Coordination of cellular telephones in a residential area to obviate need for wired residential service

• US 7,333,773 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2004
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dietz, Timothy Alan, Holloway, Lane Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brandt; Christopher M
• Application Number:
  US10/942,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20060057961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/567, 455/417, 455/463, 455/518, 455/555, 379/171, 379/211.03, 379/211
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A comprehensive method for coordinating cellular phones in a residential area to obviate the need for wired residential service. The present invention includes coordinating a set of wireless devices in a residential area to be able to receive a call directed to a user'"'"'s cellular telephone. Said wireless devices can have different numbers and be serviced by different providers than the user'"'"'s cellular telephone. Peer-to-peer relationships are formed between associated wireless communications devices, similar to IEEE 802.11 peer-to-peer relationships. A call could also be answered by another cellular telephone, or other device, such as a computer. All communicating handsets of associated wireless communications devices could join the call. The present invention would prevent a user from missing any incoming calls while at the user'"'"'s residence. The present invention would also allow a user to receive calls at the user'"'"'s residence on any associated communications device without the need for wired residential service.

Claims

1. In a wireless telephonic communications system, a method, comprising:

having a short range RF broadcast station in a residential area;

receiving said short range RF signals by a set of wireless devices in said residential area configured to alert all devices in the set to receive a call sent to any device in the set, each device adapted for receiving said short range RF signals, from said broadcast station;

coordinating the set of wireless devices in the residential area;

identifying information sent from a first device to an other device within said RF broadcast range via said station;

requesting transmitted information by the first device to form peer-to-peer relationship between said other device and first said device; and

accepting said request by the other device;

configuring the other device to pass incoming calls to devices within said RF broadcast range;

broadcasting cellulary from a location within said RF range;

allowing all communicating handsets related to said other devices to join a call;

preventing handsets from joining a call via a privacy feature; and

allowing calls to be answered by a VOIP capable device within said RF broadcast range of the first device.

2. The method for coordinating a set of wireless devices in a residential area of claim 1 wherein calls can be answered by a computer within said RF broadcast range of the first device.

3. A computer readable medium storing a computer program which when executed performs the implementation for telecommunicating through wireless cellular telephone systems, comprising:

a short range RF broadcast station in a residential area;

a set of wireless devices in said residential area configured to alert all devices in the set to receive a call sent to any device in the set, each device adapted for receiving said short range RF signals from said broadcast station;

coordinating the set of wireless devices in the residential area;

identifying information sent from a first device to an other device within said RF broadcast range via said station;

requesting by the first device transmitted information to form peer-to-peer relationship between said other device and first said device; and

accepting said request by the other device;

configuring the other device to pass incoming calls to devices within said RF broadcast range;

broadcasting cellularly from a location within said RF range;

allowing all communicating handsets related to said other devices to join a call;

preventing handsets front joining a call via a privacy feature; and

allowing calls to be answered by a VOIP capable device within said RF broadcast range of the first device.