System and method for wireline based registration of wireless device

• US 6,393,271 B1
• Filed: 03/01/1999
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dougherty, Angus O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): WASHINGTON, ERIKA ALISE
• Application Number:
  US09/259,830
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/456, 342/450, 342/465, 340/825.49
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/14 WLL [Wireless Local Loop]; RLL [Radio Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A wireline based location registration system for wireless devices includes a wireless device having a tag with a tag identity, and a terminal connected to a wireline loop that defines a terminal location for the terminal. The terminal receives a signal from the tag that indicates the tag identity. The terminal operatives to send a signal over the wireline loop that indicates the tag identity and the terminal location. An authentication center receives the signal from the terminal.

Claims

1. For use with a wireless communication network and a wireline communication network, the wireless communication network including a personal communication service system that provides a communication path between a wireless device and a call destination without determining a physical location of the wireless device, a location registration system for wireless devices, the system comprising:

a wireless device configured to use the personal communication service system of the wireless communication network, the wireless device having a tag with a tag identity, the tag transmitting a signal indicative of the tag identity;

a terminal connected to a wireline loop of the wireline communication network, the loop defming a terminal location on the wireline communication network for the terminal, the terminal being operative to receive the signal from the tag and further being operative to send a signal over the wireline loop that is indicative of the tag identity and the terminal location;

an authentication center in communication with the terminal, the authentication center receiving the signal from the terminal; and

a service location register on the wireless communication network, the service location register receiving a signal indicative of the tag identity and terminal location from the authentication center thereby providing the wireless communication network with the physical location of the wireless device based on the terminal location.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the tag is in the form of a strip.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the wireless device further comprises:

a pair of power termninals, wherein the strip is positioned to be in communication with the pair of power terminals to provide power to the strip for transmitting the signal indicative of the tag identity.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the wireless device is a wireless phone.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a network configured to provide communication between the terminal and the authentication center.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising:

a local switch connecting the wireline loop to the network.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the network includes a circuit-switched network.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the network includes a packet-switched network.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein the network includes a local area network.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the wireless device has a device identity, and wherein the authentication center processes the tag identity to determine the device identity.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the device identity includes an electronic serial number.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the device identity includes a mobile identification number.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the authentication center communicates the device identity to the service location register.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the tag is a microchip.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the tag identity is a sequence of characters, the sequence having a length between 15 characters and 28 characters.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the characters are bar code characters forming a bar code inventory tag.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the tag transmits the signal over a range having a radius that is between 15 centimeters and 20 centimeters.

18. A method for registering a wireless device, the method comprising:

transmitting a signal from a tag on a wireless device, the tag having a tag identity and the signal being indicative of the tag identity;

receiving the signal from the tag at a terminal connected to a wireline loop defining a terminal location;

sending a signal from the terminal over the wireline loop, the signal from the terminal being indicative of the tag identity and the terminal location;

receiving the signal from the terminal at an authentication center in communication with the terminal; and

sending a signal from the authentication center to a service location register that indicates the tag identity and terminal location.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the wireless device has a device identity, and the method further comprises:

determining the device identity by processing the tag identity at the authentication center.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the device identity includes an electronic serial number.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the device identity includes a mobile identification number.