Abstract:
An appliance for use at home or a business is disclosed that is inserted between the Public Switched Telephone Network and wireline terminal(s) in the home or business. The appliance also connects to the Internet and has a wireless transceiver for communicating with wireless terminals via radio. The appliance enables a user of a wireless terminal in the vicinity of the appliance to answer and conduct telephone calls on the wireline terminal(s) in the home or business. Furthermore, the appliance enables a user of the wireline terminal(s) in the home or business to initiate and conduct telephone calls through the wireless terminal. Furthermore, the appliance enables a user of the wireline terminal(s) in the home or business to answer, initiate, and conduct telephone calls through the Public Switched Telephone Network and the Internet.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to telecommunications in general, and, more particularly, to the cooperation of wireless terminals, wireline terminals and Internet-Protocol terminals. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Wireless terminals (e.g., cell phones, Personal digital assistants, pagers, etc.), wireline terminals (e.g., wired and cordless home telephones, office telephones, etc.), and Internet-Protocol terminals are all common and provide similar services, but the need exists for more cooperation between them. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention enables the cooperation of wireless terminals, wireline terminals, and Internet Protocol terminals without some of the costs and disadvantages of similar techniques in the prior art. For example, the illustrative embodiment of the present invention is an appliance for use at home or a business that is inserted between the Public Switched Telephone Network and wireline terminal(s) in the home or business. The appliance also connects to the Internet and has a wireless transceiver for communicating with wireless terminals via radio. 
         [0004]    The appliance enables a user of a wireless terminal in the vicinity of the appliance to answer and conduct telephone calls on the wireline terminal(s) in the home or business. Furthermore, the appliance enables a user of the wireline terminal(s) in the home or business to initiate and conduct telephone calls through the wireless terminal. Furthermore, the appliance enables a user of the wireline terminal(s) in the home or business to answer, initiate, and conduct telephone calls through the Public Switched Telephone Network and the Internet. In this way, the appliance substantially improves the cooperation of wireless terminals, wireline terminals and Internet Protocol terminals. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  depicts a schematic diagram of the salient components of telecommunications system  100  in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the operation of the illustrative embodiment. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the performance of task  201  when the telephone call is initiated by a user of wireline terminal  201 - 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the performance of task  201  when the telephone call is initiated by a user of wireline terminal  201 - 2 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the performance of task  202  when the telephone call is initiated by a user of wireline terminal  201 - 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the performance of task  202  when the telephone call is initiated by a user of wireline terminal  201 - 3 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the performance of task  201  when the telephone call is initiated by a user wireline terminal  201 - 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the performance of task  201  when the telephone call is initiated by a user wireline terminal  201 - 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]      FIG. 1  depicts a schematic diagram of the salient components of telecommunications system  100  in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. Telecommunications system  100  comprises: appliance  101 , wireline terminals  102 - 1  through  102 - 4 , wireless terminal  103 , the Internet  104 , Public Switched Telephone Network  105 , Cellular Telephone Network  106 , and wireless base station  107 , interrelated as shown. 
         [0014]    Appliance  101  comprises hardware and software that connects telephone calls between wireline terminal  102 - 1  and wireless terminal  103 , the Internet  104 , and the Public Switched Telephone Network  105  in the manner described below. The purpose of appliance  102 - 1  is to enable:
       a user of wireless terminal  103  to answer and conduct a call on wireline terminal  102 - 1  (when wireless terminal  103  is in the vicinity of appliance  101 ), and   a user of wireline terminal  102 - 1  to initiate and conduct a call through wireless terminal  103  (when wireless terminal  103  is in the vicinity of appliance  101 ), and   a user of wireline terminal  102 - 1  to answer, initiate, and conduct a call through the Internet  104 , and   a user of wireline terminal  102 - 1  to answer, initiate, and conduct a call through the Public Switched Telephone Network  105 .
 
To this end, appliance  101  is able to selectively switch call set-up requests from wireline terminal  102 - 1  to the Internet  104 , the Public Switched Telephone Network  105 , and wireless terminal  103 . Furthermore, appliance  101  is able to feed call set-up requests to wireline terminal  102 - 1  from the Internet  104 , the Public Switched Telephone Network  105 , and wireless terminal  103 . It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use appliance  101 .
       
 
         [0019]    Wireline terminals  102 - 1  through  102 - 4  provides a telecommunications user interface in well-known fashion. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, wireline terminal  102 - 1  communicates with appliance  101  via wireline protocol Alpha. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, wireline protocol Alpha is analog and uses signaling such as Tip and Ring, etc., but it will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which wireline protocol Alpha is digital, such as, for example, TCP/IP-based, ISDN, etc. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, wireline terminal  102 - 2  communicates with the Internet  104  via wireline protocol Beta. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, wireline protocol Beta is a TCP/IP-based protocol. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, wireline terminals  102 - 3  and  102 - 4  communicate with the Public Switched Telephone Network  105  via wireline protocol Gamma. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, wireline protocol Gamma is an analog protocol, such as Tip and Ring, etc., but it will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which wireline protocol Gamma a digital protocol such as, for example, ISDN, etc. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use wireline terminals  102 - 1  through  102 - 4 . 
         [0020]    Appliance  101  and wireline terminal  102 - 1  together compose customer premises equipment which is found in a residence or business. 
         [0021]    Wireless terminal  103  provides a telecommunications user interface in well-known fashion and communicates with appliance  101  via wireless protocol Delta (e.g., Bluetooth, WiFi, Zigbee, etc.) and communicates with wireless base station  107  via wireless protocol Epsilon (e.g., WiMax, AMP, GSM, IS-95, IS-136, etc.). It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use wireless terminal  103 . 
         [0022]    The Internet  104  is the ubiquitous digital network, and it will be clear to those skilled in the art how to extend, use, and interface with the Internet  104 . 
         [0023]    The Public Switched Telephone Network  105  is the ubiquitous telephony network, and it will be clear to those skilled in the art how to extend, use, and interface with the Public Switched Telephone Network  105 . 
         [0024]    The Cellular Telephone Network  106  is a wireless telephony network such as that owned and operated by Vodaphone, Verizon Wireless, AT&amp;T Mobility, NTT DoCoMo, etc. The Cellular Telephone Network  106  provides telephone service to wireless terminal  103  via wireless base station  107  in well-known fashion. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to extend, use, and interface with the Cellular Telephone Network  106 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the operation of the illustrative embodiment. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, tasks  201 - 203  are not performed concurrently, but it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which any two or all three of tasks  201 - 203  are performed concurrently. 
         [0026]    At task  201 , the illustrative embodiment establishes a telephone call between wireline terminal  102 - 1  and wireline terminal  102 - 2  through appliance  101  and the Internet  104 . Task  201  is described in detail below and in the accompanying figures. 
         [0027]    At task  202 , the illustrative embodiments establishes a telephone call between wireline terminal  102 - 1  and wireline terminal  102 - 3  through appliance  101  and the Public Switched Telephone Network  105 . Task  202  is described in detail below and in the accompanying figures. 
         [0028]    At task  203 , the illustrative embodiment establishes a telephone call between wireline terminal  102 - 1  and wireline terminal  102 - 4  through appliance  101  and wireless terminal  103 . Task  203  is described in detail below and in the accompanying figures. 
         [0029]      FIG. 3  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the performance of task  201  when the telephone call is initiated by a user of wireline terminal  201 - 1 . 
         [0030]    At task  301 , a user of wireline terminal  102 - 1  initiates a call to wireline terminal  102 - 2  by entering a call set-up request and the IP address of wireline terminal  102 - 2  into wireline terminal  102 - 1 . In some alternative embodiments of the present invention, an alias of the IP address is entered into wireline terminal  102 - 1  instead of the IP address itself. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to perform task  301 . 
         [0031]    At task  302 , wireline terminal  102 - 1  transmits the call set-up request and the IP address of wireline terminal  102 - 2  to appliance  101  via wireline protocol Alpha. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use embodiments of the present invention that perform task  302 . 
         [0032]    At task  303 , appliance  101  receives the call set-up request and the IP address of wireline terminal  102 - 2  from wireline terminal  102 - 1  via wireline protocol Alpha. Appliance  101  recognizes the call set-up request and IP address of wireline terminal  201 - 2  as an indication that the call set-up request should be routed to the Internet  104  directly, when possible, and, therefore, proceeds to task  304 . It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use embodiments of the present invention that perform task  303 . 
         [0033]    At task  304 , appliance  101  transmits the call set-up request and the IP address of wireline terminal  102 - 2  to the Internet  104  via wireline protocol Beta. It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use embodiments of the present invention that perform task  304 . 
         [0034]    At task  305 , wireline terminal  102 - 2  receives the call set-up request from the Internet  104 , and the call is established, in well-known fashion. 
         [0035]      FIG. 4  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the performance of task  201  when the telephone call is initiated by a user of wireline terminal  201 - 2 . 
         [0036]    At task  401 , a user of wireline terminal  102 - 2  initiates a call to wireline terminal  102 - 1  by entering a call set-up request and the IP address of wireline terminal  102 - 1  into wireline terminal  102 - 2 . In some alternative embodiments of the present invention, an alias of the IP address is entered into wireline terminal  201 - 2  instead of the IP address itself. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to perform task  401 . 
         [0037]    At task  402 , wireline terminal  102 - 2  transmits the call set-up request and the IP address of wireline terminal  102 - 1  to appliance  101  (through the Internet  104 ) via wireline protocol Beta. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to perform task  402 . 
         [0038]    At task  403 , appliance  101  receives the call set-up request and the IP address of wireline terminal  102 - 1  via wireline protocol Beta. Appliance  101  recognizes the call set-up request and IP address of wireline terminal  201 - 1 , and, therefore, proceeds to task  404 . It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use embodiments of the present invention that perform task  403 . 
         [0039]    At task  404 , appliance  101  transmits the call set-up request to wireline terminal  201 - 1  via wireline protocol Alpha. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to perform task  404 . 
         [0040]    At task  405 , wireline terminal  102 - 1  receives the call set-up request and the call is established, in well-known fashion. 
         [0041]      FIG. 5  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the performance of task  202  when the telephone call is initiated by a user of wireline terminal  201 - 1 . 
         [0042]    At task  501 , a user of wireline terminal  102 - 1  initiates a call to wireline terminal  102 - 3  by entering a call set-up request and the telephone number of wireline terminal  102 - 3  into wireline terminal  102 - 1 . It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to perform task  501 . 
         [0043]    At task  502 , wireline terminal  102 - 1  transmits the call set-up request and the telephone number of wireline terminal  102 - 3  to appliance  101  via wireline protocol Alpha. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use embodiments of the present invention that perform task  502 . 
         [0044]    At task  503 , appliance  101  receives the call set-up request and the telephone number of wireline terminal  102 - 3  from wireline terminal  102 - 1  via wireline protocol Alpha. Appliance  101  recognizes the call set-up request and telephone number of wireline terminal  201 - 3  as an indication that the call set-up request should be routed to the Public Switched Telephone Network  105  directly, when possible, and, therefore, proceeds to task  504 . It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use embodiments of the present invention that perform task  503 . 
         [0045]    At task  504 , appliance  101  transmits the call set-up request and the telephone number of wireline terminal  102 - 3  to the Public Switched Telephone Network  105  via wireline protocol Gamma. At task  505 , wireline terminal  102 - 3  receives the call set-up request and the call is established, in well-known fashion. 
         [0046]      FIG. 6  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the performance of task  202  when the telephone call is initiated by a user of wireline terminal  201 - 3 . 
         [0047]    At task  601 , a user of wireline terminal  102 - 3  initiates a call to wireline terminal  102 - 1  by entering a call set-up request and the telephone number of wireline terminal  102 - 1  into wireline terminal  102 - 3 . It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to perform task  601 . 
         [0048]    At task  602 , wireline terminal  102 - 3  transmits the call set-up request and the telephone number of wireline terminal  102 - 1  to appliance  101  (through the Public Switched Telephone Network  105 ) via wireline protocol Gamma. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to perform task  602 . 
         [0049]    At task  603 , appliance  101  receives the call set-up request and the telephone number of wireline terminal  102 - 1  via wireline protocol Gamma. Appliance  101  recognizes the call set-up request and telephone number of wireline terminal  201 - 1 , and, therefore, proceeds to task  604 . It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use embodiments of the present invention that perform task  603 . 
         [0050]    At task  604 , appliance  101  transmits the call set-up request to wireline terminal  201 - 1  via wireline protocol Alpha. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to perform task  604 . 
         [0051]    At task  605 , wireline terminal  102 - 1  receives the call set-up request and the call is established, in well-known fashion. 
         [0052]      FIG. 7  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the performance of task  201  when the telephone call is initiated by a user wireline terminal  201 - 1 . 
         [0053]    At task  701 , a user of wireline terminal  102 - 1  initiates a call to wireline terminal  102 - 4  by entering a call set-up request and the telephone number of wireline terminal  102 - 4  into wireline terminal  102 - 1 . It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to perform task  701 . 
         [0054]    At task  702 , wireline terminal  102 - 1  transmits the call set-up request and the telephone number of wireline terminal  102 - 4  to appliance  101  via wireline protocol Alpha. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use embodiments of the present invention that perform task  702 . 
         [0055]    At task  703 , appliance  101  receives the call set-up request and the telephone number of wireline terminal  102 - 4  from wireline terminal  102 - 1  via wireline protocol Alpha. Appliance  101  recognizes the call set-up request and telephone number of wireline terminal  201 - 4  as an indication that the call set-up request should be routed through wireless terminal  103 , when possible, and, therefore, proceeds to task  304 . It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use embodiments of the present invention that perform task  703 . 
         [0056]    At task  704 , appliance  101  transmits the call set-up request and the telephone number of wireline terminal  102 - 4  to wireless terminal  103  via wireless protocol Delta. It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use embodiments of the present invention that perform task  704 . 
         [0057]    At task  705 , wireless terminal  103  receives the call set-up request and the telephone number of wireline terminal  102 - 4  via wireless protocol Delta. 
         [0058]    At task  706 , wireless terminal  103  transmits (relays) the call set-up request and the telephone number of wireline terminal  102 - 4  to wireless base station  107  via wireless protocol Epsilon, in well-known fashion. 
         [0059]    At task  707 , wireless base station  107  receives the call set-up request and the telephone number of wireline terminal  102 - 4  and forwards them to wireline terminal  102 - 4  via the Cellular Telephone Network  106  and Public Switched Telephone Network  105 , in well-known fashion. 
         [0060]    At task  708 , wireline terminal  102 - 4  receives the call set-up request and the call is established, in well-known fashion. 
         [0061]      FIG. 8  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the performance of task  201  when the telephone call is initiated by a user wireline terminal  201 - 4 . 
         [0062]    At task  801 , a user of wireline terminal  102 - 4  initiates a call to wireline terminal  102 - 1  by entering a call set-up request and the telephone number of wireless terminal  103  into wireline terminal  102 - 4 . It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to perform task  801 . 
         [0063]    At task  802 , wireline terminal  102 - 4  transmits the call set-up request and the telephone number of wireless terminal  103  to Public Switched Telephone Network  105 , which forwards the call set-up request and the telephone number to Cellular Telephone Network  106 . As part of task  802 , Cellular Telephone Network  106  forwards the call set-up request and the telephone number to wireless base station  107 . It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use embodiments of the present invention that perform task  802 . 
         [0064]    At task  803 , wireless base station  107  transmits the call set-up request and telephone number to wireless terminal  103  via wireless protocol Epsilon, in well-known fashion. 
         [0065]    At task  804 , wireless terminal  103  transmits the call set-up request to appliance  101  via wireless protocol Delta. It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use embodiments of the present invention that perform task  804 . 
         [0066]    At task  805 , appliance  101  receives the call set-up request via wireless protocol Delta, in well-known fashion. 
         [0067]    At task  806 , appliance  101  transmits the call set-up request to wireline terminal  102 - 1  via wireline protocol Alpha, in well-known fashion. 
         [0068]    At task  807 , wireline terminal  102 - 4  receives the call set-up request and the call is established, in well-known fashion. This enables the user of wireless terminal  103  to answer and conduct the call using wireline terminal  102 - 4 . 
         [0069]    It is to be understood that the disclosure teaches just one example of the illustrative embodiment and that many variations of the invention can easily be devised by those skilled in the art after reading this disclosure and that the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the following claims.