Cellular telephone management system

• US 5,749,052 A
• Filed: 05/24/1995
• Issued: 05/05/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tele Digital Development, Inc. (Teledigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tele Digital Development, Inc. (Teledigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hidem, Stephen E., Anderson, Hans, Tretter, Joseph P. III, Schuholz, John, Engfer, Robert P., Smoot, Charles H. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Macdonald, Allen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RICHARDSON, SCO
• Application Number:
  US08/449,849
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 379/59, 379/60, 379/58, 455/33.1, 455/406, 455/422, 455/565
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/28 with meter at substation or with calculation of charges at terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0116 Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• 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

Abstract

A cellular telephone includes a receiver for receiving cellular communications and a transmitter for transmitting cellular communications. A controller is coupled to the receiver and the transmitter and controls the receiver and the transmitter based on the command signals. The controller includes a first memory for storing call rate information indicative of rates charged for the cellular communications. A timer provides a timer signal indicative of a time during which the cellular communications take place. The controller determines the amount of currency to be charged for the cellular communications based on the call rate information and the timer signal. An administrator station is provided for loading a threshold amount of currency into the cellular telephone. The entire system can be tracked and managed, and system wide statistics are available to the system operator.

Claims

1. A cellular telephone system, comprising:

a cellular telephone including;

a receiver for receiving cellular communications;

a transmitter for transmitting cellular communications;

an operator interface for receiving input commands from an operator and for providing command signals based on the input commands; and

a controller, coupled to the receiver, the transmitter and the operator interface, for controlling the receiver and the transmitter based on the command signals, the controller including;

a memory for storing predetermined dialing directory data indicative of allowed telephone numbers useable by the operator;

restriction means for restricting communications with unauthorized telephonic communicators corresponding to telephone numbers other than the allowed telephone numbers; and

an administrator station having a second controller for communicating with the controller in the cellular telephone, wherein the controller in the cellular telephone includes an input, coupled to the receiver, for receiving the dialing directory data remotely from the administrator station.

2. The cellular telephone system of claim 1 wherein the restriction means comprises:

disabling means for precluding communication to the unauthorized telephonic communicators.

3. The cellular telephone system of claim 1 wherein the restriction means comprises:

disabling means for precluding communication from the unauthorized telephonic communicators.

4. The cellular telephone system of claim 1 wherein the administrator station includes a second memory for storing user profile information, and wherein the second controller communicates the user profile information to the controller in the cellular telephone, and wherein the controller in the cellular telephone controls operation of the cellular telephone based on the profile information received from the second controller.

5. The cellular telephone system of claim 4 wherein the user profile information includes call credit information indicative of a currency threshold which an operator of the cellular telephone is allowed to incur due to cellular communications.

6. The cellular telephone system of claim 5 wherein the controller in the cellular telephone includes means for determining an amount of currency to be charged for the cellular communications based on the user profile information.

7. The cellular telephone system of claim 6 wherein the controller restricts operation of the cellular telephone when the amount to be charged for the cellular communication reaches the call credit amount.