Methods and systems for programming a cellular radiotelephone

• US 5,930,703 A
• Filed: 03/21/1996
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Cairns, Steven G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEGREE, TRACY MICHELLE
• Application Number:
  US08/619,175
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 455/419, 455/418, 455/403, 455/564, 455/551, 455/410, 455/88, 455/517, 455/575, 395/200.42, 395/200.43, 395/200.46, 395/200.47, 395/200.49, 395/200.6, 395/200.62, 379/444, 379/443, 379/355, 379/356, 379/433
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2155 Acoustic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

A directory of telephone numbers is entered into a cellular radiotelephone by entering the directory into a terminal, transferring the directory from the terminal to the radiotelephone via a wireless coupling, and programming the directory into a memory of the cellular radiotelephone. The radiotelephone preferably includes an acoustic output transducer, an acoustic input transducer, a transceiver, a memory, a wireless coupling for receiving a data signal including the directory of telephone numbers, and a processor for programming the directory in the memory. The terminal is preferably a system including an input device for accepting entry of the directory, a processor for converting the directory into a data signal which can be transferred to the radiotelephone and an acoustic output transducer for transferring the data signal to the radiotelephone where the directory of telephone numbers can be programmed into memory.

Claims

1. A method for providing a directory of telephone numbers to a cellular radiotelephone comprising the steps of:

entering the directory of telephone numbers into a terminal;

transferring the directory of telephone numbers from said terminal to said cellular radiotelephone via a wireless coupling wherein said wireless coupling comprises an acoustic coupling between an acoustic output transducer of said terminal and an acoustic input transducer of said cellular radiotelephone; and

programming the transferred directory of telephone numbers into a memory of said cellular radiotelephone.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said transferring step is preceded by the steps of:

transferring a known test data pattern from said terminal to said cellular radiotelephone via said wireless coupling; and

indicating successful receipt of the known test data pattern at said cellular radiotelephone to confirm operation of said wireless coupling prior to transferring the directory of telephone numbers.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said transferring step is preceded by the step of editing said entered directory of telephone numbers at said terminal.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the directory of telephone numbers comprises a plurality of telephone numbers and a plurality of groups of alpha-numeric characters wherein each of the groups of alpha-numeric characters corresponds to a respective one of the telephone numbers.

5. A method for providing a directory of telephone numbers to a cellular radiotelephone comprising the steps of:

entering the directory of telephone numbers into a terminal;

transferring the directory of telephone numbers from said terminal to said cellular radiotelephone via a wireless coupling;

transferring the directory of telephone numbers from said terminal to said cellular radiotelephone via a wireless coupling; and

programming the transferred directory of telephone numbers into a memory of said cellular radiotelephone;

wherein said transferring step is preceded by the steps of,

transferring a known test data pattern from said terminal to said cellular radiotelephone via said wireless coupling;

indicating successful receipt of the known test data pattern at said cellular radiotelephone to confirm operation of said wireless coupling prior to transferring the directory of telephone numbers; and

wherein said indicating step comprises providing one of an audible and a visible indication of successful receipt at said cellular radiotelephone for verification by a user.

6. A method for providing a directory of telephone numbers to a cellular radiotelephone comprising the steps of:

entering the directory of telephone numbers into a terminal;

transferring the directory of telephone numbers from said terminal to said cellular radiotelephone via a wireless coupling; and

programming the transferred directory of telephone numbers into a memory of said cellular radiotelephone;

wherein said terminal comprises a personal computer including an acoustic output transducer.

7. A system for programming a directory of telephone numbers into a cellular radiotelephone, said computer system comprising:

input means for accepting entry of the directory of telephone numbers by a user;

processing means for converting the directory of telephone numbers into a data signal which can be transferred to the cellular radiotelephone; and

wireless coupling means for transferring the data signal including the directory of telephone numbers from said computer system to the cellular radiotelephone where the directory of telephone numbers can be programmed into memory of the cellular radiotelephone wherein said wireless coupling means comprises an acoustic output transducer for transmitting an acoustic data signal which can be received by an acoustic input transducer of the cellular radiotelephone.

8. A system according to claim 7 further comprising:

testing means for transferring a known test data pattern to the cellular radiotelephone.

9. A system according to claim 7 further comprising editing means for accepting editing of the directory of telephone numbers by the user.

10. A system according to claim 7 wherein the directory of telephone numbers comprises a plurality of telephone numbers and a plurality of groups of alpha-numeric characters wherein each of the groups of alpha-numeric characters corresponds to a respective one of the telephone numbers.

11. A method for copying user programmable data from a first memory of a first cellular radiotelephone to a second memory of a second radiotelephone comprising the steps of:

wirelessly transferring the user programmable data from said first cellular radiotelephone via a wireless coupling;

wirelessly receiving the user programmable data at said second radiotelephone via the wireless coupling; and

programming said second memory of said second radiotelephone with the user programmable data;

wherein said wirelessly transferring step comprises the steps of converting the user programmable data in said first cellular radiotelephone to an acoustic data signal, and transmitting the acoustic data signal from an acoustic output transducer of said first cellular radiotelephone.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein said wireless receiving step comprises the steps of:

receiving the acoustic data signal at an acoustic input transducer of said second radiotelephone; and

reconverting the received acoustic data signal back to the user programmable data within said second radiotelephone.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein said user programmable data comprises a directory of telephone numbers.

14. A method for copying user programmable data from a first memory of a first cellular radiotelephone to a second memory of a second radiotelephone comprising the steps of:

wirelessly transferring a known test data pattern from said first cellular radiotelephone to said second radiotelephone via said wireless coupling;

indicating successful receipt of said data pattern at said second radiotelephone to confirm operation of said wireless coupling prior to transferring the user programmable data;

wherein the steps of wirelessly transferring the known test data pattern and indicating successful receipt are followed by wirelessly transferring the user programmable data from said first cellular radiotelephone via a wireless coupling;

wirelessly receiving the user programmable data at said second radiotelephone via the wireless coupling; and

programming said second memory of said second radiotelephone with the user programmable data.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein said indicating step comprises providing one of an audible and a visible indication of successful receipt at said second radiotelephone for verification by a user.

16. A cellular radiotelephone comprising:

an acoustic output transducer for generating acoustic energy in response to an input audio electrical signal;

a transceiver for receiving the input audio electrical signal and for transmitting an output audio electrical signal over radio frequency channels;

a memory for storing a directory of telephone numbers;

wireless coupling means for receiving the directory of telephone numbers; and

processor means for programming the directory of telephone numbers in said memory;

wherein said wireless coupling means comprises an acoustic modem coupled to an acoustic input transducer for receiving an acoustic data signal including the directory of telephone numbers.

17. A cellular radiotelephone according to claim 16 further comprising indicating means for indicating successful receipt of a known test data pattern to confirm operation of said wireless coupling.

18. A cellular radiotelephone according to claim 16 wherein the directory of telephone numbers comprises a plurality of telephone numbers and a plurality of groups of alpha-numeric characters, wherein each of the groups of alpha-numeric characters corresponds to a respective one of the telephone numbers.

19. A cellular radiotelephone comprising:

an acoustic output transducer for generating acoustic energy in response to an input audio electrical signal;

a transceiver for receiving the input audio electrical signal and for transmitting an output audio electrical signal over radio frequency channels;

a memory for storing a directory of telephone numbers;

wireless coupling means for receiving the directory of telephone numbers;

processor means for programming the directory of telephone numbers in said memory; and

indicating means for indicating successful receipt of a known test data pattern to confirm operation of said wireless coupling wherein said indicating means comprises one of an audible and a visual indicator.