VOICE HUB

• US 20140106709A1
• Filed: 10/11/2012
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: PALAMARA, Maria E., CARAMES, Miguel
• Granted Patent: US 8,923,818 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/40 Support for services or applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

The instant application describes a method for enabling a mobile station to receive high quality mobile voice and multimedia services over the LTE network across the world, regardless of the operating frequency band of the LTE network. The method includes steps of receiving, over the WiFi network, a connection request at a router from the mobile station; upon determining the mobile station is authorized to use the router for connecting to the LTE network, establishing a WiFi connection with the mobile station; receiving, at the router and from the mobile station, registration information for receiving an IMS voice service on the LTE network; and upon successful authentication of the registration information, providing the mobile station with the voice grade quality of service using the router regardless of a difference in operating frequency between the LTE network and the mobile station.

Claims

1. A method comprising steps of:

broadcasting, over a WiFi network, an identifier of a router to a mobile station;

receiving, over the WiFi network, a connection request at the router from the mobile station;

determining, at the router, whether the mobile station is authorized to use the router for connecting to a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network with which the router is connected;

upon determining the mobile station is authorized to use the router for connecting to the LTE network, establishing a WiFi connection with the mobile station;

receiving, at the router and from the mobile station, registration information for receiving a media service on the LTE network;

sending the registration information to the LTE network for authentication; and

upon successful authentication of the registration information, providing the mobile station with the media service using the router regardless of a difference in operating frequency between the LTE network and the mobile station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the mobile station with the media service includes providing the mobile station with the media service using a Mobile Directory Number (MDN) assigned to the mobile station by a home network of the mobile station to which the mobile station subscribes, the home network being different from the LTE network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the LTE network is a network serviced by a network provider in which the router has its subscription.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the LTE network is a network serviced by a network provider in which the router does not have its subscription.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the LTE network is a network serviced by a network provider in which the mobile station does not have its subscription.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

informing a user of the mobile station of an availability of the media service over the established WiFi connection;

responsive to informing the user of the availability of the media service, receiving from the mobile station a request to use the media service over the established WiFi connection; and

responsive to the request, querying the mobile station for the registration information for the media service on the LTE network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving the registration information includes receiving the registration information responsive to querying the mobile station for the registration information for the media service on the LTE network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the registration information includes an MDN associated with the mobile station.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein broadcasting the identifier includes broadcasting an identifier reflecting the router is a voice compatible LTE router.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a proper Quality of Service (QoS) bearer between the router and the LTE network based on a VoIP or video session policy received from a home IMS network of the mobile station.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, over the WiFi network and while the router is serving the mobile station, a second connection request at the router from a second mobile station;

determining, at the router, whether the second mobile station is authorized to use the router for connecting to the LTE network;

upon determining the second mobile station is authorized to use the router for connecting to the LTE network, establishing a WiFi connection with the second mobile station;

receiving, at the router and from the second mobile station, registration information for receiving the media service on the LTE network;

sending the registration information to the LTE network for authentication; and

upon successful authentication of the registration information, enabling the second mobile station to receive the media service using the router regardless of the operating frequency of the LTE network.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising modifying the established QoS bearer between the router and the LTE network to ensure adequate resources are available for media traffic associated with multiple attached mobile stations.

13. A router comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing executable instructions for causing the processor to;

enable a connection between the router and a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network;

broadcast, over a WiFi network, an identifier of the router to a mobile station;

receive, over the WiFi network, a connection request from the mobile station;

determine whether the mobile station is authorized to use the router for connecting to the LTE network;

upon determining the mobile station is authorized to use the router for connecting to the LTE network, establish a WiFi connection between the router and the mobile station;

receive from the mobile station registration information for media service on the LTE network;

send the registration information to the LTE network for authentication; and

upon successful authentication of the registration information, provide the mobile station with the media service using the router regardless of a difference in operating frequency between the LTE network and the mobile station.

14. The router of claim 13, wherein the memory further stores executable instructions for causing the processor to provide the mobile station with the media service using a Mobile Directory Number (MDN) assigned to the mobile station by a home network of the mobile station to which the mobile station subscribes, the home network being different from the LTE network.

15. The router of claim 13, wherein the LTE network is a network serviced by a network provider in which the router has its subscription.

16. The router of claim 13, wherein the LTE network is a network serviced by a network provider in which the router does not have its subscription.

17. The router of claim 13, wherein the memory further stores executable instructions for causing the processor to establish a proper QoS bearer between the router and the LTE network based on a VoIP session policy received from a home network of the mobile station.

18. The router of claim 17, wherein the memory further stores executable instructions for causing the processor to

receive, over the WiFi network while serving the mobile station, a second connection request from a second mobile station;

determine whether the second mobile station is authorized to use the router for connecting to the LTE network;

upon determining the second mobile station is authorized to use the router for connecting to the LTE network, establish a WiFi connection with the second mobile station;

receive from the second mobile station registration information for receiving the media service on the LTE network;

send the registration information to the LTE network for authentication; and

upon successful authentication of the registration information, enable the second mobile station to receive the media service using the router regardless of the operating frequency of the LTE network.

19. The router of claim 18, wherein the memory further stores executable instructions for causing the processor to modify the established QoS bearer between the router and the LTE network to ensure adequate resources are available for media traffic associated with multiple mobile stations.