Method and apparatus for using a standard telephone with a wireless communications system
First Claim
1. A wireless communications system comprising:
- a base transceiver system for receiving and transmitting signals;
a telephone with a standard keypad with keys for dialing, the standard keypad having at least a “
*”
key, a “
#”
key and number keys 0-9; and
, a subscriber line interface circuit having a transceiver and antenna system associated therewith, wherein the subscriber line interface circuit couples the telephone to the transceiver and antenna system and wherein the transceiver and antenna system couples the telephone wirelessly to the base transceiver system, the subscriber line interface circuit being coupled to the telephone via one or more conductors, having a memory unit for storing information relating to dialed keys and having a processing unit for recognizing the information, wherein the subscriber line interface circuit initiates a wireless connection via the transceiver and antenna system to the base transceiver system after the processing unit recognizes that the “
*”
key has been depressed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for placing and receiving telephone calls via a wireless communications network using a standard telephone and, therefore, is referred to as a wireless local loop system that uses a standard telephone. More specifically, in one embodiment, the “*” key is advantageously used to generate a send signal, while the “#” key is advantageously used to generate an end signal. Accordingly, automatic generation of false send signals may be eliminated, while the need of purchasing a specialized telephone handset having a send key and end key thereon may be avoided. Furthermore, in one embodiment, when placing a call, a recorded message (instead of a dial tone) is advantageously played to a user when a telephone is taken “off-hook” so that a user may be notified that the call will be transmitted via a wireless network and, therefore, may be subject to a different pricing structure. In addition, upon receipt of an incoming call, a similar recorded message may be played to a user for like purposes.
37 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A wireless communications system comprising:
-
a base transceiver system for receiving and transmitting signals;
a telephone with a standard keypad with keys for dialing, the standard keypad having at least a “
*”
key, a “
#”
key and number keys 0-9; and
,a subscriber line interface circuit having a transceiver and antenna system associated therewith, wherein the subscriber line interface circuit couples the telephone to the transceiver and antenna system and wherein the transceiver and antenna system couples the telephone wirelessly to the base transceiver system, the subscriber line interface circuit being coupled to the telephone via one or more conductors, having a memory unit for storing information relating to dialed keys and having a processing unit for recognizing the information, wherein the subscriber line interface circuit initiates a wireless connection via the transceiver and antenna system to the base transceiver system after the processing unit recognizes that the “
*”
key has been depressed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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12. A wireless communications system comprising:
-
a base transceiver system for receiving and transmitting signals;
a telephone with a standard keypad with keys for dialing, the standard keypad having at least a “
*”
key, a “
#”
key and number keys 0-9; and
,a subscriber line interface circuit having a transceiver and antenna system associated therewith, wherein the subscriber line interface circuit couples the telephone to the transceiver and antenna system and wherein the transceiver and antenna system couples the telephone wirelessly to the base transceiver system, the subscriber line interface circuit being coupled to the telephone via one or more conductors, having a memory unit for storing information relating to dialed keys and having a processing unit for recognizing the information, wherein the subscriber line interface circuit initiates a wireless connection via the transceiver and antenna system to the base transceiver system after the processing unit recognizes that the “
#”
key has been depressed.
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21. A method for using a telephone having a standard keypad with a wireless communications network, wherein the keypad includes a “
- *”
key, a “
#”
key and number keys 0-9, the method comprising the steps of;
providing a subscriber line interface circuit having a transceiver and antenna system associated therewith, the subscriber line interface circuit coupling the standard telephone to the transceiver and antenna system;
monitoring the telephone for dialed numbers using the subscriber line interface circuit;
storing the dialed numbers in a memory, wherein the memory is associated with the subscriber line interface circuit;
monitoring the telephone, via the subscriber line interface circuit, for the depression of the “
#”
key; and
,initiating a wireless connection from the transceiver and antenna system to the wireless communications network upon the depression of the “
*”
key using the subscriber line interface circuit. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31)
- *”
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27. A method for using a telephone having a standard keypad with a wireless communications network, wherein the keypad includes a “
- *”
key, a “
#”
key and number keys 0-9, the method comprising the steps of;
providing a subscriber line interface circuit having a transceiver and antenna system associated therewith, the subscriber line interface circuit coupling the telephone to the transceiver and antenna system;
monitoring the telephone for dialed numbers using the subscriber line interface circuit;
storing the dialed numbers in a memory, wherein the memory is associated with the subscriber line interface circuit;
monitoring the telephone, via the subscriber line interface circuit, for the depression of the “
#”
key; and
,initiating a connection from the transceiver and antenna system to the wireless communications network upon the depression of the “
#”
key using the subscriber line interface circuit.
- *”
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32. A mixed wireless/wireline communications system comprising:
-
a base transceiver system for receiving and transmitting calls via a wireless network;
a wireline for receiving and transmitting calls via a wireline network;
a two-line telephone with a standard keypad with keys for dialing, the standard keypad having at least a “
*”
key and a “
#”
key and number keys 0-9, the wireline being connected to a first line of the two-line telephone;
a subscriber line interface circuit having a transceiver and antenna system associated therewith, wherein the subscriber line interface circuit couples a second line of the two-line telephone to the transceiver and antenna system and wherein the transceiver and antenna system couples the second line of the two-line telephone wirelessly to the base transceiver system, the subscriber line interface circuit having a memory unit for storing information relating to keys dialed when the second line of the two-line telephone is active and a processing unit for recognizing the information, wherein the subscriber line interface circuit interface initiates a wireless connection via the transceiver and antenna system to the base transceiver system after the processing unit recognizes that the “
*”
key has been depressed. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A mixed wireless/wireline communications system comprising:
-
a base transceiver system for receiving and transmitting calls via a wireless network;
a wireline for receiving and transmitting calls via a wireline network;
a two-line telephone with a standard keypad with keys for dialing, the standard keypad having at least a “
*”
key and a “
#”
key and number keys 0-9, the wireline being connected to a first line of the two-line telephone;
a subscriber line interface circuit having a transceiver and antenna system associated therewith, wherein the subscriber line interface circuit couples a second line of the two-line telephone to the transceiver and antenna system and wherein the transceiver and antenna system couples the second line of the two-line telephone wirelessly to the base transceiver system, the subscriber line interface circuit having a memory unit for storing information relating to keys dialed when the second line of the two-line telephone is active and a processing unit for recognizing the information, wherein the subscriber line interface circuit interface initiates a wireless connection via the transceiver and antenna system to the base transceiver system after the processing unit recognizes that the “
#”
key has been depressed. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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Specification