SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A SINGLE TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR USE WITH A PLURALITY OF TELEPHONE HANDSETS

• US 20100056186A1
• Filed: 11/09/2009
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, William L., Hicks, John A. III, Patterson, Gregory N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,532,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/462
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]

Abstract

Systems and methods providing integrated voice and data services utilizing wired cordless access with unlicensed/unregulated connectivity sources and wireless access with licensed/regulated connectivity sources. A single telephone directory number is assigned for use with both a mobile wireless telephone and for use with a cordless wired Internet Protocol (IP) telephone. The mobile wireless telephone operates via a conventional licensed spectrum wireless network, and the IP telephone operates over voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) over a broadband packet data network service. Incoming calls simultaneously ring the user'"'"'s mobile wireless telephone and IP telephone. The user may be provided a personal voice mailbox that may be accessed from their mobile wireless telephone or from their IP telephone. The user may be provided a single services bill associated with use of both telephones.

Claims

1. A system for providing a single telephone number for use with a plurality of handsets, the system comprising:

a broadband residential gateway communicatively coupled to a wireless network, the wireless network including one or more wireless access points communicatively coupled to a wired data network, the one or more wireless access points being configured to provide wireless access to the wired data network over an unregulated wireless connection for providing at least one of voice services or data services, wherein the broadband residential gateway is further communicatively coupled to one or more digital cordless handsets configured to communicate with the one or more wireless access points via the unregulated wireless connection, and wherein at least one of the one or more digital cordless handsets and at least one of the plurality of handsets are assigned the single telephone number, the broadband residential gateway comprising;

a first network device configured to communicate with the wired data network;

a second network device configured to provide a communications link to one or more wired network devices over a local wired network;

a broadband gateway wireless access point configured to provide wireless access to the wired data network over the unregulated wireless connection;

a broadband modem; and

a router.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first network device or the second network device is assigned the single telephone number.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the local wired network comprises a home phone networking alliance network.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the local wired network comprises an Ethernet connection.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of handsets comprises a wired handset communicatively coupled to a public switched telephone network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the unregulated wireless connection is provided on an unregulated wireless communications frequency.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the unregulated wireless communications frequency is a frequency that is not assigned to a service provider.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the broadband residential gateway is further communicatively coupled to a personal computer having an interface configured to receive one or more inputs for controlling the voice services or the data services.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controlling the voice services comprises controlling an amount of time during which the voice services can be accessed from the one or more digital cordless handsets.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the broadband residential gateway is further communicatively coupled to a directory information database, and at least one of the plurality of handsets is configured to access directory information stored in the directory information database.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the broadband residential gateway is further communicatively coupled to a network operative to provide telecommunications services on a regulated wireless communications frequency.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the regulated wireless communications frequency is assigned to a service provider.

13. A communication device comprising:

a processor configured to associate the communication device with one or more of a plurality of selectable telephone numbers, wherein the one or more of the plurality of selectable telephone numbers are associated with one or more of a plurality of call processing services,

wherein the communication device is communicatively coupled to a network and to a communication terminal, wherein the network is communicatively coupled to a media gateway, and wherein the media gateway is communicatively coupled to a data switch, the data switch being configured to receive routing information corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of selectable telephone numbers and, based on the selected one of the plurality of selectable telephone numbers, process an outgoing communication to receive an associated one of the plurality of call processing services.

14. The communication device of claim 13, wherein at least one of the one or more of the plurality of call processing services is a time-of-day-limited voice call or a day-of-the-week-limited voice call.

15. The communication device of claim 13, wherein the one or more of the plurality of call processing services are dynamically associated with the one or more of the plurality of selectable telephone numbers.

16. The communication device of claim 13, wherein the communication terminal is communicatively coupled to the network through a broadband residential gateway.

17. The communication device of claim 13, wherein the communication device is operably coupled to a personal computer configured to control the communication device.

18. A method comprising:

assigning a single telephone number to a digital cordless handset and a handset;

generating a first ring tone at the handset in response to receiving a call directed toward the handset, wherein the generating the first ring tone is performed by a telecommunications network; and

generating a second ring tone at the digital cordless handset in response to receiving the call directed toward the handset, wherein the generating the second ring tone is performed by a wireless access point communicatively coupled to a wired data network through a broadband residential gateway comprising a broadband modem and a router, and wherein the telecommunications network is communicatively coupled to the wired data network.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the generating the first ring tone and the generating the second ring tone are performed substantially simultaneously.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the generating the first ring tone and the generating the second ring tone are performed according to a call processing rule associated with the digital cordless handset or with the handset.