System, method, and computer-readable medium for concurrent termination of multiple calls at a mobile terminal

• US 9,002,364 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2007
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tango Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tango Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Silver, Andrew, Bartek, Douglas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Dung
• Application Number:
  US11/752,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20080293394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,877 Days
• Field of Search: 455/417, 455436-443, 455/464, 455/450, 455/451, 455/452.1, 370318-322, 370329-344
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42238 in systems with telephone lines with multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/24 Reselection being triggered by specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/28 involving a plurality of connections, e.g. multi-call or multi-bearer connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections

Abstract

A system, method and computer-readable medium for allocating multiple subscriptions to a single mobile terminal thereby allowing concurrent termination of multiple calls at the mobile terminal are provided. A mobile terminal adapted to terminate multiple concurrent calls is described. In one implementation, a network need not have any configuration data regarding the multi-line capabilities of the mobile terminal. In other implementations, network-centric mechanisms are provided for allowing multiple concurrent calls to be terminated by a mobile terminal. Multiple concurrent calls may be terminated at a mobile terminal on separate carrier frequencies or alternatively may be terminated on a common carrier frequency.

Claims

1. A method of terminating calls to a mobile terminal, comprising:

receiving a call request directed to the mobile terminal;

determining the mobile terminal is currently terminated with an in-progress first call;

determining the mobile terminal is available to accept a second call;

identifying a different carrier frequency that has more time slots available than a carrier frequency allocated to the first call;

setting up the second call with the mobile terminal while the first call is maintained in progress, wherein the second call is setup by allocating a time slot of the different carrier frequency that is different from the carrier frequency allocated to the first call;

wherein the first call is allocated on a first carrier frequency;

determining the first carrier frequency has no time slots available for another call;

identifying a second carrier frequency that has a plurality of available time slots; and

performing an intra-cell handover of the first call from the first carrier frequency to the second carrier frequency.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein setting up the second call comprises setting up the second call on the second carrier frequency.

3. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for execution by a processor, the computer-executable instructions for terminating calls to a mobile terminal, comprising:

instructions that receive a call request directed to the mobile terminal;

instructions that determine the mobile terminal is currently terminated with an in-progress first call;

instructions that determine the mobile terminal is available to accept a second call;

instructions that identify a different carrier frequency that has more time slots available than a carrier frequency allocated to the first call;

instructions that set up the second call with the mobile terminal while the first call is maintained in progress, wherein the second call is setup by allocating a time slot of the different carrier frequency that is different from the carrier frequency allocated to the first call;

wherein the first call is allocated on a first carrier frequency;

instructions that determine the first carrier frequency has no time slots available for another call;

instructions that identify a second carrier frequency that has a plurality of available time slots; and

instructions that perform an intra-cell handover of the first call from the first carrier frequency to the second carrier frequency.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the instructions that set up the second call comprise instructions that set up the second call on the second carrier frequency.

5. A mobile terminal for deployment in a network system, comprising:

a first antenna;

a first transceiver coupled to the first antenna;

a processing system that executes computer-executable instructions for terminating calls with the mobile terminal, wherein the mobile terminal is adapted to concurrently receive a first call on a first channel and a second call on a second channel, wherein the processing system identifies a different carrier frequency that has more time slots available than a carrier frequency allocated to the first call, and wherein the processing system provides mid-call services for the second call, and wherein the second call is setup by allocating a time slot of the different carrier frequency that is different from the carrier frequency allocated to the first call;

a second antenna; and

a second transceiver coupled to the second antenna;

wherein the first call is received on a channel of a first carrier frequency over the first antenna and the first transceiver, and wherein the second call is received on a channel of a second carrier frequency over the second antenna and the second transceiver;

wherein the first call is allocated on a first carrier frequency;

instructions that determine the first carrier frequency has no time slots available for another call;

instructions that identify a second carrier frequency that has a plurality of available time slots; and

instructions that perform an intra-cell handover of the first call from the first carrier frequency to the second carrier frequency.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 5, further comprising:

a first subscriber identity module associated with a first cellular service subscription; and

a second subscriber identity module associated with a second cellular service subscription.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein the mid-call services comprises a service selected from the group consisting of a call forwarding service, a call waiting service, and a call conferencing service.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein the processing system detects a call request of the second call while the first call is in progress, prohibits a ringing signal from being output by the mobile terminal, and outputs an indication of a second call request.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the processing system receives an indication that the second call is accepted and notifies a carrier network from which the second call is inbound to the mobile terminal that the second call is accepted.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein audio content of the second call is bridged with audio content of the first call and output at the mobile terminal.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 5, further comprising a microphone for receiving audio input at the mobile terminal, wherein the audio input is transmitted on an uplink of the first channel and an uplink of the second channel.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein the second call is established with a call forwarding destination number in response to receipt of the first call, and wherein content of the first channel is bridged to the second channel.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein the second call is established with a call transfer destination number in response to a user supply of a call transfer command.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein content of the first channel is bridged with content of the second channel.