Simultaneous voice calls using a multi-SIM multi-active device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9351137-B2
Application number	US-201414330806-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2014
Priority date	Jul 14, 2014
Publication date	May 24, 2016
Grant date	May 24, 2016

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods for handling simultaneous calls on a multi-subscriber identification module (SIM) multi-active (MSMA) device having at least a first SIM associated with a first transceiver and a second SIM associated with a second transceiver. A processor of the MSMA device may establish a first SIM call using the first transceiver and a second SIM call using the second transceiver while the first SIM call is active. The processor may also establish a direct wireless link to a second mobile communication device using a third transceiver. The processor may maintain both the first and second SIM calls active simultaneously by handling the first SIM call using an input/output device of the MSMA device and relaying the second SIM call to the second communication device via the direct wireless link.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of handling simultaneous calls on a multi-subscriber identification module (multi-SIM) multi-active (MSMA) device having at least a first subscriber identification module (SIM) associated with a first transceiver and a second SIM associated with a second transceiver, comprising:
establishing a first SIM call using the first transceiver;
establishing a second SIM call using the second transceiver while the first SIM call is active;
establishing a direct wireless link to a second mobile communication device using a third transceiver;
maintaining simultaneously active both the first and second SIM calls by relaying one of the first and second SIM calls to the second mobile communication device via the direct wireless link and using an input/output device of the MSMA device for the other of the first and second SIM calls; and
in response to one of the first SIM call or the second SIM call terminating, prompting a user regarding how to manage the other one of the first SIM call or the second SIM call that was not terminated.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein establishing the direct wireless link includes pairing the second mobile communication device with the MSMA device before establishing the second SIM call.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein establishing the direct wireless link includes pairing the second mobile communication device with the MSMA device in response to establishing the second SIM call.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the direct wireless link is a Bluetooth communication link between the MSMA device and the second mobile communication device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the direct wireless link is a Wi-Fi communication link between the MSMA device and the second mobile communication device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input/output device of the MSMA device is an onboard microphone and an onboard speaker of the MSMA device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input/output device of the MSMA device is a remote device coupled to the MSMA device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first SIM call and the second SIM call is an incoming voice call received by the MSMA device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first SIM call and the second SIM call is an outgoing voice call initiated from the MSMA device.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein establishing the second SIM call using the second transceiver while the first SIM call is active comprises:
receiving the second SIM call while the first SIM call is maintained active;
prompting the user regarding at least one of the first and second SIM calls; and
receiving a user input regarding simultaneously maintaining active both the first and second SIM calls,
wherein the second SIM call is established in response to the received user input electing to accept the second SIM call and maintain the first SIM call active.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a user input selecting one of the MSMA device and the second mobile communication device to use for the second SIM call, wherein the one of the first and second SIM calls is relayed to the second mobile communication device based on the received user input.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting an incoming call signal to the second mobile communication device over the direct wireless link; and
receiving a call acceptance signal from the second mobile communication device in response to transmitting the incoming call signal,
wherein relaying the one of the first and second SIM calls to the second mobile communication device via the direct wireless link is in response to receiving the call acceptance signal from the second mobile communication device.

13. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein prompting the user regarding how to manage the other one of the first SIM call or the second SIM call that was not terminated includes prompting the user regarding whether to establish a communication feed between the second transceiver and the input/output device of the MSMA device for handling the second SIM call.

14. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein prompting the user regarding how to manage the other one of the first SIM call or the second SIM call that was not terminated includes prompting the user regarding whether to maintain active the other one of the first SIM call or the second SIM call that was not terminated using both the input/output device of the MSMA device and the second mobile communication device via the direct wireless link.

15. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein prompting the user regarding how to manage the other one of the first SIM call or the second SIM call includes prompting the user regarding whether to terminate the other one of the first SIM call or the second SIM call that was not terminated.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third transceiver communicates using a type of protocol that is different from that of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

17. A multi-subscriber identification module (multi-SIM) device, comprising:
a first transceiver;
a second transceiver;
a third transceiver;
an input/output device; and
a processor coupled to the first transceiver, the second transceiver, the third transceiver, and the input/output device, and configured to be coupled to a first subscriber identification module (SIM), and a second SIM, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to:
establish a first SIM call using the first transceiver;
establish a second SIM call using the second transceiver while the first SIM call is active;
establish a direct wireless link to a second mobile communication device using the third transceiver;
maintain simultaneously active both the first and second SIM calls by relaying one of the first and second SIM calls to the second mobile communication device via the direct wireless link and using the input/output device for the other of the first and second SIM calls; and
in response to one of the first SIM call or the second SIM call terminating, prompting a user regarding how to manage the other one of the first SIM call or the second SIM call that was not terminated.

18. The multi-SIM device of claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured with processor executable instructions to establish the direct wireless link by pairing the second mobile communication device with the multi-SIM device before establishing the second SIM call.

19. The multi-SIM device of claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured with processor executable instructions to establish the direct wireless link by pairing the second mobile communication device with the multi-SIM device in response to establishing the second SIM call.

20. The multi-SIM device of claim 17 , wherein prompting the user regarding how to manage the other one of the first SIM call or the second SIM call that was not terminated includes prompting the user regarding whether to establish a communication feed between the second transceiver and the input/output device of the MSMA device for handling the second SIM call.

21. The multi-SIM device of claim 17 , wherein prompting the user regarding how to manage the other one of the first SIM call or the second SIM call that was not terminated includes prompting the user regarding whether to maintain active the other one of the first SIM call or the second SIM call that was not terminated using both the input/output device of the MSMA device a

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Kasilya Sudarsan Vishnu Vardhan
• Sahu Debesh Kumar
• Devnani Vishvadeep

Classifications

• H04W76/15

  Setup of multiple wireless link connections · CPC title

• H04M2250/66

  user interface aspects for indicating selection options for a communication line · CPC title

• H04M2250/62

  user interface aspects of conference calls · CPC title

• H04W88/06

  adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals · CPC title

• H04W88/04

  adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user · CPC title