Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Zoned or cellular telephone system
Utility Patent
1996-12-17
2001-01-02
Trost, William G. (Department: 2744)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Zoned or cellular telephone system
C340S870070, C379S106010, C455S462000, C455S561000
Utility Patent
active
06169895
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a private base station that collects data from data generators contained in a premises for later transmission through a telephone network to a desired destination.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Modern cellular telephone systems currently use high power, frequency, time and/or code division multiplexed narrowband radio frequency communication techniques in conjunction with large cells to establish and maintain telephone communications. With the growing popularity of mobile stations configured for operating in these systems, increased flexibility in use of these mobile stations is desired. One approach to providing user flexibility while encouraging greater utilization of the mobile stations is by providing low-power private base stations over which a user can register his or her mobile station and make and receive telephone calls. A private base station shares the same frequency bands with large cells, but operates at a greatly reduced power level. Also, each private base station has a landline subscriber telephone number through which all incoming and outgoing calls are routed.
In commonly assigned, copending patent application filed on Jun. 28, 1996 by the same inventors, and entitled TELEPHONE SYSTEM HAVING LANDLINE-SUPPORTED PRIVATE BASE STATION SWITCHABLE INTO CELLULAR NETWORK, a private base station receives a registration signal from a mobile station and enables communication of the mobile station with a landline telephone network through the private base station. Predetermined signalling codes are received from a registered mobile station and the private base station switches communication of the private base station into the wireless cellular phone network. The private base station is contained typically in a residence or small business, and thus bypasses the local switch and allows signalling in the cellular network such as commonly occurs in the public-switched telephone network.
Many of these private base stations are contained in residences or small businesses. It would be advantageous if a private base station could be used for other purposes besides enabling mobile communication within a premises. The private base station allows communication with both the landline and cellular phone network and can be modified for other uses. It would be advantageous if data such as collected from water coolers, heaters, air conditioners and other portions of the premises could be measured or sensed and any data forwarded through a telephone network to a desired destination.
Some prior art systems use different means for collecting data from appliances in a premises and forwarding the data over telephone lines. Examples of such systems include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,503,061 to Bray et al., issued Mar. 24, 1970; U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,728 to Swanson, issued Jan. 27, 1987; U.S. Pat No. 4,682,169 to Swanson issued Jul. 21, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,332 to Brown, issued Jan. 9, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,182 to Merriam et al., issued Nov. 3, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 5,239,575 to White et al., issued Aug. 24, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,581 to Merriam et al., issued May 10, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,691 to Cain et al., issued Nov. 29, 1994.
None of these references, however, teach the use of a private base station.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a private base station collects data from data generators positioned in a premises and forwards the collected data through a telephone is network to a desired destination. The private base station enables communication with a landline telephone network and can switch communication into a wireless cellular phone network. In one aspect of the present invention, at least one data generator is positioned in the premises for collecting data from the premises. This data could include temperature readings, energy usage from an air conditioner or other data that can be determined within a premises. The private base station receives the generated data over a communication channel such as a digital control channel. The private base station first attempts to generate a call through the landline telephone network for transmitting the collected data to a predetermined destination, such as a Home Care Service or similar monitoring service that collects the data for billing purposes, security or other reasons. When a landline connection is not established, then the private base station switches communication into the wireless cellular phone network and forwards the collected data to a desired destination. In one aspect of the present invention, the data generator transmits the data to the private base station along a digital control channel.
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PCT International Search Report, PCT/US97/21848, Mailed Aug. 7, 1998
Buhrmann Michael
Leuca Ileana A.
AT&T Wireless Svcs. Inc.
Trost William G.
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