System, mobile communications unit, and softswitch method and apparatus for establishing an Internet Protocol communication link
First Claim
1. A method for communicating via an Internet Protocol connection with a mobile station, comprising:
- when an Internet Protocol connection already exists, using the Internet Protocol connection to communicate with the mobile station;
when an Internet Protocol connection does not already exist;
providing a wireless communication to the mobile station comprising at least an instruction to initiate setup of a mobile-initiated-setup Internet Protocol connection;
upon successful establishment of the Internet Protocol connection, the setup of which was initiated by the mobile station, using the Internet Protocol connection to communicate with the mobile station.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
When an Internet protocol connection for a given mobile communications unit already exists, that existing link can be used to conduct an Internet protocol communication with that mobile communications unit. When such a link does not already exist, and a need exists to convey information to the mobile communication unit via such a link, a message can be provided to the mobile communications unit via a non-Internet protocol wireless link to cause the mobile communications unit to self-initiate establishment of such an Internet protocol communications link. Upon establishing such a link, the requesting entity, service, or application can use that link to facilitate the desired Internet protocol-based communication.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A method for communicating via an Internet Protocol connection with a mobile station, comprising:
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when an Internet Protocol connection already exists, using the Internet Protocol connection to communicate with the mobile station;
when an Internet Protocol connection does not already exist;
providing a wireless communication to the mobile station comprising at least an instruction to initiate setup of a mobile-initiated-setup Internet Protocol connection;
upon successful establishment of the Internet Protocol connection, the setup of which was initiated by the mobile station, using the Internet Protocol connection to communicate with the mobile station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A softswitch for use in combination with a circuit network and a packet network, comprising:
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a packet network interface operably coupled to the packet network and that receives a first message from the packet network seeking to facilitate packet-based communications with a mobile communications unit, which mobile communications unit is compatible with both the circuit network and the packet network;
a circuit network interface operably coupled to the mobile communications unit via the circuit network;
a logic unit that is operably coupled to the packet network interface and the circuit network interface, wherein the logic unit has a first mode of operation pursuant to which the logic unit provides a communication to the mobile communications unit via the circuit network in response to the first message, which communication comprises an instruction to cause the mobile communications unit to automatically initiate setup of a communications link via the packet network. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method comprising:
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receiving a first communication from an Internet Protocol network indicating a need to establish an Internet Protocol network communication link with at least one particular mobile communications unit;
sourcing a second communication via a circuit network to the at least one particular mobile communications unit, which second communication includes at least one instruction to cause the at least one particular mobile communications unit to automatically initiate setup an Internet Protocol network communication link with the Internet Protocol network. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33)
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32. The method of 31 wherein the notification of the presence of the at least one particular mobile communications unit in the Internet Protocol network is sent by the presence server using the Internet Protocol.
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34. A mobile communications unit, comprising:
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a packet data network interface;
a circuit network interface;
a first mode of operation that includes use of the packet data network interface to initiate the setup of a communication link to a corresponding packet data network;
a second mode of operation comprising monitoring receipt of a circuit network message via the circuit network interface, such that upon receiving such a circuit network message the mobile communications unit automatically initiates the first mode of operation. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method for use by a mobile communications device, comprising:
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when an Internet Protocol communications link exists;
receiving an Internet Protocol compatible communication via the Internet Protocol communications link;
when the Internet Protocol communications link does not exist;
monitoring a circuit network for receipt of a predetermined signal;
upon receiving the predetermined signal, automatically initiating setting up of an Internet Protocol compatible communications link to provide an established link;
receiving an Internet Protocol compatible communication via the established link. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification