Patent ID: 9480011
Filing Date: 2016-10-25
CPC Classification: H04L,H04W

Claim Text:
1. A method of routing a voice connection over a cellular network to a mobile station, the cellular network comprising a plurality of base stations, some of the plurality of base stations having capability to provide the voice connection to the mobile station using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP, the method comprising: identifying an incoming voice connection for the mobile station at an Application Server of the cellular network; sending a request message from the Application Server to a register circuit of the cellular network, the request message requesting an indication as to whether or not the mobile station is being served by a base station having capability to provide the incoming voice connection to the mobile station using VoIP; determining, by the register circuit, the mobile station is registered with a packet switching entity; in response to identifying the incoming voice connection and receiving the request message from the Application Server by the register circuit, sending a coverage request message from the register circuit to the packet switching entity before routing the incoming voice connection to the mobile device, the coverage request message requesting the indication as to whether or not the mobile station is being served by a base station having capability to provide the incoming voice connection to the mobile station using VoIP; receiving, at the register circuit, a response to the coverage request message from the packet switching entity that indicates whether or not the mobile station is being served by a base station having capability to provide the incoming voice connection to the mobile station using VoIP; and sending a response message from the register circuit to the Application Server based on the register circuit receiving the response to the coverage request message from the packet switching entity, wherein, if the coverage request message indicates the mobile station is being served by a base station having capability to provide the incoming voice connection to the mobile station using VoIP, routing of the incoming voice connection using VoIP towards the base station serving the mobile station.