Patent ID: 7567813

Claim:
A cellphone-fed fixed/mobile interface apparatus for coupling to at least one analog-type telephone to provide the analog-type telephone at least basic analog-type telephone functions via a wireless carrier network, the apparatus comprising: means for exchanging information about functionalities between a cellphone, the cellphone-fed fixed/mobile interface apparatus and the wireless carrier network over a connectivity dataport between the cellphone and the cellphone-fed fixed/mobile interface apparatus and over an air interface between the cellphone and the wireless carrier network; means for validating the information about functionalities between the cellphone, the cellphone-fed fixed/mobile interface apparatus and the wireless carrier network, said validating means comprising means for authenticating service parameters available from the wireless carrier network, an identity and abilities of the cellphone, and setting parameters of the cellphone-fed fixed/mobile interface apparatus; and means for monitoring the presence of dataport connectivity between the cellphone and the cellphone-fed fixed/mobile interface apparatus, said monitoring means also comprising means for verifying the presence of the air interface and the service parameters available from the wireless carrier network; wherein when the presence of dataport connectivity between the cellphone and the cellphone-fed fixed/mobile interface apparatus is verified, the validating and monitoring means signals an interfaced operational state to repository means accessible to the wireless carrier, thus informing the wireless carrier that it should maintain the fixed-interface mode of operation for the cellphone, the cellphone-fed fixed/mobile interface apparatus and the wireless carrier network, in order to enable enhanced and conditioned billing functions and network features consistent with the signalled state.