Systems and methods for rapid setup of telephony communications

• US 9,198,091 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vonage America LLC (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Vonage Network LLC (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Efrati, Tzahi, Sterman, Baruch
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAGLO, EMMANUEL K
• Application Number:
  US13/836,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20140269612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 455/453, 370/338
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0011 for data sessions of end-to-end connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface

Abstract

When an incoming communication is directed to a telephony device that is capable of conducting an IP based communication via an IP telephony system and a cellular-based communication via a mobile telephony service provider, the communication is initially setup as a cellular-based communication via the mobile telephony service provider. At the same time, an IP-based communication channel is setup between the telephony device and an IP telephony system. Once the IB-based communication channel is available, the communication is transitioned from the cellular-based communication channel to the IP based communication channel.

Claims

1. A method performed by one or more processors of a telephony device for setting up a telephony communication with an IP telephony system, where the telephony device is capable of conducting an Internet protocol (IP) communication via a data network and a cellular-based communication via a mobile telephony service provider, the method comprising:

setting up a first communication path to the IP telephony system via the mobile telephony service provider and commencing the telephony communication over the first communication path;

setting up a second communication path to the IP telephony system via a data network by;

receiving a triggering communication which causes an IP software application on the telephony device to register with the IP telephony system; and

setting up an IP based communication with the IP telephony system via the data network; and

transitioning the telephony communication from the first communication path to the second communication path.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein setting up a first communication path to the IP telephony system comprises receiving an incoming cellular-based call from the IP telephony system via the mobile telephony service provider.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a triggering communication comprises receiving a push notification.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a triggering communication comprises receiving an incoming cellular-based call via the mobile telephony service provider.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a triggering communication comprises receiving an incoming cellular-based call via the mobile telephony service provider that includes predetermined caller ID information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein setting up the first communication path comprises setting up a cellular-based communication over the mobile telephony service provider, wherein setting up the second communication path comprises setting up an IP based communication with the IP telephony system via the data network, and wherein the transitioning step comprises:

conferencing together the cellular based communication and the IP based communication; and

terminating the cellular-based communication.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the transitioning step comprises playing or displaying a message to a user of the telephony device that asks if the user wishes to transition the communication from the first communication path to the second communication path.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining a quality of a data connection between the telephony device and the IP telephony system, and wherein the message that is played or displayed to the user includes information about the determined quality of the data connection.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining a quality of a cellular-based connection between the telephony device and the mobile telephony service provider, and wherein the message that is played or displayed to the user includes information about the determined quality of the cellular-based connection.

10. A system resident on a telephony device for setting up a telephony communication with an IP telephony system, where the telephony device is capable of conducting an Internet protocol (IP) communication via a data network and a cellular-based communication via a mobile telephony service provider, comprising:

means for setting up a first communication path to the IP telephony system via the mobile telephony service provider and for commencing the telephony communication over the first communication path;

means for setting up a second communication path to the IP telephony system via a data network by receiving a triggering communication which causes an IP software application on the telephony device to register with the IP telephony system, and by setting up an IP based communication with the IP telephony system via the data network; and

means for transitioning the telephony communication from the first communication path to the second communication path.

11. A system resident on a telephony device for setting up a telephony communication with an IP telephony system, where the telephony device is capable of conducting an Internet protocol (IP) communication via a data network and a cellular-based communication via a mobile telephony service provider, comprising:

a cellular communication path setup unit including at least one processor that sets up a first communication path to the IP telephony system via the mobile telephony service provider and that commences the telephony communication over the first communication path;

an IP communication path setup unit that sets up a second communication path to the IP telephony system via a data network by receiving a triggering communication which causes an IP software application on the telephony device to register with the IP telephony system, and by setting up an IP based communication with the IP telephony system via the data network; and

a communication path transition unit that transitions the telephony communication from the first communication path to the second communication path.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the cellular communication path setup unit sets up the first communication path by receiving an incoming cellular-based call from the IP telephony system via the mobile telephony service provider.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the triggering communication is a push notification.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the triggering communication is an incoming cellular-based call received via the mobile telephony service provider.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the triggering communication is an incoming cellular-based call received via the mobile telephony service provider that includes predetermined caller ID information.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the cellular communication path setup unit sets up the first communication path by setting up a cellular-based communication over the mobile telephony service provider, wherein the IP communication path setup unit sets up the second communication path by setting up an IP based communication with the IP telephony system via the data network, and wherein the communication path transition unit conferences together the cellular based communication and the IP based communication, and thereafter terminates the cellular-based communication.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the communication path transition unit causes a message to be played or displayed to a user of the telephony device that asks if the user wishes to transition the communication from the first communication path to the second communication path.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a quality monitoring unit that determines a quality of a data connection between the telephony device and the IP telephony system, and wherein the message that is played or displayed to the user includes information about the determined quality of the data connection.

19. The system of claim 17, further a quality monitoring unit that determines a quality of a cellular-based connection between the telephony device and the mobile telephony service provider, and wherein the message that is played or displayed to the user includes information about the determined quality of the cellular-based connection.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors of a telephony device, causes the telephony device to perform a method for setting up a telephony communication with an IP telephony system, the method comprising:

setting up a first communication path to the IP telephony system via the mobile telephony service provider and commencing the telephony communication over the first communication path;

setting up a second communication path to the IP telephony system via a data network by;

receiving a triggering communication which causes an IP software application on die telephony device to register with the IP telephony system; and

setting up an IP based communication with the IP telephony system via the data network; and

transitioning the telephony communication from the first communication path to the second communication path.

21. A method performed by one or more processors of a telephony device for setting up a telephony communication with an IP telephony system, where the telephony device is capable of conducting an Internet protocol (IP) communication via a data network and a cellular-based communication via a mobile telephony service provider, the method comprising:

setting up a first communication path to the IP telephony system via the mobile telephony service provider and commencing the telephony communication over the first communication path;

setting up a second communication path to the IP telephony system via a data network;

playing or displaying a message to a user of the telephony device that asks if the user wishes to transition the communication from the first communication path to the second communication path; and

transitioning the telephony communication from the first communication path to the second communication path based on a user response to the message.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising determining a quality of a data connection between the telephony device and the IP telephony system, and wherein the message that is played or displayed to the user includes information about the determined quality of the data connection.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising determining a quality of a cellular-based connection between the telephony device and the mobile telephony service provider, and wherein the message that is played or displayed to the user includes information about the determined quality of the cellular-based connection.

24. A system resident on a telephony device for setting up a telephony communication with an IP telephony system, where the telephony device is capable of conducting an Internet protocol (IP) communication via a data network and a cellular-based communication via a mobile telephony service provider, comprising:

a cellular communication path setup unit including at least one processor that sets up a first communication path to the IP telephony system via the mobile telephony service provider and that commences the telephony communication over the first communication path;

an IP communication path setup unit that sets up a second communication path to the IP telephony system via a data network; and

a communication path transition unit that transitions the telephony communication from the first communication path to the second communication path, wherein the communication path transition unit causes a message to be played or displayed to a user of the telephony device that asks if the user wishes to transition the communication from the first communication path to the second communication path.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising a quality monitoring unit that determines a quality of a data connection between the telephony device and the IP telephony system, and wherein the message that is played or displayed to the user includes information about the determined quality of the data connection.

26. The system of claim 24, further a quality monitoring unit that determines a quality of a cellular-based connection between the telephony device and the mobile telephony service provider, and wherein the message that is played or displayed to the user includes information about the determined quality of the cellular-based connection.