IP Library Granted Patent US 9,877,224
Granted Patent B2
US 9,877,224 · App. 14/874,938 · Granted Jan 23, 2018

Establishing a voice call

Inventor: Hamid Mahmood (Ottawa, CA)
Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
H04W28/0247H04M3/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,877,224
App. No.
14/874,938
Granted
Jan 23, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A user equipment (UE), which is able to use a plurality of different wireless access technologies, receives a request to establish a voice call. In response to the request, the UE determines whether voice over a first wireless access technology of the different wireless access technologies is supported, and responsive to determining that voice over the first wireless access technology is not supported, the UE attempts to establish the voice call over a second wireless access technology of the different wireless access technologies.

Claims (38)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a user equipment (UE) that is able to use a plurality of different wireless access technologies, a request to establish a voice call; and

in response to the request to establish the voice call:

accessing, by the UE, a device configuration parameter stored in the UE,

determining, by the UE based on the device configuration parameter accessed in response to the request to establish the voice call, whether voice over a packet-switched domain is supported by a first wireless access technology of the different wireless access technologies, wherein the UE determines that voice over the packet-switched domain is supported by the first wireless access technology responsive to detecting that the device configuration parameter is set to a first value, and the UE determines that voice over the packet-switched domain is not supported by the first wireless access technology responsive to detecting that the device configuration parameter is set to a second, different value, the device configuration parameter being part of a collection of configuration parameters stored in the UE that relate to a configuration of the UE, and

responsive to determining that voice over the packet-switched domain is not supported by the first wireless access technology, attempting to establish, by the UE, the voice call over a second wireless access technology of the different wireless access technologies.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second wireless access technology performs a voice call in a circuit-switched domain.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless access technology is a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) wireless access technology.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the request to establish the voice call comprises receiving a request to establish an emergency voice call responsive to a user selection at the UE.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to the request initiated by a user at the UE:

responsive to determining that voice over the packet-switched domain is supported by the first wireless access technology, attempting to establish, by the UE, the voice call over the first wireless access technology.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device configuration parameter is stored in a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) of the UE.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device configuration parameter is dynamically configured by a mobile communications network, the method further comprising changing a value of the device configuration parameter between the first and second values responsive to a message received from the mobile communications network.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining and the attempting to establish are performed in response to the UE being out of wireless coverage of a home network of the UE.

9. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

at least one wireless interface to communicate with a mobile communications network according to one or more of a plurality of different wireless access technologies; and

at least one processor configured to:

receive a request to establish an outgoing voice call from the UE; and

in response to the request to establish the outgoing voice call from the UE:

access a device configuration parameter stored in the UE,

determine, based on the device configuration parameter accessed in response to the request to establish the outgoing voice call, whether voice over a first wireless access technology of the different wireless access technologies is supported, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine that voice over the first wireless access technology is supported responsive to detecting that the device configuration parameter is set to a first value, and determine that voice over the first wireless access technology is not supported responsive to detecting that the device configuration parameter is set to a second, different value, the device configuration parameter being part of a collection of configuration parameters stored in the UE that relate to a configuration of the UE, and

responsive to determining that voice over the first wireless access technology is not supported, initiate establishing the outgoing voice call over a second wireless access technology of the different wireless access technologies.

10. The UE of claim 9 , wherein the determining of whether voice over the first wireless access technology is supported comprises determining whether voice over Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is supported.

11. The UE of claim 9 , wherein the initiating the establishing of the outgoing voice call over the second wireless access technology comprises initiating the establishing of the outgoing voice call in a circuit-switched domain.

12. The UE of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to further, in response to the request:

responsive to determining that voice over the first wireless access technology is supported, initiate establishing the outgoing voice call over the first wireless access technology.

13. The UE of claim 12 , wherein the initiating the establishing of the outgoing voice call over the first wireless access technology comprises initiating the establishing of the outgoing voice call in the packet-switched domain.

14. The UE of claim 9 , further comprising a storage medium to store the device configuration parameter.

15. The UE of claim 9 , further comprising a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) to store the device configuration parameter.

16. An article comprising at least one non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing instructions that upon execution cause a user equipment (UE) to:

receive a request to establish an outgoing voice call, wherein the UE is able to use a first wireless access technology and a second wireless access technology; and

in response to the request to establish the outgoing voice call:

access a device configuration parameter stored in the UE,

determine, based on the device configuration parameter accessed in response to the request to establish the outgoing voice call, whether voice over a packet-switched domain is supported by the first wireless access technology, wherein the UE determines that voice over the packet-switched domain is supported by the first wireless access technology responsive to detecting that the device configuration parameter is set to a first value, and the UE determines that voice over the packet-switched domain is not supported by the first wireless access technology responsive to detecting that the device configuration parameter is set to a second, different value, the device configuration parameter being part of a collection of configuration parameters stored in the UE that relate to a configuration of the UE,

responsive to determining that voice over the packet-switched domain is not supported by the first wireless access technology, initiate establishing the outgoing voice call over the second wireless access technology, and

responsive to determining that voice over the packet-switched domain is supported by the first wireless access technology, initiate establishing the outgoing voice call over the first wireless access technology.

17. The article of claim 16 , wherein the request to establish the outgoing voice call is a request to establish an emergency voice call responsive to a user dialing an emergency number.

18. The article of claim 16 , wherein the outgoing voice call over the second wireless access technology is in the circuit-switched domain, and wherein the outgoing voice call over the first wireless access technology is in the packet-switched domain.

Assignments (7)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ADDED PATENT NUMBER TO REMOVE PATENT NO. 8,873,407 AT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 64066 FRAME 1. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT EFFECTIVE DATE MARCH 20, 2023. Recorded Feb 2, 2026
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 074921/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE COVER SHEET AT PAGE 50 TO REMOVE 12817157 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 063471 FRAME 0474. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 5, 2023
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
Reel/Frame 064806/0669 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT 12817157 APPLICATION NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 064015 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 5, 2023
From: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064807/0001 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jun 19, 2023
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064066/0001 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jun 16, 2023
From: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064015/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 27, 2023
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
Reel/Frame 063471/0474 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 5, 2015
From: MAHMOOD, HAMID
To: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 036728/0178 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170099614A1 · Apr 6, 2017