System and method for executing a seamless handoff in a network environment

• US 8,213,936 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2005
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huang, Wenfeng, Wang, Huizhao, Xu, Xiaode, Chen, Michael Chang-Ping
• Primary Examiner(s): FARAGALLA, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US11/291,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20070123259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,408 Days
• Field of Search: 455/433, 455436-444, 455/448, 455/415, 455/416, 455/417, 455/450, 455/452.2, 455/552.1, 370/352, 370/331, 370/328
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00226 wherein the core network technologies comprise IP multimedia system [IMS], e.g. single radio voice call continuity [SRVCC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/36 by user or terminal equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A method for providing a handoff in a network environment is provided that includes a mobile station operable to conduct a call. The mobile station is further operable to initiate a call leg autonomously such that a generic transfer function is invoked. The mobile station leverages the generic transfer function in order to execute a handoff for the mobile station.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing a handoff in a network environment, comprising:

a mobile station configured to;

detect signal degradation in an enterprise network;

in response to detecting the signal degradation in the enterprise network, autonomously invoke a first generic call transfer function comprising a blind call transfer function configured on the mobile station to handoff the mobile station from the enterprise network to a cellular network independently of a mobility application of the enterprise network, the blind call transfer function configured to transfer a first call from a transferor user in the enterprise network to a transferee user in the cellular network;

detect signal degradation in the cellular network;

in response to detecting the signal degradation in the cellular network, autonomously invoke a second generic call transfer function comprising an explicated call transfer function configured on the mobile station to handoff the mobile station from the cellular network to the enterprise network independently of the mobility application of the enterprise network, the explicated transfer function configured to transfer a second call from a transferor user in the cellular network to a transferee user in the enterprise network;

configure the first and second generic call transfer functions to hand off the mobile station by designating the mobile station as both the transferor user and the transferee user;

communicate a first and second call ID to a mobility application to uniquely distinguish the second call from the first call; and

leverage the first and second generic call transfer functions to execute the handoff for the mobile station, wherein the mobile station is operable to recognize that the transferred call is an inter-network roaming call and answer the call automatically.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the function is a selected one of a group of functions, the group consisting of:

1) HOLD;

2) resume;

3) retrieve;

4) call-waiting;

5) conferencing;

6) transfer;

7) caller ID;

8) redirect;

9) three-way calling; and

10) barging operations.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handoff is executed as a result of a degradation in signal quality, or as a result of selecting a preferred network and disregarding the signal quality for the call.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile station is configured to:

perform a scanning operation; and

hand off the call as a result of the scanning operation performed by the mobile station.

5. A method for providing a handoff in a network environment, comprising:

detecting signal degradation in an enterprise network;

in response to detecting the signal degradation in the enterprise network, autonomously invoking, by a mobile station, a first generic call transfer function comprising a blind call transfer function configured on the mobile station to handoff the mobile station from the enterprise network to a cellular network independently of a mobility application of the enterprise network, the blind call transfer function configured to transfer a first call from a transferor user in the enterprise network to a transferee user in the cellular network;

detecting signal degradation in the cellular network;

in response to detecting the signal degradation in the cellular network, autonomously invoking, by the mobile station, a second generic call transfer function comprising an explicated call transfer function on configured the mobile station to handoff the mobile station from the cellular network to the enterprise network independently of the mobility application of the enterprise network, the explicated transfer function configured to transfer a second call from a transferor user in the cellular network to a transferee user in the enterprise network;

configuring, by the mobile station, the first and second generic call transfer functions to hand off the mobile station by designating the mobile station as both the transferor user and the transferee user;

communicating with a mobility application to achieve the handoff;

communicating a first and second call ID to the mobility application to uniquely distinguish the second call from the first call; and

leveraging the first and second generic call transfer functions to execute the handoff for the mobile station, wherein the mobile station is operable to recognize that the transferred call is an inter-network roaming call and answer the call automatically.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the function is invoked after the mobile station has roamed from an enterprise network to a cellular network.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the function is invoked after the mobile station has roamed from a cellular network to an enterprise network.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the generic transfer function is a selected one of a blind call transfer (BCT) function and an explicated call transfer (ECT) function.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the handoff is executed as a result of a degradation in signal quality for the call.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

handing off the call when the mobile station roams from a cellular network and back into an enterprise network.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a computer program for providing a handoff in a network environment, the computer program comprising computer code

that when executed is operable to:

detect signal degradation in an enterprise network;

in response to detecting the signal degradation in the enterprise network, autonomously invoke, by a mobile station, a first generic call transfer function comprising a blind call transfer function configured on the mobile station to handoff the mobile station from an enterprise network to a cellular network independently of a mobility application of the enterprise network, the blind call transfer function configured to transfer a first call from a transferor user in the enterprise network to a transferee user in the cellular network;

detect signal degradation in the cellular network;

in response to detecting the signal degradation in the cellular network, autonomously invoke, by the mobile station, a second generic call transfer function comprising an explicated call transfer function configured on the mobile station to handoff the mobile station from the cellular network to the enterprise network independently of the mobility application of the enterprise network, the explicated transfer function configured to transfer a second call from a transferor user in the cellular network to a transferee user in the enterprise network;

configure, by the mobile station, the first and second generic call transfer functions to hand off the mobile station by designating the mobile station as both the transferor user and the transferee user;

communicate with a mobility application to achieve the handoff;

communicate a first and second call ID to the mobility application to uniquely distinguish the second call from the first call; and

leverage the first and second generic call transfer functions to execute the handoff for the mobile station, wherein the mobile station is operable to recognize that the transferred call is an inter-network roaming call and answer the call automatically.

12. The medium of claim 11, wherein the function is invoked after the mobile station has roamed from an enterprise network to a cellular network.

13. The medium of claim 11, wherein the function is invoked after the mobile station has roamed from a cellular network to an enterprise network.

14. The medium of claim 11, wherein the generic transfer function is a selected one of a blind call transfer (BCT) function and an explicated call transfer (ECT) function.

15. The medium of claim 11, wherein the handoff is executed as a result of a degradation in signal quality for the call.

16. The medium of claim 11, wherein the code is further operable to:

hand off the call when the mobile station roams from a cellular network and back into an enterprise network.