Patent ID: 8224333

Claim:
A method for managing unlicensed mobile access (UMA) devices connected to a local area network (LAN), the method comprising: establishing a first connection between a LAN-based UMA network controller (LAN-UNC) and a first UMA device, wherein the first UMA device is connected to the LAN and data packets carried by the first connection are maintained within the LAN; establishing a second connection between the LAN-UNC and a second UMA device, wherein the second UMA device is connected to the LAN and data packets carried by the second connection are maintained within the LAN; establishing a third connection between the LAN-UNC and a UMA network controller (UNC), wherein the UNC is connected to an external network and the third connection extends over the external network; receiving, at the LAN-UNC, a first request from the first UMA device, wherein the first request is a request for a call between the first UMA device and the second UMA device; and directing said first request to the UNC using the third connection; receiving, at the LAN-UNC, a second request from the UNC, wherein the second request includes a message associated with the first request that identifies the second UMA device; directing said second request to the second UMA device using the second connection; and receiving, using the first connection, first data packets comprising first voice call data including an audio portion at the LAN-UNC from the first UMA device, and based at least in part on determining that the first UMA device and the second UMA device are both connected to the LAN, the LAN-UNC directing the audio portion of the first voice call data from the first UMA device to the second UMA device; receiving, using the second connection, second data packets comprising second voice call data including an audio portion at the LAN-UNC from the second UMA device, and based at least in part on determining that the first UMA device and the second UMA device are both connected to the LAN, the LAN-UNC directing the audio portion of the second voice call data from the second UMA device to the first UMA devices; wherein the audio portion of the first voice call data and the audio portion of the second voice call data are maintained within the LAN, and are not sent to the UNC.