Paging device with ability to automatically connect by telephone a person initiating a page request to the person paged

• US 5,790,949 A
• Filed: 07/01/1996
• Issued: 08/04/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Tognazzini, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WYCHE, MYRON
• Application Number:
  US08/671,292
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 379/57, 379/56, 340/825.44, 340/311.1, 455/38.1, 455/31.2, 455/556, 455/151.2, 455/426, 455/458
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/022 Paging systems personal calling arrangements or devices G08B3/1008; selective calling networks H04W84/022

Abstract

A paging system communicatively connects a first user initiating a page request using a first telephone to a second user receiving the page request using a second telephone. The paging system includes a paging service transmitter transmitting the page request, and a paging device. The paging device includes a page receiver receiving the page request as a first signal, and a first identification device. The first identification device receives the first signal indicating that the page request was received, and includes an identification transmitter for transmitting a second signal indicating that the second user is ready to be communicatively connected. The paging system includes a second identification device, and receives the second signal transmitted by said first identification device. The second identification device transmits a third signal including a destination number corresponding and addressable to the second telephone. The paging system further includes a page locator device receiving notification of the page request from the first user and receiving the third signal. The page locator device communicatively connects the first user to the second user receiving the page request using the second telephone responsive to the destination number received in the third signal.

Claims

1. A paging system for communicatively connecting a first user initiating a page request using a first telephone to a second user, comprising:

a page transmitter transmitting the page request;

a paging device responsively connected to said page transmitter, said paging device comprising;

a page receiver receiving the page request as a first signal;

a first identification device responsively connected to said page receiver, receiving the first signal and generating a page received signal; and

an identification transmitter for transmitting a second signal responsive to said page received signal indicating that the second user is ready to connect to the first user;

a second identification device associated with a second telephones, receiving the second signal and transmitting a third signal including a destination number corresponding to the second telephone; and

a locator computer receiving the third signal transmitted by said second identification device, said locator computer connecting the first telephone to the second telephone responsive to the destination number received in the third signal.

2. A paging system according to claim 1, wherein the destination number is a telephone number.

3. A paging system according to claim 1, wherein the second signal is an infrared signal.

4. A paging system according to claim 1, wherein the second signal is a low power radio signal.

6. A paging system according to claim 1, wherein said locator computer maintains the first user using the first telephone initiating the page request on hold until receiving the third signal from said second identification device.

7. A paging system according to claim 1, wherein said locator computer determines a telephone number for connecting the first user to the second user responsive to the destination number.

8. A paging system according to claim 1, wherein when said second identification device does not transmit the third signal after a predetermined period of time, said locator computer disconnects communication with the first user, and wherein when said second identification device transmits the third signal after the predetermined period of time, said locator computer re-establishes communication with the first user and communicatively connects the first user initiating the page request using the first telephone to the second user receiving the page request using the second telephone.

9. A paging system according to claim 1, wherein when the connection between the first user and the second user comprises a toll call, said first identification device transmits at least one of a credit card number or a calling card number in payment for the connection.

5. A paging system for communicatively connecting a first user initiating a page request using a first telephone to a second user, comprising:

a page transmitter transmitting the page request;

a paging device responsively connected to said page transmitter, said paging device comprising;

a page receiver receiving the page request as a first signal;

a first identification device responsively connected to said page receiver, receiving the first signal and generating a page received signal; and

an identification transmitter for transmitting a second signal responsive to said page received signal indicating that the second user is ready to connect to the first user;

a second identification device associated with a second telephone, receiving the second signal and transmitting a third signal including a destination number corresponding to the second telephone; and

a locator computer receiving the third signal transmitted by said second identification device, said locator computer connecting the first telephone to the second telephone responsive to the destination number received in the third signal, wherein at least one of said first and second identification devices is a shoe computer.

10. A method for communicatively connecting a first user initiating a page request using a first telephone to a second user receiving the page request at a second telephone, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting the page request as a first signal;

(b) receiving the first signal at a location of the second user;

(c) transmitting a second signal indicating that the second user is ready to be connected to the first user;

(d) in response to said second signal, transmitting a third signal including a destination number corresponding to the second telephone; and

(e) communicatively connecting the first user to the second user responsive to the destination number received in the third signal.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the destination number is a telephone number.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the second signal is an infrared signal.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the second signal is a low power radio signal.

14. A method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of placing on hold the first user using the first telephone initiating the page request until the third signal is received.

15. A method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of determining a telephone number for connecting the first user using the first telephone initiating the page request to the second user responsive to the destination number.

16. A method according to claim 10, wherein when the third signal is not transmitted after a predetermined period of time, disconnecting communication with the first user, and when said the third signal is transmitted after the predetermined period of time, re-establishing communication with the first user and connecting the first user to the second user at the second telephone.

17. A method according to claim 10, wherein when the connection between the first user and the second user comprises a toll call, said first identification device transmits at least one of a credit card number or a calling card number in payment for the connection.

18. A paging system for communicatively connecting a first user initiating a page request using a first telephone to a second user receiving the page request using a second telephone, comprising:

a page transmitter transmitting the page request;

a paging device responsively connected to said page transmitter, said paging device comprising

a page receiver receiving the page request as a first signal;

a first identification device responsively connected to said page receiver, said first identification device receiving the first signal indicating that the page request was received by said page receiver, said first identification device including an identification transmitter for transmitting a second signal indicating that the second user is ready to be communicatively connected to the first user initiating the page request;

a second identification device associated with the second telephone and receiving the second signal transmitted by said first identification device, said second identification device transmitting a third signal including a destination number corresponding and addressable to the second telephone; and

a page locator device receiving notification of the page request from the first user and receiving the third signal transmitted by said second identification device, said page locator device communicatively connecting the first user initiating the page request using the first telephone to the second user receiving the page request using the second telephone responsive to the destination number received in the third signal.

19. In a paging system for communicatively connecting a first user initiating a page request using a first telephone to a second user receiving the page request using a second telephone, the paging system includes a page transmitter transmitting the page request, a paging device comprising

a page receiver receiving the page request as a first signal;

a first identification device responsively connected to said page receiver, said first identification device receiving the first signal indicating that the page request was received by said page receiver, transmitting a second signal indicating that the second user is ready to be communicatively connected to the first user initiating the page request

a second identification device associated with the second telephone and receiving the second signal transmitted by said first identification device, said second identification device transmitting a third signal including a destination number corresponding and addressable to the second telephone; and

a page locator device receiving notification of the page request from the first user and receiving the third signal transmitted by said second identification device, said page locator device communicatively connecting the first user initiating the page request using the first telephone to the second user receiving the page request using the second telephone responsive to the destination number received in the third signal.

20. A paging device according to claim 19,

wherein the second signal transmitted by said first identification device comprises an infrared signal, and

wherein the second telephone includes said second identification device and an infrared receiver, and wherein the infrared receiver receives the infrared signal transmitted from said first identification device.

21. A paging device according to claim 19, wherein the paging device is portable.

22. A paging system for connecting a first user initiating a page request sent during a telephone call using a first telephone to a second user at a location of a second telephone, comprising:

a central office switching center receiving the telephone call and the page request from the first user;

a page transmitter station receiving the telephone call from said central office switching center, and transmitting the page request in response thereto;

a paging device comprising

a page receiver receiving the page request as a first signal;

a first identification device responsively connected to said page receiver, said first identification device receiving the first signal indicating that the page request was received by said page receiver, said first identification device including an identification transmitter for transmitting a second signal indicating that the second user is ready to be connected to the first user;

a second identification device associated with the second telephone and receiving the second signal and transmitting a third signal including a destination number corresponding to the second telephone; and

a page locator device responsive to notification of the page request from the first user and to the third signal transmitted by said second identification device, connecting the first user to the second user at the second telephone responsive to the destination number received in the third signal via said central office switching center.

23. A computer program product comprising:

a memory medium; and

a computer program stored on said memory medium, said computer program including instructions for receiving a page request; and

transmitting a second signal indicating that a user is ready to be connected to a user initiating the page request.