Call forwarding methods and apparatus for mobile communication devices which operate in wwans and wlans

Abstract

A mobile device has a telephone number for calling the mobile device in a cellular network, and a SIP identity for calling the mobile device in the WLAN. The mobile device operates in the WLAN to receive voice call services, where voice calls directed to the telephone number are call forwarded to the SIP identity. Subsequently, the mobile device operates in the cellular network to receive the voice call services. The mobile device sends, via the cellular network, a message for cancelling the call forwarding of voice calls. The mobile device also sends, via a data communication service of the cellular network, a message for call forwarding voice calls directed to the SIP identity of the mobile device to the telephone number of the mobile device operating in the cellular network.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A method for use by a mobile device in facilitating voice calls via a wireless local area network (WLAN) or a cellular network, the mobile device having a telephone number for calling the mobile device in the cellular network and a SIP identity for calling the mobile device in the WLAN, the method comprising:
 operating in the WLAN to receive voice call services, where voice calls directed to the telephone number of the mobile device are call forwarded to the SIP identity of the mobile device operating in the WLAN;   sending, via the cellular network, a message for cancelling the call forwarding of voice calls directed to the telephone number of the mobile device to the SIP identity of the mobile device;   sending, via a data communication service of the cellular network, a message for call forwarding voice calls directed to the SIP identity of the mobile device to the telephone number of the mobile device operating in the cellular network; and   operating in the cellular network to receive the voice call services.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein while operating in the cellular network to receive the voice call services, voice calls directed to the SIP identity the mobile device are call forwarded to the telephone number of the mobile device operating in the cellular network. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the data communication service comprises a packet data service. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the WLAN comprises an IEEE 802.11-based wireless network. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein an association is made between the SIP identity and a home location register (HLR) of the cellular network for the forwarding of voice calls. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein an association is made between the cellular telephone number and a location server for the forwarding of voice calls directed to the SIP identity of the mobile device to the telephone number of the mobile device operating in the cellular network. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the sending of the message for call forwarding voice calls further comprises sending the message for call forwarding to a location server. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the sending of the message for call forwarding voice calls further comprises sending the message to a location server in the WLAN. 
     
     
         18 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a non-transitory computer readable medium;   computer instructions stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium;   the computer instructions being executable by one or more processors of a mobile device for facilitating voice calls via a wireless local area network (WLAN) or a cellular network, the mobile device having a telephone number for calling the mobile device in the cellular network and a SIP identity for calling the mobile device in the WLAN, the computer instructions being executable for:
 operating the mobile device in the WLAN to receive voice call services, where voice calls directed to the telephone number of the mobile device are call forwarded to the SIP identity of the mobile device operating in the WLAN; 
 sending, via the cellular network, a message for cancelling the call forwarding of voice calls directed to the telephone number of the mobile device to the SIP identity of the mobile device; 
 sending, via a data communication service of the cellular network, a message for call forwarding voice calls directed to the SIP identity of the mobile device to the telephone number of the mobile device operating in the cellular network; and 
 operating the mobile device in the cellular network to receive the voice call services. 
   
     
     
         19 . A mobile device, comprising:
 a first wireless transceiver portion configured for wireless communications via a wireless local area network (WLAN);   a second wireless transceiver portion configured for wireless communications via a cellular network;   one or more processors coupled to the first and the second wireless transceiver portions;   the one or more processors being configured to process voice calls of the mobile device via the WLAN or the cellular network, the mobile device having a telephone number for calling the mobile device in the cellular network and a SIP identity for calling the mobile device in the WLAN, the one or more processors being further configured for:
 operating the mobile device in the WLAN to receive voice call services, where voice calls directed to the telephone number of the mobile device are call forwarded to the SIP identity of the mobile device operating in the WLAN; 
 sending, through the second wireless transceiver portion via the cellular network, a message for cancelling the call forwarding of voice calls directed to the telephone number of the mobile device to the SIP identity of the mobile device; 
 sending, through the second wireless transceiver portion via a data communication service of the cellular network, a message for call forwarding voice calls directed to the SIP identity of the mobile device to the telephone number of the mobile device operating in the cellular network; and 
 operating the mobile device in the cellular network to receive the voice call services, 
   
     
     
         20 . The mobile device of  claim 19 , wherein while operating in the cellular network to receive the voice call services, voice calls directed to the SIP identity the mobile device are call forwarded to the telephone number o the mobile device operating in the cellular network. 
     
     
         21 . The mobile device of  claim 19 , wherein the data communication service comprises a packet data service. 
     
     
         22 . The mobile device of  claim 19 , wherein the WLAN comprises an IEEE 802.11-based wireless network. 
     
     
         23 . The mobile device of  claim 19 , wherein an association is made between the SIP identity and a home location register (HLR) of the cellular network for the forwarding of voice calls. 
     
     
         24 . The mobile device of  claim 19 , wherein an association is made between the cellular telephone number and a location server for the forwarding of voice calls directed to the SIP identity of the mobile device to the telephone number of the mobile device operating in the cellular network. 
     
     
         25 . The mobile device of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more processors are configured for sending of the message for call forwarding voice calls by sending the message for call forwarding to a location server. 
     
     
         26 . The mobile device of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more processors are configured for sending the message for call forwarding voice calls by sending the message to a location server in the WLAN.