CDMA cordless telephone system and method of operation thereof

• US 6,246,675 B1
• Filed: 11/13/1996
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Allen Telecom LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Allen Telecom Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schebel, Dean D., Hulays, Rafeh A., Beasley, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin-Wallace, Valencia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kim T.
• Application Number:
  US08/748,955
• Time in Patent Office: 1,672 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/335, 370/342, 370/200, 455/410, 455/411, 455/433, 455/560, 455/561
• US Class Current: 370/342
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2628 using code-division multiple access [CDMA] or spread spectrum multiple access [SSMA] H04B7/2618 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

In a code division multiple access (CDMA) cordless telephone system, CDMA telephone signals are exchanged between a basestation and an operating mobile cordless telephone handset. An upstream signal transmitted by the operating handset is detected at a detection location remote from the basestation by a signal recognition unit, which processes the detected upstream signal to recognize whether the handset is authorized, in which case an identification signal identifying the operating handset as being at the location and as being authorized is transmitted through a signal conduit to the basestation.

Claims

1. A method of operating a code division multiple access (CDMA) telephone system, which comprises the steps of:

transmitting an upstream CDMA telephone signal incorporating a digitally encoded voice signal and handset identification from an operating CDMA mobile handset having an identification code to a basestation;

said basestation having a coverage zone for exchanging upstream and downstream telephone signals with said handset and said handset being located within said coverage zone;

detecting said upstream CDMA telephone signal at a signal detection location which is spaced from said basestation;

processing said detected upstream CDMA telephone signal at said signal detection location to recognize said identification code of said handset and to provide an identification signal indicative of the identity of said handset; and

transmitting said identification signal from said signal detection location to said basestation.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, which includes monitoring the signal quality of the detected upstream signal and transmitting the identification signal to the basestation only when the signal quality of the detected upstream signal is found to be above a predetermined threshold level.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, which includes storing, at said signal detection location, a plurality of codes identifying a plurality of mobile cordless telephone handsets as being authorized to exchange signals with said basestation and in which the processing of the upstream signal includes comparing said handset identification with the codes to determine whether said operating handset is an authorized handset and transmitting the identification signal only if said operating handset is thereby determined to be an authorized handset.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the transmission of said identification signal from said detection location is effected through a signal channel, provided with a squelch, to said basestation and in which said signal channel is squelched when no authorized handset is recognized at said detection location.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, which includes transmitting said upstream signal from said signal detection location through a signal channel to said basestation and which also includes squelching the transmission of the upstream signal through said signal channel in the absence of the identification signal.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which said upstream signal and said identification signal are passed through a signal conduit to said basestation and in which a downstream signal from said basestation is passed through said signal conduit to said signal detection location and broadcast as a radio signal from said signal detection location to said operating handset.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, in which at least one of the upstream signal and the downstream signal is squelched in the absence of said identification signal.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, which includes providing:

timing and other data from the basestation to said signal detection location; and

employing the timing and other data at said signal detection location to facilitate detection and recognition of the operating handset.

9. A code division multiple access (CDMA) telephone system, comprising:

a CDMA mobile handset having an identification code for transmitting upstream CDMA telephone signals combining digitally encoded voice signals and handset identification;

a basestation having a coverage zone for receiving said upstream CDMA telephone signals from said handset while said handset is within said coverage zone of said basestation; and

a signal recognition unit for detecting and processing said upstream CDMA telephone signal and transmitting an identification signal identifying said handset to said basestation;

said signal recognition unit being provided at a location having an identifying handset code which is spaced from said basestation.

10. A CDMA cordless telephone system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said signal detection unit includes means enabling transmission of the identification signal only when the upstream signal has a signal quality exceeding a predetermined threshold level for authorized signals.

11. A CDMA cordless telephone system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said signal recognition unit includes means for comparing said upstream signal with a plurality of identification codes identifying respective authorized handsets.

12. A CDMA cordless telephone system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said signal recognition unit includes means for comparing said upstream signal with a plurality of identification codes identifying respective authorized handsets.

13. A CDMA cordless telephone system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said signal recognition unit includes an upstream signal path for transmission of said upstream signal and a squelch provided in said upstream signal path and responsive to said signal processor so as to squelch said upstream signal until said handset identification code has been recognized by said signal processor.

14. A CDMA cordless telephone system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said signal recognition unit includes a downstream signal path for transmitting a downstream signal from said basestation to said handset.