Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for implementing bi-directional soft handovers between wireless networks via media gateway control

US6889045B2 · kind B2 · utility

31Cited by
10References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 26, 2002
Grant dateMay 3, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 10, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04W36/18
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus that enables handover of a mobile station between a cellular network and a wireless network without control intervention from the cellular network and independent of employed air interface technology. The signaling and control of a switch, for example SS7 messaging, is not required to achieve the handovers implemented by the present invention. In particular, a call is connected (504) between a mobile station (202) and a remote station (204) through a media gateway (210). The media gateway is connected to the mobile station via a first connection line and to the remote station via a second connection line. Next, a communication directed to a predetermined number by the mobile station is received (520) or, in the alternative, a connection signal that includes a call header is sent to the mobile station. A third connection line between the media gateway and the mobile station is then established (524). Thereafter, communication between the media gateway and the mobile station is handed-over (526, 528) from the first connection line to the third connection line.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.