Retrieving jurisdiction information from home location register

Abstract

Calls to a wireless telephone number that are to be redirected by a gateway switch to another number can be properly billed, even if the wireless telephone number is ported to another service provider by billing the wireless telephone number subscriber for the charge that would have been incurred by placing a call to the forwarded number from the mobile telephone located in its home service area.

1 . In wireless communications network that provides wireless communications services, a method of redirecting a call placed to a wireless subscriber's number, to a second number, comprising the steps of: 
 storing information in a first computer that is coupled to the wireless communications network, the stored information including: 
 at least one second number to which a call to the wireless subscriber number is to be redirected by a switching center for the wireless subscriber number; and  
 the identity of the mobile switching center, or geographic division thereof, of the first service provider, to which a call to the wireless subscriber number is to be routed when a call to the non-roaming wireless subscriber is not to be redirected to a second number.  
   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of storing information includes the step of: 
 storing in the first computer, the identity of a mobile switching center, or a geographic division thereof, in a wireless communication network that has jurisdiction over a geographic coverage area for the wireless subscriber number.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of storing information includes the step of: 
 storing the identity of the mobile switching center or geographic division thereof, for the home service area of a mobile, in a storage device that is operatively coupled to the first computer.    
   
   
       4 . The wireless communication network of  claim 1 , wherein the step of: 
 storing information includes steps for storing at least one of:    a. an electronic serial number for a wireless subscriber's telephone;    b. a mobile identification number for a wireless subscriber's telephone;    c. services provided to the wireless subscriber by the subscriber's service provider;    d. information that specifies whether the wireless subscriber is provided with call redirecting service;    e. the identity of a mobile switching center, or geographic division thereof, to which calls to the wireless subscriber's number are to be routed by switching systems that are coupled to the switching network.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of storing information in a first computer includes steps of storing in a home location register data base for a switching network, the area code and office code of a switching system, or geographic division thereof, where a call to the wireless subscriber, is to be redirected from.  
   
   
       6 . In a wireless communication network, a method of routing a wireless telephone call to a wireless subscriber, comprising the steps of: 
 storing, in a first computer that is coupled to the communications network, information that identifies at least some services provided to the wireless subscriber by a wireless service provider;    receiving, by the first computer, a first message, the first message including a request for information about the wireless subscriber;    sending, by the first computer, a second message that is a response to the first message that identifies: 
 a number to which a call to the wireless subscriber is to be redirected; and  
 subscriber jurisdiction information for the wireless subscriber.  
   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the step of receiving, by a first computer, a first message, includes the step of receiving said first message from a second computer that is also coupled to the wireless network.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the step of sending, by the first computer, a second message, includes the step of sending the second message to a second computer that is coupled to the wireless network, said second message identifying a third computer to which a call to the wireless subscriber is to be routed when calls to the wireless subscriber are not to be redirected.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of storing includes the step of: 
 storing in the first computer, the identity of a mobile switching center, or geographic division thereof, that has jurisdiction over a geographic coverage area for the wireless subscriber number.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of storing information includes the step of storing: the identity of the mobile switching center or geographic division thereof, for the home service area of a mobile, in a storage device that is operatively coupled to the first computer, from which a call is to be redirected.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of storing information includes steps for storing at least one of: 
 a. an electronic serial number for a wireless subscriber's telephone;    b. a mobile identification number for a wireless subscriber's telephone;    c. services provided to the wireless subscriber by the subscriber's service provider;    d. information that specifies whether the wireless subscriber is provided with call redirecting service;    e. the identity of a mobile switching center, or geographic division thereof, to which calls to the wireless subscriber's number, are to be routed by switching systems that are coupled to the switching network.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of receiving a first message includes the step of receiving a message that is in the SS7 signaling format.  
   
   
       13 . A method of redirecting a call that is placed to a wireless telephone number, to another number, comprising the steps of: 
 sending a first message by a first computer to a second computer, the first message requesting from the second computer, information about the wireless telephone number;    receiving, by the first computer, a response to the first message that identifies at least, a telephone number to which calls that are placed to the wireless telephone number are to be redirected by a third computer; and    said first computer routing the call placed to the wireless telephone number, to a fourth computer.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of receiving by the first computer, a response to the first message includes receiving information that also includes at least one of: 
 a. an identifier for the third computer;    b. the identity of the mobile switching center or geographic division thereof, that has jurisdiction for the mobile;;    c. an electronic serial number of the wireless telephone number; and    d. communications services provided to the wireless telephone number.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of: 
 a. redirecting the call and jurisdiction information received in the response from the second computer to the fourth computer.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of receiving by the first computer, a response to the first message includes the step of receiving information about the wireless telephone number from a home location register database.  
   
   
       17 . A home location register data base system of a wireless communications network comprising: 
 a processor, operatively coupled to a wireless communications network;    a data storage device, operatively coupled to the processor;    one or more computer-readable signal-bearing media coupled to the processor, the computer-readable signal-bearing media storing program instructions, which when executed enable the processor to: 
 store information in the data storage device that includes: 
 at least one second number to which a call to a wireless subscriber number is to be redirected by a switching center for the wireless subscriber number; and  
 the identity of a mobile switching center, or geographic division thereof, of a wireless communications service provider, to which a call to the wireless subscriber number is to be routed when a call to the non-roaming wireless subscriber is not to be redirected to a second number;  
 
   the one or more computer-readable signal-bearing media also storing instructions, which when executed, enable the processor to receive a message from a switching system coupled to the wireless communications network, said message requesting from the processor, at least some of the information stored in the data storage device.    
   
   
       18 . The home location register data base system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more computer-readable signal-bearing media further store program instructions, which when executed enable the processor to store additional information in the data storage device that includes at least one of: 
 a. data that specifies whether call redirecting is provided to a wireless subscriber number;    b. the electronic serial number of a wireless subscriber's telephone; and    c. the identity of the mobile switching center or geographic division thereof, having jurisdiction over the mobile.    
   
   
       19 . A gateway mobile switching system of a first wireless communications network comprising: 
 a processor, operatively coupled to the first wireless communications network;    one or more computer-readable signal-bearing media coupled to the processor, the computer-readable signal-bearing media storing program instructions, which when executed enable the processor to: 
 receive from a first switch, signaling information for a call that is destined for a mobile telephone number that corresponds to a second mobile switching center within a wireless communications network;  
 retrieve by a first (gateway) mobile switching center from a data base coupled to the first wireless communications network, data that determines whether the processor is to route the call for the mobile telephone number to a second mobile switching center within the wireless communications network, or redirect the call to a second number through a second switch that is coupled to the wireless communications network; and  
 retrieve from the data base, information from which the identity of the second mobile switching center, or geographic division thereof, can be determined.  
   
   
   
       20 . The gateway mobile switching system of  claim 19 , further including one or more computer-readable signal-bearing media coupled to the processor storing program instructions, which when executed cause the gateway mobile switching system to route the call to the mobile telephone number to a second number through the second switch.