APPARATUS, AND ASSOCIATED METHOD, BY WHICH TO SELECT PACKET COMMUNICATION SERVICE PROVIDER AT ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20120250609A1
• Filed: 03/30/2011
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: George, Richard John, Oliver, Brian Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 9,351,235 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42289 with carrierprovider selection by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/17 Selecting a data network PoA [Point of Attachment]

Abstract

An apparatus, and an associated method, permits a user to select a VoIP, or other packet-communication, service provider to be used pursuant to VoIP, or other packet-communication, services. Selection is made at a wireless device. The selection is communicated to a network entity, and the network entity integrates operations such that subsequent services are provided by way of the selected service provider.

Claims

1. An apparatus for an electronic device having packet communication capability, the apparatus comprising:

a selector configured to provide for selection of a packet-communication service provider of a set of permitted packet-communication service providers to be an active packet-communication service provider pursuant to which to perform the packet-communication service;

a selection indication generator configured to generate a selection indication message indicating selection of the packet-communication service provider of the set provided by the selector to be the active packet-communication service provider; and

a detector configured to detect a service-line-related response to the selection indication message.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the selector comprises a user interface that provides for the selection of the packet communication service of the set of permitted packet-communication services.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the user interface further comprises a display screen configured to display the set of permitted packet-communication services.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the set of permitted packet-communication service providers comprises an electronic-device-supplier-provided set.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the set of permitted packet-communication service providers comprises a system-supported set.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the selector is configured to provide for selection of a VoIP, Voiceover Internet Protocol, service provider of a set of permitted VoIP service providers.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the selection indication generator is configured to generate a wireless-network-optimized signal message, the wireless-network-optimized signal message formed using a wireless-network-optimized signal message formed using a wireless-network-optimized protocol.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the service-line-related response is formed utilizing a wireless-network-optimized protocol.

9. An apparatus for facilitating a wireless-device packet-communication service, the apparatus comprising:

a detector configured to detect indication of a wireless-device selection of a selected packet-communication service provider, selected from amongst a set of permitted packet-communication-service providers;

an integrator configured to provide wireless-device integration with the selected packet-communication-service provider and to cause selected communications to be performed by way of the selected packet-communication service provider.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the detector is configured to detect a wireless-device selection of a selected VoIP, Voice over Internet Protocol, service provider.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the integrator is configured to provide the wireless-device integration with the selected packet-communication service using signaling of a signaling set.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the integrator is further configured to cause wireless-device registration to the selected wireless-device service.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the integrator is further configured to provide wireless-device provisioning.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the wireless-device integration provides direct wireless-device connection with the selected packet-communication service provider.

15. A method for providing a packet communication service at an electronic device, the method comprising:

detecting selection of a packet-communication-service provider of a set of permitted packet-communication-service providers to be an active packet-communication service provider pursuant to which to perform the packet-communication service; and

generating a selection indication message indicating selection of the packet-communication service provider detected during the detecting to be the active packet-communication service provider.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising detecting a service-line-related response to the selection indication message generated during the generating.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the detecting selection further comprises detecting selection of a select VoIP, Voice over Internet Protocol, service provider.

18. A method for facilitating a wireless-device packet-communication service, the method comprising:

detecting an indication of a wireless-device selection of a selected packet-communication service provider from amongst a set of permitted packet-communication service providers; and

providing wireless-device integration with the selected packet-communication-service provider to cause selected communications to be performed by way of the selected packet-communication service provider.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the providing wireless-device integration comprises using signaling of a signaling set.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the providing wireless-device integration further comprises providing wireless-device provisioning.