Systems and methods for web-based communications consolidation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10375563-B1
Application number	US-201815946490-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 5, 2018
Priority date	Apr 5, 2018
Publication date	Aug 6, 2019
Grant date	Aug 6, 2019

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing online access to multiple mobile station international subscriber directory numbers (MSISDNs), or mobile numbers, with compatible internet-connected user equipment (UEs). The system can include a web portal through which users can send and receive voice calls, video calls, text messages, e-mails, and other communications via multiple authorized mobile numbers. The system can include a graphical user interface (GUI) to enable users to select a mobile number to place a call or send a text, for example, with the call or text appearing to be sent from the mobile number. The system can also route incoming calls and texts to both the UE associated with the mobile number and the web portal. Thus, an incoming call, for example, can ring on both the UE and a tablet or laptop computer substantially simultaneously.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, at a transceiver of a notification server associated with a network provider, a first request, from a communications application on a first user equipment (UE), requesting that an IP address of the first UE be associated with a second UE mobile station international subscriber directory number (MSISDN) of a second UE;
determining, with a processor of the notification server, that a user logged into the communications application is authorized to use the second UE MSISDN;
sending, with the transceiver of the notification server, a first request to a home location register/home subscriber server (HLR/HSS) to associate the IP address with the second UE MSISDN, wherein the second UE MSISDN is also associated with an international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) of the second UE in the HLR/HSS;
receiving, at the transceiver of the notification server, a second request, from the communications application, requesting that the IP address of the first UE be associated with a third UE MSISDN of a third UE;
determining, with the processor of the notification server, that the user logged into the communications application is not authorized to use the third UE MSISDN; and
sending, with the transceiver of the notification server, an error message to the communications application.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, at the transceiver of the notification server, a third request, from the communications application, requesting that the IP address of the first UE be associated with a fourth UE MSISDN of a fourth UE;
determining, with the processor of the notification server, that the user logged into the communications application is authorized to use the fourth UE MSISDN;
sending, with the transceiver of the notification server, a third request to the home HLR/HSS to associate the IP address with the fourth UE MSISDN; and
wherein the fourth MSISDN is also associated with the IMEI of the second UE in the HLR/HSS.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first request includes a user ID and a password; and
wherein determining that the user logged into the communications application is authorized to use the second UE MSISDN includes determining that the user ID and password match.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining that the user logged into the communications application is authorized to use the second UE MSISDN further includes determining that the second UE MSISDN is associated with the user ID.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, at the transceiver of the notification server, a call addressed to the second UE MSISDN;
locating, with the processor of the notification server, an IP address for the first UE that is associated with the second UE MSISDN; and
sending, with the transceiver of the notification server, the call to the IP address via an IP network.

Assignees

• T Mobile Usa Inc

Inventors

• Bellam Prakasa
• Singh Gurpreet
• Lien Frederick Andrew
• Kumar Nitin
• Edwards Taylor
• Fridman Mikhail

Classifications

• H04W8/26

  Network addressing or numbering for mobility support · CPC title

• H04L63/104 Primary

  Grouping of entities · CPC title

• H04L63/083

  using passwords (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226) · CPC title

• H04W12/08

  Access security · CPC title

• H04W8/04 Primary

  Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server] · CPC title