Handoff between cellular and enterprise wireless networks

• US 7,283,823 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pearce, Christopher E., Jagadeesan, Ramanathan T., Nguyen, Bich T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer; Temica
• Application Number:
  US10/939,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20060058032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 455436-440, 455/417, 455/552.1, 455/414.1
• US Class Current: 455/439
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4234 Remote access to features of PBX or home telephone systems-teleworking in a PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A mobile station includes a first wireless interface that can couple to a first wireless network, a second wireless interface that can couple to a second wireless network, and a controller. The controller can negotiate a first wireless link with the first wireless network using the first wireless interface and establish a communication session with a remote device using the first wireless link. The controller can also detect a session handoff trigger, negotiate a second wireless link with the second wireless network using the second wireless interface in response to the session handoff trigger, and invoke a private branch exchange feature to transfer the communication session from the first wireless link to the second wireless link.

Claims

1. A mobile station, comprising:

a first wireless interface operable to couple to a first wireless network;

a second wireless interface operable to couple to a second wireless network; and

a controller operable to negotiate a first wireless link with the first wireless network using the first wireless interface, to establish a communication session with a remote device using the first wireless link, to detect a session handoff trigger, to negotiate a second wireless link with the second wireless network using the second wireless interface in response to the session handoff trigger, and to invoke a call park feature to transfer the communication session from the first wireless link to the second wireless link.

2. The mobile station of claim 1, wherein the controller is further operable to park the communication session using the call perk feature, to identify a park number associated with the park communication session, and to couple the second wireless link to the parked communication session using the identified park number.

3. The mobile station of claim 2, wherein:

the call park feature comprises undirected park; and

the park number comprises a dialable telephone number.

4. The mobile station of claim 1, wherein the controller is further operable to park the communication session in the first wireless network using the call park feature, to receive a park number in response to parking the communication session, to use a predetermined telephone number associated with the first wireless network to couple to the first wireless network using the second wireless link after negotiating the second wireless link, and to communicate the park number to the first wireless network to couple to the parked communication session.

5. The mobile station of claim 1, wherein the controller is further operable to monitor a quality of the first wireless link and the session handoff trigger comprises the quality dropping below a threshold.

6. The mobile station of claim 1, wherein the first wireless network comprises an enterprise network and the second wireless network comprises a cellular network.

7. The mobile station of claim 1, wherein the communication session comprises a voice conversation.

8. A system for effecting handoff between wireless networks, comprising:

a mobile station operable to negotiate a first wireless link with a first wireless network, to establish a communication session with a remote device using the first wireless link, to detect a session handoff trigger, and to negotiate a second wireless link with the second wireless network in response to the session handoff trigger; and

a mobility application operable to transfer the communication session from the first wireless link to the second wireless link using a call park feature.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobile station is further operable to invoke the call park feature_to transfer the communication session from the first wireless link to the second wireless link.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the mobile station is further operable to park the communication session using the call park feature, to identify a park number associated with the parked communication session, to couple to the mobility application, and to transmit the park number to the mobility application; and

the mobility application is further operable to receive the park number and to couple the second wireless link to the parked communication session using the park number.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobility application is further operable to invoke the call park feature_to transfer the communication session from the first wireless link to the second wireless link.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the mobility application is further operable to park the communication session on behalf of the mobile station using the call park feature and to bridge the second wireless link to the parked communication session.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobile station is further operable to monitor a quality of the first wireless link and the session handoff trigger comprises the quality dropping below a threshold.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the first wireless network comprises an enterprise network and the second wireless network comprises a cellular network.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the communication session comprises a voice conversation.

16. A method for effecting handoff between wireless networks, comprising:

negotiating a first wireless link with a first wireless network;

establishing a communication session with a remote device using the first wireless link;

detecting a session handoff trigger;

negotiating a second wireless link with the second wireless network in response to the session handoff trigger; and

invoking a call park feature_to transfer the communication session from the first wireless link to the second wireless link.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

parking the communication session using the call park feature;

identifying a park number associated with the parked communication session; and

coupling the second wireless link to the parked communication session using the identified park number.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the call park feature comprises undirected park; and

the park number comprises a dialable telephone number.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

parking the communication session in the first wireless network using the call park feature;

receiving a park number in response to parking the communication session;

after negotiating the second wireless link, using a predetermined telephone number associated with the first wireless network to couple to the first wireless network using the second wireless link; and

communicating the park number to the first wireless network to couple to the parked communication session.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

monitoring a quality of the first wireless link;

wherein the session handoff trigger comprises the quality dropping below a threshold.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the first wireless network comprises an enterprise network and the second wireless network comprises a cellular network.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the communication session comprises a voice conversation.

23. Logic for effecting handoff between wireless networks, the logic encoded in computer readable media and when executed using one or more processors operable to:

negotiate a first wireless link with a first wireless network;

establish a communication session with a remote device using the first wireless link;

detect a session handoff trigger;

negotiate a second wireless link with the second wireless network in response to the session handoff trigger; and

invoke a call park feature_to transfer the communication session from the first wireless link to the second wireless link.

24. The logic of claim 23, further operable when executed to:

park the communication session using the call park feature;

identify a park number associated with the parked communication session; and

couple the second wireless link to the parked communication session using the identified park number.

25. The logic of claim 24, wherein:

the call park feature comprises undirected park; and

the park number comprises a dialable telephone number.

26. The logic of claim 23, further operable when executed to:

park the communication session in the first wireless network using the call park feature;

receive a park number in response to parking the communication session;

after negotiating the second wireless link, use a predetermined telephone number associated with the first wireless network to couple to the first wireless network using the second wireless link; and

communicate the park number to the first wireless network to couple to the parked communication session.

27. The logic of claim 23, further operable when executed to:

monitor a quality of the first wireless link;

wherein the session handoff trigger comprises the quality dropping below a threshold.

28. The logic of claim 23, wherein the first wireless network comprises an enterprise network and the second wireless network comprises a cellular network.

29. The logic of claim 23, wherein the communication session comprises a voice conversation.

30. A system for effecting handoff between wireless networks, comprising:

means for negotiating a first wireless link with a first wireless network;

means for establishing a communication session with a remote device using the first wireless link;

means for detecting a session handoff trigger;

means for negotiating a second wireless link with the second wireless network in response to the session handoff trigger; and

means for invoking a call park feature_to transfer the communication session from the first wireless link to the second wireless link.

31. The system of claim 30, further comprising:

means for parking the communication session using the call park feature;

means for identifying a park number associated with the parked communication session; and

means for coupling the second wireless link to the parked communication session using the identified park number.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein:

the call park feature comprises undirected park; and

the park number comprises a dialable telephone number.

33. The system of claim 30, further comprising:

means for parking the communication session in the first wireless network using the call park feature;

means for receiving a park number in response to parking the communication session;

after negotiating the second wireless link, means for using a predetermined telephone number associated with the first wireless network to couple to the first wireless network using the second wireless link; and

means for communicating the park number to the first wireless network to couple to the parked communication session.

34. The system of claim 30, further comprising:

means for monitoring a quality of the first wireless link;

wherein the session handoff trigger comprises the quality dropping below a threshold.

35. The system of claim 30, wherein the first wireless network comprises an enterprise network and the second wireless network comprises a cellular network.

36. The system of claim 30, wherein the communication session comprises a voice conversation.