METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING NEIGHBORHOOD CORDLESS SERVICES

• US 20020058495A1
• Filed: 12/30/1998
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: YING, WENCHU, CHOW, ALBERT, WANG, SPENCER, MILLER, ROBERT RAYMOND II, RUSSELL, JESSE EUGENE
• Granted Patent: US 6,445,911 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

A method for providing a local cordless service comprises the steps of receiving subscriber neighborhood zone selection input so that a mobile telephone equipped subscriber may place or receive calls for a fixed rate, for example, per month without having to pay radio frequency air time charges any time they are located within their selected subscribed-to zones. If the subscribed-to zones are adjacent to one another and the mobile subscriber roams from one zone to another, the subscriber may continue their free call uninterrupted and without paying air time charges. However, when the subscriber roams outside their subscribed-to zones they may be switched from the present local cordless services to conventional personal communications services and pay air time charges. However for an active call, no air-time charges are incurred as the user transitions between the cellular/DPCS environment and the local cordless service environment. Associated apparatus comprises an IBS for automatically changing radio frequency channels as the subscriber roams within a subscribed-to neighborhood zone, roams to another subscribed-to zone or roams outside a subscribed-to zone. Subscribers may choose to use their mobile identification number, their current directory telephone number for wired public switched telephone service or obtain a new directory number.

Claims

1. A method of providing a local cordless service to a subscriber having a mobile station for communicating with a radio base station serving a plurality of said subscribers to said service comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of local cordless services zones having a radius from a plurality of respective said radio base stations;

receiving subscriber selection criteria of at least one selected zone, said radio base station for radiating and receiving radio frequencies for communication with mobile wireless subscriber apparatus; and

billing a fixed rate per service period for using said mobile subscriber apparatus when said mobile subscriber apparatus is located within said one selected zone regardless of the number of calls placed from said apparatus or the use of radio frequency spectrum by said apparatus.

2. A method of providing local cordless services as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

receiving subscriber selection criteria of a selected second zone, said selected zone overlapping said at least one selected zone; and

billing an additional fixed rate per service period for using said mobile subscriber apparatus when said mobile subscriber apparatus is located within one of said one selected zone and said selected second zone.

3. A method of providing local cordless services as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

receiving subscriber selection criteria of a selected second zone, said selected zone being located remote from said at least one selected zone; and

billing an additional fixed rate per service period for using said mobile subscriber apparatus when said mobile subscriber apparatus is located within one of said one selected zone and said selected second zone.

4. A method of providing local cordless services as recited in claim 2 further comprising the step of:

monitoring said mobile subscriber apparatus during a call; and

permitting a call to continue without additional charge as said mobile subscriber apparatus roams via a buffer overlap area from said one selected zone to said selected second zone.

5. A method of providing local cordless services as recited in claim 3 further comprising the step of:

monitoring said mobile subscriber apparatus during a call;

permitting a call to continue; and

billing additional charges for air time as said mobile subscriber apparatus roams from said one selected zone to said selected second zone what'"'"'s this.

6. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein said call continue permission step comprises the steps of:

alerting a subscriber that said call will be continued as a wireless charged for call;

obtaining a new radio frequency channel within an overlapping wireless cell; and

tuning to the new radio frequency channel.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

receiving subscriber selection of one of a mobile identification number based service and a directory number based service and assigning a directory number according to said choice.

8. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein said directory number is ported from a wired public switched telephone service for the same subscriber.

9. A method of providing a local cordless service as recited in claim 1 wherein said one selected zone has a radius of greater than one mile from said mobile station of said subscriber.

10. A local cordless service system comprising a mobile station having a transmission range of:

at least one mile, a wired base station for receiving communications from a plurality of said mobile stations, two of said mobile stations being of different subscribers, and billing apparatus for billing each said different subscriber a flat rate for communications within a selected zone surrounding said wired base station.

11. A local cordless service system as recited in claim 10 wherein said mobile station is addressed in accordance with a directory number carried from disconnected wired telecommunications service.

12. A local cordless service system as recited in claim 10 further comprising a network server platform for storing a subscriber profile, the subscriber profile including billing data and subscriber-to service data for each of said two different subscribers.

13. A local cordless service system as recited in claim 10 further comprising two of said radio base stations and a remote digital terminal for concentrating ISDN BRI lines from said radio base stations to GR 303 trunks to a serving switch.

14. A local cordless service system as recited in claim 13 wherein one of said radio base stations services said selected zone and the other of said radio base stations services another selected zone, such that when said mobile station moves from one zone to another zone during a call in progress, said one base station hands off the call to the other of said radio base stations without additional charge.