System for Providing Mobile VoIP

Abstract

A system for providing handoff for a mobile devices comprising a mobile phone programmed to automatically handover between differing data bearers and to optimally detect those bearers in a roaming environment keeping power consumption to a minimum. Repeating means for these mobile devices to extend the range of coverage and the protocol for that coverage.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A telecommunications system capable of sending data from a mobile unit to an intended recipient comprising:
 a mobile unit; said mobile unit being capable of transmitting a communication to said intended recipient using a WLAN and a WWAN;   an access point capable of receiving said communication from said mobile unit; said access point being connected to a communication network; said communication network being capable of transmitting said communication to the intended recipient;   wherein said communication is transmitted to said access point from said mobile unit to be transmitted to said intended recipient through a communication path on said communication network; said communication being encoded into IP before being transmitted to said communication network when said communication path comprises a WLAN.   
     
     
         2 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said communication is encoded into IP before being transmitted to said communication network when said communication path comprises a WWAN and said WWAN is capable of transmitting data using a separate data channel. 
     
     
         3 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said communication is not encoded into IP before being transmitted to said communication network when said communication path comprises a WWAN and said WWAN is not capable of transmitting data using a separate data channel. 
     
     
         4 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said communication is a person's voice and said IP is VoIP. 
     
     
         5 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 3  wherein said system determines whether said communication path comprises said WLAN or said WWAN based on least cost routing algorithms. 
     
     
         6 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 5  wherein said least cost algorithm is computed to minimize the inter-network transcoding steps. 
     
     
         7 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 5  wherein said system is capable of handing off the transmission of said communication between different communication paths seamlessly. 
     
     
         8 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 5  wherein said system is capable of handing off the transmission of said communication between different communication paths in a manner to appear seamless. 
     
     
         9 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said mobile unit further comprises an audio processing layer that is independent of, and capable of interacting with, multiple radio communication paths to maintain consistent audio quality. 
     
     
         10 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said handoff is accomplished by maintaining at least two radio links simultaneously. 
     
     
         11 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 9 , wherein handoff is between a WLAN and a WWAN. 
     
     
         12 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said mobile unit makes said determination. 
     
     
         13 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said access point is a PC. 
     
     
         14 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said transmission between said mobile unit and said access point can utilize a Bluetooth data channel to improve error correction and increase range. 
     
     
         15 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said mobile unit is capable of transmitting data to said access point using Bluetooth and wi-fi; said system determining which one to use based on considerations of power consumption and quality of service. 
     
     
         16 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said handoff is controlled by said mobile unit. 
     
     
         17 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said handoff is accomplished by using a conference bridge. 
     
     
         18 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said mobile unit initiates a connection to the conference bridge. 
     
     
         19 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said system is capable of performing authentication based on the communication path used. 
     
     
         20 . A telecommunications system comprising:
 a mobile unit; said mobile unit having a transmitter;   an access point, in radio communication with said mobile unit; said access point having a data receiver to receive data from said mobile unit and a data transmitter to transmit data to a communication network; said communication network being capable of communicating with an intended recipient;   wherein a communication is received by said mobile unit and is transmitted to a session initiation server to be communicated to said intended recipient through a communication path on said communication network when said communication path comprises a WLAN.   
     
     
         21 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said session initiation server is based on the SIP standard. 
     
     
         22 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said communication is transmitted to said session initiation server when said communication path comprises a WWAN and said WWAN is capable of transmitting data using a separate data channel 
     
     
         23 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said communication is not transmitted to a session initiation server when said communication path comprises a WWAN and said WWAN is not capable of transmitting data using a separate data channel. 
     
     
         24 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said session initiation server is located on said mobile unit. 
     
     
         25 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said access point is in radio communication with said mobile unit via a repeater. 
     
     
         26 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 25 , wherein said repeater comprises two or more WLANs configured to minimize interference. 
     
     
         27 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 25 , wherein said repeater can interconnect between WLANs. 
     
     
         28 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 25 , wherein said repeater utilizes diversity. 
     
     
         29 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 25 , wherein said repeater may connect to a wired phone system. 
     
     
         30 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 25 , wherein said repeater maintains contact with said session initiation server allowing incoming calls. 
     
     
         31 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said system is capable of discovering the communication paths that are available between said mobile unit and said intended recipient. 
     
     
         32 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the parameters of the communication paths discovered for a location are stored in said session initiation server. 
     
     
         33 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the mobile unit and Access Point respond to a discovery request with its identity and routing parameters. 
     
     
         34 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 32 , wherein said mobile unit senses the resources available at a particular location to determine the available communication paths for said location and said available communication paths are stored in said session initiation server for that location. 
     
     
         35 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the mobile unit is capable of entering a sleep mode when not connected to a WLAN; said mobile unit being capable of exiting said sleep mode to receive a communication from a WLAN in response to a signal received by said mobile unit through WWAN. 
     
     
         36 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the session initiation server can emulate the UMA protocol. 
     
     
         37 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the Access Point can transcode to a different protocol. 
     
     
         38 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the mobile unit is capable of playing games while simultaneously communicating to said session initiation server. 
     
     
         39 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the mobile unit is capable of playing music under control of said session initiation server. 
     
     
         40 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said mobile unit further comprises a digital signal processor capable of processing digital signals within said mobile unit. 
     
     
         41 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 40 , wherein said digital signal processor is utilized in encoding said communication into IP. 
     
     
         42 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said mobile unit is programmable. 
     
     
         43 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said radio communication may be via an unmodified WLAN Access Point. 
     
     
         44 . A telecommunications system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said mobile unit compresses the audio prior to transmission over the radio network. 
     
     
         45 . A method for sending data from a mobile unit to an intended recipient, comprising the steps of:
 receiving a person's communication in a mobile unit;   transmitting said communication to an access point that is connected to a network; said network being in communication with said intended recipient;   transmitting said communication over a path on said network to the intended recipient; said communication being encoded into IP when said path comprises a WLAN; said communication being encoded into IP when said path comprises a WWAN that is capable of sending data over a separate data channel; said communication being not encoded into IP when said path comprises a WWAN that is not capable of sending data over a separate data channel; and   determining whether said path comprises said WLAN or said WWAN based on least cost routing algorithms.