METHOD, SYSTEM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR PROVIDING SESSION INITIATION/DELIVERY THROUGH A WLAN TO A TERMINAL

• US 20070297373A1
• Filed: 06/21/2006
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Faccin, Stefano, Le, Khiem, Saifullah, Yousuf, Kakani, Naveen Kumar
• Granted Patent: US 8,311,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for saving power, at a mobile terminal, includes receiving a call, at a network entity, wherein the call contains information relating to transmission of the call from the network entity to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal operates in first and second communications networks, which are different. The mobile terminal detects coverage of the first communications network and activates a first interface corresponding to the first communications network. The mobile terminal can also deactivate the first interface and activate a second interface corresponding to the second communications network while the mobile terminal is located in both the first and second communications networks. The mobile terminal can then enter a low power consumption mode supported by the second communications network. The mobile terminal can also deactivate the low power consumption mode and activate the first interface to communicate with the first communications network when a call is delivered via the first communications network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting coverage of a first communications network by a mobile terminal and activating a first interface corresponding to the first communications network, wherein the first communications network comprises a local area network;

deactivating the first interface and activating a second interface corresponding to a second communications network when the mobile terminal is serviced by the second communications network even though the mobile terminal also remains in a coverage area of the first communications network, wherein the second communications network comprises a wide area network;

entering a low power consumption mode supported by the second communications network upon activation of the second interface; and

deactivating the low power consumption mode and activating the first interface of the mobile terminal for communication with the first communications network when detecting, through the second interface, that at least one call/session is to be actuated with the mobile terminal via the first communications network.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first communications network comprises a packet-switched network and the second communications network comprises a cellular network.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first communications network comprises an Enterprise network which comprises a WLAN and the second communications network comprises a cellular network.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first communications network comprises an Enterprise Network which comprises a WiMax network corresponding to IEEE 802.16.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising identifying at least one predetermined state of the mobile terminal based upon reachability of the mobile terminal in the first and second communications systems.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving at least one call/session at a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server and transmitting the at least one call/session from the SIP sever via the first communications network to the mobile terminal after the second communications network transmits a message to the SIP server identifying that the second communications network is released and is ready to be placed in an idle state.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving at least one call/session at a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server and permitting the mobile terminal to automatically refresh a SIP Registration with the SIP server after the mobile terminal is connected to the first communications network to thereby transmit a message to the mobile terminal, the message indicates that the mobile terminal is invited to participate in a session.

8. A method according to claim 3, wherein the Enterprise Network comprises one or more sub-IP networks and when the mobile terminal moves from a first sub-IP network to a second sub-IP network, the method further comprises performing handover of the mobile terminal by the first sub-IP network to the second sub-IP network.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising, transferring the mobile terminal from the coverage area of the first communications network and connecting the at least one call/session via the second interface corresponding to second communications network.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the second communications network comprises a packet-switched cellular network which comprises an Internet and Multi-Media Subsystem (IMS) having a second network entity, and wherein the method further comprises transmitting the at least one call/session from the second network entity to the mobile terminal.

11. A method comprising,

deactivating a second interface corresponding to a second communications network so as to enter a low power mode relative to a first communications network;

and

activating a first interface corresponding to the first communications network and connecting to the first communications network for receiving at least one call/session transmitted by an Internet and Multi-Media Subsystem (IMS) in the first communications network.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the first communications network comprises a packet-switched cellular network, the second communications network comprises an Enterprise Network comprising a WLAN and the IMS comprises a first Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising, prior to the activating a first interface, receiving the at least one call/session at a second SIP server with the at least one call/session containing information corresponding to an IP address of a mobile terminal in the second communications network.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

detecting, at the second SIP server, that the mobile terminal is in at least one predetermined state;

forwarding the at least one call/session to an IP address of the mobile terminal in the first communications network; and

processing the forwarded at least one call/session, at the first SIP server, to establish connections with the first interface of the mobile terminal corresponding to the first communications network.

15. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting a first message from the first communications network to the mobile terminal, the first message contains information for establishing communication with the mobile terminal; and

delivering a second message to the mobile terminal which indicates that the mobile terminal is invited to participate in a session.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

establishing connections between the mobile terminal and the second communications network via the second interface.

performing an active scan, at the mobile terminal, to identify a beacon corresponding to the second communications network;

transmitting a SIP Response from the mobile terminal to the first communications network; and

receiving the SIP Response at the second SIP server and transmitting the at least one call/session to mobile terminal in the second communications network.

17. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

failing to establish connections with the second communications network via the second interface;

transmitting a positive SIP Response from the mobile terminal to the first communications network; and

connecting the at least one call/session via the first communications network.

18. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion for detecting coverage of a first communications network and activating a first interface corresponding to the first communications network, wherein the first communications network comprises a local area network;

a second executable portion for deactivating the first interface and activating a second interface corresponding to a second communications network when the mobile terminal is serviced by the second communications network even though the mobile terminal also remains in a coverage area of the first communications network wherein the second communications network comprises a wide area network;

a third executable portion for entering a low power consumption mode supported by the second communications network upon activation of the second interface; and

a fourth executable portion for deactivating the low power consumption mode and activating the first interface of the mobile terminal for communication with the first communications network when detecting, through the second interface, that at least one call/session is to be actuated with the mobile terminal via the first communications network.

19. A computer program product according to claim 18, further comprising a fifth executable portion for identifying at least one predetermined state of the mobile terminal based upon reachability of the mobile terminal in the first and second communications systems.

20. A computer program product according to claim 19, further comprising a sixth executable portion for transferring the mobile terminal from the coverage area of the first communications network and connecting the at least one call/session via the second interface corresponding to second communications network.

21. A mobile terminal comprising:

a processing element configured to detect coverage of a first communications network and activate a first interface corresponding to the first communications network, wherein the first communications network comprises a local area network;

the processing element is further configured to deactivate the first interface and activate a second interface corresponding to a second communications network when the mobile terminal is serviced by the second communications network even though the mobile terminal also remains in a coverage area of the first communications network, wherein the second communications network comprises a wide area network;

the processing element is further configured to enter a low power consumption mode supported by the second communications network upon activation of the second interface; and

the processing element is further configured to deactivate the low power consumption mode and activate the first interface of the mobile terminal for communication with the first communications network when detecting, through the second interface, that at least one call/session is to be actuated with the mobile terminal via the first communications network.

22. A communications system according to claim 21, wherein the first communications network comprises an Enterprise network which comprises a WLAN and the second communications network comprises a cellular network.

23. A communications system according to claim 21, wherein first communications network comprises an Enterprise Network which comprises a WiMax network corresponding to IEEE 802.16.

24. A communications system comprising:

a mobile terminal according to claim 21; and

a network entity configured to identify at least one predetermined state corresponding to the mobile terminal, the at least one predetermined state comprises information relating the reachability of the mobile terminal in a first communications system and a second communications systems.

25. A communications system according to claim 24, wherein the network entity is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server and the SIP server transmits the at least one call/session corresponding to the first communications network to the mobile terminal after the second communications network transmits a message to the SIP server, the message identifies that the second communications network is released and is ready to be placed in an idle state.

26. A communications system according to claim 24, wherein the first network entity is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and the mobile terminal automatically refreshes a SIP Registration with the SIP server after the mobile terminal is connected to the first communications network to thereby transmit a message to the mobile terminal, the message indicates that the mobile terminal is invited to participate in a session.

27. A communications system according to claim 24, wherein the mobile terminal departs from the coverage area of the first communications network and the network entity connects the at least one call/session via the second interface corresponding to second communications network.

28. A communications system according to claim 24, wherein the second communications network is a packet-switched cellular network which comprises an Internet and Multi-Media Subsystem (IMS) having another network entity, the another network entity transmits the at least one call/session to the mobile terminal.