Abstract: A telecommunications system, and method for providing a called party with the location of the calling party. When a call is received by a switch serving the calling party, the location of the calling party is determined, which is then transmitted to the called party.

Abstract: A telecommunications system and method is disclosed for encapsulating header information associated with a Short Message Service (SMS) message within that SMS message, which can then be sent over a broadcast channel. This header information can contain, for example, additional information regarding the intended recipients of the SMS message. For example, a business with 100 employees may want to be able to broadcast a SMS message to all employees, but not to anyone else. Therefore, in this case, the header information can indicate “private” and include a unique user group identification (ID) code. A Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), or other memory, within each of the mobile terminals within the predefined group can contain a message application, which can compare the received group ID to a group ID stored in the SIM, and determine whether the message should be displayed on the mobile terminal.

Abstract: A telecommunications system and method is disclosed for optimizing multi-party calls within a satellite network. This can be accomplished by the Mobile Switching Center (MSC) that the subscriber is currently registered in receiving a multi-party request from the subscriber and determining the most optimal MSC for the given multi-party call. The subscriber can then be re-registered in the most optimal MSC, and either the subscriber or the optimal MSC can set up the entire multi-party call. Alternatively, the subscriber can be re-registered in the optimal MSC, which then sets up the call to the first party of the multi-party call. Thereafter, the subscriber can set up the rest of the multi-party call.

Abstract: An improved system and method for high penetration notification is disclosed. Whereas conventional telecommunications systems invoke wireline trunking resources to transfer calling number information to the transmitter for wireless transmission to a called subscriber, the system and method of the present invention avoids allocation of the trunking resources by incorporating the calling number information into existing non-trunked information transference protocols.

Abstract: A system, method and mobile station in a telecommunications system for handling communication requests in the form of call attempts and attempts to send text messages from a requesting party to the mobile station where the mobile station is unreachable via a normal-power-level page signal. After the mobile station has failed to respond to at least one normal-strength, first page signal, a subscriber database is consulted to determine if the mobile station is attached to the telecommunications system. If the mobile station is attached, an identifier associated with the requesting party is compared with the contents of a communication screening list associated with the mobile station to determine whether a second, higher-power page signal, called a High-Power Notification (HPN) page, may be sent to the mobile station.

Abstract: Selective carrier denial in a cellular system restricts some or all carrier-handled calls from a given cellular subscriber while simultaneously allowing other cellular calls. A restriction flag or indicator in a Visitor Location Register (VLR) of the cellular system is set by a Home Location Register (HLR) which contains a list of those carriers denied to subscribers. When the restriction flag is set, the HLR is interrogated to determine if the call is restricted. Alternatively, the restriction flag may reside within the subscriber's mobile phone. Further, the VLR or mobile phone may, respectively, contain a list of denied carriers and internally determine if carrier denial applies without resort to the HLR.

Abstract: Before routing an emergency call setup request signal received from a mobile subscriber toward a particular emergency service terminal, subscriber specified data associated with that particular subscriber are retrieved. By analyzing such retrieved data, the serving mobile switching center is better able to ascertain the individual need of the mobile subscriber and accordingly routes the emergency call towards the appropriate emergency service operator capable of providing effective assistance to the mobile subscriber in need.

Abstract: The SS7 network signalling address of a serving exchange for a cellular system is used to construct a unique network call identifier for a mobile call. This unique network call identifier is communicated across the networks to allow multiple serving exchanges associated with a roaming subscriber to produce call data records to a separate network or a node and have it correlate the billing records with a single call. Every mobile call within the cellular networks will have a unique call identifier, and this call identifier is communicated from the anchor exchange to the serving exchange during an interexchange handoff process to identify the transferring call across the network.

Abstract: A telecommunications system and method is disclosed which allows for optimization of calls using satellite resources by moving a Mobile Station's (MSs) registration to an optimum Mobile Switching Center/Visitor Location Register (MSC/VLR) within the area visible to the satellite. This can be accomplished by sending the Called Party Number (CPN) to a Call Optimization Server (COS), which performs a pre-analysis on the CPN to determine the optimum MSC/VLR, e.g., the MSC/VLR with the closest connection to the called subscriber. Thereafter, the address of the optimum MSC/VLR is returned to the MS, which can then register with the indicated MSC/VLR and send a SETUP message to the new MSC/VLR to complete the call. This optimization can also be performed for mobile terminated calls, from either another Mobile Station or from a caller within the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) (wireline network).

Abstract: A memory register correlating an access code for accessing a particular long distance carrier within a particular telecommunications network is coupled either to a mobile station or to a telecommunications node serving the mobile station. Whenever the mobile station travels outside of its home Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) and dials an access code in an attempt to access that particular long distance carrier, an application module associated with the mobile station or the telecommunications node automatically determines the current network serving the mobile station and converts the dialed access code to another access code appropriate for accessing the desired long distance carrier within the current PLMN. A call connection, thereafter, is established with the indicated long distance carrier utilizing the converted access code.

Abstract: A telecommunications system and method for allowing calls to and from mobile terminals to be handled directly by a remote terminal without the need for trunk lines between the remote terminal and the network. This is accomplished by tunneling the signaling messages between the remote terminal (RT) and the network (Mobile Services Center/Visitor Location Register), for example, via the Transfer Communication Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), which is a communications link of the type used by the Internet. The remote terminal preferably consists of a traffic channel controller for allocation and release of traffic channels over the satellite, an interworking function for speech coding and for signaling via, for example, the TCP/IP, and the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) interface. These main three components function together to provide cost-effective cellular coverage to remote villages.

Abstract: A mobile communication system with a plurality of mobile telephones including an emergency radio beacon transmitting mobile telephone with an emergency radio beacon transmitter that is selectively activated in response to receipt from a coded emergency beacon activation signal from a beacon activating emergency center. The emergency beacon activating center determines whether an emergency call is from an emergency beacon capable mobile telephone based on receipt of the call on a dedicated emergency beacon capable trunk . Alternatively, the determination is based on a suffix number added to the emergency center number by an MSC/VLR switch prior to connection to the emergency center or is based on an emergency beacon capable indicating code added to the calling party's number.

Abstract: A telecommunications system and method is disclosed for invoking barring features within a satellite network when calls to a subscriber within the satellite network are optimized. When a call is optimized for the satellite subscriber, the actual geographic location of the satellite subscriber is sent to the HLR and the new (optimal) MSC/VLR. This location can be sent as an MSC address, or other form. Therefore, when a barring feature is associated with the call, this MSC address is checked by the serving MSC or the HLR (in the case of barring of incoming calls when roaming outside of the home Public Land Mobile Network country). If the satellite subscriber's actual geographic location is within the barred area, the barring feature is invoked. Otherwise, the barring feature is not invoked.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for restricting operation of a cellular telephone to well delineated geographical areas. The cellular telephone is equipped with a location device for ascertaining the current geographical location of the cellular telephone. The ascertained geographical location is compared with information pertaining to the allowability of operation of cellular telephones in various geographical locations. A determination is made as to whether the cellular telephone is allowed to operate in its current geographical location. The cellular telephone accordingly enables or disables transmitting by the transceiver of the cellular telephone.

Abstract: A first mobile station is correlated with a second mobile station as a permitted home zone party. The second mobile station is in speech connection with another telecommunications party. In the event that the first mobile station wishes to join in on the conversation, the first mobile station simply transmits a selected service code A to the serving mobile switching center (MSC). The serving MSC retrieves the data correlating the first mobile station with the second mobile station, determines that the first mobile station is currently located within the same home zone, and conferences the first mobile station into the existing call connection involving the second mobile station by utilizing one of the call conference circuits. As an illustration, members of the same household can designate and correlate each other as permitted home zone parties.

Abstract: Call forwarding data, including forward to numbers for a particular mobile station are correlated with a particular service area and stored at a home location register (HLR) associated with that particular mobile station. Whenever the mobile station travels into a mobile switching center (MSC) serving that particular service area, the MSC performs a location update with the HLR. A location update signal further includes data representing the identity of the service area currently serving the mobile station. Upon receiving the location update signal from the serving MSC, the HLR analyzes the received data to determine the identity of the service area currently serving the mobile station and retrieves the call forwarding data associated with that particular service area.

Abstract: A request for call forwarding activation along with forward-to-number is received from a mobile station via one of the data channels such as a Stand-alone Dedicated Control Channel (SDCCH). The activation request itself is transported by an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) message. The serving mobile switching center (MSC) analyzes the forward-to-number and establishes a speech connection with the mobile station by calling back the mobile station. Next, the MSC originates an outgoing call towards the forward-to-number and, as a result, establishes a speech connection between the mobile station and the telephone terminal associated with the forward-to-number. By establishing a speech connection between the two parties, the mobile subscriber requesting the call forwarding activation can verbally verify the forward-to-number.

Abstract: A protocol enhancer (PE) is interfaced between a home location register (HLR) associated with a home mobile telecommunications network and a serving mobile switching center/visitor location register (MSC/VLR) associated within a visited mobile telecommunications network. Whenever a mobile station associated with the home network roams into the visited network, the PE down-loads subscriber data associated with the mobile station from the HLR. The down-loaded subscriber data are then combined with additional subscriber data unique to the visited network. Such data, for example, enable the roaming mobile station to utilize additional subscriber features not provided by the first network. The combined subscriber data are then communicated to the serving MSC/VLR. The serving MSC/VLR then utilizes the combined subscriber data to provide otherwise unavailable subscriber features to the roaming mobile station.

Abstract: An improved cellular communications system and method is disclosed which routes incoming calls to those subscribers who do not answer their page. The incoming call is routed to one of a list of alternate numbers, such as a home or work number in a public telephone system. Based upon the last known location of the subscriber within the cellular system, a particular list of such alternate numbers are tried in an effort to contact the subscriber outside the cellular network. Different lists are utilized depending upon the subscriber's last known location. In a first embodiment of the present invention, the various lists are stored in a home location register for the cellular system which forwards a particular list to the mobile switching center servicing the subscriber. In a second embodiment of the present invention, the particular list is stored within and forwarded by a service control point within an intelligent network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a dispatch system in a cellular radiotelephone system. Membership in a dispatch group is implicitly created by assigning a common telephone number to all members of the dispatch group and/or explicitly by association of the mobile stations with one or more dispatch groups in a centralized database of a cellular telephone network. A telephone call placed by a dispatcher or mobile stations having membership in the dispatch group results in the cellular telephone network contacting each of the members of the dispatch group to create a full duplex conference call between all members of the dispatch group. In one embodiment of the present invention, the telephone calls to the mobile stations are conferenced together at the gateway to the cellular telephone network, and in another embodiment of the present invention, the telephone calls to the mobile stations are hierarchically conferenced together.