Handover of call serviced by modular ear-piece/microphone between servicing base portions

• US 20090325650A1
• Filed: 06/24/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Seshadri, Nambirajan, Bennett, James D., Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Granted Patent: US 8,086,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3866 carried on the head
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/00 Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00 Hand-off or reselection arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/203 for converged personal network application service interworking, e.g. OMA converged personal network services [CPNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Handover of call serviced by modular ear-piece/microphone between servicing base portions is presented. A wireless headset includes wireless interface(s), earpiece, a microphone, processing module, and a user interface. The wireless interface(s) wirelessly couples the wireless headset to a base unit via a wireless personal area network (WPAN). The earpiece renders inbound portions of the service calls audible while the microphone is operable to produce the outbound portion of the call. Both the earpiece and microphone are communicatively coupled to the wireless interface(s). The processing module also coupled to the wireless interface(s) allows the wireless headset to initiate call functions between the wireless headset and a servicing network made available through the base unit, service a call and call control functions, and anchor the call to the wireless headset. The user interface in conjunction with the processing module allows the wireless headset to initiate commands and/or call control functions based upon user input.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A method for operating a wireless headset, comprising:

supporting first communications between the wireless headset and a first base unit;

servicing a call between the wireless headset and a destination terminal using a first communication pathway between the wireless headset and the destination terminal via the first base unit;

supporting second communications between the wireless headset and a second base unit; and

servicing the call between the wireless headset and the destination terminal using a second communication pathway between the wireless headset and the destination terminal via the second base unit.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting a plurality of base units with which the wireless headset is operative to communicate; and

selecting the second base unit from the plurality of base units.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting a plurality of base units with which the wireless headset is operative to communicate;

alerting a user of the detected plurality of base units; and

based on user input, selecting the second base unit from the plurality of base units.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the first base unit is a first communication device that communicates with the destination unit via a first communication network; and

the second base unit is a second communication device that communicates with the destination unit via a second communication network.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the first base unit is a first communication device that communicates with the destination unit via a wireless communication network; and

the second base unit is a second communication device that communicates with the destination unit via a wired communication network.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

the wireless headset directing the first base unit to hand over the call from the first base unit to the second base unit.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

the wireless headset directing the first base unit to hand over the call from the first base unit to the second base unit based on user input received by the wireless headset.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the first communications between the wireless headset and the first base unit are supported within a first wireless personal area network (WPAN); and

the second communications between the wireless headset and the second base unit are supported within a second WPAN.

10. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

based on an address associated with the destination terminal, the second base unit identifying the destination terminal in accordance with establishing the second communication pathway between the wireless headset to the destination terminal.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

after servicing the call between the wireless headset and the destination terminal using the second communication pathway between the wireless headset to the destination terminal via the second base unit, terminating the first communication pathway between the wireless headset to the destination terminal via the first base unit.

12. A method for operating a wireless headset, comprising:

supporting first communications between the wireless headset and a first base unit;

servicing a call between the wireless headset and a destination terminal using a first communication pathway between the wireless headset and the destination terminal via the first base unit;

detecting a second base unit with which the wireless headset is operative to communicate;

alerting a user of the second base unit being detected;

supporting second communications between the wireless headset and a second base unit based on user input authorizing the second communications;

directing the first base unit to hand over the call from the first base unit to the second base unit to service the call between the wireless headset and the destination terminal using a second communication pathway between the wireless headset and the destination terminal via the second base unit; and

terminating the first communication pathway between the wireless headset to the destination terminal via the first base unit.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the first base unit is a first communication device that communicates with the destination unit via a first communication network; and

the second base unit is a second communication device that communicates with the destination unit via a second communication network.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the first base unit is a first communication device that communicates with the destination unit via a wireless communication network; and

the second base unit is a second communication device that communicates with the destination unit via a wired communication network.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

the wireless headset directing the first base unit to hand over the call from the first base unit to the second base unit based on user input received by the wireless headset.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the first communications between the wireless headset and the first base unit are supported within a first wireless personal area network (WPAN); and

the second communications between the wireless headset and the second base unit are supported within a second WPAN.

17. A wireless headset, comprising:

a receiver module; and

a transmitter module; and

wherein;

the receiver module and the transmitter module support first communications between the wireless headset and a first base unit;

the wireless headset is operative to service a call between the wireless headset and a destination terminal using a first communication pathway between the wireless headset and the destination terminal via the first base unit;

the receiver module and the transmitter module support second communications between the wireless headset and a second base unit; and

the wireless headset is operative to service the call between the wireless headset and the destination terminal using a second communication pathway between the wireless headset and the destination terminal via the second base unit.

18. The wireless headset of claim 17, wherein:

the first base unit is a first communication device that communicates with the destination unit via a first communication network; and

the second base unit is a second communication device that communicates with the destination unit via a second communication network.

19. The wireless headset of claim 17, wherein:

the wireless headset is operative to direct the first base unit to hand over the call from the first base unit to the second base unit.

20. The wireless headset of claim 17, wherein:

after the wireless headset services the call between the wireless headset and the destination terminal using the second communication pathway between the wireless headset to the destination terminal via the second base unit, the wireless headset is operative to terminate the first communication pathway between the wireless headset to the destination terminal via the first base unit.

21. The wireless headset of claim 17, wherein:

the first communications between the wireless headset and the first base unit are supported within a first wireless personal area network (WPAN); and

the second communications between the wireless headset and the second base unit are supported within a second WPAN.