Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at same station – Radiotelephone equipment detail
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-15
2002-06-04
Trost, William (Department: 2683)
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at same station
Radiotelephone equipment detail
C455S418000, C455S550100, C379S088030, C704S275000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06400967
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mobile telecommunication and more specifically to wireless telephone systems including telephone instruments capable of being programmed for specific use, as well as being compact, inexpensive, and simple, all as a result of operation in combination with enhanced central station equipment.
(2) Background and Description
In recent years, considerable progress has been made in the field of wireless or mobile telephone instruments and systems. In that regard, wireless telephone instruments, sometimes called “mobile stations” (MS) have come into widespread use, accommodated, for example, by geographically defined cells and other equipment. Although the improved instruments and systems are quite effective, and have considerably enhanced telephonic communication, needs for improvement continue to exist.
Typically in wireless systems, individual telephone instruments communicate at an initial level with central equipment, sometimes called “base stations” (BS). Operating with other components as a composite system, the geographically-separate base stations enable mobile telephone instruments to roam through different geographic areas or cells. Thus, from various locations, mobile instruments may be able to access virtually any telephone terminal throughout an entire dial-up telephone network, sometimes called the “public switched telephone network” (PSTN), and in the course of a call roam freely from one cell to another.
Traditionally, a composite mobile telecommunications system includes some form of a switching system, sometimes including a unit called a “mobile switching center” (MSC). The MSC may be provided, along with other structure between a base station (BS) and the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Accordingly, conventional mobile management is accomplished using various well known techniques and structures. However, note that radical system changes are in progress to expand and improve the systems.
In traditional systems, individual wireless telephone instruments typically are purchased by users in a transaction that is rather complex. As part of the purchase transaction, the instrument is activated and numbers are assigned. Also, a financial commitment is established for the new owner. Of course, the owner is responsible for the telephone instrument itself, however, responsibility also extends to the telephone service provided for the instrument, e.g., calls charged to the instrument.
Generally, wireless instruments are quite susceptible to loss or theft and they inherently involve an increased exposure resulting from illicit use. While adjustments may be made in the billing for illicit calls, usually such adjustments are not made without the expense of time and aggravation to the instrument owner. Thus, the risk of physical loss with the attendant threat of unauthorized use presents a nagging annoyance to wireless instrument owners.
Concern over the risk of losing a wireless telephone instrument is compounded by the fact that routine wireless operation exposes critical information (as by radio link) that can be obtained without physical access to a telephone instrument. When obtained, such information can be used to charge fraudulent calls to a wireless owner's account. Consequently, even when an instrument never leaves an owners control, the owner may be invoiced for calls fraudulently made from a cloned instrument. Thus, a need exists for more limited risk.
Another consideration involves the potential for extending the useful life of wireless telephone instruments, particularly in the form of small, inexpensive instruments that are simple to acquire, use, and recycle.
Furthermore, a need exists to accommodate the desires of individual wireless telephone users to a greater extent. Specifically, the present developments are based, to some extent, on recognizing the benefits of providing individual operating features and characteristics for individual telephone instruments that can be simply and easily implemented.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To some extent, the present invention is based on recognizing certain distinct aspects of wireless telephones. The very nature of wireless telephone instruments renders them more susceptible to misplacement, loss and theft. Also, wireless telephone instruments tend to be more personal. That is, a large fraction of these instruments are used almost exclusively by only one, or at most two persons. Consequently, in accordance herewith, instruments can be effectively customized, as for example, with specific features, operations and interfaces, as with language or voice as in a keyless embodiment.
Furthermore, in part, the present invention is based on recognizing that a simple wireless telephone instrument can be programmed for extended and customized use by operating such instruments cooperatively with a central system that performs a wide variety of functions.
Generally, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments hereof, customized, convenient, inexpensive, voice-actuated, prepaid, wireless telephone instruments are provided, that involve limited complications, along with limited risk and exposure for owners while enabling expanded communication capabilities and features. For example, customized language, incoming call options, expanded message formats, call selectivity, screening and routing operations all are made available along with locator and tracking capabilities. Furthermore, in accordance herewith, capabilities may be incorporated to easily and effectively accomplish certain communications as in cases of emergency or for control functions. Certain aspects of communication, as relating to fraud control, also can be restricted to a single user of an instrument.
Basically, in accordance with the present invention a wireless telephone instrument consists essentially of an earphone, a microphone, a radio transceiver, a battery pack and a control unit (with memory, switching, and signaling capabilities) all embodied in a small convenient housing. As disclosed, the housing incorporates a multiple stage cover to deter pre-sale use and post-use tampering, as well as to facilitate recycling.
As disclosed herein, the present wireless telephone instruments operate as part of a composite system in cooperation with a central station having a multiple-port platform. The ports of the platform accommodate multiple wireless (and other) telephone instruments simultaneously, to variously access any of a variety of programmed operations and ultimately other services or remote terminals.
In a disclosed keyless embodiment, for outgoing calls, the users of wireless telephone instruments are signaled as by being prompted vocally, to speak numerical control words as well as message words. For example, spoken words may indicate programming, routing, or control signals as well as audio communication. Thus, communication by users of the wireless telephone instruments as disclosed herein, is in the form of voice signals generated from the user's voice and variously interpreted and used at the central station depending on form and conditions.
At a central station, certain numerical voice signals are recognized as digits, e.g., digits “zero” through “nine”, by a voice recognition unit and consequently are converted to a dialing form (DTMF or digital) for programming, control, dial-up, or routing functions. Words also may be assigned for indicating the telephone star (or asterisk “*”) and the pound sign (“#”) signals as they are generated using a traditional telephone keypad. By customizing operations, single non-numerical words, e.g., “home” also may be recognized to command a specific called number. Other words, as spoken by authorized users, may serve to verify proper use.
Essentially, the central-station system, in addition to a platform, may include a voice generator, e.g., an audio response unit (ARU), a voice recognition unit, e.g. minimally with “number” or numerical word recognition capability, and a control unit operating with a memory as fo
Perez-Gutierrez Rafael
Trost William
LandOfFree
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