Method for establishing network connections between stationary terminals and remote devices through mobile devices

• US 8,774,149 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2013
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uniloc 2017 LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Pendragon Wireless LLC (Pendrell Corporation)
• Inventors: Lin, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): MITCHELL, NATHAN A
• Application Number:
  US13/759,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20130295942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/10 adapted for application session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

A technique is provided for a seamless and transparent handoff from a user'"'"'s mobile device to the user'"'"'s stationary terminal of a network address of a remote device for the purpose of establishing a direct communication channel between the stationary terminal and a remote device, where the remote device first contacted the user'"'"'s mobile device to initiate communications with the users.

Claims

1. A method for establishing a data communications session between a stationary terminal and a remote device using a mobile device proximate to the stationary terminal, the method comprising:

establishing a communication link through a wireless communication technology between the stationary terminal and the proximate mobile device wherein the proximate mobile device operates within a cellular wireless network system;

opening a listening port on the proximate mobile device to receive communications through a push messaging service;

receiving, at the listening port and through the push messaging service, a message from the remote device, wherein such message comprises a network address and listening port related to the remote device; and

transmitting the network address and listening port received by the mobile device to the stationary terminal though the wireless communication technology, wherein the stationary terminal receives the network address and listening port, transmits a response to the network address and listening port related to the remote device, and establishes a data connection with the remote device for data communications.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication technology comprises Bluetooth.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication technology comprises WiFi.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the push messaging service comprises SMS.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellular wireless network system supports TCP/IP based communications, the listening port comprises a TCP port and the data connection comprises a TCP connection.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network address comprises an IP address.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the data communication includes a voice call.

8. The method of claim 6 where the data communication includes an instant messaging session.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the message from the remote device is associated with a voice call.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the stationary station alerts the user of the voice call.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage media encoded with a computer program for establishing a data communications session between a stationary terminal and a remote device using a mobile device proximate to the stationary terminal, the computer program comprising computer executable instructions for:

establishing a communication link through a wireless communication technology between the stationary terminal and the proximate mobile device wherein the proximate mobile device operates within a cellular wireless network system;

opening a listening port on the proximate mobile device to receive communications through a push messaging service;

receiving, at the listening port and through the push messaging service, a message from the remote device, wherein such message comprises a network address and listening port related to the remote device; and

transmitting the network address and listening port received by the mobile device to the stationary terminal though the wireless communication technology, wherein the stationary terminal receives the network address and listening port, transmits a response to the network address and listening port related to the remote device, and establishes a data connection with the remote device for data communications.

12. The media of claim 11 wherein the wireless communication technology comprises Bluetooth.

13. The media of claim 11 wherein the wireless communication technology comprises WiFi.

14. The media of claim 11 wherein the push messaging service comprises SMS.

15. The media of claim 11 wherein the cellular wireless network system supports TCP/IP based communications, the listening port comprises a TCP port and the data connection comprises a TCP connection.

16. The media of claim 11 wherein the network address comprises an IP address.

17. The media of claim 16, wherein the data communication includes a voice call.

18. The media of claim 16 where the data communication includes an instant messaging session.

19. The media of claim 11 wherein the message from the remote device is associated with a voice call.

20. The media of claim 19 wherein the stationary station alerts the user of the voice call.