Voicemail messaging via satellite radio

• US 20050113072A1
• Filed: 11/20/2003
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Spinac, Clifford Jay, Rodriguez, Herman, Smith, Newton James Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 6,996,395 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A method and device for receiving a voice mail from a cellular phone service provider utilizing a satellite radio. When the cellular phone service provider determines that a called party'"'"'s cellular phone is unable to receive a call because the called cellular phone is not within a live cell, the calling party is prompted to leave a voice mail message. The voice mail message is uplinked to a space satellite, which transponds the message to a one-way satellite radio receiver. The radio receiver sends the voice mail message to a coupled recorder. A repeater, coupled to the recorder, then transmits the voice mail message to the called cellular phone to a highly limited zone. The called party'"'"'s cellular phone then receives the voice mail message as if it were one-way cellular phone call.

Claims

1. A system for receiving a voice mail message, the system comprising:

a radio including;

a receiver capable of receiving a public broadcast signal on a first frequency and a voice mail signal on a second frequency, the voice mail signal including a voice mail message,

a demultiplexer capable of separating the signals on the first and second frequencies, and

an output circuit capable of amplifying and sending the public broadcast signal to a public broadcast output, the public broadcast output coupled to an amplifier and speaker for audio reproduction of the public broadcast signal, the output circuit also capable of outputting the voice mail signal to a voice mail output;

a recorder coupled to the voice mail output, the recorder including;

an identifying means for identifying a voice mail message addressed to a specified cellular phone associated with the radio, and

a recording means for recording only the voice mail message addressed to the specified cellular phone; and

a repeater coupled to the recorder, the repeater capable of transmitting the recorded voice mail message addressed to the specified cellular phone.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the voice mail message has been received from a satellite transponder, and wherein the voice mail message has been forwarded from a cellular telephone service provider to the satellite transponder.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the voice mail signal initiates a prompt in the cellular phone, the prompt notifying a user that the voice mail message is stored in the recording means, and wherein the recording means is coupled to the amplifier and speaker for audio reproduction of the voice mail, such that the user is prompted to play the voice mail message in response to receiving the prompt on the cellular phone.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the cellular phone emits a unique ring associated with the prompt notifying the user of the presence of the stored voice mail message.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifying means discards voice mail signals that are not addressed to the specific user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the repeater transmits the voice message using a standard frequency for the cellular phone, and wherein the repeater transmits at a reduced power level such that the voice message is transmitted to a range of less than 2 miles.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the repeater transmits the voice message using a Bluetooth format.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a standby power circuit including;

power selection means for providing a standby power to the system while in a standby mode, the standby power being less than a normal operating power for the system, and

selection means for receiving only the second frequency while the system is in the standby mode,

wherein the system is always in the standby mode when the system is not in a normal operating mode, such that the voice mail signal is received and recorded when the system is not in the normal operating mode.

9. A method for receiving a voice mail message, the method comprising:

receiving a public broadcast signal on a first frequency and a voice mail signal on a second frequency, the voice mail signal including a voice mail message,

separating the signals on the first and second frequencies, and

outputting the voice mail signal to a voice mail output;

identifying a voice mail message addressed to a specified cellular phone associated with the radio;

recording on a recorder only the voice mail message addressed to the specified cellular phone; and

transmitting, from a repeater coupled to the recorder, the recorded voice mail message addressed to the specified cellular phone.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the voice mail message has been received from a satellite transponder, and wherein the voice mail message has been forwarded from a publicly switched telephone system to the satellite transponder.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the voice mail message has been received from a satellite transponder, and wherein the voice mail message has been forwarded from a cellular telephone service provider to the satellite transponder.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the voice mail signal initiates a prompt in the cellular phone, the prompt notifying a user that the voice mail message is stored in the recording means, and wherein the recording means is coupled to the amplifier and speaker for audio reproduction of the voice mail, such that the user is prompted to play the voice mail message in response to receiving the prompt on the cellular phone.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the cellular phone emits a unique ring associated with the prompt notifying the user of the presence of the stored voice mail message.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the identifying means discards voice mail signals that are not addressed to the specific user.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the repeater transmits the voice message using a standard frequency for the cellular phone, and wherein the repeater transmits at a reduced power level such that the voice message is transmitted to a range of less than 2 miles.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the repeater transmits the voice message using a Bluetooth format.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing a standby power to the system while in a standby mode, the standby power being less than a normal operating power for the system; and

receiving only the second frequency while the system is in the standby mode, wherein the system is always in the standby mode when the system is not in a normal operating mode, such that the voice mail signal is received and recorded when the system is not in the normal operating mode.

18. A cellular phone capable of receiving voice mail messages, the cellular phone comprising an on-board phone recorder for recording a received voice mail message.

19. The cellular phone of claim 18, wherein the voice mail message is received from a system for transmitting the voice mail message, the system comprising:

a radio including;

a receiver capable of receiving a public broadcast signal on a first frequency and a voice mail signal on a second frequency, the voice mail signal including a voice mail message,

a demultiplexer capable of separating the signals on the first and second frequencies, and

an output circuit capable of amplifying and sending the public broadcast signal to a public broadcast output, the public broadcast output coupled to an amplifier and speaker for audio reproduction of the public broadcast signal, the output circuit also capable of outputting the voice mail signal to a voice mail output;

a recorder coupled to the voice mail output, the recorder including;

an identifying means for identifying a voice mail message addressed to a specified cellular phone associated with the radio, and

a recording means for recording only the voice mail message addressed to the specified cellular phone; and

a repeater coupled to the recorder, the repeater capable of transmitting the recorded voice mail message addressed to the specified cellular phone.

20. The cellular phone of claim 18, wherein the voice mail message is received directly from a base station of a cellular phone service provider.