Cellular telephone system with remote programming, voice responsive registration and real time billing
First Claim
1. A mobile telephone rental system comprising mobile telephone transceiver units installed in rental vehicles and operated in conjunction with cell sites and cellular switches in mobile telephone switching office (MTSOs) which route calls to and from the mobile telephone units through a public switched telephone network (PSTN) with the system also comprising one or more collectors connected to the one or more cellular switches, a voice response system, and a registration system, such rental system including:
- means in the mobile telephone unit for dialing a specific, pre-programmed voice response system;
means in the mobile telephone unit and the voice response system for establishing a bi-directional dual tone modulating frequency (DTMF) communication protocol upon connection of the call between the mobile telephone unit and the voice response system;
means in the mobile telephone unit for transmitting mobile identification number (MIN) and status information to the voice response system;
means for establishing data encryption of DTMF packet data units (PDUs) as well as keyed entry by the user at the unit handset;
means for programming a digital lock code upon command from the voice response system;
means for locking the mobile telephone unit upon command from the voice response system;
means for enabling the voice response system to detect user key presses on the handset upon command from the voice response system;
means for termination of the connection between the mobile telephone unit and the voice response system upon command from the voice response system or the mobile telephone unit;
means for directing the mobile telephone unit to establish radio communication on the A or B Band upon command from the boice response system;
means for directing the mobile telephone unit to contact the voice response system upon entering a new cellular service area;
means for allowing the mobile telephone unit to make calls; and
means for unlocking the mobile telephone unit upon entry of a valid digital lock code by user key pressed entry at the handset.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for use in a mobile telephone rental system in which credit card information is communicated between the mobile telephone unit 100 and a Voice Response System 302 for customer registration and remote programming of mobile telephone unit 100 features and NAM settings; communicating data between the Voice Response System 302 and a Registration System 304 for customer credit card validation; communicating data between the Registration System 304 and a credit card clearinghouse 306 for credit card approval or decline; communicating data between the Registration System 304 and a plurality of Collector Systems 307 for call rating and billing; communicating data between the Registration System 304 and an Administration System 309 for providing rated call information to the reseller; and communicating data between the mobile telephone unit 100 and an Indirect System 303 for establishing service in cellular areas without Collector System 307 service. Data read from the mobile telephone units 100 are transmitted in variable length, encrypted and error protected Packet Data Units (PDUs).
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A mobile telephone rental system comprising mobile telephone transceiver units installed in rental vehicles and operated in conjunction with cell sites and cellular switches in mobile telephone switching office (MTSOs) which route calls to and from the mobile telephone units through a public switched telephone network (PSTN) with the system also comprising one or more collectors connected to the one or more cellular switches, a voice response system, and a registration system, such rental system including:
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means in the mobile telephone unit for dialing a specific, pre-programmed voice response system; means in the mobile telephone unit and the voice response system for establishing a bi-directional dual tone modulating frequency (DTMF) communication protocol upon connection of the call between the mobile telephone unit and the voice response system; means in the mobile telephone unit for transmitting mobile identification number (MIN) and status information to the voice response system; means for establishing data encryption of DTMF packet data units (PDUs) as well as keyed entry by the user at the unit handset; means for programming a digital lock code upon command from the voice response system; means for locking the mobile telephone unit upon command from the voice response system; means for enabling the voice response system to detect user key presses on the handset upon command from the voice response system; means for termination of the connection between the mobile telephone unit and the voice response system upon command from the voice response system or the mobile telephone unit; means for directing the mobile telephone unit to establish radio communication on the A or B Band upon command from the boice response system; means for directing the mobile telephone unit to contact the voice response system upon entering a new cellular service area; means for allowing the mobile telephone unit to make calls; and means for unlocking the mobile telephone unit upon entry of a valid digital lock code by user key pressed entry at the handset. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification