WO1995012268A1

WO1995012268A1 - Personal number communication system with cellular mobile radiotelephone roaming capability

Info

Publication number: WO1995012268A1
Application number: PCT/US1994/011910
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sonu Mirchandani; Wayne R. Howe
Original assignee: Bellsouth Corporation
Priority date: 1993-10-27
Filing date: 1994-10-21
Publication date: 1995-05-04
Also published as: AU8121894A; EP0726007A1; BR9407857A

Abstract

A personal number communications system (10) operative to route personal number communications to subscribers at remote locations, for example to a subscriber's cellular mobile radiotelephones (16) operated in a roaming manner in a foreign cellular service area (40). Location information corresponding to the whereabouts of an active and registered mobile radiotelephone is transmitted, either directly or indirectly via a clearinghouse (35), to switching equipment that maintains a database of communications disposition information (13), comprising subscriber alternative destinations for personal number communications. The location information is continuously updated to reflect registrations and deregistrations, roaming, and other information indicative of subscriber location and status. In response to receipt of a call directed to a personal number, the switching equipment (15) is operative to route the call to the subscriber in the foreign cellular service area (40) if the communications disposition information indicates that the subscriber's cellular telephone (16) is activated and validated.

Description

PERSONAL NUMBER COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WITH CELLULAR MOBILE RADIOTELEPHONE ROAMING CAPABILITY

Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to communication systems, and more particularly relates to a system for automatically and interactively delivering communications to subscribers at preselected destinations, one or more of which can include cellular mobile radiotelephones. operated in a roaming manner.

Background of the Invention

Personal number communications (PNC) systems have been developed to facilitate the delivery of communications to individual subscribers. In such systems, a personal number (PN) is assigned to each subscriber. The system receives and stores communication routing information in the form of one or more destinations or hierarchical lists of destinations. Such destinations or lists of destinations are based on predetermined routing criteria such as time of day, day of the week, priority of calling party, status of communications device (e.g., busy or inactive), desire for privacy, or other predetermined condition. The hierarchy and composition of the destination lists may be changed by the subscriber, when convenient.

Any incoming communication directed to a subscriber's personal number is received by the system and. in some cases, the source of the communication is identified so that priority callers can be especially handled. In some systems, while the source of an incoming communication is being identified, the system selects a first destination from the list of destinations. If one of the destinations is a cellular mobile radiotelephone, some PNC systems will automatically select the cellular telephone from the list of destinations if the cellular telephone is active. In this case, the system must somehow detect that the cellular telephone is active, and assume the presence of the subscriber at the mobile telephone destination.

An example of such a personal number communication system is described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 07/936,384, filed August 26, 1992. entitled "Personal Number Communication Systems", which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.

As will be understood from the referenced co-pending application, at the first of a plurality of destinations. the PNC system announces the identified source of a communication and requests communication disposition information from the subscriber as to the acceptance, formal rejection, or passive rejection, such as a "no answer", of the communication. If accepted, the system routes the communication to the first destination. If rejected, the system routes the communication to a next destination in the hierarchical list of destinations, until the communication is successfully routed or until a default destination is reached. If there is no response from the called party at the first destination, the lack of response is considered a passive rejection. The system them proceeds to request communication disposition information from the next destination in the destination list according to the hierarchy selected by the subscriber. The system continues to request communication disposition information from each sequential destination on the destination list until the communication is accepted or until the last destination on the destination list is reached, at which point the communication is routed to the last destination, which is often a voice mailbox or message service.

Certain difficulties with personal number communications systems occur when one or more of the possible destinations is a cellular mobile radiotelephone (CMR). A particular difficulty arises from the fact that cellular mobile radiotelephone service subscribers by definition are "mobile"╌ it is expected that the physical location of the telephone may vary from cell to cell within a cellular system, and may even vary from cellular system to cellular system. Users of cellular mobile radiotelephones can travel between cities having different, cellular systems operated by different operating companies. Detecting that a given cellular telephone is "active", and therefore able to send and receive communications, is a complex technical challenge.

Cellular mobile radiotelephone (CMR) systems are designed so that only "registered" and validated mobile telephones can make and receive calls. Registration of a cellular telephone occurs automatically via "autonomous registration" (AR) when the telephone is powered on within a cell of a system. To effect autonomous registration, radio signals carrying identifying information about the cellular telephone (such as the Mobile Identification Number or "MIN" and Electronic Serial Number or "ESN") are automatically transmitted from the telephone to an antenna at the cell site. Circuitry at the cell site and the mobile telephone switching office (MTSO) detects the identifying information in the radio signals and registers the cellular telephone as "present" and active. The telephone 's MIN is validated by look-up in a computer database of authorized subscribers. Upon validation of the identifying information, the cellular system operator permits communications to occur by commanding a registered telephone to tune to a particular radio voice channel for making or receiving calls.

Normally, only cellular telephones that are identified by the system operator as subscribers or "home" units are allowed access to the system for making or receiving communications. Other, non-home mobile radiotelephones present within a system are known as "roamers", and cannot make or receive calls without additional steps. Cellular mobile radiotelephones are identified as "home" units or "roamers" by examining the identification information provided by the telephone when it registers. When a cellular telephone registers or originates a call, it transmits a series of data messages to the serving cell. These data messages contain the identification information, particularly the MIN and ESN, that uniquely identifies the telephone. The data messages are provided first to the cell, and then through a data link to the mobile telephone switching office (MTSO). The MTSO, also known as "the switch", then makes voice connections between mobile telephones and the main telephone network. At the MTSO, a validation determination is made whether the telephone is an authorized user (or subscriber) by looking up the MIN/ESN in the MTSO's computer database to see if there is an entry in the database corresponding to that particular telephone. If the MIN is valid and "home", calls are allowed to proceed. If the MIN indicates the presence of a "roamer", further validation steps are required.

A CMR subscriber's ability to receive incoming calls when roaming outside his or her home service area is restricted. Such restrictions create particular difficulties in delivering communications in a personal number communication service. Unanswered calls placed to a cellular subscriber's home number are typically answered with a voice message indicating that the subscriber cannot be found. While it is theoretically possible to use the information that the subscriber cannot be found to route a PNC call to an alternative destination, it would be preferable that the PNC call be delivered to the subscriber while roaming in the foreign service area.

One method for receiving incoming calls when roaming in a foreign service area requires would-be calling parties to know the whereabouts of the subscriber. If the caller knows the CMR system in which the roamer is present, then there are procedures for accessing the subscriber through the facilities known as the "local access number" of the foreign CMR system. However, callers must know the roamer' s travel itinerary and the roamer local access number of the CMR system in which the roamer is present. Armed with this information, a would-be caller can dial the roamer local access number (typically ten digits) of the CMR system in which the roamer is present, and then reach the subscriber by dialing the subscriber's MIN.

Another method for receiving incoming calls when roaming in a foreign service area relies upon the use of cellular "clearinghouses". In this method, an intermediary or "clearinghouse" is notified by the subscriber when the subscriber enters the foreign service area and provides the service of connecting calls directed to the subscriber's MIN in the home service area to the telephone in the foreign service area. The clearinghouse performs the function of validation of the subscriber on behalf of the foreign service area MTSO, and provides call routing information to the home service

MTSO.

One such clearinghouse-based system is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,901,340 to Parker et al., entitled "System for the Extended Provision of Cellular Mobile Radiotelephone Service". This patent describes a system for enabling a roaming CMR subscriber to automatically receive, in a foreign service area (that is, the area outside his home service area). calls placed to his MIN at the home service area. This system underlies a service denominated the FOLLOW ME ROAMING® service provided by GTE Mobile Net, Inc.. nominal assignee of the '340 patent, and/or GTE Telecommunications Services, Inc.

Other clearinghouse or roaming services are commercially available, for example, the ROAMING AMERICA service provided by Electronic Data Systems, Inc.

("EDS"), Personal Communications Corp., Dallas, Texas.

While clearinghouse systems facilitate the delivery of telephone calls to roamers in foreign service areas, they do not inherently provide any type of personal number communications (PNC) service. Moreover, not all cellular systems provide either FOLLOW ME ROAMING service or ROAMING AMERICA service╌ some only allow access to roamers via a local access number.

The above-referenced clearinghouse-based roaming systems require that a roaming subscriber activate the call-delivery service by providing roaming notification information. Typically, this entails that the roaming subscriber enter a "star" code such as *18 via the telephone keypad upon entry into the foreign service area. The roaming notification information is a signal indicative that a roaming

CMR subscriber desires to receive, in the foreign service area, calls placed to the home service area. The clearinghouse service then validates the roaming subscriber by communicating with the home MTSO. Upon validation of the roaming subscriber, the clearinghouse assigns a temporary line directory number (TLDN) to the roaming subscriber and transmits this TLDN to the home MTSO via a data communications link. Then, command information is provided to the roaming CMR subscriber's home service area MTSO so as to enable the home service area MTSO to call forward, via the TLDN, calls placed to the subscriber's MIN in his home service area.

At least partly because of the difficulties encountered with local access numbers and star-code roaming service activation, systems have been developed for detecting the presence of roamers and facilitating the delivery of calls to them. One such a system is described in pending U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 647,719, filed January 28, 1991 , entitled "Interactive Roamer Contact System for Cellular Mobile Radiotelephone Network", which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. In this system, roamers are automatically detected via the identification information provided by the roaming telephone upon registration. When a roamer is detected, a call is automatically placed to the roaming telephone to initiate a communication session. During the call, the user is interactively provided with information concerning access to roaming services with synthesized voice messages. The subscriber can elect to activate roaming service, for example FOLLOW ME ROAMING, by pressing appropriate keys on the keypad during the interactive communication session.

While this interactive roamer contact system facilitates the detection and contact of roamers for the purpose of easing the use of roaming services, it does not fully address the problem of delivering calls to PNC subscribers when roaming. Given that identification information is automatically obtained from roaming telephones in the above-described interactive roamer contact system as a result of autonomous registration (AR), it would be desirable if the identification information could be automatically provided via a clearinghouse or direct data links to personal number communications (PNC) systems so as to facilitate the provision of personal number communication services to roamers.

The PNC system described in the referenced co-pending application is implemented utilizing known service control point (SCP) equipment, which includes a computer database that associates personal numbers (PNs) of subscribers with telephone numbers and other device numbers (such as the MIN of cellular telephones) of the various alternative destinations. In order to route a call to a mobile telephone,

SCP equipment not only must know that a subscriber's mobile telephone is registered and active, but also must be able to route the call appropriately.

To support autonomous registration (AR) capability with a personal number communication service, therefore, the service control point (SCP) equipment must somehow obtain and store information that a subscriber is registered on their mobile telephone, whether home or roaming, and must also obtain and store routing information that allows the call to be forwarded appropriately. If the subscriber is currently served by the home MTSO, then the routing directory number is the MIN. If on the other hand the subscriber is roaming and visiting another MTSO, the routing directory number is generally a temporary line directory number (TLDN) obtained via a clearinghouse or directly from the visited MTSO. Presently, knowledge by SCP equipment of registrations and routing directory numbers is not possible because SCP equipment does not directly communicate with visited MTSOs or clearinghouses.

Accordingly, there is a need for a system to provide location information derived from registrations and other indications of roaming by personal number communications subscribers with cellular mobile radiotelephones so that the PNC systems can detect that the cellular telephone is active and correctly route calls to the subscriber in a visited or a home cellular system. There is also a need for systems and methods that speed the delivery of communications in personal number communications services where a subscriber utilizes a cellular mobile radiotelephone and roams from area to area. Summary of the Invention

As will be seen, the present invention satisfies the foregoing criteria by providing a system and method for delivering communications to a subscriber of a personal number communication service that has a cellular mobile radiotelephone or other mobile communications device. Briefly described, the method comprises receiving location information corresponding to a present location of a subscriber. The location information can be obtained from a clearinghouse, or by other means such as directly from a visited cellular system. Next, the system receives communication routing information corresponding to a plurality of destinations associated with the subscriber. These destinations are generally arranged in hierarchical fashion by the subscriber, and are indicative of the subscriber's call routing preferences. When the system receives a communication directed to the subscriber, typically via the subscriber's personal number, the communication is routed to one of the destinations in accordance with the communication routing information and the location information.

More particularly described, when a personal number communications service provider receives calls for a person at their personal number, and one of the potential destinations for the communication is a cellular mobile radiotelephone, the present invention entails proper routing of communications to the person whether in their home cellular service area, or in a roaming cellular service area, and regardless of whether the individual reflects a "busy" or inactive status. The present invention is operative to obtain location information from the remote location and to properly route the call.

Generally, when a PNC subscriber is in their home area, the routing number is the cellular telephone number (MIN). When a subscriber is visiting outside of their home area, the routing generally is via the temporary line directory number (TLDN).

At least three possibilities are handled: ( 1 ) the cellular PNC subscriber is in the home area and registered to receive calls, (2) the subscriber is in a visiting cellular area and ready to receive calls, or (3) the cellular subscriber's telephone is busy or the telephone is switched off. In the present invention, such possibilities are indicated by status information in addition to the location information. Thus, according to another aspect of the invention, the communication is routed to one of the destinations in accordance with the communication routing information, location information, and status information.

Because of present day regulatory limitations, certain system operators may not be legally allowed to receive and respond to status information that the cellular phone is switched off or is busy. In the event that status information is not available, with the present invention calls are nonetheless routed appropriately via the home cellular carrier through appropriate switching arrangements, generally made through the subscriber's selected long distance carrier. In the event that status information is lawfully utilizable and available, the call can be routed to alternative destinations.

Advantageously, the present invention allows subscribers to continue use of a single personal number as a contact number for receipt of all communications including wire line, wireless (including cellular), facsimile transmissions, paging, voice mailboxes, etc. In certain embodiments, the provision of communications to the subscriber is transparent and seamless, without the need for entry of any special codes so that the subscriber is automatically detected as being either in a roaming mode or in a home mode, or if the location information and/or status information does not indicate that the cellular telephone is active and available, the communication is automatically routed to alternative destinations.

Furthermore, the present invention is still capable of routing personal number communications to most types of communication devices. Thus, the destinations may include office and home telephones, mobile telephones, voice mail services, other message services, facsimile transmission devices, and both digital and alphanumeric pagers. Features implemented in personal number communication systems as described in the referenced co-pending application are provided, with enhanced capability of automatic routing of calls to cellular subscribers.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved personal number communication system.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved personal number communication system that facilitates delivery of communications to subscribers with cellular mobile radiotelephones.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved personal number communication system that facilitates delivery of communications to subscribers with cellular mobile radiotelephones who roam.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved personal number communications systems with cellular roaming capability that supports remote autonomous registration.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a personal number communications system that is effective without requiring cellular carriers to support IS-41 or even SS7 connectivity, yet still provide PNC roaming capability.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved personal number communications system for subscribers with cellular mobile radiotelephones that are automatically operative, and do not require the subscriber to manually activate roaming by entry of star codes or other activation codes.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a personal number communications system that is operative to automatically route PNC communications to subscribers based on communication routing information and location information.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a personal number communications system that is operative to automatically route PNC communications to subscribers based on communication routing information, location information, and, if allowed, status information.

That the present invention and the preferred embodiment thereof overcomes the drawbacks set forth above and accomplishes the objects of the invention set forth herein will become apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment to follow. Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating general concepts, the flow of information, and the telecommunications connections in the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the relationship between a home MTSO, a visited MTSO, and switching equipment in the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a personal number communications (PNC) system with cellular mobile radiotelephone roaming capability, constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary registration notification data packet that is transmitted between various communicating entities in the system of the preferred embodiment. FIG . 5 illustrates a communication sequence between various elements of the system of the preferred embodiment in a situation wherein a PNC subscriber is roaming in an IS-41 capable foreign cellular service area.

FIG. 6 illustrates a communication sequence between various elements of the system of the preferred embodiment in a situation wherein a PNC subscriber is roaming in a non-IS-41 capable foreign cellular service area.

FIG. 7 illustrates a communication sequence between various elements of the system of the preferred embodiment in a situation wherein a PNC subscriber is roaming in a foreign cellular service area, without a clearinghouse intermediary.

FIG. 8 illustrates a communication sequence between elements of the system of the preferred embodiment in a situation wherein a PNC subscriber in a foreign cellular service area deactivates roaming.

FIG. 9 illustrates a communication sequence between elements of the system of the preferred embodiment in a situation wherein a PNC subscriber in a foreign cellular service area is implicitly de-activated by a clearinghouse.

FIG. 10 illustrates a communication sequence between elements of the system of the preferred embodiment in a situation wherein a PNC subscriber in a foreign cellular service area transmits predetermined codes activating various features of the PNC services to the service control point equipment.

FIG. 11 illustrates a communication sequence between elements of the system of the preferred embodiment involving use of a temporary line directory number (TLDN) to route personal number service calls to a PNC subscriber in a foreign cellular service area.

FIG. 12 illustrates a communication sequence between elements of the system of the preferred embodiment involving routing of calls to a PNC subscriber's voice mailbox in the event of detection of a busy or inactive status of the

PNC subscriber in a foreign cellular service area.

FIG. 13 illustrates a communication sequence between elements of the system of the preferred embodiment in a situation wherein an inactive or busy response is obtained with respect to a PNC subscriber who was previously detected as roaming in a foreign cellular service area.

FIG. 14 illustrates a communication sequence between various elements of the system of the preferred embodiment in a situation wherein location information is provided from a line information database (LIDB) maintained by a validation service.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating various information fields in the database maintained by the service control point (SCP) equipment in the system of the preferred embodiment.

Detailed Description of the Disclosed Embodiments

Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several figures,

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating certain basic concepts of a personal number communication (PNC) service or system 10 constructed in accordance with the present invention, involving subscribers that utilize at least one cellular mobile radiotelephone (CMR)(not shown). Stated generally, a PNC system 10 allows the provision of PNC services to subscribers. The system receives a communication from a calling party 12 directed to a subscriber/called party's personal number (PN), and routes the communication to a called party 16 at one of a possible plurality of alternative destinations. In accordance with the present invention, the called party 16 may designate a cellular mobile radiotelephone (CMR) as one of the alternative destinations.

It will be understood that two principal communication functions must be implemented in constructing the present invention or carrying out the methods of the present invention. First, there must be communication of data indicative of the PNC subscriber's location (e.g. location information) and routing path requirements (e.g. routing information) between various communicating and control entities that will enable the connection of voice grade trunks 20 to route calls to appropriate locations. Secondly, there must be establishment of appropriate voice grade trunks 20 between the various entities in accordance with such location information to route a communication to the PNC subscriber at the location. Various communicating entities carry out these communication functions.

In addition, and under certain circumstances, there is communication of data indicative of the PNC subscriber's status, e.g., whether the subscriber's equipment is busy, registered but idle, etc.

In general, switching equipment 13 is utilized in the system 10 to provide the function of receiving location information, receiving routing information, receiving status information, receiving PN calls, mapping a personal number to a destination number, establishing voice grade trunk connections, etc. However, those skilled in the art will understand that such switching equipment 13 may be constructed with a variety of different components, e.g. service node (SN) equipment, service control point (SCP) equipment, service switching point (SSP) equipment, private branch exchange (PBX) equipment, other central office (CO) equipment, etc. Often, such switching equipment 13 employs one or more computers connected for data communications; such computers receive, store, process, and transmit routing information via known protocols such as SS7, X.25, IS-41. etc., to facilitate the routing and maintenance functions of the telecommunications network. Thus, as used herein, the term "switching equipment" means any communications apparatus that is operative to connect an incoming communication to a destination, in accordance with predetermined criteria such as routing information.

For purposes of describing the present invention, a preferred embodiment of switching equipment 1 3 comprising SCP equipment and SSP equipment will be described in detail, it being understood that other types of telephone switching and computing equipment are considered equivalent and may be utilized to provide the functions of the invention.

Still referring to FIG. 1 , the communicating entities include the switching equipment 13, a wireless information provider 24 (which may include a clearinghouse 35 ), and a foreign or home cellular carrier 40 , 50 , respectively. Preferably, the various communicating entities are connected for data communications via Signaling System 7

(SS7) data communication links 28 . These data communication links 28 enable cellular registration information, which is a species of location information, to be provided from a cellular carrier such as an MTSO 25 and the wireless information provider 24 to the switching equipment

13.

In accordance with the invention, registration information indicative of the presence of a mobile telephone is obtained by a registration function 26 and provided to the system 10. The registration information is utilized as location information, and under certain circumstance status information. The registration information is utilized by the PNC system to modify the communication disposition information maintained by the system, and selectably deliver communications to various destinations in accordance with the communication disposition information.

The registration function 26 can occur at a foreign (visited) cellular system, as the foreign system detects roamers, or by a clearinghouse, or in other manners. It is particularly contemplated that the registration function, which obtains the registration information, may comprise delivery of a "copy" of registration information obtained by communicating entities such as cellular telephone switching offices and clearinghouses as such communicating entities detect and handle roaming cellular mobile radiotelephones.

Since such communicating entities obtain registration information as a normal part of their operations, the present invention may be implemented by utilizing "copies" of the registration information obtained via data communications links established with such entities.

While FIG. 1 shows that wireless information provider 24 comprising a clearinghouse 35, it should be understood that the present invention contemplates use of any wireless information provider, including but not limited to clearinghouses, a visited foreign cellular system, or a home cellular system, any of which can obtain location information as a function of autonomous registrations, activation of roaming services, validation procedures, and the like. Thus, it is contemplated that the wireless information provider 24 will provide a registration function that at least partly entails detecting registration of cellular subscribers (whether roaming or home), and in certain cases, correlating or mapping personal numbers (PN) to mobile identification numbers (MIN). The wireless information provider then, upon determination that a registration corresponds to a communication intended for a personal number, provides location information via the data communications links 28 to the switching equipment 13, sometimes via a clearinghouse 35, which enables set up of appropriate routings of the call via voice grade telecommunications lines 20.

It will also be understood that the registration information and location information may be directly provided from the registration function (regardless of where it occurs) to the switching equipment 13. Thus, FIG. 1 shows a direct data communications path 28 from the registration function to the switching equipment, as well as via a clearinghouse 35. The clearinghouse function is required only in embodiments of the invention where an intermediary is employed to provide location information and routing information to the service node, e.g. when ROAMING

AMERICA or FOLLOW ME ROAMING services are utilized.

As used herein, the term "location information" means information indicative of the geographic location of a

PNC subscriber, which information can be used to call-forward or route calls to a remote location. The term can include, in the appropriate context, but is not limited to, cellular "identification information" provided upon registration of a cellular telephone, such as, but not limited to, MIN, SID, REGH, REGR, REGID, REGINCR, SCM. ESN. etc. A "registration message" typically includes identification information, but can include other location information.

Upon receipt of a registration message containing registration information, identification information, or other location information at switching equipment 13, the switching equipment will determine appropriate routing for subsequently received PNC calls.

It will therefore be understood that while location information in the preferred embodiment may be provided through the clearinghouse 35, the present invention is not limited to obtaining location information from a clearinghouse, but may also obtain location information directly from cellular systems through appropriate contractual arrangements and establishment of data communication links (such as via SS7 links) so that the location information can be directly supplied from the visited location. Such arrangements are especially contemplated for use in systems operated by multi-state telecommunications service providers, such as BellSouth Corporation, that operate a number of different cellular systems in different geographical areas, so as to integrate the provision of personal number communication services within the jurisdiction of the multi-state operator.

Those skilled in the art will understand that switching equipment 13, wireless information provider 24, and any other communicating entities are preferably connected using SS7 data communications in the known manner. The SS7 communications protocol is provided in the document entitled "Bell Communications Research Specification of Signaling System 7," Document TR-NWT-000246, Issue 2 (June 1991), plus Revision 1 (December 1991 ), which is incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof. However, it will be understood that other types of data communications media such as X.25 may also be utilized to communicate the data messages contemplated in the present invention.

Typically, the data messages or communications between the various entities relating to cellular telephone intersystem operations are provided in a format known to those skilled in the art as "IS-41". The requirements for communications utilizing IS-41 messages are based on the

EIA/TIA document entitled "Cellular Radio-telecommunications Intersystem Operations: Functional Overview", IS-41.1, Sections 1-5, which is incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.

Referring now to FIG. 2, next will be described a generalized communications scenario involving an incoming PN call to the switching equipment 13, and alternative routing pathways to the called party at his or her cellular telephone 16. In the preferred embodiment, the switching equipment 13 comprises a service switching point (SSP) equipment 15 that is operative to route the incoming PN call to a destination (as yet unknown), and service control point (SCP) equipment 14 that is operative to receive location information and determine appropriate routing for the incoming call. Assume in FIG. 2 that the called party has a cellular mobile radiotelephone, is a subscriber for cellular service with a designated home MTSO 25a, and is roaming with his or her CMR at a visited MTSO 25b . The roaming CMR is designated at 16 ' . Upon autonomous registration by the roaming CMR 16', the visited MTSO 25b provides a registration message to a clearinghouse

35 via data communications line 28a . In turn, the clearinghouse 35 provides the location information to the switching equipment 13 via data communications line 28b. In the preferred embodiment, the SCP 14 in the switching equipment 13 receives the location information.

An incoming PN call will arrive via telecommunications line 20a at the switching equipment 13. In particular, the incoming PN call will be handled by SSP equipment 15. The SSP equipment is operative to communicate with the SCP equipment to determine appropriate routing for the PN call. The routing will be determined by the location information (and possibly status information) maintained by the SCP. The PN call will then be routed to the visited MTSO 25b via telecommunications line 20b, assuming that the PNC subscriber has previously designated that he or she wishes to receive PN calls when roaming.

Still referring to FIG. 2, a similar routing function occurs if the PNC subscriber is not roaming, but desires to receive PN calls at his or her cellular telephone. In such a case, the switching equipment 13 will route the call to the home MTSO 25a via telecommunications line 20c. assuming that the PNC subscriber has previously designated that he or she wishes to receive PN calls when at the cellular telephone. The call is typically routed in accordance with the cellular telephone's MIN, which is determined when the switching equipment 13 maps or correlates the subscriber's personal number to the MIN. Under such circumstances, the location information will indicate that the subscriber is not roaming (or is not to be treated as roaming) because of messages from the clearinghouse 35 (e.g. a registration cancellation message) or other messages containing location information provided directly from the home MTSO 25a. It will therefore be appreciated that the clearinghouse can provide location information directly to the home MTSO 25a via data communications line 28c.

According to another aspect of the invention, the home MTSO 25a may further route the call to a visited MTSO 25b via a telecommunications link 20d. This situation would occur in an embodiment wherein PN calls are first routed to a home MTSO for the PN subscriber, and the home MTSO serves the function of the switching equipment 13. Thus, it will be understood that the functional blocks shown in the various figures are for purposes of illustration only, and an important aspect of the present invention is routing of the PN calls to the PN subscriber in accordance with location information, status information, communication disposition information, etc.

Turning now to FIG. 3, the preferred embodiment of a system 10 constructed in accordance with the present invention, which implements a method and apparatus for a personal number communication (PNC) system, involving subscribers that utilize at least one cellular mobile radiotelephone (CMR) 16, will be described. The system in FIG. 3 is a specific and preferred implementation of the concepts illustrated generally in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The preferred system 10 preferably operates in conjunction with the public switched telephone network (PSTN). The PSTN comprises the well-known components of at least one end or central office 18a associated with a calling party 12, switching equipment 13 associated with a called party PNC subscriber 16 (which may include central office 18b), and a plurality of telecommunication lines 20, shown as the thicker lines in FIG. 1, for conducting communications between the calling party and the PNC called party. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 , the switching equipment 13 comprises service switching point (SSP) equipment 14 (which may include central office 18b) and service control point (SCP) equipment 15 that implement the PNC service.

Since the present invention operates in conjunction with a PNC system, the called party may be at one of a number of different destinations or locations, such as at a cellular telephone 16 in the subscriber's home cellular system 50, at a cellular telephone 16' in a visited cellular system 40, or at an alternative location such as 46. It will be understood that the communication from the calling party 12 is made to the PNC subscriber's personal number (PN), which is routed to the called party's current location.

The telecommunications lines 20 are typically those associated with voice grade telecommunications wire line, connecting the calling party central office 18a and the called party central office 18b, which is operative to receive in the first instance the communication from the calling party 12. An optional long distance carrier (LDC) 22, such as provided by AT&T, U.S. Sprint, MCI, etc., may be interposed between the central offices 18a, 18b, in the known manner, when long distance communications are involved.

In the preferred embodiment, the SSP equipment 14 comprises known telephone switching equipment provided by telecommunications switching equipment vendors such as

Ericsson, AT&T, Northern Telecom, etc. Likewise, the SCP equipment 15 preferably comprises a computer platform operative to run PNC application software including routine service, routing, and associated subscriber databases. Examples of SCP equipment vendors are Hewlett-Packard..

IBM, Tandem Computers, AT&T, etc. Details of such computer platforms is available in the literature supplied by the manufacturers, and details of the PNC service logic is provided in the referenced and incorporated copending U.S. patent application Serial No. 07/936,384. The public switched telephone network may comprise one or more MTSO's 25 in situations where at least one PNC destination involves a cellular mobile radiotelephone, as in the present case wherein the called party utilizes a cellular mobile radiotelephone 16 in the subscriber's automobile. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, the preferred PNC system 10 comprises at least one MTSO 25a (directly or indirectly) that is considered the "home" location for the subscriber, that is a part of the subscriber's home cellular system 50.

A type 2 trunking interface, consisting of twenty-four channels, provides voice trunks 20a between the home MTSO 25a and the SSP 14 via the central office 18b. As will be known to those skilled in the art, the SSP equipment 14 comprises or is directly connected to one or more central offices, such as the central office 18b. Through this interconnection, calls made by subscribers using their mobile telephones can be routed properly to wireline destinations, typically via the associated central office 18b. As known to those skilled in the art, the MTSO's 25 route calls to and from cellular users based on the Numbering Plan Area (NPA) and end office code (NXX), or 1,000 block number group, if required.

The MTSO's 25 utilized in the present invention typically include a Home Location Register (HLR)(not illustrated), which as described in IS-41.1 is a database operated by a cellular system operator to which a user identity is assigned for record purposes. The HLR database stores subscriber information such as the Electronic Serial Number (ESN) of a subscriber's telephone 16 , the Mobile

Identification Number (MIN) of the telephone, any Directory Number (DN) associated with the telephone, profile information, current cell location, validation period, etc. The database may also store a Temporary Line Directory Number (TLDN) provided by a clearinghouse or by a visited MTSO to facilitate routing calls to the visited MTSO. The HLR may or may not be located within, and be indistinguishable from, MTSO equipment. The HLR database may serve more than one MTSO, and may be distributed over more than one physical entity.

The MTSO's 25 typically also include a Visitor Location Register (VLR)(not illustrated), which is a database other than the HLR used to store and retrieve information related to, for example, handling of calls to or from a visiting subscriber or roamer. The VLR may or may not be located within, and be indistinguishable from, MTSO equipment. A VLR may serve more than one MTSO.

The preferred cellular systems 40, 50 further include a roamer detection module (RDM)(not shown) associated with the MTSO 25. Such a roamer detection. module is described in connection with the above-referenced co-pending patent application entitled "Interactive Roamer Contact System for Cellular Mobile Radio Telephone Network", the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof. Such a roamer detection module may be utilized in the MTSOs 25 to detect registrations of roamers, to provide the registration function described in connection with FIG. 1 , and to provide the location information to the clearinghouse 35 or to the switching equipment 13.

In systems utilizing an RDM, when mobile telephones in a cell are powered on, mobile telephone registration information or identification information may be delivered by the RDM to the switching equipment 13 in the form of IS-41 signaling messages on the SS7 network. In FIG.

3, SS7 signaling connections or other data communications links are shown in dotted lines, identified with the reference numeral 28. Accordingly, when the PNC cellular subscriber has activated the cellular telephone 16 within the home service area 50, such as within a cell 30, information indicative of the activation of the cellular telephone 16 is stored in a home location register (HLR) database associated with the MTSO 25a; and data indicative of the registration of the mobile telephone is transmitted via a data communications link 28a to the SCP equipment 15. Such registration information also comprises location information inasmuch as it originates from the home cellular system, thereby indicating the current location of the PNC subscriber and a current status of "cellular phone turned on and active."

Generally, in the case where the PNC subscriber is located within his or her home cellular system 50, the registration information is provided directly from an RDM located in the home cellular system. This registration information is then entered as location information into a PNC subscriber location database maintained in the switching equipment 13 as a part of the provision of the PNC service.

As will be known from the incorporated PNC system patent application, the PNC subscriber database also stores communication disposition information. Such communication disposition information, which comprises PNC destination information, is used to determine the locations to which PNC calls should be directed. Calls directed to the PNC subscriber's personal number are routed to the cellular telephone 16 if the PNC destination information so indicates.

It should be understood that in a PNC system, communications are "disposed" of in accordance with the communication disposition information. Communications are "disposed" of by, for example, delivering communications to selected destinations such as land line telephones, voice mail boxes, fax machines, pagers, or mobile telephones, as well providing announcements to callers. Thus, disposal of a communication is not limited to delivery of the communication, but can include other types of treatment such as providing announcements, etc. Information stored in the PNC system indicative of a subscriber's preferred disposition of communications is a first species of communication disposition information. In addition to such first communication disposition information. it should also be understood that a second species of communication disposition information relates to information that can be provided by the subscriber in response to attempted delivery of a communication. For example, in the abovereferenced PNC system patent application, an attempted call can be accepted, formally rejected (by entry of a *code or other similar command), or passively rejected (as with a no answer). Such information as to the acceptance, formal rejection or passive rejection of the communication may be detected at the foreign cellular system, and provided by foreign system to the PNC system, for example, in the form of an IS-41.5 RemoteFeatureControlRequest (RFCR) message.

As regards the data communications links 28, those skilled in the art will understand that certain intersystem communications involving voice grade trunk connections are implemented utilizing multi-frequency signaling techniques, while others involve utilization of data communications links such as the links 28. Preferably, the data communications links will utilize a data communications protocol specifically designed for telecommunications signaling functions such as IS-41. The EIA/TIA interim standard IS-41 establishes protocols for data communications between communicating entities such as between the proprietor of switching equipment associated with a calling party and the proprietor of switching equipment associated with a called party. As those skilled in the art will know, IS-41 was initially defined to support cellular inter-system hand-off and call delivery, such as between a home MTSO 25a and a visited MTSO 25b. IS-41 utilizes the known X.25 protocol as a transport mechanism with contemplation for migration to a SS7 network. The data communications network lines 28 used in the present invention may comprise the existing SS7 network of the telephone system operating companies, but may also comprise various interconnected private SS7 networks and other forms of data communications networks.

The IS-41 signaling standard facilitates the hand-off of calls between dissimilar cellular systems, not unlike the way that calls are handed off between cells of a single system. Data that is communicated between the cellular systems is passed over the IS-41 network (using X.25 or SS7 protocols), and contains identifying information associated with the cellular telephone and other information which can comprise location information and trunk identification information for purposes of connecting voice grade trunks.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary data packet or message 60 transmitted via the IS-41 protocol. In particular, the data packet illustrates a "registration notification" or REG.NOT message that corresponds to the registration function. Specific aspects of the REG.NOT message are found at Section 8.1.3.3 in IS-41.5, page 53. The information in a REG.NOT message comprises various fields of identification information in the form of a data record provided from an MTSO to another communications entity such as the switching equipment 13. The message is includes information identifying the cellular telephone (e.g. MEN and ESN), identifying the cellular system in which registration occurred

(MSCID), identifying a geographic area (LocationAreaId), and other related information. It will be understood that similar IS-41 packets are also utilized in connection with the present invention, as described further herein below.

Referring again to FIG. 3, a clearinghouse 35 may be utilized in the present invention to effect the registration function, by obtaining and transmitting location information to the switching equipment 13 . The clearinghouse is operative to obtain identification information and location information from a visited MTSO 25b via the data link 28c in response to registration of the PNC subscriber's cellular telephone 16', validate the called party as a subscriber, and transmit location information via the data communications link 28d to the switching equipment 13. The clearinghouse can comprise the GTE FOLLOW ME

ROAMING® service, the EDS ROAMING AMERICA service, or other similar clearinghouse service.

It will be understood that the clearinghouse 35, if utilized, provides various functions related to roaming services provided for roaming cellular telephones, many of which may be utilized in connection with the present invention but are not essential to the present invention. One such function that is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,901,340 is the assignment of a temporary directory number (TDN), also called a temporary line directory number (TLDN), for use in the remote service area. When calls are to be routed to a roamer, the FOLLOW ME® roaming processor provides the TLDN, via a data message provided on the data communications link 28d between the clearinghouse 35 and the switching equipment 13. The switching equipment is thereafter operative to intercept and forward calls placed to the subscriber's MIN directed to the home MTSO 25a to the TLDN. Calls are subsequently forwarded via the public switched telephone network from the subscriber's home MTSO 25a to the foreign MTSO 25b via voice trunks 20.

Interface Between Clearinghouse and PNC System

In order to implement the present invention, it is necessary that some type of call-forwarding facility such as FOLLOW ME ROAMING be available, but also, it is necessary that a translation function be effected. The translation function, which may be considered a mapping function, correlates calls made to the PNC subscriber's personal number to the subscriber's cellular telephone, so that calls are forwarded to an appropriate cellular number. With the present invention, the calls are forwarded to a roaming location, if the PNC subscriber's call destination hierarchy so indicates.

Next will be discussed the specifications for the signaling link requirements between the clearinghouse 35 or other information provider and the switching equipment 13 for the purpose of providing operators of systems constructed in accordance with the present invention with cellular registration information on specific PNC cellular users. The system operator will receive this information on behalf of the cellular carrier that provides the subscriber with a PNC service.

As discussed, the clearinghouse 35 is an information provider that conveys registration information to an operator of the PNC system. It is the function of the clearinghouse to send identification information and location information in the form of a notification (REG.NOT) when a cellular subscriber to the PNC service has requested that cellular calls be routed to his or her cellular telephone in a visited cellular system, such as 40. A "visited system" is a cellular network 40 that allows the cellular user to roam into the network and receive cellular calls, for example, the visited MTSO 25b in FIG. 3.

It will be understood that in systems utilizing the services of certain commercially available roaming systems as the clearinghouse 35, "star-codes" ("* codes") are utilized to signal the clearinghouse that the subscriber wishes to invoke certain feature sets for the service provided. A "* code" is a code typically involving the dialing of an asterisk ("*") on the telephone keypad, followed by a one or more numbers, the totality of which comprises a * code. For example, in the FOLLOW ME ROAMING® service areas, a * code of *18 indicates that the cellular user understands that he or she has roamed into a visited cellular system and has requested to receive calls in the visited system utilizing the FOLLOW ME ROAMING® service. Similarly, the subscriber can enter a cancellation * code, typically * 19, that is used to indicate a request to stop receiving calls in the visited system. In similar fashion, the ROAMING AMERICA service utilizes *31 to activate roaming call reception, while *30 signifies deactivation of roaming.

Likewise, for use in the present invention, a PNC * code may be dialed by a PNC subscriber in his or her home cellular system when he or she wishes to receive PNC calls at the cellular telephone, which is also indicated by the entry of a

"*" followed by a predetermined one or more digit number. When the following two conditions are satisfied, the PNC subscriber can receive PNC calls in the visited system: ( 1) the cellular PNC subscriber has activated some type of roaming service that enables calls to be forwarded to the visited MTSO

25b, and (2) the switching equipment 13 has received location information, typically via the clearinghouse, of this fact, so that PNC calls to the subscriber can be properly routed to the visited MTSO.

It will thus be understood that the clearinghouse

35 must receive cellular registration information from the cellular carrier via business arrangements between the cellular carrier that operates the visited MTSO 25b and the clearing-house. Typically, this information will be provided by IS-41 messages on SS7 or other data communications links such as

28c. Upon receipt of the registration information from the cellular carrier, the clearinghouse 35 passes this information to the system 10, and primarily via a data communications link 28d to the switching equipment 13 associated with the system 10.

In the preferred embodiment, the clearinghouse 35 receives location information from the clearinghouse 35 and passes the information to the switching equipment 13 via a signaling transfer point (STP). Telephone system operators such as the assignee of the present invention typically interconnect with the clearinghouses via a pair of STP's utilizing a pair of a-links and a quad of b-links (not shown). Upon receipt of a registration message and other information from the clearinghouse 35 and STP, it will direct the message to an appropriate switching equipment 13. Preferably, the clearinghouse 35 connects to the switching equipment via SS7 signaling links.

The protocol architecture for communications between the clearinghouse 35 and the switching equipment 13 utilizes SS7 ANSI standards with IS-41 mobile application part to provide registration functionality. The SS7 protocol architecture including the mobile application part is based on the EIA/TIA IS-41.1, referenced hereinabove.

It will also be understood that the clearinghouse 35 must have a business arrangement with the operator of the

PNC system 10, typically that will include at least one cellular carrier serving as the home cellular system 50. The clearinghouse also has business arrangements with other cellular systems, such as the visited cellular system 40. The PNC system operator, as will be understood, purchases and provides personal numbers (PNs) for use in connection with the present invention. Although the clearinghouse may record and track the fact that a particular roamer is a recipient of PNC service and is to be associated with a particular PN, it is not a requirement of the present invention that it do so.

Rather, the clearinghouse serves the function of providing the location information to the PNC system operator, and thereby facilitates the registration function.

The registration function, and the corresponding provision of location and identification information from a visited cellular carrier via a clearinghouse 35, requires support of various data communications operations specified in EIA/TIA IS-41.5, which is incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof. In particular, the clearinghouse is preferably able to support the IS-41 operations of registration notification (RN or REG.NOT), registration cancellation (RC or REG.CAN), remote feature control request (RFCR). and the like. These parameters are specified in the referenced EIA/TIA IS-41.5. In addition, the clearinghouse preferably supports the error codes specified in IS-41.5.

Those skilled in the art will realize that IS-41 is an established protocol and is being used for that reason. It is, however, possible that another protocol may be used that serves the same intent as described in this embodiment.

It is further preferred that the clearinghouse 35 provide a series of additional information messages to support the provision of the location information, status information, registration information, etc. to the switching equipment 13, thereby facilitating the connection of appropriate telecommunications lines 20 between the system operator's central office 18b and the visited MTSO 25b so as to connect a voice trunk for routing the call to the roaming PNC subscriber's telephone 16'.

In this regard, the following TABLE I is a list of exemplary messages that are transmitted between a wireless information provider, such as 24 in FIG. 1, and Switching equipment 13. The messages are general in the sense that such messages are communicated without regard to whether a clearinghouse is involved or not. In other words, certain messages must be communicated between the visited cellular system and the switching equipment in order to effect the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The messages can be communicated directly in certain cases, for example, when the operator of the system 10 has direct data communications with visited cellular systems, or indirectly via a clearinghouse 35.

Thus, TABLE I is provided by way of example and not by way of limitation. These messages are utilized in the remaining figures, as explained further below. A signal indicated in the table below in "all capital letters" generally indicates a message initiated with one entity at a first time. while a corresponding entry in lower-case letters in the diagrams of FIGS. 2-10 indicate a reply or response to the message provided by the entity that receives the message.

It will be recalled that the preferred embodiment of the invention is constructed utilizing service switching point (SSP) equipment 14 and SCP equipment (SCP) 15 as the switching equipment 13 and to implement the PNC functions. It will therefore be understood that within the switching equipment 13, various messages are transmitted between SSP equipment 14 and the SCP equipment 15, so that information obtained via the data links 28 in connection with the location information and the like can be provided to the SSP for set up of call transfer to an appropriate location or destination. Certain of these messages are illustrated in the following table, which is provided by way of illustration and not limitation:

It will also be understood that in cases where a clearinghouse is utilized as the wireless information provider, certain types of messages are communicated between the clearinghouse and the visited cellular system. In these cases, the nature of the messages between the clearinghouse and the visited system is similar to the information provided directly from the visited system to the switching equipment 13. However, the messages may be somewhat different when a clearinghouse is involved since, with a direct data communication between a visited system and the switching equipment 13, certain overhead information may or may not be required. Thus, there are certain messages that are common to either case of (1) direct data communications from a visited system to the switching equipment 13, and (2) indirect data communications from a visited system via a clearinghouse to the switching equipment 13. Examples of messages that are unique to the case of a clearinghouse include, but are not limited to, the following:

While these functions are performed by the clearinghouse, similar functions are performed by the switching equipment 13 (by the SSP 14 and SCP 15) in the absence of a clearinghouse.

Communication Scenarios Between System Components

Turning next to FIGS. 5-15, the preferred system 10 requires communication between the various entities involved including the switching equipment 13 , the clearinghouse 35, a visited MTSO 25b, and in some cases, a home MTSO 25a. As described, the disclosed switching equipment 13 comprises SSP equipment 14 and SCP equipment 15. Thus, although the following discussion will relate primarily to communications between the SSP equipment 14 and the SCP equipment 15 , it will be understood that such equipment comprises "switching equipment" and the term "switching equipment" is being used in the general sense.

It will be understood that a number of different communication scenarios arise given the various alternatives as to location of the PNC subscriber relative to a home MTSO versus a visited MTSO, roaming in an IS-41-capable versus a non IS-41-capable visited system, actuation of various PNC service features, utilization of long distance carriers, etc. The different scenarios of FIGS. 5-15 are handled in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. All of the various scenarios are based on two fundamental concepts: (1) provision of location information and (2) establishment of appropriate routing of an incoming PNC communication to the

PNC subscriber.

Generally considered, the switching equipment 13 receives copies of information recording the location of a PNC subscriber. This location information can include routing information that indicates preferred routing of the call to the location of the PNC subscriber. With the location information, the switching equipment 13 is able to route that subscriber's PNC calls to the present location of the subscriber. As will be understood, this location could be a cellular location, either a home location or roaming in a visited cellular system location, or it could be a wire line location, an announcement, or any alternative destination.

Location information as to the whereabouts of the PNC cellular subscriber may be acquired in a number of different ways. The subscriber's location may be explicitly detected or implicitly detected. An explicit detection involves roaming requests provided by the roaming subscriber via his or her cellular telephone, requests provided by a clearinghouse service such as the FOLLOW ME ROAMING® service, or a direct REG.NOT message from a visited cellular system. An explicit detection may occur in response to validation or autonomous registration of a subscriber in a roaming environment.

As regards explicit location information, a clearinghouse or other communicating entity operative to provide the location information informs the switching equipment 13 about any explicitly detected subscriber events. For example, such explicitly detected subscriber events include information provided by the clearinghouse 35, registration information provided by the home MTSO 25a in response to detection of the presence of the subscriber in the home cellular system 50 (such as when the subscriber returns after roaming), or location information provided by other data communications elements such as an RDM function when a PNC subscriber registers or is detected.

Implicit location information, as the term is used herein, is typically derived from subscriber validation. Those skilled in the art will understand that subscriber validation for cellular telephones is available in the cellular industry and the wire line industry. Validation provides implicit location information about a subscriber because validation procedures do not necessarily imply that call delivery is required. Such validation information may be used in the present invention to determine routing information that can be used to route PNC calls. An example of such an implicitly detecting network element is a line information database (LIDB) (not illustrated) for the purpose of validating calling cards (or for that matter credit cards). Such a LIDB may be implemented by a telephone company, by clearinghouses, or within cellular systems that have established validation procedures with the home cellular systems of subscribers or any third party service provider.

As in the case of explicitly detecting systems, implicitly detecting systems also inform the switching equipment 13 about implicitly detected subscriber events.

Foremost among such events of course is the validation of a subscriber within any cellular system. Those skilled in me art will understand and appreciate that the present invention therefore is not limited to situations involving a clearinghouse, but can encompass direct provision of location information from visited cellular systems by direct data communication links such as shown at 28b in FIG. 3. In cases of direct data communication links from visited cellular systems such as 40 to switching equipment 13, business arrangements have been made between the operator of the visited system, or the visited system is a cellular system controlled by the operator of the PNC service, perhaps in another geographic area served by the system operator. For example, BellSouth Corporation operates different cellular systems in different metropolitan areas, e.g. Atlanta's cellular system and Miami's cellular system. While all of such systems are ultimately managed by the same business entity, because of the geographic separation between the cities, location information must be provided to the switching equipment 13, which can but need not handle PNC communications for subscribers in Atlanta and Miami simultaneously.

For purposes of describing the communication scenarios of the figures, the following general discussion is applicable. Messages passed between the various communicating entities described therein are illustrated temporally from top to bottom, with the first occurring event at the topmost position in the figure, with the arrow pointing in the direction of the communication or message. A thin line terminating in an arrowhead indicates a data message passed typically via SS7 or other data communications link 28. A message in all caps such as "REG.NOT" indicates a message originating with a communicating entity, while a temporally later message between the same entities in lower case letters. such as "reg.not" indicates a response or reply to a previously-sent originating message. A bold line extending between various entities indicates a telecommunications trunk 20 such as a voice grade trunk, including but not limited to wireless and wire line connections, typically indicative of the switched voice path connected between SSP equipment 14 and/or another switch such as an MTSO 25.

Referring now to FIG. 5, first will be discussed a scenario involving the roaming of a PNC subscriber with a cellular telephone 16' within a visited cellular system 40. Assume that the visited system 40 includes at least one IS-41-capable MTSO 25b. This scenario involves routing to the roaming PNC subscriber at an IS-41 compatible MTSO 25b and typically involves use of only two messages: registration notification and registration cancellation when appropriate. A registration notification message REG.NOT is used to inform the SCP 15 that the PNC cellular subscriber has an active cellular telephone. This information then may be used to route PNC calls to the roaming subscriber at the visiting MTSO 25b, via the home MTSO 25a.

In this embodiment, the SCP 15 need only instruct the SSP 14 to route the call to the MIN at the home

MTSO 25a. The home MTSO is already aware (through the IS-41 roaming and call delivery procedures) that their subscriber is visiting and prepared to receive calls. Thus, in this embodiment, the SSP 14 depends on the home MTSO capability to appropriately forward a call to the PNC subscriber.

A registration cancellation REG.CAN message, not illustrated in FIG. 5, will be used to inform the home MTSO 25a that PNC calls are to be routed to the cellular subscriber at the home MTSO 25a.

In the situation of FIG. 5, only the MIN is required to properly route the call. Since the scenario presumes an IS-41-capable visited MTSO 25b, the home MTSO 25a will receive REG.NOT from the clearinghouse 35 and thereby be enabled to effect routing to the visited MTSO.

Upon receipt of a PNC call, the SSP 14 provides a Query message to the SCP 15 based on the PN, and receives a Response containing the MIN as the routing DN. The MIN therefore directs the call to the home MTSO 25a. The home MTSO then issues a routing request (RR) to the visited MTSO

25b, and receives a TLDN from the visited MTSO.

The SSP 14 is thus operative to effect a voice path from the SSP via a first voice path 20a to the home MTSO 25a, which is thereafter operative to establish a second voice path 20b to the visited MTSO 25b. The PNC call is therefore delivered to the PNC subscriber at the roaming cellular telephone 16' in the visited system 40.

Again, it will be understood that the clearinghouse 35 is utilized to receive the registration notification message and provide it to the home MTSO. Whenever the clearinghouse 35 detects that a cellular PNC subscriber registers in the IS-41 visited MTSO 25b, the clearinghouse sends a corresponding REG.NOT message to the home MTSO 25a . This registration notification message therefore comprises location information that is used in the system 10 to detect that a cellular PNC subscriber is currently present at the visited MTSO 25b. Subsequently, the system 10 will route PNC calls directly to the cellular subscriber MIN. Thus, when a PNC call arrives at the SSP 14, a Query message is provided to the SCP 15, which responds with the MIN.

It will be understood that in circumstances wherein the PNC subscriber has elected alternative destinations, a different response will be provided by the SCP 15 to the SSP 14. to effect the appropriate features or alternative destinations contemplated by the PNC service. For example, the PNC subscriber may have provided communication disposition information as described in the referenced co-pending patent application Serial No. 07/936,384, filed August 26, 1992, entitled "Personal Number Communication Systems", to me effect that, e.g., the call should be routed an alternative destination #1 during certain times of the day, or to an alternative destination #2 such as a voice mailbox or other default location if he or she does not wish to receive calls, etc. In the particular scenario of FIG. 5, and in response to provision in a Response by the SCP 15 with a MIN, the communication disposition information provided as a part of the PNC service indicates that the cellular telephone of the subscriber is the intended destination. Thus, a voice path is established from the SSP 14 to the home MTSO 25a, by commanding the home MTSO 25a to provide appropriate trunk connection signaling information (via the appropriate signaling techniques such as the SS7 network) to the visited MTSO 25b and establish an appropriate voice connection on the line 20b.

Like a registration notification, a registration cancellation affects the disposition of a PNC call in the present invention. Like a registration notification, a registration cancellation can be explicit or implicit.

A registration cancellation is explicit when an IS-41 REG.CAN message is provided by a visited MTSO. This would occur when the clearinghouse detects that the PNC cellular subscriber has disabled roaming call delivery service such as FOLLOW ME ROAMING® or ROAMING AMERICA with appropriate * codes, or the clearinghouse detects that an automatic deregistration event has occurred.

Registration cancellation can also be implicit, as when automatic deregistration timers associated with roaming expire. For example, the GTE FOLLOW ME ROAMING® service presently clears its database at midnight of every day, thereby implicit deregistering all roamers. Similarly, registration cancellation can automatically occur after a predetermined time has elapsed since the last PNC cellular subscriber event at a visited MTSO. For example, clearinghouses such as the FOLLOW ME ROAMING® service automatically cancel registration status twelve hours since the last subscriber event.

In the case of a registration cancellation, either explicit or implicit, the following steps take place. The clearinghouse 35 determines explicitly or implicitly that a registration of a cellular subscriber has been canceled. The clearinghouse provides a registration cancellation REG.CAN message to the home MTSO 25a. The home MTSO then "knows" that, unless the subscriber has registered back in the home service area, a call (PNC or otherwise) cannot be routed to the cellular telephone. No ROUT.REQ will be issued, and no TLDN will be obtained. Any PNC call must be routed to an alternative destination.

Thus, subsequent to receipt of a registration cancellation message, the preferred system 10 is operative to route subsequent PNC calls to destinations other than the cellular destination, since a registration cancellation status indicates that the PNC subscriber's cellular telephone is not active or otherwise cannot receive the call. These alternative destinations may be derived from the communication disposition information stored in the SCP 15, which may include a default time-of-day schedule, or a voicemail box that is explicitly designated for use in such de-registration events.

It will be observed in connection with FIG. 5 that the utilization of the clearinghouse 35, while forming a part of the currently preferred and disclosed embodiment, is not necessary as a required element in all embodiments of the present invention. Alternative embodiments envision direct data communications between the visited cellular system 40 to the switching equipment 13 , with appropriate data communications messages of registration notification, registration cancellation, etc. The significant aspect to be understood in this regard is that the database associated with the switching equipment 13 is operative to store location information derived an MTSO (whether home or visited) indicating the presence and activation of a PNC subscriber's cellular telephone. Then, this location information is utilized in conjunction with communication routing information, also maintained in the database of the switching equipment 13, typically in the form of the hierarchical list of destinations associated with the PNC subscriber.

It will therefore be understood that the foregoing illustrates a method of delivering a communication to a PNC subscriber having a mobile communications device such as a cellular mobile radiotelephone, comprising the steps of receiving location information corresponding to a present location of a subscriber, where the subscriber utilizes a cellular telephone. The switching equipment 13 performs steps of receiving and storing communication routing information corresponding to one of a plurality of selectable destinations associated with the subscriber. In response to receipt of a communication directed to the PNC subscriber, the switching equipment is operative to route the communication to a selected one of the destinations in accordance with the communication routing information hierarchy, and the location information.

It will also be understood that the database maintained at the switching equipment 13, which corresponds the location information with the communication routing or disposition information, may be considered a personal number routing database (PNRDB) that facilitates the correspondence between the location information and the communication routing or destination information.

FIG. 6 illustrates a communication scenario in a situation wherein the PNC cellular subscriber activates roaming in a non-IS-41 visited MTSO 25b. In such a situation, it will be understood that registration notification messages are not automatically provided, via SS7 or otherwise, in response to detection of a roaming cellular subscriber. In order for the PNC subscriber to receive cellular calls in such as non-IS-41 MTSO, the subscriber must provide an appropriate activation code through the cellular telephone 16', and such an activation code must ultimately be transmitted to me switching equipment 13, either directly or via a clearinghouse 35, so that the switching equipment will know that the cellular phone is active and allowed to receive calls. Moreover, in visited systems that only allow access via a local access numbers, this number must also somehow be associated with the telephone's MIN and PN so as to effect proper call routing. In the preferred embodiment, this association is maintained at the SCP 15 in the switching equipment. These considerations typically require provision of the activation * code, the MIN, and, in proper cases, the local access number (optional), by the non-IS-41 visited MTSO 25b to the clearinghouse 35. (Alternatively, the clearinghouse 35 can store local access numbers in its database, and provide same as a part of its clearinghouse service to the switching equipment.) Responsive to receipt of the activation * code, and validation by the clearinghouse 35 of the roamer via the required mechanism, the clearinghouse provides the registration notification message to the switching equipment

13, and the remaining steps are substantially in accordance with that described in connection with FIG. 5. As in the case of FIG. 5, the voice path to the visited MTSO 25b is established from the SSP 14 to the home MTSO 25a via voice trunk 20a, and thence between the home MTSO and the non- IS-41 visited MTSO 25b via voice trunk 20b.

FIG. 7 illustrates a scenario substantially the same as in FIG. 6, except without the intervention of a clearinghouse as intermediary. In other words, FIG. 7 assumes a direct data communications link (not necessarily SS7 or IS-41) between a visited MTSO 25b and the home MTSO 25a and the switching equipment 13. The scenario assumes an appropriate business arrangement between the different cellular system operators so that registration information, validation, activation of roaming call receipt, etc. are handled satisfactorily between the system operators. The activation * code is provided directly from the non-IS-41 cellular system 40 to the home MTSO; alternatively, the activation code could be provided directly to the switching equipment 13. It will therefore be appreciated that in such cases, the clearinghouse and either the home MTSO or the switching equipment perform much the same function. It will therefore be understood that the use of a clearinghouse is optional in the present invention, since the important consideration is the detection of the presence of a roaming PNC subscriber, and enablement of call routing to the PNC subscriber.

FIG. 8 illustrates a scenario wherein the PNC cellular subscriber provides a de-activation code at the visited MTSO 25b indicative of a command by the subscriber to halt incoming calls to the cellular telephone 16'. In this situation, a registration cancellation REG.CAN message is transmitted from the clearinghouse 35 to the switching equipment 13, which updates its database to modify the location information. Essentially, the location information in the database maintained by me switching equipment will now show mat the subscriber is not present in the visited MTSO 25b, and that subsequent PNC calls should be routed to alternative destinations in accordance with the communicating routing or disposition information associated with the PNC service profile stored at the

SCP 15.

Thus, in response to receipt of an incoming PNC call, a Query on the part of the SSP 14 to the SCP 15 will result in a Response from the SCP of information indicating an alternative destination. In one situation, the response might still be the MIN of the cellular telephone, in which case a voice path 20a is established to the home MTSO 25a, which then routes the call to an alternative destination , such as a voice mail service 45 or an alternative telephone 46, as shown in FIG. 3. Alternatively, the response can be an alternative routing directory number (DN) denominated ALT which results in the routing of the PNC call to an alternative destination indicated at 45 or 46.

FIG. 9 illustrates a scenario of implicit de-activation by a clearinghouse, so as to cause subsequent incoming

PNC calls to be redirected from a visited MTSO 40 to an alternative destination. As discussed earlier, various clearinghouse services such as FOLLOW ME ROAMING® and ROAMING AMERICA automatically remove registration information from their databases at predetermined times of day or after the passage of a predetermined amount of time. For example, the FOLLOW ME ROAMING® service automatically cancels registrations at midnight, while ROAMING AMERICA® does the same after twelve hours have elapsed since the last cellular event. In such a situation, an implicit de-activation has occurred, and the clearinghouse is operative to provide a registration cancellation message REG.CAN to the switching equipment 13. Subsequently, a PNC call will be routed by the switching equipment to an alternative destination 45, 46 as in the case of FIG. 8.

It will be understood from the foregoing discussions that situations not involving a clearinghouse operate substantially in the same manner as described above, with the exception that the communication messages relating to roaming, validation, registration, cancellation, etc. are directly passed directly between the communicating entities. Typically, this preferably involves direct SS7 data communications between a visited cellular system 40, SCP equipment 15, and the home MTSO 25a. Like the scenario of FIG. 7, an implicit de-activation as in FIG. 9 without use of a clearinghouse contemplates direct data communication links established between a visited MTSO 25b and the home MTSO 25a, with subsequent provision of appropriate messages from the home MTSO to the switching equipment 13.

In this case, the home location register (HLR) associated with the home MTSO 25a maintains its database with requisite location information that can be provided to the switching equipment 13. Whenever the home location register is provided with signals (such as a REG.NOT) indicating that cellular PNC subscriber has registered in a visited MTSO 25b, the HLR database is updated and a corresponding REG.NOT message is sent to the switching equipment 13. The registration notification provides requisite information that allows routing of the PNC call to the visited MTSO 25b via the home MTSO 25a. The switching equipment 13 can route such calls to the visited MTSO by routing to the MIN. and the home MTSO forwards the call to the visited MTSO. Such operation requires that the home MTSO 25a provide a properly-formatted registration notification message to the switching equipment 13 when it receives a registration notification and location information from the visited MTSO 25b.

The remaining steps responsive to receipt of the PNC call at the SSP 14, routing of the call to the home MTSO 25a via the PNC subscriber's MIN, and subsequent routing of the call from the home MTSO 25a via line 20 to the visited MTSO 25b, are substantially as described in connection with FIG. 7.

Still referring to FIG. 9, in like manner, registration cancellations are provided from the visited MTSO

25b to the clearinghouse 35, and thence to the switching equipment 13 in response to detection that the PNC cellular subscriber wishes to disable any FOLLOW ME ROAMING® or ROAMING AMERICA type service while at the visited MTSO 25b, the home MTSO detects that the predetermined time or time block has occurred as a registration cancellation event, or that the home MTSO 25a has detected, via the autonomous registration operation, that the PNC cellular subscriber has returned to the home MTSO 25a. Since the switching equipment 13 must keep track of the location, it is expected that the home MTSO 25a will provide any location information, however detected, to the switching equipment 13 so as to facilitate subsequent routing. Note that in this embodiment, either the PNC user entered * codes (explicit deactivation) that were detected by a visited MTSO (or the home MTSO) and are sent to the clearinghouse, or the clearinghouse detects the passage of time (implicit deactivation). In either event, the clearinghouse in mm sends these to the switching equipment 13. Turning next to FIG. 10, when a remote feature control request (RFCR) is provided by a roaming PNC cellular subscriber, it is necessary that the codes indicative of a command to invoke a feature, for example * codes, be transmitted to the switching equipment 13 so that the feature can be implemented. The switching equipment 13 can receive remote feature control information indirectly via the clearinghouse 35, or directly from the home cellular system if a data communications link is established, when the subscriber dials a roamer * code in a visited system, or the subscriber enters a roamer cancellation control code in the visited system. The clearinghouse is preferably operative to send a message containing the remote feature control request operation, typically in the form of an IS -41 RemoteFeatureControlRequest (RFCR) message, to the switching equipment 13 when the visiting subscriber dials the appropriate code and the visited MTSO 25b transmits the code to the clearinghouse. Preferably, the RFCR message also provides the MIN and the assigned personal number (PN) if maintained at the clearinghouse. The format of a

RemoteFeatureControlRequest is described in IS-41.5 at 8.1.3.7.

The timing for an exemplary RFCR scenario is shown in FIG. 10. When the subscriber dials a predetermined sequence of codes intended to invoke a feature, the information is passed from the visited MTSO 25b to the clearinghouse 35. The clearinghouse 35 then transmits an RFCR message to the switching equipment 13. The database maintained by the SCP 15 is men updated to reflect that the subscriber possessing this particular MEN (associated with their particular PN) intends to invoke particular service features with respect to subsequently received communications.

When a PNC call arrives at the SSP 14, a Query message is transmitted from the SSP 14 to the SCP 15, and the SCP responds by handling the communication in the manner as modified by the remote feature. As a specific example, assume that the remote feature is to cause communications directed to the personal number to be routed to a next or alternate destination in the hierarchical list of destinations, such as a voice mailbox. Then, the Response provided from the SCP

15 to the SSP 14 will include a directory number (DN) indicative of the alternative destination such as 45, 46. The communication is then routed to this alternative destination represented by the DN.

Remote features are considered species of communication disposition information, since actuation of particular features affects the handling and/or routing of an incoming communication. Examples of remote features contemplated for use by roaming cellular PNC subscribers in the present invention include but are not limited to the following:

Code Disposition

* 10 - Send call to home phone

*11 - Send call to secretary

*14 - Send call to voice mail

*15 - Send call to cellular phone

*25NPA-NXXX - Send call to phone number NPA- NXXX

As another specific example of a remote feature, it is contemplated that the alternative destination can include a message service 45 that is operative to play a prerecorded announcement, such as, "We're sorry, but (name of subscriber) is not presently available. At the tone, please leave a voice message.", and then record a voice message.

It will be understood that in embodiments of the present invention which involve direct data communications between switching equipment 13, a visited cellular system 40, and a home cellular system 50, the RFCR message is transmitted directly from the visited MTSO 25b to the home MTSO 25a. The home location register (HLR) database associated with the home cellular system 50 is updated to reflect the feature that is to be invoked. The HLR will transmit a corresponding RFCR to the switching equipment 13 so that the database can be updated to reflect activation of the feature. Again, this RFCR message is transmitted when it is detected that the PNC cellular subscriber wishes to enable special features, for example enablement of the FOLLOW ME ROAMING® or ROAMING AMERICA type of service, or when the feature code constitutes a specific request to forward cellular calls to a specific override directory number. Such features are generally indicated with dialed digits following the * code, for example *14, if not supported by the visited cellular system, can constitute a command to activate call forwarding to a remote location, and a string of digits can constitute the call-forwarding number.

In response to a RemoteFeatureControlRequest (RFCR) query, the switching equipment 13 provides an appropriate rfcr response back to the clearinghouse. If the received parameters are all valid, then the switching equipment 13 sends a response containing a return result to the clearinghouse. The parameters returned in the rfcr response may indicate a successful activation of the requested feature, as described in IS-41.5, Section 8.2.16.

As in previous cases, the information in the RFCR is used at the switching equipment 13 to appropriately route subsequent PNC calls to the cellular PNC subscriber or to the indicated alternative destinations.

FIG. 11 illustrates a communication scenario wherein a temporary line directory number (TLDN) is utilized to route a PNC call associated with the * code activation request to a visited MTSO 25b. This scenario should be contrasted with that illustrated in FIG. 5. The scenario of FIG. 5 is considered "MIN-based" routing, wherein the voice path is established via the MIN to the home MTSO 25a. and thence to the visited MTSO 25b. In FIG. 11, a TLDN is utilized to route the call directly from the SSP 14 to the visited MTSO 25b. As in the case of FIG. 5, when the roaming PNC cellular subscriber is detected at the visited

MTSO 25b , either via activation of FOLLOW ME ROAMING® service or ROAMING AMERICA service, or autonomous registration, or otherwise in accordance with the present invention, a REG.NOT message is passed from the visited MTSO 25b to the clearinghouse 35, and thence to the switching equipment 13. Appropriate responses are provided, as indicated. The switching equipment 13 updates its database to reflect that the cellular subscriber is active on the cellular telephone.

In response to receipt of a PNC call, a PN-based

Query is transmitted from the SSP 14 to the SCP 15. The SCP responds with a PN or MIN-based ROUT.REQ message to the clearinghouse, which responds with a TLDN associated with the MIN. The SCP 15 receiving the TLDN provides a Response containing the TLDN back to the SSP 14. The SSP is thereafter operative route the call via a voice path 20a directly to the visited MTSO that provided the TLDN in the first instance. It should be apparent that such a scenario is more direct and efficient than MIN-based routing, which requires voice paths from the SSP to the home MTSO, and thence to the visited MTSO.

FIG. 12 illustrates a communication scenario wherein the system is operative for routing a PNC call to an alternative destination (e.g. voice mail 45) based on receipt of status information from a visited MTSO 25b, either directly or indirectly via the clearinghouse 35, for example, busy or inactive status of the roaming PNC subscriber's telephone 16'. It should be noted at this juncture that certain system operators may be legally precluded from routing calls to alternative destinations in response to status information such as busy or inactive, under the Modified Final Judgment, if such status information is obtained from outside the LATA. Accordingly, the method illustrated in FIG. 12 should be considered an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

The embodiment of FIG. 12 should be contrasted with the embodiment of FIG. 8, which involves routing to an alternative destination in response to status information in the form of a registration cancellation message (REG.CAN). Note that in the embodiment of FIG. 8, the routing to the alternative destination is in response to the cancellation of registration, and not in response to receipt of information that the roaming cellular subscriber telephone is busy or otherwise inactive. Accordingly, it will be understood that there may be cases where the subscriber has de-activated his or her cellular telephone, but no registration cancellation event has yet occurred that would cause the transmission of the REG.CAN message. It will be recalled from earlier discussion that REG.CAN triggers the routing to the alternate destination 45. A situation of de-activation but no transmission of REG.CAN is likely to occur in the case of non-IS-41 systems, since there is no automatic and uniform mechanism in such systems for transmitting a REG.CAN to a' roaming subscriber's home system.

In such a situation of de-activation in a non-IS-41 system, a PNC call would be routed via the home MTSO 25a to the visited MTSO 25b, only to receive a busy or inactive message from the visited MTSO 25b. However, this would necessarily incur a long distance charge through a long distance carrier associated with the service package utilized by the PNC subscriber. Needless to say, such long distance expenses could be avoided on behalf of the subscriber if the routing to the alternative destination could be effected in response to status information indicating that the cellular telephone was busy or no longer active. In the embodiment of FIG. 12, it is specifically contemplated that the system operator is lawfully entitled to respond to status information provided either directly from a visited MTSO or indirectly via a clearinghouse. As in prior scenarios, when the roaming PNC subscriber's telephone 16' is registered at the visited MTSO 25b, a registration notification (REG.NOT) is sent to the clearinghouse 35. A corresponding REG.NOT is passed from the clearinghouse to the switching equipment 13, which updates its database to reflect that the cellular PNC subscriber is active and roaming.

In response to receipt of a PNC call to the SSP 14, a Query is transmitted to the SCP 15, as before. The SCP generates a route request message (ROUT.REQ) to the clearinghouse, which in turn passes a ROUT.REQ message based on me MIN to the visited MTSO 25b. Since FIG. 12 presumes that the subscriber is inactive or busy, but no registration cancellation (REG.CAN) has been indicated, the appropriate reply message to the route request is an indication of busy or inactive status. The reply. message from the visited MTSO is a rout.req (busy/inactive), and typically includes a return result parameter containing an AccessDeniedReason = busy/inactive as described in IS-41.5, Section 8.1.3.6. As will be understood, an AccessDeniedReason can include inactive or busy, as specified in Section 8.2.18.

The busy/inactive status is then provided to the

SCP 15 via a corresponding rout.req (busy/inactive) response message from the clearinghouse, which returns a Response to the SSP Query indicative of routing to a default destination. Thus, a voice path is established to the subscriber's alternative destination as determined by the database associated with the switching equipment 13 (the SCP 15 in the disclosed embodiment. In the example of FIG. 12, the default destination is a voice mailbox 45.

It should also be noted that much of the scenario described in connection with FIG. 12 is applicable in the case where the home MTSO 25 a is substituted for the clearinghouse 35, and a ROUT.REQ query and TLDN response communication mechanism occurs directly between the SCP 15 and the home MTSO. It will thus be understood that under circumstances wherein the system operator can act on a busy or inactive status, the clearinghouse (or home MTSO) will return a DN or TLDN if the call can be connected to the visited MTSO 25b and thence to the roaming telephone 16', but the clearinghouse (or home MTSO) may also return an inactive or busy response. The TLDN or DN would be used to route the pending PNC call to the subscriber at the visited MTSO if the subscriber is active, while an inactive or busy response would be used to route the PNC call to one of the PNC subscriber's alternative destinations such as voice mail, secretary's telephone, or the like.

FIG. 13 illustrates an alternative communication scenario wherein a PNC cellular subscriber's call is to be forwarded or "transferred to" an alternative destination if the subscriber is currently busy or inactive. The scenario in this figure presupposes that some entity, such as the clearinghouse

35 is maintaining a service profile in a computer database of visiting cellular subscribers, together with associated "transfer to numbers" (TTNR) as forwarding numbers (it being understood that the home MTSO could also perform the function). If a subscriber enters a feature request indicating that calls should be transferred to a certain location (particularly a local land location in the foreign service area as an alternative destination), a TTNR comprising a DN of that alternative destination can be passed back to the switching equipment 1 3 for proper handling. Thus, a

ServiceProfileDirective (SPD) message containing the TTNR is sent by the visited MTSO to the clearinghouse (or home MTSO). This message is described at 8.1.3.9 at IS-41.5, and can include a DN comprising a number of digits of a destination representing a TTNR. It will of course be understood that the home MTSO 25a itself, or the visited MTSO 25b, can maintain the data indicative of the transfer to number.

Still referring to FIG. 13, in response to receipt of a PNC call, the SSP 14 passes a Query message to the SCP

15, which passes a routing request ROUT.REQ to the clearinghouse 35 (or the home MTSO). This ROUT.REQ is in mm passed to the visited MTSO 25b based on the MIN. In response to determination that the subscriber is busy or inactive, which is presumed, a busy/inactive status message is passed back from the visited MTSO 25b to the clearinghouse 35, and thence to the SCP 15. Upon receipt of a busy/inactive status message, the SCP provides a TransferToNumberRequest (TTNR) message to the clearinghouse, which in mm provides the transfer to number previously received as the response, in the form of a transfer directory number (DN). The SCP 15 then provides its response to the SSP 14 in the form of a transfer directory number (DN). The SSP then routes the call to the transferred DN, which comprises an alternative destination such as the destination 48 (see FIG. 3).

Thus, it will be understood that once an inactive or busy response is obtained from the clearinghouse in response to a routing request message from the switching equipment 13, the system queries me clearinghouse (or home MTSO) to determine subsequent call treatment. This entails transmission of a TTNR query to the clearinghouse, which in turn forwards this to the visited MTSO, if necessary. The cellular subscriber's profile, maintained either at the clearinghouse (or at the home MTSO) contains an alternative transfer to number. A response to the TTNR is a directory number (DN), which is where the subscriber's call is to be forwarded if that subscriber is currently busy or inactive.

It will also be understood that the scenario described in connection with FIG. 13 may involve routing via a subscriber's long distance carrier in order to reach the transfer-to location.

It will be further understood in connection with FIG. 13 that the invention can be implemented without the clearinghouse 35. In such an embodiment, the routing request message ROUT.REQ is transmitted directly from the switching equipment 13 to the home MTSO (not shown). which stands in the place of the clearinghouse, and the response is a busy or inactive status indication. The TTNR is then passed directly from the switching equipment 13 to the home MTSO, and the response received is the transfer DN provided by the home MTSO. It will therefore be appreciated that in this scenario, which presumes no MFJ restrictions, once an inactive or busy response is obtained from a home MTSO in response to a routing request, the system can query the home MTSO directly by sending a TTNR query. The response to the TTNR is a DN to which the subscriber's call is to be forwarded if the subscriber is currently busy or inactive.

FIG. 14 illustrates a communication scenario that involves the validation of a cellular subscriber using a line information database (LIDB) 90. For purposes of the present discussion, it will be understood that an LIDB 90 is a computer database primarily operative for validation and anti-fraud functions in connection with cellular telephone systems. For example, a commercially available LIDB is the Calling

Card database manufactured by Tandem Computer Corp. The LIDB 90 matches a personal identification number (PIN) to a cellular telephone's MIN for validation purposes. Operation and maintenance of such a computer database is considered within the skill of the art. The operation is simply to match predetermined PIN's to MIN's on a real-time basis, with the system providing access or validation only in response to receipt of a validation message from the LIDB.

It will be further understood that an LIDB may be operated by a number of different business entities, including but not limited to the PNC system operator, clearinghouses, and anticipated validation databases established for future communication systems such as the anticipated Motorola IRIDIUM™ personal telecommunications system. Therefore. the present invention will be considered operative with such communication systems or any communications systems that require validation prior to access.

In this regard, FIG. 14 illustrates validation of a cellular subscriber using the LIDB database 90. A cellular subscriber is validated using the MIN that is provided at autonomous registration, and a PIN or other password that is entered via the telephone keypad in response to, for example, a voice prompt message. It is assumed that the roaming subscriber with a telephone 16' has entered his or her PIN, the MIN has been obtained by the visited MTSO 25b, and the

PIN and MIN information has been passed in the form of a message to the home MTSO 25a. The information is passed directly to the home MTSO 25a, but it will be understood that the information could be passed via a clearinghouse (not illustrated) or directly to the LIDB 90. For example, validation information may be passed in the form of a ServiceProfileDirective (SPD) message, as described in IS-41.5, ¶ 8.1.3.9.

The home MTSO 25a passes the MIN and PEN to the LIDB 90, which performs the validation function. If the

MIN is properly validated, an appropriate response such as a QualificationDirective (QD), as described in IS-41.5, 1 8.1.3.2, is sent to the visited MTSO, indicating that the subscriber is authorized to access the system.

Once the LIDB has performed the validation, the

LIDB transmits a QualificationDirective (QD) message to the home MTSO 25a, which in turn passes a QD to the visited MTSO 25b. According to one aspect of the invention, upon validation the LIDB 90 passes a registration notification message REG.NOT to the switching equipment 13. This in effect informs me SCP 15 in the switching equipment that the cellular PNC subscriber is active and roaming. Subsequent PNC calls to mat subscriber are routed via the MIN, as shown, which entails routing either to the home MTSO 25a and thence to the visited MTSO 25b, or alternatively directly to the visited MTSO, via the TLDN (using ROUT.REQ), as legal circumstances permit for the system operator.

It should also be understood that in addition to registration detection in a visited system, preferred embodiments of the present invention provide notification of a registration of a PNC subscriber back at the home MTSO 25a upon return to or entry into the home cellular system 50. In preferred embodiments of the invention, it is anticipated that the subscriber will dial a PNC * code in the home cellular system to signal a return home. Alternatively, registration of the cellular PNC subscriber in the home MTSO can trigger the provision of the registration cancellation message REG.CAN to the switching equipment 13 when the registration is detected.

Turning now to FIG. 15, it will be understood that preferred embodiments of the present invention contemplate periodic correlation of information relating personal numbers (PN) to mobile identification numbers (MIN). Such correlated information is required by the wireless information providers such as home MTSO's and cellular systems that directly communicate with the switching equipment, by clearinghouses, by visited MTSO's with direct communications arrangements with the PNC service provider, and by any other communicating entities that are not associated with the provider of the personal number service. A correlation table, maintained in the form of a computer database, is required in order to determine which MIN's are associated with a PNC system and therefore should receive the registration function treatment. Those skilled in the art will understand that this database, the implementation is within the skill of the art, will require periodic updates in order to add or delete personal numbers, and relationships between the personal numbers and cellular telephone numbers. Preferably, updates will be provided on an as-needed basis, and can be provided through conventional mechanisms such as facsimile messages, electronic mail, or other methods.

In this regard, FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary computer database record 100 that is utilized in switching equipment 13, and in particular in the SCP 15 of the disclosed embodiment, to implement PNC service on behalf of roaming cellular subscribers. As known to those skilled in the art, a database record comprises a plurality of information fields that are associated with one another, and searchable by text string searching or via preconstructed indices. Fields utilized in the preferred record 100 include the personal number

(PN), the Mobile Identification Number (MIN) of one or more cellular telephones as alternative destinations for the PNC subscriber, a principal destination directory number (DN1 ), one or more alternative destination directory numbers (DN2╌ DNi), activated feature codes, inactive feature codes, status fields (busy/inactive/non validated/validated), a routing DN to reach the voice mail system, ah IEC code to be used when the PNC call needs to be forwarded across a LATA boundary, and other PNC related information as described in the incorporated PNC patent application referenced above.

Additionally, various of the fields in the computer database record 100 may include user control or status flags, ON/OFF, to signify that various features have been activated, or have been enabled for activation by the system operator. As a specific example, it is specifically contemplated that a subscriber may selectably activate delivery of calls to the mobile telephone when roaming, or may prevent delivery of calls when roaming. Therefore, the database record field for the mobile telephone includes an ROAMING DELIVERY ON/OFF field associated with cellular telephone. In the event that the flag indicates OFF status, calls will not be delivered to the mobile telephone when roaming, and the PNC hierarchy will cause an incoming communication to be directed to another destination, e.g. voice mail.

Likewise, the subscriber can indicate ON/OFF status for delivery of calls to the mobile telephone when in the home cellular service area, with the HOME DELIVERY ON/OFF flag.

Preferably, the subscriber will selectably actuate various feature ON/OFF flags by entry of * codes, which will be delivered to the system 10 with RFCR messages, whether home or roaming.

Other related information for storage in the database may occur to those skilled in the art.

In summary, there has been illustrated and described an improved method and system for providing personal number communication system enhancements that route PNC calls to roaming cellular subscribers, in various scenarios including intermediaries such as cellular clearinghouses, direct SS7 and IS-41 compatibility between home cellular service MTSO's and visited cellular system MTSO's, non-IS-41 capable communicating entities, and the like. Means have been described for obtaining location information corresponding to the present whereabouts of a roaming PNC cellular subscriber, and for utilizing the location information in conjunction with routing or destination information provided with the PNC service, and status information where permitted, for routing PNC calls to the subscriber at the roaming cellular site or to alternative destinations, as appropriate under the communication disposition information provided in connection with the PNC service.

Therefore, while particular preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it should be understood that the preferred embodiments have been disclosed by way of example, and that other modifica tions may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and the spirit of the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is: 1. A method of delivering a communication to a subscriber, comprising the steps of:

receiving location information corresponding to a present location of a subscriber;

storing communication disposition information corresponding to a plurality of destinations associated with the subscriber;

receiving a communication directed to the subscriber, and

disposing of the communication to one of the destinations in accordance with the communication disposition information and the location information.

2. The method of Claim 1 , wherein said communication disposition information comprises communication routing information.

3. The method of Claim 2, wherein said communication routing information comprises a directory number associated with one of the plurality of destinations.

4. The method of Claim 3. wherein the directory number comprises a temporary line directory number (TLDN).

5. The method of Claim 3, wherein the directory number comprises the Mobile Identification Number (MIN) associated with a cellular mobile radiotelephone.

6. The method of Claim 2, wherein the communication routing information comprises information indicative of a telephone line routing path to connect the communication to one of the destinations.

7. The method of Claim 1, wherein the step of receiving location information comprises the step of receiving explicitly detected location information.

8. The method of Claim 7, wherein the step of receiving explicitly detected location information comprises receipt of a registration notification message from a cellular telephone system.

9. The method of Claim 7, wherein the step of receiving explicitly detected location information comprises receipt of a registration cancellation message from a cellular telephone system.

10. The method of Claim 1 , wherein the step of receiving location information comprises the step of receiving implicitly detected location information.

11. The method of Claim 10, wherein the step of receiving implicitly detected location information comprises receipt of information indicative that a cellular telephone has not been active in a cellular system within a predetermined time.

12. The method of Claim 1, wherein the step of receiving communication disposition information comprises receiving hierarchical routing information corresponding to a plurality of possible destinations for routing communications.

13. The method of Claim 12, further comprising the step of assigning the subscriber a personal number, and wherein the step of receiving communication disposition information comprises receiving hierarchical routing information corresponding to a plurality of possible destinations for routing communications directed to the personal number.

14. The method of Claim 1, wherein the location information is provided by a cellular telephone validation clearinghouse.

15. The method of Claim 1 , wherein the location information is provided by a home mobile telephone switching office (MTSO) associated with the subscriber.

16. The method of Claim 1 , wherein the location information is provided via a data communications link from a visited cellular radiotelephone system.

17. The method of Claim 1 , wherein the location information is provided via a Signaling System 7

(SS7) data communications link.

18. The method of Claim 1, further comprising the step of modifying the communication disposition information based on the location information.

19. The method of Claim 18, wherein the step of modifying the communication disposition information based on the location information comprises selecting one of the plurality of destinations based on the location information.

20. The method of Claim 18. wherein the communication disposition information comprises a first directory number associated with a cellular telephone as a first one of the plurality of destinations and a second directory number associated with a second one of the plurality of destinations,

wherein the location information comprises information that the cellular telephone has been detected as roaming in a visited cellular telephone system, and

wherein the step of modifying the communication disposition information based on the location information comprises selecting the first directory number in response to the location information.

21. The method of Claim 20, wherein the step of modifying me communication disposition information based on the location information comprises selecting the second directory number in response to absence of receipt of the location information.

22. The method of Claim 18, wherein the step of modifying the communication disposition information comprises modifying a list of alternative destinations for the communication based on the location information.

23. The method of Claim 1. wherein the location information is provided from a remote cellular system in which the subscriber is roaming with a mobile telephone.

24. The method of Claim 1 , wherein the location information comprises a copy of registration information obtained upon registration of the mobile telephone as a roamer in the remote cellular system.

25. The method of Claim 24, wherein the registration of the mobile telephone comprises autonomous registration.

26. A method of delivering a communication to a subscriber, comprising me steps of:

assigning a personal number to the subscriber;

storing communication disposition information corresponding to a plurality of destinations for communications, at least one of the destinations including a mobile telephone;

receiving location information indicative of the present location of the mobile telephone;

receiving a communication directed to the personal number,

selecting the destination of the mobile telephone from the communication disposition information in response to a first condition of the location information;

selecting an alternative destination from the communication disposition information in response to a second condition of the location information; and

disposing of the communication in accordance with the selected destination of the communication disposition information.

27. The method of Claim 26, wherein the first condition of the location information corresponds to information that the mobile telephone is active and able to receive calls.

28. The method of Claim 27, wherein the first condition of the location information is provided in the form of a registration notification message from a visited cellular system.

29. The method of Claim 27, wherein the second condition of the location information corresponds to information that the mobile telephone is not active.

30. The method of Claim 29, wherein the second condition of the location information is provided in the form of a registration cancellation message from a visited cellular system in which the mobile telephone was previously registered.

31. A method of delivering a communication to a subscriber, comprising the steps of:

assigning a personal number to the subscriber;

receiving communication disposition information corresponding to a plurality of destinations associated with the subscriber;

receiving a communication directed to the subscriber's personal number; and

delivering the communication to one of the destinations in accordance with the communication disposition information and the location information.

32. The method of Claim 31, wherein the location information comprises routing information indicative of a telecommunications path for delivering the communication.

33. The method of Claim 32, wherein the communication disposition information indicates a mobile telephone one of the destinations for the communication, and wherein the routing information corresponds to a telecommunications path for delivering the communication to the mobile telephone.

34. The method of Claim 33, wherein the present location of the subscriber is roaming in a foreign cellular system, and wherein the routing information corresponds to a telecommunications path for delivering the communication to me mobile telephone while roaming in the foreign cellular system.

35. The method of Claim 31 , wherein at least one of the destinations includes a mobile telephone as a first destination, and wherein the location information indicates whether the mobile telephone is active in a foreign cellular system.

36. The method of Claim 35, wherein the step of delivering the communication comprises:

selecting the first destination from the communication disposition information;

determining from the location information whether the mobile telephone is active in the foreign cellular system;

in response to determination that the mobile telephone is active in the foreign cellular system, delivering the communication to the mobile telephone in the foreign cellular system.

37. The method of Claim 36, further comprising the step of corresponds to determination that the mobile telephone is not active in the foreign cellular system. delivering the communication to an alternative destination.

38. The method of Claim 36, wherein the communication disposition information includes information indicative whether communications are to be delivered to the mobile telephone when active in the foreign cellular system.

39. A method of delivering a communication to a mobile telephone of a personal number subscriber in a personal number communication system, comprising the steps of:

receiving location information from a clearinghouse, the locating information including a directory number at which the mobile telephone can be reached;

receiving a communication for the subscriber at the subscriber's personal number; and

delivering the communication to the subscriber at the directory number associated with the personal number.

40. The method of Claim 39, wherein said clearinghouse is a roaming cellular mobile radiotelephone information and validation clearinghouse.

41. The method of Claim 39, wherein the clearinghouse is operative to obtain the location information from a mobile telephone switching office (MSTO) associated with a cellular system in which said mobile telephone is operated.

42. The method of Claim 41 , wherein the clearinghouse obtains the location information from the MTSO via an SS7 data communications link.

43. The method of Claim 41 , wherein the

MTSO provides IS-41 data messages, and the clearinghouse obtains the location information via IS-41 messages.

44. The method of Claim 41 , wherein the MTSO obtains registration information from subscriber's mobile telephone as it registers, and transmits at least a portion of the registration information to the clearinghouse as the location information.

45. The method of. Claim 39, wherein the communication disposition information includes information indicative whether communications are to be delivered to the mobile telephone when roaming in a foreign cellular system.

46. A method of disposing of a communication to a personal number of a subscriber of a personal number communication system when roaming with a mobile telephone, comprising the steps of:

storing communication disposition information in the database in association with the subscriber's personal number;

receiving status information from a remote communication service corresponding to the status of the subscriber's mobile telephone;

modifying the stored communication disposition information with the status information;

receiving a communication directed to the subscriber's personal number,

querying the database as to disposal of the communication; and

disposing of the communication in accordance with the communication disposition information as modified by the status information.

47. The method of Claim 46, wherein the status information comprises location information corresponding to a location of the subscriber's mobile telephone.

48. The method of Claim 46, wherein the status information comprises registration information obtained upon registration of the mobile telephone at a cellular system.

49. The method of Claim 48, wherein the registration information is obtained upon registration of the mobile telephone when roaming at a foreign cellular system.

50. The method of Claim 46, wherein the status information comprises a busy signal obtained by a cellular system in which the mobile telephone is active.

51. The method of Claim 46, wherein the status information comprises a no answer signal obtained by a cellular system in which the mobile telephone is active.

52. The method of Claim 46, wherein the remote communication service comprises a cellular telephone clearinghouse.

53. The method of Claim 52, wherein the cellular telephone clearinghouse comprises a FOLLOW ME ROAMING® clearinghouse.

54. The method of Claim 46, wherein the remote communication service comprises a foreign cellular system.

55. The method of Claim 54, further comprising the step of communicating the status information from the foreign cellular system to the personal number communication system via an SS7 data link.

56. The method of Claim 46, wherein the status information comprises information indicative that the mobile telephone is active in a foreign cellular system and has enabled roaming services in the foreign cellular system.

57. The method of Claim 46, wherein the step of modifying the communication disposition information with the status information comprises updating a database record associated with the subscriber's personal number to indicate that the mobile telephone is active and roaming in a particular foreign cellular system.

58. The method of Claim 46, wherein the communication disposition information includes roaming delivery information indicative whether communications are to be delivered to the mobile telephone when roaming in a foreign cellular system, and further comprising the step of delivering the communication to the mobile telephone in accordance with the roaming delivery information.

59. The method of Claim 58, wherein the roaming delivery information is selectably actuatable by the subscriber, whereby communications are delivered to the mobile telephone when roaming or selectably blocked from delivery to the mobile telephone when roaming.

60. A method of delivering a communication to a subscriber, the subscriber being associated with a mobile communication device, comprising the steps of:

assigning a personal number to the subscriber;

receiving first communication disposition information including a plurality of possible dispositions of a communication;

receiving location information corresponding to a present location of the mobile communication device;

receiving a communication directed to the personal number;

selecting a first destination from the communication disposition information;

if the first destination corresponds to the mobile communication device, directing the communication to the mobile communication device utilizing the location information;

announcing at the first destination the receipt of the communication;

receiving second communication disposition information; and

disposing of the communication in accordance with the second communication disposition information.

61. The method of Claim 60. wherein the first communication disposition information comprises a plurality of destinations for delivery of communications.

62. The method of Claim 60, wherein the first communication disposition information comprises dispositions selected from the list including: land line telephones, call forwarding directory numbers, mobile telephones, facsimile machines, pagers, voice mail boxes, and announcements.

63. The method of Claim 60, wherein the second communication disposition information indicates acceptance, active rejection, or passive rejection of the communication.

64. The method of Claim 60, wherein the communication disposition information comprises a list of destinations hierarchically arranged in order of subscriber preference for communication routing, and wherein the step of receiving the first communication disposition information comprises receiving the list of destinations and hierarchy information for each of the destinations.

65. The method of Claim 64, wherein the destinations comprise devices having directory numbers, the devices comprising the following: land line telephones, mobile telephones, cellular telephones, voice mail services, facsimile devices, and paging devices; and

wherein the step of receiving the list of destinations comprises receiving at least two directory numbers, and storing the directory numbers in a database.

66. The method of Claim 65, wherein the step of selecting a first destination comprises selecting a first destination from a plurality of directory numbers in the database.

67. The method of Claim 60, wherein the step of receiving first communication disposition information further comprises receiving a default destination, and

wherein the method further comprises the step of routing the communication to the default destination in response to a predetermined condition of the second communication disposition information.

68. The method of Claim 67, wherein the predetermined condition of the second communication disposition information comprises a busy condition of the mobile communication device.

69. The method of Claim 67, wherein the predetermined condition of the second communication disposition information comprises a no answer condition of the mobile communication device.

70. The method of Claim 67, wherein said subscriber has a voice mail service, and wherein the step of routing the communication to said default destination comprises routing the communication to the voice mail service.

71. A method for delivering a communication to a subscriber, comprising the steps of:

receiving communication disposition information from the subscriber, the communication disposition information comprising a plurality of destinations, the destinations being hierarchically arranged in order of preference by the subscriber, at least one of the destinations corresponding to a mobile communication device;

receiving a communication directed to the subscriber;

selecting a first destination from the plurality of destinations in the order of the hierarchy;

receiving location information indicative that the mobile communication device is presently enabled to receive communications while operated in a roaming manner in a foreign service area;

determining whether the first destination corresponds to the mobile communication device;

in response to determination that the mobile communication device is enabled, routing the communication to the mobile communication device in the foreign service area.

72. The method of Claim 71 , further comprising the step of:

in response to determination that the mobile communication device is not enabled, routing the communication to a second destination of the plurality of destinations.

73. The method of Claim 71 , wherein the location information comprises registration information obtained by the foreign service area.

74. The method of Claim 71, wherein the location information includes routing information for routing the communication to the foreign service area.

75. The method of Claim 73, wherein the routing information comprises a temporary line directory number.

76. The method of Claim 71 , wherein the location information is provided by a cellular telephone clearinghouse via data communications link.

77. The method of Claim 71, wherein the location information is provided directly from the foreign service area via a data communications link.

78. A method for delivering a communication to a personal number associated with a personal number communication service subscriber, comprising the steps of:

maintaining a personal number communication system database of information relating the personal number to communication disposition information associated with the subscriber;

storing communication disposition information in the communication disposition database corresponding to a plurality of selectable dispositions of communications directed to a personal number associated with the subscriber, at least one of the selectable dispositions corresponding to a mobile telephone associated with the subscriber;

detecting the registration of the subscriber's mobile telephone in a cellular system;

at the cellular system, providing a registration message indicative of the registration of the mobile telephone at the cellular system;

receiving the registration message at switching equipment;

at the switching equipment, receiving a communication directed to the subscriber's personal number;

in response to receipt of a communication directed to the subscriber's personal number, retrieving the communication disposition information associated with the subscriber's personal number from the personal number system database; and in response to the communication disposition information and the registration message, forwarding the communication to the subscriber's mobile telephone in the cellular system.

79. The method of Claim 78, wherein the communication disposition information is selectably variable by the subscriber.

80. The method of Claim 79, wherein the communication disposition information is selectably variable by the subscriber from a remote location utilizing command codes.

81. The method of Claim 78, wherein the step of detecting the registration of the subscriber's mobile telephone in a cellular system comprises detecting the registration of the subscriber's mobile telephone in a visited cellular system where the mobile telephone is roaming.

82. The method of Claim 81, wherein the registration message is delivered from the visited cellular system to the switching equipment via a data communications link.

83. The method of Claim 82, wherein the data communications link comprises an SS7 data link.

84. The method of Claim 78, wherein the communication disposition information includes information indicating whether a communication is to be forwarded to the mobile telephone while roaming in a foreign service area, and wherein the step of forwarding the communication to the subscriber's mobile telephone comprises routing the communication to the mobile telephone in the foreign service area in response to an indication that the communication is to be forwarded to the mobile telephone while roaming in a foreign service area.

85. The method of Claim 84, wherein the step of forwarding the communication to the subscriber's mobile telephone comprises routing the communication to an alternative destination in response to an indication that the communication is not to be forwarded to the mobile telephone while roaming in a foreign service area.

86. The method of Claim 78, further comprising the step of providing communication routing information from the cellular system to the switching equipment.

87. The method of Claim 86, wherein the step of providing communication routing information comprises providing a temporary line directory number (TLDN) to the switching equipment.

88. A method of delivering a communication to a subscriber roaming in a remote communications system. comprising the steps of:

at the remote communications system, detecting the presence of a mobile telephone associated with the subscriber;

providing a copy of registration information indicative of the presence of the subscriber's mobile telephone;

receiving the copy of the registration information provided by the remote communications system;

receiving a communication directed to the subscriber; and

routing the communication to the subscriber's mobile telephone in the remote communications system.

89. The method of Claim 88, wherein the remote communications system is a cellular mobile radiotelephone system.

90. The method of Claim 88, wherein the method is carried out in connection with a personal number communication (PNC) system where incoming communications are directed to a personal number associated with the subscriber.

91. The method of Claim 90, wherein the PNC system stores communication disposition information indicative of a plurality of possible dispositions of communications directed to the subscriber, at least one of the possible dispositions corresponding to delivery of the communication to the subscriber's mobile telephone when roaming in a remote communications system.

92. The method of Claim 91, wherein the communications disposition information includes a selectably actuatable user flag to allow the subscriber to selectably indicate whether communications are to be delivered to the remote communications system.

93. A personal number communication system. comprising:

a location information system for obtaining subscriber location information corresponding to a remote location of a subscriber mobile communications device;

switching equipment operative to receive a subscriber communication directed to a subscriber at a subscriber personal number, and responsive to a routing message to route said subscriber communication to said subscriber;

a subscriber database containing information concerning subscriber location, subscriber personal numbers, and subscriber mobile communications devices;

a first communications channel for communicating said subscriber location information from the clearinghouse to the subscriber database;

a second communications channel for communicating a routing inquiry from said switching equipment to said subscriber database in response to receipt of a subscriber communication channel;

a third communications channel for sending said routing message indicative of communications routing information and said subscriber location information from said subscriber database to said switching equipment, whereby said switching equipment is operative for routing said subscriber communication to said subscriber at said remote location.

94. The system of Claim 93, where said location information system comprises a cellular clearinghouse.

95. The system of Claim 93, wherein said location information system comprises a mobile telephone switching office (MTSO) associated with a foreign cellular service area.

96. The system of Claim 93, wherein said location information system comprises a home mobile telephone switching office (MTSO) associated with said subscriber mobile communication device, and wherein said home MTSO is operative for obtaining said location information from a cellular clearinghouse.

97. The system of Claim 93, wherein said location information system comprises a home mobile telephone switching office (MTSO) associated with said subscriber mobile communication device, and wherein said home MTSO is operative for obtaining said location information directly from a foreign MTSO where said subscriber mobile communication device is roaming.

98. The system of Claim 93, wherein the first communications channel is an SS7 data communications link.

99. The system of Claim 93, wherein said subscriber database is maintained at service control point (SCP) equipment associated with a telephone switching office, and wherein the second communications channel and said third communications channel comprises a data communications channel between service switching point (SSP) equipment and said SCP equipment.

100. The system of Claim 93, wherein said third communications channel

service switching point equipment responsive to communications routing information for routing calls made to a subscriber personal number to a remote location indicated by said location information.

101. A system of delivering a personal number communication to a subscriber with a mobile telephone while roaming in a foreign cellular system remote from a home cellular system associated with the mobile telephone, comprising:

a personal number communication (PNC) system operative for disposing of communications to the subscriber in accordance with predetermined communication disposition information provided by the subscriber,

said predetermined communication disposition information including the subscriber's mobile telephone when roaming in said foreign cellular system;

a roamer detection module associated with said foreign cellular system, said roamer detection module being operative to detect the presence of the subscriber's mobile telephone while roaming in said foreign cellular system and to obtain registration information corresponding to the subscriber's mobile telephone;

a data communication pathway for communicating a registration message including said registration information from said foreign cellular system to said PNC system;

an incoming telecommunications pathway associated with said PNC system for receiving an incoming personal number communication directed to the subscriber;

an outgoing telecommunications pathway associated with said PNC system for connecting said incoming personal number communication to a destination in accordance with said communication disposition information: and

said PNC system being operative for directing said incoming personal number communcation via said outgoing telecommmunications pathway to said subscriber's mobile telephone roaming in said foreign cellular system.

102. The system of Claim 101, wherein said data communications pathway comprises a Signaling System 7

(SS7) data communications link.

103. The system of Claim 101, wherein said registration message comprises a plurality of independently communicated IS-41 messages.

104. The system of Claim 101, wherein said registration message is delivered from said foreign cellular system to said PNC system via a clearinghouse.

105. The system of Claim 101, wherein said registration message is delivered from said foreign cellular system directly to a home mobile telephone switching office (MTSO) associated with the subscriber's mobile telephone.

106. The system of Claim 101, wherein said registration message includes routing information for connecting said outgoing telecommunications pathway to said foreign cellular system.

107. The system of Claim 104, wherein said routing information is provided in a subsequent communication via said data communication pathway, in response to a query provided by said PNC system.