LAN based wireless communications system

• US 8,861,497 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Heubel, Michael, Clegg, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): MEW, KEVIN D
• Application Number:
  US13/691,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20130089084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 370328-329, 370/338, 370352-356, 370/395.6, 370400-401, 370465-466
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]

Abstract

A method of routing calls from a mobile unit to a destination location can include registering the mobile unit with a wireless adjunct, wherein the wireless adjunct is in communication with a switching unit and a packet based network and is operable to receive data from the switching unit and place the data, in packetized form, on the packet based network. The method can further include responding to a call setup request from the mobile unit and querying a subscriber database to determine if the mobile unit is a resident or a guest. If the mobile unit is a resident, communications data can be routed from the mobile unit through the switching unit to a first destination location. If the mobile unit is a guest, communications data can be routed from the mobile unit through an RF source to a second destination location.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage device, for use at a wireless adjunct device, comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, for processing incoming calls, comprising:

waiting, during a wait state of the wireless adjunct device, for a call to route;

receiving, at the wireless adjunct device, the call being directed to a mobile unit;

entering, upon receiving the call, an incoming call setup state for the wireless adjunct device;

instructing, during the incoming call setup state, a radio transmit point to page the mobile unit;

entering, after instructing the radio transmit point to page the mobile unit, a wait for response state of the wireless adjunct device;

performing, during the wait for response state, and if the wireless adjunct device receives a response from the radio transmit point, additional operations comprising;

entering a perform call setup state during which the call is setup with the mobile unit via the radio transmit point;

entering a routing state during which the wireless adjunct device routes voice traffic of the call via the radio transmit point; and

returning, in response to the call ending, to the wait state; and

ending, during the wait for response state, if the wireless adjunct device does not receive a response from the radio transmit point the wireless adjunct device, the paging and returning to the wait state.

2. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the call is a private branch exchange call received at a private branch exchange.

3. The computer-readable storage device of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise converting, during the routing state, and if the private branch exchange does not support voice over Internet protocol functionality, voice over Internet protocol packets received from the mobile unit during the call into circuit-switched voice data for routing to the private branch exchange.

4. The computer-readable storage device of claim 2, wherein ending, during the wait for response state, the paging and returning to the wait state is prompted by the wireless adjunct device receiving an order from the private branch exchange to end the paging.

5. The computer-readable storage device of claim 4, wherein the order received from the private branch exchange to end the paging is prompted by a desk phone answering the private branch exchange call.

6. The computer-readable storage device of claim 4, wherein the order from the private branch exchange to end the paging is prompted by an originator of the private branch exchange call hanging up.

7. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the voice traffic comprises voice over Internet protocol packets.

8. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the call is a base station call.

9. A computer-readable storage device, for use at a radio transmit point, comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

waiting, during a wait state of the radio transmit point, for a page request from a wireless adjunct device to page a mobile unit for a call;

entering, in response to receiving the request from the wireless adjunct device, a page state of the radio transmit point;

paging, during the page state, the mobile unit;

entering, after paging the mobile unit, a wait for response state of the radio transmit point;

performing, during the wait for response state, and if the radio transmit point receives a response from the mobile unit, additional operations comprising;

entering a perform call setup state during which the radio transmit point sets up the call with the mobile unit;

entering a routing state during which the radio transmit point routes voice traffic of the call to the mobile unit; and

retuning, in response to the call ending, to the wait state; and

ending, during the wait for response state, if the radio transmit point does not receive a response from the mobile unit, the paging and returning to the wait state.

10. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the call is a private branch exchange call received at a private branch exchange.

11. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the call is a base station call.

12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, further comprising receiving, during the wait for response state, an end page request from the wireless adjunct device to end the paging, and ending the paging and returning to the wait state.

13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12, wherein the end page request is received from the wireless adjunct device in response to the wireless adjunct device receiving an order from a private branch exchange to end the paging.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13, wherein the order is prompted by a desk phone answering the call.

15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13, wherein the order is prompted by an originator of the call hanging up.

16. A computer-readable storage device medium, for use at a wireless adjunct device, comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, for routing an outgoing call, comprising:

waiting, during a wait state of the wireless adjunct device, for an outgoing call to route;

receiving an outgoing call initiated by a mobile unit;

entering, upon receiving the outgoing call, an outgoing call setup state of the wireless adjunct device;

querying, during the outgoing call setup state, a subscriber database associated with the wireless adjunct device to determine whether the mobile unit is one of a guest and a resident;

performing, if the mobile unit is a guest, first additional operations comprising;

setting up the outgoing call with a radio frequency source;

entering an radio frequency source routing state during which the wireless adjunct device routes voice traffic of the outgoing call to the radio frequency source; and

returning to the wait state after the outgoing call is terminated; and

performing, if the mobile unit is a resident, second additional operations comprising;

setting up the outgoing call with a private branch exchange;

entering a private branch exchange routing state during which the wireless adjunct device routes voice traffic of the outgoing call to the private branch exchange; and

returning to the wait state after the outgoing call is terminated.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the voice traffic comprises voice over Internet protocol packets.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the first additional operations further comprise converting the voice traffic from voice over Internet protocol packets to circuit-switched voice data prior to routing the voice traffic to the radio frequency source.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the second additional operations further comprise, if the private branch exchange does not have voice over Internet protocol functionality, converting the voice traffic from voice over Internet protocol packets to circuit-switched voice data prior to routing the voice traffic to the private branch exchange.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the subscriber database includes one of an internal subscriber database stored at the wireless adjunct device and an external subscriber database in communication with the wireless adjunct device and querying the subscriber database comprises an act selected from a group consisting of querying the internal subscriber database and querying the external subscriber database.