Patent ID: 8116735
Filing Date: 2012-02-14
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method of operating a foreign wireless communication device in a local communication network as a virtual local communication device, said method comprising: enabling an initial setting of said foreign wireless communication device for enrolling said foreign wireless communication device in service, wherein said initial setting is based on communications between said foreign wireless communication device and a remote administration system, said foreign wireless communication device comprises a foreign wireless client and an extension unit which are coupled with each other, said extension unit wirelessly communicating directly with said foreign wireless client, said local communication network and said remote administration system, and said remote administration system further comprises at least one authentication server, at least one provisioning server, at least one communication server, at least one subscriber database, at least one routing database, and at least one authentication bank having a plurality of subscriber identity modules (SIMs), phones and authentication data, and wherein said at least one authentication server and said at least one provision server are coupled to a data network; establishing a data communication link to transmit information among said foreign wireless communication device, a service provider in said local communication network, and said remote administration system upon said enabling said initial setting, wherein said service provider comprises a plurality of mobile telephone switching centers and base cellular centers, and said service provider further is coupled to said data network and a phone network; establishing a local authentication information which includes a local number and an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) in response to a local authentication request by said service provider to said foreign wireless client upon said established data communication link, wherein said extension unit wirelessly relays said local authentication information request to said at least one authentication server and obtains a suitable local authentication information from said at least one authentication bank coupled to said at least one said authentication server; establishing a virtual local wireless service provided by said service provider to said foreign wireless client according to said obtained suitable local authentication information, wherein said virtual local wireless service is wirelessly requested by said extension unit through said remote administration system; and providing a communication service to said foreign wireless communication device according to said established virtual wireless service, wherein said foreign wireless client becomes said virtual local wireless communication device acting as a local cellular phone with an assigned local phone number over a voice link via said phone network and/or said data link via said data network through said at least one communication server, and said at least one communication server is coupled to said data network, said phone network and said at least one routing database having lists of preferred routing details for connections between different geographic locations, and said assigned local phone number is based on said obtained suitable local authentication information.