Communication device auto negotiate reconnect

• US 7,818,003 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2006
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Callaghan, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): MEHRPOUR, NAGHMEH
• Application Number:
  US11/432,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20070274488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 455/436, 455/412.1, 455/417, 455/445, 455/414.1, 455/564, 455/427.1, 455/425, 455/426.1, 455/515, 455/73, 455/551, 455/421, 455/405, 455/501, 455/509, 455/561, 455/563, 455/435.1, 455/450.1, 455/466, 455/433, 455/404.1, 455/410, 455/411, 455/423, 455/434, 379/201.1, 379/60, 379/63, 379/58, 370/335, 370/331, 370/342, 370/320
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• 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 1/2749 Automatic dialling or redialling systems, e.g. on off-hook or redial on busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/19 Connection re-establishment

Abstract

The embodiments contemplate a negotiation and reconnection method between two devices for use when an original call connection is dropped. In order to allow a reconnected call to be easily made without multiple calls from each user, a negotiation between the two devices is made during the original call, assigning reconnection authority to one of the devices. If the original call is inadvertently dropped, due to for example environmental conditions, the assigned device initiates reconnection by bypassing voicemail options that are typically encountered in a reconnection situation. The reconnection may be used when each of the two devices is attempting to reconnect. Alternatively, if the device that lost coverage is without coverage for an extended period of time, a message may be sent to the other device to inform the user of that device of the situation.

Claims

1. A method for automatic reconnection of a phone call between a first device and a second device, the method comprising:

while the phone call is in progress before the phone call is inadvertently dropped, performing an automatic negotiation process using an in-band communication channel to assign a reconnection authority from among the first device and the second device, wherein reconnection authority can be assigned to either device and wherein the device assigned reconnection authority takes responsibility to automatically and actively attempt to re-establish the phone call and the device not assigned reconnection authority agrees during the negotiation to be passive;

when the phone call is inadvertently dropped, attempting, by the device assigned reconnection authority, to re-establish the phone call between the first device and the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, upon a determination of a cancellation of an automatic reconnection service by the first device or the second device, causing the reconnection authority not to establish a re-connection between the first device and the second device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the negotiation process comprises:

upon at least one offer to initiate automatic reconnection from an offering device to an offeree device;

if the at least one offer comprises two offers, selecting one of the first device and second device as the reconnection authority based upon at least one pre-determined rule;

if the at least one offer comprises one offer, if the offeree device agrees to the offer, assigning the offering device as the reconnection authority;

otherwise, if the offering device agrees to be passive, assigning the offeree device as the reconnection authority.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one predetermined rule comprises criteria used to determine the reconnection authority.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one predetermined rule is hierarchically assigned by a network component of at least one of the first device and the second device.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising, if the offering device does not agree to be passive, not employing an automatic reconnection service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the reconnection authority initiates the re-connection only if a coverage lapse parameter does not exceed a predetermined time period.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein if the coverage lapse parameter exceeds the predetermined time period, a message is sent to a non-coverage losing device indicating a loss of coverage of a coverage losing device.

9. A method for automatic reconnection of a phone call between a first device and a second device, the method comprising:

while the phone call is in progress before the phone call is inadvertently dropped, performing an automatic negotiation process using a side-band communication channel to assign a reconnection authority from among the first device and the second device, wherein reconnection authority can be assigned to either device and wherein the device assigned reconnection authority takes responsibility to automatically and actively attempt to re-establish the phone call and the device not assigned reconnection authority agrees during the negotiation to be passive;

upon a signal from a mobile network operator component that the phone call is inadvertently dropped, if the first device initiated a first call-back to the second device and the second device initiated a second call-back to the first device and a coverage lapse parameter does not exceed a pre-determined time period, attempting, by the device assigned reconnection authority, to re-establish the phone call between the first device and the second device;

otherwise, if the coverage lapse parameter does exceed the pre-determined time period, sending a message to a non-coverage losing device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined time period is set by a coverage losing device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the signal that the call is advertently dropped comprises a side-band communication.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the determination that the first device initiated a call-back to the second device and the second device initiated a call-back to the first device comprises a determination that an incoming call is the same as an outgoing call.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein a network server participates in assigning the reconnection authority.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the negotiation process comprises:

upon at least one offer to initiate automatic reconnection from an offering device to an offeree device;

if the at least one offer comprises two offers, selecting one of the first device and second device as the reconnection authority based upon at least one pre-determined rule;

if the at least one offer comprises one offer, if the offeree device agrees to the offer, assigning the offering device as the reconnection authority;

otherwise, if the offering device agrees to be passive, assigning the offeree device as the reconnection authority.

15. A handheld computing device comprising:

a memory;

a processor;

a network component to couple the handheld computing device to a network; and

control code stored in a portion of the memory comprising computer-readable instructions for automatic reconnection of a phone call between a handheld computing device and a second device, comprising;

while the phone call is in progress before the phone call is inadvertently dropped, performing an automatic negotiation process using an in-band communication channel to assign a reconnection authority from among the handheld computing device and the second device, wherein reconnection authority can be assigned to either device and wherein the device assigned reconnection authority takes responsibility to automatically and actively attempt to re-establish the phone call and the device not assigned reconnection authority agrees during the negotiation to be passive;

when the phone call is inadvertently dropped, attempting, by the device assigned reconnection authority, to re-establish the phone call between the handheld computing device and the second device.

16. The handheld computing device of claim 15, wherein the handheld computing device is a smart phone.

17. The handheld computing device of claim 15, wherein the handheld computing device is assigned as the reconnection authority if the second device is not a smart phone.

18. The handheld computing device of claim 15, wherein the network component comprises:

protocol stacks to implement a network interface; and

network interface circuitry.

19. The handheld computing device of claim 15, wherein the network is at least one of (i) a wired network;

and (ii) a wireless network.

20. The handheld computing device of claim 15, wherein the network comprises a network store, and wherein the network interfaces with at least one of (i) the network store and (ii) one of the handheld computing device and the second device to determine the reconnection authority.