Communication services through multiple service providers
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorsStuart Wells Thro, Nicholas M. Labun, Shaowei Pan, John P Sawinski, Jheroen Dorenbosch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods using a first service provider such as a WAN cellular service provider to initiate a communications exchange between a plurality of communications units and a second service provider such as WLAN service provider to provide enhanced communications services to the units has been disclosed and described.
Claims49
A method of facilitating communication services for a communications unit such services selected from a plurality of communications service providers, the method including the steps of:
- receiving, at the communications unit using a first service provider, an indication of a desired communications and an indication of second communication services desired by a second communications unit;
- determining, in accordance with said indication, first communications services available to the communications unit from a second service provider;
- and
- sending, using said first service provider, an indication of said first communications services to a second communications unit.
A method of facilitating communication services for a communications unit, such services selected from a plurality of communications service providers, the method including the steps of:
- sending, to a second communications unit using a first service provider, an indication of a desired communications;
- determining, in accordance with said indication, first communications services available to said second communications unit from a second service provider;
- and
- initiating communications with said second communications unit using said first communications services available from said second service provider.
A method of selecting communications services for a communications unit, such services selected from a plurality of communications service providers, the method including the steps of:
- establishing contact between the communications unit and a second communications unit using a first service provider;
- determining communications services required for a communications exchange between the communications unit and said second communications unit
- discovering communications services available from a second service provider, such services suitable for use by the communications unit and said second communications unit;
- selecting the communication services from said first service provider and said second service provider, the communications services selected in accordance with said communications services required for a communications exchange.
A communications unit arranged for selecting communications services from a plurality of communications service providers, including in combination:
- a user interface for accepting input indicative of desired communications services;
- and
- a transceiver and a controller, coupled to said user interface, operable for:
- discovering first communications services available from a second service provider for a second communications unit,
- establishing, using a first service provider, a communications link between the communications unit and said second communications unit, and
- sending an indication of said desired communications services for a communications exchange between the communications unit and said second communications unit.
A communications unit arranged for selecting communications services from a plurality of communications service providers, including in combination:
- a user interface for providing user output and accepting input relevant to communications services;
- and
- a transceiver and a controller, coupled to said user interface, operable for:
- receiving, using a first service provider, an indication or a desired communications for a communications exchange between the communications unit and a second communications unit;
- discovering first communications services available from a second service provider for the second communications unit,
- sending an indication of said first communications services to said second communications unit.
A communications unit arranged for selecting communications services from a plurality of communications service providers, including in combination:
- a user interface for providing user output and accepting input relevant to communications services;
- and
- a transceiver and a controller, coupled to said user interface, operable for:
- receiving, using a first service provider, an indication of a desired communications for a communications exchange between the communications unit and a second communications unit;
- discovering first communications services available from a second service provider for the communications unit;
- sending an indication of said first communications services to said second communications unit;
- sending an acknowledgement of said desired communications together with second affiliation information corresponding to said first communications services;
- sending an indication of communications services corresponding to said desired communications services and alternative services, all such communications services available to the communications unit;
- receiving an indication of communications services selected by one of said second communications unit or a communications server;
- and
- receiving said indication of said desired communications using one of a cellular phone service provider and a paging service provider;
- and discovers communications services available from one of an internet service provider, a local area network provider, a broadband service provider, and a 3G service provider.
A communications server arranged for selecting communications services from a plurality of communications service providers, including in combination:
- a processing unit;
- and
- a memory operably coupled to the processing unit, wherein the memory stores programming instructions that, when read by the processing unit, causes the processing unit to;
- a) receive, using a first protocol of a first service provider, an indication of a desired communications from a communication unit,
- b) establish, responsive to said indication and using said first protocol, contact with a second communication unit,
- c) determine, responsive to said indication, first communication services desired for a communication exchange between the communications unit and said second communications unit,
- d) discover what second communications services, using a second protocol of a second service provider, are available to said second communications unit, and
- e) select the communications services using said first protocol and using said second protocol to support said communications exchange between the communications unit and said second communications unit.
A method of selecting communications services for a communications unit from a plurality of communications service providers including the steps of;
- communicating with a second communications unit over a Wide Area Network (WAN) service provider, and
- selecting communications services from a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) service provider for one of the communications unit and said second communications unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.