IP Library Granted Patent US 10,149,126
Granted Patent B2
US 10,149,126 · App. 15/599,457 · Granted Dec 4, 2018

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 10,149,126
App. No.
15/599,457
Granted
Dec 4, 2018
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 (36)

1. A method, comprising:

determining, by a system comprising a processor, aggregated call data based on combining first call data with second call data, wherein the first call data is determined to have been received from a first picocell device of a wireless picocell extension network via an Internet protocol security tunnel associated with a mobile access protocol that allows a user equipment, coupled to the first picocell device, to transition a communication session between a wireless wide area network device and a wireless local area network device, and wherein the second call data is determined to have been received from a second picocell device of the wireless picocell extension network; and

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

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

facilitating, by the system, a transfer of a first connection between the user equipment and the first picocell device to a second connection between the user equipment and an access point device of the cellular network.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

based on carrier frequency data indicative of a carrier frequency assigned to the first picocell device, facilitating, by the system, control of an operation of the first picocell device.

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

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, determining, by the system, the first carrier frequency.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

based on availability information accessed from a server device of the cellular network, determining, by the system, the carrier frequency.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to determining that the user equipment has entered a coverage area of the first picocell device and based on information associated with the user equipment, updating, by the system, a visitor location data store of the wireless picocell extension network.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to determining that the user equipment has entered a coverage area of the first picocell device and based on information associated with the user equipment, updating, by the system, a home location data store of the cellular network.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the updating comprises updating the home location data store with authorization data associated with an authorization 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:

determining combined data based on combining first call data with second call data, wherein the first call data has been received from a first picocell device of a wireless picocell extension network by employing an internet protocol security tunnel associated with a mobile access protocol that allows a communication device, coupled to the first picocell device, to transition communication session between a first network device of a wireless wide area network and a second network device of a wireless local area network, and wherein the second call data has been received from 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 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 communication device.

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

verifying that the 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 data from 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:

aggregating first call data with second call data to generate aggregated call data, wherein the first call data has been received from a first picocell device of a wireless picocell extension network by employing an internet protocol security tunnel associated with a mobile access protocol that allows a communication device, coupled to the first picocell device, to transfer communication session via a first network device of a wireless wide area network and a second network device of a wireless local area network, and wherein the second call data has been received from a second picocell device of the wireless picocell extension network; and

directing the aggregated call data to a switch device of a cellular network.

18. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the switch device is coupled to the first picocell device via an extension bus.

19. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the first picocell device is coupled to the extension bus via an Ethernet port.

20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the first picocell device is coupled to the extension bus via a broadband modem.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2018
From: AT&T DELAWARE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
Reel/Frame 045966/0685 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 1, 2018
From: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 046288/0539 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 1, 2018
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T BLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 046288/0541 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 1, 2018
From: AT&T BLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T DELAWARE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 046288/0567 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 18, 2017
From: O'NEIL, DOUGLAS; SHARER, DONNA H.
To: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 042432/0375 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 15048971 · Feb 19, 2016
Continuation 14520274 · Oct 21, 2014
Continuation 13671191 · Nov 7, 2012
Continuation 11457129 · Jul 12, 2006
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