Method and apparatus for continuing a call

• US 20040185855A1
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kotzin, Michael D., Storm, Brian D., Bayer, William R.
• Application Number:
  US10/745,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20040185855A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for transferring a connection with a base station (108) from one communication device to another communication device. After establishing a communication link (106) between the base station and a first communication device (100), a call is established over the communication link and then a first user module (102) is disengaged (104) from the first communication device. The call is then temporarily maintained (720) while the first user module is disengaged from the first communication device and finally the call is continued from a second communication device (120) after the first user module is engaged with the second communication device.

Claims

1. A method for transferring a connection with a base station from one communication device to another communication device comprising the steps of:

establishing a communication link between a base station and a first communication device;

establishing a call over said communication link;

disengaging a first user module from said first communication device; and

temporarily maintaining said call while said first user module is disengaged from said first communication device; and

continuing said call from a second communication device after the first user module is engaged with the second communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user module stores a call state data set and said first communication device periodically transmits a minimum data set at least while said call is temporarily maintained.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of continuing includes continuing said call through said second communication device over the same communication channel used in said step of establishing a call.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said communication channel being defined by a pseudorandom noise code.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said communication channel is a GSM channel.

6. The method of claim 1, where said step of maintaining said communication link includes transmitting a minimum data set necessary to maintain the connection.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said minimum data set includes traffic channel parameters.

8. The method of claim 6, maintaining said communication link between said first user module and said base station by transmitting a data set including a hashing function, a mobile identification number (MIN), an electronic serial number (ESN), and a PN long code mask.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said data set further comprises a PN long code, PN short code, an a RF channel.

10. The method of claim 6, maintaining said communication link while said first user module is disengaged by transmitting a reverse link fade timer reset message to maintain a connection until the first user module is engaged with another module.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein said minimum data set is a mobile identification number (MIN), an electronic serial number (ESN), and RF channel number.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said minimum data set further comprises a Walsh code.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein a minimum data set is transmitted from said first user module to a third module when said first user module is decoupled from said first communication device.

14. The method of claim 1, comprising:

after said step of establishing a connection while a first module is coupled to a second module,

storing a minimum data set corresponding to a communication mode in a memory on said first module;

determining that a call has been suspended;

receiving good frames at said first module;

transmitting data in accordance with at least a portion of said minimum data set to a base station transmitting said good frames; and

resetting a timer such that said connection is maintained with said first module.

15. A method in a wireless communication device for maintaining a call while transferring the call from one device to another device comprising:

coupling a module to a first device;

establishing a call through said first device;

decoupling said module from said first device; and

maintaining said call.

16. The method as defined in claim 15, further including the step transmitting to a second device said data set pertinent to said communication mode of operation by SIM or wireless link.

17. The method as defined in claim 15, further including the step of coupling said module to a second communication device, then transmitting or accessing data to or by said third device.

18. The method as defined in claim 17, continuing said call when said first device is coupled to said second device.

19. The method as defined in claim 15, wherein the decoupling step comprises:

initiating a decouple sequence comprising;

activating a decouple button,

determining a communication mode of operation, and

storing in a memory of said first device a minimum data set required to maintain said call wherein said data set corresponds to said communication mode of operation.

20. A module for use with a wireless communication device, comprising:

a connector for attachment to a wireless communication device; and

a memory operable to store a call description associated with an established wireless call in memory and responsive to the detachment of the module during an established wireless call and subsequent attachment of the connector to a wireless communication device to read the call description and subscriber identity information from the memory for transfer to a wireless communication device for use in continuing the call via the wireless communication device.

21. The module as defined in claim 20, further including a detector for detecting connection of the connector to a wireless communication device.

22. The module as defined in claim 20, further including a controller, the controller controlling access to the memory via the connector.

23. A method of operating a module for a wireless communication subscriber device, comprising the steps of:

detecting a detachment event during an established wireless call using a first communication device;

storing a call description associated with the established wireless call in memory; and

reading the call description and subscriber identity information from memory for transfer to a second wireless communication device for use in continuing the call via the second communication device.

24. A method of operating a wireless communication device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a call transfer event broadcast from another wireless communication device in a wireless call;

detecting attachment of a subscriber module storing a subscriber identity;

receiving the call description of the wireless call and the subscriber identity to continue the wireless call.

25. A method of operating a wireless communication device comprising

detecting a detachment event during a call;

identifying removal of a subscriber module;

broadcasting a transfer event to other mobile devices;

detecting a request for a call description;

transferring the call description to another requesting device; and

ending participation in the call.