SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTIVELY PROVISIONING TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES BETWEEN AN ACCESS POINT AND A TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK BASED ON LANDLINE TELEPHONE DETECTION

• US 20100014506A1
• Filed: 07/17/2008
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Linkola, Janne P., Caldwell, Christopher E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,619,545 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method and system for reducing network load by selectively provisioning connections between an access point and a carrier network is disclosed. The access point supports voice and data connections over an IP network. The access point includes a network connection and a telephone connector capable of connecting to a standard landline telephone. The access point also includes at least one detection component that detects whether a landline telephone is plugged in to the telephone connector. The access point is configured to provision a voice connection through the IP network when it detects that a landline telephone is plugged in.

Claims

1. A wireless local area network (WLAN) access point configured for facilitating IP-based communications with a telecommunications system, the system comprising:

an antenna;

a WLAN radio connected to the antenna and configured to provide WLAN connectivity;

a network connection component configured to communicate with an IP-based network and connected to transmit and receive data received from the WLAN radio;

a telephone connector component configured to accept a wired connection with a landline telephone;

a detection component connected to the telephone connector component and configured to detect if a landline telephone is connected to the telephone connector component; and

a connection manager configured to provision telecommunications services between the telephone connector component and the IP-based network if the detection component detects that a landline telephone is connected to the telephone connector component, wherein provisioning comprises registering with a cellular telephone carrier network and receiving a resource allocation from the cellular telephone carrier network.

2. The WLAN access point of claim 1, wherein the detection component comprises a mechanical or electromechanical switch that is enabled when a locking tab of a plug is engaged with the telephone connector component.

3. The WLAN access point of claim 1, wherein the detection component comprises a mechanical or electromechanical switch to detect if the landline telephone is connected.

4. The WLAN access point of claim 1, wherein the detection component uses electrical characteristics of the telephone connector component to detect the landline telephone, the electrical characteristics comprising one or more of the following:

resistance, capacitance, or inductance.

5. The WLAN access point of claim 1, wherein the detection component is configured to generate an interrupt signal when a landline telephone connection is detected and wherein the connection manager is configured to provision the telecommunications services in response to the interrupt signal.

6. The WLAN access point of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications services are UMA services.

7. A method of provisioning telecommunications services through an access point, the access point being suitable for use as an access point to an IP-based wireless telecommunications network to interface with a landline telephone, the method comprising:

determining if a landline-type telephone is connected to the access point;

if the landline telephone is connected, provisioning telecommunications services between the landline telephone and the IP-based wireless telecommunications network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein provisioning includes provisioning a voice connection and comprises registering with a carrier network and receiving a resource allocation from the carrier network.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining comprises using mechanical characteristics to detect the landline telephone.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein determining comprises using electrical characteristics to detect the landline telephone.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

if a landline telephone is determined not to be present, waiting a predetermined time period; and

repeating determining after the predetermined time period has passed.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

generating an interrupt signal if a landline telephone is connected; and

provisioning the telecommunications services in response to the interrupt signal.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein determining is executed during an initialization process of the access point.

14. A system for managing use of an access point configured for facilitating IP-based communications in a telecommunications system, the system comprising:

a telephone connector component configured to accept a connection with a landline telephone device;

a network connection component configured to communicate with an IP-based network;

a detection component connected to the telephone connector component and configured to detect if a landline telephone device is connected to the telephone connector component; and

a connection manager configured to provision telecommunications services between the telephone connector component and the IP-based network if the detection component detects that at least a landline telephone device is connected to the telephone connector component.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising multiple telephone connector components, wherein the detection component is configured to independently detect if a landline telephone device is connected to any of the multiple telephone connector components and the connection manager is configured to independently provision communications connections between the IP-based network and individual ones of the multiple telephone connector components.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the detection component uses the impedance of the telephone connector component to detect if the landline telephone is connected.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising a radio component configured to provide telecommunications services using a licensed frequency band.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising a radio component configured to provide telecommunications services using a licensed frequency band.

19. A system for managing use of an access point configured for facilitating IP-based communications in a telecommunications system, the system comprising:

a network connection component for connecting to an IP-based network;

a telephone connection means for connecting to a landline telephone;

a means for determining if a landline telephone is connected to the telephone connection means;

a means for provisioning telecommunications services between the telephone connector and the IP-based network if the landline telephone is connected to the telephone connection means.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for determining uses mechanical characteristics of the telephone connection means to detect the landline telephone.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for determining uses electrical characteristics of the telephone connection means to detect the landline telephone, the electrical characteristics comprising one or more of the following:

resistance, capacitance, or inductance.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for determining is configured to generate an interrupt signal when a landline telephone connection is detected and wherein the means for provisioning is configured to provision the communications connection in response to the interrupt signal.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for determining is configured to periodically attempt to determine if the landline telephone is connected to the telephone connection means.

24. The system of claim 19, further comprising a radio component configured to provide telecommunications services using a licensed frequency band.

25. The system of claim 19, further comprising a radio component configured to provide telecommunications services using an unlicensed frequency band.