Communications system, in particular a telephone system, for connecting mobile subscriber terminal devices

• US 4,399,330 A
• Filed: 08/07/1981
• Issued: 08/16/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Kuenzel, Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): Rubinson, G. Z.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schroeder, L. C.
• Application Number:
  US06/291,018
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 174/2 EA, 174/2 EB, 340/825.49, 340/825.31, 455/54, 455/56
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/02 Coin-freed or check-freed systems , e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/00 Network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/913 Person locator or person-specific

Abstract

A communications system, in particular a telephone system, is provided for the connection of mobile subscriber terminal devices via radio links, in which a central and/or sub-central location there are arranged storage devices which, for all of the users, each store an item of information concerning the relevant location of a user. The particular stored item of location information is used to control the switch-through of a connection to be established to the mobile user. The subscriber terminal devices include identification read-out devices for reading user identification cards. The subscriber terminal device temporarily receives the user call code stored on the user identification card which provides the facility of passive access to the user. Facilities are also provided for automatic charge accounting.

Claims

1. A communications system comprising:

a vehicle;

a stationary station, including location storage means for a plurality of users;

radio connection means in said vehicle for establishing radio connections with said stationary station;

at least one subscriber terminal in said vehicle, assigned a terminal call code, for radio/telephone communications via said radio connection means and said stationary station, including an identification reading device, means for storing a user code, and means for transmitting a user code and a location code to said storage means of said stationary station, and

at least one display and corresponding acoustic signal generator in said vehicle connected to said terminal and operable to alert a user of an incoming call.

2. The system of claim 1, and further comprising:

a plurality of said display and acoustic signal generator combinations assigned to respective users.

3. The system of claim 1, and further comprising:

means for overwriting the location code with a new location code by inserting an identification card into a different one of said identification reading devices, said radio connection device responsive to reading of the user call code to emit an erasure signal to erase at least the previously stored user call code.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the subscriber terminal includes means responsive to a user call code to transmit an erasure signal to said location storage means.

5. The system of claim 1, and further comprising:

means for comparing a previously input item of information characterizing arrival time with an item of information characterizing current time and responsive to equality or to a positive difference to emit an erasure signal.

6. The system of claim 1, and further comprising:

means for erasing all stored codes when the vehicle reaches its destination.

7. The system of claim 1, and further comprising:

means for comparing a previously input item of information characterizing a target station with an item of information characterizing reaching the target station and responsive to equality to emit an erasure signal.

8. The system of claim 1, and further comprising:

means responsive to a stored user call code to implement predetermined switching procedures.

9. The system of claim 1, and further comprising:

a respective user call code; and

a single identification card bearing the assigned call code.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein:

said user call code comprises a priority code.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein:

said user call code is a magnetic code and said card is a magnetic code card.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein:

said card is a holographic card.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein:

said card comprises a structured surface defining said user call code.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said vehicle comprises a plurality of units; and

said units are connected via a common data bus for interconnection of said radio connection means, said subscriber terminals and said displays and acoustic signal generators.