Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for providing reduced cost cellular service

US7054642B1 · kind B1 · utility

37Cited by
21References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 27, 2002
Grant dateMay 30, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 12, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04W84/14
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing telephone service to transient or inaccessible customers include a stationary cellular telephone that operates like a land-line telephone in that its use is restricted to a single geographic area, such a house address. The stationary cellular telephone can only handoff between cell sites that are associated with the geographic area. The stationary cellular telephone can place calls using only cell sites in a list of permissible cell sites that is maintained at the network level. The stationary cellular telephone is activated by sending customer, device, and/or location identifiers to an activation center via a telephone call. The activation center validates service, and downloads the list of permissible cell sites to the stationary cellular telephone. Dynamic rates provide opportunities for further reduction in the cost of service, with real-time notification of capacity based pricing, and service levels that vary according to network capacity.

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