Method and apparatus for transmitting metering pulse information to a wireless public call office

A wireless local loop which receives a metering pulse signal on a landline from a local exchange, and transmits a message including a metering pulse rate signal value to a wireless public call office, the wireless local loop comprising:

• means for receiving the metering pulse signal, for detecting the presence of a tone of a predetermined frequency indicative of a metering pulse, and for providing a received signal upon detection of said metering pulse;
• means responsive to said received signal, for determining the time between the detection of consecutive metering pulses, and for determining a metering pulse rate signal value;
• means for encoding the message with said metering pulse rate signal value;
• and
• means for transmitting the message to the wireless public call office over a wireless communication channel.

A method of providing metering pulse information from a local telephone exchange to a wireless public call office using a wireless local loop, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving metering pulses from the local telephone exchange;
• computing the rate of the metering pulse and providing a metering pulse rate signal value indicative thereof;
• encoding a message which comprises a data field comprising said metering pulse rate signal value;
• and
• transmitting said message over the wireless communication channel to the public call office.

A wireless communications system which receives a metering pulse signal on a landline from a local exchange, and transmits a rate message including a metering pulse rate signal value, the wireless communications system loop comprising:

• A. a wireless local loop, comprising
• A1. means for receiving metering pulses from the local exchange;
• A2. means for computing the rate of the metering pulses and for providing a metering pulse rate signal value indicative thereof;
• A3. means for encoding a rate message which comprises a data field comprising said metering pulse rate signal value;
• A4. means for transmitting said rate message over a wireless communication channel to the public call office;
• B. a public call office comprising
• B1. means for receiving said rate message and providing a received metering pulse rate signal value indicative thereof;
• B2. a metering pulse generator which generates PCO metering pulses at a rate equal to said received metering pulse rate signal value;
• and
• B3. means for counting said PCO metering pulses.

A wireless public call office which receives a rate message including a metering pulse rate signal value from a wireless local loop, the wireless public call office comprising:

• means for receiving said rate message and providing a received metering pulse rate signal value indicative thereof;
• a metering pulse generator which generates PCO metering pulses at a rate equal to said received metering pulse rate signal value;
• means for counting said PCO metering pulses and providing an accumulated metering pulse signal value indicative thereof;
• and
• means for computing the cost of a call based upon said accumulated metering pulse signal value.