Personal communications service using wireline/wireless integration

An integrated wired and wireless communication network, comprising:

• a central office switching system connected to the communication lines including at least one service switching point for selectively providing switched communications between the communication lines;
• a mobility controller, connected to the central office switching system, for selectively providing wireless communications between said central office switching system and wireless mobile communication units;
• and
• a network controller, separate from the central office switching system and the mobility controller, said network controller being connected to both said mobility controller and said at least one service switching point through at least one service transfer point, said network controller storing preprogrammed call processing data associated with subscribers who are associated with one of the communication lines connected to the central office switching system and storing preprogrammed call processing data associated with subscribers who each are associated with one of the mobile communication units;
• wherein call processing by both the central office switching system and the mobility controller to establish a completed communication link between one of the communication lines and one of the mobile communication units is controlled in response to the stored preprogrammed call processing data associated with at least one of the subscribers and,
• a subscriber having one of the mobile communication units is also assigned one of the communication lines, and the preprogrammed call processing data associated with that subscriber stored in the network controller indicates whether that subscriber is currently registered for communication via the assigned line or the mobile controller and mobile communications unit.

In an integrated wired and wireless communication network, comprising communication lines, a central office switching system connected to the communication lines including at least one service switching point for selectively providing switched communication connections, a mobility controller arranged for selectively providing wireless communications between the central office switching system and wireless mobile communication units using control data conveyed to at least one service switching point through a service transfer point, and a network controller arranged to selectively provide control data to effect landline communications, and arranged separately from the central office switching system and the mobility controller, said network controller being connected to both said mobility controller and said at least one service switching point through at least one service transfer point arranged to convey control data to effect communications, a method of selectively routing calls to a subscriber on a communication line and to a mobile communication unit assigned to the subscriber via the mobility controller using a single number assigned to identify the subscriber, said method comprising the steps of:

• storing data in the network controller to indicate whether the subscriber is currently registered for communication via a specified communication line or via the mobility controller;
• in response to a call directed to the number assigned to identify the subscriber, accessing the registration data in the network controller;
• and
• communicating said registration data from said network controller through said at least one service transfer point to selectively route the call to the subscriber's current location via the specified communication line and/or the mobility controller, as indicated by the current data.

In an integrated wired and wireless communication network, comprising communication lines, a central office switching system connected to the communication lines including at least one service switching point for selectively providing switched communication connections, a mobility controller for selectively providing wireless communications between the central office switching system and wireless mobile communication units, and a network controller, separate from the central office switching system and the mobility controller, said network controller being connected to both said mobility controller and said at least one service switching point through at least one service transfer point, a method of selectively routing calls to a subscriber on a communication line and to a mobile communication unit assigned to the subscriber via the mobility controller using a single number assigned to identify the subscriber, said method comprising the steps of:

• storing data in the network controller to indicate whether the subscriber is currently registered for communication via a specified communication line or via the mobility controller;
• in response to a call directed to the number assigned to identify the subscriber, accessing the registration data in the network controller;
• communicating said data from said network controller through said at least one service transfer point to selectively route the call to the subscriber's current location via the specified communication line and/or the mobility controller, as indicated by the current registration data;
• when the subscriber is currently registered for communication via the mobility controller, sending a routing request from the network controller to the mobility controller;
• in response to the routing request, sending a message to the network controller indicating a routing number which the mobility controller has assigned to the subscriber's mobile communication unit;
• forwarding the routing number from the network controller to the central office switching system;
• and
• using the routing number to route the call from the central office switching system, through the mobility controller to the subscriber's mobile communication unit.

In an integrated wired and wireless communication network, comprising communication lines, a central office switching system connected to the communication lines including at least one service switching point for selectively providing switched communication connections, a mobility controller for selectively providing wireless communications between the central office switching system and wireless mobile communication units, a network controller, separate from the central office switching system and the mobility controller, said network controller being connected to both said mobility controller and said at least one service switching point through at least one service transfer point, a method of selectively routing calls to a subscriber on a communication line and to a mobile communication unit assigned to the subscriber via the mobility controller using a single number assigned to identify the subscriber, said method comprising the steps of:

• registering data in the network controller to indicate whether the subscriber is currently available at a specified communication line or via the mobility controller;
• in response to a call directed to the number assigned to identify the subscriber, accessing the registration data in the network controller;
• analyzing the call to determine if the call meets certain criteria specified by the subscriber and stored in the network controller;
• and
• communicating said data from said network controller through said at least one service transfer point to selectively route the call to the subscriber's current location via the specified communication line and/or the mobility controller, as indicated by the current registration data, only if the call meets the subscriber specified criteria stored in the network controller.

In a communication network having at least two service switching systems for selectively providing communications between stations, and a central service control means, separate from the service switching systems, for providing call processing instructions to the service switching systems, a method comprising the steps of:

• registering a visiting subscriber through one of the service switching systems;
• accessing a remote central service control means of another network to obtain service data associated with the visiting subscriber;
• storing the accessed service data in the central service control means;
• in response a request for service from the subscriber, retrieving the visiting subscriber's service data stored in the central service control means;
• and
• instructing the one switching system to provide the requested service based on the visiting subscriber's service data retrieved from the central service control means.

In an integrated wired and wireless communication network, comprising communication lines, a central office switching system connected to the communication lines including at least one service switching point for selectively providing switched communication connections, a mobility controller for selectively providing wireless communications between the central office switching system and wireless mobile communication units, a method comprising the steps of:

• storing in a network controller arranged separately from the central office switching system and the mobility controller and connected to both said mobility controller and said at least one service switching point through at least one service transfer point, a file containing preprogrammed call processing data for providing one or more special service features to a subscriber assigned to one of the mobile communication units;
• receiving a request for a special service feature in the central office switching system from one of the connected local communication lines or in the mobility controller from one of the mobile communication units;
• recognizing that the service request originates from said subscriber;
• accessing the subscriber's file stored in the central data base to obtain preprogrammed call processing data for the requested special service feature;
• providing the requested service feature based on the accessed call processing data via the central office switching system if the request originated in the one local communication line;
• and
• providing the requested service feature based on the accessed preprogrammed call processing data via the mobility controller if the request for service originated from the one mobile communication unit via said mobility controller.

In a communication network comprising at least two call switching means and a central network controller, remote from the two call switching means, said central network controller storing data controlling operation of the two switching means for routing calls directed to a subscriber selectively to one of at least two points coupled to the network, a routing method comprising the steps of:

• detecting that a current call is directed to a number assigned to the subscriber;
• accessing the data stored in the central network controller to determine to which of the at least two points coupled to the network the current call should be selectively routed;
• if routing of the call to the point determined by the accessed data will incur a charge, sending an announcement to the caller asking if the caller is willing to pay the charge;
• collecting information input by the caller;
• if the information input by the caller indicates that the caller assents to payment of the charge, routing the call to the point determined by the accessed data;
• and
• if the information from the caller indicates that the caller does not assent to payment of the charge, routing the call to an alternate termination point.