Method and apparatus for providing seamless call handoff between networks that use dissimilar transmission methods
Call handoff from an 802.1x network to a cellular network, and vice versa. A wireless device that has both cellular and 802.1x capability detects the strength of a cellular signal and of an 802.1x signal. If a call is taking place over the 802.1x network and the strength of the 802.1x signal drops below a particular level and the strength of the cellular signal is above a certain level, the call is handed off from the 802.1x network to the cellular network. If a call is taking place over the cellular network and the cellular signal strength drops below a certain level while the 802.1x signal strength is above a certain level, the call is handed off from the cellular network to the 802.1x network. In addition, the user of the wireless device can manually initiate the handoff by actuating a handoff selector of the wireless device.
1. A call control server comprising:
a processor; and
a memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising
receiving, from a wireless device in communication with the call control server over an 802.1x network,
a first signal strength of a first connection over the 802.1x network,
a second signal strength of a second connection over a cellular network, and
a selection of an amount,
determining that the second signal strength exceeds a threshold signal strength comprising a sum of the first signal strength and the amount, and
causing a media gateway to switch the wireless device from the first connection to the second connection.
2. The call control server of claim 1 , wherein the amount is adjusted manually using a selector switch onboard the wireless device, and wherein the selector switch has multiple states to manually increase or decrease the amount.
3. The call control server of claim 1 , further comprising a serving GPRS support node that connects the cellular network to the media gateway.
4. The call control server of claim 1 , further comprising an access point that connects the 802.1x network to the media gateway.
5. The call control server of claim 1 , further comprising a local exchange carrier switch that connects the media gateway to a plain old telephone service network.
6. The call control server of claim 5 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving an address of a terminating station from the wireless device.
7. A call control server comprising:
a processor; and
a memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising
receiving, from a wireless device in communication with the call control server over a cellular network,
a first signal strength of a first connection over the cellular network,
a second signal strength of a second connection over an 802.1x network, and
a selection of an amount,
determining that the second signal strength exceeds a threshold signal strength comprising a sum of the first signal strength and the amount, and
causing a media gateway to switch the wireless device from the first connection to the second connection.
8. The call control server of claim 7 , wherein the amount is adjusted manually using a selector switch onboard the wireless device, and wherein the selector switch has multiple states to manually increase or decrease the amount.
9. The call control server of claim 7 , further comprising a serving GPRS support node that connects the cellular network to the media gateway.
10. The call control server of claim 7 , further comprising an access point that connects the 802.1x network to the media gateway.
11. The call control server of claim 7 , further comprising a local exchange carrier switch that connects the media gateway to a plain old telephone service network.
12. The call control server of claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving an address of a terminating station from the wireless device.
13. A method comprising:
receiving, by a call control server comprising a processor, a first signal strength of a first connection of a wireless device over a cellular network, a second signal strength of a second connection of the wireless device over an 802.1x network, and a selection of an amount
from the wireless device over the 802.1x network;
determining, by the processor, that the first signal strength exceeds a threshold signal level comprising a sum of the second signal strength and the amount; and
causing, by the processor, a media gateway to switch the wireless device from the 802.1x network to the cellular network.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the amount is adjusted using a selector switch on the wireless device, and wherein the selector switch has multiple states to manually increase or decrease the amount.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein activation of the selector switch increases the amount to prevent a handoff between the 802.1x connection and the cellular connection.
16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising causing the media gateway to switch the wireless device from the cellular network if the 802.1x signal level exceeds the cellular signal level by the amount.
17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining that a call session is active prior to the switching.
18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising receiving a selection of one of an increased amount and a decreased amount from the wireless device.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising maintaining the 802.1x connection upon receiving the selection of the decreased amount.
20. The method of claim 13 , further comprising receiving a selection indicating an override request from the wireless device.