Patent ID: 8229393
Filing Date: 2012-07-24
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A private cellular system to provide private cellular service and public cellular service, the private cellular system comprising: a base station subsystem (BSS), the BSS being configured to communicate with a plurality of public mobile units, each having a public telephone number, and a plurality of private mobile units, each having a private telephone number, and each of the public and private mobile units operating within a licensed frequency spectrum associated with a public land mobile network (PLMN), the BSS being communicatively coupled to a public network switching subsystem included in the PLMN which provides switching for the plurality of public mobile units using the public cellular service; a private network switching subsystem which provides switching for the plurality of private mobile units using the private cellular service; and a multiplexer configured to route communications traffic for the plurality of public mobile units from the BSS to the public network switching subsystem, and to route communications traffic for the plurality of private mobile units from the BSS to the private network switching subsystem, wherein the private network switching subsystem includes a registration phone number accessible by a subscriber using a public mobile unit having a first public phone number, for registering the public mobile unit to use the private cellular service provided by the private cellular system, and wherein the private network switching subsystem is configured to electronically capture a subscriber identity number from the public mobile unit when the subscriber calls the registration phone number with the public mobile unit, and to assign a first private telephone number to the subscriber's public mobile unit that is used in connection with providing private cellular service.