Mobile unit supervisory control sequencer and method

• US 4,028,500 A
• Filed: 04/21/1975
• Issued: 06/07/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Martin Marietta Corporation
• Original Assignee: Martin Marietta Corporation
• Inventors: Cunningham, Marion L., Freeman, Lionel D., McClure, George F., Endicott, John Richard, Wells, Joel D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Claffy, Kathleen H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brigance, Gerald L.
• Application Number:
  US05/569,677
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 179/41 A, 179/90 K, 179/90 B, 179/90 BB, 179/90 BD, 179/90 AN, 179/15 BZ, 325/16, 325/55, 325/64
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2725 using electronic memories
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A mobile communication unit providing simplified calling procedures and thus an increase in the effective use of communication channels. An address signal representing a telephone system subscriber may be entered into a storage register in the mobile unit and the address signal in the register is displayed. A manually depressable call switch is depressed to generate a call initiation signal and a call-up signal including the stored and displayed address signal is broadcast in response to the generation of said call initiation signal through the manual depression of said call switch. A response signal acknowledging said call-up signal is received and receipt of said response signal is automatically indicated. Two-way voice communication is established over a two-way communication channel in response to removal of a handset from cooperating relationship with a hook-switch. The handset and hook-switch are independent of the manually depressable call switch so that a call may be initiated and acknowledged without removing the handset from the hook-switch. The mobile unit is operable to retain the last stored and displayed address signal for initiating the broadcast of subsequent call-up signals and the mobile unit includes means independent of said handset and hook-switch for clearing the stored address. Provision is made for storing a number of frequently called addresses and retrieving the addresses on demand of the mobile unit operator to further increase the ease of operation.

Claims

1. A mobile telephone unit comprising:

first storing means for storing aan address signal representing a telephone system subscriber;

means for displaying the stored address signal;

a manually depressable call switch for generating a call initiation signal;

second stroring means for storing said generated call initiation signal;

means for selecting one of a predetermined plurality of communication channels for broadcast of a call-up signal;

means for generating a call enabling signal in response to the selection of said one communication channel;

means for broadcasting a call-up signal including said stored address signal over the selected one of the plurality of communication channels in response to the simultaneous presence of both said call initiation signal generated through the manual depression of said call switch and said call enabling signal generated in response to the selection of said one channel;

means for receiving a response signal acknowledging said call-up signal for automatically indicating receipt of said response signal; and

means including a handset removably cooperable with a hook-switch independent of said manually depressable call switch for establishing two-way voice communication over a two-way communication channel in response to removal of said handset from cooperating relationship with said hook-switch, whereby a call may be initiated and acknowledged without removing the handset from the hook-switch.

2. The mobile telephone unit of claim 1 including means independent of said handset and hook-switch for clearing said first storing means.

3. The mobile telephone unit of claim 1 wherein said first storing means is operable to retain the last stored address signal for initiating the broadcast of subsequent call-up signals.

4. The mobile telephone unit of claim 2 wherein said first storing means is operable to retain the last stored address signal for initiating the broadcast of subsequent call-up signals.

5. The moblile telephone unit of claim 3 wherein said receiving and indicating means includes means independent of said handset and hook-switch for providing an audible indication of the receipt of said response signal.

6. The mobile telephone unit of claim 1 including means for visually indicating the selection of said one channel.

7. The mobile telephone unit of claim 1 wherein said channel selecting means comprises:

means for detecting and recognizing a predetermined code pattern in a signal received over said plurality of communication channels;

means for detecting the said level of the received signal; and

,

means for selecting said one channel in response to the recognition of said code pattern and is response to a detected level of said received signal.

8. The mobile telephone unit of claim 7 wherein said first storing means is operable to retain the last stored address signal for initiating the broadcast of subsequent call-up signals.

9. The mobile telephone unit of claim 8 wherein said receiving and indicating means includes means independent of said handset and hook-switch for providing an audible indication of the receipt of said response signal.

10. The mobile telephone unit of claim 8 including means independent of said handset and hook-switch for clearing said first storing means.

11. The mobile telephone unit of claim 7 including means for visually indicating the selection of said one channel.

12. The mobile telephone unit of claim 1 wherein said broadcasting means includes a wave energy transmitter and wherein said receiving and indicating means include means for receiving a call terminate signal indicating the termination of an established call, and means for deenergizing said wave energy transmitter in response to receipt of said call terminate signal.

13. The mobile telephone unit of claim 1 including:

means for receiving and detecting an address signal assigned to the mobile telephone unit;

means for providing an audible indication of receipt and detection of said assigned address signal; and

,

means for providing and holding a visual indication of receipt and detection of said assigned address signal in response to a continued cooperating relationship of said handset with said hook-switch for a predetermined period of time after initiation of said audible indication.

14. The mobile telephone unit of claim 13 wherein said mobile unit is carried in a vehicle and wherein said indication providing means includes means independent of said handset and said hook switch for providing, outside said vehicle, an audible indication of receipt and detection of said assigned address signal.

15. The mobile telephone unit of claim 1 wherein said receiving and indicating means includes means independent of said handset and hook-switch for providing an audible indication of the receipt of said response signal.

16. The mobile telephone unit of claim 1 wherein said broadcast initiating means includes means for generating a series of alternating tone signals of different frequencies.

17. The mobile telephone unit of claim 1 wherein said receiving and indicating means includes:

means for generating a regularly interrupted tone signal of a predetermined frequency; and

,

means for providing an audible indication in response to said interrupted tone signal.

18. A mobile telephone unit comprising:

means for storing a first address signal representing a telephone system subscriber;

means for displaying the stored address signal;

means for storing a plurality of address signals each representing a seven digit number of a plurality of different telephone system subscribers;

means including a single, manually depressable switch associated with each of said plurality of stored address signals for selectively transferring any one of said plurality of address signals from said last-mentioned storing means to said first-mentioned storing means;

a manually depressable switch for generating a call initiation signal;

means for selecting one of a predetermined plurality of communication channels for broadcast of a call-up signal;

means for generating a call enabling signal in response to the selection of said one communication channel;

means for broadcasting a call-up signal including said stored first address signal in response to the generation of both said all initiation signal and said call enabling signal;

means for receiving a response signal acknowledging said call-up signal; and

,

means for automatically indicating receipt of said response signal.

19. The mobile unit of claim 18 including:

transceiver means for transmitting and receiving wave energy; and

,

means for selectively tuning said transceiver means to respective frequencies of a dual frequency communication channel in response to said received response signal.

20. The mobile telephone unit of claim 18 wherein said receiving and indication means includes means independent of said handset and hook-switch for providing an audible indication of the receipt of said response signal.

21. The mobile telephone unit of claim 18 wherein said broadcast initiating means includes means for generating a series of alternating tone signals of different frequencies.

22. A method of initiating and establishing two-way communications between two telephone system subscribers from a mobile radio-telephone having a handset in removable cooperable engagement with a hook-switch, the method comprising the steps of:

storing an address signal representing a called telephone system subscriber;

displaying the stored address signal for visual verification of the address signal;

selecting one of a predetermined plurality of communication channels for broadcast of a call-up signal and generating a call enabling signal when said one channel has been selected;

manually depressing a call switch to generate and store a call initiation signal while retaining the handset in engagement with the hook-switch

broadcasting a call-up signal including the stored address signal in response to the generation of both the call initiation signal and the call enabling signal,

receiving a response signal acknowledging the call-up signal; and

,

automatically indicating receipt of the response signal to indicate the establishment of a communication link with the called telphone system subscriber with the handset in engagement with the hook-switch.

23. The method of claim 22 including the steps of:

verifying that the displayed address signal is in error; and

,

storing and displaying a new address signal prior to manually depressing the call switch.

24. A mobile telephone unit for two-way communication over communications channels comprising:

means for generating a call-up signal including an address signal representing a called telephone system subscriber; and

,

means for detecting the availability of a designated one of the communication channels for transmission of the call-up signal;

means for generating and storing a call initiation signal;

means for initiating the transmission of said call-up signal over the designated one of the communication channels in response to the simultaneous detection of the availability of the designated channel and the presence of the stored call initiation signal;

said transmission initiating means being operable to initiate the transmission of said call-up signal repetitively, said transmission initiating means including means for effecting the transmission of said call-up signal a random time interval after initiation of transmission by said initiating means and introducing a random time delay between successive repeated transmissions of said call-up signal.

25. The mobile telephone unit of claim 24 wherein said random time delay introducing means comprises:

means for randomly generating a number representing a random time delay;

means for delaying the transmission of said call-up signal by a time interval related in value to said randomly generated number.

26. The mobile telephone unit of claim 24 including means for receiving a response signal indicative of receipt of the transmitted call-up signal at a central location, said transmission initiating means being rendered inoperable in response to the receipt of said response signal by said receiving means.

27. The mobile telephone unit of claim 26 wherein said random time delay introducing means is responsive to lack of receipt of said response signal by said receiving means to introduce said random time delay between successive transmission of said call-up signal.

28. The mobile telephone unit of claim 24 including means for receiving a response signal indicative of receipt of the transmitted call-up signal at a central location, said random time delay introducing means being responsive to lack of receipt of said response signal by said receiving means to introduce said random time delay between successive transmissions of said call-up signal.

29. A method for transmitting data from a mobile telephone unit to a central control unit over a designated signaling channel, comprising the steps of:

generating a call-up signal including an address signal representing a called subscriber;

detecting the availability of the designated signaling channel for transmission of the call-up signal;

generating and storing a call initiation signal;

transmitting the call-up signal a first time to the central control unit over the designated signaling channel a random time interval after the simultaneous detection of the availability of the designated signaling channel and the presence of the stored call initiation signal; and

,

transmitting the call-up signal a second time subsequent to the first time to the central control unit over the designated signaling channel, the interval between the first and second transmissions of the call-up signal including a random time delay.

30. A mobile telephone unit comprising:

first storing means for storing an address signal representing a telephone system subscriber;

means for displaying the stored address signal;

a manually depressable call switch for generating a call initiation signal;

means for selecting one of a predetermined plurality of communication channels for broadcast of said call-up signal including means for detecting and recognizing a predetermined code pattern in a signal received over said plurality of communication channels, means for detecting the said level of the received signal, and means for selecting said one channel in response to the recognition of said code pattern and in response to a detected level of said received signal;

means for generating a call enabling signal in response to the selection of said one communication channel;

means for initiating the broadcast of a call-up signal including said stored address signal over the selected one of the plurality of communication channels in response to the generation of both said all initiation signal generated through the manual depression of said call switch and said call enabling signal generated in response to the selection of said one channel;

means for receiving a response signal acknowledging said call-up signal and for automatically indicating receipt of said response signal; and

means including a handset removably cooperable with a hook-switch independent of said manually depressable call switch for establishing two-way voice communication over a two-way communication channel in response to removal of said handset from cooperating relationship with said hook-switch, whereby a call may be initiated and acknowledged without removing the handset from the hook-swtich.

31. The mobile telephone unit of claim 30 wherein said first storing means is operable to retain the last stored address signal for initiating the broadast of subsequent call-up signals.

32. The mobile telephone unit of claim 31 wherein said receiving and indication means includes means independent of said handset and hook-switch for providing an audible indication of the receipt of said response signal.

33. The mobile telephone unit of claim 31 including means independent of said handset and hook-swtich for clearing said first storing means.

35. The mobile telephone unit of claim 30 wherein said broadcasting means includes a wave energy transmitter and wherein said receiving and indicating means include means for receiving a call terminate signal indicating the termination of an established call, and means for deenergizing said wave energy transmitter in response to receipt of said call terminate signal.

36. The mobile telephone unit of claim 30 including:

means for receiving and detecting an address signal assigned to the mobile telephone unit;

means for providing an audible indication of receipt and detection of said assigned address signal; and

,

means for providing and holding a visual indication of receipt and detection of said assigned address signal in response to a continued cooperating relationship of said handset with said hook-switch for a predetermined period of time after initiation of said audible indication.

37. The mobile telephone unit of claim 36 wherein said mobile unit is carried in a vehicle and wherein said indication providing means includes means independent of said handset and said hook-switch for providing, outside said vehicle, and audible indication of receipt and detection of said assigned address signal.

38. The mobile telephone unit of claim 30 wherein said receiving and indicating means includes means independent of said handset and hook-switch for providing an audible indication of the receipt of said response signal.

39. The mobile telephone unit of claim 30 wherein said broadcast initiating means includes means for generating a series of alternating tone signals of different frequencies.

34. The mobile telephone unit of laim 30 including means for visually indicating the selection of said one channel.