Mobile access to telecommunications network

• US 5,105,197 A
• Filed: 04/12/1991
• Issued: 04/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Clagett, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner, Mark
• Application Number:
  US07/684,098
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• Field of Search: 342/419, 455/33, 455/56, 455/54, 379/59, 379/58, 379/60, 379/61
• US Class Current: 342/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A method and system for providing mobile access to message delivery into the existing public telecommunications network. A portable handset and transceiver have storage capacity and a processor for digitizing and time compressing messages inputted by the operator into the handset. Upon command of the handset operator the stored message is transmitted to a fixed site transceiver having storage capacity. The two transceivers are locked into communication by suitable handshake protocols. The fixed site transceiver is linked to the public switched telecommunications network and delivers the message stored in the fixed site storage to voice messaging service storage in the public telecommunications network. The message thus stored is either delivered as by call completion service or retrieved by the addressee as in voice mail service. In both cases the signal from the VMS storage is processed to perform digital to analog conversion along with time decompression or expansion. The addressee, handling procedures, and billing information are incorporated into the original message in the handset transceiver. Periodic beacon signals may be provided at the fixed site transceiver to facilitate location thereof by the portable handset and transceiver.

Claims

1. In a telecommunications system including a switched telecommunications network having switching means interconnected by trunk means and station means linked to at least certain of said switching means, the improvement comprising;

at least certain of said station means comprising fixed site transceiver means;

portable transceiver means including signal input means and signal output means and transmitter means and receiver means capable of communicating with said fixed site transceiver means;

first storage means associated with said portable transceiver means;

means coupling said input signal means of said portable transceiver means with said first storage means to store in said first storage means a signal from said input signal means;

means associated with said portable transceiver means to couple said first storage means with said transmitter means to transmit a signal stored in said first storage means;

control means associated with said portable transceiver means to initiate transmission by said transmitter means;

second storage means associated with said switched telecommunications network for storing signals received from said transmitter means;

means associated with said switched telecommunications network to couple said second storage means to at least one of said station means to provide at said station means a readable output of signals stored in said second storage means.

2. A telecommunications system according to claim 1 wherein said readable output is audible.

3. A telecommunications system according to claim 1 wherein said readable output is visual.

4. A telecommunications system according to claim 1 wherein said means coupling said input signal means with said first storage means includes analog to digital converter means for converting an analog input to said signal input means to a digital signal stored in said first storage means.

5. A telecommunications system according to claim 4 wherein said means associated with said telecommunications network to couple said second storage means to said at least one of said station means includes digital to analog converter means to convert a digital signal stored in said second storage means to an analog readable output.

6. A telecommunications system according to claim 5 wherein said analog to digital converter means includes time compression means;

and

said digital to analog converter means includes expansion means.

7. A telecommunications system according to claim 5 wherein said switched telecommunications network includes voice messaging means for automatically attempting delivery of signals stored in said second storage means to stations identified in said signals.

8. A telecommunications system according to claim 5 including beacon transmitter means associated with said fixed site transceiver means for periodically transmitting a beacon signal.

9. In a telecommunications system including a switched telecommunications network having switching means interconnected by trunk means and station means linked to at least certain of said switching means, the improvement comprising;

at least certain of said station means comprising fixed site transceiver means;

portable transceiver means including analog signal input means and analog signal output means and transmitter means and receiver means capable of communicating with said fixed site transceiver means;

first storage means associated with said portable transceiver means;

first processing means coupling said input signal means of said portable transceiver means with said first storage means to store in said first storage means a digitized signal derived from said analog signal input;

means associated with said portable transceiver means to couple said first storage means with said transmitter means to transmit a digital signal stored in said first storage means;

control means associated with said portable transceiver means to initiate transmission by said transmitter means;

second storage means associated with said switched telecommunications network for storing digital signals received from said transmitter means;

second processing means associated with said switched telecommunications network to couple said second storage means to at least one of said station means to provide at said station means an analog signal output corresponding to digital signals stored in said second storage means.

10. A telecommunications system according to claim 9 wherein said first processing means includes time compression means;

and said second processing means includes expansion means.

11. A telecommunications system according to claim 9 wherein said switched telecommunications network includes voice messaging means for automatically attempting delivery of signals stored in said second storage means to stations identified in said signals.

12. A telecommunications system according to claim 9 including beacon transmitter means associated with said fixed site transceiver means for periodically transmitting a beacon signal.

13. In a telecommunications system including a switched telecommunications network having switching means interconnected by trunk means and station means linked to at least certain of said switching means, the method comprising the steps of:

inputting to a portable transceiver means a message signal;

processing and storing said message signal as a digital signal in storage means associated with said transceiver means;

transmitting by radiation said stored message;

receiving said transmitted message via receiver means comprising a portion of a stationary fixed site transceiver means linked to switching means in said telecommunications network;

storing said received signal in storage means in said telecommunications network as a digital signal;

processing said digital signal stored in said storage means in said telecommunications network and delivering said message signal to at least one of said station means linked to at least certain of said switching means in said telecommunications network.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein said message is delivered to said station means in audible form.

15. A method according to claim 13 wherein said message is delivered to said station means in visual form.

16. A method according to claim 13 wherein the message signal inputted to said portable transceiver means comprises a voice message;

and wherein said message signal delivered to said station means is outputted as a voice signal.

17. A method according to claim 13 wherein said processing of said message signal for inputting to said storage means associated with said transceiver means includes time compression;

and

said processing of said digital signal stored in said storage means in said telecommunications network includes time expansion.

18. A method according to claim 13 including the steps of:

transmitting from said stationary fixed site a beacon signal containing signal content determined by the geographic location of said stationary fixed site;

receiving said beacon signal at said portable transceiver and delivering a message containing information relating to the location of said fixed site.

19. A method according to claim 13 wherein said transmission by radiation of said stored message is initiated by an operator controlling said portable transceiver means.

20. A method according to claim 19 wherein two-way communication between said portable transceiver means and fixed site transceiver means precedes said transmission of said stored message.