Method and Apparatus for Relaying Calls

• US 20100166170A1
• Filed: 01/08/2009
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: East, Allen Michael, Dunko, Gregory A., Bloebaum, Leland Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,538,004 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/221.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8055 Selecting cheaper transport technology for a given service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8061 Selecting least cost route depending on origin or type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2033 WLAN
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7464 Select transport technology for a given service, e.g. use for data connection WLAN rather than GSM/UMTS/GPRS or use company's communication network rather than a public network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7471 Select route depending on origin or type of service, e.g. route TDMA voice calls differently than VoIP calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 : Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 : Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 : adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A dual mode user terminal for a calling party can make calls over both a conventional cellular network and a packet data network using VoIP protocols. If the called party is not available to receive a VoIP call over the packet data network, the user terminal for the calling party can request a third party user terminal available on the packet data network to relay the call between the calling party and the called party.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a user terminal for a calling party of placing a call from a calling party to a called party remotely located from the calling party, said method comprising:

determining the availability of a called party user terminal on a packet data communication network;

establishing a call with the called party user terminal over the packet data network if the called party user terminal is available on the packet data network; and

if the called party user terminal is not available on the packet data network, identifying a third party user terminal available to relay the call and requesting the third party user terminal to relay said call from the calling party user terminal to the called party user terminal over an alternate communication network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying a third party user terminal available to relay the call comprises identifying a third party terminal available on the packet data network to relay the call.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein identifying a third party user terminal available on the packet data network comprises accessing a group list for a predefined group, and identifying one or more third party user terminals on said group list that are currently available on said packet data network.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein determining the availability of the called party user terminal on a packet data communication network comprises periodically receiving presence information from a presence server indicating the availability status of said called party user terminal.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said group list is stored in said calling party user equipment.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein said group list is stored in a server accessible via said packet data network.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying a third party user terminal available to relay the call comprises identifying a third party terminal available on a personal area network to relay the call.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein requesting the third party user equipment to relay said call from said calling party to a user terminal of said called party comprises:

establishing communication with said third party user terminal;

providing a called party address to said third party user terminal for establishing communication between said third party user equipment and said called party user terminal over an alternate communication network.

9. A dual mode user terminal comprising:

a first communication interface for communicating over a mobile communication network;

a second communication interface for communicating over a packet data network;

a control processor configured to;

determine the availability of a called party user terminal on the packet data network;

establish a call with the called party user terminal over the packet data network if the called party user terminal is available on the packet data network; and

if the called party user terminal is not available on the packet data network, identify a third party user terminal available to relay the call and request the third party user terminal to relay said call from the calling party user terminal to the called party user terminal over the mobile communication network.

10. The dual mode user terminal of claim 9 wherein the control processor is configured to identify a third party user terminal available on the packet data network to relay the call.

11. The dual mode user terminal of claim 10 wherein the control processor is configured to identify a third party user terminal available on the packet data network by accessing a group list for a predefined group, and identifying one or more third party user terminals on said group list that are currently available on said packet data network.

12. The dual mode user terminal of claim 11 wherein the control processor is configured to determine the availability of the called party user terminal on a packet data communication network by periodically receiving presence information from a presence server indicating the availability status of said called party user terminal.

13. The dual mode user terminal of claim 11 wherein said group list is stored in said calling party user equipment.

14. The dual mode user terminal of claim 11 wherein said group list is stored in a server accessible via said packet data network.

15. The dual mode user terminal of claim 9 wherein the control processor is configured to identify a third party user terminal available on a personal area network to relay the call.

16. The dual mode user terminal of claim 9 wherein the control processor is configured to request the third party user equipment to relay said call from said calling party to a user terminal of said called party by:

establishing communication with said third party user terminal;

providing a called party address to said third party user terminal for establishing communication between said third party user equipment and said called party user terminal over an alternate communication network.