# US 8,543,708 B2 · System and method for establishing and maintaining a connection between devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,543,708 B2 - Document ID: US8543708B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/585,444 - Filed: 2012-08-14 - Published: 2012-12-06 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2001-02-16 - Assignees: eBay Inc. - Applicants: Vesa Juhani Hukkanen - Inventors: Vesa Juhani Hukkanen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8543708B2 ## CPC - H04W 4/02: Services making use of location information - H04L 65/1063: Application servers providing network services (systems providing special services to telephonic subscribers H04M3/42) - H04L 67/14: Session management (for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066) - H04L 67/52: specially adapted for the location of the user terminal - H04M 3/42229: {Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location (diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005)} - H04M 7/0057: {Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network} - H04W 4/023: {using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds} - H04W 36/304: {due to measured or perceived resources with higher communication quality} - H04W 48/18: Selecting a network or a communication service - H04W 76/10: Connection setup - H04W 76/15: Setup of multiple wireless link connections - H04M 7/006: {Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer (H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42)} - H04M 2242/30: Determination of the location of a subscriber - H04W 8/22: Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities - H04W 60/00: Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract A system and method to establish and maintain a connection between devices, which in one example embodiment of a method, may comprise receiving a request to establish a connection between a first communication device and a second communication device. A determination is made as to whether the second communication device is reachable via a data network. Based on the determination that the second communication device is reachable over the data network, a connection between the first communication device and the second communication device is established via the data network. Based on the determination that the second communication device is not reachable over the data network, a connection between the first communication device and the second communication device is established via a telecommunications network. Additional systems and methods are described. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving a request to establish a connection between a first communication device and a second communication device; making a determination, using one more processors, whether the second communication device is reachable via a data network; based on the determination that the second communication device is reachable over the data network, establishing the connection between the first communication device and the second communication device via the data network; and based on the determination that the second communication device is not reachable over the data network, establishing the connection between the first communication device and the second communication device via a telecommunications network that is distinct from the data network. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the data network comprises a network for transporting packets. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the telecommunication network used to establish the connection between the first communication device and the second communication device based on the determination that the second communication device is not reachable over the data network comprises a mobile network. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the telecommunication network used to establish the connection between the first communication device and the second communication device based on the determination that the second communication device is not reachable over the data network comprises a public switched telephone network. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing of the connection comprises transmitting a network address of a first terminal that is communicatively coupled to the first communication device to a second terminal that is communicatively coupled to the second communication device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the transmitting occurs prior to forwarding a call from the first terminal to the second terminal to enable the first terminal and the second terminal to establish a network connection therebetween using the transmitted network address. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: monitoring a quality of the connection via the data network; determining that the quality of the connection is low; and switching the connection via the data network to the connection via the telecommunications network based on the quality being low. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: monitoring a quality of the connection via the data network; determining that the quality of the connection is low; and switching the connection via the data network to another connection via a second data network based on the quality being low. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: using the connection via the data network to transmit high capacity data; and establishing the connection via the telecommunication network to transmit low capacity data. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising drawing conclusions about relative locations of the first communication device and the second communication device for making a handover during the connection. ### Claim 11 A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which, when implemented by one or more processors, causes a machine to perform operations comprising: receiving a request to establish a connection between a first communication device and a second communication device; making a determination, using the one more processors, whether the second communication device is reachable via a data network; based on the determination that the second communication device is reachable over the data network, establishing the connection between the first communication device and the second communication device via the data network; and based on the determination that the second communication device is not reachable over the data network, establishing the connection between the first communication device and the second communication device via a telecommunications network that is distinct from the data network. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the data network comprises a network for transporting packets. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the telecommunication network used to establish the connection between the first communication device and the second communication device based on the determination that the second communication device is not reachable over the data network comprises a selection from a group consisting of a mobile network and a public switched telephone network. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the establishing of the connection comprises transmitting a network address of a first terminal that is communicatively coupled to the first communication device to a second terminal that is communicatively coupled to the second communication device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the transmitting occurs prior to forwarding a call from the first terminal to the second terminal to enable the first terminal and the second terminal to establish a network connection therebetween using the transmitted network address. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise: monitoring a quality of the connection via the data network; determining that the quality of the connection is low; and switching the connection via the data network to the connection via the telecommunications network based on the quality being low. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise: monitoring a quality of the connection via the data network; determining that the quality of the connection is low; and switching the connection via the data network to another connection via a second data network based on the quality being low. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise: using the connection via the data network to transmit high capacity data; and establishing the connection via the telecommunication network to transmit low capacity data. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise drawing conclusions about relative locations of the first communication device and the second communication device for making a handover during the connection. ### Claim 20 A system comprising: a server coupled to a first communication device and having at least one processor, the server to: receive a request to establish a connection between the first communication device and a second communication device; make a determination, using the at least one processor, whether the second communication device is reachable via a data network; based on the determination that the second communication device is reachable over the data network, establish the connection between the first communication device and the second communication device via the data network; and based on the determination that the second communication device is not reachable over the data network, establish the connection between the first communication device and the second communication device via a telecommunications network that is distinct from the data network.