Wireless network brokerage method and system

• US 8,570,989 B1
• Filed: 04/25/2005
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mahler, Roger Newall, Enzmann, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cai, Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, Chuck
• Application Number:
  US11/113,031
• Time in Patent Office: 3,109 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/329, 455/419, 455/432.1
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A method and system facilitate and broker propagation of a wireless signal through a wireless network and delivery of the signal by an appropriate method to an intended receiving wireless terminal. A single network element acts as a signal entry point and executes parallel processes to determine the location of an intended receiving wireless terminal and the registration thereof within the wireless network, the signal type, and the capabilities of the terminal. The network element then analyzes this information to determine the best method of signal propagation through the wireless network so as to ensure signal delivery to the wireless terminal or alternate delivery according to subscriber-set preferences.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a system comprising a processor, a voice over Internet protocol communication directed to a portable wireless device;

in response to the receiving the voice over Internet protocol communication, determining, by the system, whether the portable wireless device is capable of receiving the voice over Internet protocol communication, and determining, by the system, whether an Internet protocol address has been assigned to the portable wireless device;

in response to the portable wireless device being determined to be capable of receiving the voice over Internet protocol communication, and in response to the Internet protocol address being determined not to have been assigned to the portable wireless device, sending, by the system via a wireless control channel, an instruction to the portable wireless device directing the portable wireless device to send, to the system, a request for a temporary Internet protocol address;

receiving, by the system, the request for the temporary Internet protocol address from the portable wireless device after the sending the instruction to the portable wireless device; and

sending, by the system, an Internet protocol based data packet comprising the temporary Internet protocol address to the portable wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the portable wireless device is capable of receiving the voice over Internet protocol communication comprises interrogating of a wireless network device to locate the portable wireless device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the portable wireless device is capable of receiving the voice over Internet protocol communication comprises determining whether the portable wireless device is registered for operation on a service provider device of a wireless network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the portable wireless device is capable of receiving the voice over Internet protocol communication comprises evaluating a current activity status of the portable wireless device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the portable wireless device is capable of receiving the voice over Internet protocol communication comprises searching network user preferences stored in a data storage device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the portable wireless device is capable of receiving the voice over Internet protocol communication comprises interrogating a data storage device storing network wireless terminal capabilities.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending comprises paging the portable wireless device via a standard network management protocol.

8. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a system comprising a processor, an Internet protocol-based data packet associated with a call directed to a wireless system;

determining, by the system, the wireless system is capable of receiving the Internet protocol-based data packet associated with the call;

verifying, by the system, the wireless system is not associated with an Internet protocol address;

in response to the determining the wireless system is capable of receiving the Internet protocol-based packet associated with the call, and in response to the verifying the wireless system is not associated with the Internet protocol address, sending, by the system via a wireless control channel, a page directed to the wireless system instructing the wireless system to request a temporary Internet protocol address from the system;

receiving, by the system, the request for the temporary Internet protocol address from the wireless system based on the page; and

sending, by the system based on the request, a communication associated with the call to the wireless system, wherein the communication comprises temporary Internet protocol address.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining the wireless system is capable of receiving the Internet protocol-based data packet comprises interrogating a device of a wireless network to locate the wireless system.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining the wireless system is capable of receiving the Internet protocol-based data packet comprises determining whether the wireless system is registered to operate via service provider device of a wireless network.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining the wireless system is capable of receiving the Internet protocol-based data packet comprises evaluating a current activity status of the wireless system.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining the wireless system is capable of receiving the Internet protocol-based data packet comprises searching network user preferences stored in a data storage device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining the wireless system is capable of receiving the Internet protocol-based data packet comprises interrogating a data storage device storing network wireless terminal capabilities.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

locating, by the system, the wireless system.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining the wireless system is capable of receiving the Internet protocol-based data packet comprises interrogating a data storage device storing wireless terminal capabilities.

16. The method of claim 8, further comprising assigning, by the system, the temporary Internet protocol address to the wireless system based on the request.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the assigning comprises

assigning, via a global gateway support node device, the temporary Internet protocol address to the wireless system.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising instructing, by the system, a mobile switching center device of a wireless network to establish the communication with the wireless system.

19. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving the request further includes receiving the request via a serving gateway support device of a wireless network.

20. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

measuring, by the system, a duration of a voice over Internet protocol call placed via the communication; and

transmitting, by the system, the duration to a billing system of a wireless network.

21. A system, comprising:

a memory storing instructions;

a processor, communicatively coupled to the memory, that facilitates execution of the instructions to perform operations, comprising;

receiving a voice over Internet protocol communication directed to a wireless device;

determining that the wireless device is capable of receiving the voice over Internet protocol communication and is not associated with an active Internet protocol address;

sending, via a wireless control channel, a page to the wireless device comprising an instruction directing the wireless device to request a temporary Internet protocol address from the system;

receiving a communication comprising the request for the temporary Internet protocol address from the wireless device based on the page; and

sending an Internet protocol based communication comprising the temporary Internet protocol address to the wireless device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining whether the Internet protocol-based communication is associated with a voice over Internet protocol call; and

measuring a duration of the voice over Internet protocol call.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving the request for the temporary Internet protocol address using a serving gateway service node device.