System and method for providing a single telephone number for use with a plurality of telephone handsets

• US 7,657,270 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2003
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2003
• 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: Smith, William L., Hicks, John A. III, Patterson, Gregory N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard; Patrick N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Addy; Anthony S
• Application Number:
  US10/614,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20040248593A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,402 Days
• Field of Search: 455461-463, 455/465, 455/517, 455/518, 455/414.1, 455/415, 455/416, 455/417, 455/567, 455/445, 379/211.01, 379/211.02, 379/211.04
• US Class Current: 455/461
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]

Abstract

Systems and methods providing integrated voice and data services utilizing wired cordless access with unlicensed/unregulated connectivity sources and wireless access with licensed/regulated connectivity sources. A single telephone directory number is assigned for use with both a mobile wireless telephone and for use with a cordless wired Internet Protocol (IP) telephone. The mobile wireless telephone operates via a conventional licensed spectrum wireless network, and the IP telephone operates over voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) over a broadband packet data network service. Incoming calls simultaneously ring the user'"'"'s mobile wireless telephone and IP telephone. The user may be provided a personal voice mailbox that may be accessed from their mobile wireless telephone or from their IP telephone. The user may be provided a single services bill associated with use of both telephones.

Claims

1. A system for providing a single telephone number for use with a digital cordless handset and with a second handset, the system comprising:

a wireless access point wired to a wired data network that provides voice and data services, the wireless access point having a means for communicating with the digital cordless handset via a wireless connection, to provide the digital cordless handset wireless access to the wired data network; and

a media gateway having;

means for interfacing with a data switch, the data switch including programming means to respond to routing information in a layer of a switching protocol to route data packets to at least one of the digital cordless handset or the second handset;

means for enabling the wireless access point to generate a ring tone at the digital cordless handset, wherein a call directed toward the second handset is received at the media gateway, and the telecommunications network generates a ring tone at the second handset, the ring tone generated at the second handset corresponding to the call at the second handset, the second handset being communicatively coupled to the telecommunications network; and

means for linking the telecommunications network to the wired data network, wherein the digital cordless handset and the second handset are assigned the single telephone number,

wherein the means for communicating is wired to the wired data network through a broadband residential gateway, the broadband residential gateway comprising;

a broadband modem and a router, and being configured to enable another means for communicating to connect to the wired data network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the ring tone at the digital cordless handset, and the ring tone generated at the second handset are generated substantially simultaneously.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications network comprises a public switched telephone network.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the second handset comprises at least one wired handset connected to the public switched telephone network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications network comprises a wireless telecommunications network comprising means for providing wireless telecommunications on wireless communications frequencies.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second handset comprises means for communicating with the wireless telecommunications network via the wireless communications frequencies.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the wireless communications frequencies comprise regulated wireless communications frequencies.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the regulated wireless communications frequencies comprise frequencies assigned to a service provider.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for communicating provides voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) service to the digital cordless handset.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for communicating uses subscriber identity module (SIM) information from the digital cordless handset to determine if a user associated with the digital cordless handset is a subscriber to the wired data network.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless connection comprises an unregulated wireless connection.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the unregulated wireless connection comprises a connection providing wireless service using at least one frequency not assigned to a service provider.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the data switch comprises a signal transfer point (STP).

14. A method for providing a single telephone number for use with a plurality of handsets, the method comprising:

assigning the single telephone number to a first handset of the plurality of handsets, the first handset being communicatively coupled to a first telecommunications network, wherein the first telecommunications network comprises one or more wireless access points wired to a wired data network through at least one broadband residential gateway including at least one broadband modem and at least one router and configurable to enable other wireless access points to connect to the wired data network, wherein the wired data network provides voice and data services;

assigning the single telephone number to a second handset of the plurality of handsets, the second handset being communicatively coupled to a second telecommunications network;

providing, for the first handset, via a wireless connection from the one or more wireless access points, wireless access to the wired data network; and

enabling a media gateway to;

receive a call directed toward the second handset, the second handset being associated with the single telephone number and being communicatively coupled to the second telecommunications network;

interface with a data switch for routing information in a layer of a switching protocol to at least one of the first handset or the second handset;

enable one of the one or more wireless access points to generate a ring tone at the first handset, and the second telecommunications network to generate a ring tone at the second handset corresponding to the call at the second handset; and

link the second telecommunications network to the wired data network.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

detecting an incoming communication from a calling party to the single telephone number; and

placing outgoing communications to the first handset and the second handset in response to detecting the incoming communication.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

connecting the incoming communication to a first one of the first handset or the second handset to be answered.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

dropping each of the outgoing communications other than a one of the outgoing communications associated with the first one of the first handset or the second handset to be answered.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the first handset comprises a digital cordless handset for communicating with the one or more wireless access points via the wireless connection.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the second telecommunications network comprises a wireless network providing wireless telecommunications on wireless communications frequencies.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second handset comprises a wireless device communicating with the wireless network via the wireless communications frequencies.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the wireless communications frequencies comprise regulated wireless communications frequencies.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the regulated wireless communications frequencies comprise frequencies assigned to a service provider.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the second telecommunications network comprises a public switched telephone network.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the second handset comprises a wired handset connected to the public switched telephone network.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless connection comprises an unregulated wireless connection.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the unregulated wireless connection comprises a connection providing wireless service using at least one frequency not assigned to a service provider.

27. A system for providing a single telephone number for use with a digital cordless handset and with a second handset, the system comprising:

means for receiving an incoming call directed to the single telephone number, wherein the single telephone number is assigned to the digital cordless handset and the second handset;

means for routing the incoming call to the digital cordless handset, wherein the digital cordless handset communicates, via a wireless connection, with a wireless access point wired to a wired data network through at least one broadband residential gateway including at least one broadband modem and at least one router to provide the digital cordless handset wireless access to the wired data network, wherein the wireless access point is adapted to enable other wireless access points to connect to the wired data network, and wherein the wired data network provides voice and data services;

means for routing the incoming call to the second handset, the second handset being communicatively coupled to a telecommunications network; and

means for enabling a media gateway to;

receive a call directed toward the second handset, the second handset being associated with the single telephone number and the telecommunications network;

interface with a data switch for routing information in a layer of a switching protocol to at least one of the digital cordless handset or the second handset;

enable the wireless access point to generate a ring tone at the digital cordless handset, and the telecommunications network to generate a ring tone at the second handset, the ring tone at the second handset being associated with the call directed toward the second handset; and

link the telecommunications network to the wired data network.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

means for placing outgoing communications to the digital cordless handset and the second handset in response to receiving the incoming call directed to the single telephone number; and

means for connecting the incoming call to a first one of the digital cordless handset or the second handset to be answered.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising means for dropping each of the outgoing communications other than a one of the outgoing communications associated with the first one of the digital cordless handset or the second handset to be answered.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the wireless connection comprises an unregulated wireless connection.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the unregulated wireless connection comprises a connection providing service using at least one frequency not assigned to any service provider.

32. A media gateway comprising:

means for enabling a wireless access point to generate a ring tone at a digital cordless handset;

means for interfacing with a data switch for routing information in a layer of a switching protocol to at least one of the digital cordless handset or a second handset;

means for linking a telecommunications network to a wired data network configured to provide voice and data services, the telecommunications network generating a ring tone at the second handset, the ring tone at the second handset corresponding to a call directed toward the second handset, wherein the digital cordless handset and the second handset are assigned a single telephone number, the second handset being communicatively coupled to the telecommunications network, and the wireless access point being wired to the wired data network and communicating, via a wireless connection, with the digital cordless handset to provide wireless access to the wired data network; and

means for receiving the call directed toward the second handset corresponding to the single telephone number on the telecommunications network,

wherein the wireless access point is wired to the wired data network through a broadband residential gateway, the broadband residential gateway comprising;

a broadband modem and a router, and being configured to enable another wireless access point to connect to the wired data network.

33. The media gateway of claim 32, wherein the ring tone at the digital cordless handset, and the ring tone at the second handset are generated substantially simultaneously.

34. The media gateway of claim 32, wherein the telecommunications network comprises a public switched telephone network.

35. The media gateway of claim 34, wherein the second handset comprises a wired handset connected to the public switched telephone network.

36. The media gateway of claim 32, wherein the telecommunications network comprises a wireless telecommunications network providing wireless telecommunications on wireless communications frequencies.

37. The media gateway of claim 36, wherein the second handset comprises a wireless device communicating with the wireless telecommunications network via the wireless communications frequencies.

38. The media gateway of claim 32, wherein the wireless access point provides voice-over-internet protocol (VOIP) service to the digital cordless handset.

39. The media gateway of claim 32, wherein the wireless access point uses subscriber identity module (SIM) information from the digital cordless handset to determine if a user associated with the digital cordless handset is a subscriber to the wired data network.

40. The media gateway of claim 32, wherein the wireless connection comprises an unregulated wireless connection.

41. The media gateway of claim 40, wherein the unregulated wireless connection comprises a connection providing wireless service using at least one frequency not assigned to a service provider.