Granted Patent B2

US 7,493,124 · App. 11/077,301 · Granted Feb 17, 2009

Abstract

Claims (32)

1. A method for updating information within a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

engaging, by a first wireless network, in a call with a mobile unit that wirelessly interfaces with the first wireless network;

receiving a message from the mobile unit on the first wireless network, wherein the message was placed by the mobile unit utilizing a second wireless network wirelessly interfacing with the mobile unit and wherein the message is a message taken from the group consisting of a short message service (SMS) message, an email, an IP ping, a data call, a web request, a multimedia message, a push-to-talk call, and a call alert message;

determining, by the first wireless network, identification information from the message;

associating, by the first wireless network, the identification information with a particular mobile unit and with a particular mobile unit attribute that needs updating; and

updating, of a database and by the first wireless network, location information for the particular mobile unit based on an address of the received message and to reflect the fact that the particular mobile unit is no longer associated with a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN).

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving the message comprises the step of receiving the message on a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), wherein the message was placed utilizing a Wide Area Network (WAN).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving the message comprises the step of receiving the message on a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), wherein the call was placed from a cellular network.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining identification information from the message comprises the step of determining “from” address information from the message.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to receiving the message from the mobile unit on the first wireless network which message was placed by the mobile unit utilizing the second wireless network, switching, by the mobile station, from the first wireless network to the second wireless network.

6. A method for updating a mobile-unit attribute within a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, by a first wireless network, a telephone call that was placed via a second wireless network;

determining identification information from the telephone call;

associating the identification information with a particular mobile unit and with a particular mobile unit attribute that needs updating; and

updating, of a database and by the first wireless network, location information for the particular mobile unit based on routing information associated with the telephone call and without connecting the received telephone call.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of updating the attribute comprises the step of updating a multi-modal location for the particular mobile unit.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of receiving the telephone call comprises the step of receiving the telephone call on a first network, wherein the telephone call was placed utilizing a second network.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of receiving the telephone call comprises the step of receiving a Public-Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) call.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of receiving the telephone call comprises the step of receiving the telephone call on a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), wherein the telephone call was placed from a Wide Area Network (WAN).

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of receiving the telephone call comprises the step of receiving the telephone call on a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), wherein the telephone call was placed from a cellular network.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of determining identification information from the telephone call comprises the step of determining Signaling System 7 information from the telephone call.

13. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of updating the attribute comprises the step of: updating location information for the mobile unit.

14. An apparatus for updating information within a communication system, the apparatus comprising:

a first wireless network having:

a location database that maintains location information for a mobile unit wirelessly interfacing with the first wireless network;

a mapping database that maps caller identification information to a particular mobile unit; and

a mobility manager that receives a call from the mobile unit that is placed utilizing a second wireless network that wirelessly interfaces with the mobile unit, accesses the mapping database to associate caller identification information to the mobile unit and with a particular mobile unit attribute that needs updating, and updates the location database based on routing information associated with the received call and to reflect the fact that the particular mobile unit is no longer associated with a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN).

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the call comprises a PSTN call.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the call comprises a call taken from the group consisting of a short message service (SMS), an email, an IP ping, a data call, a web request, a multimedia message, and a push-to-talk call.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the call is received on a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), and was placed utilizing a Wide Area Network (WAN).

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the call is received on a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), and was placed from a cellular network.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein a mobility manager receives the call from the mobile unit that is placed utilizing the second wireless network subsequent to the mobile unit switching from the first wireless network to the second wireless network.

Assignments (14)