System and method for providing a single telephone number for use with a plurality of telephone handsets

• US 20040248593A1
• Filed: 07/07/2003
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, William L., Hicks, John A. III, Patterson, Gregory N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,657,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/462
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]

Abstract

Systems and methods providing integrated voice and data services utilizing wired cordless access with unlicensed/unregulated connectivity sources and wireless access with licensed/regulated connectivity sources. A single telephone directory number is assigned for use with both a mobile wireless telephone and for use with a cordless wired Internet Protocol (IP) telephone. The mobile wireless telephone operates via a conventional licensed spectrum wireless network, and the IP telephone operates over voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) over a broadband packet data network service. Incoming calls simultaneously ring the user'"'"'s mobile wireless telephone and IP telephone. The user may be provided a personal voice mailbox that may be accessed from their mobile wireless telephone or from their IP telephone. The user may be provided a single services bill associated with use of both telephones.

Claims

1. A system for providing a single telephone number for use with a plurality of handsets, the system comprising:

a first network including one or more wireless access points wired to the wired data network, the wireless access points operative to provide wireless access to the wired data network over an unregulated wireless connection;

one or more digital cordless handsets for communicating with the one or more wireless access points via the unregulated wireless connection in order to provide the voice and data services; and

a second network operative to provide telecommunications services in conjunction with one or more handsets operative for use with the second network,

and wherein a one of the one or more digital cordless handsets and a one of the one or more handsets operative for use with the second network are assigned a single telephone number.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a call directed toward the single telephone number is operative to generate a ring tone at the one of the one or more digital cordless handsets and the one of the one or more handsets for use with the second network and assigned the single telephone number.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the ring tone is generated substantially simultaneously at the one of the one or more digital cordless handsets and the one of the one or more handsets assigned the single telephone number.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the second network comprises a public switched telephone network.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more handsets comprise wired handsets connected to the public switched telephone network.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the second network comprises a wireless network operative to provide wireless telecommunications on regulated wireless communications frequencies.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more handsets comprise digital cordless handsets operative for use with the second network.

8. A method for providing a single telephone number for use with a plurality of handsets, the method comprising:

assigning a single telephone number to a first handset configured for use with a first telecommunications network and a second handset configured for use with a second telecommunications network.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting an incoming communication from a calling party to the single telephone number; and

in response to detection of the incoming communication, placing outgoing communications to the first handset and the second handset.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

connecting the incoming communication to the first handset to be answered of either the first handset or the second handset.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

dropping each of the outgoing communications other than the outgoing communication associated with the first handset to be answered.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first telecommunications network comprises one or more wireless access points wired to a wired data network, the wireless access points operative to provide wireless access to the wired data network over an unregulated wireless connection.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first handset comprises a digital cordless handset for communicating with the one or more wireless access points via the unregulated wireless connection.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second network comprises a wireless network operative to provide wireless telecommunications on regulated wireless communications frequencies.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second handset comprises a digital cordless handset operative for use with the second network.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the second network comprises a public switched telephone network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more handsets comprise wired handsets connected to the public switched telephone network.

18. A system for providing a single telephone number for use with a plurality of handsets, the system comprising:

a wireless network including one or more wireless access points wired to the wired data network the wireless access points operative to provide wireless access to the wired data network over an unregulated wireless connection;

one or more digital cordless handsets for communicating with the one or more wireless access points via the unregulated wireless connection in order to provide the voice and data services;

a broadband residential gateway comprising a first network device for communicating with the wired data network, a second network device for providing a communications link to one or more wired network devices over a local wired network, and a wireless access point operative to provide wireless access to the wired data network over an unregulated wireless connection; and

a second network operative to provide telecommunications services in conjunction with one or more handsets operative for use with the second network,

and wherein a one of the one or more digital cordless handsets and a one of the one or more handsets operative for use with the second network are assigned a single telephone number.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more wired network devices comprise one or more digital wired handsets for communicating with the wired data network and wherein any of the wired network devices may also be assigned the single telephone number.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the local wired network comprises a home phoneline networking adapter network.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein a call directed toward the single telephone number is operative to generate a ring tone at the one of the one or more digital cordless handsets and the one of the one or more handsets for use with the second network and assigned the single telephone number.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the ring tone is generated substantially simultaneously at the one of the one or more digital cordless handsets and the one of the one or more handsets assigned the single telephone number.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the second network comprises a public switched telephone network.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the one or more handsets comprise wired handsets connected to the public switched telephone network.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the second network comprises a wireless network operative to provide wireless telecommunications on regulated wireless communications frequencies.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the one or more handsets comprise digital cordless handsets operative for use with the second network.