The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 07, 1999
Filed:
Feb. 20, 1996
Michael Buhrmann, Redmond, WA (US);
Eamon O'Leary, Redmond, WA (US);
Elaine I Sze, Kirkland, WA (US);
AT&T Wireless Services, Kirkland, WA (US);
Abstract
Improved communication service methods operate in conjunction with a wireless communications network that includes a plurality of cells, microcells, and/or picocells. A user zone is defined as including one or more cells, microcells, picocells, and/or one or more cell, microcell, and/or picocell sectors. A first set of communication features are provided within the user zone, and a second set of communication features are provided outside the user zone. According to an embodiment disclosed herein, a mobile telephone switching office (MTSO), coupled to the user zone, stores a user zone profile identifying the cells, picocells, microcells, picocell sectors, microcell sectors, and cell sectors included in the user zone. The MTSO selectively modifies a service profile for a cellular telephone if (I) that cellular telephone is situated within the user zone, and optionally (ii) that cellular telephone is authorized for that user zone. The service profile includes (i) an identification number identifying the cellular telephone, (ii) a feature specification indicative of whether or not each of one or more cellular telephone service features are to be performed, and/or specifying one or more operating parameters of cellular service, and (iii) a user zone specification indicating one or more user zones for which the cellular telephone is authorized.