System and method for executing a seamless handoff in a network environment

• US 20070123259A1
• 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: Wang, Huizhao, Huang, Wenfeng, Xu, Xiaode, Chen, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,213,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00226 wherein the core network technologies comprise IP multimedia system [IMS], e.g. single radio voice call continuity [SRVCC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/36 by user or terminal equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A method for providing a handoff in a network environment is provided that includes a mobile station operable to conduct a call. The mobile station is further operable to initiate a call leg autonomously such that a generic transfer function is invoked. The mobile station leverages the generic transfer function in order to execute a handoff for the mobile station.

Claims

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

a mobile station operable to conduct a call, wherein the mobile station is further operable to initiate a call leg autonomously such that a generic transfer function is invoked, and wherein the mobile station leverages the generic transfer function in order to execute a handoff for the mobile station.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the function is invoked after the mobile station has roamed from an enterprise network to a cellular network.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the function is a selected one of a group of functions, 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 mobile station is operable to communicate with a mobility application to achieve the handoff, and wherein the mobile station is further operable to communicate a call ID to the mobility application to uniquely distinguish a second call from a first call, which was an original call for the mobile station.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the function is invoked after the mobile station has roamed from a cellular network to an enterprise network.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the generic transfer function is a selected one of a blind call transfer (BCT) function and an explicated call transfer (ECT) function.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handoff is executed as a result of a degradation in signal quality, or as a result of selecting a preferred network and disregarding the signal quality for the call.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile station is operable to hand off the call as a result of a scanning operation performed by the mobile station.

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

conducting a call with a mobile station;

initiating a call leg autonomously such that a generic transfer function is invoked; and

leveraging the generic transfer function in order to execute a handoff for the mobile station.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the function is invoked after the mobile station has roamed from an enterprise network to a cellular network.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

communicating with a mobility application to achieve the handoff; and

communicating a call ID to the mobility application to uniquely distinguish a second call from a first call, which was an original call for the mobile station.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the function is invoked after the mobile station has roamed from a cellular network to an enterprise network.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the generic transfer function is a selected one of a blind call transfer (BCT) function and an explicated call transfer (ECT) function.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the handoff is executed as a result of a degradation in signal quality for the call.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

handing off the call when the mobile station roams from the cellular network and back into the enterprise network.

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

conduct a call with a mobile station;

initiate a call leg autonomously such that a generic transfer function is invoked; and

leverage the generic transfer function in order to execute a handoff for the mobile station.

17. The medium of claim 16, wherein the function is invoked after the mobile station has roamed from an enterprise network to a cellular network.

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

communicate with a mobility application to achieve the handoff; and

communicate a call ID to the mobility application to uniquely distinguish a second call from a first call, which was an original call for the mobile station.

19. The medium of claim 16, wherein the function is invoked after the mobile station has roamed from a cellular network to an enterprise network.

20. The medium of claim 16, wherein the generic transfer function is a selected one of a blind call transfer (BCT) function and an explicated call transfer (ECT) function.

21. The medium of claim 16, wherein the handoff is executed as a result of a degradation in signal quality for the call.

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

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