Call transfer for an integrated wireline and wireless service

• US 9,078,174 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2004
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Inventors: Sylvain, Dany
• Primary Examiner(s): SIVJI, NIZAR N
• Application Number:
  US10/784,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20050003821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,152 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422.1, 455/426.1, 455/432.1, 455/436, 455/438, 455/439, 455/440, 455/442, 455/443, 455/444, 455/437, 455/552.1, 455/553.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1023 Media gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0027 for a plurality of data sessions of end-to-end connections, e.g. multi-call or multi-bearer end-to-end data connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

Calls are established with a single mobile terminal through either a wireless network or via a terminal adaptor over the PSTN or a packet network. The terminal adaptor and mobile terminal communicate via a local wireless interface. The mobile terminal may facilitate cellular calls via the wireless network as well as PSTN or packet-based calls via the terminal adaptor. The mobile terminal may initiate a handoff when it is involved in a call through the wireless network and within a communication zone of the terminal adaptor. The handoff will establish a connection between the wireless switch, which is currently supporting the call, and the mobile terminal through the terminal adaptor. Once the connection with the mobile terminal through the terminal adaptor is established, the call is transitioned to the new connection and the mobile terminal will transfer to the local wireless interface to support the call.

Claims

1. A method for transitioning a call with a mobile terminal from a cellular connection to a local wireless connection other than a cellular connection, the method comprising:

a) receiving an inter-switch handoff request from a wireless switch supporting a call to the mobile terminal over a cellular access network, the call comprising a first connection from the wireless switch to the mobile terminal and a second connection between the wireless switch and an entity;

b) effecting establishment of an inter-switch handoff connection to the mobile terminal via a terminal adaptor, which supports local wireless communications with the mobile terminal, wherein the local wireless communications supported by the terminal adaptor comprise communications other than cellular communications;

c) providing an inter-switch handoff instruction to the wireless switch to connect the second connection and the inter-switch handoff connection to effect handoff of the call from the cellular connection to the local wireless connection, wherein the local wireless connection is not a cellular connection;

d) wherein the inter-switch handoff connection is established in part between first and second media gateways, and the first and second media gateways facilitate interworking between a cellular-based trunk and a public switched telephone network-based trunk over a packet network; and

e) wherein the inter-switch handoff request is received and the inter-switch handoff instruction is provided using a cellular protocol while the establishment of the inter-switch handoff connection is effected using a packet-based communication session protocol.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the inter-switch handoff connection is established in part between a wireline switch and the terminal adaptor.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first media is gateway connected to the wireless switch via the cellular-based trunk and the second media gateway is connected to the wireline switch via the public switched telephone network-based trunk, the method further comprising sending call initiation messages to the first and second media gateways and the wireline switch to establish the inter-switch handoff connection.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the inter-switch handoff connection is established using a directory number associated with the mobile terminal when supported via the terminal adaptor.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the inter-switch handoff connection is established in part over the packet network, wherein the packet network is operatively coupled to the terminal adaptor.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the inter-switch handoff connection is established in part between a first media gateway and the mobile terminal through the terminal adaptor, the first media gateway connected to the wireless switch via a cellular-based trunk, the method further comprising sending control messages to the first media gateway and the mobile terminal to establish the inter-switch handoff connection.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the first media gateway facilitates interworking between the cellular-based trunk and a packet-based session forming part of the inter-switch handoff connection.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a inter-switch handoff message to the wireless switch to confirm handoff to the inter-switch handoff connection.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the inter-switch handoff request comprises a cell site identifier to which the wireless switch is attempting to handoff the call, the cell site identifier corresponding to the terminal adaptor.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the cell site identifier is provided to the wireless switch by the mobile terminal.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the wireless switch accesses the cell site identifier upon receiving the inter-switch handoff request from the mobile terminal.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing the cell site identifier to the wireless switch.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the local wireless communications supported by the terminal adaptor comprise cordless telephone technologies.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the local wireless communications supported by the terminal adaptor comprise 802.11 wireless local area network technologies.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the local wireless communications supported by the terminal adaptor comprise Bluetooth technology.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the terminal adaptor is configured to interface with a communication line connected to a wireline switch such that the terminal adapter provides a circuit-switched interface to the communication line and a local wireless interface to the mobile terminal.

17. A system for transitioning a call with a mobile terminal from a cellular connection to a local wireless connection other than a cellular connection, the system comprising:

a) at least one communication interface;

b) a control system associated with the at least one communication interface and adapted to;

i) receive an inter-switch handoff request from a wireless switch supporting a call to the mobile terminal over a cellular access network, the call comprising a first connection from the wireless switch to the mobile terminal and a second connection between the wireless switch and an entity;

ii) effect establishment of an inter-switch handoff connection to the mobile terminal via a terminal adaptor, which supports local wireless communications with the mobile terminal, wherein the local wireless communications supported by the terminal adaptor comprise communications other than cellular communications;

iii) provide an inter-switch handoff instruction to the wireless switch to connect the second connection and the inter-switch handoff connection to effect handoff of the call from the cellular connection to the local wireless connection, wherein the local wireless connection is not a cellular connection;

iv) wherein the inter-switch handoff connection is established in part between first and second media gateways, and the first and second media gateways facilitate interworking between a cellular-based trunk and a public switched telephone network-based trunk over a packet network; and

v) wherein the inter-switch handoff request is received and the inter-switch handoff instruction is provided using a cellular protocol while the establishment of the inter-switch handoff connection is effected using a packet-based communication session protocol.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the inter-switch handoff connection is established in part between a wireline switch and the terminal adaptor.

19. The system of claim 18 the first media gateway is connected to the wireless switch via the cellular-based trunk and the second media gateway is connected to the wireline switch via the public switched telephone network-based trunk, the control system further adapted to send control messages to the first and second media gateways and the wireline switch to establish the inter-switch handoff connection.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the inter-switch handoff connection is established using a directory number associated with the mobile terminal when supported via the terminal adaptor.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the inter-switch handoff connection is established in part over the packet network, wherein the packet network is operatively coupled to the terminal adaptor.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the inter-switch handoff connection is established in part between a first media gateway and the mobile terminal through the terminal adaptor, the first media gateway connected to the wireless switch via a cellular-based trunk, the control system further adapted to send control messages to the first media gateway and the mobile terminal to establish the inter-switch handoff connection.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the first media gateway facilitates interworking between the cellular-based trunk and a packet-based session forming part of the inter-switch handoff connection.

24. The system of claim 17 further comprising providing a inter-switch handoff message to the wireless switch to confirm handoff to the inter-switch handoff connection.

25. The system of claim 17 wherein the inter-switch handoff request comprises a cell site identifier to which the wireless switch is attempting to handoff the call, the cell site identifier corresponding to the terminal adaptor.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the cell site identifier is provided to the wireless switch by the mobile terminal.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein the wireless switch accesses the cell site identifier upon receiving the inter-switch handoff request from the mobile terminal.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the control system is further adapted to provide the cell site identifier to the wireless switch.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein the local wireless communications supported by the terminal adaptor comprise cordless telephone technologies.

30. The system of claim 17, wherein the local wireless communications supported by the terminal adaptor comprise 802.11 wireless local area network technologies.

31. The system of claim 17, wherein the local wireless communications supported by the terminal adaptor comprise Bluetooth technology.

32. The system of claim 17, wherein the terminal adaptor is configured to interface with a communication line connected to a wireline switch such that the terminal adapter provides a circuit-switched interface to the communication line and a local wireless interface to the mobile terminal.

33. A method for transitioning a call with a mobile terminal from a cellular connection to a local wireless connection other than a cellular connection, the method comprising:

a) receiving an inter-switch handoff request from a wireless switch supporting a call to the mobile terminal over a cellular access network, the call comprising a first connection from the wireless switch to the mobile terminal and a second connection between the wireless switch and an entity;

b) effecting establishment of an inter-switch handoff connection to the mobile terminal via a terminal adaptor, which supports local wireless communications with the mobile terminal, wherein the local wireless communications supported by the terminal adaptor comprise communications other than cellular communications;

c) providing an inter-switch handoff instruction to the wireless switch to connect the second connection and the inter-switch handoff connection to effect handoff of the call from the cellular connection to the local wireless connection, wherein the local wireless connection is not a cellular connection;

d) wherein the inter-switch handoff connection is established in part between first and second media gateways, and the first and second media gateways facilitate interworking between a cellular-based trunk and a public switched telephone network-based trunk over a packet network; and

e) wherein the terminal adaptor is configured to interface with a communication line connected to a wireline switch such that the terminal adapter provides a circuit-switched interface to the communication line and a local wireless interface to the mobile terminal.