System and method for establishing and maintaining a voice over internet protocol connection between wireless devices

• US 7,930,405 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Hukkanen, Vesa Juhani
• Primary Examiner(s): Jean; Frantz B
• Application Number:
  US11/960,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20080104254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/228, 370/331, 370352-356, 455/432.1, 455/433, 455/428, 455/436, 455/440
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1063 Application servers providing network services systems providing special services to telephonic subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network
• 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: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/304 due to measured or perceived resources with higher communication quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A system and method for establishing and maintaining a voice over internet protocol connection between wireless devices, in one example embodiment, may comprise a receiving module to receive a communication device identifier, and a request to establish a communication data link to another communication device. The communication device identifier may initially be received by a terminal from the communication device over a wireless data link connecting the communication device and the terminal. Subsequently, the terminal network address may be associated with the terminal, which received the communication device identifier. A processing module may be utilized to determine whether another communication device is reachable over a wireless data link to another terminal based on information stored in a register. Further, a communication module may be utilized to establish the communication data link between one communication device and another communication device subsequent to determining that another communication device is reachable by a terminal over the wireless data link.

Claims

1. A system to establish and maintain a connection between communication devices via a data network, the system comprising:

a receiving module to receive a first communication device identifier and a request to establish a communication data link to a second communication device, the first communication device identifier being initially received by a first terminal from a first communication device over a first wireless data link, a first terminal network address being associated with the first terminal;

a processing module, having one or more processors, to determine whether the second communication device is reachable over a second wireless data link to a second terminal based on information stored in a register; and

a communication module to establish the communication data link between the first communication device and the second communication device subsequent to determining that the second communication device is reachable by the second terminal over the second wireless data link, the communication module being further configured to draw conclusions about relative locations of the first communication device and the second communication device for making a handover between the devices during a connection between the communication devices.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication device is a mobile terminal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first terminal is at least one of a computer, an interactive entertainment computer, or a hub.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first terminal and the first communication device include a personal area network device to establish the first wireless data link.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication device includes a wireless local area network transceiver unit.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication data link between the first communication device and the second communication device is established over a worldwide, publicly accessible network of interconnected computer networks.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication device identifier is a telephone number associated with the first communication device, a mobile equipment identifier associated with the first communication device, or a code chosen by a user associated with the first communication device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiving module is to receive location information of the first terminal to be used by the processing module when determining the reachability of the second terminal.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication data link between the first communication device and the second communication device is established over a telecommunication network.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first terminal is to process the request to establish a communication.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiving module, the processing module, and the communication module are located at the first terminal.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a switch to switch the communication data link from a data network to a telecommunication network without interrupting the communication data link when the communication data link cannot be maintained using the data network.

13. A method of establishing and maintaining a connection between communication devices via a data network, the method comprising:

receiving a communication device identifier identifying a first communication device, wherein the communication device identifier is initially received by the first terminal from the first communication device over a first wireless data link;

receiving a request to establish a communication data link between the first communication device and a second communication device;

determining, using one or more processors, whether the second communication device is reachable by a second terminal over a second wireless data link based on information stored in a register;

establishing the communication data link between the first communication device and the second communication device using the first terminal and the second terminal subsequent to the determining that the second communication device is reachable by the second terminal over the second wireless data link; and

drawing conclusions about relative locations of the first communication device and the second communication device for making a handover between the devices during a connection between the communication devices.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising handing over the communication from either the first terminal or the second terminal to a third terminal when quality of the communication data link drops below a predetermined threshold.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising compiling a map of locations of terminals to facilitate the handover of the communication data link.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising sending the first terminal network address to the second terminal and a second terminal network address to the first terminal.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising encrypting communication over the communication data link.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising switching the communication data link from a data network to a telecommunication network without interrupting the communication data link when the communication data link cannot be maintained using a data network.

19. A system for establishing and maintaining a connection between communication devices via a data network, the system comprising:

means for receiving a communication device identifier identifying a first communication device, wherein the communication device identifier is initially received by the first terminal from the first communication device over a first wireless data link;

means for receiving a request to establish a communication data link between the first communication device and a second communication device;

means for determining whether the second communication device is reachable by a second terminal over a second wireless data link based on information stored in a register;

means for establishing the communication data link between the first communication device and the second communication device using the first terminal and the second terminal subsequent to the determining that the second communication device is reachable by the second terminal over the second wireless data link; and

means for drawing conclusions about relative locations of the first communication device and the second communication device for making a handover between the devices during a connection between the communication devices.

20. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which, when implemented by one or more processors, perform a method, comprising:

receiving a communication device identifier identifying a first communication device, wherein the communication device identifier is initially received by the first terminal from the first communication device over a first wireless data link;

receiving a request to establish a communication data link between the first communication device and a second communication device;

determining whether the second communication device is reachable by a second terminal over a second wireless data link based on information stored in a register;

establishing the communication data link between the first communication device and the second communication device using the first terminal and the second terminal subsequent to the determining that the second communication device is reachable by the second terminal over the second wireless data link; and

drawing conclusions about relative locations of the first communication device and the second communication device for making a handover between the devices during a connection between the communication devices.