Seamless callback service for roaming users

Abstract

System for automatic callback to a roaming user in response to the dialing of a destination number by the roaming user to connect the roaming user to the destination number without the expense of a mobile originated call, comprises: a roaming network based triggering unit for generating a trigger in response to the dialing of a destination number; a disconnection unit which disconnects the roaming user in the event of receiving the trigger, and a callback unit for placing a call between the caller and callee from the home network. Typically the call is made of two simultaneous calls one to each and connecting therebetween. The network based triggers may be Camel triggers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in order to provide what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram illustrating a home and a roaming user and an infrastructure at the home network for use in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a simplified diagram illustrating the case of a roaming user calling another user at a network which is not the roaming user's home network;

FIG. 3 is a simplified flow chart illustrating a method for providing seamless callback to a roaming user based on triggers generated in a network, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 a is a simplified diagram illustrating the case of a roaming user calling another user at his home network.

FIG. 4 b is another simplified diagram, this time illustrating the case of the roaming user calling another user, this time at the same network in which he is roaming.

Claims

1. System for automatic callback to a roaming user in response to the dialing of a destination number by said roaming user, the callback to connect said roaming user to the destination number without creating a mobile originated call, the system comprising: a network based triggering unit for generating a trigger in response to said dialing of a destination number;a disconnection unit configured for disconnecting said roaming user in the event of receiving said trigger, anda callback unit for placing a call between said roaming user and said destination number, thereby providing said automatic callback.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said callback unit is configured such that said placing a call comprises placing simultaneous calls to said roaming user and said destination number and connecting therebetween.

3. System according to claim 1 wherein said trigger is a CAMEL trigger.

4. System according to claim 1, wherein said roaming user has a user profile at a respective home network and wherein said network-based triggering unit is configured to generate said trigger in accordance with a callback requirement placed in said user profile.

5. System according to claim 1, wherein said network based triggering unit is located at a roaming network of said roaming user.

6. System according to claim 1, wherein said network based triggering unit is a CAMEL service switching point (SSP).

7. System according to claim 1, wherein said disconnection unit is located in association with a home network of said roaming user.

8. System according to claim 1, wherein said disconnection unit is configured with processor logic to analyze a current roaming location and said destination number to determine whether said automatic callback is required.

9. System according to claim 1, wherein said disconnection unit is configured to obtain at least one of said current roaming location and said destination number from said trigger.

10. System according to claim 1, wherein said network based triggering unit is configured to insert said destination number into said trigger.

11. System according to claim 1, wherein said callback unit is configured to obtain said destination number from said trigger.

12. Apparatus located at a roaming network for automatic callback to a roaming user in response to the dialing of a destination number by said roaming user, the callback to connect said roaming user to the destination number without creating a mobile originated call, the system comprising: a network based triggering unit for generating a trigger in response to said dialing of a destination number the trigger being directed to a disconnection unit configured for disconnecting said roaming user in the event of receiving said trigger, and further for operating a callback unit for placing a call between said roaming user and said destination number, thereby providing said automatic callback.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said trigger is a CAMEL trigger.

14. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said triggering unit is a CAMEL service switching point (SSP).

15. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said roaming user has a user profile at a respective home network and wherein said network-based triggering unit is configured to generate said trigger in accordance with a callback requirement placed in said user profile.

16. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said network based triggering unit is configured to insert said destination number into said trigger.

17. Apparatus for location in association with a home network, for automatic callback to a roaming user in response to the dialing of a destination number by said roaming user, the callback to connect said roaming user to the destination number without creating a mobile originated call at said roaming network, the system comprising: a disconnection unit configured for disconnecting said roaming user in the event of receiving a trigger from a network based triggering unit at said roaming network, anda callback unit for placing a call between said roaming user and said destination number, thereby providing said automatic callback.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said callback unit is configured such that said placing a call comprises placing simultaneous calls to said roaming user and said destination number and connecting therebetween.

19. Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said trigger is a CAMEL trigger.

20. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said roaming user has a user profile at a respective home network and wherein said network-based triggering unit is configured to generate said trigger in accordance with a callback requirement placed in said user profile.

21. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said disconnection unit is configured with processor logic to analyze a current roaming location and said destination number to determine whether said automatic callback is required.

22. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said disconnection unit is configured to obtain said current roaming location and said destination number from said trigger.

23. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said callback unit is configured to obtain said destination number from said trigger.

24. A method of providing a callback facility to a roaming user from a home network comprising at said home network: setting a profile of said roaming user to cause a roaming network to generate a trigger on call setup to a dialed destination by said roaming user;receiving said generated call setup trigger from said roaming user,disconnecting a call initiated by said call setup, andplacing a call between said roaming user and said dialed destination, thereby providing said callback facility from said home network.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said placing a call comprising: placing a first call to said roaming user,placing a second call to said dialed destination, andconnecting therebetween.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said disconnecting is preceded by checking said user profile to ensure that callback is defined.