fixed voice mail system 20 or the mobile voice mail system 21, he or she receives services. Although any type of identification data identifying a called user 12 in the mobile network can be used for the purpose of the present invention, in practice, called party number information of the incoming calls suits this purpose. It will be appreciated that, in the preferred embodiment of the invention as disclosed above, calls to a user or subscriber 4 in the fixed network will receive voice mail services from the fixed voice mail system 20, such that unanswered calls will end up with the voice mailbox equipment 23 of the fixed voice mail system 20. For retrieving messages from the voice mailbox equipment 23 in the wired telecommunications network 2, a user may simply set up a call to the respective voice mailbox equipment in accordance with the procedure provided. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a user of the mobile telecommunications network 3 is provided access to his voice mailbox 23 in the wired or fixed telecommunications network 2 by routing, in the telecommunications system 1, a call to the voice mailbox equipment 27 of the user in the mobile telecommunication network 3 directly and automatically to the voice mailbox equipment 23 in the fixed telecommunications network 2. Thus, a user wishing to retrieve messages from his voice mail service, may simply call his voice mailbox 27 in the mobile telecommunication system 3. Routing of such a call to the mobile voice mail system is performed by the MSC 14 after inquiring the SCP 10 and SDP 22 for data identifying the respective mailbox equipment 23 in the wired telecommunications network 2. The actual call to the mailbox equipment 23 will then be set up via the MSC 14, the TE 6 and the SSP 9. In case of voice mail services on a subscription and/or demand basis, it will be appreciated that first a check has to be performed to see whether indeed all the voice mail messages to a user have been stored in a single voice mailbox equipment, such as the voice mailbox equipment 23 of the wired telecommunications network 2. For this purpose, identification data of the user wishing access to his voice mailbox equipment has to be checked with identification data, including a demand for routing of voice mail calls, by the SDP 22. If matching data have been found, the user is provided access to the common mailbox equipment. If no matching data are found, in a case of a call of a user to his voice mail system from the mobile telecommunications network 3, the user will be connected to his voice mailbox equipment 27 of the mobile voice mail system 21. Suitable identification data are the called party information data contained in the respective calls, in case the user calls from his own mobile telecommunication unit 12. For the purpose of providing access to the voice mail service in case a user calls from an extension not related to his own communication equipment or extension, suitable identification data and authentication data have to be provided by the user and checked by the SDP 22, in order to route the call of the user to the correct mailbox equipment, for example. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides users having both a fixed and mobile subscription or extension to subscribe to a novel voice mail service, providing the user the benefits of combining his fixed and mobile voice mail system in an easy to retrieve manner. The service can be activated by a user, such that all voice mail will be delivered into a single voice mailbox of the user in the fixed network, thus calls to the extension of the user in the mobile and fixed network. By deactivating the service, the user may regain separate use of the voice mail services in both the fixed and mobile network. Access to the voice mail service by a user is automatically established by either setting up a call to a mobile voice mail service or the fixed voice mail service, dependent on whether the service is activated or not. A remote access functionality is provided. Although in the above the invention is mainly disclosed with respect to its embodiment in which a user receives voice mail services from the fixed or wired telecommunications network, those skilled in the art will appreciate that all the services likewise may be applied from the mobile voice mail system. Such that all voice mail services to a user in both the fixed or wired telecommunications network and the mobile or radio telecommunications network will be provided by the voice mail system of the mobile telecommunications network. Further, the invention is not limited to the embodiment of a telecommunications system shown and described above. Various modifications and additions can be made to the invention by persons skilled in the art without applying inventive skills and within the scope of the invention as defined in the attached claims.

Claims: Claims 1. A method of providing voice mail services in a telecommunications system comprising a plurality of interconnected telecommunications networks including both fixed and mobile telecommunication networks, characterized in that voice mail services provided by one of said networks are made available to users of another of said networks. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said voice mail services of said one network are made available to said users of said other network on a subscription bases. 3. A method according to any of the previous claims, wherein users of a mobile network receive voice mail services from a fixed network. 4. A method according to claim 3, wherein incoming calls to a user in both said fixed and mobile networks, are routed to a voice mailbox of said user in said fixed network. 5. A method according to claim 4, wherein incoming calls to a user having a voice mailbox in said mobile network are routed to said voice mailbox of said user in said fixed network on demand of said user. 6. A method according to claim 5, wherein for the purpose of routing said incoming calls in said mobile network to said voice mailbox in said fixed network, data identifying a called user of said mobile network are checked for matching with stored user identification data including a demand for routing and, if no matching data are found, said incoming calls will be routed to said voice mailbox of said user in said mobile network. 7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said user identification data comprise called party number information of said incoming calls. 8. A method according to claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein a user of said mobile network is provided access to his voice mailbox in said fixed network by routing to said voice mailbox in said fixed network calls of said user to his voice mailbox in said mobile network. 9. A method according to claim 8, wherein for the purpose of routing to said voice mailbox in said fixed network of calls of a mobile user to his voice mailbox in said mobile network, further identification data of said user are checked for matching with stored further identification data. 10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said further identification data comprise call ing party number information of said calls of said user. 11. A method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein if no matching data are found, said calls are routed to said voice mailbox of said user in said mobile network. 12. A method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein a user is provided access to his voice mailbox in said fixed network from any network terminal using remote access identification data, comprising user identification and authentication data. 13. A method according to any of the claims 7-12, wherein matching of identification data is performed in Service Control Point (SCP) equipment and/or Service Data Point (SDP) equipment of said telecommunications system. 14. A telecommunications system comprising a plurality of interconnected telecommunications networks, wherein at least one of said networks comprises means for providing voice mail services, characterized in that said telecommunications networks and said means for providing voice mail services in one of said networks are arranged for providing voice mail services in another of said networks. 15. A telecommunications system according to claim 14, wherein said one network comprises a fixed or wired telecommunications network, and said other network comprises a mobile or radio telecommunications network. 16. A telecommunications system according to claim 15, wherein said fixed network comprises voice mailbox equipment, arranged for storing voice mail of incoming calls to a user in both said fixed and mobile networks. 17. A telecommunications system according to claim 16, wherein said mobile network comprises voice mailbox equipment arranged for storing voice mail of incoming calls to a user in said mobile network, said telecommunications system comprising means arranged for checking data identifying a called user of said mobile network for matching with stored user identification data including a demand for routing, routing of said incoming calls to said voice mailbox of said user in said fixed network if matching data are found and, routing of said incoming calls to said voice mailbox of said user in said mobile network if no matching data are found. 18. A telecommunications system according to claim 16 or 17, comprising means for providing a user of said mobile network access to his voice mailbox in said fixed network by routing to said voice mailbox in said fixed network calls of said user to his voice mailbox in said mobile network. 19. A telecommunications system according to claim 18, wherein said means for the purpose of routing to said voice mailbox in said fixed network of calls of a mobile user to his voice mailbox in said mobile network are arranged for checking further data identifying said user for matching with stored further identification data including authentication data. 20. A telecommunications system according to claim 17, 18 or 19, wherein said means comprise Service Data Point (SDP) equipment of said telecommunications system.

Inventors: BOT JOHANNES JAN, CLAXTON MARCEL RENE, KOK WILLEM DINAND HEIN, VAN HELVOORT LEON D C, ZUURVELD MARCO, BOT, JOHANNES, JAN, CLAXTON, MARCEL, RENE, KOK, WILLEM, DINAND, HEIN, VAN HELVOORT, LEON, D., C., ZUURVELD, MARCO
Applicants: BOT JOHANNES JAN, CLAXTON MARCEL RENE, ERICSSON TELEFON AB L M, HELVOORT LEON D C VAN, KOK WILLEM DINAND HEIN, ZUURVELD MARCO, BOT, JOHANNES, JAN, CLAXTON, MARCEL, RENE, KOK, WILLEM, DINAND, HEIN, TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL), VAN HELVOORT, LEON, D., C., ZUURVELD, MARCO
Application year: 1999
Main classification: H04M3
IPC codes: H04M3, H04Q3