Wireless access to telephone network dial tone
First Claim
1. A system for providing wireless access to a telephone line of a telephone network, comprising:
- a mobile terminal, including means for transmitting a radio frequency signal carrying a data or voice communication; and
a plurality of crossconnect base stations, each disposed at a respective crossconnect box connected by a respective plurality of telephone lines to a central office of a telephone network, and each crossconnect base station including;
means for connecting to at least one of the telephone lines at the respective crossconnect box;
means for receiving the radio frequency signal carrying a data or voice communication; and
means for communicating the data or voice communication over a telephone line connected to said means for connecting.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for providing wireless access to a telephone line of a telephone network utilize a mobile terminal and a crossconnect base station. The mobile terminal transmits a radio frequency signal carrying a telephone communication. The crossconnect base station connects to a telephone line at a crossconnect box of a telephone network, receives the radio frequency signal carrying a telephone communication, and communicates the telephone communication over a connected telephone line. Other aspects of the system and method of the present invention include: (1) providing a wakeup signal from the mobile terminal to the crossconnect base station so that the base station can be powered down when not in use, thereby conserving energy; (2) receiving both the wakeup signal and the primary communication signal (which can carry data and/or voice) through a single antenna connected to the base station at the respective crossconnect box; and (3) recharging one or more batteries in the base station from an energy source of the telephone network.
51 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for providing wireless access to a telephone line of a telephone network, comprising:
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a mobile terminal, including means for transmitting a radio frequency signal carrying a data or voice communication; and a plurality of crossconnect base stations, each disposed at a respective crossconnect box connected by a respective plurality of telephone lines to a central office of a telephone network, and each crossconnect base station including; means for connecting to at least one of the telephone lines at the respective crossconnect box; means for receiving the radio frequency signal carrying a data or voice communication; and means for communicating the data or voice communication over a telephone line connected to said means for connecting. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4)
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3. A system for providing wireless access to a telephone line of a telephone network, comprising:
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a mobile terminal, including means for transmitting a radio frequency signal carrying a telephone communication; and a crossconnect base station, including; means for connecting to a telephone line at a crossconnect box of a telephone network; means for receiving the radio frequency signal carrying a telephone communication; means for communicating the telephone communication over a telephone line connected to said means for connecting; a power supply; and means for energizing said crossconnect base station with said power supply in response to a control signal propagated by said mobile terminal; wherein said means for receiving the radio frequency signal includes; a single antenna; a radio frequency modem; and switch means for selectably connecting said single antenna either to said radio frequency modem or to said means for energizing said crossconnect base station with said power supply.
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5. A system for providing wireless access to a telephone line of a telephone network, comprising:
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a mobile terminal, including means for transmitting a radio frequency signal carrying a telephone communication; and a crossconnect base station, including; means for connecting to a telephone line at a crossconnect box of a telephone network; means for receiving the radio frequency signal carrying a telephone communication; means for communicating the telephone communication over a telephone line connected to said means for connecting; a power supply; and means for energizing said crossconnect base station with said power supply in response to a control signal propagated by said mobile terminal; and means for recharging said power supply from an energy source of the telephone network connected to a telephone line connected to said means for connecting; wherein said means for recharging said power supply includes; means for connecting to a second telephone line at the crossconnect box of the telephone network; first recharging circuit means for connecting said first-mentioned means for connecting, and a first telephone line connected thereto, to said power supply; and second recharging circuit means for connecting said second-mentioned means for connecting, and a second telephone line connected thereto, to said power supply. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A system for providing wireless access to dial tone of a telephone network, comprising:
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a mobile terminal for a telephone craft technician, said mobile terminal including; a wakeup transmitter; a first radio frequency modem; and a first controller connected to said wakeup transmitter and said first radio frequency modem; and a crossconnect base station for connecting to a telephone line at a crossconnect box of a telephone network, said crossconnect base station including; a wakeup receiver responsive to said wakeup transmitter; a second radio frequency modem responsive to said first radio frequency modem; a telephone line modem for the telephone line; and a second controller connected to said wakeup receiver, said second radio frequency modem, and said telephone line modem. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for a telephone craft technician to remotely communicate data or voice communications over a telephone line connected to a central office of a telephone network, comprising:
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propagating, from a telephone craft technician'"'"'s mobile computer device when the computer device is within a communication range of a selected crossconnect box connected to a plurality of telephone lines of a telephone network, a radio frequency communication signal including modem commands; receiving, at the selected crossconnect box, the propagated radio frequency communication signal, and in response thereto transferring the modem commands of the communication signal to a modem connected to at least one telephone line of the plurality of telephone lines at the crossconnect box so that the modem executes the modem commands to go off-hook, dial, and transmit and receive data or voice communications over the connected telephone line; and propagating further radio frequency communication signals between the computer device and the crossconnect box for communicating between the computer device and the telephone line. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for a telephone craft technician to remotely communicate over a telephone line, comprising:
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propagating, from a telephone craft technician'"'"'s service vehicle when the service vehicle is within a communication range of a selected crossconnect box of a telephone network, a radio frequency communication signal including modem commands; receiving, at the selected crossconnect box, the propagated radio frequency communication signal, and in response thereto transferring the modem commands of the communication signal to a modem connected to a telephone line at the crossconnect box so that the modem executes the modem commands to go off-hook, dial, and transmit and receive over the connected telephone line; propagating further radio frequency communication signals between the service vehicle and the crossconnect box for communicating between the service vehicle and the telephone line; and recharging a rechargeable battery in the crossconnect base station from an energy source of the telephone network, including; from the crossconnect base station, placing the telephone line in an off-hook condition and sending a predetermined telephone number over the telephone line to connect the telephone line to a second telephone line connected to the crossconnect base station at the selected crossconnect box; and conducting electrical current received from the two connected telephone lines to the battery.
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20. A method for a telephone craft technician to remotely communicate over a telephone line, comprising:
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propagating, from a telephone craft technician'"'"'s service vehicle when the service vehicle is within a communication range of a selected crossconnect box of a telephone network, a radio frequency communication signal including modem commands; receiving, at the selected crossconnect box, the propagated radio frequency communication signal, and in response thereto transferring the modem commands of the communication signal to a modem connected to a telephone line at the crossconnect box so that the modem executes the modem commands to go off-hook, dial, and transmit and receive over the connected telephone line; propagating further radio frequency communication signals between the service vehicle and the crossconnect box for communicating between the service vehicle and the telephone line; and recharging a rechargeable battery in the crossconnect base station from an energy source of the telephone network, including; from the crossconnect base station, placing the telephone line in an off-hook condition and sending a predetermined telephone number over the telephone line to connect the telephone line to a second telephone line connected to the crossconnect base station at the selected crossconnect box so that an alternating current electrical ringing signal is generated; and providing at the crossconnect base station an electrical charging current to the battery in response to the alternating current electrical ringing signal.
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Specification