Electronic apparatus with router device for managing connections

• US 20070130285A1
• Filed: 02/06/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nelson, Joakim
• Granted Patent: US 7,873,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

A method and electronic apparatus is provided for establishing a connection in a first electronic apparatus to a second electronic apparatus using one of a plurality of clients. The method comprises determining whether the first electronic apparatus and the second electronic apparatus, to which a connection is requested, is operating in the same network; establishing the connection using a first client if the first and second electronic apparatuses are operating in the same network; and establishing the connection using a second client if the second electronic apparatus is operating in a different network than the first electronic apparatus.

Claims

1. A method for establishing a connection in a first electronic apparatus to a second electronic apparatus using one of a plurality of clients, comprising:

determining whether the first electronic apparatus and the second electronic apparatus, to which a connection is requested, is operating in the same network;

establishing the connection using a first client if the first and second electronic apparatuses are operating in the same network; and

establishing the connection using a second client if the second electronic apparatus is operating in a different network than the first electronic apparatus.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said determining comprises determining an identifier for a network or network operator for the second electronic apparatus;

and

determining whether the determined identifier matches an identifier for the network or network operator of the first electronic apparatus.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising setting up a circuit switched connection when the first client is used.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising setting up a PS connection when the second client is used.

5. The method according to claim 4, comprising using a voice over IP connection to set up the PS connection.

6. The method according to claim 4, comprising using a WLAN connection to set up the PS connection.

7. The method according to claim 2, comprising retrieving said identifier from a database stored within the first electronic apparatus.

8. The method according to claim 2, comprising retrieving said identifier from a database stored externally from the first electronic apparatus.

9. The method according to claim 8, comprising retrieving the identifier from a database provided by the network operator of the first electronic apparatus.

10. The method according to claim 7, retrieving the identifier from a database, which is manually created by a user of the first electronic apparatus.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first client is the client which provides the strongest connection.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first client is the client which provides the cheapest connection.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first client is the client which provides the connection with the lowest interconnect fees.

14. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

selecting any one of the available clients when an identifier for the second electronic apparatus can not be determined.

28. A computer program product comprising computer program code portions for executing the method according to claim 1, when said computer program code portions are run by an electronic device having computer capabilities.

29. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer program product comprising computer program code portions for executing the method according to claim 1, when said computer program code portions are run by an electronic device having computer capabilities.

15. A method for establishing a connection in a first electronic apparatus using one of a plurality of clients in a communication system, comprising:

determining whether the first electronic apparatus and the second electronic apparatus, to which a connection is requested, is operating in the same network;

determining if a plurality of clients are available to be used to set up the connection to the second electronic apparatus; and

establishing the connection using a selected client from said plurality of clients, wherein the selected client is selected based on predetermined rules.

16. The method according to claim 15, comprising selecting the client which provides the strongest connection.

17. The method according to claim 15, comprising selecting the client which provides the cheapest connection.

18. The method according to claim 15, comprising selecting the client which provides the connection with the lowest interconnect fees.

19. An electronic apparatus, which is a first electronic apparatus, for establishing a connection in a communication system, comprising:

at least a first and a second client adapted to establish a connection in a communication system;

a router including a processing device and a connection device;

wherein

the processing device is adapted to determine, when a connection to the second electronic apparatus is requested, whether the first electronic apparatus and the second electronic apparatus are operating in the same network; and

the connection device is adapted to establish the connection using the first client if the first and second electronic apparatuses are operating in the same network, and establish the connection using the second client if the second electronic apparatus is operating in a different network than the first electronic apparatus.

20. The electronic apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the processing device is adapted to determine an identifier for a network or network operator for the second electronic apparatus, and determine whether the determined identifier matches an identifier for the network or network operator of the first electronic apparatus.

21. The electronic apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the connection device is adapted to use the first client to set up a CS connection.

22. The electronic apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the connection device is adapted to use the second client to set up a PS connection.

23. The electronic apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the connection device is adapted to use a voice over IP connection to set up the PS connection.

24. The electronic apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the connection device is adapted to use a WLAN connection to set up the PS connection.

25. The electronic apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the processing device is adapted to retrieve said identifier from a database stored within the first electronic apparatus.

26. The electronic apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the processing device is adapted to retrieve said identifier from a database stored externally from the first electronic apparatus.

27. The electronic apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the electronic apparatus is a portable or handheld mobile radio communication equipment, a mobile radio terminal, a mobile telephone, a pager, a communicator, an electronic organizer, a smartphone or a computer.