Advanced voice services architecture framework
Advanced voice services, such as Push-to-Talk (P2T), Push-to-Conference (P2C), Upgrade to Conference (upgrade from P2T to P2C), Push-to-Message (P2M) and group SMS (Short Message Service), are provided for wireless networks. These services are provided by an architectural framework that interfaces into the wireless network in order to provide group call setup and messaging. Handset pre-provisioning reduces customer interaction in the process of activating handsets for use in the network. Presence messages are communicated between handsets and a real-time exchange using the Short Message Service (SMS), but without having to transmit the messages through a Short Message Service Center (SMSC) gateway, but instead the messages are transmitted using Mobile Application Part (MAP) interface connecting the real-time exchange directly to a mobile switching center.
1. An apparatus for providing advanced voice services in a wireless network, comprising:
a wireless network for making calls between handsets, wherein the calls are initiated by call setup and in-band signaling within the wireless network and voice frames for the calls are switched between the handsets by at least one mobile switching center across bearer paths in the wireless network; and
a real-time exchange that interfaces to at least one mobile switching center in the wireless network to provide advanced voice services therein, without requiring any changes to the mobile switching center or other equipment of the wireless network to provide the advanced voice services;
wherein both the real-time exchange and the handsets that use the advanced voice services communicate with each other using the call setup and in-band signaling within the wireless network, such that at least one mobile switching center routes an originating leg of the advanced voice services from an originating mobile to the real-time exchange, the real-time exchange initiates one or more terminating legs of the advanced voice services to one or more terminating mobiles through at least one mobile switching center, and the real-time exchange switches the voice frames for the advanced voice services from the originating handset to the terminating handsets across the bearer paths and through at least one mobile switching center that switches the voice frames for both the calls and the advanced voice services in the wireless network;
wherein the handsets are pre-provisioned for the advanced voice services before being delivered to a customer in order to reduce customer interaction during activation of the handsets for use in the network;
wherein the handset's number is changed during activation by contacting a customer service representative to have the number changed; and
wherein the customer service representative invokes a function within the network to change the number associated with the handset to a new number and the real-time exchange transmits a “reconfiguration” message to the handset that causes the handset to change its number to the new number.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the advanced voice services comprise Push-to-Talk (P2T), Push-to-Conference (P2C), Upgrade to Conference, Push-to-Message (P2M) or Group SMS (Short Message Service).
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the handsets are pre-provisioned with a client application.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the client application executes when the handset is turned on for the first time.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the client application transmits an advanced voice services activation request to the real-time exchange.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the real-time exchange activates the advanced voice services for the handset in response to the activation request.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the handset's number is changed after the handset is powered on.
8. A method of providing advanced voice services in a wireless network, comprising:
making calls between handsets in a wireless network, wherein the calls are initiated by call setup and in-band signaling within the wireless network and voice frames for the calls are switched between the handsets by at least one mobile switching center across bearer paths in the wireless network; and
providing advanced voice services in the wireless network using a real-time exchange that interfaces to at least one mobile switching center in the wireless network, without requiring any changes to the mobile switching center or other equipment of the wireless network to provide the advanced voice services;
wherein both the real-time exchange and the handsets that use the advanced voice services communicate with each other using the call setup and in-band signaling within the wireless network, such that at least one mobile switching center routes an originating leg of the advanced voice services from an originating mobile to the real-time exchange, the real-time exchange initiates one or more terminating legs of the advanced voice services to one or more terminating mobiles through at least one mobile switching center, and the real-time exchange switches the voice frames for the advanced voice services from the originating handset to the terminating handsets across the bearer paths and through at least one mobile switching center that switches the voice frames for both the calls and the advanced voice services in the wireless network;
wherein the handsets are pre-provisioned for the advanced voice services before being delivered to a customer in order to reduce customer interaction during activation of the handsets for use in the network;
wherein the handset's number is changed during activation by contacting a customer service representative to have the number changed; and
wherein the customer service representative invokes a function within the network to change the number associated with the handset to a new number and the real-time exchange transmits a “reconfiguration” message to the handset that causes the handset to change its number to the new number.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the advanced voice services comprise Push-to-Talk (P2T), Push-to-Conference (P2C), Upgrade to Conference, Push-to-Message (P2M) or Group SMS (Short Message Service).
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the handsets are pre-provisioned with a client application.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the client application executes when the handset is turned on for the first time.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the client application transmits an advanced voice services activation request to the real-time exchange.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the real-time exchange activates the advanced voice services for the handset in response to the activation request.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the handset's number is changed after the handset is powered on.