Abstract:
A system and method of routing calls in a telecommunications network is provided. The method includes receiving an incoming call for the called party, determining the called terminal location, selecting a long distance carrier preferred by the called party for incoming calls made to the called terminal location, and routing the call to the called party using the selected long distance carrier. The system includes means for receiving an incoming call for the called party, means for determining the called terminal location, means for selecting a long distance carrier preferred by the called party for incoming calls made to the called terminal location, and means for routing the call to the called party using the selected long distance carrier.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to the art of telecommunications and more particularly to a system and method for routing a call in a telecommunications network by providing the current time at the called terminal location.  
         [0002]     Telecommunications systems enable a calling party to communicate with a called party by providing either circuit switched or packet-based connection between a calling terminal and a wireless called terminal. Wireless terminals enable a called party to roam, that is travel outside of their home wireless network, and still use the wireless terminals for making and receiving calls.  
         [0003]     However, when calling, the calling party may not be aware that the called party is roaming. This can lead to the calling party calling the called party at a time which is inconvenient for the called party, such as for example late at night. It is desirable to make the calling party aware of the time at the called party&#39;s location.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     According to the present invention, a method of routing a call to a wireless called party terminal in a telecommunications network is provided.  
         [0005]     In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, the method includes determining the current time at the called terminal location, and providing the current time at the called terminal location to the calling terminal prior to completing call setup.  
         [0006]     In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, the method also includes querying a Termination Switch for the current time at the called terminal location.  
         [0007]     A system for routing a call to a wireless called party terminal in a telecommunications network is also provided.  
         [0008]     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the system includes means for determining the current time at the called terminal location, and means for providing the current time at the called terminal location to the calling terminal prior to completing call setup.  
         [0009]     In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the means for determining the current time at the called terminal location is a Termination Switch.  
         [0010]     Further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided below. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     The invention may take form in various components and arrangements of components, and in various steps and arrangements of steps. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating preferred embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. Further, it is to be appreciated that the drawings are not to scale.  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a system for routing a call from a calling terminal to a wireless called terminal in a telecommunications network in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating a method of routing a call in accordance with the invention; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating a method of routing a call in accordance with the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a portion of a telecommunications network is shown generally at  10 . The telecommunications network  10  provides communication between a calling terminal  12  and a called terminal  14 . A calling party uses the calling terminal  12  to call the called party who receives the call on the called terminal  14 . The invention can be made available on a subscription basis to subscribers and the calling party can also be referred to as a subscriber. The calling terminal  12  can be a PSTN wireline terminal or a wireless terminal, also known as a cellular phone. The called terminal  14  can be any suitable known wireless terminal.  
         [0016]     The telecommunications network  10  includes an Origination Switch  16  for connecting the calling terminal  12  to the telecommunications network  10 . The Origination Switch  16  can be used for setting up calls made by the calling terminal  12  and for routing calls from the calling terminal  12  to the called terminal  14  via the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)  18 .  
         [0017]     The telecommunications network  10  also includes a Termination Switch  20  for connecting the wireless called terminal  14  to the telecommunications network  10  via a base station (not shown). The Termination Switch  20  can be used for setting up calls made to the called terminal  14 , for routing calls from the calling terminal  12  to the called terminal  14  via the PSTN  18 , and for routing calls from the called terminal  14  to other terminals including the calling terminal  12 .  
         [0018]     The Termination Switch  20  can determine the current time at the called terminal location, also referred to as the called terminal time. The called terminal time is typically the current time at the Termination Switch  20  though it may be different. The Termination Switch  20  can determine the current time using a processor clock or in any other suitable manner. As used herein, the current time at the called terminal location can also include the day and/or the date.  
         [0019]     The Termination Switch  20  can be a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) suitable for connecting wireless terminals to the telecommunications network  10 . The MSC can be a home MSC located in the home wireless communications network (not shown) of the called terminal  14  or it can be a visiting MSC responsible for connecting the called terminal  14  to the telecommunications network  10  when the called party is roaming.  
         [0020]     The telecommunications network  10  also includes a Service Control Point (SCP)  22 . The SCP  22  is a well known node in the telecommunications network  10  which typically performs call setup procedures and call routing. The SCP  22  is typically queried during call setup for determining how to route the call to the Termination Switch  20  and to the called terminal  14 .  
         [0021]     The operation of the invention shall be described using an example, which should not be considered limiting, and a series of method steps. For the example provided herein, the called party is visiting Tokyo Japan, roaming outside of their home wireless network located in Chicago, Ill. Thus, the called terminal  14  is at the called terminal location of Tokyo, Japan when the call is made. The calling party, for the purposes of this example, is located in New York, N.Y. At 9:30 am Monday morning in New York the calling party calls the called party by calling the called terminal  14 . The calling party knows that the called party is typically in Chicago and is unaware that the called party is roaming in Tokyo. The calling party expects that the current time at the called terminal location is 8:30 am Monday morning. However, since the called party and called terminal  14  are in Tokyo the current time at the called terminal location is actually 12:30 am Tuesday morning.  
         [0022]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a method of routing a call from a calling terminal to a wireless called terminal in a telecommunications network is shown generally at  100 . The method  100  includes the calling terminal  12  calling the called terminal  14  at  102 . The calling party calls the called party initiating an incoming call from the calling terminal  12  to the called terminal  14  over the telecommunications network  10 .  
         [0023]     The method  100  also includes requesting the called terminal time at  104 . The requesting step can include the Origination Switch  16  requesting called terminal time using one or more call control messages, such as ANSI 41 SS7 type query messages or using any other suitable protocols. Any suitable information identifying the calling terminal  12 , called terminal  14 , Origination Switch  16 , and/or the Termination Switch  20  for routing the request to the SCP  22  and/or the Termination Switch  20  can be included in the requesting step  104 . The requesting step  104  can be performed during call setup.  
         [0024]     The method  100  also includes determining the current time at the called terminal location (12:30 am Tuesday) at  106  in any suitable known manner. For example, the Termination Switch  20  located at/near the called terminal  14  can provide the local time and date information. The method  100  also includes providing the called terminal time to the calling terminal prior to completing call setup at  108  and completing call setup between the calling terminal  12  and the called terminal  14  at  110 .  
         [0025]     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the invention can include the method of routing a call from a calling terminal to a wireless called terminal in a telecommunications network shown generally at  200 . The same example of the called party roaming in Tokyo Japan shall be used. The method  200  includes the calling terminal  12  calling the called terminal  14  at  202 .  
         [0026]     The method  200  also includes receiving the incoming call made to the called terminal  14  at the Origination Switch  16  at  204 . The Origination Switch  16  can receive the call in the form of call control messaging, such as an ANSI 41 SS7 INVITE message during call setup, or in any other suitable known manner, prior to the completion of call setup.  
         [0027]     For the step of requesting the called terminal time shown in  104  of  FIG. 1 , the method  200  can include sending a query at  206  from the Origination Switch  16  to the SCP  20  requesting the called terminal time. The query can include one or more call control messages, such as ANSI 41 SS7 type messages or using any other suitable protocols. Any suitable information identifying the calling terminal  12 , called terminal  14 , Origination Switch  16 , and/or the Termination Switch  20  suitable for routing the query between the Origination Switch  16  and the SCP  22  can be included in the query.  
         [0028]     For the step of requesting the called terminal time shown in  104  of  FIG. 1 , the method  200  can also include sending a query at  208  from the SCP  22  to the Termination Switch  20  requesting the called terminal time. The query at  208  can include one or more call control messages using a similar protocol as the query in  206 . Any suitable information identifying the calling terminal  12 , called terminal  14 , Origination Switch  16 , Termination Switch  20  suitable for routing the query between the SCP  22  and the Termination Switch  20  can be included in the query.  
         [0029]     The method  200  also includes determining the called terminal time (12:30 am Tuesday) at  210 . The called terminal time can be determined by the Termination Switch  20  as described above, or in any other suitable manner.  
         [0030]     For the step of providing the called terminal time shown in  108  of  FIG. 1 , the method  200  can include sending the called terminal time from the Termination Switch  20  to the Origination Switch  16  at  212 . The called terminal time can be sent using one or more call control messages, such as ANSI 41 SS7 type messages or using any other suitable protocols. Any suitable information identifying the calling terminal  12 , called terminal  14 , Origination Switch  16 , and/or the Termination Switch  20  for routing the called terminal time from the Termination Switch  20  to the Origination Switch  16  can be included. The called terminal time can be routed to the SCP  22  and passed to the Origination Switch  16  or it can be routed more directly from the to Termination Switch  20  to the Origination Switch  16 .  
         [0031]     For the step of providing the called terminal time shown in  108  of  FIG. 1 , the method  200  can also include providing the called terminal time to the calling terminal  12  and thus the calling party at  214 . The called terminal time can be provided using a voice message, such as an announcement saying that it is 12:30 am Tuesday at the called terminal location, or a text message, or in any other suitable manner. The Origination Switch  16 , or any other suitable node in the network  10 , can provide this message to the calling terminal  12 .  
         [0032]     The method  200  also includes providing a message to the calling terminal after the calling party has been provided with the called terminal time asking the calling party whether or not they want to continue with the call at  216 . This message can be a voice message, a text message, or any other suitable message and can be provided by the Origination Switch  16  or by any other suitable node in the network  10 . If the calling party does not want to continue with the call, for example realizing that the called party is not in Chicago but rather is roaming, the calling party communicates this to the node, such as the Origination Switch  16 , and the call is disconnected at  218 . If the calling party does want to continue with the call, the calling party communicates this to the node, such as the Origination Switch  16 , or does nothing, and call setup is completed at  220  and the calling terminal  12  is connected to the called terminal  14 .  
         [0033]     As stated, if the calling party is not aware that the called party is roaming, the calling party may not know the current time at the called party&#39;s location (i.e., the called terminal time) when calling the called party. As a result, the calling party may call the called party at an inappropriate time, such as for example late at night. The invention enables a calling party to be provided with the called terminal time prior to the completion of call setup. Provided with the called terminal time, the calling party can then decide whether to continue with the call or not. Thus, the invention can prevent the calling party from disturbing the called party with a call at an inappropriate time. Further, the calling party can be provided with the called terminal time prior to call setup which can reduce and/or eliminate the cost of the call to the calling party if the calling party decides not to continue with the call.  
         [0034]     It is to be appreciated that particular elements or components described herein may have their functionality suitably implemented via hardware, software, firmware or a combination thereof. Additionally, it is to be appreciated that certain elements described herein as incorporated together may under suitable circumstances be stand alone elements or otherwise divided. Similarly, a plurality of particular functions described as being carried out by one particular element may be carried out by a plurality of distinct elements acting independently to carry out individual functions, or certain individual functions may be split-up and carried out by a plurality of distinct elements acting in concert. Alternately, some elements or components otherwise described and/or shown herein as distinct from one another may be physically or functionally combined where appropriate.  
         [0035]     The above description merely provides a disclosure of particular embodiments of the invention and is not intended for the purposes of limiting the same thereto. As such, the invention is not limited to only the above-described embodiments. Rather, it is recognized that one skilled in the art could conceive alternative embodiments that fall within the scope of the invention.