Method for providing hybrid voice and packet data services to a mobile station

• US 7,016,359 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2001
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel Wireless Incorporated (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Hiremath, Vijay, Naim, Ghassan, Madhavapeddy, Seshagiri R., Betrabet, Arvind, Kohli, Pardeep
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, Blanche
• Application Number:
  US09/934,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20030206551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,672 Days
• Field of Search: 370/401, 370352-356, 455/414.1, 455/416, 455/417, 455/413, 455/445
• US Class Current: 370/401
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/22 Manipulation of transport tunnels

Abstract

A method and system is provided to allow wireless systems to support many new voice and data services. An example of a service provided is the ability to switch a requested voice call into a packet data call and vise versa without the interaction of the user.

Claims

1. A method for providing hybrid communication services including voice and data, in a communications network with a wireless switch, a wireless media gateway and an application server, the method comprising:

initiating a call from a caller to a callee through the wireless switch;

initiating a data session to the callee from the application server connected to the wireless switch;

sending a plurality of options in a menu format to the callee from the application server through the wireless media gateway;

selecting at least one option by the callee;

transmitting the at least one option to the application server through the wireless media gateway;

deactivating the data session from the application server to the callee; and

performing the at least one option.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one option is connecting the caller to voicemail.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one option is forwarding the caller to a mobile user.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the callee is an interactive response unit at a call center.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the callee is a first call center and the first call center forwards the caller to a second call center when the first call center is malfunctioning.

6. The method of claim 1 further including deactivating the data session from the application server after the at least one option is transmitted.

7. The method of claim 6 further including establishing a voice connection between the caller and the callee.

8. The method of claim 1 further including sending the mobile user the plurality of options from the application server.

9. A system for providing a hybrid communication consisting of voice and data, in a communications network, the method comprising:

a caller which initiates a call;

a wireless switch connected to the caller;

an application server initiating a data session to a callee to send a plurality of options to the callee, wherein the callee is an interactive response unit at a call center;

a means for selecting at least one option;

a means for transmitting the at least one option to the application server; and

a means for performing the at least one option.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the at least one option is connecting the caller to voicemail.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the at least one option is forwarding the caller to a mobile user.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the callee is a first call center and the first call center forwards the caller to second call center when the first call center is malfunctioning.

13. A method for providing hybrid communication services including voice and data, in a communications network with a wireless switch, a wireless media gateway, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) client, and an application server, the method comprising:

initiating a call from a caller to a callee through the wireless switch and SIP client;

initiating a packet data session to the callee from the application server connected to the wireless switch and wireless media gateway;

sending a plurality of options in a menu format to the callee from the application server through the wireless media gateway;

selecting at least one option by the callee;

transmitting the at least one option to the application server through the wireless media gateway;

transmitting the at least one option to the wireless switch from the application server;

deactivating the data session from the wireless switch to the application server;

deactivating the data session from the wireless switch to the callee; and

performing the at least one option.