Computer system for use with a wireless data communication network

• US 5,657,345 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 08/12/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Lazaridis, Mihal
• Primary Examiner(s): TSE, YOUNG TOI
• Application Number:
  US08/474,543
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 375/220, 375/222, 375/377, 379/93, 379/94, 379/96
• US Class Current: 375/222
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/06 Simultaneous speech and data transmission, e.g. telegraphic transmission over the same conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for enhancing service signals transmitted by a DCE, such as a Modem, to a DTE user. Since any transmission from a remote computer to a DTE user through a wireless communication network can be encoded with additional information, use of an AT compatible modem in conjunction with a wireless communication network adds a new dimension of information that can be displayed to the DTE user. The present invention also includes a method for ensuring effective data transfer from a DCE to a DTE user. When a DTE receives a connection service signal it will often require several internal adjustments before it can accept data. Because data received by a radio-based modem is received in packets, under certain conditions data will be waiting to be transmitted to the user immediately after the modem enters a data transfer state. The method of this invention includes the steps of transmitting a service signal to the DTE indicating that the modem has entered a data transfer state and delaying for a predetermined time after transmitting the data-transfer-state signal before transmitting data from the modem to the DTE.

Claims

1. A method of indicating to data terminal equipment (DTE) a source of data transmitted over a data communications network and through a gateway to data communications equipment (DCE) that is configurable to receive such data from the gateway and is connected to the DTE, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing a session request from a request initiator that is to be transmitted via the data communications network through the gateway to the DCE, wherein the session request includes identification data that identifies the source of the session request;

(b) transmitting the session request over the network through the gateway to the DCE;

(c) determining whether the session request is valid;

(d) if the session request is valid, preparing a service signal from the DCE to the DTE in response to the session request;

(e) enhancing the service signal by adding an identifier that represents at least a part of the identification data to the service signal;

(f) transmitting the service signal that has been enhanced in the enhancing step to the DTE; and

(g) processing the service signal at the DTE.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the session request includes a presentation string.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the processing step (g) includes a step of displaying a message based upon the presentation string.

4. The method of claim 2, including, prior to the processing step (g), the step of setting a DCE parameter to indicate whether a message based upon the presentation string is to be displayed.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the processing step (g) includes a step of displaying the message.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the processing step (g) includes the step of assessing the DCE parameter to determine whether the message based upon the presentation string is to be displayed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the DCE is a modem.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing step (g) includes a step of displaying an indication, based upon the identifier, of the source of the session request.

9. The method of claim 1, including, prior to the processing step (g), the step of setting a DCE parameter to indicate whether an indication of the source of the session request is to be displayed.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the processing step (g) includes a step of displaying the indication.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the processing step (g) includes the step of assessing the DCE parameter to determine whether the indication of the source of the session request is to be displayed.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the session request is a connection request.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the session request is a connection confirm request.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the session request is a disconnect request.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the data communications network is a wireless data communications network.

16. A method of enhancing a data communication service signal that is communicated over a data communications network and through a gateway to data communications equipment (DCE) that is configurable to receive such data from the gateway and is connected to data terminal equipment (DTE), the method comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing a session request from a request initiator that is to be transmitted via the data communications network through the gateway to the DCE, wherein the session request includes a presentation string;

(b) transmitting the session request over the network through the gateway to DCE;

(c) determining whether the session request is valid;

(d) if the session request is valid, preparing a service signal from the DCE to the DTE in response to the session request;

(e) determining whether the service signal should be enhanced, and if the service signal is to be enhanced, adding a message to the service signal based upon the presentation string;

(f) transmitting the service signal to the DTE; and

(g) processing the service signal at the DTE.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the session request includes identification data that identifies the source of the session request.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the DCE is a modem.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the processing step (g) includes a step of displaying an indication, based upon the identification data, of the source of the session request.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the processing step includes a step of displaying a message based upon the presentation string if the processing string is present.

21. A system for enhancing service signals that are transmitted between a modem and data terminal equipment (DTE) associated with the modem by providing to the DTE an indication of the source of data transmitted over a data communications network and through a gateway to the modem, the system including:

means for detecting a session request from a request initiator that is transmitted via the data communications network through the gateway to the modem, wherein the session request includes identification data that identify the source of the session request;

validating means for determining whether the session request is valid;

means for preparing a service signal from the modem to the DTE in response to the session request and in response to the determination made by the validating means;

means for enhancing the service signal by adding an identifier that represents at least a part of the identification data to the service signal;

means for transmitting the service signal to the DTE; and

means for processing the service signal at the DTE.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the means for processing includes means for determining whether a representation based upon the identifier is to be displayed.

23. Data Communications Equipment (DCE) for receiving a session request from a data communications network via a gateway and for transmitting the session request in an enhanced form to data terminal equipment (DTE) connected to the DCE, the DCE including:

a receiver for receiving a modulated signal that includes at least one data packet that represents the session request and includes data indicating the source of the session request;

a demodulator coupled to the receiver for demodulating the modulated signal;

a processor coupled to the demodulator for disassembling each data packet, extracting from at least one data packet the data indicating the source of the session request and preparing an enhanced service signal that includes the session request and an identifier, based upon the data indicating the source of the session request; and

a communications pathway from the processor to the DTE for transmitting the enhanced service signal.

24. The DCE of claim 23, wherein the enhance service signal is configured as a serial data stream.

25. The DCE of claim 24, wherein the communications pathway is an RS-232 interface.

26. A method of using a modem to enhance a data communication service signal that is communicated over a data communications network and through a gateway to the modem, wherein the modem is configurable to receive the service signal from the gateway and is connected to data terminal equipment (DTE), the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at the modem a session request from a request initiator, wherein the session request is transmitted via the data communications network through the gateway to the DTE;

determining whether the session request is valid;

if the session request is valid, preparing the service signal from the modem to the DTE in response to the session request;

determining whether the service signal should be enhanced, and if the service signal is to be enhanced, determining which enhancement mode of a plurality of enhancement modes has been requested and enhancing the service signal by including in the service signal enhancement data derived from the session request, wherein the enhancement data is selected based upon the enhancement mode requested;

transmitting the service signal as enhanced to the DTE; and

processing the service signal as enhanced at the DTE.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the preparing step includes the step of determining the type of session request and preparing the service signal based upon the type of session request.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the session request includes identification data that identify the source of the session request.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein one enhancement mode of the plurality of enhancement modes requires, when selected, that the enhancement data include an identifier derived from the identification data.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the session request includes a presentation string.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein one enhancement mode of the plurality of enhancement modes requires, when selected, that

the enhancement data include a message derived from the presentation string.