Dynamic call anchoring

#The present invention relates generally to communications and, more particularly, to a system and method to dynamically anchor a wireless communications call session.

#Fixed and mobile convergence (FMC) solutions are being developed to enable substantially seamless interoperability of different communication technologies and platforms. To this end many wireless devices are being manufactured to support services using more than one type of wireless communication technology. For example, portable electronic devices, such as cellular telephones, laptop computers and personal digital assistants, can include interfaces that enable operation using cellular technologies, wireless local area network (WLAN) technologies, and/or Bluetooth technologies to name a few.

#As a further example, many enterprise networks support voice over internet protocol (VoIP) that can run over one or more wireless networks. For instance, WiFi voice networks currently support VoIP and, with little integration, with a wider area voice network, such as cellular networks.

#FIG. 1 is a simplified of a system configured to perform dynamic call anchoring according to an aspect of the invention.

#FIG. 2 depicts an example of a mobile unit configured to perform dynamic call anchoring according to an aspect of the invention.

#FIG. 3 depicts an example of an enterprise configured to perform dynamic call anchoring according to an aspect of the invention.

#The invention relates generally to dynamically anchoring an outbound call from a mobile unit within a private network. For instance, call anchoring decision logic can automatically (without user intervention) determine whether or not to anchor the outbound call based on application of anchoring criteria to a set of corresponding input data. The input data can represent call data (e.g., the dialed number or other user input), a condition of the enterprise equipment, a designation of the called party, a location of the mobile unit. A manual control can also be utilized to override other criteria employed by the call anchoring decision logic. As a result, the call anchoring decision logic causes the outbound call to either be anchored within network equipment (e.g., an enterprise PBX or other anchor point) and then connected to the called party or be connected to the called party without anchoring within the private network.

#The private network can correspond to any network that is located and/or operates outside of a service provider network for the mobile unit. For example, the mobile unit can subscribe to a mobile service plan for operation over a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN). The private network can be enterprise network (e.g., for an organization or business entity), an independent VoIP operator (e.g., a VoIP service provider, such as Vonage or the like) or a personal network (e.g., a home-based network). As one example, the private network includes equipment that is configured to anchor a call within the private network, such as for a call made to one or more predefined access number. The call anchoring decision logic can reside in the mobile unit, the private network or it can be distributed through a combination of the mobile unit and the private network.

#As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, portions of the invention, including the call anchoring decision logic, may be embodied as a method, data processing system, or computer program product. Accordingly, these portions of the invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware. Furthermore, portions of the invention may be embodied as a computer program product on one or more computer-usable storage medium having computer readable program code on the medium (or media). Any suitable computer-readable medium may be utilized including, but not limited to, static and dynamic storage devices, hard disks, optical storage devices, and magnetic storage devices, which may reside at one location or be distributed among storage devices.