Integrated number portability and user mobility for a communication system
View Patent ↗A computer system receives a first message from an originating communication node indicating a telephone number for a user. The computer system processes the telephone number, number portability data, and user mobility data to identify a first route number for a home communication node and a second route number for a visited communication node currently serving the user. The computer system transfers a second message to the originating communication node indicating the first route number and the second route number. The call may be routed from the originating communication node to the visited communication node based on the second route number, but if the visited communication node is unable to complete the call, the call may be routed from the originating communication node to the home communication node based on the first route number.
1. A method of operating a communication system comprising:
receiving a first message from an originating communication node wherein the first message indicates a telephone number for a user;
processing the telephone number and number portability data to identify a first route number for a home communication node;
processing the telephone number and user mobility data to identify a second route number for a visited communication node currently serving the user; and
transferring a second message to the originating communication node wherein the second message indicates the first route number for the home communication node and the second route number for the visited communication node.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising routing the call from the originating communication node to the visited communication node based on the second route number without routing the call through the home communication node.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising routing the call from the originating communication node to the home communication node based on the first route number if the visited communication node is unable to complete the call.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein receiving the first message and transferring the second message comprises receiving the first message into a computer system and transferring the second message from the computer system.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the number portability data and the user mobility data are stored in the computer system.
6. The method of claim 2 further comprising transferring the user mobility data including the second route number from the visited communication node to the computer system in response to the user visiting the visited communication node.
7. The method of claim 2 wherein the visited communication node comprises a mobile switching center.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the originating communication node comprises one of a class 4 telephone switch and a class 5 telephone switch.
9. The method of claim 2 wherein the visited communication node comprises a wireless communication node.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the originating communication node comprises a voice over internet protocol node.
11. A communication system comprising:
a communication interface configured to receive a first message from an originating communication node wherein the first message indicates a telephone number for a user;
a processing system configured to process the telephone number and number portability data to identify a first route number for a home communication node and to process the telephone number and user mobility data to identify a second route number for a visited communication node currently serving the user; and
the communication interface is further configured to transfer a second message to the originating telecommunication node wherein the second message indicates the first route number for the home communication node and the second route number for the visited communication node.
12. The communication system of claim 11 further comprising a communication network configured to route the call from the originating communication node to the visited communication node based on the second route number without routing the call through the home communication node.
13. The communication system of claim 11 further comprising a communication network configured to route the call from the originating communication node to the home communication node based on the first route number if the visited communication node is unable to complete the call.
14. The communication system of claim 12 wherein the communication interface and the processing system are located at a single site.
15. The communication system of claim 14 wherein the processing system includes a storage system and the number portability data and the user mobility data are stored in the storage system.
16. The communication system of claim 12 wherein the visited communication node is configured to transfer the user mobility data including the second route number to the communication interface in response to the user visiting the visited communication node.
17. The communication system of claim 16 wherein the visited communication node comprises a mobile switching center.
18. The communication system of claim 17 wherein the originating communication node comprises one of a class 4 telephone switch and a class 5 telephone switch.
19. The communication system of claim 16 wherein the visited communication node comprises a wireless communication node.
20. The communication system of claim 19 wherein the originating communication node comprises a voice over internet protocol node.