Fixed-mobile communications with mid-session mode switching

• US 20060072542A1
• Filed: 08/12/2005
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Johnston, Alan B., Sinnreich, Heinrich
• Granted Patent: US 7,602,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/351
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2854 Wide area networks, e.g. public data networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1086 session scope modification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/36 by user or terminal equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• 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

Abstract

A method for performing mode-agile communications during a communications session is disclosed. A communications terminal device supporting multiple modes of access is configured to determine when, during a session involving a first mode of access communications, a second mode of access is available and is to be used for subsequent communications for the session. The communications terminal device initiates or controls switchover from one mode of access to another.

Claims

1. A method for conducting a communications session involving a communication terminal device accessing a network, the method comprising:

at the communication terminal device, conducting communications corresponding to the session via a first mode of access;

determining, at the communication terminal device, that a second mode of access is available to be used for the communications corresponding to the session;

from the communication terminal device, sending indication to the network that the second mode of access is to be used; and

at the communication terminal device, conducting subsequent communications corresponding to the session using the second mode of access.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising,

contemporaneously with conducting communications using the second mode of access, discontinuing communications using the first mode of access.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the sending indication to the network causes the network to take action to conduct the subsequent communications corresponding to the session using the second mode of access.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the session is substantially maintained in an active state as the session is transitioned from using the first mode of access to the second mode of access.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the conducting the subsequent communications corresponding to the session using the second mode of access is conditionally performed responsive to detecting at the communication terminal device whether communications via the second mode of access have been successfully established.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication terminal device is capable of functioning as a wireless mobile communication device.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the wireless mobile communication device is a dual-mode device configured to perform mobile telephony communications and to perform wireless local area network communications.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication terminal device is configured to be communicably coupled to a wired local area network and to employ the local area network as a mode of access.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second modes of access comprise wireless communications and the first mode of access employs transmissions in a different radio frequency band than that of the second mode of access.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second modes of access comprise wireless communications and the first mode of access employs transmissions complying with a different transmission protocol than that of the second mode of access.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

during the session, providing indication to a user, via the communication terminal device, that the second mode of access will be used for subsequent communications.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing to a user, via the communication terminal device, an indication that communications using the second mode of access have been successfully established.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving indication from the user as to whether the second mode of access is accepted by the user and, in response, conducting subsequent communications corresponding to the session using the second mode of access.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

conveying, to the user via the communication terminal device, information pertaining to at least one of the first mode of access or the second mode of access to enable the user to decide whether the second mode of access is acceptable.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the conducting subsequent communications corresponding to the session using the second mode of communications is conditionally performed based upon whether an attribute of the second mode of access meets a criterion established set by the user prior to the session being initiated.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the criterion is persistently stored in the communication terminal device.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the attribute is evaluated with respect to the criterion by the communication terminal device during the session.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the conducting subsequent communications corresponding to the session using the second mode of access is conditionally performed subject to a preset authorization set by the user to allow for mid-session access mode switching.

13. The method of claim further comprising:

during the session, providing indication to a user, via the communication terminal device, that the second mode of access is available.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the indication to the user is provided via at least one of an audible signal, a visual signal or a mechanical motion exhibited by the communication terminal device.

21. A communication terminal device for conducting a communications session by accessing a network, the method comprising:

means for conducting communications corresponding to the session via a first mode of access;

means for determining that a second mode of access is available to be used for the communications corresponding to the session;

means for sending indication to the network that the second mode of access is to be used; and

means for conducting subsequent communications corresponding to the session using the second mode of access.

22. The communication terminal device of claim 21 wherein the means for sending indication to the network comprises means for sending a SIP INVITE message to the network during the session.

23. A method in a communications network for conducting a communications session involving a communications terminal device, the method comprising:

conducting communications corresponding to the session via a first mode of access between the network and the device;

receiving indication from the device that a second mode of access between the network and the device is to be used for subsequent communications corresponding to the session; and

conducting subsequent communications corresponding to the session using the second mode of access between the network and the device.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein a degree of mobility of the device enabled by the first mode of access is substantially different than the mobility enabled by the second mode of access.