Personal communications service using wireline/wireless integration

• US 5,664,005 A
• Filed: 06/05/1995
• Issued: 09/02/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Tucker, Brenda N., Schwartz, Laurie D., Emery, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAUNG, NAY AUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/461,908
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 379/58, 379/59, 379/60, 379/61, 379/62, 455/33.1, 455/33.2
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/07 Split billing, i.e. both A-party and B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/64 Split billing, sharing the cost of calls, e.g. between calling and called parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13222 PBX circuits in public exchange, centrex
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13513 UPT - personal as opposed to terminal mobility, inc. number portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13532 mobile networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13547 subscriber, e.g. profile, database, database access
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 : Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 : Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/105 : PBS [Private Base Station] network H04W84/12 - H04W84/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 : Service support devices; Network management devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 : Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/909 : Alternatives
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/913 : Person locator or person-specific

Abstract

The Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) wireline system connects to and controls processing of calls to a Personal Communication Service subscriber'"'"'s wireless handset via a home base station or a wireless communication network. Depending on its current location, the subscriber'"'"'s handset automatically registers with the base station or with a mobility controller of the wireless network. A new registration with the base station when the handset comes within range causes that station to update the subscriber'"'"'s home location register in a central data base of the AIN. Similarly, when a handset first registers with a mobility controller, that controller updates the subscriber'"'"'s home location register in the central data base of the AIN. In response to calls directed to the subscriber, the AIN accesses the home location register to determine the current location where the handset is registered. The AIN then uses that data to route the call to the current location. In response to calls from the handset, the central data base provides instruction data to the land line network and/or a mobility controller to extend a requested special service to the calling subscriber.

Claims

1. An integrated wired and wireless personal communication system, said system having a wired portion connected by voice communication lines and Common Channel Interoffice Signaling (CCIS) lines, said system also having a wireless portion with the capability of intercell handoff of mobile wireless stations, said system comprising in combination:

(a) a plurality of radio cell base stations, where each radio cell base station has a predetermined radio cell coverage area and each radio cell base station has means for simultaneously receiving and transmitting signal messages and a plurality of communications messages, each said base station including

means for effecting communication between a plurality of portable wireless stations and said wired portion,

means for assigning a communications channel to a specific mobile wireless station in said coverage area from a plurality of available communications channels, and

means for registration of a mobile wireless station within a radio cell coverage area for incoming or outgoing calling upon an assigned communications channel,

(b) a plurality of mobile wireless stations, each mobile wireless station having means for receiving and transmitting signal messages and means for receiving and transmitting communication messages, each mobile wireless station including

means for initially selecting a base station for registration with a switched network means for controlling communication, and

means for selecting a voice communications channel based upon comparison of scanned available channels,

(c) at least one switched network means for controlling switching of wireless communication over said wired portion communication, where a switched network means for controlling communication is operatively disposed with each said base station, each said switched network means for controlling including

an interface to said CCIS system,

means for interfacing with additional switched network means for controlling communication,

means for providing intercell handoff information to said associated base stations,

second means for interfacing with said wired portion;

means for sending an identification of said at least one switched network means responsive to a registration of a mobile wireless station with a radio cell base station; and

(d) a service control point data base controlling at least some call processing operations of a landline telephone system, including means for location registration of said mobile wireless stations including respective ones of said at least one switched network means, said service control point data base being arranged as part of said wired portion.

2. The integrated wired and wireless personal communication system of claim 1, wherein the wired portion is constituted by telephone lines and a central office switching system.

3. The integrated wired and wireless personal communication system of claim 2, wherein said central office switching system comprises at least one telephone central office switch.

4. The integrated wired and wireless personal communication system of claim 3, wherein said wired portion comprises an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN).

5. The integrated wired and wireless personal communication system of claim 1, wherein said at least one switched network means comprises a cellular radio telephone system communications controller.

6. The integrated wired and wireless personal communication system of claim 5, wherein said mobile wireless stations are cellular telephone stations.

7. The integrated wired and wireless personal communication system of claim 1, wherein said at least one switched network means comprises a telephone central office switch.

8. The integrated wired and wireless personal communication system of claim 1, wherein said at least one switched network means is connected to said service control point data base through a Signalling Transfer Point (STP) via said CCIS lines.

9. The integrated wired and wireless personal communication system of claim 1, wherein said service control point data base comprises a CCIS interface arranged for communication with additional service control point data bases remote from said service control point data base, where communication is carried out over CCIS lines.

10. The integrated wired and wireless personal communication system of claim 9, wherein said means for location registration comprises a home location register and a visitor location register.

11. An integrated wired and wireless personal communication system, said system having a wired portion connected by voice communication lines and Common Channel Interoffice Signaling (CCIS) lines, said system also having a wireless portion with the capability of intercell handoff of mobile wireless stations, said system comprising in combination:

(a) a plurality of radio cell base stations, where each radio cell base station has a predetermined radio cell coverage area and each radio cell base station has means for simultaneously receiving and transmitting signal messages and a plurality of communications messages, each said base station including

means for effecting communication between a plurality of portable wireless stations and said wired portion,

means for assigning a communications channel to a specific mobile wireless station in said coverage area from a plurality of available communications channels, and

means for registration of a mobile wireless station within a radio cell coverage area for incoming or outgoing calling upon an assigned communications channel,

(b) a plurality of mobile wireless stations, each mobile wireless station having means for receiving and transmitting signal messages and means for receiving and transmitting communication messages, each mobile wireless station including

means for initially selecting a base station for registration with a switched network means for controlling communication, and

means for selecting a voice communications channel based upon comparison of scanned available channels,

(c) a plurality of switched network means for controlling switching of wireless communication over said wired portion communication, where a switched network means for controlling communication is operatively disposed with each said base station, each said switched network means for controlling including

an interface to said CCIS system,

means for interfacing with additional switched network means for controlling communication,

means for providing intercell handoff information to said associated base stations,

second means for communicating data regarding mobile wireless stations with other switched network means for controlling switching of wireless communication in response to registration of mobile wireless stations with respective switched network means for controlling; and

(d) a service control point data base controlling at least some call processing operations of a landline telephone system, including means for location registration of said mobile wireless stations, said service control point data base being arranged as part of said wired portion.

12. The integrated wired and wireless personal communication system of claim 11, wherein the wired portion is constituted by telephone lines and a central office switching system.

13. The integrated wired and wireless personal communication system of claim 12, wherein said central office switching system comprises at least one telephone central office switch.

14. The integrated wired and wireless personal communication system of claim 13, wherein said wired portion comprises an Advanced intelligent Network (AIN).

15. The integrated wired and wireless personal communication system of claim 11, wherein said at least one switched network means comprises a cellular radio telephone system communications controller.

16. The integrated wired and wireless personal communication system of claim 15, wherein said mobile wireless stations are cellular telephone stations.

17. The integrated wired and wireless personal communication system of claim 11, wherein said at least one switched network means comprises a telephone central office switch.

18. The integrated wired and wireless personal communication system of claim 11, wherein said at least one switched network means is connected to said service control point data base through a Signalling Transfer Point (STP) via said CCIS lines.

19. The integrated wired and wireless personal communication system of claim 11, wherein said service control point data base comprises a CCIS interface arranged for communication with additional service control point data bases remote from said service control point data base, where communication is carried out over CCIS lines.

20. The integrated wired and wireless personal communication system of claim 19, wherein said means for location registration comprises a home location register and a visitor location register.

21. A method of registering a mobile communication unit with a data base of an integrated wired and wireless communication network comprising,

communication lines,

a central office switching system connected to the communication lines for selectively providing switched communication connections between the communication lines,

a mobility controller controlling a plurality of cell sites, connected to the central office switching system, for selectively providing wireless communications between said central office switching system and wireless mobile communication units, and

a network controller, separate from the central office switching system and the mobility controller, said network controller storing call processing data associated with subscribers who are associated with one of the communication lines connected to the central office switching system and storing call processing data associated with subscribers who each are associated with one of the mobile communication units;

said method of registering comprising the steps of;

registering said mobile communication units with a wireless mobility controller; and

in response to registration, sending a message to the network controller identifying the wireless mobility controller and the mobile communication unit which have just registered.