Abstract:
A system and method allows re-use of the same terminating telephone number with multiple mobile telephones, as when a user of a disposable cell phone obtains another such phone and wants to keep the same number. A system for connecting an incoming call to a mobile telephone comprises a server platform connected to a public switch telephone network and to a mobile switching center of and operable to receive calls from the public switch telephone network and mobile telephones and operable to place calls to the public switch telephone network and to mobile telephones, the server platform comprising a server operable to receive a call from a newly activated mobile telephone, the call being a first call made from the mobile telephone, determine that the newly activated mobile telephone is newly activated, determine whether a user of the newly activated mobile telephone is a returning user of a previous mobile telephone, obtain from the user of the newly activated mobile telephone a telephone number of the previous mobile telephone, and assign the telephone number of the previous mobile telephone to the newly activated mobile telephone.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    The benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of provisional application No. 60/331,179, filed Nov. 9, 2001, is hereby claimed.  
         FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a system and method that allows re-use of the same terminating telephone number with multiple mobile telephones, such as when a user of a disposable cell phone obtains another disposable phone and wants to keep the same number.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Mobile telecommunications, such as that provided by wireless telephones, has become increasingly popular and widespread. With this increasing popularity has come a proliferation of mobile telephone plans, with a proliferation of fees, features, and restrictions. Most such plans require a relatively large initial investment and a continuing monthly fee, regardless of usage. While such plans may meet the needs of many users, they do not meet the needs of many other users. For example, a user may desire a mobile telephone to be available for emergency use only. Likewise, a user may desire short-term service for themselves while on a trip or for visitors while being visited. These uses are not really compatible with the typical initial investment and continuing fee required by most mobile telephone plans. In these and many other situations, a need arises for a mobile telephone that requires a reasonable initial investment and no continuing fee.  
           [0004]    Conventional solutions to such needs include pay-per-use, prepaid, and rental mobile telephones. However, these solutions have disadvantages in that they typically still require relatively large initial investments, contracts, and/or deposits on the part of the user. A better solution is the recyclable/disposable mobile telephone, which requires only a reasonable initial investment by the user and does not require contracts or deposits.  
           [0005]    One problem that arises with the recyclable/disposable mobile telephone is that conventionally, each such recyclable/disposable mobile telephone has a different telephone number and the user of the recyclable/disposable mobile telephone must communicate a new telephone number to potential callers each time the user obtains a new recyclable/disposable mobile telephone.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention is a system and method allows re-use of the same terminating telephone number with multiple mobile telephones, such as when a user of a disposable cell phone obtains another disposable phone and wants to keep the same number.  
           [0007]    In one embodiment of the present invention, a system for connecting an incoming call to a mobile telephone comprises a server platform connected to a public switch telephone network and to a mobile switching center of a mobile telephone network and operable to receive calls from the public switch telephone network and from mobile telephones in the mobile telephone network and operable to place calls to the public switch telephone network and to mobile telephones in the mobile telephone network, the server platform comprising a server operable to receive a call from a newly activated mobile telephone, the call being a first call made from the mobile telephone, determine that the newly activated mobile telephone is newly activated, determine whether a user of the newly activated mobile telephone is a returning user of a previous mobile telephone, obtain from the user of the newly activated mobile telephone a telephone number of the previous mobile telephone, and assign the telephone number of the previous mobile telephone to the newly activated mobile telephone.  
           [0008]    In one aspect of the present invention, the newly activated mobile telephone is a recyclable/disposable telephone. The previous mobile telephone may be a recyclable/disposable telephone. The first call made from the mobile telephone may be dialed to a first telephone number, but may be routed to a second telephone number. The server may be operable to determine that the newly activated mobile telephone is newly activated based on a mobile identification number of the newly activated mobile telephone. The server platform may further comprise an interactive voice response unit operable to prompt the user to input information using the newly activated mobile telephone that indicates whether the user is a returning user of a previous mobile telephone. The server platform may further comprise an interactive voice response unit operable to prompt the user to input information indicating whether the user desires to keep or use the telephone number of the previous mobile telephone for the newly activated mobile telephone and prompting the user to enter the telephone number of the previous mobile telephone. The server platform may further comprise a database comprising information relating to the telephone number of the previous mobile telephone is currently inactive. The server may be further operable to access the database to determine whether the telephone number of the previous mobile telephone is currently inactive. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers and designations refer to like elements.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is an exemplary block diagram of a typical mobile communications network, which may function in conjunction with the present invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is an exemplary block diagram of a mobile communications network, in which the present invention may be implemented.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is an exemplary flow diagram of a process of operation of the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is an exemplary block diagram of a server system shown in FIG. 2.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]    An exemplary block diagram of a typical mobile communications network  100 , which may function in conjunction with the present invention, is shown in FIG. 1. Such a mobile network includes a plurality of base stations, such as base stations  102 A-C. Each base station, such as base station  102 A, typically includes a plurality of base station transceivers, which are part of a base station cluster controlled by a single base station controller. Each base station transceiver transmits and receives radio signals on its corresponding antenna  103 A-C and each such transceiver antenna unit covers an area known as a cell. For much of the network, base station transceivers are organized in a seven cell or twelve cell repeat pattern with tri-sectored coverage for each. Thus, seven or twelve base station transceivers are typically connected to each base station controller. Most base station transceivers have between 20 and 30 voice channels with one signaling channel carrying all of the paging and access functions per cell.  
         [0015]    Each base station, such as base station  102 A, is connected to a mobile switching center (MSC), such as MSC  104 A. MSC  104 A is a digital switching system with a distributed control architecture especially adapted for operation in the cellular environment. The base stations  102 A-C are typically connected to their corresponding MSCs  104 A-C and the public (landline) telephone network  106  over digital lines  108 . The MSCs  104 A-C handle the switching of call traffic between base stations and the landline telephone network, public network  106 . MSCs  104 A-C are also connected by a signaling network  110 , over which a variety of signaling messages are communicated.  
         [0016]    The system also includes a plurality of mobile telephones, such as mobile telephones  112 A-B, which receive and transmit radio signals with the antenna  103 A-C of the base station  102 A-C with which the mobile telephone is communicating. Each mobile telephone  112 A-B may include a subscriber identity module (SIM), such as SIM  114 A-B. Designed to be inserted into a mobile telephone, a SIM or “smart” card contains subscriber-related data, such as phone numbers, service details, and memory for storing messages. With a SIM card, calls can be made from any valid mobile phone because the subscriber data—not the telephone&#39;s internal serial number—is used to make the call  
         [0017]    Associated with mobile communications network  100  is home location register (HLR)  116 . HLR  116  stores management data relating to all of the mobile telephones  112 A-B for which network  100  is the home network. Each MSC  104 A-C is associated with an HLR  116  in the network. In principle there need be only one HLR  116  for the entire mobile network. In practice, there are generally several so as to accommodate the large quantity of data, which is required to be stored in the HLR  116 . This data includes the international mobile station identity (IMSI), the mobile telephone profile of capacities and services unique to the mobile telephone  112 A-B, and the location of the mobile telephone  112 A-B within the overall mobile network. HLR  116  is connected over signaling network  110  to the MSCs  104 A-C in the network.  
         [0018]    Associated with each MSC  104 A-C is a visitor location register (VLR)  118 . Each MSC  104 A-C typically has its own VLR  118 , but this is not required. VLR  118  stores selected data relating to mobile telephones  112 A-B that are visiting within the network associated with VLR  118  and its MSC  104 A-C. The data stored in VLR  118  is transferred from the home location register of the home network to VLR  118  for each mobile telephone  112 A-B within the network of the VLR. This data can include the international mobile station identity (IMSI), the mobile station international ISDN number, and other information, including the current geographic location of the mobile telephone  112 A-B, and the services available to the mobile telephone  112 A-B, for example supplementary voice services or data services.  
         [0019]    The VLR servicing a geographic area is continually updated with the locations of every mobile telephone within its service area as each mobile telephone registers or otherwise communicates with the system. In addition, the HLR is updated with the current serving MSC of each active mobile telephone allocated to it. This location is typically in the form of the particular cell—base station, base station transceiver, and antenna—in which the mobile telephone is located.  
         [0020]    Mobile network  100  may also include service control point (SCP)  118 . SCP  118  is a database that supplies the translation and routing data needed to provide advanced network services in signaling network  110 . SCP  118  translates special service numbers, such as 800 numbers, to provide the required routing number.  
         [0021]    An exemplary block diagram of a mobile communications network  200 , in which the present invention may be implemented, is shown in FIG. 2. Network  200  includes prepaid server platform (PSP)  202 , public switch telephone network (PSTN)  204 , telephone station  206 , mobile switching center (MSC)  208 , wireless switch database  210 , base station  212 , and mobile telephone  214 . The network shown in FIG. 2 is merely an example. One of skill in the art would recognize that a network in which the present invention may be implemented may include multiple instances of elements shown in FIG. 2, as well as additional elements, such as those shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0022]    Mobile telephone  214  receive and transmit radio signals over radio frequency links  216 A and  216 B, respectively, with the antenna of the base station  212  with which the mobile telephone is communicating. Preferably, mobile telephone  214  are disposable/recyclable wireless or cellular telephones (RDP) and will be referred to as such for this example.  
         [0023]    Base station  212  is connected to MSC  208 . MSC  208  is a digital switching system with a distributed control architecture especially adapted for operation in the cellular environment. Base stations  212  is typically connected MSC  208  over digital lines, such as a T 1  line. MSC  208  handles the switching of call traffic between base station  212  and PSP  202 .  
         [0024]    MSC  208  is connected to wireless switch database  210  and PSP  202 . PSP  202  includes prepaid service server  218 , server database system  220 , and interactive voice response (IVR) unit  222 . Server  218  handles calls placed between mobile telephone  214  and PSTN  204 . Server database system  220  stores data needed by server  218  in order to handle the calls and perform the appropriate billing. IVR  222  provides interactive voice response to callers in order to facilitate the handling of calls by server  218 . As one of skill in the art would recognize, server database system  220  and/or IVR  222  may be included in server  218 , or they may be implemented separately from server  218 . The present invention contemplates any and all such arrangements.  
         [0025]    An exemplary flow diagram of a process  300  of operation of the present invention is shown in FIG. 3. It is best viewed in conjunction with FIG. 2. Process  300  begins with step  302 , in which a user obtains a first recyclable/disposable telephone, such as RDP  214 . At some point the user activates RDP  214  and places a first call. In step  304 , regardless of the number dialed by the user, this first call is connected by MSC  208  to PSP  202  based on the Mobile Identification Number (MIN) of RDP  214 . The MIN is a typically ten digit number that is used to uniquely identify a mobile telephone, such as an Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) mobile telephone. Typically, this first call is connected by MSC  208  to PSP  202  using a toll-free access number, such as a 1-800 number. Within PSP  202 , the call is connected to server  218 . Server  218  determines that RDP  214  is newly activated, based on the MIN of RDP  214 . For example, server  218  receives the MIN of RDP  214 , accesses database  220  using the MIN of RDP  214  to obtain information relating to RDP  214 , and based upon this information, determines that RDP  214  is newly activated.  
         [0026]    As a result of determining that RDP  214  is newly activated, in step  306 , server  218  connects the call to IVR  222 , which interacts with the user. In particular, IVR  222  prompts the user to input information using RDP  214  that indicates whether the user is a new user of recyclable/disposable telephones, or whether the user is a returning user of one or more previous recyclable/disposable telephones. If the user is a new user of recyclable/disposable telephones, the default telephone number of RDP  214  is retained and the call is completed.  
         [0027]    If the user is a returning user of one or more previous recyclable/disposable telephones, IVR  222  prompts the user to input information indicating whether the user desires to keep/use the same telephone number for RDP  214  that the user used for the previous recyclable/disposable telephone(s). If the user does not desire to keep/use the same telephone number for RDP  214  that the user used for previous recyclable/disposable telephone(s), the default telephone number of RDP  214  is retained and the call is completed.  
         [0028]    If the user does desire to keep/use the same telephone number for RDP  214  that the user used for previous recyclable/disposable telephone(s), then in step  308 , IVR  222  prompts the user to enter the previously used telephone number and confirms the entered telephone number. In step  310 , server  218  determines that the entered telephone number is currently inactive, and so is available for use. In particular, server  218  accesses database  220  using the entered telephone number to obtain information indicating that the entered telephone number is inactive.  
         [0029]    If the entered telephone number is not currently inactive, it cannot be assigned to RDP  214 , so the default telephone number of RDP  214  is retained and the call is completed. Optionally, IVR  222  may prompt the user to enter another previously used telephone number and step  310  may be repeated using that telephone number.  
         [0030]    If the entered telephone number is currently inactive, then in step  312 , the entered telephone number is assigned to RDP  214 . In particular, server  218  sends a directory/MIN combination to MSC  208 , which stores the association of the entered telephone number and the MIN of RDP  214  and activates the entered telephone number as the number of RDP  214 .  
         [0031]    An exemplary block diagram of a server system  400  shown in FIG. 2, is shown in FIG. 4. System  400  is typically a programmed general-purpose computer system, such as a personal computer, workstation, server system, and minicomputer or mainframe computer. System  400  includes one or more processors (CPUs)  402 A- 402 N, input/output circuitry  404 , network adapter  406 , and memory  408 . CPUs  402 A- 402 N execute program instructions in order to carry out the functions of the present invention. Typically, CPUs  402 A- 402 N are one or more microprocessors, such as an INTEL PENTIUM® processor. FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment in which System  400  is implemented as a single multi-processor computer system, in which multiple processors  402 A- 402 N share system resources, such as memory  408 , input/output circuitry  404 , and network adapter  406 . However, the present invention also contemplates embodiments in which System  400  is implemented as a plurality of networked computer systems, which may be single-processor computer systems, multi-processor computer systems, or a mix thereof.  
         [0032]    Input/output circuitry  404  provides the capability to input data to, or output data from, database/System  400 . For example, input/output circuitry may include input devices, such as keyboards, mice, touchpads, trackballs, scanners, etc., output devices, such as video adapters, monitors, printers, etc., and input/output devices, such as, modems, etc. Network adapter  406  interfaces database/System  400  with Internet/intranet  410 . Internet/intranet  410  may include one or more standard local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN), such as Ethernet, Token Ring, the Internet, or a private or proprietary LAN/WAN.  
         [0033]    Memory  408  stores program instructions that are executed by, and data that are used and processed by, CPU  402  to perform the functions of system  400 . Memory  408  may include electronic memory devices, such as random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, etc., and electromechanical memory, such as magnetic disk drives, tape drives, optical disk drives, etc., which may use an integrated drive electronics (IDE) interface, or a variation or enhancement thereof, such as enhanced IDE (EIDE) or ultra direct memory access (UDMA), or a small computer system interface (SCSI) based interface, or a variation or enhancement thereof, such as fast-SCSI, wide-SCSI, fast and wide-SCSI, etc, or a fiber channel-arbitrated loop (FC-AL) interface.  
         [0034]    In the example shown in FIG. 4, memory  408  includes server routines  412 , IVR interface routines  414 , call connection routines  416 , database access routines  418 , and operating system  428 . Server system  218  may also include server database system  220 . one of skill in the art would recognize that these functions, along with the memory contents related to those functions, may be included on one system, or may be distributed among a plurality of systems, based on well-known engineering considerations. The present invention contemplates any and all such arrangements. For example, server database system  220  and/or IVR  222  may be included in server  218 , or they may be implemented separately from server  218 .  
         [0035]    Server routines  412  include software that implements the functionality of prepaid server platform  202 , shown in FIG. 1. IVR interface routines  414  provide the capability to interface an IVR, such as IVR  222 , with server system  218  and to interoperate with the IVR. Call connection routines  416  provide the capability to connect calls with mobile telephones, such as RDP  214 , in order to perform process  300 , shown in FIG. 3. Database access routines provide the capability to access server database system  220 , in order to perform process  300 . Operating system  420  provides overall system functionality.  
         [0036]    As shown in FIG. 4, the present invention contemplates implementation on a system or systems that provide multi-processor, multi-tasking, multi-process, and/or multi-thread computing, as well as implementation on systems that provide only single processor, single thread computing. Multi-processor computing involves performing computing using more than one processor. Multi-tasking computing involves performing computing using more than one operating system task. A task is an operating system concept that refers to the combination of a program being executed and bookkeeping information used by the operating system. Whenever a program is executed, the operating system creates a new task for it. The task is like an envelope for the program in that it identifies the program with a task number and attaches other bookkeeping information to it. Many operating systems, including UNIX@, OS/2′, and WINDOWS@, are capable of running many tasks at the same time and are called multitasking operating systems. Multi-tasking is the ability of an operating system to execute more than one executable at the same time. Each executable is running in its own address space, meaning that the executables have no way to share any of their memory. This has advantages, because it is impossible for any program to damage the execution of any of the other programs running on the system. However, the programs have no way to exchange any information except through the operating system (or by reading files stored on the file system). Multi-process computing is similar to multitasking computing, as the terms task and process are often used interchangeably, although some operating systems make a distinction between the two.  
         [0037]    It is important to note that while the present invention has been described in the context of a fully functioning data processing system, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the processes of the present invention are capable of being distributed in the form of a computer readable medium of instructions and a variety of forms and that the present invention applies equally regardless of the particular type of signal bearing media actually used to carry out the distribution. Examples of computer readable media include recordable-type media such as floppy disc, a hard disk drive, RAM, and CD-ROM&#39;s, as well as transmission-type media, such as digital and analog communications links.  
         [0038]    Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that there are other embodiments that are equivalent to the described embodiments. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrated embodiments, but only by the scope of the appended claims.