Importance

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Abstract

A multiple mode, personal, wireless communications system is disclosed which exists within a radiotelephone network serving general customers and provides unique additional services to a select group of customers equipped with special handsets, without impacting the general customers. The special handsets automatically switch between and operate in either analog or digital mode with the standard radiotelephone network and in an enhanced cordless mode when within range of independent pico cells, that are interconnected with the public switched telephone network. Each of the network transparent pico cells is controlled via a framework of overlay cells that operate independently of the radiotelephone network and use a unique control protocol on a relatively small number of reserved channels, with a use hierarchy that is reversed with respect to standard radiotelephone channels. Each pico cell consists of a spectrally dynamic, non-capturing, frequency agile, multi-purpose base station provided at customer selected locations to cooperate with the overlay cell framework and support the enhanced cordless mode of operation of the special handsets. Each pico cell is capable of supporting multiple handsets and constitutes a separate, locally interconnected, low power, coverage limited wireless communications system. Through this system, each pico cell effectively diminishes traffic on the radiotelephone system by independently handling registered special handset call traffic. In addition, an alternate line option module can provide wireless local interconnect capability to selectively transfer or allocate call traffic between the public switched telephone network and the radiotelephone network, creating a totally wireless system, if desired. Service control units and host stations are provided to facilitate wireless activation and control of each pico cell and special handset via the overlay cell framework. In the best mode described herein, the radiotelephone network is a standard cellular network.

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First Claim