Nextel Communications Inc.

Sprint Communications Comapny L.p.

Sprint Spectrum L.p.

Shane David Chapman

Don Gunasekara

Nagi A Mansour

John Paul McCloskey

Peter Agnvall

Michael Delaet

Tom Wilson

An electronic device, referred to as a beacon gateway, capable of communicating an incoming call on one phone to a second phone operating on a different telecommunications network is described herein. A landline phone, voice-over-Internet-protocol phone (VOIP phone), cable phone, and mobile phone may be connected to the beacon gateway. When one of the phones receives an incoming call, the beacon gateway rings the other phones with ring tones indicative of the receiving phone. Additionally, a user can elect to make a phone call across one network (e.g., wireless) from a phone that communicates calls across a different network (e.g., landline). Moreover, a thin client operating in a mobile device is configured to handle communicating inbound calls and outgoing calls on mobile device to other phones connected to the beacon gateway.

Operating a thin client in a device for communication

Detect and connect wireless phone services and local phone networks

A method and apparatus for communicating using a plurality of identities is disclosed. The method includes communicating on a mobile communications device using a first identity having an associated first content and communicating using a second identity having an associated second content. The apparatus includes a processor for communicating with a communications network using the first identity having the associated first content and using the second identity having the associated second content.

Method and apparatus for communicating using a plurality of identities

Systems and methods for Walsh code assignment are provided. In accordance with the disclosed exemplary embodiments, when a set of mobile communication units (MU) is in a control/hold state, instead of a base transceiver station (BTS) assigning Walsh codes for respective dedicated control channels (dcch ) to the set of mobile communication units (MU) on a one-to-one basis, the base transceiver station (BTS) circulates the Walsh codes among the set of mobile communication units (MU). Thus, at a given time, the base transceiver station (BTS) has assigned the available Walsh codes to only a subset of the mobile communication units (MU) in the control/hold state. Accordingly, this Walsh code assignment allows the system to support more mobile communication units (MU) in the control/hold state.

System and method for circulating the assignment of walsh codes among mobile units in control/hold states

A dispatch client device that also has a local wireless transceiver will monitor the energy level on the local transceiver side and use the energy level as a basis to function as a floor control client on a dispatch side. For example, upon receipt of a dispatch-session invitation from a dispatch server, the client may accept the invitation only if the energy level is low enough (indicating that no one is currently talking on the local side) and may then bridge the dispatch communications with the local communications, and otherwise the client may reject the invitation. As another example, if the device detects sufficient energy on the local side (indicating someone on the local side has begun talking), the device may responsively request the floor on the dispatch side and then bridge the local communications with the dispatch communications. The device may apply a standard non-squelch circuit for energy detection.

Use of local wireless energy level as dispatch session control mechanism

A system and method for determining the location of a base transceiver station (BTS) are provided. A personal BTS can determine its location using information transmitted by neighboring BTSs or from mobile station transmissions to neighboring BTSs. If the personal BTS cannot determine its location using information from neighboring BTSs or from mobile station transmissions, the personal BTS can contact a cellular network operator to request that a technician come out to verify the location.

Growing community of inventors

Herndon, VA, United States of America

Shane David Chapman