System and method for selectively provisioning telecommunications services between an access point and a telecommunications network based on landline telephone detection

• US 8,619,545 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2008
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Linkola, Janne P., Caldwell, Christopher E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chriss, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rivas, Salvador E
• Application Number:
  US12/175,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20100014506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,993 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/214
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method and system for reducing network load by selectively provisioning connections between an access point and a carrier network is disclosed. The access point supports voice and data connections over an IP network. The access point includes a network connection and a telephone connector capable of connecting to a standard landline telephone. The access point also includes at least one detection component that detects whether a landline telephone is plugged in to the telephone connector. The access point is configured to provision a voice connection through the IP network when it detects that a landline telephone is plugged in.

Claims

1. A wireless local area network (WLAN) access point configured for facilitating IP-based communications with a telecommunications system, the system comprising:

an antenna;

a WLAN radio connected to the antenna and configured to provide WLAN connectivity;

a network connection component configured to communicate with an IP-based network and connected to transmit and receive data received from the WLAN radio;

a telephone connector component configured to accept a wired connection with a landline telephone;

a detection component connected to the telephone connector component and configured to detect whether a landline telephone is connected to the telephone connector component,

wherein the detecting includes detecting a physical connection between the access point and a landline telephone line to permit telecommunication services to be provided through the landline telephone line to the landline-type telephone; and

a connection manager configured to provision telecommunications services between the telephone connector component and the IP-based network in response to the detection component detecting that a landline telephone is physically connected to the telephone connector component,

wherein provisioning comprises registering with a cellular telephone carrier network and receiving a resource allocation from the cellular telephone carrier network, and

wherein telecommunications services are not provisioned between the telephone connector component and the IP-based network if the detection component detects an open circuit at the telephone connector component, corresponding to the landline telephone being not physically connected to the telephone connector component.

2. The WLAN access point of claim 1, wherein the detection component comprises a mechanical or electromechanical switch that is enabled when a locking tab of a plug is engaged with the telephone connector component.

3. The WLAN access point of claim 1, wherein the detection component comprises a mechanical or electromechanical switch to detect whether the landline telephone is connected.

4. The WLAN access point of claim 1, wherein the detection component uses electrical characteristics of the telephone connector component to detect the landline telephone, the electrical characteristics comprising one or more of the following:

resistance, capacitance, or inductance.

5. The WLAN access point of claim 1, wherein the detection component is configured to generate an interrupt signal when a landline telephone connection is detected and wherein the connection manager is configured to provision the telecommunications services in response to the interrupt signal.

6. The WLAN access point of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications services are UMA services.

7. A method of provisioning telecommunications services through an access point, the access point being suitable for use as an access point to an IP-based wireless telecommunications network to interface with a landline telephone, the method comprising:

determining whether a landline-type telephone is connected to the access point,

wherein the determining includes detecting a physical connection between the access point and a landline telephone line to permit telecommunication services to be provided through the landline telephone line to the landline-type telephone; and

in response to determining that the landline telephone is physically connected, provisioning telecommunications services between the landline telephone and the IP-based wireless telecommunications network,

wherein telecommunications services are not provisioned between the telephone connector component and the IP-based network if the detection component detects an open circuit at the telephone connector component, corresponding to the landline telephone being not physically connected to the telephone connector component.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein provisioning includes provisioning a voice connection and comprises registering with a carrier network and receiving a resource allocation from the carrier network, such that after provisioning is complete voice calls are permitted via the IP-based wireless telecommunications network.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining comprises using mechanical characteristics to detect the landline telephone.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein determining comprises using electrical characteristics to detect the landline telephone.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

in response to determining that a landline telephone is not present, waiting a predetermined time period; and

repeating determining after the predetermined time period has passed.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein provisioning includes provisioning a voice connection and comprises registering with a carrier network and receiving a resource allocation from the carrier network, such that after provisioning is complete voice calls are permitted via the IP-based wireless telecommunications network and further comprising:

generating an interrupt signal in response to a landline telephone being connected; and

provisioning the telecommunications services in response to the interrupt signal.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein determining is executed during an initialization process of the access point.

14. A system for managing use of an access point configured for facilitating IP-based communications in a telecommunications system, the system comprising:

a telephone connector component configured to accept a connection with a landline telephone device;

a network connection component configured to communicate with an IP-based network;

a detection component connected to the telephone connector component and configured to detect whether a landline telephone device is connected to the telephone connector component,

wherein the detecting includes detecting a physical connection between the access point and a landline telephone line to permit telecommunication services to be provided through the landline telephone line to the landline-type telephone; and

a connection manager configured to provision telecommunications services between the telephone connector component and the IP-based network in response to the detection component detecting that at least a landline telephone device is physically connected to the telephone connector component,

wherein telecommunications services are not provisioned between the telephone connector component and the IP-based network if the detection component detects an open circuit at the telephone connector component, corresponding to the landline telephone being not physically connected to the telephone connector component.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising multiple telephone connector components, wherein the detection component is configured to independently detect whether a landline telephone device is connected to any of the multiple telephone connector components and the connection manager is configured to independently provision communications connections between the IP-based network and individual ones of the multiple telephone connector components.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the detection component uses the impedance of the telephone connector component to detect whether the landline telephone is connected.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising a radio component configured to provide telecommunications services using a licensed frequency band.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising a radio component configured to provide telecommunications services using an unlicensed frequency band.

19. A system for managing use of an access point configured for facilitating IP-based communications in a telecommunications system, the system comprising:

a network connection component for connecting to an IP-based network;

a telephone connection means for connecting to a landline telephone;

a means for determining whether a landline telephone is connected to the telephone connection means,

wherein the determining includes detecting a physical connection between the access point and a landline telephone line to permit telecommunication services to be provided through the landline telephone line to the landline-type telephone;

a means for provisioning telecommunications services between the telephone connector and the IP-based network in response to determining that the landline telephone is physically connected to the telephone connection means,

wherein telecommunications services are not provisioned between the telephone connector component and the IP-based network if the detection component detects an open circuit at the telephone connector component, corresponding to the landline telephone being not physically connected to the telephone connector component.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for determining uses mechanical characteristics of the telephone connection means to detect the landline telephone.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for determining uses electrical characteristics of the telephone connection means to detect the landline telephone, the electrical characteristics comprising one or more of the following:

resistance, capacitance, or inductance.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for determining is configured to generate an interrupt signal when a landline telephone connection is detected and wherein the means for provisioning is configured to provision the communications connection in response to the interrupt signal.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for determining is configured to periodically attempt to determine whether the landline telephone is connected to the telephone connection means.

24. The system of claim 19, further comprising a radio component configured to provide telecommunications services using a licensed frequency band.

25. The system of claim 19, further comprising a radio component configured to provide telecommunications services using an unlicensed frequency band.