System and method for transitioning a communication session between networks that are not commonly controlled

• US 8,862,164 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Damaka, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Damaka, Inc.
• Inventors: Chaturvedi, Sivakumar, Gundabathula, Satish
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US12/240,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20090088150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,206 Days
• Field of Search: 455436-444, 455/552.1
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• 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 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Provided are a system and method for network transitions. In one example, the method includes receiving messages from a mobile device indicating that the mobile device is in a session initiation protocol (SIP) wireless hotspot and that the mobile device is engaged in a communication session via a cellular network while in the SIP wireless hotspot. The cellular network is instructed to add the mobile device to the communication session via the SIP wireless hotspot. An affirmative response is received from the cellular network and a third message is sent to the mobile device to notify the mobile device of the affirmative response.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a network transition gateway controlled by a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), a first message directly from a mobile device indicating that the mobile device is in a session initiation protocol (SIP) wireless hotspot, wherein the first message is received directly from the mobile device by the network transition gateway and does not pass through a cellular network, and wherein the mobile device is present in a session initiation protocol (SIP) home location register (HLR) of the network transition gateway that lists mobile devices belonging to customers of the MVNO;

receiving, by the network transition gateway, a second message directly from the mobile device indicating that the mobile device is engaged in a communication session with a second device using a first call leg via the cellular network while in the SIP wireless hotspot, wherein the second message is received directly from the mobile device by the network transition gateway and does not pass through the cellular network, and wherein the MVNO and the network transition gateway have no control over the cellular network and wherein the network transition gateway is configured to send only requests for establishing, routing, and breaking down a call to the cellular network;

requesting, by the network transition gateway, that a public switched telephone network (PSTN) gateway add the mobile device to the communication session using a second call leg via the SIP wireless hotspot and terminate the first call leg, wherein the PSTN gateway is separate from the cellular network and is not controlled by the MVNO;

receiving, by the network transition gateway, an affirmative response from the PSTN gateway; and

sending, by the network transition gateway, a third message to the mobile device to notify the mobile device of the affirmative response.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a fourth message from the cellular network via the PSTN gateway indicating that the mobile device has requested that the cellular network establish the communication session;

determining that the mobile device is attempting to establish the communication session with a user within the cellular network;

establishing a third call leg with the user via the cellular network;

establishing the first call leg with the mobile device via the cellular network; and

joining the third and second call legs to establish the communication session.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising instructing the PSTN gateway to place the communication session on hold until the mobile device is added to the communication session via the SIP wireless hotspot.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the network transition gateway, a fourth message from the mobile device indicating that it is leaving the SIP wireless hotspot and is engaged in the communication session; and

sending, by the network transition gateway, a request message to the cellular network via the PSTN gateway to set up a communication channel with the mobile device to continue the communication session via the cellular network, wherein the network transition gateway maintains control of the communication session after the mobile device transitions to the cellular network over which the network transition gateway has no control, and wherein the second call leg is terminated.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising adding, by the network transition gateway, the mobile device to a visitor location register (VLR) of the network transition gateway to indicate that the mobile device is in the SIP wireless hotspot after receiving the second message.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein signaling between the mobile device and the second device for the communication session passes through the network transition gateway and wherein data for the communication session passes directly between the mobile device and the second device without passing through the network transition gateway.

7. A method for execution on a mobile device comprising:

maintaining, by the mobile device, a communication session with a second device via a first call leg over a cellular network;

detecting, by the mobile device, the presence of a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) wireless hotspot while the communication session is being maintained;

notifying, by the mobile device, a network transition gateway of the presence of the SIP wireless hotspot and the communication session being maintained;

receiving, by the mobile device, instructions from the network transition gateway to establish a second call leg with a public switched telephone network (PSTN) gateway via the SIP wireless hotspot;

establishing, by the mobile device, the second call leg; and

continuing, by the mobile device, the communication session via the second call leg over the SIP wireless hotspot, wherein signaling between the mobile device and the second device passes through the network transition gateway and wherein data between the mobile device and the second device is peer-to-peer and does not pass through the network transition gateway.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising joining the first and second call legs.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising terminating the first call leg after establishing the second call leg.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

sending a request to the cellular network to establish the communication session;

receiving call setup information from the network transition gateway; and

responding to the call setup information to establish the communication session with the cellular network via the network transition gateway.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

sending a request to the cellular network to establish the communication session;

receiving call setup information from the cellular network; and

responding to the call setup information to establish the communication session with the cellular network.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising sending dual tone multi frequency (DTMF) trigger information to the cellular network to inform the cellular network that the mobile device has switched to the cellular network.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

performing an authentication process with an access server;

obtaining, following the authentication process, a profile containing a list of devices of that are currently available to communicate with the mobile device, wherein each of the devices on the list has previously granted the mobile device permission to communicate with that device and wherein the second device is on the list of devices; and

prior to maintaining the communication session, sending the second device a notification message after obtaining the profile, wherein the notification message informs the second device that the mobile device is available.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, by a network transition gateway via a public switched telephone network (PSTN) gateway, a first message from a cellular network indicating that a mobile first device has sent a call setup request to the cellular network for a communication session with a second device, wherein the network transition gateway is operated by a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) that has no control over the cellular network and wherein the first mobile device is present in a session initiation protocol (SIP) home location register (HLR) of the network transition gateway;

communicating, by the network transition gateway via the PSTN gateway, with the cellular network to establish the call for the first device via the cellular network using a first call leg between the first device and the cellular network, wherein the network transition gateway maintains a second call leg with the cellular network for signaling to control the communication session, and wherein the network transition gateway is configured to send only requests for establishing, routing, and breaking down a call to the cellular network;

receiving, by the network transition gateway, a second message from the first device indicating that the first device has entered a SIP wireless hotspot, wherein the second message is received while the communication session is maintained through the cellular network;

entering, by the network transition gateway, the first device in a register of the network transition gateway to indicate that the first device is in the SIP wireless hotspot; and

sending, by the network transition gateway to the PSTN gateway, a third message requesting that the PSTN gateway add the first device to the call by establishing a third call leg with the first device via the SIP wireless hotspot and that the first call leg between the first device and the cellular network be terminated, wherein the network transition gateway maintains control of the call after the call is moved from the cellular network to the SIP wireless hotspot.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein signaling by the first and second devices for the communication session passes through the network transition gateway and wherein data for the communication session passes directly between the first and second devices without passing through the network transition gateway.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein both signaling and data for the communication session passes through the network transition gateway.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising

receiving, by the network transition gateway, a third message from the first device indicating that the first device is leaving the SIP wireless hotspot;

communicating, by the network transition gateway via the PSTN gateway, with the cellular network to maintain the call for the first mobile device via the cellular network using a fourth call leg between the first device and the cellular network, wherein the network transition gateway maintains control of the communication session after the call is moved;

removing, by the network transition gateway, the first device from the register of the network transition gateway to indicate that the first device is not in a SIP wireless hotspot; and

instructing, by the network transition gateway, the first device to tear down the third call leg with the SIP wireless hotspot.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the sending, by the network transition gateway to the PSTN gateway, the third message requesting that the PSTN gateway add the first device to the call includes requesting that the PSTN gateway place the call on hold.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the HLR of the network transition gateway includes a SIP address and a telephone number of the first device.