Method and apparatus for migrating active communication session between terminals

1. A network proxy, comprising:

a network proxy communications interface;

a memory that stores executable instructions; and

a processing system including a processor coupled to the memory and in communication with the network proxy communications interface, wherein the processing system, responsive to executing the instructions, performs operations comprising:

receiving, at the network proxy communications interface, a request that is transmitted from a first terminal or a third terminal to migrate active communications with a second terminal from the first terminal to the third terminal while active communications are taking place on a first voice channel connecting the first terminal to the second terminal,

wherein the first terminal and the third terminal are remote from the network proxy communications interface,

wherein the request is responsive to a user-generated input detected at the one of the first terminal or the third terminal without an automatic detection by the first terminal or the third terminal,

wherein the request includes an identifier of the third terminal, and

wherein the first terminal obtains the identifier from the third terminal responsive to the input detected at the one of the first terminal or the third terminal using short-range communications via a first radio frequency identification device at the first terminal and a second radio frequency identification device at the third terminal;

initiating a network origination call to the third terminal via a second voice channel responsive to the receiving of the request and the identifier of the third terminal from the first terminal;

facilitating a connection of the first and second voice channels by way of a communications bridge; and

contemporaneous with a detection at the third terminal of an acceptance of the network origination call, terminating, without additional user-generated input required at the first terminal or the third terminal, a connection between the first terminal and the first voice channel, thereby releasing the first voice channel connecting the first terminal and the second terminal;

receiving a conferencing request transmitted from a fourth terminal to connect the fourth terminal to the second voice channel;

establishing a third voice channel with the fourth terminal; and

facilitating a connection of the second and third voice channels,

wherein the connection of the second and third voice channels is performed while active communications are taking place on the second voice channel.

2. The network proxy of claim 1 , wherein the request comprises a dual tone multi frequency signal.

3. The network proxy of claim 1 , wherein the network proxy operates as an internet protocol multimedia subsystem.

4. The network proxy of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting a completion signal to the third terminal indicating that the third terminal can engage in communications with the second terminal.

5. The network proxy of claim 1 , wherein the conferencing request includes an identifier of the fourth terminal.

6. The network proxy of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving the conferencing request from one among the second terminal, the third terminal or the fourth terminal.

7. The network proxy of claim 6 , wherein the conferencing request conforms to a protocol selected from a group of protocols consisting of signaling system 7, session initiation protocol, H.323, and combinations thereof.

8. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions, which, responsive to being executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising:

receiving a request from a first terminal or a third terminal to migrate active communications with a second terminal from the first terminal to the third terminal,

wherein the request is responsive to a user-generated input detected at the first terminal or the third terminal without an automatic detection by the first terminal or the third terminal,

wherein the request includes an identifier of the third terminal, and

wherein the first terminal obtains the identifier from the third terminal responsive to the input detected at the one of the first terminal or the third terminal using short-range communications via a first radio frequency identification device at the first terminal and a second radio frequency identification device at the third terminal;

migrating the active communications of the first terminal engaged in the active communications over a first voice channel with the second terminal to the third terminal by facilitating a connection of the third terminal to the first voice channel by way of a communications bridge responsive to the first terminal detecting a presence of the third terminal, wherein the first terminal and the third terminal are remote from the processor; and

contemporaneous with a detection at the third terminal of the migrating of the active communications, terminating connection of the first terminal to the first voice channel without additional user-generated input required at the first terminal or the third terminal;

receiving a conferencing request from a fourth terminal to connect the fourth terminal to the first voice channel; and

facilitating a connection of the fourth terminal to the first voice channel,

wherein the connection of the fourth terminal to the first voice channel is performed while active communications are taking place on the first voice channel.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the request to migrate the first terminal to the third terminal comprises a short message service message.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the short message service message is received from the first terminal.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the short message service message is received from the third terminal.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:

transmitting to one among the second terminal and the third terminal a signal corresponding to the conferencing request to connect the fourth terminal to the first voice channel;

wherein the connection of the fourth terminal to the first voice channel is facilitated upon receiving a conference acceptance signal from one among the second terminal and the third terminal.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving the conferencing request from one among the second terminal and the third terminal by way of the first voice channel.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:

transmitting a network originating call to the third terminal to establish a second voice channel with the third terminal; and

facilitating a connection of the second voice channel to the first voice channel by way of the communications bridge upon detecting an acceptance of the network originating call by the third terminal.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions, which, responsive to being executed by a processing system including a processor of a first terminal, facilitate to performance of operations comprising:

communicating with a second terminal over a first communications channel;

detecting a user-generated input of the first terminal or a third terminal without an automatic detection by the first terminal or the third terminal;

receiving an identifier of the third terminal responsive to the detecting of the input, wherein the identifier is received using short-range communications via a first radio frequency identification device at the first terminal and a second radio frequency identification device at the third terminal; and

responsive to detecting the input, sending a request with the identifier of the third terminal from the first terminal to a network proxy to migrate active communications with a second terminal from the first terminal to the third terminal by facilitating a connection of the third terminal to the first communications channel by way of a communications bridge;

contemporaneous with a detection at the third terminal of an acceptance of the connection of the third terminal, terminating a connection between the first terminal and the first communications channel without additional user-generated input required at the first terminal or the third terminal, wherein the first terminal and the third terminal are remote from the network proxy;

receiving a conferencing request from a fourth terminal to connect the fourth terminal to the first communications channel; and

facilitating a connection of the fourth terminal to the first communications channel,

wherein the connection of the fourth terminal to the first communications channel is performed while active communications are taking place on the first communications channel.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the first terminal comprises one among a plain old telephone service communication device, a voice over internet protocol communication device, and a wireless communication device.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the request to migrate is based on an out-of-band message.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the out-of-band message comprises a short message service message.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the request is made by the third terminal.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:

presenting to equipment of an end user of the first terminal a notice received from the network proxy indicating that migration is ready to be executed;

receiving a migration acceptance message from the end user; and

transmitting the migration acceptance message to the network proxy by way of a short message service directing the network proxy to complete the migration from the first to the third terminal.