Telephone communication system with integrated pager functionality

• US 6,570,489 B1
• Filed: 03/17/1999
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Ressalei, Majid, Gould, Kevin W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US09/271,662
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/422, 455/426, 455/458, 455/456, 455/38.1, 455/414, 455/417, 455/465, 455/11.1, 455/466, 455/461, 340/825.18, 340/825.44, 340/7.2, 340/7.21, 340/7.58, 340/7.28
• US Class Current: 340/7.28
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

An indoor wireless communication system with integrated pager functionality for receiving and routing external pager messages to recipient end terminals, such as wired or wireless telephones, without the need for a separate pager device. The indoor wireless communication system includes a system controller for receiving external pager messages and extracting external pager identification of the recipient pager device from the header of the external pager message. A database stored in the system controller is used to relate the external pager identification of the recipient pager to an internal terminal identification that is recognized by the indoor wireless communication system. The external pager message is then transmitted to the recipient end terminal based on the related internal terminal identification. Accordingly, the subscribers to an indoor wireless communication system are able to receive external pager messages without having to carry a separate pager device in addition to the wireless telephone.

Claims

1. A communication system with integrated pager functionality comprising:

a plurality of telephone end terminals each having an assigned internal terminal identification within the system, each telephone end terminal not including pager circuitry; and

a system controller for controlling communication inside the system, said system controller;

(a) receiving external pager messages as a telephone signal, each external pager message having an external pager identification for a recipient pager device within the system, and (b) relating the external pager identification to the internal terminal identification of a recipient end terminal;

wherein said external pager message is transmittable to said recipient end terminal based on said related internal terminal identification.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said end terminals are wireless telephones and wired telephones.

3. A system in accordance with claim 2, further comprising:

at least one base station electrically connected to said system controller, said at least one base station receiving said external pager message from said system controller, one base station providing communication service in a geographical range of said recipient end terminal and transmitting said external pager message to said recipient end terminal based on the internal terminal identification.

4. A system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said recipient end terminal comprises a recipient wired telephone and a recipient wireless telephone having the same internal terminal identification.

5. A system in accordance with claim 4, wherein said external pager message is transmitted to said recipient wired and recipient wireless telephones.

6. A system in accordance with claim 3, wherein wireless communication between said at least one base station and said plural end terminals is by way of a personal communications service band.

7. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein each end terminal has a display for viewing said external pager message.

8. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein each end terminal includes pager indication means for signaling receipt of an external pager message.

9. A system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said pager indication means comprises at least one of means for generating a special ring and means for vibrating said end terminal.

10. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said system controller includes a database for relating said external pager identification to said internal terminal identification.

11. A system in accordance with claim 10, wherein said database is reconfigurable at said end terminals to change to which of said plural end terminals said external pager message is to be routed.

12. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the system is designed for a limited geographical area.

13. A system in accordance with claim 12, wherein the limited geographical area is one of a building and a facility.

14. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said system controller converts said external pagers message to internal telephone signals and transmits said converted internal telephone signal to said recipient end terminal user based on said related internal terminal identification.

15. A communication system with integrated pager functionality comprising:

a plurality of telephone end terminals each having an assigned internal terminal identification within the system, each telephone end terminal not including pager circuitry;

a system controller for controlling communication inside the system, said system controller;

(a) receiving external pager messages as a telephone signal, each external pager message having an external pager identification for a recipient pager device within the system, and (b) relating the external pager identification to the internal terminal identification of a recipient end terminal;

a plurality of base station controllers electrically connected to said system controller, said external page message being received by one base station controller providing communication service in geographical range of said recipient end terminal; and

a plurality of base stations being grouped by a predetermined number into respective clusters, said base stations in each cluster being electrically connected to an associated base station controller, said external pager message being received by each base station in the associated cluster of said base station controller providing communication service in a geographical range of said recipient end terminal, one base station in the associated cluster providing communication service in the geographical range of said recipient end terminal and transmitting said external pager message to said recipient end terminal based on the internal terminal identification.

16. A system in accordance with claim 15, wherein each cluster has at least two base stations connected thereto.

17. A method for using a telephone communication system with integrated pager functionality, said telephone communication system including a system controller and a plurality of end terminals, each end terminal having an assigned internal terminal identification, each end terminal not including pager circuitry, comprising:

(a) extracting an external pager identification from an external pager message received as a telephone signal;

(b) relating said extracted external pager identification to the internal terminal identification of a recipient end terminal; and

(c) transmitting said external pager message to said recipient end terminal based on said related internal terminal identification.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein said plural end terminals are wired telephones and wireless telephones.

19. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein said extracted external pager identification is related to the internal terminal identification of a recipient end terminal using one of a look-up table and database.

20. A method in accordance with claim 18, wherein said transmitting step (c) comprises:

(d) transmitting said external pager message from said system controller to at least one base station electrically connected thereto; and

(e) transmitting said external pager message, based on said related internal terminal identification, from one base station providing communication service in a geographical range of said recipient end terminal to said recipient end terminal.

21. A method in accordance with claim 18, wherein said transmitting step (e) comprises transmitting said external pager message to a recipient wireless telephone and a recipient wired telephone having the same internal terminal identification.

22. A method in accordance with claim 20, wherein said transmitting step (e) comprises transmitting said external pager message between said base station providing communication service in the geographical range of said recipient end terminal and said recipient end terminal by way of a personal communications service band.

23. A method in accordance with claim 17, further comprising displaying said external pager message at said recipient end terminal.

24. A method in accordance with claim 17, further comprising indicating receipt of said external pager message at said recipient end terminal using a pager indication means.

25. A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein said indicating step comprises initiating a special ring at said recipient end terminal upon receipt of said external pager message.

26. A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein said indicating step comprises initiating vibration at said recipient end terminal upon receipt of said external pager message.

27. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein said relating step (b) comprises remotely reconfiguring said system controller at said end terminals to change to which of said plural end terminals said external pager message is to be routed.

28. A method in accordance with claim 18, wherein said transmitting step (c) further comprises:

(f) transmitting said external pager message, based on said related internal terminal identification, from said system controller to one base station controller, from a plurality of base station controllers, providing communication service in a geographical range of said recipient end terminal; and

(g) transmitting said external pager message, based on said related internal terminal identification, from said base station controller providing communication service in the geographical range of said recipient end terminal to a plurality of base stations connected thereto; and

(h) transmitting said external pager message, based on said related internal terminal identification, from one base station providing communication service in the geographical range of said recipient end terminal to said recipient end terminal.

29. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein said transmitting step comprises:

(e) converting said external pager message to an internal telephone signal; and

(f) transmitting said converted internal telephone signal to said recipient end terminal user based on said related internal terminal identification.

30. A communication system with integrated pager functionality comprising:

a plurality of telephone end terminals each having an assigned internal terminal identification within the system; and

a system controller for controlling communication inside the system, said system controller;

(a) receiving external pager messages each having an external pager identification for a recipient pager device within the system, (b) relating the external pager identification to the internal terminal identification of a recipient end terminal, (c) converting at least one of said external pager messages to a corresponding internal telephone signal, and (d) transmitting said converted internal telephone signal to said recipient end terminal based on said related internal terminal identification.

31. A method for using a telephone communication system with integrated pager functionality, said telephone communication system including a system controller and a plurality of end terminals, each end terminal having an assigned internal terminal identification, comprising:

(a) extracting an external pager identification from a received external pager message;

(b) relating said extracted external pager identification to the internal terminal identification of a recipient end terminal;

(c) converting said external pager message to an internal telephone signal; and

(d) transmitting said converted internal telephone signal to said recipient end terminal based on said related internal terminal identification.