Enhanced wireless handset, including direct handset-to-handset communication mode

• US 20050020236A1
• Filed: 07/02/2003
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bertrum Technologies LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: SBC, Inc. (Illinois) (Wintrust Financial Corporation)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Marc A., Harbin, Steven A., Green, Charles A., Mauney, Daniel W.
• Application Number:
  US10/612,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20050020236A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/403
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A wireless handset is provided with enhanced features and capabilities. The wireless handset may be embodied as a full-featured handset that is capable of operating either within a wireless network (such as a cellular or PCS network) or in a direct handset-to-handset communication mode that is independent of the wireless network. Alternatively, the wireless handset may be embodied as a special purpose handset, that is capable of simply operating in a direct handset-to-handset communication mode. The wireless handset may additionally include features for supporting and enhancing direct communication between handsets. Such features may include a find feature that permits a user to determine which objects, including other wireless handset users, are located within a predetermined operating range of the wireless handset. A memorize feature may also be provided to permit handsets and other objects exchange information by wireless transmission.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device, the wireless communication device comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a transmission signal via a wireless network;

a receiver for receiving an inbound signal via the wireless network; and

wherein the wireless communication device is addressable by a public switch telephone network coupled to the wireless network using a first identification number and wherein the wireless communication device is addressable by a peer device associated with the wireless network using a second identification number.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1, further comprising memory including a list of peer devices, the list of peer devices comprising peer identification numbers for addressing peer devices associated with the wireless network.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 2, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a list data signal from the peer device, the list data signal including a list of wireless devices associated with the wireless network.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 3, wherein the receiver is configured to use a low power connection.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to receive data from a peer device when addressed using the second identification number.

6. The wireless communication device of claim 5, wherein the data includes a second identification number of the peer device and the transmitter is selectively configured to transmit a signal when the second identification number of the peer device is included in a list of authorized peer devices.

7. The wireless communication device of claim 5, wherein the data comprises text data.

8. The wireless communication device of claim 5, wherein the data comprises voice data.

9. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a find signal, the find signal including a second identification number of a peer device associated with the wireless network.

10. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the peer device is a handset.

11. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the inbound signal is a direct signal from the peer device.

12. The wireless communication device from claim 1, wherein the inbound signal is a signal from the peer device communicated via a mobile switching center.

13. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a registry signal via a registry channel, the registry signal including a second identification number of the peer device.

14. A method of communication using a wireless communication device via a wireless network, the method comprising:

establishing a first communication path with a wireless network and with a public switch telephone network coupled to the wireless network in response to receiving a first signal including a mobile identification number associated with the public switch telephone network and uniquely associated with the wireless communication device; and

establishing a second communication path via the wireless network in response to receiving a second signal including a wireless network identification number independent from the public switch telephone network and uniquely associated with the wireless communication device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second communication path uses a lower power signal than the first communication path.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second signal comprises transferring a list of wireless device addresses.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the second signal includes a voice communication.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the second signal includes a text messaging communication.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the second signal includes a find communication, the find communication configured to determine if a peer device is accessible via the wireless network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein an address of the peer device is included in a list of wireless device addresses.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the second communication path utilizes a mobile switching center.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the second communication path utilizes a direct communication with a peer device independent of a mobile switching center.

23. A wireless communication device comprising:

a transmitter;

a receiver; and

communication circuitry coupled to the transmitter and coupled to the receiver, the communication circuitry coupled to the transmitter and coupled to the receiver, the communication circuitry configured to establish a first communication path with a wireless network and with a public switch telephone network coupled to the wireless network in response to receiving a first signal including a mobile identification number associated with the public switch telephone network and uniquely associated with the wireless communication device, the communication circuitry configured to establish a second communication path via the wireless network in response to receiving a second signal including a wireless network identification number independent from the public switch telephone network and uniquely associated with the wireless communication device.

24. The wireless communication device of claim 23, wherein the second communication path uses a lower power signal than the first communication path.

25. The wireless communication device of claim 24, wherein the second signal includes a list of wireless device addresses.

26. The wireless communication device of claim 23, wherein the second signal includes a voice communication.

27. The wireless communication device of claim 23, wherein the second signal includes a text messaging communication.

28. The wireless communication device of claim 23, wherein the second signal includes a find communication, the find communication configured to determine if a peer device is accessible via the wireless network.

29. The wireless communication device of claim 28, wherein an address of the peer device is included in a list of wireless device address.

30. The wireless communication device of claim 23, wherein the second communication path utilizes a mobile switching center.

31. The wireless communication device of claim 23, wherein the second communication path utilizes a direct communication with a peer device independent of a mobile switching center.

32. The wireless telephone handset comprising:

communication circuitry configured to communicate with a wireless network, the wireless network coupled to a public switch telephone network;

a memory coupled to the communication circuitry, the memory including a mobile identification number associated with a public switch telephone number and a wireless network number not associated with the public switch telephone number; and

wherein the communication circuitry is addressable using the public switch telephone number and the communication circuitry is uniquely addressable using the wireless network.

33. The wireless telephone handset of claim 32, wherein the memory includes a list of wireless network numbers associated with peer devices accessible via the wireless network.

34. The wireless telephone handset of claim 33, wherein the communication circuitry is configured to transmit a find message to at least one peer device associated with the list of wireless network numbers, the find message configured to determine if the at least one peer device is accessible via the wireless network.

35. A wireless communication device, the wireless communication device comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a transmission signal via a wireless network;

a receiver for receiving an inbound signal via the wireless network;

wherein the wireless communication device is addressable by a public switch telephone network coupled to the wireless network using a first identification number and wherein the wireless communication device is addressable by a peer device associated with the wireless network using a second identification number;

memory including a list of peer devices, the list of peer devices comprising peer identification numbers for addressing peer devices associated with the wireless network; and

wherein the receiver is configured to receive a list data signal from the peer device, the list data signal including the list of peer devices associated with the wireless network.

36. The wireless communication device of claim 35, wherein the receiver is configured to use a low power connection.

37. The wireless communication device of claim 35, wherein the receiver is configured to receive data from a peer device when addressed using the second identification number.

38. The wireless communication device of claim 35, wherein the inbound signal is a direct signal from the peer device.

39. The wireless communication device from claim 35, wherein the inbound signal is a signal from the peer device communicated via a mobile switching center.