Mobile telephone VOIP/cellular seamless roaming switching controller

• US 8,078,164 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2006
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: VASU Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Vasu Networks Corporation
• Inventors: Ganesan, Vasudevan
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUY D
• Application Number:
  US11/330,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20060121894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,162 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432.1, 455/432.2, 455/432.3, 455/436, 455/437, 455/438, 455/442
• US Class Current: 455/432.1
• 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 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/144 over a different radio air interface technology
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/302 due to low signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A nomadic server and a related system provides seamless roaming for a mobile communication device between different types of wireless networks, such as WiFi and cellular networks for voice, data and video communication. Use of the nomadic server enables a combination of WiFi and cellular networks for providing access to the cellular phones and make use of the VOIP networks for switching the calls wherever possible. The nomadic server is a telephone communication processing and switching server that will “hold” the present, in-progress telephone communications without dropping, while roaming without losing the present, in-progress communication. For example, a telephone communication can be seamlessly switching between VOIP and cellular telephone networks using the nomadic server. Nomadic server resources interface with the VOIP and cellular network switches to provide the hand-off between networks. This approach enables switching of telephone communications over a VOIP network wherever possible either through WiFi or through cellular networks.

Claims

1. A system to provide communications for a mobile communication device that roams between multiple different types of wireless networks, the system comprising:

a. a plurality of different types of wireless networks;

b. the mobile communication device configured to access the plurality of wireless networks; and

c. an interface server coupled to the plurality of wireless networks, wherein the interface server maintains a seamless communication link between the mobile communication device and an end destination device as the mobile communication device roams from a first wireless coverage area associated within a first type of wireless network to a second wireless coverage area associated with a second type of wireless network, the interface server is configured to establish a second communication link over the second type of wireless network while a first communication link between the mobile communication device and the end destination device over the first type of wireless network is active, wherein the second communication link is initially set up to be forwarded to the interface server and subsequently the second communication link is routed to the mobile communication device as the first communication link is terminated and further wherein the interface server connects to the first type of wireless network and the second type of wireless network; and

wherein the mobile communication device notifies the interface server if the first communication link falls below a threshold.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first communication link includes a first wireless communication link between the mobile communication device and the first type of wireless network.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the first wireless coverage area comprises a WiFi coverage area, and the first wireless communication link comprises a WiFi communication link between the mobile communication device and a WiFi access point.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the first communication link includes a routing path through a VOIP network.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the first communication link includes a routing path through a cellular network.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the second communication link includes a second wireless communication link between the mobile communication device and the second type of wireless network.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the second wireless coverage area comprises a cellular coverage area and the second wireless communication link comprises a wireless cellular communication link between the mobile communication device and a cellular base station.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the second communication link includes a routing path through a VOIP network.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the second communication link includes a routing path through a cellular network.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the second type of wireless network includes a wireless cellular network.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first type of wireless network and the second type of wireless network are each selected from the group consisting of:

a cellular network, an IP network, and a circuit switched network.

12. An interface server to maintain a seamless communication link between a mobile communication device and an end destination device as the mobile communication device roams from a first wireless coverage area associated within a first type of wireless network to a second wireless coverage area associated with a second type of wireless network, the interface server is configured to establish a second communication link over the second type of wireless network while a first communication link between the mobile communication device and the end destination device over the first type of wireless network is active, wherein the second communication link is initially set up to be forwarded to the interface server and subsequently the second communication link is routed to the mobile communication device as the first communication link is terminated and further wherein the interface server connects to the first type of wireless network and the second type of wireless network, and wherein the mobile communication device notifies the interface server if the first communication link falls below a threshold.

13. The interface server of claim 12 further comprising a first inter-network function block to maintain current configuration and status information associated with the first communication link.

14. The interface server of claim 13 wherein the first wireless coverage area comprises a WiFi coverage area, and the first communication link comprises a WiFi communication link between the mobile communication device and a WiFi access point.

15. The interface server of claim 13 further comprising a second inter-network function block to maintain current configuration and status information associated with the second communication link.

16. The interface server of claim 15 further comprising a provisioning server to provide the mobile communication device with configuration information.

17. The interface server of claim 12 wherein the interface server communicates to the mobile communication device through a mobile switching center.

18. The interface server of claim 17 wherein the interface server is tightly coupled to the mobile switching center through a network.

19. The interface server of claim 17 wherein the interface server is loosely coupled to the mobile switching center through a one of an trunk interface or a softswitch.

20. The interface server of claim 17 wherein the interface server communicates to the mobile switching center through an interface protocol established by the mobile switching center.

21. The interface server of claim 12, wherein the first type of wireless network and the second type of wireless network are each selected from the group consisting of:

a cellular network, an IP network, and a circuit switched network.

22. A system to provide communications for a mobile communication device that roams between cellular and non-cellular wireless networks, the system comprising:

a. cellular and non-cellular wireless networks;

b. the mobile communication device for accessing both the cellular and non-cellular wireless networks; and

c. an interface server coupled to the cellular and non-cellular wireless networks, wherein the interface server maintains a seamless communication link between the mobile communication device and an end destination device as the mobile communication device roams from a first wireless coverage area associated within a first type of wireless network to a second wireless coverage area associated with a second type of wireless network, the interface server is configured to establish a second communication link over the second type of wireless network while a first communication link between the mobile communication device and the end destination device over the first type of wireless network is active, wherein the second communication link is initially set up to be forwarded to the interface server and subsequently the second communication link is routed to the mobile communication device as the first communication link is terminated and further wherein the interface server connects to the first type of wireless network and the second type of wireless network; and

wherein the mobile communication device notifies the interface server if the first communication link falls below a threshold.

23. A system to provide communications for a mobile communication device that roams between cellular and Voice over Internet (VOIP) networks, the system comprising:

a. cellular and VOIP networks;

b. the mobile communication device for accessing both the cellular and VOIP wireless networks; and

c. an interface server coupled to the cellular and VOIP wireless networks, wherein the interface server maintains a seamless communication link between the mobile communication device and an end destination device as the mobile communication device roams from a first wireless coverage area associated within a first type of wireless network to a second wireless coverage area associated with a second type of wireless network, the interface server is configured to establish a second communication link over the second type of wireless network while a first communication link between the mobile communication device and the end destination device over the first type of wireless network is active, wherein the second communication link is initially set up to be forwarded to the interface server and subsequently the second communication link is routed to the mobile communication device as the first communication link is terminated and further wherein the interface server connects to the first type of wireless network and the second type of wireless network; and

wherein the mobile communication device notifies the interface server if the first communication link falls below a threshold.