Automatic and seamless vertical roaming between wireless local area network (WLAN) and wireless wide area network (WWAN) while maintaining an active voice or streaming data connection: systems, methods and program products
First Claim
1. A system for automatic and seamless vertical roaming (SVR) between a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a wireless wide area network (WWAN) while maintaining an active voice or data communication:
- (a) a mobile station for WWAN and WLAN transmissions to the WLAN and the WWAN network;
(b) a WLAN gateway linked to the mobile station by a WLAN bi-directional communication link and operating in the Global System Mobile (GSM)/General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) or IEEE 802.11 modes;
(c) a base transceiver station operating in the GSM GPRS modes for servicing the WWAN and linked to the mobile station by a WWAN bi-directional communication link;
(d) a switched network including a mobile switching center connected to the WLAN gateway and the base transceiver station; and
(f) WLAN command apparatus to initiate transfer of traffic between the mobile station and a remote user on the WLAN via the gateway to the WWAN when signal degradation occurs.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A Mobile Station (MS) is able to vertically roam in either direction between two different network, i.e. WWAN and WLAN. The MS is equipped with a dual mode Radio for WWAN and WLAN transmissions. The WLAN Radio is linked to a WLAN Enterprise Gateway Controller (EGC) via a first air link and the WWAN Radio is linked to a WWAN Base Transceiver Station (BTS) via a second air link. The EGC is connected to a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) which is in turn connected to the BTS. An outgoing VoIP call from the WLAN Radio to a remote party on the WWAN will transition or seamlessly switch over to a WWAN connection when the MS detects packet error rates, frequent scale back or consistent signal degradation. Upon such conditions, the WLAN Radio requests the EGC to request an Explicit Call Transfer via the MSC to the MS integrated WWAN Radio portion which automatically accepts the call based on referenced information stored in the user'"'"'s subscriber identification module (SIM). Once the WWAN Radio is confirmed connected to the remote party on the WWAN, the WLAN Radio drops the WLAN connection. An incoming call between the MS and a remote user via the WWAN will transition to the WLAN Radio when the MS enters WLAN coverage. The MS issues an ECT to the WLAN. After user verification by the WLAN Radio and the EGC signals acceptance of the call, the WWAN Radio connection is dropped and the call is now established between the WLAN Radio and the remote party on the WWAN.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system for automatic and seamless vertical roaming (SVR) between a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a wireless wide area network (WWAN) while maintaining an active voice or data communication:
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(a) a mobile station for WWAN and WLAN transmissions to the WLAN and the WWAN network;
(b) a WLAN gateway linked to the mobile station by a WLAN bi-directional communication link and operating in the Global System Mobile (GSM)/General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) or IEEE 802.11 modes;
(c) a base transceiver station operating in the GSM GPRS modes for servicing the WWAN and linked to the mobile station by a WWAN bi-directional communication link;
(d) a switched network including a mobile switching center connected to the WLAN gateway and the base transceiver station; and
(f) WLAN command apparatus to initiate transfer of traffic between the mobile station and a remote user on the WLAN via the gateway to the WWAN when signal degradation occurs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for automatic and seamless vertical roaming between a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a wireless wide area network (WWAN) while maintaining an active voice or data connection comprising the Steps of:
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(a) issuing a command to the WWAN by a mobile station including a dual mode Radio capable of WWAN and WLAN transmission, the command initiating transfer of a voice or data call on the WWAN to a remote party on the WLAN;
(b) checking whether or not a gateway is linked to the dual mode Radio for WLAN transmissions while maintaining the call between the remote party and the mobile station;
(c) verifying by the dual mode Radio that the caller identification is from a WWAN transmission and signaling the WLAN gateway to accept the call;
(d) storing the packets at the mobile station while waiting for the establishment of a WLAN connection;
(e) dropping the WWAN transmission for the call by the WWAN network; and
(f) connecting the caller via the gateway and releasing the stored packets to the dual mode Radio for WLAN transmission. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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12. A method for automatic and seamless vertical roaming between a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a wireless wide area network (WWAN) while maintaining an active voice or data connection comprising the steps of:
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(a) issuing a command to the gateway by a mobile station including a dual mode Radio capable of WWAN and WLAN transmission, the command initiating transfer of a VoIP call or data communications on the WLAN to a remote party on the WWAN;
(b) checking by the WWAN network whether or not the dual mode Radio for WWAN transmissions is registered to the WWAN network while maintaining the call between the remote party and the mobile station;
(c) verifying by the dual mode Radio that the caller identification is from a WLAN transmission and signaling the WWAN network to accept the call;
(d) storing the packets at the mobile station while waiting for the establishment of the WWAN connection;
(e) dropping the WLAN transmission for the call by the WLAN network; and
(f) connecting the caller to the mobile station via the WWAN network and releasing the stored packets to the dual mode Radio for WWAN transmissions.
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23. A medium, executable in a computer system for automatic and seamless vertical roaming between a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a wireless wide area network (WWAN) while maintaining an active voice or data connection comprising:
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(a) program instructions issuing a command to the WWAN by a mobile station including a dual mode Radio capable of WWAN and WLAN transmission, the command initiating transfer of a voice or data call on the WWAN to a remote party on the WLAN;
(b) program instructions checking whether or not a gateway is linked to the dual mode Radio for WLAN transmissions while maintaining the call between the remote party and the mobile station;
(c) program instructions verifying by the dual mode Radio that the caller identification is from a WWAN transmission and signaling the WLAN gateway to accept the call;
(d) program instructions storing the packets at the mobile station while waiting for the establishment of a WLAN connection;
(e) program instructions dropping the WWAN transmission for the call by the WWAN network; and
(f) program instructions connecting the caller via the gateway and releasing the stored packets. to the dual mode Radio for WLAN transmission.
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24. A medium, executable in a computer system for automatic and seamless vertical roaming between a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a wireless wide area network (WWAN) while maintaining an active voice or data connection comprising:
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(a) program instructions issuing a command to the gateway by a mobile station including a dual mode Radio capable of WWAN and WLAN transmission, the command initiating transfer of a VoIP call or data communications on the WLAN to a remote party on the WWAN;
(b) program instructions checking by the WWAN network whether or not the dual mode Radio for WWAN transmissions is registered to the WWAN network while maintaining the call between the remote party and the mobile station;
(c) program instructions verifying by the dual mode Radio that the caller identification is from a WLAN transmission and signaling the WWAN network to accept the call;
(d) program instructions storing the packets at the mobile station while waiting for the establishment of the WWAN connection;
(e) program instructions dropping the WLAN transmission for the call by the WLAN network; and
(f) program instructions connecting the caller to the mobile station via the WWAN network and releasing the stored packets to the dual mode Radio for WWAN transmissions.
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Specification