Methods and apparatus to provide extended voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services

• US 10,375,664 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2017
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Doradla, Anil, Gorti, Sreenivasa, Wolter, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Elallam, Ahmed
• Application Number:
  US15/407,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20170126887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42255 with the subscriber having a personal network-independent number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to provide extended voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services are disclosed. An example method comprises determining a location of a cellular communication device, and selecting a route for a call to the cellular communication device or to a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) communication device based upon the location, wherein the VoIP communication device is not implemented by the cellular communication device.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

memory including machine readable instructions; and

a processor to execute the machine readable instructions to perform operations including;

determining a location of a cellular communication device;

registering a voice over Internet protocol communication device to a voice over Internet protocol service in response to determining the location of the cellular communication device; and

routing a call for the cellular communication device to the voice over Internet protocol communication device based on the location of the cellular communication device, the voice over Internet protocol communication device not being implemented by the cellular communication device.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the operations further include updating a list of voice over Internet protocol communication devices associated with a telephone number based on the location.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the operations further include routing the call to the voice over Internet protocol communication device if the voice over Internet protocol communication device has at least one of a valid session initiated protocol registration or is enabled.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the operations further include routing the call to the voice over Internet protocol communication device if the cellular communication device is located in a voice over Internet protocol service area with the voice over Internet protocol communication device.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the operations further include receiving a location notification for the cellular communication device, wherein the location is determined from the location notification.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the operations further include associating the cellular communication device and the voice over Internet protocol communication device with a same telephone number, and the call is to the telephone number.

7. A method, comprising:

determining, by executing an instruction with a processor, a location of a cellular communication device;

registering, by executing an instruction with the processor, a voice over Internet protocol communication device to a voice over Internet protocol service based on the location of the cellular communication device; and

routing, by executing an instruction with the processor, a call for the cellular communication device to the voice over Internet protocol communication device based on the location, the voice over Internet protocol communication device not being implemented by the cellular communication device.

8. The method as defined in claim 7, further including updating a list of voice over Internet protocol communication devices associated with a telephone number based on the location.

9. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the routing includes routing the call to the voice over Internet protocol communication device if the voice over Internet protocol communication device has at least one of a valid session initiated protocol registration or is enabled.

10. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the routing includes routing the call to the voice over Internet protocol communication device if the cellular communication device is located in a voice over Internet protocol service area with the voice over Internet protocol communication device.

11. The method as defined in claim 7, further including receiving a location notification for the cellular communication device, wherein the location is determined from the location notification.

12. The method as defined in claim 7, further including associating the cellular communication device and the voice over Internet protocol communication device with a same telephone number, and the call is to the telephone number.

13. A tangible machine readable storage device comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor of a communication device to perform operations including:

determining a location of a cellular communication device;

registering a voice over Internet protocol communication device to a voice over Internet protocol service based on the location of the cellular communication device; and

routing a call for the cellular communication device to the voice over Internet protocol communication device based on the location, the voice over Internet protocol communication device not being implemented by the cellular communication device.

14. The tangible machine readable storage device as defined in claim 13, wherein the operations further include associating the cellular communication device and the voice over Internet protocol communication device with a same telephone number, and the call is to the telephone number.

15. The tangible machine readable storage device as defined in claim 13, wherein the routing includes routing the call to the voice over Internet protocol communication device if the voice over Internet protocol communication device has at least one of a valid session initiated protocol registration or is enabled.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

memory including machine readable instructions; and

a processor to execute the machine readable instructions to perform operations including;

determining a location of a cellular communication device;

registering a voice over Internet protocol communication device to a voice over Internet protocol service if the cellular communication device is present in a voice over Internet protocol service area;

routing a call for the cellular communication device via the voice over Internet protocol service to the voice over Internet protocol communication device if the cellular communication device is present in the voice over Internet protocol service area; and

routing the call to the cellular communication device via a cellular communication network if the cellular communication device is absent from the voice over Internet protocol service area.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the cellular communication device is associated with a telephone number, and wherein the call is to the telephone number.

18. The apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the processor is to receive a location notification for the cellular communication device, wherein the location is determined from the location notification.

19. The apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the processor is to update a list of voice over Internet protocol communication devices associated with a telephone number based on the location.