System and method for offering seamless connectivity across multiple devices in a communications environment

• US 7,650,143 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2005
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Grayson, Mark, Jagadeesan, Ramanathan T., Nguyen, Bich T., Hamel, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard; Patrick N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Addy; Anthony S
• Application Number:
  US11/128,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20060256751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• Field of Search: 455/435.1, 455436-444, 455/450, 455/453, 455/509, 455/510, 455/517, 455/417, 370331-333, 709/227, 379/211.01, 379/212.01
• US Class Current: 455/417
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1095 Inter-network session transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/10 adapted for application session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

An apparatus for providing connectivity is provided that includes a mobility server operable to coordinate a communication session between a first and a second end-user device. The first end-user device is associated with a first call leg and the second end-user device is associated with a second call leg. A handoff is executed in transferring the communication session from the first end-user device to the second end-user device. In more particular embodiments, the mobility server is operable to receive signal strength information from the first end-user device and to execute the handoff based on the signal strength information. In addition, the handoff is executed based on an end-user preference that is provided in a subscription that is accessed by the mobility server.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing connectivity across multiple devices, comprising:

a first end-user device configured to;

facilitate a communication session that may be transferred from a first end-user device, the first end-user device being associated with a first call leg and the second end-user device being associated with a second call leg, the second end-user device having a preference; and

transmit a signal strength of the second end-user device to a mobility server in accordance with a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signal strength events package of the second end-user device subscribed to by the mobility server, the mobility server configured to determine that the signal strength can satisfy the preference, and, in response to the determination and independent of a user request to transfer, automatically transfer the communication session from the first call leg to the second call leg to hand the communication session from the first end-user device to the second end-user device;

wherein the mobility server is operable to elect whether to execute the communication leg transfer based on a comparison of signal strength information received from the first and second end-user devices.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication leg transfer occurs due to an end user preference that is provided in a subscription.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handoff occurs due an end user request.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first end-user device and the second end-user device each include their own separate registrations.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second end-user device is a selected one of a group of end-user devices, the group consisting of:

a) a mobile station;

b) a television;

c) a laptop computer;

d) a personal computer;

e) an interactive radio;

f) a VoIP telephone; and

g) a personal digital assistant.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein preference information is provided to transfer only one out of a plurality of communication sessions between the devices.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication leg transfer may include a period of bi-casting a plurality of communication sessions to the first end-user device and the second end-user device.

8. An apparatus for providing connectivity across multiple devices, comprising:

a mobility server configured to;

receive a first registration that allows for a communication session for a first end-user device, the first end-user device being associated with a first call leg;

receive a second registration that allows for the communication session for a second end-user device, the second end-user device being associated with a second call leg;

receive a preference provided by a user subscription, the preference indicating a preference of the second end-user device;

subscribe to a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signal strength events package of the second end-user device;

receive a signal strength of the second end-user device in accordance with the SIP signal strength events package;

determine that the signal strength of the second end-user device can satisfy the preference; and

in response to the determination and independent of a user request to transfer, automatically transfer the communication session from the first call leg to the second call leg to hand the communication session from the first end-user device to the second end-user device;

wherein the mobility server is operable to elect whether to execute the communication leg transfer based on a comparison of signal strength information received from the first and second end-user devices.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the handoff is executed based on an end-user preference that is provided in the user subscription that is accessed by the mobility server.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the handoff is executed based on an end-user request.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the end-user request is provided by the first end-user device.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the end-user request is provided by the second end-user device.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein mobility server is operable request a frequency of received signal strength measurements.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the frequency of received signal strength measurements requested is independently set for when the end-user device has a communication session active or when the end-user device has no communication session active.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the mobility server is operable to elect whether to bi-cast a communication leg simultaneously to the first and second end-user devices based on a comparison of signal strength information received from the first and second end-user devices.

16. A method for providing connectivity across multiple devices, comprising:

receiving, at a mobility server, a first registration that allows for a communication session for a first end-user device, the first end-user device being associated with a first call leg;

receiving a second registration that allows for the communication session for a second end-user device, the second end-user device being associated with a second call leg;

receiving a preference provided by a user subscription, the preference indicating a preference of the second end-user device;

subscribing, by the mobility server, to a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signal strength events package of the second end-user device;

receiving, at the mobility server, a signal strength of the second end-user device in accordance with the SIP signal strength events package;

determining, by the mobility server, that the signal strength of the second end-user device cam satisfy the preference; and

in response to the determination and independent of a user request to transfer, automatically transferring, by the mobility server, the communication session from the first call leg to the second call leg to hand the communication session from the first end-user device to the second end-user device;

wherein the mobility server is operable to elect whether to execute the communication leg transfer based on a comparison of signal strength information received from the first and second end-user devices.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

accessing a user subscription that includes an end-user preference for either the first or the second end-user device, wherein the handoff is executed based on the end-user preference.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

electing whether to execute the handoff based on a comparison of signal strength information received from the first and second end-user devices.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

requesting a frequency of received signal strength measurements.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the frequency of received signal strength measurements requested is independently set for when the end-user device has a communication session active or when the end-user device has no communication session active.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein preference information is provided to transfer only one out of a plurality of communication sessions between the devices.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the communication leg transfer may include a period of bi-casting a plurality of communication sessions to the first end-user device and the second end-user device.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the handoff is executed based on an end-user request.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the end user request is provided by the first end-user device.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the end user request is provided by the second end-user device.

26. Software for providing connectivity across multiple devices, the software being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer code such that when executed is operable to:

receive, at a mobility server, a first registration that allows for a communication session for a first end-user device, the first end-user device being associated with a first call leg;

receive a second registration that allows for the communication session for a second end-user device, the second end-user device being associated with a second call leg;

receive a preference provided by a user subscription, the preference indicating a preference of the second end-user device;

subscribe, by the mobility server, to a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signal strength events package of the second end-user device;

receive, at the mobility server, a signal strength of the second end-user device in accordance with the SIP signal strength events package;

determine, by the mobility server, that a signal strength of the second end-user device can satisfy the preference; and

in response to the determination and independent of a user request to transfer, automatically transfer, by the mobility server, the communication session from the first call leg to the second call leg to hand the communication session from the first end-user device to the second end-user device;

wherein the mobility server is operable to elect whether to execute the communication leg transfer based on a comparison of signal strength information received from the first and second end-user devices.

27. The medium of claim 26, wherein the code is further operable to:

access a user subscription that includes an end-user preference for either the first or the second end-user device, wherein the handoff is executed based on the end-user preference.

28. The medium of claim 26, wherein the code is further operable to:

elect whether to execute the handoff based on a comparison of signal strength information received from the first and second end-user devices.

29. A system for providing connectivity across multiple devices, comprising:

means for receiving, at a mobility server, a first registration that allows for a communication session for a first and a second end-user device the first end-user device being associated with a first call leg;

means for receiving a second registration that allows for the communication session for the second end-user device, the second end-user device being associated with a second call leg;

means for receiving a preference provided by a user subscription, the preference indicating a preference of the second end-user device;

means for subscribing to a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signal strength events package of the second end-user device;

means for receiving a signal strength of the second end-user device in accordance with the SIP signal strength events package;

means for determining, by the mobility server, that a signal strength of the second end-user device can satisfy the preference; and

means for, in response to the determination and independent of a user request to transfer, automatically transferring, by the mobility server, the communication session from the first call leg to the second call leg to hand the communication session from the first end-user device to the second end-user device;

wherein the mobility server is operable to elect whether to execute the communication leg transfer based on a comparison of signal strength information received from the first and second end-user devices.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

means for accessing a user subscription that includes an end-user preference for either the first or the second end-user device, wherein the handoff is executed based on the end-user preference.

31. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

means for electing whether to execute the handoff based on a comparison of signal strength information received from the first and second end-user devices.