Enabling packet switched calls to a wireless telephone user
View Patent ↗A packet switched IP call to a mobile user device in a wireless network is supported where the mobile user does not have a static IP address and where the mobile user is not engaged in communications in which an IP address is currently assigned. The originating party utilizes the directory number of the mobile user to initiate the packet switched call with at least an originating packet being directed to a home agent in the wireless network. The home agent assigns a temporary IP address to the mobile user's UE and translates packets addressed to the user's directory number to the assigned IP address. A switching node forwards the assigned IP addressed packets to the corresponding UE.
1. A method for establishing packet switched calls over a wireless network to wireless mobile users that do not have static internet protocol addresses and do not have a currently assigned internet protocol address, the method comprising the steps of:
identifying by a home agent in the wireless network a called mobile user to receive at least initial packets in a packet switched call from an originator not in the wireless network, the packets addressed to a directory telephone number assigned to the called mobile user;
assigning by the home agent a first internet protocol address to the called mobile user in response to receipt of said at least initial packets where the first internet protocol address was not associated with the called mobile user prior the receipt of said at least initial packets, the first internet protocol address being unique within a virtual private network of the wireless network, no internet protocol address having been assigned for use by the called mobile user prior the receipt of said at least initial packets;
inserting by the home agent the first internet protocol address in the at least initial packets;
routing by the home agent the at least initial packets including the first internet protocol address to the called mobile user;
storing the first internet protocol address in a wireless device used by the mobile user and using the first internet protocol address as an originating party internet protocol address in packets transmitted by the called mobile user during the call;
receiving all further packets from the originator by the home agent addressed to the mobile user using the directory number of the mobile user;
translating by the home agent the further packets addressed to the directory number into inbound packets having the first internet protocol address, and forwarding the inbound packets to wireless device of the mobile user using the first internet protocol address;
transmitting outbound packets from the wireless device of the mobile user to the originator using a destination internet protocol address of the originator such that the home agent is not an intermediate node in the transmission of the outbound packets.
2. A method for establishing packet switched calls over a wireless network to wireless mobile users that do not have static internet protocol addresses and do not have a currently assigned internet protocol address, the method comprising the steps of:
identifying by a home agent in the wireless network a called mobile user to receive at least initial packets in a packet switched call addressed to a directory telephone number assigned to the called mobile user;
assigning by the home agent a first internet protocol address to the called mobile user in response to receipt of said at least initial packets where the first internet protocol address was not associated with the called mobile user prior the receipt of said at least initial packets, the first internet protocol address being unique within a virtual private network of the wireless network, no internet protocol address having been assigned for use by the called mobile user prior the receipt of said at least initial packets;
inserting by the home agent the first internet protocol address in the at least initial packets;
routing the at least initial packets including the first internet protocol address to the called mobile user;
storing the first internet protocol address in a wireless device used by the mobile user and using the first internet protocol address as an originating party internet protocol address in packets transmitted by the called mobile user during the call, wherein said directory number is included in all packets sent to the called mobile user arriving at the home agent, and the home agent inserts the first internet protocol address in all packets sent to the mobile user.
3. The method according to claim 2 further comprising the steps of upon receipt by a device associated with a party that originated the call to the mobile user of the packet transmitted by the called mobile user during the call, storing the first internet protocol address assigned to the called mobile user, and incorporating the first internet protocol address in further packets sent to the mobile user.