WO2006131777A1

WO2006131777A1 - Remote radio access for cellular phone

Info

Publication number: WO2006131777A1
Application number: PCT/IB2005/001632
Authority: WO
Inventors: Inayat Syed
Original assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)
Priority date: 2005-06-10
Filing date: 2005-06-10
Publication date: 2006-12-14

Abstract

A system and method are described herein which enables a mobile phone subscriber to remotely access a cellular phone service even if they happen to be located in an area where there is no cellular phone coverage or if they happen to be located in an area outside their home network coverage area. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of: (a) providing the mobile phone subscriber with an IP mobile phone which has access to an IP network (e.g., enterprise IP network, public Internet); (b) enabling the mobile phone subscriber to use the IP mobile phone to establish a connection with a phone bank controller which also has access to the IP network; (c) enabling the mobile phone subscriber to use the IP mobile phone to request that the phone bank controller assign and bind a cellular phone from a cellular phone bank to the IP mobile phone, where the cellular phone has access to a cellular network; and (d) enabling the mobile phone subscriber to use the IP mobile phone to remotely access mobile cellular services via the cellular phone.

Description

REMOTE RADIO ACCESS FOR CELLULAR PHONE

BACKGROUND OP THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a system and a method which enables a mobile phone subscriber (end user) to remotely access a cellular phone service if they happen to be located in an area where there is no cellular phone coverage or if they happen to be located in an area outside their home network coverage area.

Description of Related Art

The following abbreviations are herewith defined, at least some of which are referred to in the ensuing description of the prior art and the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

AMR Adaptive Multi Rate

BOOTP Bootstrap Protocol CDMA2000 Code Division Mode Access 2000

DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

EAP Extensible Authentication Protocol

GSM Global System for Mobile Communications

IP Internet Protocol LAN Local Area Network

PCMCIA Personal Computer Memory Card International Ass,

PBX Private Branch Exchange

PDA Personal Digital Assistant

PIN Personal Identification Code QOS Quality of Service

RFT Radio Frequency Transmitter

RTP Rapid Transport Protocol

SIM Subscriber Identity Module SIP Session Initiated Protocol

SMS Short Message Service

UDP User Datagram Protocol

UMA Unlicensed Mobile Access USB Universal Serial Bus

VoIP Voice Over IP

WCDMA Wideband Code Division Mode Access

WLAN Wireless LAN

Today the availability of cellular phone service is based on radio coverage and where a cellular operator chooses to provide the cellular phone service. The availability of cellular phone service is also based on regulatory requirements, which can prevent a cellular operator from providing cellular phone service in certain locations like on an aircraft or ship or in a foreign land. Of course, a mobile phone subscriber today can not access a cellular mobile service if they happen to be located in an area which does not have cellular phone coverage. However, it would be desirable if a mobile phone subscriber could access a cellular phone service if they happen to be located in an area where there is no cellular phone coverage or if they happen to be located in an area outside their home network coverage area. This need and other needs are satisfied by the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes a system and a method, which enables a mobile phone subscriber to remotely access a cellular phone service even if they happen to be located in an area where there is no cellular phone coverage. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of: (a) providing the mobile phone subscriber with a IP mobile phone which has access to an IP network (e.g., enterprise IP network, public

Internet) ; (b) enabling the mobile phone subscriber to use the IP mobile phone to establish a connection with a phone bank controller which also has access to the IP network; (c) enabling the mobile phone subscriber to use the IP mobile

' phone to request that the phone bank controller assign and bind a cellular phone (e.g., cellular phone modem) from a cellular phone bank (e.g., cellular phone modem bank) to the

IP mobile phone, where the cellular phone has access to a cellular network; and (d) enabling the mobile phone subscriber to use the IP mobile phone to remotely access mobile cellular services via the cellular phone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A more complete understanding of the present invention may be had by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: FIGURE 1 is a diagram of a system that enables a mobile phone subscriber to remotely access a cellular phone service in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a flowchart that illustrates the basic steps of a method for enabling a mobile phone subscriber to remotely access a cellular phone service in accordance with the present invention; and

FIGURE 3 is a diagram that illustrates an exemplary protocol architecture that can be used by the system shown in FIGURE 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to FIGURES 1-2, there are respectively illustrated a diagram of a system 100 and a flowchart of a method 200 that can be used by a mobile phone subscriber 102 -A-

(end user 102) to remotely access a cellular phone service even if they happen to be located in an area where there is no cellular phone coverage. As shown in FIGURE 1, the system 100 includes an IP mobile phone 104 (one shown) , IP network(s) 106 (several shown), phone bank controller (s) 108

(two shown), cellular phone bank(s) 110 (two shown) and cellular phone network (s) 112 (two shown) . A detailed discussion about these components and their functions are provided after a discussion about method 200. As shown in FIGURE 2, the method 200 enables the mobile phone subscriber 102 to remotely access a cellular phone service by providing the mobile phone subscriber 102 with an IP mobile phone 104 which has access to an IP network 106 (e.g., enterprise IP network 106, public Internet 106) (step 202) . For instance, the IP mobile phone 104 can access the IP network 106 via a WLAN 114a, a satellite 114b, a wireline 114c, a Wifi connection 114d or a Bluetooth connection 114e. Alternatively, the mobile phone subscriber 102 can be provided with a software suite (discussed below) which they can install in an IP mobile phone 104. The mobile phone subscriber 102 then uses the IP mobile phone 104 to establish a connection with one of the phone bank controllers 108 (e.g., the top phone bank controller 108) (step 204). The phone bank controller (s) 108 also have access to the IP network 106 (step 204) . Thereafter, the mobile phone subscriber 102 uses the IP mobile phone 104 to request that the particular phone bank controller 108 assign and bind one of the cellular phones 109 (e.g., cellular phone modems 109) from the cellular phone bank 110 (e.g., cellular phone modem bank 110) to the IP mobile phone 104 (step 206) . Alternatively, the phone bank controller 108 can automatically assign and bind one of the cellular phones 109 from the cellular phone bank 110 to the IP mobile phone 104. The assigned cellular phone 109 has access to cellular network 112 (e.g., home cellular network 112). At this point, the mobile phone subscriber 102 uses the IP mobile phone 104 which is interfaced with the cellular phone 109 to remotely access the mobile cellular services (e.g., voice mail, voice call, SMS, GPRS access, circuit switched data access, fax service) offered by the cellular network 112

(step 208). Although one mobile phone subscriber 102 and one IP mobile phone 104 are shown and described above, it should be appreciated that the system 100 and method 200 can support any number of mobile phone subscribers 102 and IP mobile phone 104 at the same or distinct locations.

As can be seen, the present invention combines Voice over IP with mobility to enable a mobile phone subscriber 102 to remotely access cellular services and possibly their home network cellular services from virtually anywhere so long as one has access to an enterprise IP network 106 or to a public Internet 106. As a result, the present invention enables the mobile phone subscriber 102 regardless of their location to use their subscribed free minutes by remotely accessing their home cellular network 112 (for example) .

In addition, the present invention enables a mobile phone subscriber 102 to remotely access a cellular phone service even when they happen to be located in an area where there is radio phone coverage. For instance, the mobile phone subscriber 102 could use the present invention if they happened to be located outside of their home service area and would be charged a roaming fee if they used their cell phone to make or receive a call. In this case, if the mobile phone subscriber 102 used the present invention and remotely accessed their home cellular network 112 then they would not have to pay a roaming fee . As described above, the mobile phone subscriber 102 in order to use the present invention would utilize an IP mobile phone 104, IP network 106, phone bank controller 108, cellular phone bank 110 and cellular phone network 112. A detailed description is provided next about the IP mobile phone 104, the phone bank controller 108 and the cellular phone bank 110. The IP network 106 and the cellular phone network 112 are not discussed in detail herein because they are well known to those skilled in the art. The IP mobile phone 104 (which contains a processor 105) can be any device which is able to be connected to a public or private Internet 106. For example, the IP mobile phone 104 can be a personal computer (shown in FIGURE 1), a personal device assistant, a PDA, a pay phone (with or without a visual display) or a mobile phone with capabilities to turn off the radio frequency (flight mode usage as in the Sony Ericsson P900 phone) and with capabilities to use Bluetooth, WiFi or wired connection Internet access. The IP mobile phone 104 should support speech encapsulation in a digital codec (e.g., AMR etc) or in a generic RTP protocol (not shown in FIGURE 3) . Alternatively, the phone bank controller 108 (which contains a processor 109) can take the responsibility of optimally converting a RTP protocol media stream into a codec format that suits the particular cellular network 112. The IP mobile phone 104 should also have one or more standard interfaces that can be used to access the Internet and it should have one or more serial ports that can be used to connect peripheral devices. Typically, the IP mobile phone 104 would be owned by the mobile phone subscriber 102. But, the IP mobile phone 104 can also be provided by an enterprise service provider. Alternatively, the IP mobile phone 104 can be a portable software application on a Personal Computer.

The IP mobile phone 104 also utilizes a SIM card reader 116. The SIM card reader 116 can be a portable SIM card reader (shown) or a fixed SIM card reader (not shown) . The portable SIM card reader 116 can be provided to the mobile phone subscriber 102 by the cellular operator or enterprise service provider. Alternatively, the portable SIM card reader 116 can be purchased by the mobile phone subscriber 102. The fixed SIM card reader is typically embedded in the IP mobile phone 104.

The SIM card reader 116 functions to read a SIM card that contains a suite of software. In one embodiment, the suite of software includes: (1) a driver for the SIM card reader 116; (2) authentication client software that interfaces with the remote cellular phone 109; (3) virtual phone emulation software that makes the IP mobile phone 104 look and feel like a regular phone; and (4) remote phone communication software that enables the IP mobile phone 104 to communicate with the phone bank controller 108 and the assigned cellular phone 109.

The cellular phone bank 110 (or radio terminal devices 110) is installed at a remote location where there is cellular coverage. The cellular phone bank 110 could be the property of the cellular operator, the enterprise service provider or the Internet Service Provider (ISP) . If the cellular phone bank 110 is owned by the cellular operator, then they could integrate the cellular phone bank 110 into their radio base station (not shown) to optimize the utilization of the frequency spectrum. In one embodiment, the cellular phone bank 110 can be cellular phone modes that are an off the shelf product.

The phone bank controller 108 is used to interface in a controlled fashion with the IP mobile phone 104 and the cellular phone 109. The phone bank controller 108 could be the property of the cellular operator, the enterprise service provider or the Internet Service Provider (ISP) . In one embodiment, the phone bank controller 108 could be based on a PBX capable fixed cellular terminal product. Referring to FIGURE 3, there is a diagram illustrating an exemplary protocol architecture which can be used in the various components of system 100 so that method 200 can be implemented. It should be understood that many of the details associated with the standardized signaling and transport protocols are well known to those skilled in the art and as such are not described in detail herein. The IP mobile phone 104 can use a protocol stack 302 which includes at least the following layers:

IP mobile phone 104

Application Interface

Codec/SMS/ Data

Session

Interface

Layer

Remote Session

RTP/UDP/TCP/ SCTP

Remote IP

IP Sec

Transport IP The IP mobile phone 104 is connected to the IP network 106 by an IP router (not shown in FIGURE 1) which can use a protocol stack 304 with at least the following layers:

IP network 106 (IP router)

Transport IP Transport IP

The IP network 106 is connected to the phone bank controller 108 which can use a protocol stack 306 with at least the following layers :

phone bank controller 108

The phone bank controller 108 is connected to the cellular phone bank 110 which can use a protocol stack 308 with at least the following layers :

cellular phone bank 110

Um

RFT

Baseband 3Ϊ Although the cellular phone bank 110 described herein relates to GSM, it should be appreciated that the cellular phone bank 110 can also use other technologies such as CDMA, WCDMA and CDMA 2000. A description is provided next about how the mobile phone subscriber 102 can use the new telecommunication service in accordance with the present invention. First, the mobile phone subscriber 102 turns on the IP mobile phone 104 (e.g. laptop, PDA) and activates the SIM software client (can also be activated automatically at boot time) . If the IP mobile phone 104 is a pay phone, then it may be already turned on.

The mobile phone subscriber 102 selects a particular phone bank controller 108. Alternatively, the mobile phone subscriber 102 may not have an option to select a particular phone bank controller 108. Instead, the enterprise operator may select a particular phone bank controller 108. In either case, after the selection of the phone bank controller 108, the IP mobile phone 104 establishes a tunnel connection to the selected phone bank controller 108. At this point, the IP mobile phone 104 and selected phone bank controller 108 can communicate with one another using, for example, a command response signaling protocol (with or without acknowledgement) . The command response signaling protocol can be a derivative of any or combination of the following: BOOTP, DHCP, SIP, H.248, Bluetooth, UMA, EAP and/or any other signaling protocol.

Next, the mobile phone subscriber 102 inserts or swipes a SIM card and then they may have to enter a PIN code to unlock the SIM access. Or, the mobile phone subscriber 102 uses a pre-activated SIM card in a fixed SIM card reader 116 of the IP mobile phone 104. The IP mobile phone 104 then requests the phone bank controller 108 to assign a cellular phone 109. In response, the phone bank controller 108 assigns a free cellular phone 109 from the cellular phone bank 110 and binds that phone's port to the user session on the IP mobile phone 104. At this point, the cellular phone 109 sends prompts back to the IP mobile phone 104 to request the identity of the mobile phone subscriber 102. This information can be read from the SIM card. After the mobile phone subscriber 102 is authenticated, and a successful location update is performed, the virtual mobile phone emulator in the IP mobile phone 104 takes charge.

The IP mobile phone 104 then provides a display screen and keypad access to the mobile phone subscriber 102, which enables them to access the mobile phone services in the cellular network 112. The mobile phone subscriber 102 can access data, voice mail, send and receive a SMS, make a voice call, initiate a multi-media session etc... depending on the cellular services that have been defined in their user profile and depending on the capability of the Internet connection. For instance, the characteristics of the Internet connection can dictate how much bandwidth can be allocated to the IP mobile phone 104. As a result, a voice call can be restricted if the QOS offered by the IP network 106 is not sufficient. This can all be determined by the IP mobile phone 104 or by the enterprise operator. Lastly, when the mobile phone subscriber 102 disconnects, the call is ended and the connection to the remote phone bank controller 108 is dropped. Then, the cellular phone 109 is released for use in another connection.

The telecommunication service enabled by the system 100 and method 200 of the present invention provides numerous benefits to the mobile phone subscriber 102, the enterprise operator and the cellular operator. Some of these benefits are discussed below. Mobile Phone Subscriber 102

• The mobile phone subscriber 102 can remotely send and receive short messages (SMS) , access voicemail, engage in a multi-media conversation, or make a phone call using an IP mobile phone 104 (e.g., personal computer, handheld device) that is connected to the Internet 106. This is possible regardless of whether or not the mobile phone subscriber 102 is located in an area where there is cellular radio coverage .

• The mobile phone subscriber 102 can remotely access their home cellular network 112 and efficiently use subscribed minutes, even if the mobile phone subscriber 102 is located outside of the their home network coverage. In this way, the mobile phone subscriber 102 can avoid roaming charges including international roaming charges which are traditionally high. This would be important to a business traveler.

• The mobile phone subscriber 102 can dynamically choose a cellular network 112 (e.g., home network 112, roaming network 112) based on the tariffs and the called destination number.

Enterprise Operator (ISP)

• The enterprise operator can offer this service as a prepaid cellular phone service via the Internet 106 to a mobile phone subscriber 102 while having only consumer relationships with cellular phone service providers. • The enterprise operator can offer this cellular phone service to a mobile phone subscriber 102 who happens to be is located outside their home network or outside a radio coverage area including aircrafts, ships etc.

• The enterprise operator can integrate this service into a payphone 104 where a mobile phone subscriber 102 could then access their home network or the cellular network of their choice with the swipe of a SIM card.

• The enterprise operator can dynamically choose a cellular network 112 (e.g., home network 112, roaming network 112) for a mobile phone subscriber 102 based on the tariffs and the called destination number.

• The enterprise operator can offer this service to a mobile phone subscriber 102, for instance, by selling them a prepaid SIM card. The enterprise operator can also do this without needing to have a corporate consumer relationship with a cellular operator.

Cellular Operator

• The cellular operator can benefit by bringing more traffic into the home network 112, which otherwise would be distributed to roaming partners resulting in lost revenue.

• The cellular operator can offer this service to their mobile phone subscribers 102 who are located outside off their home network or outside a radio coverage area. For instance, the cellular operator can provide cellular service to their mobile phone subscribers 102 who are located on an aircraft or ship.

• The cellular operator can offer this service to mobile phone subscribers 102 as a prepaid cellular service via the Internet on a global level. For instance, the cellular operator can sell a prepaid SIM card, which may or not be embedded inside a SIM card reader 116.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated in the accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth and defined by the following claims .

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method for offering a remote cellular service to a mobile phone subscriber, said method comprising the steps of: providing an IP mobile phone or a software suite that can be used in an IP mobile phone to the mobile phone subscriber, said IP mobile phone having access to an IP network; enabling the mobile phone subscriber to use the IP mobile phone to establish a connection with a phone bank controller, said phone bank controller having access to the IP network; enabling the mobile phone subscriber to use the IP mobile phone to request that the phone bank controller assign and bind a cellular phone from a cellular phone bank to the IP mobile phone, said cellular phone having access to a cellular network; and enabling the mobile phone subscriber to use the IP mobile phone to remotely access the cellular services via the cellular phone.

2. The method of Claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a SIM card to the mobile phone subscriber, wherein the mobile phone subscriber inserts/swipes the SIM card into/through the IP mobile phone.

3. The method of Claim 1, wherein the cellular services which can be accessed by the mobile phone subscriber include: a voice call; a SMS; a voice mail; a packet data session; a fax service; and a multimedia session.

4. The method of Claim 1, wherein the cellular services that can be used by the mobile phone subscriber are dependent upon a capability of the IP network.

5. The method of Claim 1, wherein the cellular phone interfaces with the IP mobile phone to authenticate the mobile phone subscriber before enabling the mobile phone subscriber to remotely access the cellular services.

6. The method of Claim 1, wherein said cellular network is a home cellular network of the mobile phone subscriber .

7. A method a mobile phone subscriber uses to remotely access mobile cellular services, said method comprising the steps of: activating an IP mobile phone, said IP mobile phone having access to an IP network; establishing a connection between the IP mobile phone and a phone bank controller, said phone bank controller having access to the IP network; requesting the phone bank controller to assign and bind a cell phone from a cellular phone bank to the IP mobile phone, said cellular phone having access to a cellular network; and using said IP mobile phone which is interfaced with said cellular phone to remotely access the mobile cellular services .

8. The method of Claim 7, further comprising the step of using the IP mobile phone to select the cellular network that the mobile phone subscriber wants to use from a plurality of cellular networks .

9. The method of Claim 7, wherein said cellular network is a home cellular network.

10. The method of Claim 9, wherein said mobile phone subscriber uses subscribed minutes when the mobile cellular services are provided by the home cellular network.

11. The method of Claim I₁ wherein the mobile cellular services which can be accessed by the mobile phone subscriber include: a voice call; a SMS; a voice mail; a packet data session; a fax service; and a multimedia session.

12. The method of Claim 7, wherein said IP mobile phone is located on an aircraft or a boat.

13. A system, comprising: a phone bank controller, said phone bank controller communicates via an IP network with an IP mobile phone; a cellular phone bank, said phone bank controller communicates with said cellular phone bank and binds a cellular phone from said cellular phone bank to said IP mobile phone; and wherein a mobile phone subscriber uses said IP mobile phone which is interfaced with said cell phone to remotely access mobile cellular services.

14. The system of Claim 13, wherein said IP mobile phone is selected from the group consisting of: a personal computer; a personal digital device; a mobile phone with flight safe mode capability; a personal digital assistant; and a pay phone .

15. The system of Claim 13, wherein said IP mobile phone includes a portable SIM card reader

16. The system of Claim 13, wherein said IP mobile phone includes a fixed SIM card reader.

17. The system of Claim 13, wherein said IP mobile phone reads a SIM card that contains an identity and a user profile of the mobile phone subscriber.

18. The system of Claim 13, wherein said IP mobile phone reads a SIM card that contains virtual phone emulation software which makes the IP mobile phone look and feel like a phone .

19. The system of Claim 13, wherein the cellular phone interfaces with a SIM card in the IP mobile phone to authenticate the mobile phone subscriber.

20. The system of Claim 13, wherein the mobile cellular services which can be accessed by the mobile phone subscriber include: a voice call ; a SMS ; a voice mail; a packet data session; a fax service; and a multimedia session.

21. An IP mobile phone comprising: a processor that implements a software suite that enables a user of said processor to interact via an IP network with a phone bank controller that communicates with a cellular phone bank and binds a cellular phone to said processor which enables the user to remotely access mobile cellular services via the cellular phone.

22. The IP mobile phone of Claim 21, wherein the mobile cellular services which can be accessed by the user include : a voice call; a SMS; a voice mail; a packet data session; a fax service; and a multimedia session.

23. A phone bank controller comprising: a processor which is accessed via an IP network by an IP mobile phone and then in turn communicates with a cellular phone bank and binds a cellular phone to said IP mobile phone which enables a user of said IP mobile phone to remotely access mobile cellular services via the cellular phone . 32

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24. The phone bank controller of Claim 23, wherein the mobile cellular services which can be accessed by the user include : a voice call; a SMS; a voice mail; a packet data session; a fax service; and a multimedia session.

25. A cellular phone bank comprising: a plurality of cellular phones, where one cellular phone is selected by a phone bank controller and is able to communicate with an IP mobile phone via an IP network such that a user of said IP mobile phone is able to remotely access mobile cellular services via the one cellular phone.

26. The cellular phone bank of Claim 25, wherein said one cellular phone is a cellular phone modem.

27. The cellular phone bank of Claim 25, wherein the mobile cellular services which can be accessed by the user include : a voice call; a SMS; a voice mail; a packet data session; a fax service; and a multimedia session.