IP Library Granted Patent US 9,674,679
Granted Patent B2
US 9,674,679 · App. 15/048,971 · Granted Jun 6, 2017

Pico-cell extension for cellular network

Inventors: Douglas O'Neil (Yorba Linda, CA); Donna Sharer (Smyrna, GA)
Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
H04W4/18H04L63/10H04W8/02H04W12/06H04W12/08H04W84/045H04W92/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,674,679
App. No.
15/048,971
Granted
Jun 6, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A pico-cell is located within a facility. The pico-cell has a wireless protocol for carrying calls placed to and from mobile devices in the facility. A call distributor is in communication with the pico-cell and handles calls carried by the pico-cell. The call distributor includes an embedded wireless switch for routing calls to and from mobile devices in the facility using the wireless protocol.

Claims (40)

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a system comprising a processor, first call data from a first user equipment via a first picocell device of a wireless picocell extension network by employing an unlicensed mobile access protocol, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the first call data via an unlicensed mobile access protocol internet protocol security tunnel;

determining, by the system, aggregated call data based on combining the first call data with second call data received from a second user equipment via a second picocell device of the wireless picocell extension network; and

facilitating, by the system, a transmission of the aggregated call data to a network device of a cellular network.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

facilitating, by the system, control of an operation of the first picocell device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the facilitating the control comprises facilitating the control based on carrier frequency data indicative of a carrier frequency assigned to the first picocell device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the carrier frequency is a first carrier frequency and method further comprises:

selecting, by the system, the first carrier frequency from a band of carrier frequencies based on information indicative of a second carrier frequency utilized by a cell site that is determined to be located within a defined distance from the first picocell device.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

querying, by the system, a server device of the cellular network to determine a set of available carrier frequencies; and

selecting, by the system, the carrier frequency from the set of carrier frequencies based on information received from the server device as a function of the querying.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to determining that the first user equipment is within a coverage area of the first picocell device, facilitating, by the system, a population of a visitor location data store of the wireless picocell extension network with information associated with the first user equipment.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to determining that the first user equipment is within a coverage area of the first picocell device, facilitating, by the system, a population of a home location data store of the cellular network with information associated with the first user equipment.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the facilitating the population comprises facilitating the population with the information received from a customer data store that comprises customer data associated with devices authorized to access the first picocell device.

9. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

receiving, over an unlicensed mobile access protocol internet protocol security tunnel, first call data from a first communication device that is authorized to access a first picocell device of a wireless picocell extension network, wherein the first call data is received by employing an unlicensed mobile access protocol;

determining combined data based on combining the first call data with second call data received from a second communication device coupled to a second picocell device of the wireless picocell extension network; and

facilitating a transfer of the combined data to a switch device of a cellular network.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:

in response to determining that the first communication device is located within a coverage area of the first picocell device, directing, to a visitor location data store of the wireless picocell extension network, information associated with the first communication device.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:

verifying that the first communication device is authorized to access the first picocell device based on information received from a home location data store.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein a portion of the home location data store is populated based on a customer enterprise database that is administered via an enterprise device associated with the wireless picocell extension network.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the switch device is coupled to the first picocell device via an extension bus.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first picocell device is coupled to the extension bus via an Ethernet port.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first picocell device is coupled to the extension bus via a broadband modem.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the switch device is coupled to the first picocell device via a local area network device.

17. A machine-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

receiving, via an unlicensed mobile access protocol internet protocol security tunnel, first call data from a first communication device that is authorized to access a first picocell device of a wireless picocell extension network, wherein the first call data is received via an unlicensed mobile access protocol;

receiving, via the unlicensed mobile access protocol internet protocol security tunnel, second call data from a second communication device that is authorized to access a second picocell device of the wireless picocell extension network, wherein the second call data is received via the unlicensed mobile access protocol; and

aggregating the first call data with the second call data to generate aggregated data that is to be transferred to network device of a cellular network.

18. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the aggregated data is transferred to the network device via a public switched telephone network device.

19. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the aggregated data is transferred to the network device via a wide area network device.

20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise:

in response to determining that the first user equipment is located within a coverage area of the first picocell device, populating a visitor location data store of a cellular switch device with information associated with the first user equipment.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2016
From: AT&T DELAWARE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
Reel/Frame 040472/0749 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 30, 2016
From: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 040776/0271 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 30, 2016
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T BLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 040776/0273 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 30, 2016
From: AT&T BLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T DELAWARE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 040776/0320 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 19, 2016
From: O'NEIL, DOUGLAS; SHARER, DONNA H.
To: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 037780/0903 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 14520274 · Oct 21, 2014
Continuation 13671191 · Nov 7, 2012
Continuation 11457129 · Jul 12, 2006
Related Publication 20160174053A1 · Jun 16, 2016