System for virtual connection to dedicated PSTN lines

Claim 1

A virtual connection system for connecting the conventional telephone instruments of subscribers with dedicated telephone lines for those subscribers at a public switched telephone network ("PSTN"), said conventional telephone instruments each having an on-hook and an off-hook state, the virtual connection system comprising: (A) a wireless telecommunications system having at least one base station using forward and reverse control channels and forward and reverse voice channels for communications with transceivers of said wireless telecommunications system, and a mobile system controller for switching calls between said wireless telecommunications system and said PSTN; (B) gateway access switch means for making connections between said wireless telecommunication system and said dedicated telephone lines at said PSTN, responsive to gateway access codes such that when a predetermined gateway access code is received by said switch means, said gateway access switch means connects to a dedicated telephone line at said PSTN identified by that predetermined gateway access code and places said dedicated telephone line in an off-hook state; and (C) a plurality of coupling means, each coupling means for connecting a cellular transceiver of said wireless telecommunications system with at least one conventional telephone instrument of a particular subscriber, each said coupling means having signaling means for passing signals between said telephone instrument and said transceiver of said wireless system, and a microprocessor programmed to signal said transceiver to transmit the predetermined gateway access code for that particular subscriber to said wireless telecommunication system when said subscriber's telephone instrument changes to an off-hook state, whereby said gateway access switch means in response to said predetermined gateway access code connects to a dedicated line at said PSTN in such a manner that said dedicated line also changes to an off-hook state and two-way communication is established between said subscriber's telephone instrument and said dedicated line at the PSTN.

Claim 9

A method of connecting a conventional telephone instrument of a subscriber to a dedicated telephone line at a public switched telephone network (PSTN), and wherein said PSTN has associated therewith a wireless telecommunications system including a base station and a plurality of mobile station transceivers, and which base station uses forward and reverse control channels and assigns forward and reverse voice channels for communications over the wireless system, and said base station being programmed to generate a voice channel designation message to said transceiver when such frequencies have been assigned, and to generate a page message to said transceiver when a call is received for said subscriber, and said transceiver having audio paths associated therewith, and said transceiver also being coupled with a conventional telephone instrument by a coupling means which has a microprocessor, an on/off-hook detector and a ring voltage generator are coupled between said transceiver and said conventional telephone instrument, the method including the steps of: (A) providing that said transceiver audio paths are muted; (B) detecting whether said conventional telephone instrument is in an off-hook condition; (C) providing a gateway access code to obtain a PSTN dedicated line; (D) transmitting said PSTN gateway access code when said conventional telephone instrument goes to said off-hook condition to obtain a connection to a PSTN dedicated line; (E) unmuting said transceiver audio paths when a voice channel designation message is received by said transceiver; (F) sending all digits entered as a destination number for said telephone call as Dual Tone Multi-Frequency digits over the assigned voice channel to said PSTN such that said PSTN makes a call connection through which associated PSTN call progression cues are obtained; and (G) detecting an on-hook condition for said conventional telephone instrument and when such condition is detected, terminating said wireless call.

Claim 10

A method of connecting a conventional telephone instrument of a subscriber to a dedicated telephone line at a public switched telephone network (PSTN), and wherein said PSTN has associated therewith a wireless telecommunications system including a base station and a plurality of mobile station transceivers, and which base station uses forward and reverse control channels and assigns forward and reverse voice channels for communications over the wireless system, and said base station being programmed to generate a voice channel designation message to said transceiver when such frequencies have been assigned, and to generate a page message to said transceiver when a call is received for said subscriber, and said transceiver having audio paths associated therewith, and said transceiver also being coupled with a conventional telephone instrument by a coupling means which has a microprocessor, an on/off-hook detector and a ring voltage generator are coupled between said transceiver and said conventional telephone instrument, the method including the steps of: (A) providing that said transceiver audio paths are muted; (B) detecting whether said conventional telephone instrument is in an off-hook condition; (C) providing a gateway access code to obtain a PSTN dedicated line; (D) transmitting said PSTN gateway access code when said conventional telephone instrument goes to said off-hook condition to obtain a connection to a PSTN dedicated line; (E) unmuting said transceiver audio paths when a voice channel designation message is received by said transceiver; (F) sending all digits entered as a destination number for said telephone call as Dual Tone Multi-Frequency digits over the assigned voice channel to said PSTN such that said PSTN makes a call connection through which associated PSTN call progression cues are obtained; and (G) detecting an on-hook condition for said conventional telephone instrument and when such condition is detected, terminating said wireless call.