Communication services through multiple service providers
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of facilitating communication services for a communications unit such services selected from a plurality of communications service providers, the method including the steps of:
- receiving, at the communications unit using a first service provider, an indication of a desired communications and an indication of second communication services desired by a second communications unit;
determining, in accordance with said indication, first communications services available to the communications unit from a second service provider; and
sending, using said first service provider, an indication of said first communications services to a second communications unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods using a first service provider such as a WAN cellular service provider to initiate a communications exchange between a plurality of communications units and a second service provider such as WLAN service provider to provide enhanced communications services to the units has been disclosed and described.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A method of facilitating communication services for a communications unit such services selected from a plurality of communications service providers, the method including the steps of:
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receiving, at the communications unit using a first service provider, an indication of a desired communications and an indication of second communication services desired by a second communications unit;
determining, in accordance with said indication, first communications services available to the communications unit from a second service provider; and
sending, using said first service provider, an indication of said first communications services to a second communications unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of facilitating communication services for a communications unit, such services selected from a plurality of communications service providers, the method including the steps of:
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sending, to a second communications unit using a first service provider, an indication of a desired communications;
determining, in accordance with said indication, first communications services available to said second communications unit from a second service provider; and
initiating communications with said second communications unit using said first communications services available from said second service provider. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25)
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19. A method of selecting communications services for a communications unit, such services selected from a plurality of communications service providers, the method including the steps of:
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establishing contact between the communications unit and a second communications unit using a first service provider;
determining communications services required for a communications exchange between the communications unit and said second communications unit discovering communications services available from a second service provider, such services suitable for use by the communications unit and said second communications unit;
selecting the communication services from said first service provider and said second service provider, the communications services selected in accordance with said communications services required for a communications exchange. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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26. A communications unit arranged for selecting communications services from a plurality of communications service providers, including in combination:
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a user interface for accepting input indicative of desired communications services; and
a transceiver and a controller, coupled to said user interface, operable for;
discovering first communications services available from a second service provider for a second communications unit, establishing, using a first service provider, a communications link between the communications unit and said second communications unit, and sending an indication of said desired communications services for a communications exchange between the communications unit and said second communications unit. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A communications unit arranged for selecting communications services from a plurality of communications service providers, including in combination:
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a user interface for providing user output and accepting input relevant to communications services; and
a transceiver and a controller, coupled to said user interface, operable for;
receiving, using a first service provider, an indication or a desired communications for a communications exchange between the communications unit and a second communications unit;
discovering first communications services available from a second service provider for the second communications unit, sending an indication of said first communications services to said second communications unit. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. A communications unit arranged for selecting communications services from a plurality of communications service providers, including in combination:
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a user interface for providing user output and accepting input relevant to communications services; and
a transceiver and a controller, coupled to said user interface, operable for;
receiving, using a first service provider, an indication of a desired communications for a communications exchange between the communications unit and a second communications unit;
discovering first communications services available from a second service provider for the communications unit;
sending an indication of said first communications services to said second communications unit;
sending an acknowledgement of said desired communications together with second affiliation information corresponding to said first communications services;
sending an indication of communications services corresponding to said desired communications services and alternative services, all such communications services available to the communications unit;
receiving an indication of communications services selected by one of said second communications unit or a communications server; and
receiving said indication of said desired communications using one of a cellular phone service provider and a paging service provider; and
discovers communications services available from one of an internet service provider, a local area network provider, a broadband service provider, and a 3G service provider.
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38. A communications server arranged for selecting communications services from a plurality of communications service providers, including in combination:
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a processing unit; and
a memory operably coupled to the processing unit, wherein the memory stores programming instructions that, when read by the processing unit, causes the processing unit to;
a) receive, using a first protocol of a first service provider, an indication of a desired communications from a communication unit, b) establish, responsive to said indication and using said first protocol, contact with a second communication unit, c) determine, responsive to said indication, first communication services desired for a communication exchange between the communications unit and said second communications unit, d) discover what second communications services, using a second protocol of a second service provider, are available to said second communications unit, and e) select the communications services using said first protocol and using said second protocol to support said communications exchange between the communications unit and said second communications unit. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method of selecting communications services for a communications unit from a plurality of communications service providers including the steps of;
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communicating with a second communications unit over a Wide Area Network (WAN) service provider, and selecting communications services from a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) service provider for one of the communications unit and said second communications unit. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49)
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Specification