Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Zoned or cellular telephone system
Reexamination Certificate
1996-08-15
2001-04-10
Bost, Dwayne D. (Department: 2744)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Zoned or cellular telephone system
C455S001000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06216000
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to wireless telephone registration. More particularly, this invention relates to a system and method for registering a wireless telephone which is normally operative in its corresponding wireless telephone network, to a selected wireline of the Public-Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).
BACKGROUND ART
Multi-mode wireless handsets are currently available and in use. Handsets of this type typically function in a cellular/PCS mode as well as in a cordless phone mode. A schematic drawing of a typical prior art multi-mode wireless system is shown in FIG.
1
and represented generally by reference numeral
10
.
The prior art system
10
includes a wireless handset
12
which is provided in electrical communication with a home or office base station
14
which includes a land-based telephone
16
. Base station
14
and telephone
16
are both provided in electrical communication with the Public-Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) which is generally referred to by reference numeral
18
. PSTN
18
includes at least one Service Switching Point (SSP), also called a central office switch
20
, which is provided in electrical communication with a Service Control Point (SCP)/Home Location Register (HLR)
22
via a Service Transfer Point (STP)
24
and appropriate signaling links. In this AIN architecture, Common Channel Signaling (CCS) is utilized which is a method for exchanging information between Stored Program Control Systems (SPCSs) (not shown) that are interconnected through a network of signaling links.
As those skilled in the art will recognize, CCS network nodes may include, but are not limited to, switching systems, network databases and operator services systems. When implemented on an SPCS, CCS serves the dual role of (1) providing a transport mechanism necessary to carry feature information between the SPCS and other nodes in the CCS network; and (2) defining how service information shall be encoded to allow other nodes to correctly interpret CCS communications from the SPCS. For interswitch calls, the protocol used for CCS is Signaling System No. 7. SS7 is designed to be used primarily in high speed digital networks yet is capable of controlling low-speed analog facilities as well. SS
7
generally operates at 64 kBPS and can support variable message links up to 2,176 bits (272 octets) of information per message.
As shown, handset
12
of
FIG. 1
is operative to function in both a cellular/PCS mode as well as in a cordless phone mode. While away from home, the subscriber can enjoy a single handset using the cellular/PCS network. While at home, the subscriber can enjoy the same handset in a cordless phone mode, placing calls over the wireline network of the Public-Switched Telephone Network
18
; much cheaper than cellular/PCS rates.
In order for this to happen, a registration needs to take place, where the registration “tells the network to send all calls to either the wireline network or cellular/PCS network”. Upon detection that a wireless handset has entered the base station's serving area, calls are routed to a wireline line. The handset will then function as a cordless phone.
Given the narrowband environment shown in
FIG. 1
in which AIN currently exists, wireline registration requires the base station
14
to dial an administration number, “listen” to tones via tone detection technology, and then enter registration information via Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) digits. There are, of course, obvious disadvantages to this implementation, namely, (1) if the wireline line is busy, registration cannot take place (additional lines to avoid this problem would increase costs); (2) tone detection and DTMF digit transmission is more error-prone than digital transactions; and (3) security procedures in the narrowband implementation shown is limited to PINs and caller ID; no encryption is readily available.
Consequently, a need has developed for a method and system operative to register wireless telephones to the Public-Switched Telephone Network wherein signaling takes place out-of-band.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for registering a wireless telephone which is normally operative in its corresponding wireless telephone network to a selected wireline of the Public-Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) wherein upstream signaling takes place out-of-band.
Still further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and system as above, wherein the upstream signaling takes place via the broadband network.
Yet still further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and system, as above, wherein a wireless telephone is registered to selected wirelines of the Public-Switched Telephone Network.
Yet still further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and system for registering a wireless telephone to a selected wireline of the Public-Switched Telephone Network through the use of a base station, the broadband network and a Set-Top Terminal (STT) which provides the interface to the base station and upstream signaling through the broadband network.
In carrying out the above-stated objects and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention, there is provided a system for registering a wireless telephone to one or more selected wirelines of the PSTN. The wireless telephone is normally operative in its corresponding wireless telephone network such as the cellular telephone network, Personal Communication System (PCS) having distributed radio port architecture or any other suitable wireless network. A base station is provided in electrical communication with one or more selected PSTN wirelines for detecting when the wireless telephone comes within its registration range. A Set-Top Terminal (STT) is also provided in electrical communication with the base station and the broadband network. The STT is operative to send upstream signaling to the PSTN and the corresponding wireless telephone network through the broadband network.
In the preferred embodiment, the PSTN is AIN-equipped and thus includes Service Activation and Control functionality as well as a Service Switching Point (SSP) which is provided in electrical communication with the Service Activation and Control functionality. An AIN Service Control Point (SCP)/Home Location Register (HLR) is also provided in electrical communication with the SSP and the service activation and control functionality.
The broadband network typically comprises a level
1
network for coordinating delivery of upstream signaling from the STT to the PSTN as well as a level
2
gateway for setting up the physical connections between the PSTN and the STT and billing for the use of the broadband network by the base station. A level
3
application is also provided for coordinating the delivery of the upstream signaling from the STT through the PSTN to other AIN providers. Finally, a Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) device such as a telephone, fax machine, or the like, may be provided in electrical communication with the base station and is operative transparent to the registration process of the telephone handset.
In operation, the method of the present invention is provided for use in cooperation with the broadband network and, as stated above, is directed to registering a wireless telephone which is normally operative in its corresponding wireless telephone network, to a selected wireline of the Public-Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The method comprises providing a base station having a corresponding registration range and which is in electrical communication with the wireless telephone and the PSTN. The method further comprises detecting when the wireless telephone comes within the base station registration range and generating corresponding upstream signaling. Finally, the method includes providing a Set-Top Terminal (STT) which is in electrical communication with the base station and the broadband network to (1) coordinate the delivery of the upstream signaling to
Bost Dwayne D.
Brooks & Kushman P.C.
U S West, Inc.
Wyche Myron K.
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