System and method for leveraging a caller ID to provide a reverse signaling pathway in a network environment

• US 20070123238A1
• Filed: 11/29/2005
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Bich, Jagadeesan, Ramanathan, Pearce, Christopher, Chung, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,180,334 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/415
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42246 where the subscriber uses a multi-mode terminal which moves and accesses different networks with at least one network having a wireline access including cordless PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A method for providing signaling in a network environment is provided that includes receiving, at a mobile station, a new call from a mobility application, the new call including a caller ID segment associated with an existing call for the mobile station. The method further includes evaluating data included in the caller ID segment in order to perform an activity related to the data provided in the caller ID segment.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing signaling in a network environment, comprising:

a mobile station operable to receive a new call from a mobility application, the new call including a caller ID segment associated with an existing call for the mobile station, the mobile station being operable to evaluate data included in the caller ID segment in order to perform an activity related to the data provided in the caller ID segment.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the caller ID segment is received after the mobile station has roamed from an enterprise network to a cellular network and experienced a handoff.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data is indicative of a feature, the feature being a selected one of a group of features, the group consisting of:

1) HOLD;

2) resume;

3) retrieve;

4) call-waiting;

5) conferencing;

6) transfer;

7) caller ID;

8) redirect;

9) three-way calling; and

10) barging operations.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the caller ID segment is used to signal to the mobile device to initiate another call.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile station is operable to uniquely identify a first call and a second call by using signaling to establish a unique caller ID during call set-up of the second call received by the mobile station, and wherein the signaling comprises in-band dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signaling.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the caller ID segment addresses a real-time condition associated with the mobile device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the caller ID segment is used to address 3rd party control issues.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile station is operable to initiate a handoff when it roams from the cellular network and back into the enterprise network.

9. A method for providing signaling in a network environment, comprising:

receiving, at a mobile station, a new call from a mobility application, the new call including a caller ID segment associated with an existing call for the mobile station; and

evaluating data included in the caller ID segment in order to perform an activity related to the data provided in the caller ID segment.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the caller ID segment is received after the mobile station has roamed from an enterprise network to a cellular network and experienced a handoff.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the data is indicative of a feature, the feature being a selected one of a group of features, the group consisting of:

1) HOLD;

2) resume;

3) retrieve;

4) call-waiting;

5) conferencing;

6) transfer;

7) caller ID;

8) redirect;

9) three-way calling; and

10) barging operations.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the caller ID segment is used to signal to the mobile device to initiate another call.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

identifying a first call and a second call by establishing a unique caller ID during call set-up of the second call received by the mobile station, and wherein the signaling comprises in-band dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signaling.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the caller ID segment addresses a real-time condition associated with the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

initiating a handoff when it roams from the cellular network and back into the enterprise network.

16. Software for providing signaling in a network environment, the software being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer code such that when executed is operable to:

receive, at a mobile station, a new call from a mobility application, the new call including a caller ID segment associated with an existing call for the mobile station; and

evaluate data included in the caller ID segment in order to perform an activity related to the data provided in the caller ID segment.

17. The medium of claim 16, wherein the caller ID segment is received after the mobile station has roamed from an enterprise network to a cellular network and experienced a handoff.

18. The medium of claim 16, wherein the caller ID segment is used to signal to the mobile device to initiate another call.

19. The medium of claim 16, wherein the code is further operable to:

identify a first call and a second call by establishing a unique caller ID during call set-up of the second call received by the mobile station.

20. The medium of claim 16, wherein the caller ID segment addresses a real-time condition associated with the mobile device.

21. The medium of claim 16, wherein the caller ID segment is used to address 3rd party control issues.

22. The medium of claim 16, wherein the code is further operable to:

hand off the calls when the mobile station roams from the cellular network and back into the enterprise network.