Method for switching connections between an IP-only phone and a soft phone to a server
View Patent ↗A method for switching connections between an IP-only phone and a soft phone to an IP gateway server is disclosed. An identical telephone number is allocated to the IP-only phone and the soft phone. When the soft phone has been moved such that a connection destination to a local-area network changes from a first connector to a second connector, a relay device is also changed from a first relay device to a second relay device. After recognizing its present position by a MAC address of the relay device to which it is currently connected, the soft phone issues a request to an IP gateway server to change an IP address to the soft phone when it is determined that the soft phone is located far away from the IP-only phone. When it is determined that the soft phone is located near the IP-only phone, the soft phone issues a request to the IP gateway server so that the IP address is changed to the IP-only phone.
1. A method comprising:
allocating identical telephone numbers to an IP-only phone and a soft phone, wherein said IP-only phone is connected to a local-area network (LAN) having a server capable of administrating telephone numbers, wherein said soft phone is wirelessly connected to said LAN;
in response to an incoming call, determining whether or not said soft phone has been moved beyond a predetermined distance from said IP-only phone;
in a determination that said soft phone has not been moved beyond said predetermined distance from said IP-only phone, routing said incoming call to said IP-only phone; and
in a determination that said soft phone has been moved beyond said predetermined distance from said IP-phone, routing said incoming call to said soft phone.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said IP-only phone includes a telephone transceiver and telephone buttons.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said soft phone is a portable computer having an IP telephony software for converting voice into computer signals.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said soft phone has been moved beyond said predetermined distance from said IP-only phone when said soft phone's connection destination to said LAN changes from a first connector to a second connector.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said soft phone has been moved beyond said predetermined distance from said IP-only phone when a relay device within said server for said soft phone has been changed from a first relay device to a second relay device.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said connection information includes an intensity value of a received signal of an electromagnetic wave transmitted from a wireless base station connected to said soft phone via said wireless connection.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said determining further includes determining whether or not said soft phone has been moved beyond said predetermined distance from said IP-only phone based on connection information of said soft phone to said LAN.
8. A computer readable device having a computer program product for switching connections between an IP-only phone and a soft phone, said computer readable device comprising:
computer program code for allocating identical telephone numbers to an IP-only phone and a soft phone, wherein said IP-only phone is connected to a local-area network (LAN) having a server capable of administrating telephone numbers, wherein said soft phone is wirelessly connected to said LAN;
computer program code for, in response to an incoming call, determining whether or not said soft phone has been moved beyond a predetermined distance from said IP-only phone;
computer program code for, in a determination that said soft phone has not been moved beyond said predetermined distance from said IP-only phone, routing said incoming call to said IP-only phone; and
computer program code for, in a determination that said soft phone has been moved beyond said predetermined distance from said IP-phone, routing said incoming call to said soft phone.
9. The computer readable device of claim 8 , wherein said IP-only phone includes a telephone transceiver and telephone buttons.
10. The computer readable device of claim 8 , wherein said soft phone is a portable computer having an IP telephony software for converting voice into computer signals.
11. The computer readable device of claim 8 , wherein said soft phone has been moved beyond said predetermined distance from said IP-only phone when said soft phone's connection destination to said LAN changes from a first connector to a second connector.
12. The computer readable device of claim 8 , wherein said soft phone has been moved beyond said predetermined distance from said IP-only phone when a relay device within said server for said soft phone has been changed from a first relay device to a second relay device.
13. The computer readable device of claim 8 , wherein said connection information includes an intensity value of a received signal of an electromagnetic wave transmitted from a wireless base station connected to said soft phone via said wireless connection.
14. The computer readable device of claim 8 , wherein said computer program code for determining further includes computer program code for determining whether or not said soft phone has been moved beyond said predetermined distance from said IP-only phone based on connection information of said soft phone to said LAN.