System, Method and Computer-Readable Medium for Provisioning Dual-Homed Voice Call Continuity

• US 20090052399A1
• Filed: 08/21/2008
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tango Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tango Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Tryon, Steven E., Silver, Andrew, Landgren, Patricia A., Lewis, Lathan W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,705,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0022 for transferring data sessions between adjacent core network technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/385 of the core network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• 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: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A system, method and computer-readable medium for concurrent support of Voice Call Continuity (VCC) capabilities in both the enterprise space and the carrier space are provided. The enterprise VCC functionality is used when the user is located in the enterprise domain which does not impact the carrier'"'"'s network while the carrier VCC capability is used when the user is located in the carrier domain to support seamless handover between the wireless networks that the carrier may offer. The carrier VCC anchoring point and the enterprise VCC anchoring point may communicate with each other to confirm and inform the other anchoring point that a call handover is occurring or will occur.

Claims

1. A method of providing voice call continuity in a network system, comprising:

locating, by a user equipment registered in a first network, a second network, wherein one of the first network and the second network comprises a circuit switched network and another of the first network and the second network comprises a packet switched network;

transmitting, by the user equipment, a request for a handover to the second network; and

determining, by a voice call continuity service, whether to allow the handover by an enterprise network node and a carrier network node, wherein the enterprise network node is controlled by an enterprise network and the carrier network node is controlled by a carrier network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the enterprise network node comprises an enterprise gateway server and the carrier network node comprises a carrier gateway server, and wherein determining whether to allow the handover comprises:

receiving, by the enterprise gateway server, the handover request; and

evaluating, by the enterprise gateway server, an enterprise policy.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining, by the enterprise gateway server, to disallow the handover based on the enterprise policy.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining, by the enterprise gateway server, to allow the handover based on the enterprise policy;

notifying, by the enterprise gateway server, the carrier gateway server of the handover request; and

evaluating, by the carrier gateway server, a carrier policy.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

disallowing, by the carrier gateway server, the handover based on the carrier policy; and

notifying, by the carrier gateway server, the enterprise gateway server that the handover request is denied.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

allowing, by the carrier gateway server, the handover based on the carrier policy; and

completing handover of the user equipment from the first network to the second network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the enterprise network node comprises an enterprise gateway server and the carrier network node comprises a carrier gateway server, and wherein determining whether to allow the handover comprises:

receiving, by the carrier gateway server, the handover request;

evaluating, by the carrier gateway server, a carrier policy; and

determining, by the carrier gateway server, to disallow the handover based on the carrier policy.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the enterprise network node comprises an enterprise gateway server and the carrier network node comprises a carrier gateway server, and wherein determining whether to allow the handover comprises:

receiving, by the carrier gateway server, the handover request;

evaluating, by the carrier gateway server, a carrier policy;

determining, by the carrier gateway server, to allow the handover based on the carrier policy;

notifying, by the carrier gateway server, the enterprise gateway server of the handover request; and

evaluating, by the enterprise gateway server, an enterprise policy to determine whether to allow the handover.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

allowing, by the enterprise gateway server, the handover; and

completing handover of the user equipment from the first network to the second network.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for execution by a processing system, the computer-executable instructions for providing voice call continuity in a network system, the computer-executable instructions, when executed, cause the processing system to:

receive a request for a handover of a user equipment from a first network in which the user equipment is registered to a second network, wherein one of the first network and the second network comprises a circuit switched network and another of the first network and the second network comprises a packet switched network; and

determine, by a voice call continuity service, whether to allow the handover by an enterprise network node and a carrier network node, wherein the enterprise network node is controlled by an enterprise network and the carrier network node is controlled by a carrier network.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the enterprise network node comprises an enterprise gateway server and the carrier network node comprises a carrier gateway server, and wherein the instructions that determine whether to allow the handover comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the processing system to:

evaluate, by the enterprise gateway server, an enterprise policy; and

determine, by the enterprise gateway server, to disallow the handover based on the enterprise policy.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the enterprise network node comprises an enterprise gateway server and the carrier network node comprises a carrier gateway server, and wherein the instructions that determine whether to allow the handover comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the processing system to:

evaluate, by the enterprise gateway server, an enterprise policy;

determine, by the enterprise gateway server, to allow the handover based on the enterprise policy;

notify, by the enterprise gateway server, the carrier gateway server of the handover request; and

evaluate, by the carrier gateway server, a carrier policy.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the processing system to:

disallow, by the carrier gateway server, the handover based on the carrier policy; and

notify, by the carrier gateway server, the enterprise gateway server that the handover request is denied.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the processing system to:

allow, by the carrier gateway server, the handover based on the carrier policy; and

complete handover of the user equipment from the first network to the second network.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the enterprise network node comprises an enterprise gateway server and the carrier network node comprises a carrier gateway server, and wherein the instructions that determine whether to allow the handover comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the processing system to:

receive, by the carrier gateway server, the handover request;

evaluate, by the carrier gateway server, a carrier policy; and

determine, by the carrier gateway server, to disallow the handover based on the carrier policy.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the enterprise network node comprises an enterprise gateway server and the carrier network node comprises a carrier gateway server, and wherein the instructions that determine whether to allow the handover comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the processing system to:

receive, by the carrier gateway server, the handover request;

evaluate, by the carrier gateway server, a carrier policy;

determine, by the carrier gateway server, to allow the handover based on the carrier policy;

notify, by the carrier gateway server, the enterprise gateway server of the handover request;

evaluate, by the enterprise gateway server, an enterprise policy to determine whether to allow the handover.

17. A communication network system, comprising:

a carrier network that includes a carrier gateway server and a carrier policy database;

an enterprise network that includes an enterprise gateway server communicatively coupled with the carrier gateway server and an enterprise policy database; and

a user equipment associated with the enterprise network, wherein the user equipment is registered in a first network and transmits a request for handover to a second network, wherein one of the first network and the second network comprises a circuit switched network and another of the first network and the second network comprises a packet switched network, and wherein the carrier network and the enterprise network collaboratively provide a voice call continuity service in which both the carrier network and the enterprise network evaluate the handover request.

18. The network system of claim 17, wherein the first network is controlled by the enterprise network, wherein the enterprise gateway server receives the handover request and, upon approval of the handover request based on an evaluation of the enterprise policy database by the enterprise gateway server, forwards the handover request to the carrier gateway server for evaluation of the handover request.

19. The network system of claim 17, wherein the first network is controlled by the carrier network, wherein the carrier gateway server receives the handover request and, upon approval of the handover request based on an evaluation of the carrier policy database by the carrier gateway server, forwards the handover request to the enterprise gateway server for evaluation of the handover request.

20. A method for providing handover services in disparate packet switched networks, comprising:

receiving a request for a handover from a user equipment from a first packet switched network in which the user equipment is registered to a second packet switched network, wherein the first packet switched network and the second packet switched network operate in different packet switched modes; and

evaluating the request by an enterprise network node and a carrier network node, wherein the enterprise network node is controlled by an enterprise network and the carrier network node is controlled by a carrier network.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein evaluating the request comprises:

receiving, by the enterprise network node, the request;

determining, by the enterprise network node, to allow the handover; and

forwarding, by the enterprise network node, the request to the carrier network node for evaluation of the request.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein evaluating the request comprises:

receiving, by the carrier network node, the request;

determining, by the carrier network node, to allow the handover; and

forwarding, by the carrier network node, the request to the enterprise network node for evaluation of the request.