Apparatus and method for mobile (e.g. cellular or wireless) telephone call handover and impersonation

• US 5,745,850 A
• Filed: 10/24/1994
• Issued: 04/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Aldermeshian, Hrair, Menist, David B., Janow, Richard H., Day, James Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): TROST IV, WILLIAM GEORGE
• Application Number:
  US08/327,765
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 379/57, 379/58, 379/59, 379/60, 379/61, 379/63, 379/201, 379/210, 455/33.1, 455/33.2, 455/54.1, 455/56.1, 455/417, 455/420, 455/403, 455/445, 455/458, 455/550, 455/567, 455/426
• US Class Current: 455/417
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00 Hand-off or reselection arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/02 Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

One communications device (called the "impersonating" device) can selectively impersonate another communications device (called the "impersonated" device) by arranging the impersonating device to take over and/or use the same network identification number (typically stored in an identification number memory and used to control selection of incoming calls to which the device responds) normally associated with the impersonated device. As a result of impersonation, there is a hand-off between the devices, with the impersonated device becoming dormant and the impersonating device becoming active, such that calls normally received by the impersonated device are received by the impersonating device, and such that calls originating in the impersonating device get the identical network treatment as would be accorded to calls originated by the impersonated device, all of this without any need to adjust or update profiles stored in a network database. Impersonation can be triggered automatically, as by the physical proximity of one terminal device to the other, or manually, such as by pushing a button on one of the devices.

Claims

1. A system for completing wireless telephone calls, comprising:

first and second transceivers arranged to originate and receive wireless telephone calls using a first communications channel;

means for determining that said first transceiver is in close proximity to said second transceiver using a second communications channel different from the first communications channel; and

means responsive to said determining means for altering the operation of each of said first and second transceivers so that calls directed to and normally answered by said first transceiver are completed to said second transceiver and for deactivating said first transceiver.

3. The system defined in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein

each of said transceivers has an active state and a dormant state;

and

said altering means is arranged to switch said first transceiver from said active state to said dormant state and to switch said second transceiver from said dormant state to said active state.

4. The system defined in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each of said transceivers includes an identification number memory for processing calls originated or received by said transceivers when in said active state in accordance with a stored identification number;

and

wherein an identification number stored in said identification number memory in each of said transceivers is the same.

5. The system defined in claims 1 or 2 wherein each of said transceivers includes means for storing a plurality of network identification numbers and control means for selectively using particular ones of said identification numbers in said identification number memory.

6. The system defined in claim 5 wherein said control means is arranged so that only one of said transceivers is allowed to use any of said identification numbers at any time.

7. The system defined in claims 1 or 2, wherein said first transceiver is portable and said second transceiver is stationary.

8. The system defined in claim 7, wherein said second transceiver is connected to terminal equipment arranged to receive calls placed over a wired telephone network.

9. The system defined in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein

said first and second transceivers are cellular telephones;

each of said cellular telephones include a memory for storing an identification number to which said cellular telephone responds, and

the identification numbers in each of said memories is the same.

10. The system defined in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said system further includes means for coupling the output of said second transceiver to at least one stationary terminal device.

11. The invention defined in claim 10 wherein said coupling means is arranged to provide private branch exchange (PBX) functionality.

2. A system for originating wireless telephone calls, comprising:

first and second transceivers arranged to originate and receive wireless telephone calls using a first communications channel;

means for determining that said first transceiver is in close proximity to said second transceiver using a second communications channel different from the first communications channel; and

means responsive to said determining means for altering the operation of each of said first and second transceivers so that calls normally originated by said first transceiver are originated by said second transceiver as though they were made by said first transceiver and for deactivating said first transceiver.

12. A system for originating wireless telephone calls, comprising:

a telecommunications network;

first and second transceivers arranged to originate and receive wireless telephone calls using a first communications channel;

means for determining that said first transceiver is in close proximity to said second transceiver using a second communications channel different from the first communications channel;

means for controlling said first transceiver to hand over its functionality to said second transceiver and to become dormant when said transceivers are in close proximity to each other; and

means responsive to said controlling means for altering the operation of each of said first and second transceivers, so that calls originated in said second transceiver are processed in said communications network in a manner that is identical to the manner in which calls originating in said first transceiver are processed and for deactivating said first transceiver.

13. A system for selectively originating telephone calls from a second transceiver using outgoing call characteristics of a first transceiver, comprising:

means associated with respective first and second identification number memories in each of said first and second transceivers for controlling the origination of outgoing calls using a first communications channel and for selecting network-resident profiles with which said outgoing calls are associated;

means for determining that said first transceiver is in close proximity to said second transceiver using a second communications channel different from the first communications channel;

means for causing said second transceiver to impersonate said first transceiver by storing the same identification numbers in said first and second identification number memories; and

means for rendering said first transceiver dormant and said second transceiver active when it is determined that said first transceiver is within a predetermined distance from said second transceiver.

14. A system for completing wireless telephone calls using a first communications channel, comprising:

first and second wireless communication devices, said first and second devices adapted, when activated within the operating region of a cell site, to receive selected calls based upon an identification number associated with each call;

means for selecting calls received in said first and second devices each in response to the same identification number;

means for determining that said first wireless communication device is in a particular portion of a particular cell site using a second communications channel different from the first communications channel that is in a predetermined location with respect to said second wireless communication device; and

means responsive to said determining means for causing said first device to become deactivated and said second device to become activated, so that telephone calls made using said identification number are selected and directed to said second device for a limited period of time.

15. A system for originating wireless telephone calls using a first communications channel, comprising:

first and second wireless communication devices, said first and second devices adapted, when activated within the operating region of a cell site, to originate outgoing calls based upon an identification number associated with each device;

means for determining that said first wireless communication device is in a predetermined location with respect to said second wireless communication device using a second communications channel different from the first communications channel; and

means responsive to said determining means for causing said first device to become deactivated and said second device to become activated, so that telephone calls are originated for a limited period of time in said second wireless device, using said identification number normally used to originate calls in said first wireless device.

16. A system for allowing one wireless communication device to impersonate another wireless communication device using a first communications channel, comprising:

means in each communication device for storing an identification number used to identify incoming communications messages to which said device responds;

means for determining if said communication devices are in proximity to each other using a second communications channel different from the first communications channel; and

means responsive to said determining means for causing said one device to assume the identification number of said another communication device so that the one wireless communication device can impersonate the another wireless communication device and the another wireless communication device becomes dormant.

17. The invention defined in claim 16, wherein said one communication device is portable and said another communication device is stationary.

18. The invention defined in claim 16, wherein said system further includes

a switch,

a plurality of terminals connected to said switch, and

means for routing calls from said one device through said switch to one of said terminals.

19. The invention defined in claim 18, wherein said switch is connected to the wired telecommunication network.

20. The invention defined in claim 19, wherein said wireless communication devices are arranged to originate and receive calls using a wireless communication network, and said system further includes

means for routing calls made from said terminals either through said wired telecommunications network or through said wireless communication network.

21. A system for completing calls using a first communications channel, comprising:

a first mobile cellular telephone and a second stationary cellular telephone, each having the same cellular telephone number and using a first communications channel,

means for controlling said cellular telephones so that only one of said cellular telephones is active at any one time,

a proximity unit in each of said first mobile cellular telephone and second stationary cellular telephone, said proximity units arranged to generate a control signal using a second communications channel different from the first communications channel when one of said proximity units is within a predetermined distance from the other, and

means responsive to said control signal for activating said mobile cellular telephone and deactivating said stationary cellular telephone.

22. A communications system wherein one communications device selectively impersonates another communications device using a first communications channel, comprising:

means in each device for storing a network identification number that controls selection of incoming calls to which the device responds;

means for controlling one device to use the same network identification number normally associated with the other device;

means for determining that the one communications device and the other communications device are in close proximity to each other using a second communications channel different from the first communications channel;

means responsive to the determining means for activating said controlling means; and

means for automatically deactivating the another communications device when the one communications device impersonates the another communications device.

23. A method of completing wireless telephone calls using a first communications channel, comprising the steps of:

determining by using a second communications channel different from the first communications channel that a first transceiver arranged to originate and receive wireless telephone calls is in close proximity to said second transceiver arranged to originate and receive wireless telephone calls;

responsive to said determining step, altering the operation of each of said first and second transceivers so that calls directed to and normally answered by said first transceiver are completed to said second transceiver; and

deactivating said first transceiver when said first transceiver and said second transceiver are in close proximity to each other.

25. The method defined in claim 23 or claim 24 wherein

each of said transceivers has an active state and a dormant state;

and

said altering step includes switching said first transceiver from said active state to said dormant state and switching said second transceiver from said dormant state to said active state.

26. The method defined in claim 23 or claim 24 wherein each of said transceivers includes an identification number memory for processing calls originated or received by said transceivers when in said active state in accordance with a stored identification number;

and

wherein said method further includes the steps of

storing a plurality of network identification numbers in each of said transceivers, and;

selectively using particular ones of said identification numbers in said identification number memory.

27. The method defined in claim 23 or claim 24 wherein said method further includes the step of coupling the output of said second transceiver to at least one stationary terminal device.

24. A method of originating wireless telephone calls using a first communications channel, comprising the steps of:

determining by using a second communications channel different from the first communications channel that a first transceiver arranged to originate and receive wireless telephone calls is in close proximity to said second transceiver arranged to originate and receive wireless telephone calls;

responsive to said determining step, altering the operation of each of said first and second transceivers so that calls normally originated by said first transceiver are originated by said second transceiver as though they were made by said first transceiver; and

deactivating said first transceiver when said first transceiver and said second transceiver are in close proximity to each other.

28. A method for originating wireless telephone calls using a first communications channel, comprising the steps of:

arranging first and second transceivers to originate and receive wireless telephone calls using a telecommunications network;

controlling said first transceiver to hand over its functionality to said second transceiver when said transceivers are in close proximity to each other;

determining by using a second communications channel different from the first communications channel that said first and second transceivers are in close proximity to each other;

altering the operation of each of said first and second transceivers when it is determined that said first transceiver and said second transceiver are in close proximity to each other, so that calls originated in said second transceiver are processed in said communications network in a manner that is identical to the manner in which calls originating in said first transceiver are processed; and

deactivating said first transceiver when it is determined that said first transceiver and said second transceiver are in close proximity to each other.

29. A method of completing wireless telephone calls using a first communications channel, comprising the steps of:

arranging first and second wireless communication devices, when activated within an operating region of a cell site, to receive selected calls based upon an identification number associated with each call;

selecting calls received in said first and said second devices each in response to the same identification number;

determining by using a second communications channel different from the first communications channel that said first wireless communication device is in a particular portion of a particular cell site that is in a predetermined location with respect to said second wireless communication device; and

responsive to said determining step, causing said first device to become deactivated and said second device to become activated, so that telephone calls made using said identification number are selected and directed to said second device for a limited period of time.

30. A method of originating wireless telephone calls using a first communications channel, comprising the steps of:

arranging first and second wireless communication devices, when activated within an operating region of a cell site, to originate outgoing calls based upon an identification number associated with each device;

determining by using a second communications channel different from the first communications channel that said first wireless communication device is in a predetermined location with respect to said second wireless communication device; and

responsive to said determining step, causing said first device to become deactivated and said second device to become activated, so that telephone calls are originated for a limited period of time in said second wireless device, using said identification number normally used to originate calls in said first wireless device.

31. A method for allowing one wireless communication device to impersonate another wireless communication device using a first communications channel, comprising the steps of:

storing in each communication device an identification number used to identify incoming communications messages to which said device responds;

determining by using a second communications channel different from the first communications channel if said communication devices are in close proximity to each other; and

responsive to said determining step, causing said one communication device to assume the identification number of said other communication device and causing said other communication device to become dormant upon determining that said communication devices are in proximity to each other thereby allowing said one wireless communication device to impersonate said other wireless communication device.

32. The method defined in claim 31, wherein said one communication device is portable and said other communication device is stationary.

33. The method defined in claim 31, wherein said method further includes the step of routing calls from said one device through a switch to one of a plurality of terminals connected to said switch.

34. The method defined in claim 31, wherein said wireless communication devices are arranged to originate and receive calls using a wireless communication network, and said method further includes the step of routing calls made from said terminals either through said wired telecommunications network or through said wireless communication network.

35. A method of competing calls using a first communications channel, comprising the steps of

arranging a first mobile cellular telephone and a second stationary cellular telephone so that each has the same cellular telephone number,

controlling said cellular telephones so that only one of said cellular telephones is active at any one time,

arranging a proximity unit in each of said first and second transceivers, said proximity units to generate a control signal using a second communications channel different from the first communications channel when one of said proximity units is within a predetermined distance from the other, and

responsive to said control signal, activating said mobile cellular telephone and deactivating said stationary cellular telephone.

36. A communications method wherein one communications device selectively impersonates another communications device using a first communications channel, comprising the steps of:

storing in each device a network identification number that controls selection of incoming calls to which the device responds;

controlling one device to use the same network identification number normally associated with the other device; and

activating said controlling step as a function of the proximity of one device to the other using a second communications channel different from the first communications channel to cause the another communications device to deactivate and cause the one communications device to impersonate the deactivated communications device.