Call transfer for an integrated wireline and wireless service using a temporary directory number

Abstract

The present invention relates to a communication environment where calls are established with a single mobile terminal through either a wireless network or the public switched telephone network (PSTN) via a terminal adaptor, which is capable of wirelessly communicating with the mobile terminal. As such, the mobile terminal may facilitate traditional cellular calls via the wireless network, or traditional PSTN calls via the terminal adaptor. A temporary directory number for the mobile terminal is provided by the wireless network and used for facilitating calls via the wireless network. The terminal adaptor, supporting telephony switch, and wireless network will cooperate to transfer calls to the wireless network as necessary or desired.

Description

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 472,277, filed May 21, 2003, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0002] This application is related to concurrently filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ entitled CALL TRANSFER FOR AN INTEGRATED WIRELINE AND WIRELESS SERVICE USING A TEMPORARY DIRECTORY NUMBER, currently pending, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] The present invention relates to mobile communications, and in particular to allowing a single mobile terminal to transition from communicating over the public switched telephone network to communicating over a wireless network. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] Today's telephony users generally have at least one wireline-based telephone receiving services through the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and a mobile te...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005] The present invention relates to a communication environment where calls are established with a single mobile terminal through either a wireless network or the public switched telephone network (PSTN) via a terminal adaptor, which is capable of wirelessly communicating with the mobile terminal. As such, the mobile terminal may facilitate traditional cellular calls via the wireless network, or traditional PSTN calls via the terminal adaptor. The terminal adaptor and mobile terminal communicate via a local wireless interface, and as such, communications via the PSTN through the terminal adaptor are only possible within a limited communication zone supported by the terminal adaptor. When the mobile terminal is involved in a call and within the communication zone of the terminal adaptor, calls are facilitated via the wireless interface with the terminal adaptor. As the mobile terminal approaches the outer limits of the communication zone, the terminal adaptor will detect a decrease in its ability to facilitate effective communications with the mobile terminal and trigger the supporting telephony switch to effectively transfer the call to the mobile terminal through the wireless network, as well as register with the wireless network, if registration has not already taken place. Preferably, the mobile terminal is associated with a primary directory number that is associated with the PSTN. A temporary directory number for the mobile terminal is provided by the wireless network and is used for facilitating incoming calls, outgoing calls, and service transitions between the PSTN and wireless network.

Problems solved by technology

These wireline and mobile telephones are incompatible, and are thus incapable of facilitating communications over both the cellular and public switched networks.

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