Long term evolution-primary WiFi (LTE-PW)

• US 10,517,021 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2017
• Issued: 12/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evolve Cellular Inc.
• Original Assignee: Evolve Cellular Inc.
• Inventors: Feldman, Lowell P., Feldman, David E., Berrey, Alan E., Davis, Brian P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong, Frank
• Application Number:
  US15/636,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20180007587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0033 with transfer of context information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/005 involving radio access media independent information, e.g. MIH [Media independent Hand-off]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/185 using make before break
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/065 involving selection of the user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A system and method of communication, comprising establishing a first connection between the user equipment and a first non-public packet switched network which assigns a first non-public packet switched network address to user equipment; establishing an open signaling channel which communicates between the user equipment and a remote server through a cellular telephone network according to a public switched telephone network address associated with an International mobile subscriber identity; communicating an identification of the first non-public network and the first non-public packet switched network address over the open signaling channel to the remote server; and establishing a real time voice communication from the remote server to the user equipment through the first connection based on a call routed through the remote server to the public switched telephone network address.

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising:

providing user equipment having an equipment identifier, and a secure execution module;

verifying the secure execution module with a cellular network controller;

establishing a first connection to a scheduling server through a cellular network signaling channel of a cellular network, comprising at least periodically transmitting signaling information, and identifying a public switched telephone network address of the user equipment, a non-public packet switched network address of a first non-public packet switched network of the user equipment, and the equipment identifier of the user equipment, to the scheduling server, the cellular network and the first non-public packet switched network being distinct;

verifying the secure execution module with the scheduling server;

establishing a second connection between the user equipment and the first non-public packet switched network which assigns the first non-public packet switched network address to the user equipment, and communicating from the first non-public packet switched network to the scheduling server;

associating the public switched telephone network address of the user equipment with the assigned first non-public packet switched network address of the user equipment by the scheduling server; and

initiating a bidirectional real-time voice communication over the second connection.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a third connection between the user equipment and a second switched network;

re-associating the public switched telephone network address of the user equipment with the second switched network by the scheduling server;

communicating between the scheduling server and the user equipment through the first non-public packet switched network and the second switched network; and

continuing the bidirectional real-time voice communication over the third connection.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the signaling information is communicated over the second switched network.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the second switched network communicates according to a Long Term Evolution (LTE) protocol.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signaling information comprises an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI).

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identified public switched telephone network address of the user equipment is an E-164 address.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user equipment is a smartphone.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first non-public packet switched network communicates according to an IEEE-802.11 protocol and the second switched network communicates according to an IEEE-802.11 protocol.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user equipment and the scheduling server communicate with each other according to the Session Initiation Protocol.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the scheduling server implements a Policy and Charging Rules Function.

11. A method of communication, comprising:

establishing a first connection between user equipment having a secure execution module and a first non-public packet switched network which assigns a first non-public packet switched network address to the user equipment;

establishing communications to a remote server, comprising verifying the secure execution module with the remote server, transmitting signaling information, identifying a public switched telephone network address of the user equipment and identifying the first non-public packet switched network address of user equipment to the remote server;

associating, by the remote server, the public switched telephone network address of the user equipment with the first non-public packet switched network address of the user equipment;

commencing a bidirectional real-time voice communication over the first connection using the public switched telephone network address of the user equipment;

establishing a second connection between the user equipment and a second switched network, the first connection and the second connection being physically distinct;

reassociating, by the remote server, the public switched telephone network address of the user equipment with an assigned second network address of the user equipment by the second switched network; and

continuing the bidirectional real-time voice communication over the second connection after discontinuing the bidirectional real-time voice communication over the first connection, wherein the reassociating occurs during a telephone conversation without interruption of the telephone conversation.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the reassociation is managed by the user equipment.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the reassociation is managed by the remote server comprising a scheduling server.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein network access information for the second switched network is stored in a hardware Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) and network access information for the first non-public packet switched network is stored in a rewritable memory location inaccessible to the user and accessible to the at least one type of privileged execution inaccessible to the user.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the user equipment has an operating system which defines a plurality of privileged execution types, at least one type of privileged execution being inaccessible to a user, and wherein the reassociation function is executed in the at least one type of privileged execution inaccessible to the user.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first non-public packet switched network requires login authentication information, and the login authentication information is communicated under control of the at least one type of privileged execution inaccessible to the user.

17. A method of communication, comprising:

establishing a first connection between user equipment having a secure execution module and a first non-public packet switched network which assigns a first non-public packet switched network address to the user equipment;

establishing a second connection between the user equipment and a second packet switched telephone network which communicates with the user equipment according to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) address and International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), the first connection and the second connection not sharing a common communication pathway;

establishing an open signaling channel between the user equipment and a remote server through the second packet switched telephone network;

verifying the secure execution module with the remote server

receiving a request to establish a bidirectional real time voice communication with the user equipment through the signaling channel;

establishing the bidirectional real time voice communication with the user equipment over the first non-public packet switched network based on the public switched telephone network (PSTN) address;

establishing a third connection between the user equipment and a third non-public packet switched network which assigns a third non-public packet switched network address to the user equipment; and

transitioning the bidirectional real time voice communication with the user equipment from the first non-public packet switched network to the third non-public packet switched network while the bidirectional real time voice communication is in progress without interruption of the bidirectional real time voice communication, wherein the bidirectional real time voice communication comprises a telephone conversation.

18. A method of communication, comprising:

establishing a first connection between user equipment having a secure execution module and a first non-public packet switched network which assigns a first non-public packet switched network address to the user equipment;

establishing a second connection between the user equipment and a second non-public packet switched network which assigns a second non-public packet switched network address to the user equipment;

establishing a third connection between user equipment and a cellular telephone network;

verifying the secure execution module with a cellular network controller of the cellular telephone network;

establishing an open signaling channel which communicates between the user equipment and a remote server which implements a Policy and Charging Rules Function, through the cellular telephone network, according to a public switched telephone network address associated with an international mobile subscriber identity;

verifying the secure execution module with the remote server;

wherein the first connection and the third connection are established independent of each other;

communicating an identification of the first non-public packet switched network and the assigned first non-public packet switched network address over the open signaling channel to the remote server;

establishing a real time voice communication from the remote server to the user equipment through the first connection based on a call routed to the remote server based on the public switched telephone network address;

communicating an identification of the second non-public packet switched network and the assigned second non-public packet switched network address over the open signaling channel to the remote server; and

transitioning the real time voice communication from the remote server to the user equipment through the second connection, without interruption of the real time voice communication, wherein the real time voice communication comprises a telephone conversation.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising transitioning the real time voice communication with the user equipment to a second connection provided through a second packet switched network, which assigns a second packet switched network address to the user equipment, under control of the remote server.