Method and apparatus for providing seamless call handoff between networks that use dissimilar transmission methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9554318-B2
Application number	US-201414263608-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2014
Priority date	Dec 19, 2003
Publication date	Jan 24, 2017
Grant date	Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

Call handoff from an 802.1x network to a cellular network, and vice versa. A wireless device that has both cellular and 802.1x capability detects the strength of a cellular signal and of an 802.1x signal. If a call is taking place over the 802.1x network and the strength of the 802.1x signal drops below a particular level and the strength of the cellular signal is above a certain level, the call is handed off from the 802.1x network to the cellular network. If a call is taking place over the cellular network and the cellular signal strength drops below a certain level while the 802.1x signal strength is above a certain level, the call is handed off from the cellular network to the 802.1x network. In addition, the user of the wireless device can manually initiate the handoff by actuating a handoff selector of the wireless device.

First claim

I claim:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a processor, a first signal strength associated with a first connection between a wireless device and a cellular network, a second signal strength associated with a second connection between the wireless device and an 802.1 x network, and a value associated with a selector of the wireless device;
determining, by the processor, if the second signal strength exceeds a sum of the first signal strength and the value;
if a determination is made that the second signal strength exceeds the sum of the first signal strength and the value, causing, by the processor, the wireless device to communicate via the second connection; and
if a determination is made that the second signal strength does not exceed the sum of the first signal strength and the value, causing, by the processor, the wireless device to communicate via the first connection.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the value is adjusted using the selector, and wherein the selector comprises a switch.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the value is adjusted to prevent a handoff from the second connection and the first connection.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the wireless device to connect via the second connection comprises causing the second connection to be maintained.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising in response to determining that a call session is active, receiving the first signal strength and the second signal strength.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the wireless device to connect via the first connection comprises causing the second connection to be maintained.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising in response to determining that a call session is active via the second connection, receiving the first signal strength and the second signal strength.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a selection indicating an override request from the wireless device.

9. A system comprising:
a processor; and
a memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising
receiving a first signal strength associated with a first connection between a wireless device and a cellular network, a second signal strength associated with a second connection between the wireless device and an 802.1x network, and a value associated with a selector of the wireless device,
determining if the second signal strength exceeds a sum of the first signal strength and the value,
if a determination is made that the second signal strength exceeds the sum of the first signal strength and the value, causing the wireless device to communicate via the second connection; and
if a determination is made that the second signal strength does not exceed the sum of the first signal strength and the value, causing the wireless device to communicate via the first connection.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the value is adjusted using the selector, and wherein the selector comprises a switch.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the value is adjusted to prevent a handoff from the second connection and the first connection.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the value prevents handoffs from the first connection to the second connection and from the second connection to the first connection.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the selector comprises a hardware selector switch located at the wireless device.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein causing the wireless device to connect via the second connection comprises causing the second connection to be maintained.

15. The system of claim 9 , further comprising in response to determining that a call session is active via the second connection, receiving the first signal strength and the second signal strength.

16. A method comprising:
receiving, by a processor, a first signal strength associated with a first connection between a wireless device and a cellular network, a second signal strength associated with a second connection between the wireless device and an 802. 1x network, and a value associated with a selector of the wireless device;
determining, by the processor, if the second signal strength exceeds a sum of the first signal strength and the value; and
if a determination is made that the second signal strength exceeds the sum of the first signal strength and the value, causing, by the processor, the wireless device to communicate via the second connection.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the value is adjusted using the selector, and wherein the selector comprises a switch located at the wireless device.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the value is adjusted to prevent a handoff from the second connection.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the value comprises an override request from the wireless device.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein causing the wireless device to connect via the second connection comprises causing the second connection to be maintained.

Assignees

• At & T Mobility Ii Llc

Inventors

• Enzmann Mark J

Classifications

• H04W36/30

  by measured or perceived connection quality data · CPC title

• H04W36/24 Primary

  Reselection being triggered by specific parameters · CPC title

• H04W36/14

  Reselecting a network or an air interface · CPC title

• H04W36/0022 Primary

  for transferring data sessions between adjacent core network technologies · CPC title

• H04W36/302

  due to low signal strength · CPC title