Communication system and method including communication channel mobility

• US 7,218,242 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2004
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LBT IP LLC (Location Based Technologies, Inc.), Netgain Financial, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pocketfinder, Inc.
• Inventors: Hecox, Lawrence E., Scalisi, Joseph F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bangachon, William
• Application Number:
  US10/951,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20050070250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 340/7.21, 340/23, 340/7.3, 340/42, 340/7.57, 340/62, 340/7.53, 370/329, 370/338, 379/114.2, 379/189, 379/211.02, 379/88.01, 379/26, 455/405, 455/406, 455/410, 455/411, 455/413, 455/416, 455/426.1, 455/2, 455/447, 455/461, 455/556.1, 455/561
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• 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 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A system and method for a communication apparatus to provide advanced features such as communication channel mobility, billing options for communication charges (for instance reverse billing), and definable accessibility controls. A subscriber apparatus (for instance a wireless communication apparatus) includes pager (such as a page phone) or radiotelephone functions. A caller calls the subscriber apparatus. The caller gains two-way communication with the subscriber apparatus. The subscriber apparatus may include a radio frequency power level monitor to control movement of a communication channel of the subscriber apparatus from a first communication system (for instance a regular cellular system) to a second communication system (for instance a local loop). The billing options include reversing communication charges (for instance from a subscriber to a calling party), listening to advertisements to reduce communication charges, or splitting communication charges (for instance between a subscriber and a calling party).

Claims

1. A wireless local loop system, comprising:

a local exchange carrier;

a low power omnidirectional radio frequency transceiver communication with said local exchange carrier, thereby facilitating a local exchange carrier'"'"'s establishment of a local loop over an area via said low power omnidirectional radio frequency transceiver;

at least one pagephone having a mobile identification number associated therewith, a dual mode transceiver providing automatic roaming capability from said local loop to a regular cellular system, and a radio frequency power level monitor;

wherein said radio frequency power level monitor determines movement of said at least one pagephone between said local loop and the regular cellular system, and initiate de-registration and registration of said at least one pagephone from one of said local loop or said regular cellular system to one of said local loop or said regular cellular system; and

an apparatus configured to receive and process said mobile identification number such that a wireless connection can be made between a telephone apparatus initiating a call to said at least one pagephone, thereby allowing two-way communication to be established between said telephone apparatus initiating said call with said at least one pagephone.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said radio frequency power level monitor is adapted to provide a deference of registration of said at least one pagephone with said local loop from said regular cellular system when a detected power level of a radio frequency signal having a frequency associated with said local loop is detected above a predefined power level.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said local loop is adapted to provide up to T1 capacity to a wireless local loop subscriber.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one pagephone is adapted operate on a dedicated frequency within a wireless local loop subscriber'"'"'s premises or said area.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said local loop and said regular cellular system are adapted to utilize frequencies that are close in spectrum.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said local loop and said regular cellular system are adapted to utilize operational frequencies within about 100 MHz of each other.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database configured to charge at least a portion of said call to an account associated with the telephone apparatus that initiated the call.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a customer profile that is adapted to reduce at least a portion of communication charges at least partially in response to receipt of one or more advertisements.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database profile configured to reverse communication charges from a subscriber to a calling party.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database profile configured to split communication charges between a subscriber and a calling party.

11. A wireless local loop apparatus, comprising:

a radio frequency transceiver configured to communicate with;

(i) a local exchange carrier, thereby facilitating a local exchange carrier'"'"'s establishment of a local loop over an area via said radio frequency transceiver; and

(ii) at least one wireless communication apparatus having an associated mobile identification number, a multi-mode transceiver providing automatic roaming capability from said local loop to a regular cellular system, and a radio frequency power level monitor;

wherein the radio frequency power level monitor determines movement of said at least one wireless communication apparatus between said local loop and the regular cellular system, and to initiate de-registration and registration of said at least one wireless communication apparatus from one of said local loop or said regular cellular system to one of said local loop or said regular cellular system; and

wherein the wireless local loop apparatus receive and process said associated mobile identification number such that a wireless connection is made between a telephone apparatus initiating a call to said at least one wireless communication apparatus, thereby allowing two-way communication to be established between said telephone apparatus initiating the call with said at least one wireless communication apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said radio frequency power level monitor is configured to provide a deference of registration of said at least one wireless communication apparatus with said local loop from said regular cellular system when a detected power level of a radio frequency signal having a frequency associated with said local loop is detected above a predefined power level.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one wireless communication apparatus is configured to process an associated identification number of at least one of a calling party and a subscriber.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the subscriber is one of at least the regular cellular system and the local loop.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the associated identification number of at least one of the calling party and the subscriber comprises a carrier identification number; and

the local exchange carrier is configured to provide wideband capability to the subscriber.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the associated identification number of the calling party and the subscriber is selected from the group that consists of;

a local phone number, a DID (Directory Inbound Dialing Number), a carrier identification number, and a Mobile Identification Number (MIN); and

the local exchange carrier is adapted to communicate over a wideband area network.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one wireless communication apparatus is adapted to operate on a dedicated frequency within the local loop.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an account associated with a calling party initiating the call to charge at least a portion of charges associated with the call.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the mobile identification number of the at least one wireless communication apparatus comprises a Directory Inbound Dialing (DID) number.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the local loop and the regular cellular system utilize frequencies that are substantially close in a chosen frequency spectrum.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the associated identification number of at least one of the calling party and the subscriber comprises a Mobile Identification Number (MIN).

22. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a calling party is provided an option of receiving one or more advertisements to reduce communication charges.

23. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein an option is provided of receiving an advertisement to reduce communication charges.

24. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one of the regular cellular service, the at least one wireless communication apparatus, and the local loop comprises a billing option of receiving one or more promotional messages to reduce communication charges.

25. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one wireless communication apparatus has an associated system profile that comprises at least one communication charging payment option of reducing or reversing communication charges.

26. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a database configured to reduce at least a portion of communication charges partially responsive to receiving one or more advertisements.

27. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a customer profile adapted to reverse communication charges from a subscriber to a calling party.

28. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a billing profile adapted to split communication charges between a subscriber and a calling party.

29. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a database associated with the at least one wireless communication apparatus credits billing in response to received advertisement to reduce communication charges of at least one of a calling party and a subscriber.

30. A wireless local loop system, comprising:

means for communicating with a local exchange carrier, thereby facilitating a local exchange carrier'"'"'s capability to establish a local loop over an area;

means for at least one wireless communication device communicating with the local loop;

wherein said at least wireless communication apparatus has a mobile identification number associated therewith, a dual mode transceiver providing automatic roaming capability from said local loop to a regular cellular system, and a radio frequency power level monitor;

wherein the radio frequency power level monitor determines movement of said at least one wireless communication apparatus between said local loop and said regular cellular system, and to initiate de-registration and registration of said at least one wireless communication apparatus from one of said local loop or said regular cellular system to one of said local loop or said regular cellular system; and

means for receiving and processing said mobile identification number such that a wireless connection is made between a telephone apparatus initiating a call to said at least one wireless communication apparatus, thereby allowing two-way communication to be established between said telephone apparatus initiating the call and said at least one wireless communication apparatus.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said radio frequency power level monitor is configured to provide a deference of registration of said at least one wireless communication apparatus with said local loop from said regular cellular system when a detected power level of a radio frequency signal having a frequency associated with said local loop is detected above a predefined power level.

32. The system of claim 30, further comprising means for reducing at least a portion of communication charges in response to receiving one or more advertisements.

33. The system of claim 30, further comprising means for directing and re-directing communication charges from at least one of a subscriber to a calling party or from a calling party to a subscriber at least partially responsive to acceptance or declination of discount airtime offers or promotions.

34. A wireless communication apparatus, comprising:

electronic circuitry adapted to communicate with a wireless local loop apparatus having a radio frequency transceiver, the radio frequency transceiver communicates with a local exchange carrier, thereby to facilitate a local exchange carrier'"'"'s capability to establish a local loop over an area via said radio frequency transceiver; and

wherein the electronic circuitry comprises an associated mobile identification number, a multi-mode transceiver providing automatic roaming capability from said local loop to a regular cellular system, and a radio frequency power level monitor;

wherein the radio frequency power level monitor determines movement of the wireless communication apparatus between said local loop and the regular cellular system, and to initiate de-registration and registration of said wireless communication apparatus from one of said local loop or said regular cellular system to one of said local loop or said regular cellular system; and

wherein the wireless local loop apparatus receive and process said associated mobile identification number such that a wireless connection is made between a telephone apparatus initiating a call to said wireless communication apparatus, thereby allowing two-way communication to be established between said telephone apparatus initiating the call with said wireless communication apparatus.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said radio frequency power level monitor is adapted to provide a deference of registration of said at least one wireless communication apparatus with said local loop from said regular cellular system when a detected power level of a radio frequency signal having a frequency associated with said local loop is detected above a predefined power level.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the wireless communication apparatus is configured to process an associated identification number of at least one of a calling party and a subscriber.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the subscriber is one of at least the regular cellular system and the local loop.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein:

the associated identification number of at least one of the calling party and the subscriber comprises a carrier identification number; and

the local exchange carrier provides wideband capability to the subscriber.

39. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein:

the associated identification number of the calling party and the subscriber is selected from the group that consists of a local phone number, a DID (Directory Inbound Dialing Number), a carrier identification number, and a Mobile Identification Number (MIN); and

the local exchange carrier is configured to communicate over a wideband area network.

40. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the at least one wireless communication apparatus is configured to operate on a dedicated frequency within the local loop.

41. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising an account associated with a calling party initiating the call to charge at least a portion of charges associated with the call.

42. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the Mobile Identification Number of the wireless communication apparatus comprises a Directory Inbound Dialing (DID) number.

43. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the local loop and the regular cellular system are adapted to utilize frequencies that are substantially close in a chosen frequency spectrum.

44. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the associated identification number of at least one of the calling party and the subscriber comprises a Mobile Identification Number (MIN).

45. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein a calling party is provided an option of receiving one or more advertisements to reduce communication charges.

46. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein an option is provided of receiving an advertisement to reduce communication charges.

47. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein at least one of the regular cellular service, the wireless communication apparatus, and the local loop comprises a billing profile to receive one or more promotional messages in exchange of reduced communication charges.

48. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the at least one wireless communication apparatus has an associated system profile that comprises at least one communication charging payment option of reduced or reversed communication charges.

49. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising a database adapted to reduce at least a portion of communication charges partially in response to receipt of one or more advertisements.

50. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising a database profile configured to reverse communication charges from a subscriber to a calling party.

51. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising a billing profile adapted to split communication charges between a subscriber and a calling party.

52. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein a database associated with the wireless communication apparatus credits billing in response to received advertisement to reduce communication charges of at least one of a calling party and a subscriber.