Abstract:
A communications network and method for providing a voice message to a user of a mobile station (MS) in a network having a plurality of independent mobile systems, each independent mobile system including a Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Short Message Service Center (SMS-C) and Voice Message System (VMS), wherein each VMS is identified by a unique identifier code. A received voice message is stored in a VMS, and an SMS notification message is sent to the MS. Because each VMS is identified by a unique identifier code, the MS can retrieve a voice message by dialing the code contained in an SMS notification message, regardless of which independent mobile system is serving the MS at the time the voice message retrieval is requested.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention is directed, in general, to communications systems and, more specifically, to apparatus and methods for providing voice message services to a user of a mobile terminal in a communications network having independent mobile telephony systems. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    A voice message, or “voice mail,” system (VMS) is typically implemented in a centralized server in commercial mobile telephony networks. In such networks, the network components, such as Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Short Message Service Center (SMS-C) and Radio Access Network (RAN) subsystems, are typically physically-connected to form a network that can cover vast geographical areas. For military, civil defense or disaster recovery operations, however, it is advantageous to deploy many portable, independent, “network-in-a-box,” systems which each contain a RAN as well as the core network components. Such a scaled-down system, also referred to as a Compact System, is capable of providing service to mobile stations within its radio coverage area without being dependent on physical connectivity to any other telecommunications infrastructure; the system is completely self-contained and is capable of stand-alone operation. 
         [0003]    In a deployment scenario with independent mobile systems that are either physically-mobile or are stationary but deployed in remote areas with intermittent satellite or microwave links, a centralized VMS may not be accessible all the time. Furthermore, if a centralized VMS is relied upon, it becomes a single-point of failure. Thus, in such scenarios, it would be advantageous to have a distributed VMS solution that can provide voice mail service to mobile stations even if the serving independent mobile system is operating in stand-alone mode. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved apparatus and methods for providing voice message services to a user of a mobile terminal in a communications network having independent mobile telephony systems. Preferably, such improved apparatus and methods will provide fault-tolerance to allow for continued VMS services throughout the communications network if a single VMS should fail. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, disclosed are systems and methods for providing a voice message to a user of a mobile station (MS) in a communications network having at least first and second independent mobile systems. Each of the independent mobile systems includes a Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Short Message Service Center (SMS-C) and Voice Message System (VMS), In one embodiment, the MSC, SMS-C and VMS of each independent mobile system are physically co-located. 
         [0005]    When a call request for a MS is received, the call request is routed to the MS through a MSC of an independent mobile system currently serving the MS. If the MS does not answer the call request, the calling party can leave a voice message in a VMS. The VMS then requests that a SMS-C transmit an SMS notification message to the MS. The SMS notification message includes the unique identifier code of the VMS of the independent mobile system in which the voice message is stored, whereby the MS can retrieve the voice message by placing a call to the unique identifier code of the VMS. 
         [0006]    The MS can retrieve the voice message when being served by any independent mobile system. To do so, the MS sends a request for the voice message, which is received by the MSC of the independent mobile system currently serving the MS; the request is directed to the unique identifier code of the VMS which received the voice message. The request for the voice message is routed from the MSC of the independent mobile system currently serving the MS to the VMS storing the voice message, which can then cause the voice message to be transmitted to the MS. In one embodiment, the transmission of a voice message from a VMS to a MS includes transmitting the voice message to a Media Gateway (MGW) of the independent mobile system in which the message was stored, which then transmits the voice message to the MS through a MGW of the independent mobile system then serving the MS. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment, a MS can retrieve a plurality of voice messages stored by a plurality of VMSs when being served by any independent mobile system. In such embodiments, the MS sends a request for all voice messages, which is received by the MSC of the independent mobile system currently serving the MS; the request is directed to a common identifier code for voice messages. The voice message request is routed from the MSC of the independent mobile system currently serving the MS to a VMS of that independent mobile system. That VMS then requests each individual voice message for the MS stored on each VMS of all independent mobile systems in the communications network. Each voice message is then transmitted to the MS. In one embodiment, each voice message is transmitted directly from the VMS storing it to the MS. In an alternate embodiment, each individual voice message is received at the VMS of the independent mobile system currently serving the MS. That VMS then transmits each individual voice message to a Media Gateway (MGW) of the independent mobile system currently serving the MS, which then transmits the voice message to the MS. 
         [0008]    In one embodiment, each VMS includes an indexing service that identifies each voice message stored on each VMS of all independent mobile systems in the communications network. The indexing service can catalog each voice message for stored on each VMS of all independent mobile systems in the communications network by periodically polling each VMS or, alternatively, in response to automatically receiving updates from each VMS in the communication network. 
         [0009]    The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, the principles of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments that follow. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and exemplary embodiments as a basis for designing or modifying other structures and methods for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form, as defined by the claims provided hereinafter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference is now made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates the signalling related to the storing of a voice message, and notification thereof, according to the principles of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates first exemplary signalling related to the retrieval of a voice message, according to the principles of the invention; and, 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates second exemplary signalling related to the retrieval of a voice message, according to the principles of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , illustrated is the signalling related to the storing of a voice message, and notification thereof to a mobile station (MS), in a communications network having at least first and second independent mobile systems ( 101 -A,  101 -B). Each of the independent mobile systems includes a Mobile Switching Center (MSC;  102 -A,  102 -B)), Short Message Service Center (SMS-C;  103 -A,  103 -B) and Voice Message System (VMS;  104 -A,  104 -B). The MSC, SMS-C and VMS of each independent mobile system can be physically co-located, such as in a compact system for mobile military applications. 
         [0015]    When a call request  111  for a MS is received, for example from MS  105 -A for MS  105 -B, the call request  111  is routed to the MS  105 -B through the MSC  102 -B of the independent mobile system  101 -B currently serving the MS  105 -B. In the illustrated example, the call request  111  is first received by the MSC  102 -A currently serving the calling MS  105 -A. The MSC  102 -A then routes the call request  112  to the MSC  102 -B of the independent mobile system  101 -B currently serving the called MS  105 -B. 
         [0016]    If the called MS  105 -B does not answer the call request, or the MS  105 -B is configured to automatically route calls to voicemail (e.g., unconditional call forwarding), the calling party can leave a voice message. In one embodiment, the voice message is stored in the VMS of the independent mobile system through which the call request is received. For example, in  FIG. 1 , the call request  111  is received at MSC  102 -A of independent mobile system  101 -A. When MS  105 -B does not answer the call request, the calling party is directed to leave a voice message  113 -A in VMS  104 -A. The VMS  104 -A then requests  114 -A that a SMS-C  103 -A of the independent mobile system  101 -A transmit an SMS notification message  115 -A to the MS  105 -B; the SMS notification message  115 -A is routed ( 116 ) by MSC  102 -A to MSC  102 -B then serving the called MS  105 -B, and then routed ( 117 ) from the MSC  102 -B to the MS  105 -B. In an alternate embodiment, the voice message is stored in the VMS  104 -B of the independent mobile system  101 -B currently serving the MS  105 -B. In this embodiment, The VMS  104 -B then requests  114 -B that a SMS-C  103 -B of the independent mobile system  101 -B transmit an SMS notification message  115 -B to the MS  105 -B. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the SMS notification message is first routed ( 115 ) from the SMS-C  103 -B to the MSC  102 -B ( 115 ), and then routed ( 117 ) from the MSC  102 -B to the MS  105 -B. In both embodiments, the SMS notification message includes a unique identifier code of the VMS where the message is stored, whereby the MS  105 -B can retrieve the voice message by placing a call to the unique identifier code of the VMS, regardless of which independent mobile system is serving the MS  105 -B at the time of requesting the voice message; this capability is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0017]    Turning now to  FIG. 2 , illustrated is first exemplary signalling related to the retrieval of a voice message by a MS when being served by any independent mobile system. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a voice message for MS  105 -B was stored in VMS  104 -B of independent mobile system  101 -B. In  FIG. 2 , however, the MS  105 -B is being served by independent mobile system  201  at the time a request is made for the voice message. To retrieve the voice message, the MS  105 -B sends a request  211  for the voice message, which is received by the MSC  202  of the independent mobile system  201  currently serving the MS; the request is directed to the unique identifier code of the VMS  104 -B of the independent mobile system  101 -B which received the voice message. The request for the voice message (VM Request) is routed ( 212 ) from the MSC  202  of the independent mobile system  201  currently serving the MS  105 -B to the VMS  104 -B storing the voice message, which can then cause the voice message to be transmitted to the MS. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the VM Request is first routed ( 212 ) from the MSC  202  to the MSC  102 -B, and then routed ( 213 ) from the MSC  102 -B to the VMS  104 -B. 
         [0018]    In response to receiving the voice message request ( 213 ), the VMS  104 -B transmits the voice message to MS  105 -B. In one embodiment, the voice message is transmitted ( 214 ) to a Media Gateway (MGW) of the independent mobile system  101 -B in which the message was stored, which then transmits the voice message to the MS  105 -B through a MGW of the independent mobile system  201  then serving the MS. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the MGWs are physically-integrated with the MSCs of each independent mobile system; the MGWs, however, may be, or may be hosted by, separate physical entities. 
         [0019]    Finally, referring to  FIG. 3 , illustrated is second exemplary signalling related to the retrieval of a voice message by a MS when being served by any independent mobile system. In this embodiment, a MS can retrieve a plurality of voice messages stored by a plurality of VMSs when being served by any independent mobile system. In such embodiments, the MS  105 -B sends a request for all voice messages ( 311 ), which is received by the MSC  202  of the independent mobile system  201  currently serving the MS; the request is directed to a common identifier code for voice messages. The voice message request is routed from the MSC  202  to the VMS  204  of that independent mobile system. The VMS  204  then requests each individual voice message for the MS  105 -B stored on each VMS of all independent mobile systems in the communications network. Each voice message is then transmitted to the MS  105 -B. 
         [0020]    In order to manage the transmission of all voice messages stored by a plurality of VMSs, each VMS can include an indexing service that identifies each voice message stored on each VMS of all independent mobile systems in the communications network. The indexing service can catalog each voice message stored on each VMS of all independent mobile systems in the communications network by periodically polling each VMS or, alternatively, in response to automatically receiving updates from each VMS in the communication network. 
         [0021]    Based on the contents of the index, the VMS  204  can cause the transmission of a voice message stored on the VMS  104 -B of another independent mobile system  101 -B by sending a voice message request to the remote VMS  104 -B, which then routes the voice message to the MS  105 -B. As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the voice message request from VMS  204  is first routed ( 313 ) to MSC  202 , then routed ( 314 ) to the MSC  102 -B, and then routed ( 315 ) to the VMS  104 -B. In response to receiving the voice message request ( 315 ), the VMS  104 -B transmits the voice message to MS  105 -B. 
         [0022]    In one embodiment, the voice message is transmitted ( 316 ) to a Media Gateway (MGW) of the independent mobile system  101 -B in which the message was stored, which then transmits the voice message to the MS  105 -B through a MGW of the independent mobile system  201  then serving the MS. The voice message can be routed ( 317 ) from MGW  102 -B to MGW  202 , and then directly routed ( 320 ) to the MS  105 -B. Alternatively, a voice message may be first routed ( 318 ) from MSC  202  to VMS  204 , which can then control the routing ( 319 ) to MS  105 -B through MGW  202 . 
         [0023]    The invention described herein modifies the standard user experience with voice mail where a single number is dialed to access the user&#39;s mailbox. The invention has the particular advantage of distributing voice mails across a group of independent mobile systems, thus avoiding a single point of failure. Failure of a single independent mobile system, or VMS, will only cause the loss of voice messages stored in that system; such a failure will not prevent new voice messages from being stored and retrieved as would be the case if all voice mails were stored on a centralized server. Furthermore, if a system or link outage is not permanent, a user will regain access to all stored voice messages without any manual configuration. Storing voice messages in multiple systems also allows a compact system to be built with low-cost, low capacity components that are better suited to rugged and mobile applications, such as military and disaster recovery deployments. 
         [0024]    Although the invention has been described in detail, those skilled in the art will conceive of various changes, substitutions and alterations to the exemplary embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form. The exemplary embodiments presented herein illustrate the principles of the invention and are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the form disclosed; it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto, and their equivalents.