Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for using packet-transport metrics for call-admission control. In an embodiment, a base station provides packet-data service to mobile stations, which comprises (a) providing wireless service over an air interface in a wireless coverage area and (b) providing transport service over a packet-data network. The base station measures, over at least the packet-data network, each packet-transport metric in a set of one or more packet-transport metrics. The base station conducts call-admission control in the wireless coverage area based at least in part on the one or more measured packet-transport metrics.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for transitioning an active communication session of a mobile station from being conducted over a communication path that includes a source base station to being conducted over a communication path that includes a target base station, without terminating the communication session. A wireless communication device situated within a source coverage area of a source base station operates as a clone of the mobile station that is situated within a source coverage area of the source base station and also within a target coverage area of the target base station. The transition involves the clone relaying the communication session between the source base station and the mobile station; meanwhile, the target base station (i) establishes an air-interface connection with the mobile station and (ii) detects a handoff-completion trigger, and responsively serves the mobile station over the air-interface connection with respect to the communication session.

Abstract: A call tones management platform provides a facility for configuration of a user profile. The user profile specifies the circumstances under which organizational call tones (such as a call tone of an employer of the subscriber using the phone) or a personal, non-organizational tone should be rendered to a calling party. When a call is placed to the subscriber, the profile is consulted and an instruction for rendering a call tone in accordance with the profile is sent to a call tones content provider or run time site generating call tones during the time of a call. The call tones management platform implements logic for resolving potential scheduling conflicts between organizational call tones and private call tones, such as, for example, a rule in which the organizational call tone trumps personal call tones for calls are made to the subscriber telephone during business hours.

Abstract: A carrier providing wireless services provides ringback media such as call tones via one or more call tones content providers. In one aspect, a service entity (e.g., SCP or application server) is provisioned with data unique to ringback media service subscribed to by the subscriber. The service entity provides routing instructions to a mobile switching center identifying a ringback media server (e.g., content provider platform) to render ringback media to the caller. In another aspect, a caller can exercise control over the play of ringback media, e.g., by inputting DTMF tones, which responsively cause a ringback media server to change the play of ringback media, e.g., stop it or play a different selection. In another aspect, when a subscriber initiates a call to called party that subscribes to a competitor carrier, the carrier limits exposure of the subscriber to the ringback media of the competitor carrier. In one possible configuration, the carrier inserts its own ringback media.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a low cost Internet base station (LCIB) to grant a client device temporary access to a wireless network. In an embodiment, an LCIB receives a request from a client device. The request includes a feature code, an access code, and a client-device identifier. The feature code in the request indicates that the client device is requesting temporary access to the wireless network. Upon detecting the feature code in the request, the LCIB compares the access code in the request with a stored access code. If the access code from the request matches the stored access code, the LCIB grants the client device access to the wireless network on a temporary basis. Alternatively, if the access code from the request does not match the stored access code, the LCIB denies the client device access to the wireless network.

Abstract: A method for obtaining media at a first communications device (e.g., that of a parent) from a wireless communications device (e.g., one being used by a child), includes steps of receiving a message from the first device at the wireless communications device, the message causing the wireless communications device to display a prompt for the user to capture media (e.g., photo, voice sample, or biometrical sample) with the device, obtaining current location information for the wireless communications device; and automatically transmitting the media from the second device to the first device along with the current location information.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided causing a mobile station to, after experiencing a dropped call, originate a subsequent call via a coverage area different than that used for the first call. In an embodiment, a mobile station detects that, when it was engaged in the first call at a first location via a first wireless coverage area, the mobile station experienced the first call being dropped. When the mobile station subsequently attempts to originate a second call, the mobile station determines that its current location is within a threshold distance of the first location, and responsively attempts to originate the second call via a second wireless coverage area different from the first.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for selective scanning for WLAN coverage by a multi-mode device. In one embodiment, a multi-mode device determines whether it is charging and whether it is authenticated via a WLAN. If the device is charging and so authenticated, it stores reference data in a WLAN profile corresponding with the WLAN via which the device is authenticated, where the reference data reflects a current environment of a WWAN. If the device is charging and is not so authenticated, it scans on a fixed interval for at least one WLAN. If the device is not charging and is not so authenticated, it iteratively: (a) calculates a scanning period based at least in part on comparing the current environment of the WWAN with reference data from at least one stored WLAN profile that includes WWAN reference data and (b) scans once every scanning period for at least one WLAN.

Abstract: A method and system for facilitating location of a wireless communication device communicating via a communication path that includes a fiber optic cable is disclosed. The delay associated with a communication propagating through a fiber optic cable can be used to more accurately determine inputs used when locating a device using triangulation. The delay introduced by the cable may vary with the temperature of the cable. Therefore, the temperature associated with the cable is measured and used to determine a delay associated with the fiber optic cable. An indicator of the delay may then be used by a positioning system to more accurately locate a wireless communication device.

Abstract: A method and system for selectively applying a cellular-PBX integration service. When a radio access network (RAN) receives a call request seeking to set up a call for a cellular wireless communication device (WCD) that is operating in the coverage area of the RAN, a determination is made as to whether the WCD is currently checked-into a cellular-PBX integration service. A service control point (SCP), for instance, may make the determination. If the determination is that the WCD is currently checked-in, then the call is set up to an IP PBX server that services the WCD, and the IP PBX server may then handle the call as it would handle a call placed to any IP PBX extension. Further, differential billing can be applied, charging an enterprise billing-account for the call if the WCD is checked-in, and charging a WCD billing-account for the call if the WCD is not checked-in.

Abstract: A method and system for managing subscriber payments is disclosed. When a subscriber account reaches a threshold state, the subscriber may be directed to a payment platform that requests the subscriber to make a payment in order to continue using telecom service. As described, a billing system determines the subscriber's rate of usage of telecom service so far in a current billing period and then applies the determined rate of usage to predict a quantity of telecom service that the subscriber will use in the remainder of the billing period. The billing system then computes an overage charge for at least a portion of the predicted quantity of telecom service and conveys at least that overage charge to the payment platform. The payment platform then requests the subscriber to pay at least the computed overage charge, preferably as a condition to the subscriber using further telecom service.

Abstract: A method and system is disclosed for dynamically merging wireless service sectors in a wireless communication system. The method and system determines when certain conditions exist under which dynamically merging a plurality of wireless service sectors would advantageously yield an increased data rate for transmissions to access terminals (ATs) operating the plurality, while, at the same time, not resulting in a total traffic load that would be detrimental to system performance. The method and system also incorporate the manner and means of merging sectors so as to cause the plurality of wireless service sectors to operate as a single, dynamically-merged wireless service sector. Each access terminal operating in a dynamically-merged wireless service sector receives the full, combined power of all the sectors of the plurality during transmissions to that AT.

Abstract: A multi-mode mobile station includes a first interface for wireless communication with a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a second interface for wireless communication with a wireless wide area network (WWAN). A call control system routes all calls to and from the multi-mode mobile station through a media gateway that serves as an anchor point for handoffs between the WLAN and WWAN. For example, while involved in a call that has a WLAN call leg from the media gateway, the multi-mode mobile transmits a handoff request. The call control system then establishes a WWAN call leg from the media gateway, and the multi-mode mobile station stores in a buffer any media received via the WWAN call leg. The call control system subsequently transmits a handoff instruction to the multi-mode mobile station. In response, the multi-mode mobile station plays out the stored media and drops the WLAN call leg.

Abstract: While a mobile node is engaged in a communication session via a first air interface channel, the user of the mobile node requests a vertical handoff. In response to the user's handoff request, the mobile node goes into a dormant mode to release the first air interface channel. The mobile node then acquires a second air interface channel, which may have a higher data rate than the first air interface channel, and continues the communication session via the second air interface channel. The mobile node may also determine that a vertical handoff may be available, e.g., by checking a preferred roaming list (PRL), and then indicate to the user that a vertical handoff may be available.

Abstract: A contact list client application running on a client device operates to request and receive contact lists over a network from a plurality of different contact list servers, and the application stores the contacts from these lists in a merged contact list. When a user selects a contact in the merged list, the contact list client application identifies one out of a plurality of communication applications on the client device and causes the identified communication application to initiate communications with the contact. Contact lists that relate to different communications formats, such as voice communications, SMS (short message service) messages, and email can be integrated into a single client view on the client device.

Abstract: Elimination of intermodulation interference in a wireless communication system by removing a portion of the spectrum of transmitted signals. According to a received indication of an occurrence of intermodulation interference experienced by a narrowband receiver, mappings are performed between the predetermined narrowband channel frequency on which the narrowband receiver operates and the occupied channel frequencies of at least one broadband transmit signal. Narrowband candidate frequency ranges that linearly combine into frequencies that overlap the predetermined narrowband channel frequency are determined based on the mappings. The narrowband candidate frequency ranges that potentially contribute to the intermodulation interference are then selectively filtered by at least one notch filter until the intermodulation interference is substantially eliminated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating custom format messages. Upon user selection of a message-destination, application logic identifies a set of template customization data corresponding to the message-destination and uses the template customization data to customize a generalized message template, so as to produce a custom format message. Advantageously, a single messaging application can thereby be made to produce custom format messages respectively for many different message-destinations.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a mechanism to help improve message waiting notification. In accordance with the mechanism, when a RAN transmits an MWI to a mobile station after unsuccessful call setup paging of the mobile station, the RAN will transmit the MWI at a higher power level than the RAN used for transmitting the call setup paging. Using a higher transmission power specifically for the MWI should help the MWI reach the mobile station, particularly in a scenario where a reason for call setup paging failure was noise on the air interface. Consequently, the disclosed mechanism should help improve user experience by increasing the likelihood that mobile stations will receive and process MWIs soon after the associated voice mail messages are left.

Abstract: A method and system for reporting mobile subscriber location is disclosed. Upon receipt of a request to report the location of a given mobile subscriber, a server may identify the subscriber's “buddies” and then determine, for each buddy, whether the buddy is located in the same zone as the given subscriber. The zone may be, for example, a subnet of a network. Additionally, the server may determine whether a rule is set to block reporting of the given subscriber's location to the buddy. Provided that the buddy is located in the same zone as the given subscriber and provided that reporting is allowed, the server may then send a location-reporting message to the buddy, indicating the given subscriber's location, preferably in terms of proximity to the buddy. The server may further receive a reply from the buddy and then send a location-reporting reply message to the given subscriber, indicating the location of the buddy.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for implementing an alternate operational-data transmission scheme for LCIB systems. According to an embodiment, an LCIB provides service to at least one mobile station on a first wireless network, the provision of service comprising (i) providing an air interface according to a first wireless technology, (ii) providing a backhaul connection over a packet-data network to a service-provider network, and (iii) bridging the air interface and the backhaul connection. The LCIB collects operational data, which the LCIB transmits to a server over a second wireless network according to a second wireless technology, where the second wireless network is different than the first wireless network, and the second wireless technology is different than the first wireless technology.