System and method for transferring telephone calls between mobile and cordless modes

• US 20080085746A1
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ray, Amar N., Chakravarthy, Cadathur V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,224,307 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/04 Reselecting a cell layer in multi-layered cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A multimode handset and method that includes a first communications path adapted to communicate using a mobile telephone communications protocol, a second communications path adapted to communicate using a local, cordless communications protocol, and a processing unit in communication with the first and second communications paths and configured to switch between the first and second communications path during a telephone call.

Claims

1. A multimode handset, comprising:

a first communications path adapted to communicate using a mobile telephone communications protocol;

a second communications path adapted to communicate using a local, cordless communications protocol; and

a processing unit in communication with said first and second communications paths and configured to switch between said first and second communications paths during a telephone call.

2. The multimode handset according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is configured to automatically switch between said first and second communications paths.

3. The multimode handset according to claim 1, wherein the mobile telephone communications protocol is a CDMA protocol.

4. The multimode handset according to claim 1, wherein the local, cordless communications protocol is an analog protocol.

5. The multimode handset according to claim 1, wherein the local cordless communication protocol is an IP protocol.

6. The multimode handset according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is configured to measure signal strength of a signal being communicated using the local, cordless communications protocol and, in response to determining that the signal crossed a signal strength threshold, is further adapted to communicate a call transfer signal to an application server to switch the telephone call communications from said first communications path to said second communications path.

7. The multimode handset according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is configured to measure signal strength of a signal being communicated using the local cordless communications protocol and, in response to determining that the signal crossed a signal strength threshold, is further adapted to communicate a call transfer signal to an application server to switch the telephone call communications from said second communications path to said first communications path.

8. A method of communicating using a multimode handset, said method comprising:

communicating over a first communications path using a mobile telephone communications protocol;

communicating over a second communications path using a local, cordless telephone communications protocol; and

switching between the first and second communications paths during a telephone call.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein switching is performed automatically.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein communicating over the first communications path is performed using a CDMA protocol.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein communicating over the second communications path is performed using an analog protocol.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein communicating over the second communications path is performed using an IP protocol.

13. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

measuring signal strength of a signal being communicated using the local, cordless telephone communications protocol; and

in response to determining that the signal is above a signal strength threshold, communicating a call transfer signal to an applications server to switch the telephone call from the first to the second communications path.

14. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

measuring signal strength of a signal being communicated using the local, cordless telephone communications protocol; and

in response to determining that the signal is below a signal strength threshold, communicating a call transfer signal to an applications server to switch the telephone call from the second communications path to the first communications path.

15. The method according to claim 8, further comprising generating an indicator of switching between the first and second communications paths.

16. The method according to claim 8, further comprising displaying an indicator representative of operating using the mobile telephone communications protocol or the cordless telephone communications protocol.

17. An application server, comprising:

a processing unit in communication with at least one network; and

software executed by said processing unit and configured to;

receive a call transfer signal from a multimode handset to transfer an ongoing telephone call between a first communications path using a mobile telephone communications protocol and a second communications path using a local, cordless communications protocol;

call the multimode handset via the first or second communications path over which the ongoing telephone call does not currently exist; and

connect the multimode handset with the ongoing telephone call via the first or second communications path over which the multimode handset was called.

18. The application server according to claim 17, wherein said software is further configured to disconnect the multimode handset from the first or second communications path from which the multimode handset was switched.

19. The application server according to claim 17, wherein said software is further configured to manage billing for a user of the multimode handset for usage of both the first and second communications paths.

20. The application server according to claim 17, wherein the local cordless communications protocol is an IP protocol.

21. A method for managing multimode handset usage, said method comprising:

receiving a call transfer signal of an ongoing telephone call requesting to transfer the ongoing telephone call between a first communications path using a mobile telephone communications protocol and a second communications path using a local, cordless communications protocol;

calling the multimode handset via the first or second communications path over which the ongoing telephone call does not currently exist; and

connecting the multimode handset with the ongoing telephone call via the first or second communications path over which the multimode handset was called.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising disconnecting the multimode handset from the first or second communications path from which the ongoing telephone call was switched.

23. The method according to claim 21, further comprising managing billing for a user of the multimode handset for usage of both the first and second communications paths.