Rapidly-deployable fixed wireless communication system and method of switching during operation of same

• US 6,763,250 B1
• Filed: 08/10/2000
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Landis+Gyr Innovations Incorporated (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Original Assignee: America Connect, Inc.
• Inventors: Forbes, Joseph W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRINH, TAN H
• Application Number:
  US09/635,942
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 455/455, 455/448, 455/560, 455/561, 455/564, 455/3.01, 455/406, 455/408, 370/351, 370/356, 370/338, 370/328, 370/400, 370/402
• US Class Current: 455/560
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/021 adapted for Wireless Local Loop operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices

Abstract

A fixed wireless communication system (100) comprises a wireless subsystem and a backbone network. The wireless subsystem includes at least one base transceiver site (104, 105) and at least one stationary remote unit (107, 108). The stationary remote unit communicates with the base transceiver site via a wireless communication resource (110, 111). The wireless subsystem resides in a first geographic area (155) served by a first public switched telephone network (PSTN) access switch (129). The backbone network includes at least one point of presence (POP, 120-123) and a switch (125). The switch serves to at least route voice communications between the stationary remote unit and a PSTN subscriber unit (139) residing in a second geographic area (157) served by a second PSTN access switch (135). The POPs couple the switch to at least the wireless subsystem, the first PSTN access switch, and the second PSTN access switch. The switch employs a method to facilitate communication between a wireless subsystem subscriber (101, 102) and either a PSTN subscriber (133, 139) or another wireless subsystem subscriber, wherein a switching path is established to include a PSTN access switch only in the event that received call set-up information indicates that the communication involves a PSTN subscriber.

Claims

1. A method for a regional switch to facilitate communication between a first wireless subsystem located in a first geographic area served by a first public switched telephone network (PSTN) access switch and one of a PSTN subscriber located in the first geographic area, a PSTN subscriber located in a second geographic area served by a second PSTN access switch, and a second wireless subsystem located in the second geographic area, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving call set-up information from one of the first wireless subsystem, the second wireless subsystem, the PSTN subscriber located in the first geographic area, and the PSTN subscriber located in the second geographic area;

determining whether the call set-up information indicates a communication between the first wireless subsystem and the PSTN subscriber located in the second geographic area;

in the event that the call set-up information indicates a communication between the first wireless subsystem and the PSTN subscriber located in the second geographic area, establishing a switching path for the communication, wherein the switching path includes at least a first point of presence (POP) operably coupled between the regional switch and the first wireless subsystem, and at least a second POP operably coupled between the regional switch and the second PSTN access switch;

determining whether the call set-up information indicates a communication between the first wireless subsystem and the second wireless subsystem; and

in the event that the call set-up information indicates a communication between the first wireless subsystem and the second wireless subsystem, establishing a switching path for the communication, wherein the switching path includes the at least a second POP and the at least a first POP, but does not include any PSTN access switch.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether the call set-up information indicates a communication between the first wireless subsystem and the PSTN subscriber located in the first geographic area; and

in the event that the call set-up information indicates a communication between the first wireless subsystem and the PSTN subscriber located in the first geographic area, establishing a switching path for the communication, wherein the switching path includes the at least a first POP and the first PSTN access switch.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining comprises the step of:

comparing the call set-up information to identification information stored in at least one database that is operably coupled to the regional switch.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the call set-up information comprises a telephone number.

5. A method for a regional switch to facilitate communication between a wireless subsystem located in a first geographic area served by a first public switched telephone network (PSTN) access switch and one of a PSTN subscriber located in the first geographic area and a PSTN subscriber located in a second geographic area served by a second PSTN access switch, wherein the regional switch further facilitates communication within the wireless subsystem, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving call set-up information from one of the wireless subsystem, the PSTN subscriber located in the first geographic area and the PSTN subscriber located in the second geographic area;

determining whether the call set-up information indicates a communication between the wireless subsystem and the PSTN subscriber located in the second geographic area;

in the event that the call set-up information indicates a communication between the wireless subsystem and the PSTN subscriber located in the second geographic area, establishing a switching path for the communication, wherein the switching path includes at least a first point of presence (POP) operably coupled between the regional switch and the wireless subsystem, and at least a second POP operably coupled between the regional switch and the second PSTN access switch;

determining whether the call set-up information indicates a communication within the wireless subsystem; and

in the event that the call set-up information indicates a communication within the wireless subsystem, establishing a switching path for the communication, wherein the switching path includes the at least a first POP, but does not include the first PSTN access switch.