Granted Patent B2

US 7,974,625 · App. 11/805,046 · Granted Jul 5, 2011

Abstract

Claims (49)

1. A method for operating a wireless communication connection, having a first stationary radio transmitting/radio receiving device operating according to a first standard defining local area networks and providing a first coverage area of a local area network, and a second stationary radio transmitting/radio receiving device operating according to a second standard and providing a second radio coverage area, wherein the first and second radio coverage areas at least partially overlap, the method comprising:

at a mobile radio transmitting/radio receiving device operable according to the first and the second standards:

measuring a variable indicating a quality of a radio connection operating according to the first standard, and

transmitting a first message including a measurement result from the measuring of the variable and topology information relating to a local area network, the message transmitted to a central interface device located between the local area network and a switched telephone network;

deciding, by the central interface device, if a changeover of an existing voice data communication connection from the first radio coverage area to the second radio coverage area should occur at least based on the first message;

transmitting, by the central interface device, a second message to the mobile radio transmitting/radio receiving device suggesting a changeover of the existing voice data communication connection from the first radio coverage area to the second radio coverage area;

receiving the second message by the mobile radio transmitting/radio receiving device;

the mobile radio transmitting/radio receiving device evaluating information stored in the mobile radio transmitting/radio receiving device to determine whether the changeover suggested via the second message should be performed;

if the mobile radio transmitting/radio receiving device determines that the suggested changeover should occur, the mobile radio transmitting/radio receiving device initiating the changeover; and

if mobile radio transmitting/radio receiving device determines that the suggested changeover should not occur, the mobile radio transmitting/radio receiving device does not initiate the suggested changeover; and

wherein the first standard is different from the second standard.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the variable indicating the quality of a radio connection operating according to the first standard is a receive field strength measurement.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second standard is a GSM standard and the first standard is IEEE 802.11 or a derivative thereof.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the mobile radio transmitting/radio receiving device prioritizing a voice data transmission according to the first standard and wherein the measurement result is determined on a repetitive cyclical basis and wherein the transmission of the first message is repeated on a cyclical basis.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

the mobile radio transmitting/radio receiving device displaying to a user a message to notify the user of the changeover suggested by the central interface device and subsequently receiving user input that identifies whether the mobile radio transmitting/radio receiving device should initiate the suggested changeover, the user input being at least a portion of the information stored in the mobile radio transmitting/radio receiving device that is evaluated by the mobile radio transmitting/radio receiving device.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein information identifying the second stationary radio transmitting/radio receiving device is integrated into the first message.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the basis for the decision by the central interface device includes information accessed from a first table.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein first table contains topology information relating to the local area network.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the topology information provides for a determination of a geographical position of the first stationary radio transmitting/radio receiving device.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the first table provides activation information relating to the first stationary radio transmitting/radio receiving device.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mobile radio transmitting/radio receiving device is a mobile terminal, the mobile terminal stores activation information in a second table of the terminal.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the information is organized as an assignment of SSID values identifying first stationary radio transmitting/radio receiving devices to activation information.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the central interface device operates as a device providing extension functionality.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the central interface device is connected to the local area network at least partially in a corded manner.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the central interface device is adapted to communicate wirelessly with the mobile radio transmitting/radio receiving device directly or with the aid of the local area network.

16. A communications system, comprising:

a first stationary radio transmitting/radio receiving device operating according to a first standard and providing a first coverage area of a local area network;

a second stationary radio transmitting/radio receiving device operating according to a second standard and providing a second radio coverage area, the second standard being different from the first standard and wherein the first and second radio coverage areas at least partially overlap;

a central interface device located between the local area network and a switched telephone network; and

a mobile radio device operable according to the first and the second standards; wherein the mobile radio device:

prioritizes a voice data transmission according to the first standard,

measures a receive field strength measurement that indicates a quality of a radio connection operating according to the first standard, and

transmits a first message including the measurement result of the measured receive field strength and topology information relating to the local area network to the central interface device,

the central interface device deciding if a changeover of an existing voice data communication connection from the first radio coverage area to the second radio coverage area should occur at least based on the first message,

the central interface device transmitting a second message to the mobile radio device suggesting a changeover of the existing voice data communication connection from the first radio coverage area to the second radio coverage area; and

the mobile radio device receiving the second message and evaluating information stored in the mobile radio device to determine whether the changeover suggested via the received second message should be performed;

if the mobile radio device determines that the suggested changeover should occur, the mobile radio device initiating the changeover; and

if mobile radio device determines that the suggested changeover should not occur, the mobile radio device does not initiate the suggested changeover.

17. A mobile terminal operable to a first standard and a second standard that is different from the first standard, wherein

the mobile terminal prioritizing a voice data transmission according to the first standard;

the mobile terminal measuring a receive field strength to obtain at least one receive field strength measurement result indicating a quality of a radio connection operating according to the first standard; and

the mobile terminal transmitting a first message including the at least one receive field strength measurement result and topology information relating to a local area network to a central interface device located between the local area network and a switched telephone network; and

the mobile terminal receiving a second message from the central interface device suggesting a changeover of an existing voice data communication connection from the first radio coverage area to the second radio coverage area;

the mobile terminal obtaining input from a user to determine whether the changeover suggested via the received second message should be performed;

if the mobile radio device determines that the suggested changeover should occur, the mobile radio device initiating the changeover; and

if mobile radio device determines that the suggested changeover should not occur, no initiation of the suggested changeover occurs.

18. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the first standard is IEEE 802.11 or a derivative thereof and wherein the second standard is a GSM standard.

19. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the obtained input from the user is obtained via the mobile terminal prompting the user by displaying a message relating to the suggested changeover.

Assignments (13)