Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Special service
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-24
2001-03-27
Trost, William G. (Department: 2681)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Special service
C455S435100, C455S466000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06208853
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to techniques for registering the warranty of a wireless remote unit in a communication network. More particularly, this invention relates to methods for a user of the wireless remote unit to register with a warranty center by utilizing a wireless-specific transmission medium.
Warranty registration is often ignored by the purchasers of warranted products because of the tedious process of completing a warranty form with various required information and mailing in the completed form. Even the purchasers of electronic products which may carry a fairly certain anticipation of repair needs in the near future avoid submitting the warranty registration until actual breakdowns. This causes disruption to the manufacturers of products because the manufactures may not be able to accurately estimate the costs related to the repairs covered under the warranty.
Due to the recent increase in the number of personal computers that are equipped with modem capability, the process for registering a warranty has been dramatically automated. The purchasers of new personal computers are requested in its first use to input warranty-related information and, by utilizing the modem, to register with the personal computer manufacturer for warranty service via a telecommunication network.
However, wireless remote units such as cellular telephones have not seen the benefits of such automatic warranty registration processes due to the complexities and difficulties associated with transferring data via a wireless network in contrast to the landline trunks of a public telecommunication network.
Another shortcoming of present-day warranty administration for wireless remote units (e.g., cellular telephones) is the questionable accuracy of the start date of the warranty period. For example, the date information may be missing from the paper warranty form that is submitted. This invention improves upon the current methods by automatically identifying and storing the activation date of the wireless remote unit.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide methods for efficiently registering wireless remote units utilizing a wireless transmission medium.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This and other objects of the invention are accomplished in accordance with the principles of the invention by providing warranty registration methods for a wireless remote unit located in a communication network. The communication network includes a wireless network, a message center and a warranty center.
A warranty registration process may be performed using a message, such as a wireless text message. The registration process involves constructing a wireless text message based on user-specific information that is input by the user in response to a request, and remote-unit-specific information that has been pre-stored in the memory of the remote unit. The text message is subsequently transmitted to the message center and decoded to the warranty information. The warranty information is either stored in a mailbox in the message center or immediately transferred to the warranty center and stored in a warranty database located in the warranty center.
Alternatively, the registration process may be performed using a wireless voice band tone message, such as Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (“DTMF”) tones. In this case the registration process involves constructing a voice band tone message based on the warranty information specific to the user and the wireless remote unit. The voice band tone message is transmitted to a voice-interactive device located in the message center which decodes the voice band tone message to the warranty information. The voice-interactive device may also support the wireless remote unit by providing voice instructions that the user of the wireless unit can follow in order to input necessary information. The decoded warranty information is either stored in the voice-interactive device temporarily until a periodic query by the warranty center or transferred to the warranty center immediately after the decoding process.
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LoVasco Francis
Sayre, III Clifford L.
Egbert, III Walter M.
Fish & Neave
Jackson Robert R.
Lucent Technologies - Inc.
Redmon Joy K.
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