METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DATA EXCHANGE WHEN A CALL IS ESTABLISHED ON A NON-CLASS A CELLULAR ENDPOINT

• US 20090203360A1
• Filed: 02/07/2008
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Dodson, Theron, Yach, David P., Lazaridis, Mihal, Gisby, Doug
• Granted Patent: US 8,781,446 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/018 On-line real-time billing, able to see billing information while in communication, e.g. via the internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements

Abstract

A telecommunication system and method that allow a data exchange to be initiated while a user is engaged in a voice communication using a non-class A endpoint (e.g., cellular telephone, personal digital assistant, etc.) with another party. One example method maintains a first voice communication leg to the wireless device and a second voice communication leg to the second device, inputs a request for the data exchange during the voice communication, disconnects the first voice communication leg, parks the second voice communication leg and waits for data to be transmitted to or from the wireless device. Once it is determined that the data exchange is complete, the method establishes a third voice communication leg to the wireless device, unparks the second voice communication leg and connects the second and third voice communication legs.

Claims

1. A method of initiating a data exchange for a wireless device participating in a voice communication with a second device, whereby the wireless device is a non-class A device, the method comprising the steps of:

maintaining a first voice communication leg to the wireless device and a second voice communication leg to the second device;

inputting a request for the data exchange during the voice communication;

disconnecting the first voice communication leg;

parking the second voice communication leg;

waiting for data to be transmitted to or from the wireless device;

determining that the data exchange is complete;

establishing a third voice communication leg to the wireless device when it is determined that the data exchange is complete;

unparking the second voice communication leg; and

connecting the second and third voice communication legs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for the data exchange is initiated by the wireless device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for the data exchange is initiated by a server when data for the wireless device is available.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of determining that the data exchange is complete comprises inputting a data exchange complete data message from the server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining that the data exchange is complete comprises inputting a data exchange complete data message from the wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining that the data exchange is complete comprises determining that a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the start of the data exchange.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of determining whether the wireless device has access rights to the data exchange prior to disconnecting the first voice communication leg.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the parking step further comprises alerting the user of the second device that the voice communication will be temporarily placed on hold prior to parking the device.

9. A method of initiating a data exchange from a wireless device participating in a voice communication with a second device, whereby the wireless device is a non-class A device, the method comprising the steps of:

maintaining a first voice communication leg to the wireless device and a second voice communication leg to the second device;

inputting a request for the data exchange from the wireless device during the voice communication;

determining whether the wireless device has access rights to initiate the data exchange; and

if the wireless device has access rights to initiate the data exchange, said method comprises;

dropping the first voice communication leg,

inputting a data exchange complete indication from the wireless device,

establishing a third voice communication leg to the wireless device, and

using the third voice communication leg to re-establish the voice communication with the second device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the request for the data exchange from the wireless device comprises DTMF tones transmitted from the wireless device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the request for the data exchange from the wireless device comprises a Short Message Service message transmitted from the wireless device.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

parking the second voice communication leg when it is determined that the wireless device has access rights to initiate the data exchange;

unparking the second voice communication leg after inputting a data exchange complete indication from the wireless device; and

connecting the third voice communication leg to the unparked second communication leg to re-establish the voice communication.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

dropping the second voice communication leg when it is determined that the wireless device has access rights to initiate the data exchange;

initiating a fourth voice communication leg to the second device after inputting a data exchange complete indication from the wireless device; and

connecting the third and fourth voice communication legs to re-establish the voice communication.

14. A telecommunications server configured to initiate a data exchange for a wireless device associated with the server while the wireless device is participating in a voice communication with a second device, the wireless device being a non-class A device, said server comprising:

a processor configured to;

initially maintain the voice communication between the wireless device and the second device,

determine that a data exchange for the wireless device is being requested,

alert the wireless device that the data exchange is being requested,

input a response from the wireless device, and

determine from the response whether the wireless device will accept the data exchange, if the processor determines that the wireless device will accept the data exchange the processor is further configured to;

disable the voice communication between the wireless device and the second device,

wait for data to be transmitted to the wireless device,

determine when the data exchange is complete, and

re-establish voice communication between the wireless device and the second device if it is determined that the exchange is complete.

15. The server of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to determine that the data exchange is complete by being configured to input a data exchange complete data message from the wireless device.

16. The server of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to determine that the data exchange is complete by being configured to determine that a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the start of the data exchange.

17. The server of claim 14 wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the wireless device has access rights to the data exchange prior to alerting the wireless device of the data exchange request.

18. The server of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the wireless device will accept the data exchange by being configured to input DTMF tones transmitted from the wireless device.

19. The server of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the wireless device will accept the data exchange by being configured to input a Short Message Service message transmitted from the wireless device.

20. The server of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to disable the voice communication between the wireless device and the second device by dropping a first communication leg between the processor and the wireless device and parking a second communication leg between the processor and the second device.