Extension of a local area phone system to a wide area network

• US 7,742,768 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2006
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lon Communication Mgmt LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lon Communication Mgmt LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Devarasu, Ragunath, Liu, Kim Quo-Taht, Natarajan, Shriram, Stensrud, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild; Joseph H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Huy D
• Application Number:
  US11/368,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20060205436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445, 455/466, 455/410, 455/411, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/414.1
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/20 hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 where one of the core networks is a wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1255 where the switching fabric and the switching logic are decomposed such as in Media Gateway Control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A soft switch 134 providing wireless PBX voice services to a local area network (WLAN) is used to extend PBX functionality to the cellular domain. A dual mode remote unit is capable of receiving signals both in the cellular system as well as the WLAN. The cellular system is comprised of a data-bearing path and a voice-bearing path. When the dual mode remote unit is within the WLAN, it communicates both voice over IP (VoIP) signaling as well as session initiation protocol (SIP) control signaling over the WLAN. When the remote unit is outside the WLAN, it communicates voice signaling over the voice-bearing path of the cellular network using a standard cellular voice channel. In parallel, it uses the data-bearing path of the cellular network to transmit SIP control signaling.

Claims

1. An apparatus in a cellular communication system comprising:

a call controller configured to receive a vicarious call initiation from a wireless phone over a data-bearing path of the cellular communication system, wherein the vicarious call initiation includes an identifier to identify a remote party in which a connection over a voice-bearing path of the communication system is to be established, wherein the voice-bearing path is different than the data-bearing path;

a connection session manager configured to receive a first voice call from the wireless phone over a voice-bearing path of the cellular communication system, wherein the first voice call is directed to a surrogate party, the surrogate party being different than the remote party; and

wherein the call controller is further configured to correlate the vicarious call initiation with the first voice call to establish the connection over the voice-bearing path.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connection session manager is further configured to place a second voice call to the remote party based at least in part on the identifier included in the vicarious call initiation.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the call controller is further configured to join the first voice call to the second voice call to establish the connection over the voice-bearing path.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identifier included in the vicarious call initiation includes a telephone number of the remote party, and wherein the first voice call is directed to a telephone number of the wireless phone.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the vicarious call initiation is a Short Message Services communication.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the vicarious call initiation is an Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) encoded message.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the vicarious call initiation is communicated over a virtual private network.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the call controller is configured to set a timer and to correlate the vicarious call initiation with the first voice call to establish the connection over the voice-bearing path based on the receipt of the first voice call prior to expiration of the timer.

8. A method of initiating a call in a cellular communication system from a wireless phone to a remote party comprising:

receiving a vicarious call initiation from the wireless phone over a data-bearing path of the cellular communication system, the vicarious call initiation containing an identifier indicating the remote party to be called over a voice-bearing path of the cellular communication system;

receiving a first voice call from the wireless phone over the voice-bearing path of the cellular communication system, wherein the first voice call is directed to the wireless phone;

correlating the vicarious call initiation with the first voice call;

placing a second voice call to the remote party based at least in part on the vicarious call initiation; and

connecting the first voice call to the second voice call to establish a connection from the wireless phone to the remote party over the voice-bearing path of the cellular communication system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving the vicarious call initiation includes receiving an HTTP post message over the data-bearing path of the cellular communication system, wherein the HTTP post message specifies a phone number of the remote party.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving the vicarious call initiation comprises receiving a Short Message Services (SMS) communication, wherein the SMS communication specifies a phone number of the remote party.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving the vicarious call initiation comprises receiving a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) encoded message.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving the vicarious call initiation comprises receiving the vicarious call initiation over a virtual private network.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

authenticating the wireless phone as an authenticated caller via a wireless phone identifier contained in the vicarious call initiation, and wherein the connecting is in response to a successful authentication.

20. The method of claim 8, further comprising setting a timer upon receipt of the vicarious call initiation, and wherein said correlating is in response to receipt of the first voice call prior to expiration of the timer.

14. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which are configured to be executed by an apparatus of a cellular communication system to enable the apparatus to perform operations comprising;

receive a vicarious call initiation from a wireless phone over a data-bearing path of the cellular communication system, the vicarious call initiation containing an identifier to indicate a remote party to be called over a voice-bearing path of the cellular communication system;

correlate the vicarious call initiation with a first voice call from the wireless phone received over the voice-bearing path of the cellular communication system, wherein the first voice call is directed to the wireless phone;

place a second voice call to the remote party based at least in part on the vicarious call initiation; and

connect the first voice call to the second voice call to establish a connection from the wireless phone to the remote party over the voice-bearing path of the cellular communication system.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 14, wherein the vicarious call initiation comprises an HTTP post message configured to specify a phone number of the remote party.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 14, wherein the vicarious call initiation comprises a Short Message Services (SMS) message configured to specify a phone number of the remote party.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 14, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to enable the apparatus to receive the vicarious call initiation over a virtual private network.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 14, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to enable the apparatus to:

authenticate the wireless phone as an authenticated caller via a wireless phone identifier contained in the vicarious call initiation, and connect the first voice call to the second voice call in response to a successful authentication.

21. The article of manufacture 14, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to enable the apparatus to:

set a timer upon receipt of the vicarious call initiation, and correlate the vicarious call initiation with the first voice call in response to receipt of the first voice call prior to expiration of the timer.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving a vicarious call initiation from a wireless phone over a data-bearing path of a cellular communication system, the vicarious call initiation containing an identifier indicating the remote party to be called over a voice-bearing path of the cellular communication system;

means for receiving a first voice call from the wireless phone over the voice-bearing path of the cellular communication system, wherein the first voice call is directed to the wireless phone;

means for correlating the vicarious call initiation with the first voice call;

means for placing a second voice call to the remote party based at least in part on the vicarious call initiation; and

means for connecting the first voice call to the second voice call to establish a connection from the wireless phone to the remote party over the voice-bearing path of the cellular communication system.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for receiving the vicarious call initiation comprises means for receiving an HTTP post message that specifies a phone number of the remote party.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for receiving the vicarious call initiation comprises means for receiving a Short Message Services (SMS) communication that specifies a phone number of the remote party.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for receiving the vicarious call initiation comprises means for receiving a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) encoded message.