Method, system, and apparatus for providing wireless identification to standard telephone

• US 7,792,093 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2004
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chanyu Holdings LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Whitehead, James F., Kibria, Masud, Myhre, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Application Number:
  US10/990,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20050105512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,122 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/356, 370/401, 370/402, 370/389, 370/466, 370/328, 370/329, 455/558, 455/466, 455/410, 455/412.1, 455/433, 455/461, 340/572.4, 348/14.01, 380/247, 713/170, 726/12, 726/28
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/738 Interface circuits for coupling substations to external telephone lines H04M1/78 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/20 hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• 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 88/181 Transcoding devices; Rate adaptation devices

Abstract

An analog telephone adapter (ATA) having a subscriber identity component in the format of a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) that couples a telephone to a cellular network via Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), thereby allowing a cellular service provider to provide an alternative communication service for the home or business. Instead of using the plain old telephone service, a subscriber can plug their analog telephone into the SIM-enabled ATA (SIM-ATA) and receive telephone service from a cellular service provider, eliminating or reducing the need for a traditional Local Exchange Carrier. The SIM-ATA converts signals from analog to digital, and vice-versa. Once the analog telephone signal has been converted to digital, an IP-based protocol (e.g., VoIP) can be used to transmit the telephone call over a digital network. The cellular service provider can then track usage and bill the subscriber accordingly.

Claims

1. An apparatus that facilitates communication of analog signals over a digital network, comprising:

an analog component that receives the analog signals from an analog telephone and facilitates conversion of the analog signals for communication over the digital network; and

an identity component that includes subscriber identification information of a subscriber associated with the analog telephone, the subscriber identification information is accessed by the analog component for communication over the digital network to a cellular network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the analog component includes at least one of a processor and a CODEC for converting between analog and digital signals.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identity component comprises one of a subscriber identity module (SIM) and a universal SIM.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the subscriber identification information includes at least one of a subscriber name and subscriber account information.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the analog signals are processed for digital communication via VoIP.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network is an IP network.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the analog component and the identity component are both included as a single module that can be located one of internal to the analog telephone and external to the analog telephone.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identity component is associated with a GSM cellular telephone.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identity component is provided as one of an embedded component and a removable component.

10. A gateway that includes the apparatus of claim 1.

11. A router that includes the apparatus of claim 1.

12. A local base station that includes the apparatus of claim 1.

13. An apparatus that facilitates communication of analog signals over a digital network, comprising:

a housing that includes one or more ports;

an analog component in the housing that receives analog voice signals from an analog telephone and facilitates communication of the analog voice signals over an IP network; and

a subscriber identification component in the housing that includes subscriber identification information of a subscriber associated with a location of the analog telephone, the analog component accesses the subscriber identification information and communicates the subscriber identification information over the IP network to a cellular provider.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein location is a home of the subscriber.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein subscriber identification component accommodates at least subscriber information of a first subscriber that is embedded in the housing and subscriber information of a second subscriber.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein subscriber information of the second subscriber is provided in the form of a subscriber identity module (SIM) or a universal SIM (USIM) that inserts into the housing.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the analog component communicates the subscriber identification information to a telephone service provider to associate a call, comprising the analog voice signals, with the subscriber.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising one or more indicators that indicate a status thereof.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising an activation button that facilitates manual activation of an operating mode thereof.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a switching mechanism that facilitates auto-switching between incoming and outgoing communication modes.

21. A telephone communications system, comprising:

an analog telephone that facilitates the communication of analog voice signals of a subscriber;

an IP network connected to the analog telephone and over which the analog voice signals are communicated; and

an adapter that interfaces the analog telephone to the IP network to facilitate the communication of the voice signals over the IP network via VoIP to a mobile station of a cellular network.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the IP network includes a digital IP network that accommodates the VoIP traffic.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the adapter further comprises:

a conversion component that converts between analog and digital signals; and

a subscriber identity component that associates the subscriber with the analog voice signals.

24. The system of claim 21, further comprising a network interface component on the IP network that routes analog voice signals over a circuit-switched network and digital voice signals over a packet-switched network.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the network interface automatically routes VoIP signals between the IP network and the adapter.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the adapter automatically processes analog and digital voice signals communicated over the IP network for use by the analog telephone.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the adapter comprises one of a subscriber identity module (SIM) and a universal SIM that stores subscriber identification information, and which the subscriber identification information is communicated over the IP network to a telephone service provider.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the IP network interconnects to a cellular network such that the analog telephone communicates the voice signals via the adapter to a digital communications device.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the cellular network is associated with a cellular telephone provider and the digital communications device is a cellular telephone such that a user of the cellular telephone communicates with the subscriber at the analog telephone over the Internet.

30. A home telephone communication system, comprising:

an analog telephone subsystem that facilitates the communication of voice signals of a call related to a subscriber;

a digital IP network over which the voice signals are communicated, the digital IP network interconnects to a cellular service provider; and

an adapter that interfaces the analog telephone subsystem to the digital IP network to facilitate communication of digitized voice signals over the digital IP network.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the analog subsystem includes a telephone base station that facilitates at least one of wired and wireless communication with an analog telephone.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the adapter facilitates authentication of the subscriber before the voice signals can be communicated over the digital IP network.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the adapter facilitates authentication of the subscriber before the voice signals can be received from the digital IP network.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the adapter facilitates associating a call, comprising the voice signals, with the subscriber by authentication of the subscriber with a telephone service provider.

35. A method of providing digital communications for an analog telephone subsystem, comprising:

receiving analog voice signals associated with a call of the analog telephone subsystem;

converting the analog voice signals to digital voice signals for communication over a digital IP network;

associating the digital voice signals with subscriber identification information of a subscriber;

authenticating the subscriber to the digital IP network; and

transmitting the digital voice signals over the digital IP network to a wireless caller.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

storing the subscriber identification information in a non-volatile memory device that is associated with the analog telephone; and

accessing the subscriber identification information to authenticate the subscriber to the digital IP network.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the non-volatile memory device is a subscriber identity module (SIM) or a universal SIM (USIM) device.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the analog voice signals are processed for digital communication via VoIP.

39. The method of claim 35, the subscriber identification information is associated with a GSM cellular telephone.

40. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

providing a non-volatile memory that stores the subscriber identification;

accessing the non-volatile memory to make the call; and

removing the non-volatile memory when the call is over.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the non-volatile memory is of a GSM cellular telephone.

42. The method of claim 35, further comprising automatically routing the analog voice signals over one of a circuit switched network and the digital IP network.

43. The method of claim 35, further comprising receiving a cellular call from a cellular telephone to the analog telephone subsystem.

44. The method of claim 35, further comprising overriding the subscriber identification information with visitor identity information such that a visitor can make a call.

45. A system that facilitates digital communications for an analog telephone subsystem, comprising:

means for storing subscriber identification information of a subscriber in a non-volatile memory;

means for interfacing the non-volatile memory to the analog telephone subsystem using a module means;

means for receiving analog voice signals associated with a call of the analog telephone subsystem;

means for converting the analog voice signals to digital voice signals for communication over a digital IP network;

means for accessing the subscriber identification information to authenticate the subscriber to the digital IP network; and

means for transmitting the digital voice signals over the digital IP network using VoIP communications.

46. The system of claim 45, further comprising means for associating the subscriber identification information with more than one analog telephone.

47. The system of claim 45, wherein the means for converting comprises converting means that converts the digital voice signals to analog voice signals.

48. The system of claim 45, wherein the module means include means for processing both the analog voice signals and the digital voice signals.

49. The system of claim 45, further comprising routing means for routing an output of the module means to one of a circuit-switched network and a packet-switched IP network.