Wired cellular telephone system

• US 20030188319A1
• Filed: 02/05/2003
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Weissman, Haim
• Granted Patent: US 7,970,368 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/20 hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/14 WLL [Wireless Local Loop]; RLL [Radio Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

Telephone apparatus, including a cable television (CATV) network interface, which is adapted to be connected to a CATV network so as to receive downstream cellular telephone communication signals transmitted at a downstream intermediate frequency (IF) via the CATV network from a base-station transceiver system (BTS) operative in a cellular telephone network. The apparatus includes a telephone interface, which is adapted to connect to a cellular telephone operative in the cellular telephone network via a physical connection.

The apparatus also includes signal conversion circuitry, which is adapted to convert the downstream communication signals received at the downstream IF via the CATV network interface to downstream radio-frequency (RF) cellular telephone signals compatible with the cellular telephone network, and to convey the downstream RF cellular telephone signals to the cellular telephone via the physical connection.

Claims

1. Telephone apparatus, comprising:

a cable television (CATV) network interface, which is adapted to be connected to a CATV network so as to receive downstream cellular telephone communication signals transmitted at a downstream intermediate frequency (IF) via the CATV network from a base-station transceiver system (BTS) operative in a cellular telephone network;

a telephone interface, which is adapted to connect to a cellular telephone operative in the cellular telephone network via a physical connection; and

signal conversion circuitry, which is adapted to convert the downstream communication signals received at the downstream IF via the CATV network interface to downstream radio-frequency (RF) cellular telephone signals compatible with the cellular telephone network, and to convey the downstream RF cellular telephone signals to the cellular telephone via the physical connection.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal conversion circuitry is adapted to receive upstream RF cellular telephone signals from the cellular telephone via the telephone interface, to convert the upstream RF signals to upstream IF signals, and to convey the upstream IF signals upstream via the CATV network interface.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the BTS receives and converts the upstream IF signals so as to recover the upstream RF cellular telephone signals.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2, and comprising a converter which receives and converts the upstream IF signals so as to recover the upstream RF cellular telephone signals and which conveys the recovered upstream RF cellular telephone signals to the BTS.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the upstream IF signals are transmitted on one of a plurality of upstream IF carriers, and wherein the signal conversion circuitry is adapted to convert the upstream RF cellular telephone signals to the one of the upstream IF carriers.

6. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the signal conversion circuitry comprises:

an upstream IF amplifier that generates the upstream IF signals; and

an upstream IF signal detector that is adapted to measure a level of the upstream IF signals, wherein a gain of the amplifier is set to avoid crossing an upstream threshold limit.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the downstream IF comprises a plurality of downstream IF carriers, and wherein the signal conversion circuitry is adapted to convert one of the downstream IF carriers to the downstream RF cellular telephone signals.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the BTS converts the downstream cellular RF signals received from the cellular telephone network to the downstream IF.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, and comprising a converter which receives and converts the downstream cellular RF signals received from the cellular telephone network to the downstream IF.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cellular telephone network is coupled to at least one of an Ethernet network, a public switched telephone network (PSTN), and an Internet network.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, and comprising a loudspeaker, a microphone and a keypad coupled to the telephone interface, so as to enable the apparatus to operate as the cellular telephone.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1, and comprising a controller, coupled to the telephone interface, which is adapted to convey signals between a computer and the telephone interface.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1, and comprising an antenna, coupled to the telephone interface, which is adapted to radiate the downstream RF signals to a mobile cellular telephone physically disconnected from the telephone interface and to receive upstream RF signals from the mobile cellular telephone, and wherein the signal conversion circuitry is adapted to receive and convert the upstream RF signals to upstream IF signals, and wherein the CATV network interface is adapted to convey the upstream IF signals upstream.

14. Apparatus according to claim 1, and comprising an antenna, coupled to the telephone interface, which is adapted to radiate the downstream RF signals, and wherein the telephone interface is adapted to be physically disconnected from the cellular telephone, and to communicate with the cellular telephone when disconnected from the telephone interface via the antenna.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the signal conversion circuitry is adapted to set a level of the downstream RF signals radiated from the antenna to a pre-set level when the cellular telephone is disconnected from the telephone interface.

16. Apparatus according to claim 1, and comprising:

a high data rate telephone interface which is adapted to convey high data rate RF cellular signals and to connect to a high data rate cellular telephone operative in the cellular telephone network via a high data rate physical connection; and

a splitter/combiner which is adapted to convey the high data rate RF cellular signals from the signal conversion circuitry to the high data rate telephone interface and the downstream RF cellular telephone signals from the signal conversion circuitry to the telephone interface.

17. Apparatus according to claim 1, and comprising a controller which is coupled to the telephone interface and which is adapted to communicate with a video camera so that the apparatus operates as a video telephone.

18. Apparatus according to claim 1, and comprising a PSTN interface which couples a PSTN network to the telephone interface so as to make and receive a PSTN telephone call via the PSTN interface and the telephone interface.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the PSTN interface is coupled to a PSTN telephone, and wherein the PSTN interface is adapted to enable the PSTN telephone to make and receive a cellular telephone call.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the PSTN interface is adapted to indicate receipt of a PSTN call to the PSTN telephone during the cellular telephone call.

21. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the PSTN interface is adapted to indicate receipt of a cellular telephone call during the PSTN telephone call.

22. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the PSTN interface comprises a PSTN-line-in interface and a PSTN-line-out interface, and wherein the CATV network interface, the telephone interface, the signal conversion circuitry, and the PSTN-line-out interface are housed in a console, and wherein the PSTN-line-in interface is housed separately from the console.

23. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cellular telephone network is adapted to communicate with a session initiation protocol (SIP) telephone, and comprising SIP circuitry that enables the telephone interface to act as a SIP gateway.

24. Apparatus according to claim 23, and comprising a PSTN interface which couples a PSTN network to the telephone interface, so that the SIP telephone is able to communicate with a PSTN telephone coupled to the PSTN network.

25. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the SIP circuitry is adapted to enable the cellular telephone and the SIP telephone to communicate.

26. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the SIP circuitry is adapted to communicate with an alternative SIP telephone located in proximity to the telephone interface, so that the alternative SIP telephone is enabled to make and receive a SIP call.

27. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal conversion circuitry comprises:

a downstream RF amplifier that generates the downstream RF cellular telephone signals; and

a downstream RF signal detector that is adapted to measure a level of the downstream RF cellular telephone signals, wherein a gain of the amplifier is set in response to the level so that the level corresponds to a pre-set value.

28. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the downstream cellular telephone communication signals are transmitted on a wide IF carrier, and wherein the signal conversion circuitry is adapted to receive the wide IF carrier and to transmit upstream IF cellular telephone signals, generated by the signal conversion circuitry in response to upstream RF signals received from the cellular telephone, on the wide IF carrier.

29. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the downstream cellular telephone communication signals are transmitted on a wide IF carrier, and wherein the signal conversion circuitry is adapted to receive the wide IF carrier and to transmit upstream IF cellular telephone signals, generated by the signal conversion circuitry in response to upstream RF signals received from the cellular telephone, on one of a plurality of narrow IF carriers comprised within the wide IF carrier, the one narrow IF carrier being chosen randomly from the plurality.

30. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the downstream cellular telephone communication signals are transmitted on a narrow IF carrier chosen randomly from a plurality of narrow IF carriers comprised in a wide IF carrier, and wherein the signal conversion circuitry is adapted to receive the narrow IF carrier and to transmit upstream IF cellular telephone signals, generated by the signal conversion circuitry in response to upstream RF signals received from the cellular telephone, on the narrow IF carrier.

31. Apparatus according to claim 1, and comprising an IF-baseband converter which is adapted to convert the downstream cellular telephone communication signals received at the downstream IF via the CATV network interface to downstream baseband telephone signals, and which is further adapted to convert upstream baseband signals received at the IF-baseband converter to upstream cellular telephone communication signals at an upstream IF and to transmit the upstream cellular telephone communication signals at the upstream IF to the BTS via the CATV network interface.

40. A method according to claim 31, and comprising providing a converter which receives and converts the downstream cellular RF signals received from the cellular telephone network to the downstream IF.

32. A method for transferring telephone signals, comprising:

coupling a cable television (CATV) network interface to a CATV network so as to receive downstream cellular telephone communication signals transmitted at a downstream intermediate frequency (IF) via the CATV network from a base-station transceiver system (BTS) operative in a cellular telephone network;

connecting a telephone interface to a cellular telephone operative in the cellular telephone network via a physical connection;

receiving the downstream communication signals at the downstream IF in signal conversion circuitry;

converting the downstream communication signals in the signal conversion circuitry to downstream radio-frequency (RF) cellular telephone signals compatible with the cellular telephone network; and

conveying the downstream RF cellular telephone signals to the cellular telephone via the physical connection.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein the signal conversion circuitry is adapted to receive upstream RF cellular telephone signals from the cellular telephone via the telephone interface, to convert the upstream RF signals to upstream IF signals, and to convey the upstream IF signals upstream via the CATV network interface.

34. A method according to claim 33, wherein the BTS receives and converts the upstream IF signals so as to recover the upstream RF cellular telephone signals.

35. A method according to claim 33, and comprising receiving and converting the upstream IF signals so as to recover the upstream RF cellular telephone signals and conveying the recovered upstream RF cellular telephone signals to the BTS.

36. A method according to claim 33, wherein the upstream IF signals are transmitted on one of a plurality of upstream IF carriers, and wherein the signal conversion circuitry is adapted to convert the upstream RF cellular telephone signals to the one of the upstream IF carriers.

37. A method according to claim 33, wherein the signal conversion circuitry comprises:

an upstream IF amplifier that generates the upstream IF signals; and

an upstream IF signal detector that is adapted to measure a level of the upstream IF signals, wherein a gain of the amplifier is set to avoid crossing an upstream threshold limit.

38. A method according to claim 32, wherein the downstream IF comprises a plurality of downstream IF carriers, and wherein the signal conversion circuitry is adapted to convert one of the downstream IF carriers to the downstream RF cellular telephone signals.

39. A method according to claim 32, wherein the BTS converts the downstream cellular RF signals received from the cellular telephone network to the downstream IF.

41. A method according to claim 32, wherein the cellular telephone network is coupled to at least one of an Ethernet network, a public switched telephone network (PSTN), and an Internet network.

42. A method according to claim 32, and comprising coupling a loudspeaker, a microphone and a keypad to the telephone interface, so as to enable the CATV interface, the telephone interface, and the signal conversion circuitry to operate as the cellular telephone.

43. A method according to claim 32, and comprising coupling a controller, which is adapted to convey signals between a computer and the telephone interface, to the telephone interface.

44. A method according to claim 32, and comprising:

coupling an antenna to the telephone interface;

radiating the downstream RF signals from the antenna to a mobile cellular telephone physically disconnected from the telephone interface;

receiving upstream RF signals from the mobile cellular telephone at the antenna;

,

converting the upstream RF signals in the signal conversion circuitry to upstream IF signals; and

conveying the upstream IF signals upstream via the CATV network interface.

45. A method according to claim 32, and comprising:

coupling an antenna which is adapted to radiate the downstream RF signals to the telephone interface;

disconnecting the telephone interface physically from the cellular telephone; and

communicating with the cellular telephone when disconnected from the telephone interface via the antenna.

46. A method according to claim 45, wherein the signal conversion circuitry is adapted to set a level of the downstream RF signals radiated from the antenna to a pre-set level when the cellular telephone is disconnected from the telephone interface.

47. A method according to claim 32, and comprising:

conveying high data rate RF cellular signals via a high data rate telephone interface;

connecting the high data rate telephone interface to a high data rate cellular telephone operative in the cellular telephone network via a high data rate physical connection; and

providing a splitter/combiner which is adapted to convey the high data rate RF cellular signals from the signal conversion circuitry to the high data rate telephone interface and the downstream RF cellular telephone signals from the signal conversion circuitry to the telephone interface.

48. A method according to claim 32, and comprising coupling a controller to the telephone interface and communicating between the controller and a video camera so as to operate as a video telephone.

49. A method according to claim 32, and comprising coupling a PSTN network to the telephone interface via a PSTN interface so as to make and receive a PSTN telephone call via the PSTN interface and the telephone interface.

50. A method according to claim 49, wherein the PSTN interface is coupled to a PSTN telephone, and wherein the PSTN interface is adapted to enable the PSTN telephone to make and receive a cellular telephone call.

51. A method according to claim 50, wherein the PSTN interface is adapted to indicate receipt of a PSTN call to the PSTN telephone during the cellular telephone call.

52. A method according to claim 49, wherein the PSTN interface is adapted to indicate receipt of a cellular telephone call during the PSTN telephone call.

53. A method according to claim 49, wherein the PSTN interface comprises a PSTN-line-in interface and a PSTN-line-out interface, and wherein the CATV network interface, the telephone interface, the signal conversion circuitry, and the PSTN-line-out interface are housed in a console, and wherein the PSTN-line-in interface is housed separately from the console.

54. A method according to claim 32, wherein the cellular telephone network is adapted to communicate with a session initiation protocol (SIP) telephone, and comprising providing SIP circuitry that enables the telephone interface to act as a SIP gateway.

55. A method according to claim 54, and comprising coupling a PSTN network to the telephone interface via a PSTN interface, so that the SIP telephone is able to communicate with a PSTN telephone coupled to the PSTN network.

56. A method according to claim 54, wherein the SIP circuitry is adapted to enable the cellular telephone and the SIP telephone to communicate.

57. A method according to claim 54, wherein the SIP circuitry is adapted to communicate with an alternative SIP telephone located in proximity to the telephone interface, so that the alternative SIP telephone is enabled to make and receive a SIP call.

58. A method according to claim 32, wherein the signal conversion circuitry comprises:

a downstream RF amplifier that generates the downstream RF cellular telephone signals; and

a downstream RF signal detector that is adapted to measure a level of the downstream RF cellular telephone signals, wherein a gain of the amplifier is set in response to the level so that the level corresponds to a pre-set value.

59. A method according to claim 32, wherein the downstream cellular telephone communication signals are transmitted on a wide IF carrier, and wherein the signal conversion circuitry is adapted to receive the wide IF carrier and to transmit upstream IF cellular telephone signals, generated by the signal conversion circuitry in response to upstream RF signals received from the cellular telephone, on the wide IF carrier.

60. A method according to claim 32, wherein the downstream cellular telephone communication signals are transmitted on a wide IF carrier, and wherein the signal conversion circuitry is adapted to receive the wide IF carrier and to transmit upstream IF cellular telephone signals, generated by the signal conversion circuitry in response to upstream RF signals received from the cellular telephone, on one of a plurality of narrow IF carriers comprised within the wide IF carrier, the one narrow IF carrier being chosen randomly from the plurality.

61. A method according to claim 32, wherein the downstream cellular telephone communication signals are transmitted on a narrow IF carrier chosen randomly from a plurality of narrow IF carriers comprised in a wide IF carrier, and wherein the signal conversion circuitry is adapted to receive the narrow IF carrier and to transmit upstream IF cellular telephone signals, generated by the signal conversion circuitry in response to upstream RF signals received from the cellular telephone, on the narrow IF carrier.

62. A method according to claim 32, and further comprising:

converting the downstream cellular telephone communication signals received at the downstream IF via the CATV network interface to downstream baseband telephone signals in an IF-baseband converter;

converting upstream baseband signals received at the IF-baseband converter to upstream cellular telephone communication signals at an upstream IF; and

transmitting the upstream cellular telephone communication signals at the upstream IF to the BTS via the CATV network interface.

63. Telephone apparatus, comprising:

a cable television (CATV) network interface, which is adapted to be connected to a CATV network so as to receive downstream cellular telephone communication signals transmitted at a downstream intermediate frequency (IF) via the CATV network from a base-station transceiver system (BTS) operative in a cellular telephone network;

a baseband transceiver, which is adapted to receive and transmit baseband telephone signals; and

an IF/baseband converter, which is coupled to the baseband transceiver via a physical connection, and which is adapted to convert the downstream cellular telephone communication signals received at the downstream IF via the CATV network interface to downstream baseband telephone signals, and to convey the downstream baseband telephone signals to the baseband transceiver via the physical connection.

64. Apparatus according to claim 63, wherein the IF/baseband converter is adapted to receive upstream baseband telephone signals from the baseband transceiver, to convert the upstream baseband telephone signals to upstream IF cellular signals, and to convey the upstream IF cellular signals upstream via the CATV network interface.

65. A method for transferring telephone signals, comprising:

coupling a cable television (CATV) network interface to a CATV network so as to receive downstream cellular telephone communication signals transmitted at a downstream intermediate frequency (IF) via the CATV network from a base-station transceiver system (BTS) operative in a cellular telephone network;

connecting an IF/baseband converter to a baseband transceiver, which is adapted to receive and transmit baseband telephone signals, via a physical connection;

receiving the downstream communication signals at the downstream IF in the IF/baseband converter;

converting the downstream communication signals in the IF/baseband converter to downstream baseband telephone signals; and

conveying the downstream baseband telephone signals to the baseband transceiver via the physical connection.

66. A method according to claim 65, wherein the IF/baseband converter is adapted to receive upstream baseband telephone signals from the baseband transceiver, to convert the upstream baseband telephone signals to upstream cellular IF signals, and to convey the upstream cellular IF signals upstream via the CATV network interface.