Wireline terminal accessing mobile telephone services
View Patent ↗A telecommunication system establishes location information concurrently with the set-up of a landline as a network address for delivering wireless-based subscription services. A location register in the wireless system defines a current network location where a respective subscriber is connected and a current geographic location where said respective subscriber is located. An access device is provided for coupling with a landline within the public switched telephone network, wherein the landline has a landline ID, and wherein a user terminal connected to the landline is associated with a fixed geographic location. A control channel transmits an electronic identification number of a subscriber and a location coordinate corresponding to the fixed geographic location from the access device to the location register during registration of the landline as the current network address of the user terminal. The subscriber receives location-based wireless services via the landline.
1. A telecommunication system comprising:
a mobile switch for coupling with a public switched telephone network and a plurality of wireless base stations in a wireless network, said mobile switch directing wireless services to subscribers thereof;
a location register defining a current network location where a respective subscriber is connected and a current geographic location where said respective subscriber is located, said respective subscriber being associated with a wireless device having an electronic identification number used in said wireless network;
an access device for coupling a user terminal to a landline within said public switched telephone network, wherein said landline has a landline ID, and wherein said respective subscriber becomes associated with a fixed geographic location when using said user terminal coupled to said access device; and
a control channel transmitting said electronic identification number and a location coordinate corresponding to said fixed geographic location from said access device to said location register when said respective subscriber moves an active connection from said wireless network to said public switched telephone network;
wherein said location register stores said location coordinate as said current geographic location associated with said electronic identification number, whereby said subscriber receives location-based wireless services via said landline.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein said access device comprises a wireless access point in a picocell arrangement.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein said wireless access point includes a memory configurable to store said location coordinate.
4. The system of claim 2 wherein said wireless access point includes a detector for automatically determining said location coordinate.
5. The system of claim 2 wherein said wireless device comprises a cellular telephone including a detector for automatically determining said location coordinate, and wherein said location coordinate is wirelessly transmitted to said wireless access point.
6. The system of claim 5 wherein said detector comprises a GPS receiver.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein said mobile switch is operated by a service provider with which said subscriber is directly subscribed and wherein said location register comprises a home location register.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein said mobile switch is operated by a service provider with which said subscriber is not directly subscribed and wherein said location register comprises a visitor location register.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein said wireless device comprises a cellular telephone and wherein said electronic identification number is selected from the group comprising an electronic serial number (ESN) and a mobile identification number (MIN).
10. The system of claim 1 wherein said access device is located as part of a central office in said public switched telephone network, and wherein said access device is responsive to a predetermined action on said landline to initiate said transmission on said control channel.
11. The system of claim 10 wherein said access device is part of an advanced intelligent network (AIN) and wherein said predetermined action corresponds to a trigger detection point.
12. The system of claim 10 wherein said access device comprises a telephone instrument located at a customer premises, and wherein said telephone instrument is responsive to a predetermined manual action to initiate said transmission.
13. The system of claim 1 wherein said control channel comprises a signaling network coupled to said mobile switch.
14. The system of claim 1 wherein said control channel comprises a data link to a base station controller coupled to said mobile switch.
15. The system of claim 1 wherein said wireless device functions as said user terminal when said active connection is to said public switched telephone network.