Extending mobile phone networks

• US 7,308,255 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2003
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Loveland, Shawn D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): SING, SIMON P
• Application Number:
  US10/361,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20040176077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,765 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/425, 455/426.1, 455/461, 455/463, 455/74.1, 455/414.1
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/006 Call diverting means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/715 using two or more extensions per line cordless telephones H04M1/725
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/206 composed of PSTN and wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42051 where the notification is included in the ringing tone
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for bridging mobile phone networks with other telephone networks. A telephone network comprises multiple individually addressable telephone lines connected to telephones and to a gateway, which in turn is connected to one or more mobile phones and potentially to one or more landlines. When the gateway receives an inbound call from one of the mobile phones, or an outbound call from one or the telephones, the gateway applies routing rules to determine how to route the call. Routing may depend on a variety of factors, such as time of day, cost, the mobile phone receiving an inbound call. To help identify the mobile phone as the source of an inbound call, a distinctive ring may be selected. To account for differences in the mobile phone network and the telephone network, the gateway translates signals between the two networks.

Claims

1. In a gateway for a telephone network that comprises multiple individually addressable telephone lines and at least one telephone connected to at least one of the individually addressable telephone lines, a method of routing one or more calls, inbound to one or more mobile phones connected to the gateway, to any of the individually addressable telephone lines such that any of the individually addressable telephone lines can be used to receive the one or more calls inbound to the one or more mobile phones, the method comprising acts of:

the gateway receiving an inbound call addressed to a mobile phone connected to the gateway, the inbound call being received by the gateway through the connected mobile phone;

the gateway applying one or more routing rules to the inbound call for identifying one or more of the individually addressable telephone lines through which the inbound call should be routed; and

connecting the inbound call to the one or more of the individually addressable telephone lines identified by the routing rules.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising an act of the gateway selecting one of one or more available ring options to identify the mobile phone as the addressee of the inbound call.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein multiple mobile phones are connected to the gateway and at least one of the one or more rules comprises a component that is specific to a particular mobile phone.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more routing rules comprises a time-of-day component for routing inbound calls.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the at least one routing rule that comprises a time-of-day component causes the inbound call to be routed to an individually addressable telephone line connected to an answering machine.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a telephone connected to the one or more of the individually addressable telephone lines identified by the routing rules comprises either a single-line analog telephone, a multi-line analog telephone, an integrated services digital network telephone, a digital telephone, or an Internet protocol telephone.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein one or more signals for interacting with a mobile phone network corresponding to the mobile phone differ from one or more signals for interacting with the telephone network through a telephone connected to at least one of the individually addressable telephone lines, the method further comprising an act of the gateway translating between the one or more mobile phone network signals and the one or more telephone network signals.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the one or more telephone network signals comprise a ring voltage signal.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the one or more mobile phone network signals comprise at least one of (i) a call waiting signal, (ii) an abandoned call signal, (iii) a hold signal, (iv) a message notification signal, (v) a caller ID signal, (vi) a caller waiting ID signal, (vii) a call forward signal, (viii) a phone forward signal, (ix) a conference call signal, and (x) a transfer call signal.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a computer is connected to the gateway, the method further comprising an act of receiving configuration information for the gateway from the computer.

11. For a gateway connected to a telephone network that comprises multiple individually addressable telephone lines and at least one telephone connected to at least one of the individually addressable telephone lines, a computer program product comprising one or more computer readable media carrying computer executable instructions that implement a method of routing one or more calls, inbound to one or more mobile phones connected to the gateway, to any of the individually addressable telephone lines such that any of the individually addressable telephone lines can be used to receive the one or more calls inbound to the one or more mobile phones, the method comprising acts of:

the gateway receiving an inbound call addressed to a mobile phone connected to the gateway, the inbound call being received by the gateway through the connected mobile phone;

the gateway applying one or more routing rules to the inbound call for identifying one or more of the individually addressable telephone lines through which the inbound call should be routed; and

connecting the inbound call to the one or more of the individually addressable telephone lines identified by the routing rules.

12. A computer program product as recited in claim 11, the method further comprising an act of the gateway selecting one of one or more available ring options to identify the mobile phone as the addressee of the inbound call.

13. A computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein multiple mobile phones are connected to the gateway and at least one of the one or more rules comprises a component that is specific to a particular mobile phone.

14. A computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more rules comprises a time-of-day component for routing inbound calls.

15. A computer program product as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one rule that comprises a time-of-day component causes the inbound call to be routed to an individually addressable telephone line connected to an answering machine.

16. A computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein a telephone connected to the one or more of the individually addressable telephone lines identified by the routing rules comprises either a single-line analog telephone, a multi-line analog telephone, an integrated services digital network telephone, a wireless telephone, a digital telephone, or an Internet protocol telephone.

17. A computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein one or more signals for interacting with a mobile phone network corresponding to the mobile phone differ from one or more signals for interacting with the telephone network through a telephone connected to at least one of the individually addressable telephone lines, the method further comprising an act of the gateway translating between the one or more mobile phone network signals and the one or more telephone network signals.

18. A computer program product as recited in claim 11, the method further comprising an act of applying one or more other rules that dictate operation of the gateway.

19. A gateway for bridging one or more mobile phone networks supporting one or more mobile phones and a telephone network that comprises multiple individually addressable telephone lines and at least one telephone connected to at least one of the individually addressable telephone lines, the gateway comprising:

one or more mobile phone connectors that connect one or more mobile phones to the gateway so that the gateway can receive and route inbound calls addressed to one or more mobile phones connected to the gateway, wherein each inbound call received by the gateway is received through one of the connected mobile phones;

one or more telephone line connectors that connect the plurality of individually addressable telephone lines and the at least one telephone to the gateway so that the gateway can receive and route the received inbound call through one or more of the individually addressable telephone lines;

one or more storage media containing one or more routing rules that are applied to the received inbound call to identify one or more of the individually addressable telephone lines through which the received inbound call should be routed; and

a processor that executes the routing rules and causes the inbound call received through a mobile phone connected to the gateway to be routed according to the executed routing rules.

20. A gateway as recited in claim 19, further comprising one or more computer network connectors that connect the gateway to one or more computers.