Disposable wireless telephone and method

• US 5,875,393 A
• Filed: 04/18/1997
• Issued: 02/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dynamic Technologies (Canada) Corp.
• Original Assignee: Randice-Lisa Altschul
• Inventors: Altschul, Randice-Lisa, Volpe, Lee S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G.
• Application Number:
  US08/844,149
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/407, 455/409, 455/550, 455/565, 455/572, 455/90, 455/347, 455/343, 455/405, 455/403, 455/418, 455/410, 455/411, 455/573, 455/575, 379/112, 379/114, 379/130, 379/144, 379/91.01, 390/825.33, 390/825.34
• US Class Current: 455/407
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/00 Shaping by thermoforming , i.e. shaping sheets or sheet like preforms after heating, e.g. shaping sheets in matched moulds or by deep-drawing; Apparatus therefor blow moulding of tubular preforms B29C49/00, deforming of tubular or hollow preforms B29C67/0014
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3431 Telephones, Earphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0287 being disposable or recyclable
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/17 Hygienic or sanitary devices on telephone equipment for mouthpieces or earpieces H04R1/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• 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 17/005 Disposable prepaid communication devices

Abstract

A disposable wireless telephone and a method of using a disposable wireless telephone capable of use for telephonic communications only for a limited period, within which limited period the sum of the durations of the telephonic communications reach the duration of the limited period, after which limited period the telephone is rendered inoperative and is discarded.

Claims

1. A disposable wireless telephone capable of use for telephonic communication by a user only during a limited period, after which period the telephone is rendered incapable of use and is discarded, the telephone comprising:

telephonic means within the telephone itself for transmitting and receiving telephonic communications, the telephonic means including a call destination selector for selecting the destination of a telephonic communication, the destination being selected from different rate destinations;

enabling/disabling means within the telephone itself for enabling the telephonic means for telephonic communications during the limited period and rendering the telephone incapable of use upon expiration of the limited period;

selective operating means within the telephone itself for operating the telephonic means for telephonic communications of selected durations;

the enabling/disabling means including disabling means within the telephone itself and responsive to the selective operating means for rendering the telephone itself incapable of use when the sum of the selected durations reaches the limited period;

the enabling/disabling means including setting means for setting a predetermined maximum duration of the limited period prior to delivery of the telephone to the user; and

tamper deterrent means within the telephone itself for precluding access to the setting means for any alteration of the Predetermined maximum duration of the limited period once the setting means has been set so as to preclude any resetting of the predetermined maximum duration of the limited period subsequent to delivery of the telephone to the user such that the telephone itself is rendered incapable of use beyond the limited period and is capable of being discarded;

the setting means including rate code means responsive to the call destination selector for operating the setting means at a rate determined by the selected destination of the telephonic communication to vary the duration of the limited period, up to the predetermined maximum duration, in accordance with the selected destination of the telephonic communications so as to enable telephonic communications to different rate destinations during the duration of the limited period.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the setting means includes a timing mechanism, and the rate code means is responsive to the call destination selector for varying the rate of operation of the timing mechanism in accordance with the selected destination of the telephonic communication.

3. A disposable wireless telephone capable of use for telephonic communication only during a limited period, after which period the telephone is rendered inoperative for telephonic communication and is discarded, the telephone comprising:

telephonic means for transmitting and receiving telephonic communications, the telephonic means including a call destination selector for selecting the destination of a telephonic communication, the destination being selected from different rate destinations;

enabling/disabling means for enabling the telephonic means for telephonic communications during the limited period and disabling the telephonic means for telephonic communications upon expiration of the limited period, whereby the telephone is rendered inoperative beyond the limited period and is capable of being discarded; and

selective operating means for operating the telephonic means for telephonic communications of selected durations, the enabling/disabling means being responsive to the selective operating means such that telephonic communication is disabled for telephonic communications when the sum of the selected durations reaches the limited period;

the enabling/disabling means including setting means for determining a maximum duration of the limited period, and disabling means for rendering the telephonic means inoperative in response to the sum of the selected durations reaching the duration of the limited period;

the setting means including rate code means responsive to the call destination selector for operating the setting means at a rate determined by the selected destination of the telephonic communication to vary the duration of the limited period, up to the maximum duration, in accordance with the selected destination of the telephonic communication so as to enable telephonic communications to different rate destinations during the duration of the limited period;

the setting means further including a source of power of given capacity, and the rate code means being responsive to the call destination selector for varying the rate of flow of current from the source of power in accordance with the selected destination of the telephonic communication.

4. A disposable wireless telephone capable of use for telephonic communication by a user only during a predetermined limited period, after which period the telephone is rendered incapable of use and is discarded, the telephone comprising:

telephonic means within the telephone itself for transmitting and receiving telephonic communications;

enabling/disabling means within the telephone itself for enabling the telephonic means for telephonic communications during the predetermined limited period and rendering the telephone incapable of use upon expiration of the limited period;

the enabling/disabling means including setting means for setting the duration of the predetermined limited period prior to delivery of the telephone to the user;

selective operating means within the telephone itself for operating the telephonic means for telephonic communications of selected durations;

the enabling/disabling means including disabling means within the telephone itself and responsive to the selective operating means for rendering the telephone itself incapable of use when the sum of the selected durations reaches the predetermined limited period; and

tamper deterrent means within the telephone itself for precluding access to the setting means for any alteration of the duration of the predetermined limited period once the setting means has been set so as to preclude any resetting of the duration of the predetermined limited period subsequent to delivery of the telephone to the user such that the telephone itself is rendered incapable of use beyond the limited period and is capable of being discarded;

the telephone including a circuit board, and a sheath wrapped around the circuit board such that the circuit board and the sheath comprise an integrated body capable of being hand held during telephonic communications.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein the circuit board comprises a plurality of layers laminated into an integral circuit board having a mechanical stiffness and dimensions for being hand held.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein the sheath is laminated to the integral circuit board to establish the integrated body.

7. The invention of claim 6 including:

an earphone attached to the circuit board and protruding beyond the sheath;

a microphone attached to the circuit board and protruding beyond the sheath; and

a battery connector attached to the circuit board and protruding beyond the sheath.

8. The invention of claim 6 including a keypad on the circuit board, the sheath overlapping the keypad and including indicia for enabling operation of the keypad through the sheath.

9. A method of using a disposable wireless telephone for telephonic communications by a user during only a predetermined maximum duration of a limited period, after which duration the telephone is rendered incapable of use and is discarded, the telephone including telephonic means for transmitting and receiving telephonic communications, the method comprising:

enabling the telephonic means itself for telephonic communications during the predetermined maximum duration of the limited period;

operating the telephonic means for telephonic communications of selected durations;

rendering the telephone incapable of use upon the sum of the selected durations reaching the predetermined maximum duration of the limited period;

selecting the destination of a telephonic communication, the destination being selected from different rate destinations;

setting a setting means within the telephone itself to the predetermined maximum duration of the limited period prior to delivery of the telephone to the user;

precluding access to the setting means far any alteration of the predetermined maximum duration of the limited period once the setting means has been set so as to preclude any resetting of the duration of the predetermined maximum duration of the limited period subsequent to delivery of the telephone to the user such that the telephone itself is rendered incapable of use beyond the predetermined maximum duration of the limited period and is capable of being discarded; and

varying the duration of the limited period, up to the predetermined maximum duration, in accordance with the selected destination of the telephonic communication so as to enable telephonic communications to different rate destinations during the predetermined maximum duration of the limited period.

10. The invention of claim 9 including discarding the telephone upon expiration of the limited period.