Connecting device via multiple carriers

• US 8,909,224 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2011
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Haynes, Thomas W., Draznin, Sagiv
• Primary Examiner(s): SAMS, MATTHEW C
• Application Number:
  US13/102,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20120282915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 455/558, 4555521-5531, 4554261-4262, 4554351-4353, 455/448
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1045 Proxies, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1095 Inter-network session transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8353 during the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/856 Unsuccessful event
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/02 Coin-freed or check-freed systems , e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/026 Constructional features
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/10 Account details or usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/103 using SIMs (USIMs) or calling cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0066 Details of access arrangements to the networks where the access arrangement is a PSTN/ISDN access H04M7/122
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/12 Inter-network notification
• 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

A user device establishes a first connection with a first carrier network of a first carrier. The first carrier issues a first phone number used by the user device. The user device further establishes a second connection with a second carrier network of a second carrier. The second carrier issues a second phone number used by the user device. The user device receives a notification about a call from the first carrier network while connected to the first carrier network and the second carrier network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a user device, an Internet Protocol address from a radio access network;

establishing, by the user device, a first connection with a first Internet Protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) core of a first carrier network of a first carrier using the radio access network and the received Internet Protocol address, wherein the first carrier issues a first phone number used by the user device;

establishing, by the user device, a second connection with a second IMS core of a second carrier network of a second carrier using the radio access network, the received Internet Protocol address, and the first carrier network, wherein the second carrier issues a second phone number used by the user device;

receiving, by the user device, notification about a first call from the first carrier network;

determining, by the user device, whether, at a time when the notification is received, the user device is using the second carrier network for a second call; and

transmitting, by the user device, a busy message to the first carrier network when, at the time when the notification is received, the user device is using the second carrier network for the second call.

2. The method of claim 1, where establishing the first connection comprises:

generating authentication information based on information stored in a subscriber identity module (SIM) card of the user device,

transmitting the authentication information to a first call session control function (CSCF) component of the first carrier network, and

establishing the first connection between the user device and the first IMS core of the first carrier network associated with the first CSCF component.

3. The method of claim 2, where establishing the second connection comprises:

transmitting, via the first carrier network, the authentication information to a second CSCF component of the second carrier network, and

establishing the second connection between the user device and the second IMS core of the second carrier network associated with the second CSCF component.

4. The method of claim 1, where the first carrier network provides cellular phone service within a first country, and where the second carrier network provides cellular phone service within a second country that is different than the first country.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

establishing a third connection with a third carrier network of a third carrier, where the third carrier issues a third phone number used by the user device, and where the third carrier network provides cellular phone service in a third country, where the third country is different than the first country and the second country.

6. The method of claim 4, where the first call is a local call when the user device is within the first country or the second country and an area code associated with an origin of the first call is equal to an area code of the first phone number.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying information about the first call when the user device is not using the second carrier network at the time when the notification is received, where the information about the first call comprises information specifying that the first phone number was dialed to place the first call.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection associated with the first phone number or the second phone number;

receiving an outgoing phone number for a call to a different user device;

placing the call to the different user device via the first IMS of the first carrier network when the selection is associated with the first phone number; and

placing the call to the different user device via the second IMS core of the second carrier network when the selection is associated with the second phone number.

9. A device comprising:

a circuit card to store an identifier associated with the device; and

a processor configured to;

generate authentication information based on the identifier;

receive an Internet Protocol address from a radio access network;

transmit the authentication information to a first carrier network using the radio access network and the received Internet Protocol address, wherein the first carrier network provides cellular phone service within a first geographic area,

establish a first connection with an Internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) core of the first carrier network after receiving a first confirmation, in response to the authentication information, from the first carrier network,

transmit the authentication information to a second carrier network using the radio access network, the received Internet Protocol address, and the first carrier network, wherein the second carrier network provides cellular phone service within a second geographic area, and wherein the first geographic area is different from the second geographic area, and

establish a second connection with an IMS core of the second carrier network after receiving a second confirmation, in response to the authentication information, from the second carrier network.

10. The device of claim 9, where the processor utilizes an IMS Authentication and Key Agreement (IMS AKA) protocol to generate the authentication information.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a selection of a carrier associated with the first carrier network and an outgoing phone number of a first user device, and

place a first call, via the first carrier network, to a second user device.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a notification, during the first call and from the IMS core of the second carrier network, about a second call from a second user device to the device.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a notification about a first call from the first carrier network,

determining, at a time when the notification is received, whether the device is using the second carrier network for a second call, and

transmitting, at the time when the notification is received, a busy message to the first carrier network when the device is using the second carrier network for the second call.

14. The device of claim 13, where the first call is a local call in the first geographic area, and where the second call is a local call in the second geographic area.

15. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

announce, after establishing the first connection, a presence to the IMS core of the first carrier network, and

announce, after establishing the second connection, a presence to the IMS core of the second carrier network.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein, when announcing the presence to the IMS core of the first carrier network, the processor is further configured to:

announce to the IMS core of the first carrier network that the device is accessible by dialing a phone number issued by an operator of the first carrier network.

17. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions executable by one or more processors of a computing device, the non-transitory computer-readable media storing one or more instructions for:

receiving an Internet Protocol address from a radio access network;

establishing a first connection with a first Internet Protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) core of a first carrier network of a first carrier using the radio access network and the received Internet Protocol address, wherein the first carrier network provides cellular phone service within a first geographic area;

establishing a second connection with a second IMS core of a second carrier network of a second carrier using the radio access network, the received Internet Protocol address, and the first carrier network, wherein the second carrier network provides cellular phone service within a second geographic area, and where the first geographic area is different from the second geographic area;

placing a first call, via the first carrier network and while located within the second geographic area, by using a first phone number associated with the first carrier network; and

receiving, via the second carrier network and during an occurrence of the first call, a notification about a second call.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein establishing the first connection comprises:

transmitting authentication information, based on information stored in a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, to a first CSCF component of the first carrier network.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18, further storing instructions for:

establishing a third connection with a third carrier network of a third carrier, where the third carrier network provides cellular phone service within a third geographic area.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 19, further storing instructions for:

receiving or placing calls via an IMS core of the third carrier network, without roaming, while located within the second geographic area.