Method for switching connections between an IP-only phone and a soft phone to a server

• US 8,316,119 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2008
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Asoh, Junichi, Nagasawa, Tatsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Fan
• Application Number:
  US12/195,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20080310403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 397/900
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

A method for switching connections between an IP-only phone and a soft phone to an IP gateway server is disclosed. An identical telephone number is allocated to the IP-only phone and the soft phone. When the soft phone has been moved such that a connection destination to a local-area network changes from a first connector to a second connector, a relay device is also changed from a first relay device to a second relay device. After recognizing its present position by a MAC address of the relay device to which it is currently connected, the soft phone issues a request to an IP gateway server to change an IP address to the soft phone when it is determined that the soft phone is located far away from the IP-only phone. When it is determined that the soft phone is located near the IP-only phone, the soft phone issues a request to the IP gateway server so that the IP address is changed to the IP-only phone.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

allocating identical telephone numbers to an IP-only phone and a soft phone, wherein said IP-only phone is connected to a local-area network (LAN) having a server capable of administrating telephone numbers, wherein said soft phone is wirelessly connected to said LAN;

in response to an incoming call, determining whether or not said soft phone has been moved beyond a predetermined distance from said IP-only phone;

in a determination that said soft phone has not been moved beyond said predetermined distance from said IP-only phone, routing said incoming call to said IP-only phone; and

in a determination that said soft phone has been moved beyond said predetermined distance from said IP-phone, routing said incoming call to said soft phone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said IP-only phone includes a telephone transceiver and telephone buttons.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said soft phone is a portable computer having an IP telephony software for converting voice into computer signals.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said soft phone has been moved beyond said predetermined distance from said IP-only phone when said soft phone'"'"'s connection destination to said LAN changes from a first connector to a second connector.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said soft phone has been moved beyond said predetermined distance from said IP-only phone when a relay device within said server for said soft phone has been changed from a first relay device to a second relay device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said connection information includes an intensity value of a received signal of an electromagnetic wave transmitted from a wireless base station connected to said soft phone via said wireless connection.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining further includes determining whether or not said soft phone has been moved beyond said predetermined distance from said IP-only phone based on connection information of said soft phone to said LAN.

8. A computer readable device having a computer program product for switching connections between an IP-only phone and a soft phone, said computer readable device comprising:

computer program code for allocating identical telephone numbers to an IP-only phone and a soft phone, wherein said IP-only phone is connected to a local-area network (LAN) having a server capable of administrating telephone numbers, wherein said soft phone is wirelessly connected to said LAN;

computer program code for, in response to an incoming call, determining whether or not said soft phone has been moved beyond a predetermined distance from said IP-only phone;

computer program code for, in a determination that said soft phone has not been moved beyond said predetermined distance from said IP-only phone, routing said incoming call to said IP-only phone; and

computer program code for, in a determination that said soft phone has been moved beyond said predetermined distance from said IP-phone, routing said incoming call to said soft phone.

9. The computer readable device of claim 8, wherein said IP-only phone includes a telephone transceiver and telephone buttons.

10. The computer readable device of claim 8, wherein said soft phone is a portable computer having an IP telephony software for converting voice into computer signals.

11. The computer readable device of claim 8, wherein said soft phone has been moved beyond said predetermined distance from said IP-only phone when said soft phone'"'"'s connection destination to said LAN changes from a first connector to a second connector.

12. The computer readable device of claim 8, wherein said soft phone has been moved beyond said predetermined distance from said IP-only phone when a relay device within said server for said soft phone has been changed from a first relay device to a second relay device.

13. The computer readable device of claim 8, wherein said connection information includes an intensity value of a received signal of an electromagnetic wave transmitted from a wireless base station connected to said soft phone via said wireless connection.

14. The computer readable device of claim 8, wherein said computer program code for determining further includes computer program code for determining whether or not said soft phone has been moved beyond said predetermined distance from said IP-only phone based on connection information of said soft phone to said LAN.