Systems and methods for providing wireless communications for data and voice communications

• US 7,657,284 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2005
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shopify Incorporated
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Specht, Philip Russell
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer; Temica M
• Application Number:
  US11/075,433
• Time in Patent Office: 1,793 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/554.1
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A wireless communications system that provides communication for a plurality of communication devices. The wireless communications system includes an interface including a local exchange carrier (LEC) connection port, a subscriber connection port and a wireless connection port. The wireless communications system includes a wireless terminal connected to the interface that provides wireless data and voice connectivity over a wireless network.

Claims

1. A network interface for providing voice communications and data communications to a plurality of communications devices, the network interface comprising:

a voice device connection port and a data device connection port, wherein;

the network interface is configured to receive the voice communications and the data communications from a wireless terminal coupled to the network interface, the wireless terminal being in wireless communication with a cellular station of a wireless communications network; and

the network interface is configured to provide;

the voice communications received from the wireless terminal to the voice device connection port; and

the data communications received from the wireless terminal to the data device connection port, wherein;

the voice device connection port is configured to allow a voice device to be physically coupled with the network interface via the voice device connection port; and

the data device connection port is configured to allow a data device to be physically coupled with the network interface via the data device connection port.

2. The network interface of claim 1, further comprising a wireless device connection port.

3. The network interface of claim 2, wherein the voice connection port comprises a telephone jack.

4. The network interface of claim 2, wherein the data connection port comprises an Ethernet jack.

5. The network interface of claim 2, wherein the data connection port comprises a digital subscriber line (DSL) hardware port.

6. The network interface of claim 2, further comprising a wireless router in communication with the wireless connection port.

7. The network interface of claim 2, wherein a communications device is connected to the wireless terminal.

8. The network interface of claim 2, wherein one or more communications devices are wirelessly connected to the network interface.

9. The network interface of claim 1, wherein:

the network interface is used as a backup system for a wire-line connection; and

call flow is routed through the network interface to the wireless communications network if call flow through the wire-line connection is interrupted.

10. The network interface of claim 1, wherein the wireless terminal comprises:

a processor;

a data transmission portion; and

a voice transmission portion.

11. The network interface of claim 10, wherein the data transmission portion further comprises a data connectivity device, a maintenance device, and a router.

12. The network interface of claim 11, wherein the voice transmission portion further comprises a wireless device.

13. The network interface of claim 12, wherein the voice transmission portion further comprises a voice interface adapter and a ringing generator to simulate an incoming call ringing tone.

14. The network interface of claim 1, wherein the wireless terminal is configured to use static and dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) to connect to a service provider.

15. A method of providing voice communications and data communications to a communications device, the method comprising:

providing a network interface comprising a voice device connection port and a data device connection port; and

providing a wireless terminal coupled to the network interface, wherein;

the network interface receives the voice communications and the data communications from the wireless terminal, the wireless terminal being in wireless communication with a cellular station of a wireless communications network; and

the network interface is configured to provide the voice communications received from the wireless device connection port and the data communications received from the wireless terminal to the data device connection port, wherein;

the voice device connection port is configured to allow a voice device to be physically coupled with the network interface via the voice device connection port; and

the data device connection port is configured to allow a data device to be physically coupled with the network interface via the data device connection port.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein providing the network interface further comprises providing a network interface comprising the voice device connection port, the data device connection port, and a wireless connection port.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing a wireless router in communication with the wireless connection port.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing a voice device; and

coupling the voice device to the network interface via the voice device connection port.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing a data device; and

coupling the data device to the network interface via the data device connection port.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

providing a voice interface adapter; and

a ringing generator to simulate an incoming call ringing tone.