Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Special service
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-20
2001-09-18
Legree, Tracy (Department: 2681)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Special service
C455S012100, C455S428000, C379S211010, C379S212010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06292658
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to satellite communications and, more particularly, to a method for forwarding an incoming call received in a satellite communication terminal in a high penetration notification mode to a communication terminal connected to a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) or an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network).
2. Description of the Related Art
A satellite communication terminal has a middle penetration (MP) mode and a high penetration notification (HPN) mode. In the MP mode, a satellite communication system provides a voice service which is a basic service, and a short message service which is a supplemental service. In the HPN mode, which is set when the satellite communication terminal is in an area where MP mode service cannot be provided, the satellite communication system informs the satellite communication terminal that a call (i.e., voice service or short message) is being received by transmitting a high-power, high-penetration radio wave.
FIG. 1
is a block diagram of a general satellite communication system. A service center
40
controls the overall operations of the satellite communication system. A switching station
20
switches a call received from a first communication terminal
5
through a PSTN or ISDN
10
or from a second communication terminal
85
through another PSTN or ISDN
70
. The switching station
20
has a subscriber database
22
and a subscriber authenticator
24
. The subscriber database
22
stores information about satellite communication subscribers. The subscriber authenticator
24
, under the control of the service center
40
, checks whether or not a calling subscriber is a subscriber registered in the subscriber database
22
. A satellite base station
30
receives a call switched from the switching station
20
and transmits it as a radio signal to a satellite
50
. The satellite
50
receives the radio signal from the satellite base station
30
and forms a link with a satellite communication terminal
60
. A reference number
80
denotes a closed space
80
, such as an underground subway station or the interior of a building.
In the MP mode, the satellite communication terminal
60
can directly communicate with the satellite
50
to provide the voice service and the short message service. However, if the satellite communication terminal
60
moves into the closed space
80
where it cannot directly communicate with the satellite
50
, then the services in the MP mode are not offered. This is because a radio wave sent from the satellite
50
has a property of traveling straight. Therefore, the satellite
50
transmits a high-power, high-penetration radio wave to inform the satellite communication terminal
60
within the closed space
80
that a call is being received. The satellite
50
sends both a radio wave of the MP mode and a radio wave of the HPN mode (i.e., a high power radio wave) to an HPN service subscriber. When the radio wave of the MP mode and the radio wave of the HPN mode reach the closed space
80
, the radio wave of the HPN mode passes through the closed space
80
.
If the satellite communication terminal
60
is situated within the closed space
80
and a call from another communication terminal is received by the satellite communication terminal
60
, only the radio wave of the HPN mode is received. The radio wave of the HPN mode only indicates whether the received call is a voice service or a short message service. Hence, if the radio wave of the HPN mode is received, the satellite communication terminal
60
informs a subscriber through a liquid crystal display (LCD) that a call of the voice service or short message service is received and generates an alert tone. Consequently, in the HPN mode, a satellite communication subscriber may be made aware of the fact that a call is received, but the subscriber cannot answer the call or receive a short message.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a call forwarding method which can answer a call or read a short message even in a high penetration notification (HPN) mode of a satellite communication terminal.
To achieve the above and other objects, there is provided a method for forwarding a call in a high penetration notification mode in a satellite communication system having a memory with a call forwarding table for storing satellite communication subscriber numbers and call forwarding numbers. The method includes the steps of: forming a communication path with a calling communication terminal upon detecting an incoming call, and checking whether a calling subscriber is a satellite communication subscriber; storing a subscriber number of the calling subscriber and a call forwarding number corresponding to the subscriber number in the call forwarding table, when the calling subscriber is the satellite communication subscriber; and checking whether another incoming call to the subscriber number is detected and forwarding the other incoming call to the call forwarding number corresponding to the subscriber number, when the other incoming call to the subscriber number is detected, the forwarding step being performed in a high penetration notification mode in the satellite communication system.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5027384 (1991-06-01), Morganstein
patent: 5448627 (1995-09-01), Ueno et al.
patent: 5469500 (1995-11-01), Satter et al.
patent: 5509062 (1996-04-01), Carlsen
patent: 5592541 (1997-01-01), Fleischer, III et al.
patent: 5657382 (1997-08-01), Tamagawa et al.
patent: 5717830 (1998-02-01), Sigler et al.
patent: 5745851 (1998-04-01), Goto
patent: 5758281 (1998-05-01), Emery et al.
patent: 5884170 (1999-03-01), Valentine et al.
patent: 5978673 (1999-11-01), Alperovich et al.
patent: 6046990 (2000-04-01), Chennakeshu et al.
patent: 6049601 (2000-04-01), Orui
patent: 6067452 (2000-05-01), Alexander
patent: 6088589 (2000-07-01), Valentine et al.
patent: WO 99/14961 (1999-03-01), None
Craver Charles
Dilworth & Barrse, LLP
Legree Tracy
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
LandOfFree
Method for forwarding call in high penetration notification... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method for forwarding call in high penetration notification..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method for forwarding call in high penetration notification... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2540846