PRIVATE CELLULAR SYSTEM WITH AUTO-REGISTRATION FUNCTIONALITY
First Claim
1. A private cellular system to provide private cellular service and public cellular service, the system comprising:
- a base station subsystem to communicate with mobile units using licensed frequency spectrum associated with a public land mobile network (PLMN);
a private network switching subsystem to provide switching for the private cellular service provided by the private cellular system; and
a multiplexer function that couples the BSS to a public network switching subsystem included in the PLMN in connection with providing the public cellular service using the private cellular system and that couples the BSS to the private network switching subsystem in connection with providing the private cellular service using the private cellular system; and
wherein the system is configured to have a predetermined phone number that a subscriber who is using the public cellular service via the private cellular system and who is not registered to use the private cellular service provided by the system can call in order to register to use the private cellular service provided by the system and, in response thereto, the system captures a subscriber identity number associated with the subscriber and assigns a private telephone number to the subscriber that is used in connection with providing private cellular service.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, a private cellular system provides private cellular service and public cellular service using licensed frequency spectrum associated with a public land mobile network (PLMN). The system is configured to have a predetermined phone number that a subscriber who is using the public cellular service via the private cellular system and who is not registered to use the private cellular service provided by the system can call in order to register to use the private cellular service provided by the system and, in response thereto, the system captures a subscriber identity number associated with the subscriber and assigns a private telephone number to the subscriber that is used in connection with providing private cellular service. Another embodiment is directed to a method of enabling a prepaid hybrid subscriber to make a call using a private cellular system while outside of a coverage area associated with the private cellular system. Another embodiment is directed to a private cellular network comprising a plurality of private cellular systems to provide private cellular service and public cellular service using licensed frequency spectrum associated with a public land mobile network (PLMN). In that embodiment, a gateway function in each of the plurality of private cellular systems is configured to make the private cellular network appear, to the PLMN, as though it is implemented using only a single private cellular system.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A private cellular system to provide private cellular service and public cellular service, the system comprising:
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a base station subsystem to communicate with mobile units using licensed frequency spectrum associated with a public land mobile network (PLMN); a private network switching subsystem to provide switching for the private cellular service provided by the private cellular system; and a multiplexer function that couples the BSS to a public network switching subsystem included in the PLMN in connection with providing the public cellular service using the private cellular system and that couples the BSS to the private network switching subsystem in connection with providing the private cellular service using the private cellular system; and wherein the system is configured to have a predetermined phone number that a subscriber who is using the public cellular service via the private cellular system and who is not registered to use the private cellular service provided by the system can call in order to register to use the private cellular service provided by the system and, in response thereto, the system captures a subscriber identity number associated with the subscriber and assigns a private telephone number to the subscriber that is used in connection with providing private cellular service. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of automatically registering a subscriber using public cellular service provided by a private cellular system to use private cellular service also provided by the private cellular system, the private cellular system using licensed radio frequency spectrum associated with a public land mobile network (PLMN) to provide the public cellular service and to provide the private cellular service, the method comprising:
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receiving a call from the subscriber made to a predetermined phone number associated with the private cellular system; capturing a subscriber identity number associated with the subscriber; assigning a local private telephone number to the subscriber for use in connection with the private cellular service provided by the private cellular system; and creating a prepaid account for the subscriber that the private cellular system uses for billing in connection with providing the private cellular service to the subscriber. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of enabling a prepaid hybrid subscriber to make a call using a private cellular system while outside of a coverage area associated with the private cellular system, wherein the private cellular system provides public cellular service and private cellular service using licensed radio frequency spectrum associated with a public land mobile network (PLMN), wherein the prepaid hybrid subscriber is registered to use both the public cellular service and the private cellular service, wherein the prepaid hybrid subscriber has a private telephone number assigned thereto for use in connection with the private cellular service, and wherein the prepaid hybrid subscriber has an associated prepaid account that the private cellular system uses for billing in connection with the private cellular service, wherein the prepaid account has a password associated therewith, the method comprising:
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receiving a call from the prepaid hybrid subscriber made to a predetermined phone number associated with the private cellular system; prompting the prepaid hybrid subscriber to enter the private telephone number and the password; if the private telephone number and the password are valid, receiving a called number; if the prepaid account has sufficient credit, making a call to the called number using the private cellular system.
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18. A private cellular network comprising:
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a plurality of private cellular systems to provide private cellular service and public cellular service, each private cellular system comprising; a respective base station subsystem (BSS) to communicate with mobile units using licensed frequency spectrum associated with a public land mobile network (PLMN); a respective private network switching subsystem to provide switching for the private cellular service provided by that private cellular system; a gateway function; and a multiplexer function that couples the respective BSS, via the gateway function, to a public network switching subsystem included in the PLMN in connection with providing the public cellular service using that private cellular system and that couples the respective BSS to the respective private network switching subsystem in connection with providing the private cellular service using that private cellular system; wherein a central private cellular system included in the plurality of private cellular systems is directly coupled to the PLMN and wherein at least one subordinate private cellular system included in the plurality of private cellular systems is indirectly coupled the PLMN via the central private cellular system; wherein the gateway function in each of the plurality of private cellular systems is configured to make the private cellular network appear, to the PLMN, as though it is implemented using only a single private cellular system. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A private cellular system to provide private cellular service and public cellular service as a part of a private cellular network that includes a plurality of private cellular systems, the private cellular system comprising:
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a base station subsystem to communicate with mobile units using licensed frequency spectrum associated with a public land mobile network (PLMN); a private network switching subsystem to provide switching for the private cellular service provided by the private cellular system; a gateway function; and a multiplexer function that couples the respective BSS, via the gateway function, to a public network switching subsystem included in the PLMN in connection with providing the public cellular service using that private cellular system and that couples the respective BSS to the respective private network switching subsystem in connection with providing the private cellular service using that private cellular system; wherein the gateway function comprises an upstream interface to couple the private cellular system to the PLMN or to another one of the private cellular systems; wherein the gateway function is configured to make the private cellular network appear, to the PLMN, as though it is implemented using only a single private cellular system. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification