Circuit switch fallback handling for wireless communication devices in wireless communication networks
View Patent ↗Systems, methods, and software for handling circuit switch fallback (CSFB) communications are provided herein. A method of operating a wireless communication device includes wirelessly registering with the first communication network to receive a wireless data service, and after the registration with the first communication network with an enabled CSFB configuration, wirelessly registering with a second wireless communication network to receive a wireless circuit switched voice service. The method also includes identifying a service problem with the second wireless communication network, and in response, de-registering from the first wireless communication network and disabling the CSFB configuration. The method includes, after disabling the CSFB configuration, re-registering with the first wireless communication network to receive the wireless data service. After the re-registration with the first wireless communication network, the method includes exchanging voice communications over the wireless data service of the first wireless communication network without using the CSFB services.
1. A method of operating a wireless communication device that is initially configured to use circuit switch fallback (CSFB) services over a first wireless communication network, the method comprising:
wirelessly registering with the first communication network to receive a wireless data service;
after the registration with the first communication network and responsive to an enabled CSFB configuration, wirelessly registering with a second wireless communication network to receive a wireless circuit switched voice service;
identifying a service problem with the second wireless communication network, and in response, de-registering from the first wireless communication network and disabling the CSFB configuration;
after disabling the CSFB configuration, re-registering with the first wireless communication network to receive the wireless data service;
after the re-registration with the first wireless communication network, exchanging voice communications over the wireless data service of the first wireless communication network without using the CSFB services; and
monitoring a service timer and responsive to the service timer expiring and to service quality of the second communication network exceeding a quality threshold, enabling the CSFB configuration with the first communication network.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first communication network comprises a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication network, the first data service comprises an LTE data service, and the second communication network comprises one of a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) communication network and a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) communication network.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the service problem with the second wireless communication network comprises one or more failed voice calls over the wireless circuit switched voice service of the second wireless communication network.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the service problem with the second wireless communication network comprises unavailability of the second wireless communication network.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein exchanging the voice communications over the wireless data service of the first wireless communication network without using the CSFB services comprises exchanging the voice communications using a voice over packet (VoP) user application on the wireless communication device.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein exchanging the voice communications using the VoP user application comprises testing a voice quality check using the wireless data service and exchanging voice communications using the VoP user application when the voice quality check indicates a voice quality exceeding a voice quality threshold.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the VoP user application comprises a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) application.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
after the service timer expiring and the service quality of the second communication network exceeding a quality threshold, and responsive to a handoff process within the first wireless communication network, enabling the CSFB configuration with the first communication network.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein disabling the CSFB configuration comprises transferring signaling to a Mobility Management Entity (MME) of the first wireless communication network that indicates a disabled CSFB configuration for the wireless communication device.
10. A wireless communication device that is initially configured to use circuit switch fallback (CSFB) services over a first wireless communication network, the wireless communication device comprising:
a transceiver portion configured to wirelessly register with the first communication network to receive a wireless data service;
after the registration with the first communication network and responsive to an enabled CSFB configuration, the transceiver portion configured to wirelessly register with a second wireless communication network to receive a wireless circuit switched voice service;
a processing system configured to identify a service problem with the second wireless communication network, and in response, de-register from the first wireless communication network and disable the CSFB configuration;
after disabling the CSFB configuration, the transceiver portion configured to re-register with the first wireless communication network to receive the wireless data service;
after the re-registration with the first wireless communication network, the transceiver portion configured to exchange voice communications over the wireless data service of the first wireless communication network without using the CSFB services; and
the processing system configured to monitor a service timer and responsive to the service timer expiring and to service quality of the second communication network exceeding a quality threshold, enable the CSFB configuration with the first communication network.
11. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , wherein the first communication network comprises a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication network, the first data service comprises an LTE data service, and the second communication network comprises one of a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) communication network and a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) communication network.
12. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , wherein the service problem with the second wireless communication network comprises one or more failed voice calls over the wireless circuit switched voice service of the second wireless communication network.
13. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , wherein the service problem with the second wireless communication network comprises unavailability of the second wireless communication network.
14. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , comprising:
the transceiver portion configured to exchange the voice communications using a voice over packet (VoP) user application on the wireless communication device to exchange the voice communications over the wireless data service of the first wireless communication network without using the CSFB services.
15. The wireless communication device of claim 14 , comprising:
the processing system configured to test a voice quality check using the VoP user application and the wireless data service; and
the voice transceiver portion configured to exchange voice communications using the VoP user application when the voice quality check indicates a voice quality exceeding a voice quality threshold.
16. The wireless communication device of claim 14 , wherein the VoP user application comprises a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) application.
17. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , further comprising:
after the service timer expiring and the service quality of the second communication network exceeding the quality threshold, and responsive to a handoff process within the first wireless communication network, the processing system configured to enable the CSFB configuration with the first communication network.
18. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , comprising:
in response to identifying the service problem, the transceiver portion configured to transfer signaling to a Mobility Management Entity (MME) of the first wireless communication network that indicates a disabled CSFB configuration for the wireless communication device.