Method and apparatus for over-the-air activation of neighborhood cordless-type services

• US 9,942,417 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2017
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chow, Albert, Wang, Spencer, Ying, Wenchu
• Primary Examiner(s): SAMS, MATTHEW C
• Application Number:
  US15/437,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20170163820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/65 Telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/715 Activating new subscriber or card
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0152 General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 : adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

A method for providing local cordless service comprises the steps of receiving subscriber neighborhood zone selection input so that a mobile telephone equipped subscriber may place or receive calls for a fixed rate, for example, per month without having to pay radio frequency air time charges any time they are located within their selected subscribed-to zones. If the subscribed-to zones are adjacent to one another and the mobile subscriber roans from one zone to another, the subscriber may continue their fee call uninterrupted and without paying air time charges. However, when the subscriber roans outside their subscribed-to zones they may be switched from the present local cordless services to conventional personal communications services and pay air time charges. However for an active call, No air-time charges are incurred as the user transitions between the cellular/DPCS environment and the local cordless service environment.

Claims

1. A method for providing a local cordless-type service to a subscriber who initiates a telecommunications call in a home neighborhood zone for which the subscriber has selected the local cordless-type service, the method comprising:

assigning, by an intelligent base station from a plurality of intelligent base stations, a bearer channel from a pool of available radio frequencies to the telecommunications call initiated by the subscriber using a mobile station, wherein a directory number assigned to the intelligent base station from the plurality of intelligent base stations is associated with the mobile station; and

processing, by a local digital switch and a network server platform, the telecommunications call, the local digital switch in communication with the network server platform and one of;

a public switched telecommunications network and a public cellular network, wherein the local digital switch is for providing a bearer channel line interface to the intelligent base station in accordance with subscriber profile information from the network server platform, wherein the local digital switch is further for providing a trunk-side interface to one of;

the public switched telecommunications network and the public cellular network, wherein the network server platform comprises a pair of redundant work stations and an intelligent database containing the subscriber profile information within the home neighborhood zone, wherein the subscriber profile information comprises subscriber profiles, subscribed calling features and calling preferences, wherein the network server platform is linked with other network server platforms for communication via an internet protocol based local cordless-type service intranet via a router.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a basic rate interface bearer channel between each of the plurality of intelligent base stations and a first remote digital terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing, by the intelligent base station, via an integrated services digital network-basic rate interface bearer channel, simultaneously pending telecommunications calls.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

communicating between the first remote digital terminal and a second remote digital terminal using an OR-303 GR-303 standard.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

interfacing the local digital switch with a mobile switching center over a trunk line.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

handing off the telecommunications call to another intelligent base station of the plurality of intelligent base stations, upon detecting when the subscriber using the mobile station is removed from the home neighborhood zone where the telecommunications call was initiated.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein upon detecting the mobile station moving to another neighborhood zone, acting, by the intelligent base station, as a proxy to associate one of a plurality of wired network directory numbers with the mobile station.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the home neighborhood zone and the another neighborhood zone are adjacent.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the home neighborhood zone and the another neighborhood zone are non-adjacent.

10. A system comprising:

an intelligent base station for assigning a bearer channel from a pool of available radio frequencies to a telecommunications call initiated by a subscriber using a mobile station, wherein a directory number assigned to the intelligent base station from a plurality of intelligent base stations is associated with the mobile station; and

a local digital switch and a network server platform for processing the telecommunications call, the local digital switch in communication with the network server platform and one of;

a public switched telecommunications network and a public cellular network, wherein the local digital switch is for providing a bearer channel line interface to the intelligent base station in accordance with subscriber profile information from the network server platform, wherein the local digital switch is further for providing a trunk-side interface to one of;

the public switched telecommunications network and the public cellular network, wherein the network server platform comprises a pair of redundant work stations and an intelligent database containing the subscriber profile information within a home neighborhood zone, wherein the subscriber profile information comprises subscriber profiles, subscribed calling features and calling preferences, wherein the network server platform is linked with other network server platforms for communication via an Internet protocol based local cordless-type service intranet via a router.

11. The system of claim 10,

wherein a basic rate interface bearer channel is provided between each of the plurality of intelligent base stations and a first remote digital terminal.

12. The system of claim 10,

wherein the intelligent base station is configured to process, via an integrated services digital network-basic rate interface bearer channel, simultaneously pending telecommunications calls.

13. The system of claim 11,

wherein the system is configured to communicate between the first remote digital terminal and a second remote digital terminal using an OR-303 GR-303 standard.

14. The system of claim 10,

wherein the local digital switch is configured to interface with a mobile switching center over a trunk line.

15. The system of claim 10,

wherein the intelligent base station is configured to hand off the telecommunications call to another intelligent base station of the plurality of intelligent base stations, upon detecting the subscriber using the mobile station is removed from the home neighborhood zone where the telecommunications call was initiated.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the intelligent base station is configured to, upon detecting the mobile station moving to another neighborhood zone, act as a proxy to associate one of a plurality of wired network directory numbers with the mobile station.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the home neighborhood zone and the another neighborhood zone are adjacent.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the home neighborhood zone and the another neighborhood zone are non-adjacent.