Location identification

• US 4,942,599 A
• Filed: 02/02/1989
• Issued: 07/17/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alpha Hospitality Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: Alphanet Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Gordon, Alastair T., Reichmann, Michael H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US07/305,445
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93, 379/96-98, 379/100, 379/207, 379/201, 379/112, 379/127, 379/245-247, 358/402, 358/407, 358/440
• US Class Current: 379/93.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13512 800 - freefone
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13547 subscriber, e.g. profile, database, database access
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/70 Identification of class of calling subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/912 Geographically adaptive

Abstract

An improved data transmission system which transmits data at least partially over existing telephone lines, the improvement comprising devices which, in addition to transmitting and receiving data and being actuated by a non-telephone signal, automatically complete a telephone communication with a predetermined computer. Once the device is connected to the computer, it receives information such as a particular telephone number which is used in the reception and/or transmission of data. The received information is preferably peculiar to the location of the device and can be used to appropriately program the device for carrying out a function in a manner specific to its location. The information specific to the location is determined in accordance with the telephone number of the telephone line connecting the device to the telephone system as the computer has the capability of Calling Number Identification.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting information to programmable data processing devices by means of a telephone system having Call Number Identification Service, each programmable data processing device having associated therewith a telephone capability, connected to a telephone line;

said method comprising with respect to each programmable data processing device;

using said telephone capability of the programmable data processing device to automatically complete a telephone communication via said telephone line with a predetermined computer at a predetermined telephone number.

receiving at the predetermined computer the Calling Number Identification of the telephone line to which the programmable data processing device is connected,

determining at the predetermined computer by means of said Calling Number Identification, information specific to the general location of the telephone line derived from the Calling Number Identification,

transmitting from the predetermined computer to the programmable data processing device the determined information specific to the general location of the telephone line to the data processing device, and

using the determined information within the programmable data processing device to program the programmable data processing device.

2. A method for transmitting information as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of determining from the Calling Number Identification includes comparing the Calling Number Identification with a bank of telephone numbers to determine the appropriate telephone number of a process intermediary which is selectively used by the programmable data processing device.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of automatically using said telephone capability is carried out at predetermined time periods or events.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said predetermined events include connection of said data transmitting/receiving device to said telephone line.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said predetermined telephone number of said predetermined computer is a toll free long distance number.

6. In a data transmission system which includes individual programmable devices which transmit data therebetween via a process intermediary over telephone lines of a telephone system, the improvement comprising a computer connected to the telephone system and having Calling Number Identification capability, said computer when activated by a calling programmable device receives the Calling Number Identification of a telephone line connecting the calling programmable device to the telephone system and thereafter process the Calling Number Identification to determine certain required information specific to the general location of the telephone line and then transmits over the telephone line the required information to said programmable device, said calling programmable device receiving said required information and using the same in programming thereof to program the device in a manner specific to the general location of the telephone line connecting said programmable device to the telephone system.

7. In a data transmission system as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of said individual programmable devices includes an actuation and routing means, said actuation and routing means including means for retaining in memory a telephone number to be used in routing certain transmissions to a predetermined process intermediary and a tunable RF receiver for receiving an RF actuation signal when a transmission is to be received by the associated programmable device, and wherein the information specific to the location of the telephone line is used by the programmable device to appropriately tune the RF receiver to a particular local RF actuation frequency and to store in memory the telephone number used in routing certain transmissions.

8. In a data transmitting system comprising a predetermined computer having a predetermined telephone number and Calling Number Identification capability, and a plurality programmable data transmitting/receiving arrangements each of which transmits data by means of a telephone system, each programmable data transmitting/receiving arrangement comprising means for automatically completing a telephone communication with said predetermined computer by automatically dialing said predetermined telephone number of the predetermined computer stored in said programmable data transmitting/receiving arrangement, said predetermined computer upon completing of a telephone communication with one of said programmable data transmitting/receiving arrangements determining the Calling Number Identification of a telephone line connecting said programmable data transmitting/receiving arrangement to the telephone system, and thereafter the programmable data transmitting/receiving arrangement receives from the predetermined computer and stores information specific to the general location of the telephone line connecting the same to the telephone system used to program the transmitting/receiving arrangement in carrying out certain functions specific to the general location of the transmitting/receiving arrangement which information has been determined by the predetermined computer based on the received Calling Number ldentification.

9. In a data transmitting system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said predetermined telephone number is a long distance toll free number.

10. A method for transmitting information to a data transmitting/receiving arrangement, having associated therewith a telephone capability, connected to a telephone line of a telephone system wherein the information is particular to the location of the telephone line connected to the data transmitting/receiving arrangement, said method comprising:

using said telephone capability of the data transmitting/receiving arrangement to automatically complete at a predetermined telephone number,

receiving at the predetermined computer the Calling Number Identification of the telephone line to which the data transmitting/receiving arrangement is connected,

determining from said Calling Number Identification an appropriate telephone number to be used by the data transmitting/receiving arrangement in the transmission and/or reception of data a the general location of the telephone line to which the data transmitting/receiving arrangement is connected,

transmitting the determined appropriate telephone number to the data transmitting/receiving arrangement, and

recording the determined appropriate number in a manner for use by the data transmitting/receiving arrangement.

11. A method for transmitting information as claimed in claim 10, wherein said step of determining from the Calling Number Identification includes comparing the Calling Number Identification with a bank of numbers to determine the appropriate telephone number of a process intermediary connected to the telephone system and through which the data transmitting/receiving arrangement communicates data.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said step of automatically using said telephone capability is carried out at predetermined time periods or events.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said predetermined events include connection of said data transmitting/receiving arrangement to said telephone line.

14. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said predetermined number of said predetermined computer is a toll free long distance telephone number.

15. In a data transmission system which includes individual programmable devices each connected to a telephone system by a telephone line identified by a telephone number, wherein said devices transmit data therebetween via a process intermediary over telephone lines, the improvement comprising a computer which has Calling Number Identification capability and when appropriately activated by an incoming telephone call, recognizes the Calling Number Identification of a telephone line connecting the calling device with the telephone system and providing said calling used in the transmitting and/or receiving of information appropriate to the general location of the telephone line connecting the device to the telephone system.

16. In a programmable data transmitting/receiving device having a telephone capability connected to a telephone line by means of which data is transmitted to a telephone system, the improvement comprising the programmable data transmitting/receiving device carrying out the steps of automatically completing a telephone communication with a predetermined computer by automatically dialing a predetermined telephone number of the predetermined computer which receives the Calling Number Identification of the telephone line connecting said transmitting/receiving device with the telephone system, and thereafter the data transmitting/receiving device receives and stores information including a particular telephone number to be used in the receiving and/or transmitting of data, said particular telephone number being associated with the particular location of the telephone line used by the data transmitting device.

17. In a data transmitting/receiving device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said steps of automatically completing a telephone communication includes retrieving the predetermined telephone number of the predetermined computer from non-volatile memory of the programmable data transmitting/receiving device.

18. In a date transmitting/receiving device as claimed in claim 17, wherein said predetermined telephone number is a long distance toll free telephone number.