Abstract:
A method of communicating an importance level of a call to a recipient mobile device is disclosed. The method includes receiving call information for a particular call at a mobile switching center and generating an initial address message for the particular call. The initial address message may include a notification value field. The method further includes determining whether an importance level has been designated for the particular call, setting a value of the notification value field based on whether an importance level has been designated for the particular call, and transmitting the initial address message for the particular call to a recipient mobile device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/779,977 filed Feb. 28, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    This disclosure relates generally to communications networks and, more particularly, to wireless communications networks. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use, such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. For example, an information handling system may be a tablet computer or mobile device (e.g., personal digital assistant (PDA) or smart phone) configured to transmit data on a wireless communications network. Information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems. 
         [0004]    As discussed above, an information handling system may be a mobile device, such as a mobile phone configured to transmit data on a wireless communications network. When a user places a call on a mobile device, an Initial Address Message (IAM) may be generated by a mobile switching center associated with the mobile device placing the call and transmitted from the mobile switching center through each base station and/or switch needed to complete the path between the mobile device placing the call and the mobile device receiving the call. An IAM may include, among other information, the phone number of the mobile device from which the call originated, which may be displayed by the recipient mobile device when the call is received. This information may enable the user of the recipient mobile device to identify the caller before answering a call and thus determine whether to answer the call based on the identity of the caller. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    A method of communicating an importance level of a call to a recipient mobile device is disclosed. The method includes receiving call information for a particular call at a mobile switching center and generating an initial address message for the particular call. The initial address message may include a notification value field. The method further includes determining whether an importance level has been designated for the particular call, setting a value of the notification value field based on whether an importance level has been designated for the particular call, and transmitting the initial address message for the particular call to a recipient mobile device. 
         [0006]    A system for transmitting signals in a wireless communications network is disclosed. The system includes a destination mobile switching center configured to communicate with a recipient mobile device and an originating mobile switching center configured to receive call information for a particular call from an originating mobile device and generate an initial address message for the particular call, the initial address message including a notification value field. The originating mobile switching center is further configured to determine whether an importance level has been designated for the particular call, set a value of the notification value field based on whether an importance level has been designated for the particular call, and transmit the initial address message for the particular call to a recipient mobile device via the destination mobile switching center. 
         [0007]    A mobile switching center of a wireless communications network is disclosed. The mobile switching center includes a processor and a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-program instructions. The computer program instructions, when executed, cause the processor to receive call information for a particular call at a mobile switching center and generate an initial address message for the particular call, the initial address message including a notification value field. The computer-program instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to determine whether an importance level has been designated for the particular call, set a value of the notification value field based on whether an importance level has been designated for the particular call, and transmit the initial address message for the particular call to a recipient mobile device. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    A more complete understanding of the disclosed embodiments and advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features, and wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example wireless communications network; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  illustrates two example Initial Address Messages (IAMs), one in the format prescribed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and one in the format prescribed by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU); 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  illustrates two example IAMs, one in ANSI format and the other in ITU format, including a Notification Value Field, in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  illustrates an example of communicating the importance level of a call to the recipient mobile device via the IAM for the particular call, in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    Preferred embodiments and their advantages are best understood by reference to  FIGS. 1-4 , wherein like numbers are used to indicate like and corresponding parts. 
         [0014]    For the purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, calculate, determine, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, communicate, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer (e.g., desktop or laptop), tablet computer, mobile device (e.g., personal digital assistant (PDA) or smart phone), server (e.g., blade server or rack server), a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The information handling system may include random access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the information handling system may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, touchscreen and/or a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communication between the various hardware components. 
         [0015]    For the purposes of this disclosure, computer-readable media may include any instrumentality or aggregation of instrumentalities that may retain data and/or instructions for a period of time. Computer-readable media may include, without limitation, storage media such as a direct access storage device (e.g., a hard disk drive or floppy disk), a sequential access storage device (e.g., a tape disk drive), compact disk, CD-ROM, DVD, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and/or flash memory; as well as communications media such as wires, optical fibers, microwaves, radio waves, and other electromagnetic and/or optical carriers; and/or any combination of the foregoing. 
         [0016]    It is not uncommon for mobile device users to screen calls, avoiding those calls the user does not wish to take at the time they are received. Such screening may, however, cause the user to unintentionally avoid an important phone call. In accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, a user placing a call may designate an importance level corresponding to that call. The importance level of the call may be displayed on the mobile device of the recipient, thereby permitting the recipient to determine whether to answer the call in light of its importance level designation. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates a wireless communications system  100 , in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Wireless communications system  100  may include mobile devices  110  and  150 , base stations  120  and  140 , mobile switching centers  160  and  170 , and wireless communications network  130 . Mobile devices  110  and  150  may be portable computer or computing devices including functionality for communicating over a network. For example, mobile devices  110  and  150  may be mobile phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, handheld game consoles, electronic book readers, or any other suitable portable devices. Mobile devices  110  and  150  may also be referred to as user equipment (UE). Mobile devices  110  and  150  may connect to wireless communications network  130  via base stations  120  and  140  and mobile switching centers  160  and  170 . Although  FIG. 1  depicts two mobile devices  110  and  150 , wireless communications system  100  may include any suitable number of mobile devices. 
         [0018]    Base stations  120  and  140  may be referred to as Node B for 3rd generation (3G) cellular networks (e.g., Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems or UMTS networks) or evolved Node B (eNB) for LTE networks. Base stations  120  and  140  may include any combination of hardware, software embedded in a computer readable medium, and/or encoded logic incorporated in hardware or otherwise stored (e.g., firmware) to implement any number of communication protocols that allow for wired or wireless exchange of packets in wireless communication system  100 . Base stations  120  and  140  may communicate with mobile devices  110  and  150  using a variety of different wireless technologies, including, but not limited to, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) and the LTE-A protocol as defined in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). Although  FIG. 1  depicts two base stations  120  and  140 , wireless communications system  100  may include any suitable number of base stations. 
         [0019]    Mobile switching centers  160  and  170  may include any combination of hardware, software embedded in a computer readable medium, and/or encoded logic incorporated in hardware or otherwise stored (e.g., firmware) to implement any number of communication protocols that allow for wired or wireless exchange of packets in wireless communication system  100 . Mobile switching centers  160  and  170  may be configured to route transmissions to a mobile switching center and/or base station associated with the recipient mobile device. Consider, for example, a transmission from mobile device  110  to mobile device  150 . The transmission from mobile device  110  may be received by mobile switching center  160  via base station  120 . Mobile switching center  160  may route the transmission to mobile switching center  170  via wireless communications network  130 . Mobile device  150  may receive the transmission from mobile switching center  170  via base station  140 . 
         [0020]    Wireless communications network  130  may be a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network, a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network, an LTE-A network, or any other suitable wireless network or combination of networks. A phone call placed from mobile device  110  may be routed through wireless network  130  before reaching the mobile device of the intended recipient. For example, a call placed from mobile device  110  to mobile device  150  may be routed through base station  120 , mobile switching center  160 , wireless communications network  130 , mobile switching center  170 , and base station  140  before reaching mobile device  150 . 
         [0021]    When a user places a call on a mobile device (e.g., the originating mobile device), the mobile switching center corresponding to the originating mobile device may generate an Initial Address Message (IAM), which may be transmitted from the mobile switching center through each base station and/or switch needed to complete the path between the originating mobile device and the mobile device receiving the call (e.g., the recipient mobile device). 
         [0022]    An IAM may be transmitted in one of two formats, the format prescribed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or the format prescribed by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).  FIG. 2  illustrates two example IAMs  210  and  220 . IAM  210  is in ANSI format and IAM  220  is in ITU format. Both IAM  210  and IAM  220  include a mandatory fixed part  230  and  260 , a mandatory variable part  240  and  270 , and an optional part  250  and  280 . The mandatory variable part  240  and  270  may include, among other information, the phone number of the recipient mobile device. The optional part  250  and  280  may include, among other information, the phone number of the originating mobile device and/or the name of the user of the originating mobile device, both or one of which may be displayed by the recipient mobile device when the call is received. Consider, for example, a call placed by mobile device  110  to mobile device  150 . The IAM associated with the call may include the phone number of mobile device  110 , which may be displayed by mobile device  150  when the call is received. This information may enable the user of the recipient mobile device to identify the caller before answering a call and thus determine whether to answer a call based on the identity of the caller. The current ANSI and ITU format IAMs do not, however, provide any way for the user of the recipient mobile device to determine the importance level of a particular phone call. 
         [0023]    In accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, parameters related to the importance level of a call may be appended to the mandatory variable part of an IAM.  FIG. 3  illustrates two example IAMs  310  and  320 , which may include importance-level parameters. IAM  310  is in ANSI format and IAM  320  is in ITU format. Like IAM  210  and IAM  220 , both IAM  310  and IAM  320  include a mandatory fixed part  330  and  360 , a mandatory variable part  340  and  370 , and an optional part  350  and  380 . Unlike IAMs  210  and  220 , however, both IAM  310  and IAM  320  include importance-level parameters  390 - 392  and  395 - 397 , respectively, which may be appended to mandatory variable parts  340  and  370 , respectively. 
         [0024]    A user placing a call on a mobile device may designate the importance level of a call by entering a particular sequence using the keypad of the mobile device. In some embodiments, a user placing a call may designate the call as important by entering #1 following entry of the phone number of the mobile device to which the call is directed. If a call has been designated as important, the notification value field  392  and/or  397  of IAMs  310  and/or  320 , respectively, may be set to “1.” If a call has not been designated as important, the notification value field  392  and/or  397  of IAMs  310  and/or  320 , respectively, may be set to “0.” 
         [0025]    In another embodiment, a call may be designated with varying levels of importance. For example, a user may designate the importance level of a call on a scale of 1-3, by entering #1, #2, or #3 following entry of the phone number of the recipient mobile device. An importance level of “1” may, for example, correspond to the highest importance level, while an importance level of “3” may, for example, correspond to the lowest importance level. The notification value field  392  and/or  397  of IAMs  310  and/or  320 , respectively, may be set to a value corresponding to the importance level designated by the user. For example, if the user enters #2 following entry of the phone number of the recipient mobile device, thereby designating the call as having an importance level of “2,” the notification value field  392  and/or  397  of IAMs  310  and/or  320 , respectively, may be set to “2.” 
         [0026]    When the IAM is received by the recipient mobile device, a notification corresponding to the value of the notification value field may be displayed on the screen of the recipient mobile device. The notification may be merely a display of the notification value or it may be a message corresponding to the importance level designated by the user. For example, in some embodiments, an importance level of “1” may correspond to a notification of “Urgent,” an importance level of “2” may correspond to a notification of “Moderately Important,” and an importance level of “3” may correspond to a notification of “Routine.” Consider, for example, a call placed by the user of mobile device  110  to mobile device  150 . The user of mobile device  110  may designate the importance level of the call by entering #1 following entry of the phone number corresponding to mobile device  150 . The notification value field  392  and/or  397  of IAMs  310  and/or  320 , respectively, may be set to a value of “1” and a notification of “Urgent” may be displayed on the screen of mobile device  150  when the call is received. 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  illustrates a method  400  of communicating the importance level of a call to the recipient mobile device via the IAM for the particular call. At step  410 , a mobile switching center may receive information related to a call placed by a mobile device. This information may include, for example, the identity of the originating mobile device (e.g., the mobile device from which the call is placed), the identity of the recipient mobile device, and an importance level designation. At step  420 , the mobile switching center may generate an initial address message (IAM), including a notification value field in the mandatory variable part of the IAM. As discussed above, when a user places a call on a mobile device, the mobile switching center corresponding to the mobile device may generate an IAM, which may be transmitted from the mobile switching center through each base station and/or switch needed to complete the path between the mobile device placing the call and the mobile device receiving the call. An IAM may be transmitted in one of two formats—the format prescribed by ANSI or the format prescribed by ITU. An IAM may include a mandatory fixed part, a mandatory variable part, and an optional part. The IAM may include, among other information, the phone number of the originating mobile device, the name of the user of the originating mobile device, and information related to the importance level of the call, all of which may be displayed by the recipient mobile device when the call is received. 
         [0028]    At step  430 , the mobile switching center may determine, based on the received call information, whether the user of the originating mobile device designated an importance level for the call. As discussed above, a user placing a call on a mobile device may designate the importance level of a call by entering a particular sequence using the keypad of the mobile device. For example, in some embodiments, a user placing a call may designate the call as important by entering #1 following entry of the phone number of the recipient mobile device. In other embodiments, a call may be designated with varying levels of importance. For example, a user may designate the importance level of a call on a scale of 1-3, by entering #1, #2, or #3 following entry of the phone number of the mobile device to which the call is directed. 
         [0029]    If the user has designated an importance level for the call, the method may proceed to step  440 . At step  440 , a notification value field of the IAM may be set to a value corresponding to the importance level designated by the user. For example, in some embodiments, a user placing a call may designate the call as important by entering #1 following entry of the phone number of the recipient mobile device, in which case, the notification value field of the IAM may be set to “1.” As another example, in some embodiments, the user may designate the call as having an importance level of “2” by entering #2 following entry of the phone number of the recipient mobile device, in which case, the notification value field may be set to “2.” 
         [0030]    Once the notification value field has been set, the method may proceed to step  460 . At step  460 , the IAM may be transmitted to the recipient mobile device. As discussed above, an IAM transmitted from the mobile switching center corresponding to the originating mobile device through each base station and/or switch needed to complete the path between the originating mobile device and the recipient mobile device. When the IAM is received by the recipient mobile device, a notification corresponding to the value of the notification value field may be displayed on the screen of the recipient mobile device. The notification may be merely a display of the notification value or it may be a message corresponding to the importance level designated by the user. For example, in some embodiments, an importance level of “1” may correspond to a notification of “Urgent,” an importance level of “2” may correspond to a notification of “Moderately Important,” and an importance level of “3” may correspond to a notification of “Routine.” 
         [0031]    If the user has not designated an importance level for the call, the method may proceed to step  450 . At step  450 , the notification value field of the IAM may be set to “0,” which indicates that an importance level has not been designated for the call. Once the notification value field has been set, the method may proceed to step  460 . At step  460 , the IAM may be transmitted to the recipient mobile device. If the notification value field is set to “0,” no notification may be displayed on the screen of the recipient mobile device when the IAM is received. 
         [0032]    Although the present disclosure has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and the scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.