BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views:
FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing an overview of the connections between the various components;
FIG. 2 is a system diagram as in FIG. 1 showing the connections after the originating carrier signals the operator;
FIG. 3 is a system diagram as in FIG. 1 showing the connections when the destination number is not ported;
FIG. 4 is a system diagram as in FIG. 1 showing the connections when the destination number is ported;
FIG. 5 is a system diagram according to a further embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of the method according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the basic components of a system implementing the present invention. An originating telephone 110 is connected via a local and/or long distance network to an originating carrier switch 120. An operator switch 130 and downstream carrier switch 140 are connected to the originating carrier switch 120. The switches 120, 130, 140 may comprise routers or VoIP switches in a data network such as the Internet. Alternatively, the switches 120, 130, 140 may comprise telecommunication switches such as, for example, time division multiplexing (TDM) switches in a telecommunications network. The downstream carrier 140 is connected to a plurality of mobile carriers 150a, 150b, 150c, 150d. Although four mobile carriers are shown, any number of mobile carriers may be connected in accordance within the capacity of downstream carrier switch 140. A database 132 is connected to the operator switch 130. The database 132 may, for example, be arranged in or queried by a switch control point (SCP) of an intelligent network (IN) or may be queried directly by the operator switch 130. The information in the database is obtained from a national or regional database that tracks ported numbers. Such a database is maintained and administered for the US/Canadian system by the National Portability Administration Center (NPAC).
Referring to FIG. 2, the caller originates the call and the originating carrier switch 120 signals the call to the operator switch 130 by sending a set-up message 122. The originating carrier may route all mobile calls to the operator switch 130. Alternatively, the originating carrier may route all mobile calls of a certain type, i.e., all German mobile traffic, to the operator switch 130 and may route other types of mobile calls to other operators. The set-up message or signaling may comprise, but is not limited to, SS7, C7, SIP or H.323 signaling. Upon receipt of the set-up message 122, the operator switch 130 extracts information about the call from the set-up message and queries the database 132 to determine if the destination number has been ported.
FIG. 3 shows the call flow when it is determined from the database 132 that the destination number is not ported. The operator switch 130 sends a release signal back to the originating carrier switch 120 which indicates to the originating carrier switch 120 that the call should advance directly to the downstream carrier 140 through a bilateral connection. The release signal sent to the originating carrier switch 120 may, for example, comprise a congestion release signal. Most calls should follow this route. Currently, 90-95% of calls are to non-ported numbers.
FIG. 4 shows the call flow when it is determined from the database 132 that the destination number is ported. In this case, the operator switch 130 accepts the call and the call is routed through the operator switch 130. Before advancing the call to the downstream carrier switch 140, the operator switch 130 adds a prefix identifying the new carrier of the destination phone number. Instead of advancing the call to the downstream carrier switch 140, the operator could route the call back to the originating carrier and allow the originating carrier to route the call to the new mobile carrier using the information from the prefix.
FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment in which an international gateway exchange or an international switch 220 signals all calls to mobile phones to an operator switch 230. The international switch 220 and operator switch 230 are similar to the switches described above and may comprise VoIP or TDM switches. As described above, the operator switch 230 queries a database 232 based on the call signaling data to determine if the destination telephone number is ported. If it is unported, a release signal is sent to the international switch and the international switch routes the call. A plurality of outgoing trunk groups 260 are created between the operator switch 230 and the international switch 220, each outgoing trunk group being associated with a respective one of the mobile carriers 250a, 250b, 250c and comprising at least one trunk. If it is determined that the destination number is ported, the operator switch 230 accepts the call and routes it to the international switch 220 using the trunk group associated with the correct destination carrier 250a, 250b, 250c. Thus, the international switch 230 would recognize the mobile carrier associated with the destination number based on which trunk group the operator switch 230 uses. The operator switch 230 may also add a prefix to the destination number so that all downstream switches recognize the correct carrier for the call.
FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of the steps of the method according to the present invention. At step S10, an originating carrier switch 120, 220 signals all mobile calls to the operator switch 130. 230. As stated above, the call may comprise all mobile calls to mobile carriers within a region, i.e., within Germany. The operator switch retrieves information about the call from the call signaling, step S12. The operator switch queries a portability database 132, 232, step S14, and determines from the database whether the destination number is ported, step S16. If the destination number is not ported, the operator switch issues a “congestion” release to the originating carrier switch, step S18, and the originating carrier switch routes the call, S20. If the destination number is ported, a prefix is added to the destination number indicating the new carrier, step S22. The operator then forwards the call to the originating carrier switch or a downstream carrier switch with the prefix, step S24. As described above, this step may involve forwarding the call on a trunk of a trunk group associated with the destination carrier of the destination number.
Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.
Patent Application
20080085713
