Patent Application
20070259687
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of routing of mobile phone voice/data traffic and more particularly to a device incorporating a short range radio interface for communicating with a mobile phone having a compatible interface and communicating with a primary wireless network, the device further having a wireless communications interface to an alternative wireless network wherein voice/data traffic for the mobile phone can be routed over the alternative wireless network through the short range radio interface and wireless communications interface in the device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most mobile phones operate through a standard wireless network protocol such as GSM or CDMA through a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN). Alternative wireless networks such as Personal Handyphone Systems (PHS), WiFi, WiMax, WCDMA, cdma2000 or similar systems are very rapidly expanding in service area and capabilities. Mobile phone users are often located where the alternative wireless network may offer less expensive or better quality service for voice/data traffic. However, the calls made by users are often via their mobile phone's primary wireless network instead of the alternative wireless networks with less expensive or better QoS because of the convenience and user affinity with their mobile handset; the mobile phone is always with the user, it contains all of users contact details, and user is extremely familiar with the mobile phone's functionality etc. Many mobile phones are now dual mode incorporating a short range radio interface such as Bluetooth® for connectivity with other user devices such as personal computers and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs). Additionally, many of the alternative wireless systems provide media capabilities for users with media players such as MP3 devices and many users carry both a mobile phone and the media player for personal use.
It is therefore desirable to provide a device for automatically routing calls from a mobile phone to an alternative wireless network when the user is within range of the alternative network allowing users to enjoy the less expensive and better QoS provided by the alternative wireless network without changing their usage habits. It is also desirable that the device provide media storage, Wireless Access Protocol (WAP)/Web server, and media player service in association with the alternative wireless network for commonality of service use.
The present invention provides a method and device for routing voice/data traffic of a mobile phone over an alternative wireless network (such as PHS, or WiMax, or WCDMA, or cdma2000) via a suitable interface such as Bluetooth®. The device in certain embodiments also provides content storage, WAP/Web server, and media player functions. In an exemplary embodiment, the device incorporates a Bluetooth interface, one alternative wireless communication interface, content storage modules, WAP/Web server, and a media player (such as MP3) integrated in a single portable case. The device provides customers a cost-effective communication and entertainment solution.
The operation of a device incorporating the present invention is associated with a compatible mobile phone such as a dual /multi-mode Bluetooth mobile phone. When the user is within the radio range of the alternative wireless network that supports the wireless technology embedded in the device, the voice/data traffic of the mobile phone can be transparently routed via the device to the alternative wireless network instead of the mobile phone's primary wireless network, This routing process fulfilled in exemplary embodiments by the protocol conversion between Bluetooth protocols (such as Bluetooth CTP protocol etc) and the alternative wireless network's protocols. The additional functionality of the device provides content storage for the mobile phone, the capability to download multimedia content via the alternative wireless network, and/or the ability to act as a media player (such as an MP3 player), and/or WAP/Web server.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
The device works in association with the Bluetooth enabled mobile phone as shown in
When the user is within the radio range of wireless network that supports the alternative wireless technology (such as PHS, WiFi, WiMax, WCDMA, cdma2000) embedded in device, the outgoing calls initiated from the mobile phone can be routed over Bluetooth interface to the device, this process is controlled manually or automatically in alternative embodiments.
When an outgoing call is made by the associated mobile phone, the traffic of this outgoing call will be routed to device over the Bluetooth interface. The device handles all control protocol and content traffic to the external wireless network. The device will initiate an outgoing call to the called party through the alternative wireless network. As shown in
Similarly, when the device is within the radio range of wireless network that supports the alternative wireless technology (such as PHS in the example shown) employed by the device, the incoming calls to the wireless modules embedded in the device are routed to the mobile phone via Bluetooth interface. This routing process is alternatively fulfilled by the protocol conversion between Bluetooth protocols and the alternative wireless network's protocols.
When the user is within the radio range of the wireless network that supports the alternative wireless technology embedded in device, multimedia content (such as MP3 songs) can be pushed or pulled to the device via the wireless modules embedded in the device over the alternative wireless network. The content storage module in the device then stores the contents. An example of this process is the “PUSH” service. In use, PUSH services ‘push’ the multimedia content to the device, there is no explicit request from the user before the content provider initiates an information transfer to a user (such as using SyncML protocol etc). As shown in
When the user is not within range of the wireless network coverage that supports the alternative wireless technology embedded in the device, the outgoing calls of the mobile phone are carried over the mobile phone's primary wireless network. In this case, the device acts as a normal MP3 player, a WAP/web server, and/or an external storage for the mobile phone with data transfer between the mobile phone and the device over the Bluetooth interface. When the device is out of range of the alternative wireless network, the standby Bluetooth function is activated by the associated mobile phone or by “force” (such as manually activating the function by a button on the device) in certain embodiments. In certain embodiments, all the outgoing calls of the associated mobile phone are routed to the device first, if the device is not within range of the alternative wireless network, a “no signal available” response is provided by the device and the call is routed via the mobile phone's primary wireless network, in this case, the Bluetooth remains active, and does not need to standby.
In certain embodiments, the device employs the speaker/earphone capability of the mobile phone as the sound medium for the user to play MP3 content from the device, again using the Bluetooth interface for communication between the mobile phone and the device. This eliminates the requirement for a separate speaker or earphone attachment and associated amplifiers in the device. Additionally, the device can be configured to create a notification message on receipt of new media via the Bluetooth interface to the mobile phone to notify the user that the new media has been received. Operation of the device in concert with the mobile phone further allows use of the mobile phone LCD and keyboard as data/input interfaces for the user to the media player elements of the device. With the WAP/Web server in the device the associated mobile phone is installed as a WAP client/Web browser and the users can access the content stored in the device initiated by using the mobile phone.
For the incoming calls of the mobile phone through the primary network 32, regardless of whether the user is within the radio range of the alternative wireless network supporting device's wireless technology, the incoming calls will be carried over the mobile phone's primary wireless network.
Having now described the invention in detail as required by the patent statutes, those skilled in the art will recognize modifications and substitutions to the specific embodiments disclosed herein. Such modifications are within the scope and intent of the present invention as defined in the following claims.
