United States Patent
`US 6,711,146 B2
`(10) Patent No.:
`(12)
`’
`Yegoshin
`45) Date of Patent:
`*Mar. 23, 2004
`
`
`US006711146B2
`
`(54) TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR
`AUTOMATICALLY LOCATING BY
`NETWORK CONNECTION AND
`SELECTIVELYDELIVERING CALLS TO
`
`(75)
`
`.
`.
`Inventor: Leonid A. Yegoshin, Palo Alto, CA
`(US)
`
`(73) Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications
`Laboratories, Inc., Daly City, CA (US)
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`This patent issued on a continued pros-
`ecution application filed under 37 CFR
`1.53(d), and is subject to the twenty year
`patent
`term provisions of 35 U.S.C.
`154(a)(2).
`
`5,845,211 A * 12/1998 Roach, Jr. wee 455/436
`............ 370/338
`5,949,775 A *
`9/1999 Rautiola et al.
`
`........... 370/338
`5,956,331 A *
`9/1999 Rautiola et al.
`
`9/1999 Melen et al. sce 379/114
`5,956,391 A *
`Snfogo = oitoa NiteSaisande
`
`.......... 455/413
`5,978,672 A * 11/1999 Hartmaieret al.
`5,991,639 A * 11/1999 Rautiola et al. ........ 455/553
`6,052,725 A *
`4/2000 McCann et al.
`seesssssee-- 709/223
`
`6/2000 Kikinis oo... 370/286
`6,078,566 A *
`6,134,453 A * 10/2000 Sainton et al. ......... 455/553
`
`4/2002 Anttila cee 455/556
`6,370,394 B1 *
`5/2002 Augustet al... 375/130
`6,389,055 B1 *
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`EP
`
`0 483 547 Al
`
`5/1992
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/255,048
`(22)
`Filed:
`Feb. 22, 1999
`
`(65)
`
`Primary Examiner—Hassan Kizou
`Assistant Examiner—Saba Tsegaye
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Donald R. Boys; Central
`Coast Patent Agency,Inc.
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`, .
`,
`A communication system for an organization having mul-
`tiple sites uses a dual-mode device capable of both cell
`Prior Publication Data
`phone communication and telephone communication on a
`local area network (LAN). IP LANS are established at
`US 2001/0012282 Al Aug. 9, 2001
`organization sites such that a temporary IP address is
`Int. Ch? oe H04Q 7/24; HO4L 12/66
`(S51)
`assigned to a dual-modedevice that logs onto an organiza-
`(52) US. Ch. cece 370/338; 370/352; 370/465;
`tion LAN, and the IP address is associated at a PSTN-
`455/553; 709/249
`(58) Field of Search 0.0... 370/310, 311,|connected server on the LAN with the cell phone numberof
`370/328, 338, 401, 410, 465, 352; 455/413,
`the communication device. The IP server notifies a PSTN-
`553, 558, 556, 557; 709/249
`connected routing server when a device logs on to a LAN,
`and also provides a destination numberfor the IP server. Cell
`calls directed to the device are then redirected to the IP
`server and directed to the device connected to the LAN.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,412,760 A *
`
`S/1995 PeitZ oe .eeeeeeeseerteeetees 370/329
`
`13 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
`
`23
`
`25
`
` Local Cellular Network
`
`PSTN Network
`
`
`
` IP Address
`
`39
`
`1
`
`SAMSUNG 1004
`
`SAMSUNG 1004
`
`1
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Mar. 23, 2004
`
`Sheet 1 of 3
`
`US 6,711,146 B2
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`
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`Net. Comm.
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`Address/Set-Up
`
` Net. Select.
`
`Fig. 1
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`U.S. Patent
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`Mar. 23, 2004
`
`Sheet 2 of 3
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`US 6,711,146 B2
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Mar. 23, 2004
`
`Sheet 3 of 3
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`US 6,711,146 B2
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`
`27
`Network DN2/IPAddress
`HomeCell
`
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`38
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`US 6,711,146 B2
`
`1
`TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR
`AUTOMATICALLY LOCATING BY
`NETWORK CONNECTION AND
`SELECTIVELY DELIVERING CALLS TO
`MOBILE CLIENT DEVICES
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present Invention is in the field of telephony com-
`munications including data network telephony (DNT),
`which encompasses Internet Protocol Network Telephony
`(IPNT), and pertains more particularly to methods and
`apparatus for locating by network connection andselectively
`delivering calls to mobile client devices.
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`10
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`15
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`2
`A contributing problem is in the nature of real-time audio
`data as opposed to data transmitting stored documents and
`the like, which may be called data-data as opposed to
`voice-data. Data-data such as graphics files, text files, and
`the like are stored and prepared for transmission wherein the
`file size is known. Late-arriving packets is not an issue as
`downloading is not complete until every packetis received.
`If for some reason transmission islost, a re-connect may be
`performedto retrieve the rest of the file. Voice-data packets
`for real-time conversations are different. The packets for
`voice-data have to be prepared and transmitted in essentially
`real time in both directions or a meaningful conversation
`cannot be held. COST connections and wireless
`connections, wherein bandwidth is assured, have no problem
`with real-time voice communication.
`
`More recent developments regarding quality-of-service
`(QOS) and analog-to-IPNT conversion and compression
`techniques have greatly improved the capability of IP net-
`works having a lesser assurance of available bandwidth to
`facilitate real-time communication wherein the caller is
`calling from a cellular or a COST network.
`With respect to Internet Protocol (IP) networks that are
`private and set up by companies to, for example, cover a
`large technical campus,it is knownto the inventorsthatcalls
`may arrive from COSTor cellular digital networks, and to
`be converted to IPNT format for distribution to addressed
`telecommunications devices that are connected to the net-
`work. For example, certain connected computers, DNT
`capable telephones, and the like are capable of receiving
`from, and sending calls to a cellular or COST network such
`as a PSTN network. Such an IP network is usually of the
`form of a wired LAN such as an Extranet or Intranet.
`However, it is knownto the inventor that such networks may
`also operate in various wireless technology modes such as a
`code-division-multiple-access CDMA or a time-division-
`multiple-access (TDMA) convention. The well-knowncel-
`lular system is typically a variation of the latter. RF,
`microwave, and infrared technologies are also used.
`Improvements in bandwidth-reserving technology com-
`bined with smart IPNT routing capability such as is known
`to the inventor have made accepting COSTor cellular calls
`from an out-side network practical.
`Often, company sites maintaining LAN’s as described
`above, whether wired or wireless, have frequent visitors
`from other sites, and the visitors are not resident employees
`and therefore typically do not have LAN-connected com-
`munication devices personally addressed to them at
`the
`visited campus. Such individuals may be required to move
`from one site to another spending an unpredictable time at
`each site. Consultants, sales people, regional managers, and
`the like make up this category of possible visitors. An
`especially large organization, such as a government
`organization, may have a large numberof such visitors or
`mobile employees roaming through the sites at any given
`time.
`
`The art of telephony communication has grown in pro-
`portion with improved telephony infrastructure, equipment,
`and methods of practice. Conventionally and historically
`telephone communication has been practiced by use of
`networksthat provide dedicated connections and guaranteed
`bandwidth, such as in Publicly Switched Telephony Net-
`works (PSTN).
`In such networks a call placed from a
`telephone connected to a local service is switched over
`dedicated channels to a destination, and as long as the
`connection is maintained,
`the dedicated path, having a
`dedicated bandwidth,
`is also maintained. Such networks
`may be termed Connection Oriented/Switched Telephony
`(COST) networks.
`More recently, with the development of extensive data
`networks, of which the well-known Internet
`is a prime
`example, a newer type of telephony communication has
`been introduced. This form of telephony is termed herein
`Data Network Telephony (DNT), and, in the context of the
`Internet data network Internet Protocol Network Telephony
`(IPNT). Data networks typically link computers over one or
`more sub-nets, which may include local area networks
`(LAN), wide area networks (WAN) such as the Internet,
`companyIntranets, and combinations of these and other data
`networks. IPNT telephony may be practiced on any suitable
`switched-packet data network whether wired or wireless
`provided suitable protocol is supported.
`In DNT, such as IPNT, dedicated connections are not
`generally provided. Instead, digital audio data is prepared in
`standardized audio packets complete with header informa-
`tion and the like. The packets are prepared in nearreal-time
`and broadcast over the data network(s) connecting involved
`computers or telecommunications devices adapted for DNT
`applications. The header for each packet includes a desti-
`nation for the packet.
`Data Network Telephony, such as IPNT is well known in
`the art, and wireless data transmission is also quite well
`known in manyapplications. Internet service providers, for
`Typically, such individuals would carry cellular tele-
`example, are recently providing high data-rate wireless
`phones or equivalent devices for communication with, for
`Internet access bysatellite systems, and, where bandwidth is
`example, callers from a homeoffice, or other businesscalls.
`not substantially restricted at the receiver’s end.
`Depending on where such an individual lives or works, he
`The problems for Data Network Telephony in wireless
`or she may be required to extend the mobile communication
`systemsare related to the real-time nature of telephony data
`range of a cellular device. This is termed roamingin theart.
`and the typically limited bandwidth available in such sys-
`If the organization is significantly large or distributed over
`tems. In relatively high-bandwidth systems havingarela-
`a large geographic region, he may have to roam over more
`tively large number of users the distribution probabilities
`than one service area. The cost of communication on a
`provide a situation where it is uncommon for several or
`many users to demand unusual bandwidth at the same time.
`The phenomenon is known in the art as averaging. Even
`with known high-use times, it can be expected that distri-
`bution will be such that bandwidth will be adequate.
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`cellular phoneincreases has he roamsfurther from a primary
`service area.
`
`65
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`Often individuals use telephones designated to resident
`individuals or workers at a visited location to avoid costly
`5
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`

`

`US 6,711,146 B2
`
`3
`cell charges. However, such resident individuals may be
`inconvenienced by having to take calls for the visitors. If
`calls are many,
`the resident
`individuals duties may be
`interrupted. It would be desirable then, to have a cell phone
`or equivalent device adaptable to a wireless or wired IP
`network at the location orsite that a person maybevisiting,
`and have incomingcalls forwarded to the connected to the
`device. Such a telephone device and a system cooperating
`with the device, could enable substantial cost savings for the
`sponsoring organization.
`What is clearly needed is a method and apparatus that
`would allow a visitor to an IP LAN-connectedsite to plug
`in or otherwise connect his or her mobile telephone device
`to the local IP LAN,so that calls coming from any source
`network may be routed to the user’s device on the LAN.
`SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION
`
`In a preferred embodiment of the present invention a
`dual-mode communication device is provided, comprising
`microphone and speaker apparatus including converters for
`rendering audio data as audible speech, and for rendering
`audible speech as audio data; a first communicationinterface
`comprising circuitry for receiving and sending the audio
`data on a cell-phone network,; and a second communication
`interface comprising circuitry for connecting to a local area
`network (LAN), and for receiving and sending the audio
`data on the LAN. In some embodiments the dual-mode
`
`communication device is implemented in the form of a cell
`phone. In some embodiments the circuitry for connecting
`comprises a connector for engaging a hard-wired LAN.In
`other embodiments the circuitry for connecting comprises
`apparatus for communicating with a wireless IP-LAN.There
`are control routines for negotiating a temporary IP address
`with the LAN upon connecting to the LAN.
`In an other aspect of the invention a system for telephone
`communication is provided, comprising an IP-LAN includ-
`ing an IP telephony server; a dual-mode communication
`device comprising first apparatus for conducting telephone
`calls on a cell-phone network,
`including a cell-phone
`number, and second apparatus for conducting telephone
`calls over the IP-LAN;a publicly-switched telephone net-
`work (PSTN) having a trunk connection to the IP telephony
`server; and a PSTN-connected routing server. The IP tele-
`phony server, upon connection of the dual-mode communi-
`cation device to the IP-LAN,assigns a temporary IP address
`to the connected device and informsthe routing server of the
`connection and a destination number for the IP telephony
`server, and wherein the routing server then routes calls for
`the cell phone numberto the IP telephony server, which in
`turn routes the calls on the IP-LAN to the temporary IP
`address.
`
`In some embodiments of the system the routing serveris
`hosted by a cell-phone network. In other embodiments the
`routing server is a part of a PSTN service control point
`(SCP). The IP-LAN may be a wireless LAN.
`In some
`embodiments the system may havea user-editable profile at
`the cell-phone routing server, enabling a user to list first
`origination numbers for cell network delivery and second
`origination numbers for LAN network delivery, wherein the
`cell-phone routing server delivers all calls on the cell
`network unless the dual-mode communication device is
`
`in which case all calls from first
`logged onto the LAN,
`origination numbers are delivered on the cell network and
`calls from the second origination numbers are delivered on
`the LAN.
`
`In another aspect of the system an IP Local Area Network
`(IP-LAN) system is provided, comprising an IP telephony
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`server connected on the LAN and to a publicly-switched
`telephony trunk; and control routines executing on the IP
`telephony server. The IP telephony server assigns a tempo-
`rary IP addressto a cell phone-capable device connecting on
`the LAN, and communicates the fact of connection and a
`destination number for the IP telephony server to a PSTN-
`connected routing server.
`In this system the PSTN-
`connected routing server may be hosted by a cell-phone
`network or may be a part of a PSTN service control point
`(SCP). The LAN maybe a wireless network. In this system
`the IP telephonyserver associates the cell numberof the cell
`phone-capable device with the IP address, and delivers calls
`received for the cell number to the cell-phone-capable
`device connected on the LAN.
`
`In yet another aspect of the invention a method for
`minimizing cell phone charges for an organization having
`multiple sites is provided, comprising steps of (a) providing
`an IP-LAN atat least one organization site, the LAN having
`a PSTN-connected IP server; (b) providing at least one
`dual-mode communication device for use by organization
`personnel, the device capable of connection and communi-
`cation on both a cell-phone network and on the LAN; (c)
`assigning a temporary IP address to the one or more dual-
`mode communication devices upon connection to the LAN;
`(d) associating the IP address with the cell phone number of
`the dual-mode communication device at the IP server; (e)
`communicating the cell phone number and a destination
`numberfor the IP server to a PSTN-connected router; and (f)
`routing calls for the cell phone numberto the dual-mode
`communication device via a cell phone network during time
`the dual-mode device is not logged on to the LAN,andto the
`IP server for routing on the LAN during time the device is
`logged on to the LAN.
`In the method provided, in step (e) the PSTN-connected
`router may be hosted by a cell-network provider or may be
`a part of a PSTN service control point (SCP). In embodi-
`ments of the invention for the first time a system is provided
`wherein users may receive cell calls between sites and may
`log on to local sites where calls may be delivered by local
`LANs,
`thereby minimizing communication costs for the
`organization hosting the sites. Embodiments of the invention
`are disclosed in enabling detail below.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
`FIGURES
`
`FIG. 1 is a front view of a cellular phone enhanced with
`additional communication ports and software according to
`an embodiment of the present invention.
`FIG. 2 is an overview of network connection and com-
`
`munication capability of the cell phone of FIG. 1.
`FIG. 3 is a basic overview of a service-orientated routing
`and control system used with the cell phone of FIG. 1
`according to an embodiment of the present invention.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`According to an embodiment of the present invention, a
`subscriber-based service is provided that allows a cellular-
`capable device to receive calls routed through a COST
`network and over a private IP network.
`FIG. 1 is a frontal view of a cellular phone 9 enhanced
`with additional communication ports and software accord-
`ing to an embodiment of the present invention. Cellular
`telephone 9 is capable of communication over a well-known
`pulse-code modulated/global system for mobile communi-
`6
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`

`US 6,711,146 B2
`
`6
`the present invention. A local cellular network 23, a local
`switch 31 in a PSTN network 25, and a private IP network
`27 are shown including connection between the networks
`and phone 9.
`Cellular network 23 may be any type of CCN suchasis
`known in the art,
`including but not limited to GSM-X,
`TDMA, AMPS, D-AMPS, CDMA-X etc. A base-station-
`transceiver (BST) 29 is illustrated as a means of communi-
`cation within network 23. Other related equipment such as
`additional base-transceiver-stations (BTS), and base-
`controller-stations (BCS) are not illustrated within cell net-
`work 23, but are assumedto be present. It is the number and
`geographic range of these access stations that determine the
`extent of a given service area.
`If a user travels from one designated cellular service area
`to another, he is said to be roaming. Such a user may elect
`to have calls forwarded from oneservice area to his current
`
`service area. However, there is a charge for this roaming
`service. The further away a usertravels from his designated
`service area,
`the higher the cost for receiving calls in a
`visited service area by normalcellular service.
`PSTN network 25 may be any type of COST network
`such as is known in the art. IP network 27 represents a
`private company network such as may be constructed to
`cover a large companysite, a series of sites or locations, or
`the like.
`
`there is illustrated a mobile-
`Within network 23,
`switching-center (MSC) 30 that is adapted for storing tables
`and records of information associated with cell network
`patrons such as cell-phone numbers, a visitor list register
`(VLR), a homelist register (HLR), and so on. Look-up
`tables such as VLR and HLRtables list who is currently
`logged-in to a particular service area as is well knownin the
`art of global cellular services. Other functions of MSC 30
`include interfacing with wire-line networks such as, in this
`case, PSTN 25.
`MSC 30 is connected via a telephony trunk 33 to the
`COSTtelephony switch 31 within PSTN network 25. Calls
`destined to cell phone 9 arrive at PSTN switch 31, and are
`typically routed to MSC 30, which also functions as a
`transfer point or switch to local cellular service area com-
`ponents such as BTS 29, and ultimately to a registered user
`operating within the service boundary as determined by the
`VLR or HLR conventions. For example, if a user is roaming
`to a service area other than service area 23, then the HLR
`will list his current service area to which a call may then be
`routed through PSTN 25. Similarly, if a cellular call arrives
`from the designated service area of a user who has roamed
`to a new service area, the call is forwarded to that area via
`PSTN 25.
`
`5
`cation (PCM/GSM)cellular network and also capable of
`communicating on an IP data network in either a wired or
`wireless form.
`
`the only form of
`Cellular phone 9 is not, however,
`telecommunications device that may be used to practice the
`present invention. For example, any type of wireless com-
`munication device may be used that may also be adapted for
`having at least one mode of IP communication via wireless
`and or wired connection. The purposeof using a cell phone,
`such as phone 9 in this embodiment,
`is because of the
`existence of readily available and well established global
`cellular network, and the proliferation of cell-phone users
`whooften frequent companysites or other locations wherein
`IP networks are established for local communication.
`
`Cell phone 9 operates as a normal cellular phone, and
`through additional circuitry and software becomes a multi-
`purpose device according to an embodiment of the present
`invention. In one embodiment a communication port 11 is
`provided for a user to plug-in to a wired IP network. Port 11
`may be in one embodimenta standard 10-base T connection.
`Therefore, cell phone 9 may be plugged into a wired LAN
`network and become a communication device on that net-
`work.
`
`In a preferred embodiment an adapter port 13 is also
`provided for communication in wireless mode on a wireless
`IP network having different protocols than the currently
`available cellular/PCS networks (CCNs) of such types as
`PCM, GSM, CDMAetc. For example, a wireless network
`adapter may be plugged in to port 13 to enable such as
`infrared network communication, microwave
`communication, or other wireless communication wherein
`protocol may not be compatible with CCN protocols.
`Aclient software suite 19 enables a user to select a type
`of network for communication, to select a protocol for voice
`communication, and to set-up a temporary IP address on a
`network for the purpose of identifying and registering the
`device for normal operation on the network. Client software
`19 may be provided by a plug-in smart card, or may be
`pre-loaded into a suitable built-in memory provided and
`adapted for the purpose. A series of selection buttons such as
`15 and 17 allow a user to switch modes from cellular to IP
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`communication, and perhaps to switch from differing types
`of networks using knownprotocols that are made available
`via client software 19. One such protocol is the recently-
`developed H323 IP protocol allowing different hardware-
`based devices to communicate with each other over separate
`networks. There may be more than 2 selection buttons such
`as buttons 15 and 17 without departing from the spirit and
`scope of the present invention. Alternatively, the program
`may be given a series of preferences by the user, and then
`may negotiate the best possible connection accordingly.It
`may use such protocols as DHCPetc. to set up IP addresses
`Telephony switch 31 in this embodimentis connected via
`trunk 37 to an IP switch 35 illustrated within IP network 27.
`and so forth. Selection of the network could be according to
`an order of preference, by availability.
`In this case signal conversion from analog to digital form is
`performed in IP switch 35. In another embodiment, a stan-
`In one embodimentof the present invention cell phone 9
`is capable of taking some calls via cellular path while
`dard gateway such as an SS-7 gateway may be used. IP
`
`receiving other calls via IP path. In suchasituation, inte- switch 35 distributes incoming calls over network 27
`grating software is provided to coordinate activity between
`according to existing protocol and infrastructure. For
`the two paths. For example, if engaged with an IP call, an
`example, if IP network 27 comprises a wired network, then
`incoming cell call would get a busy signal and so on,orit
`a LAN 39 is the medium through whichcalls are delivered.
`If IP network 27 is a wireless network, then a wireless LAN
`would be redirected to the IP call point, where it would then
`38 is the medium over which calls are delivered. In some
`be presented as a call-waiting call,
`if that feature set is
`cases, a combination of wired and wireless forms of LAN
`available and enabled. In a preferred embodiment, phone 9
`may be switched from one network capability to anotherat
`communication is possible.
`the user’s discretion.
`In this exemplary embodiment, cell phone 9 may com-
`municate via cellular network in normal fashion as illus-
`trated via dotted double-arrow 43. In addition to normal
`
`FIG. 2 is a system overview of a network connection and
`communication capability according to an embodiment of
`
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`US 6,711,146 B2
`
`7
`cellular communication, cell phone 9 may communicate in
`wireless mode on wireless IP LAN 38 as illustrated via
`dotted double-arrow 45.
`In some embodiments wherein
`
`LAN 38is of a separate wireless transmission technology
`that is not compatible to cellular transmission, then a net-
`work adapter (not shown) would be plugged into port 13 of
`FIG. 1 to enable voice communication. Cell phone 9 may
`communicate on wired LAN 39 via access cable 41 con-
`nected to port 11 of phone 9 (FIG. 1), which may be a
`10-base D adapter (common in the art). When a user
`operating cell phone 9 logs-on to either LAN (38 or 39) he
`or she is assigned a temporary IP address for purposes of
`device identification. Thisis illustrated via a dotted rectangle
`labeled IP Address.
`
`Once logged on to the LAN,cell phone 9 operates as any
`other LAN-connected telecommunications device facilitat-
`ing two-way voice communication. Forwardedcalls to cell
`phone 9 will arrive via PSTN 25 overtrunk 37 to IP switch
`35 where they are distributed accordingly. It is important to
`note here that this basic embodimentillustrates connectivity
`and capability only, and not routing method or control
`techniques. Routing method and equipment used to control
`the disposition and to send parameters of cell phone 9 when
`logged on to a LAN such as LANs 39 or 38 is provided in
`more detail below.
`
`FIG. 3 is an overview of a routing and control system used
`with cell phone 9 according to an embodimentof the present
`invention. In this embodiment telephony switch 31 is linked
`to a CII processor 49 via a CTI connection 51. CTI
`processor49 providesintelligent routing capability to switch
`31 by virtue of added software known as T-server software
`to the inventor. A separate digital link 47 links CTI processor
`49 to IP switch 35 to provide control from within IP network
`27. Other equipment may be assumed to be present within
`network 25, such as an interactive voice response unit (IVR)
`and/or a statistical server.
`Cell network 24 in FIG. 3 is the user’s home area network,
`not the network local to IP network 27. Calls arriving at an
`MSC 34 in home cellular network 24 are represented by
`vector 55. Routing determination of calls 55 is based on a
`published cell-phone numberwhicha caller wishing to reach
`cell phone 9 would dial. This is a first destination number
`(DN 1) associated with MSC 34.
`Aseconddestination number (DN 2) is shownillustrated
`within IP network 27 as an address (IP address) on a
`particular LAN such as LAN 38or 39 of FIG. 2.
`Referring again to FIG. 3, whena user, via the dual-mode
`device 9, logs onto network 27 via LAN 38 or 39 of FIG. 2,
`he or she will, during configuration, obtain a new and
`temporary IP address (DN 2) as previously described.
`Alternatively, a roaming IP address may be used, that would
`be fixed for the device, if the connected to network supports
`this feature. Such technologies are known to the inventor.
`This service may be made available an address allocation
`protocol such as Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
`(DHCP) which is well knownin the art for the configuration
`of telecommunications devices on local IP networks.
`
`After a temporary IP address is established, a routing
`system comprising connected equipment and software as
`illustrated via CTI processor 49 causes the input information
`(IP addressassociated with dialable cell-phone number to be
`madeavailable to first destination switches/centers such as
`a switch 36 (PSTN) and MSC 34 (cell-network). Such
`information would be provided to MSC 34 and added to
`information 53 if the service is provided by the cellular
`provider.
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`After configuration of cell phone 9 is complete, the IP
`address and DN 2 are now registered at MSC 34 as illus-
`trated via an information block 53 which includes VLR and
`HLR information. This would be the case for a cellular
`network hosting the service. Virtually any information may
`be relayed back to first destination points (DN 1) at PSTN
`switch 36, or at MSC 34.
`If the service is provided by a non-cellular provider, then
`a separate dialable number must be provided in addition to
`the cellular phone number as a planned destination for
`incoming calls to PSTN switch 36. This service is available
`from most telephone-network providers in the form of the
`well known destination number identification service
`(DNIS). Alternatively, the regular number can be forwarded
`to the access point.
`According to one embodimentof the present invention,
`call 55 may arrive at MSC 34 from within cellular network
`24. A look-up of the HLR indicates that the owner of the
`device called is not within range of the local service area. If
`no current cellular service area where the user is currently
`operating is indicated in MSC 34at the time of call 55, then
`the system looks for forwarding information and finds an IP
`address associated with the user’s cell phone number. MSC
`34 then routes call 55 via a trunk 38 to switch 36. Call 55
`is then routed on through to IP switch 35 (via local switch
`31) in network 27 via trunk 37 from switch 31 based on the
`IP address.
`
`An appropriate signal-conversion bridge is used to con-
`vert signal as previously described. Such conversion may be
`performed in IP switch 35 or a trunk-connected bridge. The
`converted digital call is then routed over the LAN to DN 2,
`whichin this case is the assigned IP address of cell phone 9.
`LAN communication maybe wireless or wired as previously
`described.
`
`It is important to note here that the roaming distance
`(distance from primary service area to IP network as mea-
`sured in consecutive cellular service boundaries) may be
`considerable and that the PSTN network componentsillus-
`trated in this embodiment represent both components local
`to a primary cellular service boundary such as network 24
`and those local to a visited IP network such as network 27
`
`as well as any long-distance in between. First destination
`numbers will invariably be assigned to a local PSTN switch
`or service control point (SCP) wherein further routing is
`determined via information providedat the time of configu-
`ration of cell phone 9 at a visited IP network.
`The example described above of an instance of a cellular
`call 55 placed to cell phone 9 assumesthatthe user is taking
`all cellular calls in IP format while logged-on to IP network
`27. All such calls would then be routed via PSTN 25 to IP
`network 27. However, it may be that certain cellular calls
`will be exempt from IP delivery at the user’s discretion. In
`this case, callers from known origination numbers will be
`routed to local cell network 23,
`local
`to the visited IP
`network, and therefore may be received by the user of
`telephone 9 in normal cell-phone mode.
`As an example of a COSTcall 57 arriving at switch 36,
`call 57 is held while a check is made to MSC 34 which
`reports that the user is not in the area and gives DN 2
`information over trunk 38 to switch 34. Once destination is
`confirmed, call 57 is routed through PSTN 25 to switch 31,
`then via trunk 37 into IP switch 35 where it may then be
`routed to DN 2. If cell phone9 is not logged on to IP network
`27, then call 57 would be routed to the appropriate cellular
`service area based on registered DN 2, which in this case,
`would be the actual cell-phone number instead of an IP
`address.
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`

`US 6,711,146 B2
`
`9
`It will be apparent to one with skill in the art that by
`logging on to an IP network such as network 27, wherein
`CTI enhancement is made to a locally-connected PSTN
`switch, such as to switch 31, via CTI processor 49 and
`control line 47, information including IP addresses, assigned
`destination numbers,as well as routing preferences and rules
`may be madeavailable to primary cellular service area (23)
`and to PSTN switches (36). In some embodiments, routing
`routines may be customized by a user and directed to certain
`callers. Such options may be made available through
`T-server control routines (knownto the inventor) executing
`on a connected CTI processor such as processor 49.
`The method a