Landline-supported private base station for collecting data and switchable into a cellular network

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FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a private base station that collects data from data generators contained in a premises for later transmission through a telephone network to a desired destination.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Modern cellular telephone systems currently use high power, frequency, time and/or code division multiplexed narrowband radio frequency communication techniques in conjunction with large cells to establish and maintain telephone communications. With the growing popularity of mobile stations configured for operating in these systems, increased flexibility in use of these mobile stations is desired. One approach to providing user flexibility while encouraging greater utilization of the mobile stations is by providing low-power private base stations over which a user can register his or her mobile station and make and receive telephone calls. A private base station shares the same frequency bands with large cells, but operates at a greatly reduced power level. Also, each private base station has a landline subscriber telephone number through which all incoming and outgoing calls are routed.

In commonly assigned, copending patent application filed on Jun. 28, 1996 by the same inventors, and entitled TELEPHONE SYSTEM HAVING LANDLINE-SUPPORTED PRIVATE BASE STATION SWITCHABLE INTO CELLULAR NETWORK, a private base station receives a registration signal from a mobile station and enables communication of the mobile station with a landline telephone network through the private base station. Predetermined signalling codes are received from a registered mobile station and the private base station switches communication of the private base station into the wireless cellular phone network. The private base station is contained typically in a residence or small business, and thus bypasses the local switch and allows signalling in the cellular network such as commonly occurs in the public-switched telephone network.

Many of these private base stations are contained in residences or small businesses. It would be advantageous if a private base station could be used for other purposes besides enabling mobile communication within a premises. The private base station allows communication with both the landline and cellular phone network and can be modified for other uses. It would be advantageous if data such as collected from water coolers, heaters, air conditioners and other portions of the premises could be measured or sensed and any data forwarded through a telephone network to a desired destination.

Some prior art systems use different means for collecting data from appliances in a premises and forwarding the data over telephone lines. Examples of such systems include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,503,061 to Bray et al., issued Mar. 24, 1970; U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,728 to Swanson, issued Jan. 27, 1987; U.S. Pat No. 4,682,169 to Swanson issued Jul. 21, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,332 to Brown, issued Jan. 9, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,182 to Merriam et al., issued Nov. 3, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 5,239,575 to White et al., issued Aug. 24, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,581 to Merriam et al., issued May 10, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,691 to Cain et al., issued Nov. 29, 1994.

None of these references, however, teach the use of a private base station.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a private base station collects data from data generators positioned in a premises and forwards the collected data through a telephone is network to a desired destination. The private base station enables communication with a landline telephone network and can switch communication into a wireless cellular phone network. In one aspect of the present invention, at least one data generator is positioned in the premises for collecting data from the premises. This data could include temperature readings, energy usage from an air conditioner or other data that can be determined within a premises. The private base station receives the generated data over a communication channel such as a digital control channel. The private base station first attempts to generate a call through the landline telephone network for transmitting the collected data to a predetermined destination, such as a Home Care Service or similar monitoring service that collects the data for billing purposes, security or other reasons. When a landline connection is not established, then the private base station switches communication into the wireless cellular phone network and forwards the collected data to a desired destination. In one aspect of the present invention, the data generator transmits the data to the private base station along a digital control channel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This invention and its mode of operation will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description when read with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a simplified block diagram of a cellular switching system, its logical entities as well as the relative connection with the public switched telephone network, a private base station contained in a residential premises, and data generators in communication with the private base station;

FIG. 2 shows a high level block diagram of a private base station separated into identifiable circuit sections and a data generator communicating with the private base station through a digital control channel;

FIG. 3 shows a high level flow chart depicting one example of the invention in operation;

FIG. 4 shows a high level block diagram of a private base station visiting location register separated into identifiable circuit sections;

FIG. 5 shows a registration/network update process through which a mobile station gains access to a private base station, in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 6 shows a network cancellation process which details how a registration of a mobile station with a private base station is canceled, in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 7 shows a network process which provides an incoming call transaction flow for a mobile station with a private base station, in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 8 shows a high level block diagram of the method used when the private base station switches to the wireless cellular telephone network;

Throughout the drawings, the same element when shown in more that one figure is designated by the same reference numeral.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a simplified block diagram of a cellular switching system forming part of a wireless cellular phone network illustrated generally at 9, its logical entities as well as the relative connection with the public switched telephone network and a private base station, and a premises 20a having data generators 20b that collect data from appliances or other premises functions and generates the data back to the private base station 20. The cellular concept is well known and is described in general in the Bell System Technical Journal, Volume 58, Number 1, January 1979, and specifically in an article entitled The Cellular Concept by V. H. MacDonald, on pages 15 through 41 of this journal, the disclosure which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Included within the cellular switching system are mobile stations (MS) 10 mobile switching center (MSC) 12, the public telephone switched network (PSTN) 14, a cellular base station (BCS) 13, a home location register (HLR) 15, a visiting location register (VLR) 16, a private base station visiting location register (P-VLR) 30, and a private base station (PBS) 20. A subscriber station telephone set 19 is illustratively shown connected to the public telephone switched network 14 in a well known manner. In this particular example, the private base station is illustrated as part of a residential premises 20a, shown with the dotted lines. A mobile station 10 is shown contained in the residential premises.

For clarity, mobile switching center 12 is illustratively shown connected to mobile switching center 18 and network operation controller (NOC) 17. The mobile switching center 18 is part of the overall cellular systems operation and may similarly have a home location register, a visiting location register, a P-VLR, as well as multiple cellular base stations associated therewith. It is understood that other mobile switching centers also may be part of the cellular system. The network operation controller provides overall control and thereby ensures that the operation of the whole cellular system is supported and serviced.

The mobile station 10 and base station 20 are designed to operate in a cellular system in accordance with the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) Interim Standard (IS)-136, dated December 1994.

The mobile switching center 12 performs all the switching functions related to call delivery and is interconnected to the public telephone switched network 14, the home location register 15, the visiting location register 16 and the cellular base station 13.

The home location register 15 maintains a data base, profile record and call routing information or a pointer to the call routing information for all mobile stations in a particular assigned home area. The visiting location register 16 maintains a data base for call routing information or a pointer to the call routing information for those mobile stations which are visiting its assigned area of coverage.

The private base station visiting location register 30 performs the interface functions between a private base station, such as station 20, and both the home location register 15 and the visiting location register 16 for holding both call routing information and, order or registered position information for the mobile stations that are currently registered with the private base station. The private base station visiting location register 30 is also responsible for administering spectrum utilization and operations of the private base station 20.

The functions for the private base station visiting location register 30 may be conveniently summarized as follows:

1. Authorize new private base station operation.

2. Downlo