A cellular based universal telephone system adapted for both cellular and land
line service uses cellular service for both out-of-home mobile communications,
and mimics land line service inside of homes by connecting one or more cellular
handsets to a converter unit, which converter unit is connected to the home telephone
wiring. Several off-the-shelf, non-cellular handsets can be connected to the telephone
wiring (and hence to the converter unit), for answering and placing telephone calls
involving the cellular telephone number. The converter unit contains a mobile converter
unit and a land line interface unit. The mobile converter unit converts cellular
signals from the cellular handset(s) into land line signals understandable by or
needed by the non-cellular handsets, such as ringing signals, message waiting signals
and call waiting tones. The land line interface unit converts signals generated
by the non-cellular handsets into those understood by the cellular handset(s),
such as touch tone signals, flash signals, and "end of dial" signals. The aforementioned
components allow for a convenient, fully functioning telephone system relying only
upon cellular service, which completely mimics a home land line telephone system
when used in a customer's home, and allows the cellular handsets to function normally
outside of the home.
