Processing packet-switched voice calls directed to a mobile unit operating in circuit-switched mode

• US 6,307,845 B1
• Filed: 02/23/1998
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Hummelgren, Henrik, Karlsson, Torgny, Andersson, Dick
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phan, M.
• Application Number:
  US09/028,267
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/329, 370/349, 370/469, 370/355, 370/312, 370/310, 370/331, 370/338, 370/345, 370/419, 455/456, 455/458, 455/466, 455/556, 455/557, 455/422, 455/433, 455/435
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4281 when the called subscriber is connected to a data network using his telephone line, e.g. dial-up connection, Internet browsing
• 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 7/1245 where a network other than PSTN/ISDN interconnects two PSTN/ISDN networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A packet-switched voice call directed to a mobile subscriber unit in a cellular communication network is processed by determining whether the mobile subscriber unit is in a circuit-switched mode of operation and, if so, either forwarding the information in the packet-switched voice call to a destination other than the mobile subscriber unit or notifying the mobile subscriber unit that the packet-switched voice call is waiting.

Claims

1. A method of processing a packet-switched voice call directed to a mobile subscriber unit in a cellular communication network, comprising:

determining that the mobile subscriber unit is in a circuit-switched mode of operation; and

forwarding the information in the packet-switched voice call to a destination other than the mobile subscriber unit, wherein said forwarding step includes conducting a packet-switched voice session between a source of the packet-switched voice call and the destination and wherein said conducting step includes changing a source address of a voice packet that is en route from the source to the destination.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said forwarding step includes forwarding the packet-switched voice call to a packet-switched voice mailbox.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said forwarding step includes forwarding the information in the packet-switched voice call to a circuit-switched voice mailbox.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said forwarding step includes forwarding the packet-switched voice call to an Internet Host.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said forwarding step includes forwarding the information in the packet-switched voice call to a telephone number.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said forwarding step includes conducting a packet-switched voice session between a source of the packet-switched voice call and a GPMSC, and conducting a circuit-switched voice session between the GPMSC and the destination.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said last-mentioned conducting step includes using the GPMSC to convert the packet-switched voice call into a circuit-switched voice call.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the destination is a circuit-switched voice mailbox.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the destination is a telephone number.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the source is an Internet Host.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said conducting step includes changing a destination address of a voice packet that is en route from the source to the destination.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said conducting step includes changing a destination address of a voice packet that is en route from the source to the destination.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said changing steps include using a GPMSC to change the addresses.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the source is an Internet Host.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the destination is a packet-switched voice mailbox.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the destination is a further Internet Host.

17.The method of claim 1, wherein said conducting step includes changing a destination address of a voice packet that is en route from the destination to the source.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said conducting step includes changing a source address of a voice packet that is en route from the destination to the source.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the packet-switched voice call is an IP voice call.

18. The method of claim 18, wherein said conducting step includes changing a destination address of a voice packet that is enroute from the destination to the source.

19. The method of claim 19, wherein said changing steps include using a GPMSC to change the addresses.

20. The method of claim 20, wherein the source is an Internet Host.

21. The method of claim 21, wherein the destination is a packet-switched voice mailbox.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the destination is a further Internet Host.

23. A method of processing a packet-switched voice call directed to a mobile subscriber unit in a cellular communication network, comprising:

determining that the mobile subscriber unit is in a circuit-switched mode of operation;

notifying the mobile subscriber unit of the packet-switched voice call;

determining that the mobile subscriber unit has rejected the packet-switched voice call;

forwarding the information in the packet-switched voice call to a destination other than the mobile subscriber unit; and

conducting a packet-switched voice session between a source of the packet-switched voice call and the destination, said conducting step includes changing a source address of a voice packet that is en route from the source to the destination.

24. The method of claim 24, including determining that the mobile subscriber unit has accepted the packet-switched voice call, and thereafter conducting a packet-switched voice session between the mobile subscriber unit and a source of the packet-switched voice call.

25. The method of claim 24, including determining that the mobile subscriber unit has accepted the packet-switched voice call, and thereafter converting the packet-switched voice call into a circuit-switched voice call to the mobile subscriber unit.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein said forwarding step includes forwarding the packet-switched voice call to a packet-switched voice mailbox.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein said forwarding step includes forwarding the information in the packet-switched voice call to a circuit-switched voice mailbox.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein said forwarding step includes forwarding the packet-switched voice call to an Internet Host.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein said forwarding step includes forwarding the information in the packet-switched voice call to a telephone number.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the packet-switched voice call is an IP voice call.

26. The method of claim 26, wherein said converting step includes receiving voice packets at a GPMSC, and outputting from the GPMSC the circuit-switched voice call to the mobile subscriber unit.

33. A switching apparatus for processing information in a packet-switched voice call directed to a mobile subscriber unit of a cellular communication network, comprising:

an input for receiving the packet-switched voice call;

a further input for receiving information indicative of whether the mobile subscriber unit is busy in a circuit-switched voice call; and

an output through which the information in the packet-switched voice call is forwarded to a destination other than the mobile subscriber unit if the mobile subscriber unit is busy in a circuit-switched voice call, wherein said output is further operable to conduct a packet-switched voice session between a source of the packet-switched voice call and the destination and wherein said switching apparatus is adapted to change a source address of a voice packet that is en route from the source to the destination.

34. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the packet-switched voice call is an IP voice call.

35. A switching apparatus for processing information in a packet-switched voice call directed to a mobile subscriber unit of a cellular communication network, comprising:

an input for receiving the packet-switched voice call;

a further input for receiving information indicative of whether the mobile subscriber unit is busy in a circuit-switched voice call; and

an output through which the mobile subscriber unit is notified that the packet-switched voice call is waiting if the mobile subscriber unit is busy in a circuit-switched voice call, wherein said output is further operable to conduct a packet-switched voice session between a source of the packet-switched voice call and the destination and wherein said switching apparatus is adapted to change a source address of a voice packet that is en route from the source to the destination.

36. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the packet-switched voice call is an IP voice call.