System and method for interfacing plain old telephone system (POTS) devices with cellular devices in communication with a cellular network

• US 7,522,722 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2004
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tischer, Steven, Kleinfelter, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Jamal; Alexander
• Application Number:
  US10/929,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20050025305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,695 Days
• Field of Search: 379/399.01, 379/413.03
• US Class Current: 379/413.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/677 Preventing the dialling or sending of predetermined telephone numbers or selected types of telephone numbers, e.g. long distance numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver

Abstract

A system and method are presented for interfacing multiple plain old telephone system (POTS) devices with multiple cellular devices in communication with a cellular network to enable efficient communication among these devices. In a broad sense, the system includes an interface configured to function as a bridge between the POTS devices and the cellular devices. The interface selectively routes call attempts from a POTS device to one of a group of cellular devices which connect the calls from the POTS device over the cellular network. The interface may be configured to detect a key sequence for selecting a particular cellular device in the group during an outgoing call attempt from the POTS device. The interface then routes the outgoing call to the selected cellular device. The interface may also be configured to detect a telephone number entered into the POTS device during an outgoing call attempt and route the outgoing call to a particular cellular device based on criteria pre-programmed in the interface. The interface may also be configured to generate distinctive signaling, such as ring tones, for the POTS devices to distinguish incoming calls to the group of cellular devices.

Claims

1. A system for interfacing plain old telephone system (POTS) devices with cellular devices in communication with a cellular network, comprising:

an interface configured to interface with a plurality of cellular telephones and a plurality of POTS devices, wherein the interface is configured to selectively convert a POTS compatible signal to one of a plurality of cellular network compatible signals, and wherein the interface is further configured to selectively convert a cellular network compatible signal to one of a plurality of POTS compatible signals, wherein the interface comprises;

an interface controller configured to generate a tone-enable signal, wherein the interface controller is further configured to transmit signaling data to each of the plurality of cellular telephones and wherein the interface controller comprises;

an off-hook sensor configured to detect when each of the plurality POTS devices is off-hook and generate an off-hook signal in response to detecting when each of the plurality of POTS device is off-hook; and

a processor configured to receive the off-hook signal from the off-hook sensor and generate signaling data in response to the received off-hook signal, wherein the signaling data is indicative of each of the plurality of POTS devices being off-hook;

a tone generator configured to receive the tone-enable signal from the interface controller and generate a tone in response to the received tone-enable signal;

a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) decoder configured to detect a DTMF signal from each of the plurality of POTS devices and generate a DTMF-dialing signal in response to the detected DTMF signal, wherein the DTMF signal is indicative of a key sequence, and wherein the processor of the interface controller is configured to parse the DTMF signal for the key sequence and select one of the plurality of cellular telephones based on the key sequence, wherein parsing the DTMF signal for the key sequence comprises comparing the key sequence in the DTMF signal to a set of stored key sequences to determine the one of the plurality of cellular telephones to select; and

a plurality of POTS connectors configured to couple the plurality of POTS devices to the interface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a docking station configured to interface with the plurality of cellular telephones.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the docking station is further configured to convey signaling data to each of the plurality of cellular telephones.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the docking station is further configured to convey signaling data from each of the plurality of cellular telephones.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the tone-enable signal is a ring-enable signal, and the generated tone is a distinctive ring tone.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface controller is further configured to receive signaling data from each of the plurality of cellular telephones.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive the DTMF-dialing signal from the DTMF decoder.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive the DTMF-dialing signal from the DTMF decoder and generate signaling data in response to the received DTMF-dialing signal, wherein the signaling data is configured to instruct the selected one of the plurality of cellular telephones to dial the number indicated by the DTMF-dialing signal.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive signaling data, wherein the received signaling data is indicative of an incoming telephone call from one of the plurality of cellular telephones.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a ring-enable signal in response to the received signaling data indicative of the incoming telephone call from the one of the plurality of cellular telephones and transmit the ring-enable signal to the tone generator.

11. A method for interfacing plain old telephone system (POTS) devices with cellular devices in communication with cellular networks, comprising:

selectively converting a POTS compatible signal to one of a plurality of cellular network compatible signals, wherein selectively converting a POTS compatible signal to one of a plurality of cellular network compatible signals comprises;

detecting when one of a plurality of POTS devices is off-hook;

generating an off-hook signal in response to detecting when the one of the plurality of POTS device is off-hook;

receiving the off-hook signal from the off-hook/pulse detector;

generating signaling data in response to the received off-hook signal, wherein the signaling data is indicative of the one of the plurality of POTS devices being off-hook

detecting a DTMF signal from the one of the plurality of POTS devices; and

generating a DTMF-dialing signal in response to the received DTMF signal, wherein the DTMF signal is indicative of a key sequence;

parsing the DTMF signal for the key sequence, wherein parsing the DTMF signal for the key sequence comprises comparing the key sequence in the DTMF signal to a set of stored key sequences to determine one of a plurality of cellular telephones to select; and

selecting the one of a plurality of cellular telephones based on the key sequence; and

selectively converting a cellular network compatible signal to one of a plurality of POTS compatible signals.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein selectively converting a POTS compatible signal to one of a plurality of cellular network compatible signals further comprises:

receiving the DTMF-dialing signal from the DTMF decoder.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein selectively converting a POTS compatible signal to one of a plurality of cellular network compatible signals further comprises:

receiving the DTMF-dialing signal from the DTMF decoder;

generating signaling data in response to the received DTMF-dialing signal, wherein the signaling data is configured to instruct the selected one of the plurality of cellular telephones to dial the number indicated by the DTMF-dialing signal.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein selectively converting a cellular network compatible signal to one of a plurality of POTS compatible signals comprises receiving signaling data, wherein the received signaling data is indicative of an incoming telephone call from one of the plurality of cellular telephones.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein selectively converting a cellular network compatible signal to one of a plurality of POTS compatible signals comprises:

generating a tone-enable signal from an interface upon receiving the signaling data;

receiving the tone-enable signal from the interface; and

generating a tone in response to the received tone-enable signal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the tone-enable signal is a ring-enable signal, and the generated tone is a distinctive ring tone.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, will cause the computer to perform a method for interfacing plain old telephone system (POTS) devices with cellular devices in communication with cellular networks, the method comprising:

selectively converting a POTS compatible signal to one of a plurality of cellular network compatible signals, wherein selectively converting a POTS compatible signal to one of a plurality of cellular network compatible signals comprises;

detecting when one of a plurality of POTS devices is off-hook;

generating an off-hook signal in response to detecting when the one of the plurality of POTS device is off-hook;

receiving the off-hook signal;

generating signaling data in response to the received off-hook signal, wherein the signaling data is indicative of the one of the plurality of POTS devices being off-hook;

detecting a DTMF signal from the one of the plurality of POTS devices;

generating a DTMF-dialing signal in response to the received DTMF signal, wherein the DTMF signal is indicative of a key sequence;

parsing the DTMF signal for the key sequence, wherein parsing the DTMF signal for the key sequence comprises comparing the key sequence in the DTMF signal to a set of stored key sequences to determine one of a plurality of cellular telephones to select; and

selecting the one of the plurality of cellular telephones based on the key sequence; and

selectively converting a cellular network compatible signal to one of a plurality of POTS compatible signals.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein selectively converting a POTS compatible signal to one of a plurality of cellular network compatible signals further comprises:

receiving the DTMF-dialing signal.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein selectively converting a POTS compatible signal to one of a plurality of cellular network compatible signals further comprises:

generating signaling data in response to the received DTMF-dialing signal, wherein the signaling data is configured to instruct the selected one of the plurality of cellular telephones to dial the number indicated by the DTMF-dialing signal.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein selectively converting a cellular network compatible signal to one of a plurality of POTS compatible signals comprises receiving signaling data, wherein the received signaling data is indicative of an incoming telephone call from one of the plurality of cellular telephones.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein selectively converting a cellular network compatible signal to one of a plurality of POTS compatible signals comprises:

generating a tone-enable signal from an interface upon receiving the signaling data;

receiving the tone-enable signal from the interface; and

generating a tone in response to the received tone-enable signal.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the tone-enable signal is a ring-enable signal, and the generated tone is a distinctive ring tone.