System and method for providing hybrid voice and packet data services to a mobile telecommunications device

• US 20030206551A1
• Filed: 08/22/2001
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel Wireless Incorporated (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Naim, Ghassan, Kohli, Pardeep, Betrabet, Arvind, Madhavapeddy, Seshagiri R., Hiremath, Vijay
• Granted Patent: US 7,016,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/22 Manipulation of transport tunnels

Abstract

A method and system is provided to allow wireless systems to support many new voice and data services. An example of a service provided is the ability to switch a requested voice call into a packet data call and vise versa without the interaction of the user.

Claims

1. A method for providing hybrid communication services including voice and data, in a communications network, the method comprising:

initiating a call from a caller to a callee through a wireless switch;

initiating a data session to the callee from an application server connected to the wireless switch;

sending a plurality of options to the callee from the application server;

selecting at least one option by the callee;

transmitting the at least one option to the application server; and

performing the at least one option.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one option is connecting the caller to voicemail.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one option is forwarding the caller to a mobile user.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the callee is an interactive response unit at a call center.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the callee is a first call center and the first call center forwards the caller to a second call center when the first call center is malfunctioning.

6. The method of claim 1 further including deactivating the data session from the application server after the at least one option is transmitted.

7. The method of claim 6 further including establishing a voice connection between the caller and the callee.

8. The method of claim 3 further including sending the mobile user the plurality of options from the application server.

9. A method for providing hybrid communication services including voice and data, in a communications network with a wireless switch, a wireless media gateway and an application server, the method comprising:

initiating a call from a caller to a callee through the wireless switch;

initiating a data session to the callee from the application server connected to the wireless switch;

sending a plurality of options in a menu format to the callee from the application server through the wireless media gateway;

selecting at least one option by the callee;

transmitting the at least one option to the application server through the wireless media gateway;

deactivating the data session from the application server to the callee; and

performing the at least one option.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least one option is connecting the caller to voicemail.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least one option is forwarding the caller to a mobile user.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the callee is an interactive response unit at a call center.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the callee is a first call center and the first call center forwards the caller to a second call center when the first call center is malfunctioning.

14. The method of claim 9 further including deactivating the data session from the application server after the at least one option is transmitted.

15. The method of claim 14 further including establishing a voice connection between the caller and the callee.

16. The method of claim 9 further including sending the mobile user the plurality of options from the application server.

17. A system for providing a hybrid communication consisting of voice and data, in a communications network, the method comprising:

a caller which initiates a call;

a wireless switch connected to the caller;

an application server initiating a data session to a callee to send a plurality of options to the callee;

a means for selecting at least one option;

a means for transmitting the at least one option to the application server; and

a means for performing the at least one option.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the at least one option is connecting the caller to voicemail.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the at least one option is forwarding the caller to a mobile user.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the callee is an interactive response unit at a call center.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the callee is a first call center and the first call center forwards the caller to second call center when the first call center is malfunctioning.

22. A method for providing hybrid communication services including voice and data, in a communications network with a wireless switch, a wireless media gateway, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) client, and an application server, the method comprising:

initiating a call from a caller to a callee through the wireless switch and SIP client;

initiating a packet data session to the callee from the application server connected to the wireless switch and wireless media gateway;

sending a plurality of options in a menu format to the callee from the application server through the wireless media gateway;

selecting at least one option by the callee;

transmitting the at least one option to the application server through the media gateway;

transmitting the at least one option to the wireless switch from the application server;

deactivating the data session from the wireless switch to the application server;

deactivating the data session from the wireless switch to the callee; and

performing the at least one option.