Methods and apparatus to provide extended voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services

• US 20070153771A1
• Filed: 01/05/2006
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP A Nevada Partnership
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP A Nevada Partnership
• Inventors: Gorti, Sreenivasa, Doradla, Anil, Wolter, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,345,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42255 with the subscriber having a personal network-independent number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to provide extended voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services are disclosed. An example residential gateway comprises a radio frequency (RF) detector to detect a presence of a cellular communication device, a service controller to enable a VoIP communication device when the cellular communication device is present, wherein the VoIP communication device and the cellular communication device are different devices.

Claims

1. A residential gateway comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) detector to detect a presence of a cellular communication device; and

a service controller to enable a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) communication device when the cellular communication device is present, wherein the VoIP communication device and the cellular communication device are different devices.

2. A residential gateway as defined in claim 1, wherein the cellular communication device and the VoIP communication device are associated with a same telephone number.

3. A residential gateway as defined in claim 2, wherein the RF detector detects the presence of the cellular communication device by detecting at least one of an RF signal from an RF identification (RFID) device associated with the cellular communication device or an RF signal from an RF transceiver implemented by the cellular communication device.

5. A residential gateway as defined in claim 2, further comprising an interface to communicatively couple the residential gateway to the VoIP communication device.

6. A residential gateway as defined in claim 1, further comprising an interface to communicatively couple the residential gateway to an Internet-based network.

7. A residential gateway as defined in claim 1, further comprising a media server to combine signals associated with the VoIP communication device and a second VoIP communication device, wherein the first and the second VoIP communication device are both associated with a same telephone number.

8. A residential gateway as defined in claim 7, wherein the second VoIP communication device is the cellular communication device.

9. A residential gateway as defined in claim 1, further comprising an RF interface to communicatively couple the residential gateway to the cellular communication device.

4. A residential gateway as defined in claim 4, wherein the RF transceiver is at least one of an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.15.4 (Zigbee) transceiver or an IEEE 802.11 (WiFi) transceiver.

10. A method comprising:

detecting a presence of a cellular communication device in a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) service area; and

enabling a VoIP service for a VoIP communication device if the cellular communication device is present, wherein the VoIP communication device and the cellular communication device are physically separate devices.

11. A method as defined in claim 10, further comprising disabling a cellular service to the cellular phone if the cellular communication device is detected in the VoIP service area.

12. A method as defined in claim 10, further comprising enabling the VoIP service to the cellular communication device if the cellular communication device is a dual-mode device.

13. A method as defined in claim 10, further comprising reporting the presence of the cellular communication device in the VoIP service area to a communications network.

14. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein enabling the VoIP service for the VoIP communication device comprises at least one of updating a list of active VoIP communication devices or performing a session initiated protocol (SIP) registration.

15. A method as defined in claim 10, further comprising:

detecting the absence of the cellular communication device in the VoIP service area; and

disabling the VoIP service to the VoIP communication device if the cellular communication device is absent from the VoIP service area.

16. A method as defined in claim 15, further comprising reporting the absence of the cellular communication device to a communications network.

17. A method as defined in claim 15, further comprising enabling a cellular service to the cellular phone if the cellular communication device is absent.

18. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein detecting a presence of a cellular communication device comprises detecting a radio frequency (RF) signal from the cellular communication device.

19. (canceled)

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28. A system comprising:

a database to store data indicative of whether a called device is located within a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) service area; and

a gateway server to route a call to the telephone number via a cellular network or a VoIP network based upon the data.

29. A system as defined in claim 28, further comprising a configurer to update the database in response to location information from a residential gateway.

30. A system as defined in claim 29, wherein the location information includes at least one of a location of the cellular communication device, a session initiated protocol (SIP) registration, a SIP de-registration, at least one VoIP communication device to list, or at least one VoIP communication device to delist.

31. A system as defined in claim 29, further comprising a VoIP communication device, wherein the residential gateway is within a same location as a VoIP communication device.

32. A system as defined in claim 28, wherein the called device includes at least one of a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, an RF identification (RFID) device, an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.15.4 (Zigbee) transceiver, an IEEE 802.11 (WiFi) transceiver.

33. A system as defined in claim 28, wherein the called device is at least one of a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistance (PDA), or a laptop.

34. (canceled)

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38. An article of manufacture storing machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to:

detect a presence of a cellular communication device in a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) service area; and

enable a VoIP service for a VoIP communication device if the cellular communication device is present, wherein the VoIP communication device and the cellular communication device are physically separate devices.

39. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 38, wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to disable a cellular service to the cellular phone if the cellular communication device is detected in the VoIP service area.

40. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 38, wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to at least one of enable the VoIP service to the cellular communication device if the cellular communication device is a dual-mode device or report the presence of the cellular communication device in the VoIP service area to a communications network.

41. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 38, wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to enable the VoIP service for the VoIP communication device by at least one of updating a list of active VoIP communication devices or performing a session initiated protocol (SIP) registration.

42. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 38, wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to:

detect the absence of the cellular communication device in the VoIP service area; and

disable the VoIP service to the VoIP communication device if the cellular communication device is absent from the VoIP service area.

43. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 42, wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to enable a cellular service to the cellular phone if the cellular communication device is absent.

44. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 38, wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to detect a presence of a cellular communication device by detecting a radio frequency (RF) signal from the cellular communication device.

45. (canceled)

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