Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for billing a neighborhood cordless service

US6243572A · kind A · utility

87Cited by
12References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 30, 1998
Grant dateJun 5, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 30, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04W84/045
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for providing a local cordless service comprises the steps of receiving subscriber neighborhood zone selection input so that a mobile telephone equipped subscriber may place or receive calls for a fixed rate, for example, per month without having to pay radio frequency air time charges any time they are located within their selected subscribed-to zones. If the subscribed-to zones are adjacent to one another and the mobile subscriber roams from one zone to another, the subscriber may continue their free call uninterrupted and without paying air time charges. However, when the subscriber roams outside their subscribed-to zones they may be switched from the present local cordless services to conventional personal communications services and pay air time charges. However for an active call, no air-time charges are incurred as the user transitions between the cellular/DPCS environment and the local cordless service environment. Associated apparatus comprises an IBS for automatically changing radio frequency channels as the subscriber roams within a subscribed-to neighborhood zone, roams to another subscribed-to zone or roams outside a subscribed-to zone. Subscribers may choose …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.