METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING A COMMUNICATION PATH USING A PAGING NETWORK

• US 20010012787A1
• Filed: 06/15/1998
• Published: 08/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 21ST CENTURY GARAGE LLC
• Original Assignee: @Track Communications Incorporated
• Inventors: WORTHAM, LARRY C.
• Granted Patent: US 6,308,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A system for providing a communication path includes a platform, a paging network, a mobile unit, and a mobile voice communications network. The platform delivers a paging signal comprising call setup information to a page receiver of the mobile unit using the paging network. A transceiver of the mobile unit selects a particular NAM in response to the call setup information and registers with the network using the selected NAM to enable the establishment of a communication path between the platform and the mobile unit.

Claims

1. A system for providing a communication path between a platform and a mobile unit, comprising:

a paging network;

a mobile voice communications network;

a platform coupled to the paging network and the mobile voice communications network, the platform operable to communicate a paging signal having call setup information using the paging network; and

a mobile unit comprising a paging device operable to receive the paging signal, the mobile unit further comprising a transceiver coupled to the paging device and operable to select a particular number assignment module in response to the call setup information, the transceiver further operable to initiate registration with the mobile voice communications network using the selected number assignment module to enable the establishment of a communication path between the platform and the mobile unit.

2. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the mobile voice communications network is a cellular telephone network.

3. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the platform further comprises a plurality of enhanced service modules operable to provide enhanced services to the mobile unit using the communication path.

4. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the platform further comprises a switch operable to establish the communication path by directing a call from the platform to the mobile unit using the selected number assignment module.

5. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the platform further comprises:

a memory that stores a customer profile table associating a customer with one or more selected enhanced service modules; and

a processor coupled to the memory and operable to provide enhanced services to the mobile unit based upon the customer profile table.

6. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the platform further comprises:

a memory that stores a format table associating enhanced services with paging codes; and

a processor coupled to the memory and operable to generate the paging signal using the paging codes.

7. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the platform further comprises:

a usage tracking system operable to store usage information associated with the use of the communication path; and

a billing system operable to generate a bill using the usage information.

8. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the call setup information specifies the particular number assignment module.

9. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the mobile unit further comprises a processor coupled to the paging device, the processor operable to initiate a call to the platform in response to a call back message communicated in the paging signal.

10. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the transceiver includes a first number assignment module and a second number assignment module.

11. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the platform initiates the establishment of a communication path a predetermined amount of time after communicating the paging signal.

12. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the platform initiates the establishment of a communication path after receiving an acknowledgment from the mobile unit.

13. A method for providing a communication path between a platform and a mobile unit, comprising:

communicating a paging signal having call setup information to a mobile unit using a paging network;

selecting at the mobile unit a particular number assignment module in response to the call setup information; and

registering a transceiver of the mobile unit with a mobile voice communications network coupled to the platform using the selected number assignment module to enable the establishment of a communication path between the platform and the mobile unit.

14. The method of

claim 13

, further comprising:

receiving an incoming call at the platform; and

generating the paging signal to deliver the incoming call to the mobile unit.

15. The method of

claim 13

, further comprising initiating the establishment of the communication path by directing a call from the platform to the mobile unit using the selected number assignment module.

16. The method of

claim 13

, further comprising:

storing a format table associating enhanced services with paging codes; and

generating the paging signal using the paging codes.

17. The method of

claim 13

, wherein the mobile voice communications network is a cellular telephone network.

18. The method of

claim 13

, wherein the platform further comprises a plurality of enhanced service modules operable to provide enhanced services to the mobile unit using the communication path.

19. The method of

claim 13

, wherein the platform further comprises:

a memory that stores a customer profile table associating a customer with one or more selected enhanced service modules; and

a processor coupled to the memory and operable to provide enhanced services to the mobile unit based upon the customer profile table.

20. The method of

claim 13

, wherein the call setup information specifies the particular number assignment module.

21. The method of

claim 13

, wherein the transceiver includes a first number assignment module and a second number assignment module.

22. The method of

claim 13

, further comprising initiating the establishment of the communication path a predetermined amount of time after communicating the paging signal.

23. The system of

claim 13

, further comprising initiating the establishment of the communication path after receiving an acknowledgment from the mobile unit.

24. A system for delivering a call to a mobile unit, comprising:

a paging network;

a mobile voice communications network;

a platform coupled to the paging network and the mobile voice communications network, the platform operable to communicate a paging signal specifying a particular number assignment module to the mobile unit using the paging network and further operable to direct a call to the mobile unit using the mobile voice communications network; and

the mobile unit comprising a paging device operable to receive the paging signal, the mobile unit further comprising a transceiver coupled to the paging device and operable to receive the call by registering with the mobile voice communications network using the specified number assignment module.

25. The system of

claim 24

, wherein the mobile voice communications network is a cellular telephone network.

26. The system of

claim 24

, wherein the platform directs the call to the mobile unit a predetermined amount of time after communicating the paging signal.

27. The system of

claim 24

, wherein the platform directs the call to the mobile unit after receiving an acknowledgment from the mobile unit.

28. The system of

claim 24

, wherein the platform further comprises a plurality of enhanced service modules operable to provide enhanced services to the mobile unit during the call.

29. The system of

claim 24

, wherein the platform further comprises:

a memory that stores a customer profile table associating a customer with one or more selected enhanced service modules; and

a processor coupled to the memory and operable to provide enhanced services to the mobile unit during the call based upon the customer profile table.

30. The system of

claim 24

, wherein the platform further comprises:

a memory that stores a format table associating enhanced services with paging codes; and

a processor coupled to the memory and operable to generate the paging signal using the paging codes.

31. The system of

claim 24

, wherein the transceiver includes a first number assignment module and a second number assignment module.