System and apparatus for adapting operations of a communication device

• US 9,332,576 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2014
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Robbins, William Stanley, Pearson, Larry B., Wallis, R. Tyler, Ryan, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Tri H
• Application Number:
  US14/218,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20140199973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 370310-357, 370386-393, 370400-410, 370461-463, 455/404.2, 455/405, 455410-411, 455/413, 455/414.2, 455/417, 4554221-427, 455/433, 455/435.2, 455/436, 455/445, 455/450, 455/454, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/551, 455/552.1, 455/5, 455/56.1, 455/557, 455/569.2, 455/571, 455/575.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/22 with access to wired networks

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, at a base station, communicating with a mobile phone where the base station comprises a premises wireless access point, at the base station, communicating with a mobile communication system by way of a broadband connection, and instructing a landline phone communicatively coupled to the base station to communicate with a remote end user device via the mobile communication system utilizing identification information of the mobile phone and responsive to communications between the base station and the mobile phone. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by an access point device, a notice that a landline phone is authorized to utilize communication services associated with a cellular device;

providing, by the access point device, a request to enable the communications services for use by the access point; and

enabling, by the access point device, the landline phone to communicate with a remote end user device utilizing identification information of the cellular device, wherein communication between the landline phone and the remote end user device comprises a voice call.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the access point device is incorporated in a set top box, and wherein the request to establish communications is provided over a broadband connection.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the access point device, that the cellular device is within a communication range of the access point device; and

transmitting, by the access point device, a query to the cellular device responsive to the detecting within the communication range, wherein the receiving of the notice is responsive to the query.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the notice to utilize the communication services associated with the cellular device is generated at the cellular device based on user input at the cellular device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising disabling, by the access point device, the communication with the landline phone responsive to detecting that the cellular device is outside of a communication range of the access point device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information of the cellular device comprises an electronic serial number, and wherein the communication services associated with the cellular device comprise voice, video, data services, or any combination thereof.

7. The method if claim 1, wherein the identification information of the cellular device comprises an international mobile equipment identity, and wherein the communication services associated with the cellular device comprise voice, video, data services, or any combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising disabling, by the access point device, the communication with the landline phone responsive to receiving a termination request from the cellular device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the access point device, an in-coming call directed to the cellular device; and

causing, by the access point device, the landline phone to present an incoming call alert responsive to the detecting of the incoming call without the incoming call alert being presented at the cellular device.

10. An access point device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving a notice that a landline phone is authorized to utilize communication services associated with a cellular device;

providing a request to enable the communications services for use by the access point; and

enabling the landline phone to communicate with a remote end user device utilizing identification information of the cellular device, wherein communication between the landline phone and the remote end user device comprises a voice call.

11. The access point device of claim 10, wherein the access point device is incorporated in a set top box.

12. The access point device of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting that the cellular device is within a communication range of the access point device; and

transmitting a query to the cellular device responsive to the detecting within the communication range, wherein the receiving of the notice is responsive to the query.

13. The access point device of claim 10, wherein the notice to utilize the communication services associated with the cellular device is generated at the cellular device based on user input at the cellular device.

14. The access point device of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise disabling the communication with the landline phone responsive to detecting that the cellular device is outside of a communication range of the access point device.

15. The access point device of claim 10, wherein the identification information of the cellular device comprises an electronic serial number, and wherein the communication services associated with the cellular device comprise voice, video, data services, or any combination thereof.

16. The access point device if claim 10, wherein the identification information of the cellular device comprises an international mobile equipment identity, and wherein the communication services associated with the cellular device comprise voice, video, data services, or any combination thereof.

17. The access point device of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise disabling the communication with the landline phone responsive to receiving a termination request from the cellular device.

18. The access point device of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting an in-coming call directed to the cellular device; and

causing the landline phone to present an incoming call alert responsive to the detecting of the incoming call without the incoming call alert being presented at the cellular device.

19. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

receiving a notice that a landline phone is authorized to utilize communication services associated with a cellular device;

providing a request to enable the communications services for use by an access point device; and

enabling the landline phone to communicate with a remote end user device utilizing identification information of the cellular device, wherein communication between the landline phone and the remote end user device comprises a voice call.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting that the cellular device is within a communication range of the access point device; and

transmitting a query to the cellular device responsive to the detecting within the communication range, wherein the receiving of the notice is responsive to the query.