Transitioning a conversation between an unlicensed data network and a cellular network
View Patent ↗A conversation is handed over between an unlicensed data network and a cellular network. Voice conversations and/or video conversations may be seamlessly transitioned between cellular networks and unlicensed data networks (e.g., Wi-Fi), with a small transition time (e.g., less than a couple of seconds). The handover may occur from the unlicensed data network to the cellular network or from the cellular network to the unlicensed data network. During the transition between networks, cached registration data is accessed to speed up the authentication of the computing device switching networks. In some configurations, a user may specify preferences for switching between the unlicensed data and cellular networks. For instance, a user may specify a preference to use Wi-Fi networks before cellular networks or to use cellular networks before using Wi-Fi networks.
1. A computer-implemented method performed by one or more processors configured with specific instructions, the computer-implemented method comprising:
registering a computing device on a cellular network;
storing, in a cache memory, cached registration data that was generated in association with registering the computing device on the cellular network, wherein the cached registration data includes user preferences;
establishing a communication session for the computing device on the cellular network, wherein the communication session includes voice data;
accessing the user preferences specifying a priority order associated with switching between the cellular network and an unlicensed data network, wherein the priority order comprises at least one of (a) using the unlicensed data network before the cellular network, and (b) using the cellular network before the unlicensed data network;
determining to connect the computing device to the unlicensed data network based on the priority order;
accessing, from the cache memory, the cached registration data;
authenticating the computing device utilizing the cached registration data;
initiating a connection to the unlicensed data network;
in response to initiating the connection to the unlicensed data network, terminating the communication session on the cellular network; and
handing over the communication session to the unlicensed data network.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining to connect the computing device to the unlicensed data network comprises determining that a signal strength of a Wi-Fi network exceeds a threshold value.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the cellular network is a long term evolution (LTE) cellular network, the unlicensed data network is a Wi-Fi network, and the computing device is a mobile phone.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising authenticating the computing device before initiating the connection to the unlicensed data network.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein handing over the communication session to the unlicensed data network takes less than two seconds.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining to connect the computing device to the unlicensed data network comprises accessing user preferences to determine a first condition associated with a time to connect the computing device to the unlicensed data network.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein storing, in a cache memory, the cached registration data further comprises storing the cached registration data within a cache of the cellular network, wherein the cached registration data remains stored within the cache while the computing device is utilizing services associated with the cellular network and for a period of time thereafter.
8. A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more memories storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, perform acts including:
receiving, from a client computing device, a registration request to connect to a cellular network, the registration request including user preferences;
storing, in a cache memory, cached registration data that was obtained in association with the registration request to connect to the cellular network;
establishing a communication session for the client computing device using a first network, the first network including the cellular network or an unlicensed data network;
accessing the user preferences specifying a priority order associated with switching between the cellular network and the unlicensed data network, wherein the priority order comprises at least one of (a) using the unlicensed data network before the cellular network, and (b) using the cellular network before the unlicensed data network;
receiving, from the client computing device, a request to initiate, based on the priority order, a handover of the communication session from the first network to a second network, wherein the second network is the unlicensed data network when the first network is the cellular network and the second network is the cellular network when the first network is the unlicensed data network;
accessing, from the cache memory, the cached registration data;
authenticating the client computing device utilizing the cached registration data;
initiating a connection to the second network;
terminating the communication session on the first network; and
handing over the communication session from the first network to the second network.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the request to initiate the handover of the communication session from the first network to the second network is based, at least in part, on a signal strength of the unlicensed data network.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the cellular network is a long term evolution (LTE) cellular network and the unlicensed data network is a Wi-Fi network.
11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the acts further comprise accessing the cached registration data from a cache of the cellular network before initiating the connection to the second network.
12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the cached registration data is stored within a cache associated with the cellular network during a time the client computing device is connected to the first network and the second network.
13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the client computing device determines to initiate the handover of the communication session from the first network to the second network.
14. The system of claim 8 , wherein receiving, from the client computing device, the request to initiate the handover further comprises accessing user preferences to determine a first condition associated with a time to connect the client computing device to the unlicensed data network.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors of a computing device to perform acts comprising:
receiving a registration request to register a client computing device with a cellular network, the registration request including user preferences;
storing, in a cache memory, cached data that was generated in association with the registration request;
establishing a communication session for a client computing device using a first network, the first network including a cellular network or an unlicensed data network;
accessing the user preferences specifying a priority order associated with switching between the cellular network and the unlicensed data network, wherein the priority order comprises at least one of (a) using the unlicensed data network before the cellular network, and (b) using the cellular network before the unlicensed data network;
initiating, based on the priority order, a connection to a second network, wherein the second network is the unlicensed data network when the first network is the cellular network and the second network is the cellular network when the first network is the unlicensed data network;
accessing, from the cache memory, the cached data;
authenticating the client computing device utilizing the cached data;
terminating the communication session on the first network; and
handing over the communication session from the first network to the second network.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the acts further comprise receiving, from the client computing device, a request to initiate a handover of the communication session from the first network to the second network.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16 , wherein the request to initiate the handover is based, at least in part, on a signal strength of the unlicensed data network.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the cellular network is a long term evolution (LTE) cellular network and the unlicensed data network is a Wi-Fi network.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the acts further comprise accessing the cached data from a cache of the cellular network before initiating the connection to the second network.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein initiating, based on the priority order, the connection to the second network further comprises accessing user preferences to determine a first condition associated with a time to connect the computing device to the unlicensed data network.