Call transfer for an integrated wireline and wireless service using a temporary directory number

• US 7,844,270 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2003
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Sylvain, Dany
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIM, WESLEY LEO
• Application Number:
  US10/693,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20040235483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,594 Days
• Field of Search: 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/445, 455/462, 455/436, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/432.1, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/439, 455/440, 455/442
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/60 including speech amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/206 composed of PSTN and wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13102 Common translator
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0027 for a plurality of data sessions of end-to-end connections, e.g. multi-call or multi-bearer end-to-end data connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/28 Number portability ; Network address portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

The present invention relates to a communication environment where calls are established with a single mobile terminal through either a wireless network or the public switched telephone network (PSTN) via a terminal adaptor, which is capable of wirelessly communicating with the mobile terminal. As such, the mobile terminal may facilitate traditional cellular calls via the wireless network, or traditional PSTN calls via the terminal adaptor. A temporary directory number for the mobile terminal is provided by the wireless network and used for facilitating calls via the wireless network. The terminal adaptor, supporting telephony switch, and wireless network will cooperate to transfer calls to the wireless network as necessary or desired.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a) a wireline network interface;

b) a local wireless interface providing a communication zone in which communications with a mobile terminal are possible, the mobile terminal associated with a primary directory number associated with a wireline network and adapted to communicate with the local wireless interface to facilitate a call through the wireline network and communicate with a cellular wireless network to facilitate a call through the cellular wireless network; and

c) a control system cooperating with the wireline network interface and the local wireless interface and adapted to;

i) use the primary directory number associated with the wireline network to establish through the wireline network a first call involving the mobile terminal by communicating with the wireline network via the wireline network interface and communicating with the mobile terminal via the local wireless interface;

ii) during the first call, detect the mobile terminal moving out of the local wireless communication zone; and

iii) initiate a transition of the first call being connected to the mobile terminal through the wireline network via the local wireless interface to the first call being connected to the mobile terminal through the cellular wireless network using a temporary directory number provided by a visited wireless switch currently providing cellular wireless access for the mobile terminal.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile terminal is registered with the cellular wireless network while the first call is established and the temporary directory number is assigned to the mobile terminal by the visited wireless switch upon registration.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the transition is initiated by sending a message configured to initiate establishing a wireless network connection to the mobile terminal through the cellular wireless network using the temporary directory number associated with the mobile terminal;

connecting the first call to the wireless network connection, and dropping a wireline network connection with the mobile terminal.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the wireline network interface is a traditional telephony line interface.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the wireline network interface is a voice over packet interface.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the cellular wireless network is one of the group consisting of TDM, CDMA, and OFDM.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the transition is initiated by sending a message intended for a wireline switch and configured to cause the wireline switch to transfer the first call to the mobile terminal through the cellular wireless network using the temporary directory number.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the transition is initiated by sending a message intended for a wireline switch and configured to cause the wireline switch to establish a three-way call based on the first call to the mobile terminal through the cellular wireless network using the temporary directory number.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the control system is further adapted to send a second message intended for the wireline switch and configured to instruct the wireline switch to drop a wireline network connection.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile terminal is also associated with a wireline network directory number, such that incoming calls for the mobile terminal directed to the wireline network directory number are established via the wireline network and incoming calls for the mobile terminal directed to the temporary directory number are established via the cellular wireless network.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the control system includes a signal processing function adapted to provide any necessary conversion of signals between the wireline network interface and the local wireless interface.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the control system is adapted to detect the mobile terminal moving out of the communication zone by detecting a bit error rate associated with communications with the mobile terminal via the local wireless interface surpassing a defined threshold.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the control system is adapted to detect the mobile terminal moving out of the communication zone by detecting a degradation in quality associated with communications with the mobile terminal via the local wireless interface surpassing a defined threshold.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the control system is adapted to detect the mobile terminal moving out of the communication zone by detecting an inability to communicate with the mobile terminal via the local wireless interface.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the control system is adapted to detect the mobile terminal moving out of the communication zone by detecting a decrease in signal strength associated with communications with the mobile terminal via the local wireless interface surpassing a defined threshold.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the local wireless interface is adapted to support communications with the mobile terminal using cordless telephone technology.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the local wireless interface is adapted to support communications with the mobile terminal using wireless local area network telephone technology.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the wireless local area network technology is based on 802.11 standards.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the local wireless interface is adapted to support communications with the mobile terminal using Bluetooth technology.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the control system is further adapted to detect a signal from the mobile terminal and initiate the transition of the first call being connected to the mobile terminal through the wireline network via the local wireless interface to the first call being connected to the mobile terminal through the cellular wireless network, the signal from the mobile terminal responsive to a user of the mobile terminal requesting the transition.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein a visiting location register is associated with the visited wireless switch and accesses the temporary directory number from the visited wireless switch and provides the temporary directory number directly or indirectly via a home location register to a wireline switch in the wireline network.

22. A method of handling calls involving a mobile terminal adapted to communicate with a local wireless interface to facilitate a call through a wireline network and communicate with a cellular wireless network to facilitate a call through the cellular wireless network, the method comprising:

a) using a primary directory number associated with the wireline network to establish through the wireline network a first call involving the mobile terminal by communicating with the wireline network via a wireline network interface and communicating with the mobile terminal via the local wireless interface;

b) during the first call, detecting the mobile terminal moving out of a communication zone associated with the local wireless interface; and

c) initiating a transition of the first call being connected to the mobile terminal through the wireline network via the local wireless interface to the first call being connected to the mobile terminal through the cellular wireless network using a temporary directory number provided by a visited wireless switch currently providing cellular wireless access for the mobile terminal.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the mobile terminal is registered with the cellular wireless network while the first call is established and the temporary directory number is assigned to the mobile terminal by the visited wireless switch upon registration.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein initiating the transition comprises sending a message configured to initiate establishing a wireless network connection to the mobile terminal through the cellular wireless network using the temporary directory number associated with the mobile terminal;

connecting the first call to the wireless network connection, and dropping a wireline network connection with the mobile terminal.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein initiating the transition comprises sending a message intended for a wireline switch and configured to cause the wireline switch to transfer the first call to the mobile terminal through the cellular wireless network using the temporary directory number.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein initiating the transition comprises sending a message intended for a wireline switch and configured to cause the wireline switch to establish a three-way call based on the first call to the mobile terminal through the cellular wireless network using the temporary directory number.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising sending a second message intended for the wireline switch and configured to instruct the wireline switch to drop a wireline network connection.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein the mobile terminal is also associated with a primary network directory number, such that incoming calls for the mobile terminal directed to the primary directory number are established via the wireline network and incoming calls for the mobile terminal directed to the temporary directory number are established via the cellular wireless network.

29. The method of claim 22 further comprising providing any necessary conversion of signals between the wireline network interface and the local wireless interface.

30. The method of claim 22 further comprising detecting the mobile terminal moving out of the communication zone by detecting a bit error rate associated with communications with the mobile terminal via the local wireless interface surpassing a defined threshold.

31. The method of claim 22 further comprising detecting the mobile terminal moving out of the communication zone by detecting a degradation in quality associated with communications with the mobile terminal via the local wireless interface surpassing a defined threshold.

32. The method of claim 22 further comprising detecting the mobile terminal moving out of the communication zone by detecting an inability to communicate with the mobile terminal via the local wireless interface.

33. The method of claim 22 further comprising detecting the mobile terminal moving out of the communication zone by detecting a decrease in signal strength associated with communications with the mobile terminal via the local wireless interface surpassing a defined threshold.

34. The method of claim 22 wherein the local wireless interface supports communications with the mobile terminal using cordless telephone technology.

35. The method of claim 22 wherein the local wireless interface supports communications with the mobile terminal using wireless local area network technology.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the wireless local area network technology is based on 802.11 standards.

37. The method of claim 22 wherein the local wireless interface supports communications with the mobile terminal using Bluetooth technology.

38. The method of claim 22 further comprising inserting a signal into a voice path for the first call prior to initiating the transition to warn parties to the first call of a transfer.

39. The method of claim 22 further comprising detecting a signal from the mobile terminal and initiating the transition of the first call being connected to the mobile terminal through the wireline network via the local wireless interface to the first call being connected to the mobile terminal through the cellular wireless network, the signal from the mobile terminal responsive to a user of the mobile terminal requesting the transition.

40. The method of claim 22, wherein a visiting location register is associated with the visited wireless switch and accesses the temporary directory number from the visited wireless switch and provides the temporary directory number directly or indirectly via a home location register to a wireline switch in the wireline network.