System and method for registering wireless telephones to selected wirelines of the public switched telephone network

• US 6,216,000 B1
• Filed: 08/15/1996
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: U S West Inc.
• Inventors: Blumhardt, Mark S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WYCHE, MYRON
• Application Number:
  US08/698,489
• Time in Patent Office: 1,699 Days
• Field of Search: 455/435, 455/450, 455/451, 455/436, 455/6.3, 348/10
• US Class Current: 455/435.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server

Abstract

A system and method for registering a wireless telephone which is normally operative in its corresponding wireless telephone network to a selected wireline of the Public-Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) wherein upstream signaling takes place out-of-band. A base station in electrical communication with one or more selected PSTN wirelines detects when the wireless telephone comes within its registration range. A Set-Top Terminal (STT) in electrical communication with the base station and the broadband network provides the interface to send upstream signaling to the PSTN and the corresponding wireless telephone network through the broadband network. The STT coordinates the delivery of upstream signaling, sets up the physical connections between the PSTN and the STT for billing and other purposes and coordinates the delivery of the upstream signaling to other service providers, where applicable.

Claims

1. For use in cooperation with a Broadband Network, for carrying video signals to a television, a system for registering a wireless telephone which is normally operative in its corresponding Wireless Telephone Network, to a selected wireline of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), comprising:

a base station at a user premises for detecting when said wireless telephone comes within its registration range, said base station in electrical communication with said selected PSTN wireline; and

a Set Top Terminal (STT) in electrical communication with said base station and said Broadband Network, said STT operative to send upstream signaling to said PSTN and said Wireless Telephone Network through said Broadband Network.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein said Wireless Telephone Network is the Cellular Telephone Network.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein said Wireless Telephone Network is a Personal Communication System (PCS) having Distributed Radio Port Control (DRPC) architecture.

4. A system as in claim 1, wherein said PSTN comprises:

Service Activation and Control Functionality;

a Service Switching Point (SSP) in electrical communication with said Service Activation and Control functionality; and

an AIN Service Control Point (SCP)/Home Location Register(HLR) in electrical communication with said SSP and said Service Activation and Control functionality.

5. A system as in claim 4, wherein said base station is in electrical communication with said SSP.

6. A system as in claim 4, wherein said AIN SCP/HLR is in electrical communication with said wireless Telephone Network.

7. A system as in claim 4, wherein said PSTN Service Activation and Control functionality is operative to communicate with various databases and systems in order to activate, de-activate, change or query data and services.

8. A system as in claim 4, wherein said Broadband Network comprises:

a level 1 network for coordinating the delivery of said upstream signalling from said STT to said PSTN;

a level 2 Gateway for setting up the physical connections between said PSTN and said STT and bill for the use of said Broadband Network by said base station; and

a level 3 application for coordinating the delivery of said upstream signalling from said STT through said PSTN to other AIN providers.

9. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a Customer Premises Equipment Device (CPE) in electrical communication with said base station.

10. A system as in claim 9, wherein said CPE device is a land-based telephone.

11. For use in cooperation with a Broadband Network, for carrying video signals to a television, a method for registering a wireless telephone which is normally operative in its corresponding Wireless Telephone Network, to a selected wireline of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), the method comprising:

providing a base station at a user premises for detecting when said wireless telephone comes within its registration range, said base station in electrical communication with said selected PSTN wireline; and

providing a Set Top Terminal (STT) in electrical communication with said base station and said Broadband Network, said STT operative to send upstream signaling to said PSTN and said Wireless Telephone Network through said Broadband Network.

12. A method as in claim 11, wherein said Wireless Telephone Network is the Cellular Telephone Network.

13. A method as in claim 11, wherein said Wireless Telephone Network is a Personal Communication System (PCS) having Distributed Radio Port Control (DRPC) architecture.

14. A method as in claim 11, wherein said PSTN comprises:

Service Activation and Control Functionality;

a Service Switching Point (SSP) in electrical communication with said Service Activation and Control functionality; and

an AIN Service Control Point (SCP)/Home Location Register(HLR) in electrical communication with said SSP and said Service Activation and Control functionality.

15. A method as in claim 14, wherein said base station is in electrical communication with said SSP.

16. A method as in claim 14, wherein said AIN SCP/HLR is in electrical communication with said wireless Telephone Network.

17. A method as in claim 14, wherein said PSTN Service Activation and Control functionality is operative to communicate with various databases and systems in order to activate, de-activate, change or query data and services.

18. A method as in claim 14, wherein said Broadband Network comprises:

a level 1 network for coordinating the delivery of said upstream signalling from said STT to said PSTN;

a level 2 Gateway for setting up the physical connections between said PSTN and said STT and bill for the use of said Broadband Network by said base station; and

a level 3 application for coordinating the delivery of said upstream signalling from said STT through said PSTN to other AIN providers.

19. A method as in claim 11, further comprising providing a Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) device in electrical communication with said base station.

20. A method as in claim 19, wherein said CPE device is a land-based telephone.

21. For use in cooperation with a Broadband Network, for carrying video signals to a television, a method for registering a wireless telephone which is normally operative in its corresponding Wireless Telephone Network, to a selected wireline of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), the method comprising:

providing a base station at a user premises having a corresponding registration range and in electrical communication with said wireless telephone and said PSTN;

detecting when said wireless telephone comes within said base station registration range and generating corresponding upstream signaling;

providing a Set Top Terminal (STT) in electrical communication with said base station and said Broadband Network to (1) coordinate the deliver of said upstream signaling to said PSTN and said Wireless Telephone Network through said Broadband Network, (2) set up the physical connections between said PSTN and said STT and bill for the use of said Broadband Network by said base station, and (3) coordinate the delivery of said upstream signaling from said STT through said PSTN to other AIN providers.