Wireless communication system having mobile stations establish a communication link through the base station without using a landline or regional cellular network and without a call in progress

• US 5,911,120 A
• Filed: 09/08/1995
• Issued: 06/08/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Wireless Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.), Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Jarett, Keith, Williams, Roland E., Raffel, Michael A., Leuca, Ileana A., Bamburak, Michael D., Kibria, Masud, Lawrence, Christopher G., Nelson, Roderick, Glass, David R., Lee, Tony S.
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMMING, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US08/526,066
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• Field of Search: 379/58, 379/59, 379/60, 379/61, 379/62, 379/63, 379/202, 455/33.1, 455/33.2, 455/54.1, 455/533, 455/552, 455/417, 370/110.1, 370/95.3, 370/77, 370/18, 370/280, 370/524, 370/335, 370/209, 375/200, 375/203, 375/205
• US Class Current: 455/417
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/20 for indoor coverage or short range network deployment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/248 Connectivity information update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/105 PBS [Private Base Station] network H04W84/12 - H04W84/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mobile station communicates with both a cellular network, by which it is assigned a mobile identification number, and to a cordless cellular base station utilizing the same cellular frequency range and communications protocol. The cordless cellular base station is preferably connected to a public switched telephone network and is assigned a landline number. The cordless cellular base station acts as a conduit between the mobile station and the public switched telephone network. When the mobile station comes within range of a cordless cellular base station, it deregisters automatically from the cellular network and register with the cordless cellular base station. Once the mobile station is communicating with the cordless cellular base station, the cordless cellular base station communicates with the cellular network to instruct the cellular network to route all calls for mobile identification number to the cordless cellular base station'"'"'s landline number. In addition, all calls placed on the mobile station are sent through the cordless cellular base station to the public switched telephone network. When the mobile station severs contact with the cordless cellular base station, the mobile station registers with the regional cellular base station of the regional cellular network. The cordless cellular base station then sends a network forwarding cancellation message to the cellular network to cancel the forwarding of calls for the mobile station'"'"'s identification number. Once the mobile station is registered with the regional cell, calls to the mobile stations identification number are directly routed by the cellular network to the mobile station.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a base station connected to a landline of a public switched telephone network, and having a transceiver, said transceiver having at least first and second audio voice channels;

a first regional cellular network compatible mobile station registered to communicate with a regional cellular network, and communicating with said base station on said first audio channel,

a second regional cellular network compatible mobile station registered to communicate with a regional cellular network, and communicating with said base station on said second audio channel, wherein said first and second mobile stations establish a communication link with each other through said base station without using said landline or said regional cellular network, and without a call in progress on said landline or said regional cellular networks.

2. The wireless communication system as in claim 1, wherein said transceiver is a time division multiplex transceiver.

3. The wireless communication system as in claim 2, wherein said transceiver is a time division multiple access transceiver.

4. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a base station connected to a landline of a public switched telephone network, and having a transceiver, said transceiver having at least first and second digital channels for transmitting digital data and messages;

a first regional cellular network compatible mobile station registered to communicate with a regional cellular network, and communicating with said base station on said first digital channel; and

a second regional cellular network compatible mobile station registered to communicate with a regional cellular network, and communicating with said base station on said second digital channel, wherein said first and second mobile stations establish a communication link with each other through said base station without using said landline or said regional cellular network, and without a call in progress on said landline or said regional cellular networks.

5. The wireless communication system as in claim 4, wherein said transceiver is a time division multiplex transceiver.

6. The wireless communication system as in claim 5, wherein said transceiver is a time division multiple access transceiver.