Abstract: A system and method of routing calls made to a called party Subscriber Universal Destination Identifier (SUDI) in a wireless communications network is provided. The method includes determining the call type, selecting a call-type-specific destination identifier for the call from a plurality of called party destination identifiers based on the call type, and routing the call to the called party using the selected call-type-specific destination identifier. The step of determining the call type can include determining the call protocol, determining the media type, and determining the call type from the call protocol and the media type. The system includes functionality for determining the call type, selecting a call-type-specific destination identifier for the call from a plurality of called party destination identifiers based on the call type, and routing the call to the called party using the selected call-type-specific destination identifier.

Abstract: A transcoder-free operation (TrFO) implementation is disclosed that provides backward-compatibility, or interworking between nodes supporting Iu UP version 1 and version 2. A media gateway (MGW) on the terminating side of a prospective call detects mismatching RFCI values between an originating and terminating side of a prospective call, such as may occur when an originating MGW supports Iu UP version 2 and a terminating Radio Network Controller (RNC) supports Iu UP version 1. The terminating MGW performs a mapping and translation function to convert RFCI values associated with Iu UP version 2 to those of version 1, or vice versa, so as to accommodate the terminating RNC supporting Iu UP version 1.

Abstract: A telecommunications system (100) includes network access devices (104) that couple user devices (102) to a telecommunications network (106). The user devices (102) include at least voice and preferably text display and text generation capability. A voicemail server (114) is coupled to the telecommunications network. The voicemail server (114) is also coupled to an application server (116). Selectively, speech traveling through the telecommunications network (100) from user devices (102) is converted into text, stored, and forwarded to a user device as a text message. The text message is for example a facsimile transmission, an e-mail, or a SMS message. The selectivity is based on a stored attribute, current status of the user device, attributes of the sending device and the like. Text can even be converted into speech as an option. Or, stored speech associated with a text message can be retrieved based on the text message.

Abstract: A method of synchronizing multimedia telecommunications network-based voicemail and multimedia mail messages with a wireless communications device and an external message recording device. The method includes connecting the wireless communications device to the external device, establishing a call between the wireless communications device and a voicemail/multimedia mail server in the network, exchanging information between the wireless communications device and the voicemail/multimedia mail messages about the subscriber's messages, which messages may be stored on the external device and the voicemail/multimedia mail server, determining the status of the subscriber's messages. If there is at least one new message for the subscriber on the server, then any new messages are downloaded to the external device and the server is updated. If there are no new messages for the subscriber on the server, then a message is played for the subscriber indicating that there are no new messages.

Abstract: A method of sending personalized outgoing voicemail/multimedia mail messages based on the caller ID in a multimedia telecommunications network, the method including storing the subscriber's personalized outgoing voicemail and multimedia mail messages at a first network element, receiving a call having a unique caller ID for the subscriber at a second network element, determining at the second network element whether the subscriber has activated the service and whether the subscriber is unavailable to take the call, forwarding the call to the first network element where the service has been activated by the subscriber and the subscriber is unavailable to take the call, analyzing at the first network element the caller ID of the call to determine which of the stored outgoing messages is an appropriate outgoing message for the caller, and playing the appropriate outgoing message to the caller.

Abstract: A method of transferring a call established between a first communications device and a second communications device from the second communications device to a third communications device. The method includes negotiating media description between the first communications device and the third communications device to establish a transferred call capable of handling media which can be different than that handled by the original call.

Abstract: A method is provided for managing contact information for a wireless mobile terminal (40) having an electronic directory that stores contacts thereon along with the telephone numbers for the contacts. The method includes: maintaining a database (70) containing contact information for a user of the terminal (40), the contact information including a list of the user's contacts along with telephone numbers for the contacts, the database (70) being accessible by an application server (24) associated with a wireless telecommunications network (10) serving the terminal (40); providing a network-based contact feature administer by the application server (24) for accessing the user's contact information on the database (70); establishing a connection over the network (10) between the terminal (40) and the application server (24); and, processing contact information in accordance with a selected operation.

Abstract: A method of processing multimedia calls in a multimedia telecommunications network. The method comprises: receiving at a first network element a multimedia call from a caller using a first communication device to a prepaid wireless user using a second communication device, the prepaid wireless user having an amount of airtime remaining for the second communication device; displaying in real-time a plurality of available call features and the amount of airtime remaining on the second communication device; prompting the prepaid wireless user to select the call features from the plurality of available call features via the second communication device; receiving the user's selected call features at the first network element; routing the selected call features from the first network element to a second network element and then to the caller; setting up the call according to the selected call features; and connecting the call.

Abstract: A system and method of routing calls made to a called party Subscriber Universal Destination Identifier (SUDI) in a wireless communications network is provided. The method includes determining the call type, selecting a call-type-specific destination identifier for the call from a plurality of called party destination identifiers based on the call type, and routing the call to the called party using the selected call-type-specific destination identifier. The step of determining the call type can include determining the call protocol, determining the media type, and determining the call type from the call protocol and the media type. The system includes means for determining the call type, means for selecting a call-type-specific destination identifier for the call from a plurality of called party destination identifiers based on the call type, and means for routing the call to the called party using the selected call-type-specific destination identifier.

Abstract: A method of synchronizing multimedia telecommunications network-based voicemail and multimedia mail messages with a wireless communications device and an external message recording device. The method includes connecting the wireless communications device to the external device, establishing a call between the wireless communications device and a voicemail/multimedia mail server in the network, exchanging information between the wireless communications device and the voicemail/multimedia mail messages about the subscriber's messages, which messages may be stored on the external device and the voicemail/multimedia mail server, determining the status of the subscriber's messages. If there is at least one new message for the subscriber on the server, then any new messages are downloaded to the external device and the server is updated. If there are no new messages for the subscriber on the server, then a message is played for the subscriber indicating that there are no new messages.

Abstract: A method of locating a mobile communications terminal is provided. The method includes determining that a predetermined amount of the main battery power is depleted, and switching the terminal to a reserve mode preventing the terminal from receiving a paging message without entry of a PIN. The mobile communications terminal includes a controller for switching the terminal to the reserve mode after a predetermined amount of the main battery power is depleted and alerting means for indicating receipt of an incoming call after receiving a paging message in the reserve mode. The terminal can be located by making a call to the terminal, entering the PIN and then listening for the alert.

Abstract: A method of processing multimedia calls in a multimedia telecommunications network. The method comprises: receiving at a first network element a multimedia call from a caller using a first communication device to a prepaid wireless user using a second communication device, the prepaid wireless user having an amount of airtime remaining for the second communication device; displaying in real-time a plurality of available call features and the amount of airtime remaining on the second communication device; prompting the prepaid wireless user to select the call features from the plurality of available call features via the second communication device; receiving the user's selected call features at the first network element; routing the selected call features from the first network element to a second network element and then to the caller; setting up the call according to the selected call features; and connecting the call.

Abstract: A method of sending personalized outgoing voicemail/multimedia mail messages based on the caller ID in a multimedia telecommunications network, the method including storing the subscriber's personalized outgoing voicemail and multimedia mail messages at a first network element, receiving a call having a unique caller ID for the subscriber at a second network element, determining at the second network element whether the subscriber has activated the service and whether the subscriber is unavailable to take the call, forwarding the call to the first network element where the service has been activated by the subscriber and the subscriber is unavailable to take the call, analyzing at the first network element the caller ID of the call to determine which of the stored outgoing messages is an appropriate outgoing message for the caller, and playing the appropriate outgoing message to the caller.

Abstract: A telecommunications system (100) includes network access devices (104) that couple user devices (102) to a telecommunications network (106). The user devices (102) include at least voice and preferably text display and text generation capability. A voicemail server (114) is coupled to the telecommunications network. The voicemail server (114) is also coupled to an application server (116). Selectively, speech traveling through the telecommunications network (100) from user devices (102) is converted into text, stored, and forwarded to a user device as a text message. The text message is for example a facsimile transmission, an e-mail, or a SMS message. The selectivity is based on a stored attribute, current status of the user device, attributes of the sending device and the like. Text can even be converted into speech as an option. Or, stored speech associated with a text message can be retrieved based on the text message.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods and apparatus for allowing an end user terminal in a multimedia network to provide various options for handling a session request including accepting the request, redirecting the session, releasing the session based on user input or predefined attributes stored in the originating device and/or the terminating device.

Abstract: A method of transferring a call established between a first communications device and a second communications device from the second communications device to a third communications device. The method includes negotiating media description between the first communications device and the third communications device to establish a transferred call capable of handling media which can be different than that handled by the original call.