Method and system for central office access to multiple access controllers for wireless extension

• US 6,233,465 B1
• Filed: 12/31/1998
• Issued: 05/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cook, Charles I., Smith, Dennis C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taylor, Barry W.
• Application Number:
  US09/223,745
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 455/450, 455/460, 455/461, 455/560, 370/466, 370/467, 370/395
• US Class Current: 455/560
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5607 Radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/562 Routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13282 Call forward, follow-me, call diversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1329 Asynchronous transfer mode, ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers

Abstract

A method and system is provided for selectively directing calls to wireless units in an integrated wireline and wireless communication system as part of a wireless extension service. When a call is forwarded by a wireline switch, the receiving wireless access manager determines whether the intended wireless subscriber unit is being serviced by a different access manager. If so, the call is automatically transferred using a high speed ATM inter-access manager communication line. Efficiency is therefore increased because the originating wireline switch does not need to set up an interoffice trunk line to accomplish the necessary call routing.

Claims

1. In a communication system having a wireline network linked to a wireless network, a system for selectively directing call traffic originating from the wireline network to a mobile transceiver unit associated with a particular wireline termination unit comprising:

a wireline switch assigned to handle calls to and from the subscriber wireline termination unit;

a wireless unit location register for maintaining a first database for each of a plurality of geographic coverage areas containing information indicative of mobile transceiver unit registration status and location;

an access manager located within each of the plurality of geographic coverage areas and arranged to communicate with the wireless unit location register for managing mobility of mobile transceiver units within the system, each of the access managers being linked by an inter-access manager communication line, wherein each wireline switch is directly linked to an access managers located in a corresponding geographic area, with each access manager arranged to determine whether an incoming call from the wireline switch is intended for a mobile transceiver unit currently being serviced by a different access manager, and automatically transferring the call to the serving access manager via the inter-access manager communication line.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the serving access manager is arranged to forward the transferred call to the intended mobile transceiver unit.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the inter-access manager communication line comprises a high speed ATM line.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the high speed ATM line comprises an IS-634 protocol link.