Transferring a communications exchange

• US 7,729,489 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2006
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Johnny Hsienchow, Lee, Eric HengChih, Jabbour, Fadi Ramzi, Lee, David Cheng-Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz; Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUNG HOANG JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US11/403,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20070263828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 455/462, 455/417, 455/428, 455/410, 455/411, 379/212.01, 379/201.12, 379/211.01
• US Class Current: 379/212.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2094 Proximity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80

Abstract

Methods and systems for transferring a communications exchange using a mobile handset are described. A radio frequency (RF) signal is transmitted from a mobile handset to a base station to provide a communications exchange. The communications exchange exists between the mobile handset and a first communications device. The mobile handset automatically detects a second communications device when it is in close proximity to the second communications device. The second communications device is capable of receiving a call handoff. If the mobile handset is in close proximity to the second communications device, then a transfer request including information associated with the second communications device is received from the second communications device. The transfer request is accepted and the communications exchange is seamlessly transferred to the second communications device form the mobile handset.

Claims

1. A method for transferring a call comprising:

engaging in an active call;

receiving at a transferor communication device a call transfer request from the transferee communications device to initiate a call transfer, the call transfer request comprising call transfer information, wherein the transferee or transferor communications device is;

a landline telephone, cellular telephone, wireless telephone or Voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) telephone, or combinations thereof;

wherein the transferee communications device is not engaged in the active call at a time of sending the transfer request and wherein the transferee communications device sends the transfer request responsive to detecting a physical proximity of the transferor communications device;

responsive to the transfer request, transferring the active call to the transferee communications device while maintaining the active call uninterrupted by completing the call transfer without first ending the active call on the transferor communications device or placing the active call on hold prior to transferring the active call to the transferee communications device;

wherein the transferring the active call is independent of intervention of a network switch to initiate the active call transfer;

wherein if the call is not currently active then ignoring the call transfer request from the transferee communications device;

completing the active call transfer connecting the call on the transfer call and disengaging the active call on the transferor communications device after the transfer call is connected.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising exchanging voice or image data, or combinations thereof during the active call.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the active call is transferred using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

4. A method comprising:

detecting a proximity of a communications device wherein the communications device is a landline telephone, cellular telephone, wireless telephone or Voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) telephone, or combinations thereof;

communicating a transfer request to the communications device based on the detected proximity wherein the transfer request comprises call transfer information and wherein the communicating the transfer request is independent of whether the communications device is currently engaged in a call;

transferring an active call from the communications device responsive to both the transfer request and the communications device engaging in the active call;

maintaining the active call uninterrupted during the active call transfer by executing the active call transfer without placing the active call on hold or ending the active call prior to transferring the active call while contemporaneously engaging a transfer call to initiate the active call transfer from the communications device based on the call transfer information;

wherein the transferring the active call is independent of intervention of a network switch to initiate the active call transfer;

completing the active call transfer by disengaging the active call on the communications device after the transfer call is connected; and

connecting the active call on the transfer call.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising exchanging voice or image data, or combinations thereof during the active call.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the active call is transferred using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the transfer request is communicated using Bluetooth protocol, wireless Universal Serial Bus (USB) or infrared data communications, or combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein detecting the proximity of the communications device comprises using one or more infrared signals.

9. A system for transferring a call comprising:

a first communications device comprising a detecting unit configured to automatically detect a second communications device within a threshold distance of the first communications device;

the first communications device further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit a call transfer request to the second communications device comprising call transfer information responsive to the detecting the second communications device, wherein the first communications device is configured to transmit the transfer request independent of whether the second communications device is currently engaged in a call;

the second communications device further comprising one or more logic blocks collectively configured to;

accept the transfer request responsive to the second communication device currently engaging in an active call;

communicate a consult call to the first communications device using the transfer information received from the first communications device to transfer the active call, while maintaining the active call without interrupting the active call on the second communications device during the consult call by communicating the consult call without placing the active call on hold or ending the active call prior to transferring the active call, wherein the transferring the active call is independent of intervention of a network switch to initiate the active call transfer; and

the first communications device further configured to complete the transfer of the active call by accepting the consult call prior to the second communications device disengaging from the active call;

wherein the first and second communications devices comprise any of;

a landline telephone, cellular telephone, wireless telephone or Voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) telephone, or combinations thereof.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the logic units are further configured to accept the transfer request in response to an input.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the transfer request is communicated using Bluetooth protocol, wireless Universal Serial Bus (USB) or infrared data communications, or combinations thereof.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the detecting unit detects the distance between the first communications device and the second communications device using one or more infrared signals.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the active call is transferred using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

14. A first communications device comprising:

a detector configured to automatically detect a second communications device within a particular close proximity wherein the second communications device comprises a landline telephone, cellular telephone, wireless telephone or Voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) telephone, or combinations thereof;

a transmitter configured to communicate a call transfer request upon detecting the second communications device and if the first communications device is not currently engaged in a call, the call transfer request sent independently of intervention of a network switch to initiate a call transfer, the call transfer request comprising call transfer information for the second communications device to transfer an ongoing call from the second communications device to the first communications device, wherein the transmitter is further configured to communicate the transfer request independent of whether the second communications device is currently engaged in a call; and

one or more logic blocks configured to;

automatically accept the call transfer of the ongoing call without first interrupting the ongoing call on the second communications device by placing the ongoing call on hold or ending the ongoing call prior to transferring the ongoing call; and

complete the ongoing call transfer by connecting the call transfer of the ongoing call on the first communications device and disengaging the ongoing call on the second communications device after connecting the call transfer of the ongoing call on the first communications device.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a landline telephone, cellular telephone, wireless telephone or Voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) telephone, or combinations thereof.

16. The first communications device of claim 14, wherein the call transfer request is communicated using Bluetooth protocol, wireless Universal Serial Bus (USB) or infrared data communications, or combinations thereof.

17. The first communications device of claim 14, wherein the detector is configured to use one or more infrared signals to detect the proximity to the communications device.

18. A local communications device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a call transfer request from a remote communications device wherein the remote communications device is within a predetermine close proximity of the local communications device, wherein the call transfer request comprises information for transferring the call;

one or more logic blocks configured to;

determine if a call is currently in progress on the local communications device; and

automatically accept the call transfer request responsive to detecting the call in progress, wherein if a call is not currently in progress on the local communications device then ignoring the call transfer request from the transferee communications device; and

a call transferring component configured to initiate the call transfer to the remote communications device using the information for transferring the call to transfer the call in progress to the remote communications device while maintaining the call in progress during the call transfer without placing the call in progress on hold or ending the call in progress prior to transferring the call in progress;

wherein the call transferring component is configured to transfer the call in progress independent of intervention of a network switch to initiate the transfer of the call in progress;

wherein the call transferring component is further configured to complete the transfer of the call in progress by connecting the call in progress on the remote communications device prior to disengaging the call in progress on the local communications device;

wherein the local communications device comprises;

a landline telephone, cellular telephone, wireless telephone or Voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) telephone, or combinations thereof.

19. The local communications device of claim 18, wherein the call transfer request is communicated using Bluetooth protocol, wireless Universal Serial Bus (USB) or infrared data communications, or combinations thereof.

20. The local communications device of claim 18, wherein the local call in progress is transferred using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).