Cellular phone voice recorder

• US 5,995,824 A
• Filed: 11/14/1997
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Whitfield, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Doris H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): APPIAH, CHARLES NANA
• Application Number:
  US08/969,879
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575, 455/556, 455/560, 455/412, 455/413, 455/414, 379/88.01, 379/88.03, 379/88.22, 379/88.23, 379/88.24, 379/88.25, 379/88.26, 379/202, 379/204, 379/205, 379/206, 379/210, 379/211, 379/212, 379/214
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/656 for recording conversations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A telecommunications system and method for providing cellular phone voice recording to subscribers, in order to simplify the recording of information while using a mobile terminal, and to increase the safety of the subscriber while operating a motor vehicle. For example, during a call, a subscriber may initiate the recording feature by pressing a dedicated key or a sequence of keys on the cellular phone. This feature can be implemented completely within the cellular phone itself, or it can be implemented in the Mobile Services Center/Visitor Location Register (MSC/VLR). With this feature, a subscriber can record information at any time during a call without the need for recording materials, e.g., paper or the scratch pad function on the cellular phone, which both increases the safety of the subscriber while driving, and provides a convenient manner of recording information.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system for recording information by a mobile subscriber within a cellular network during a call between said mobile subscriber and a third party, said telecommunications system comprising:

voice recording feature information associated with said mobile subscriber, said voice recording feature information being stored within said cellular network;

a voice mail system within said cellular network having a voice mail box associated with said mobile subscriber therein, said voice mail box for storing said information upon activation of said voice recording feature information;

a mobile terminal within said cellular network associated with said mobile subscriber for transmitting a first code during said call to activate said voice recording feature information; and

a mobile services center in wireless communication with said mobile terminal for receiving said first code, accessing said voice recording feature information in response to said first code and establishing a multi-party call between said mobile subscriber, said third party and said voice mail box, said information being recorded and stored in said voice mail box during said multi-party call.

2. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said multi-party call is terminated by said mobile terminal disconnecting said call between said mobile subscriber and said third party.

3. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said mobile services center stores said voice recording feature information therein.

4. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said voice recording feature information comprises a routing number for said voice mail system and a Personal Identification Number associated with said voice mail box.

5. The telecommunications system of claim 4, wherein said mobile subscriber retrieves said information stored in said voice mail box within said voice mail system by dialing said routing number and entering said Personal Identification Number on said mobile terminal, said mobile services center receiving said routing number and said Personal Identification Number from said mobile terminal and establishing a call connection between said voice mail box and said mobile terminal to enable said mobile subscriber to retrieve said information.

6. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said multi-party call is disconnected by said mobile services center when said mobile services center receives a service code entered by said mobile subscriber on said mobile terminal, said call between said mobile subscriber and said third party not being disconnected.

7. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said first code is sent to said mobile services center using an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data protocol.

8. The telecommunications system of claim 1, further comprising an intelligent node connected to said mobile services center, said intelligent node storing said voice recording feature information therein, said mobile services center retrieving said voice recording feature information from said intelligent node to establish said multi-party call.

9. The telecommunications system of claim 1, further comprising a Home Location Register connected to said mobile services center, said Home Location Register storing said voice recording feature information therein, said mobile services center retrieving said voice recording feature information from said Home Location register to establish said multi-party call.

10. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said information comprises a conversation between said mobile subscriber and said third party.

11. A method for recording information by a mobile subscriber within a cellular network during a call between said mobile subscriber and a third party, comprising the steps of:

transmitting, by a mobile terminal associated with said mobile subscriber, a first code to a mobile services center in wireless communication with said mobile terminal within said cellular network;

accessing, by said mobile services center, voice recording feature information associated with said mobile subscriber within said cellular network in response to said first code;

establishing, by said mobile services center, a multi-party call between said mobile subscriber, said third party and a voice mail box associated with said mobile subscriber within a voice mail system within said cellular network; and

recording said information in said voice mail box during said multi-party call.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

disconnecting, by said mobile services center, said multi-party call; and

terminating recording of said information in said voice mail box in response to said step of disconnecting.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of disconnecting further comprises the step of:

disconnecting, by said mobile subscriber, said call between said mobile terminal and said third party to disconnect said multi-party call.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of disconnecting further comprises the step of:

receiving at said mobile services center a service code entered by said mobile subscriber on said mobile terminal, said call between said mobile terminal and said third party not being disconnected.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

retrieving said information stored in said voice mail box within said voice mail system by said mobile subscriber.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said voice recording feature information comprises a routing number for said voice mail system and a Personal Identification Number associated with said voice mail box;

and wherein said step of retrieving further comprises the steps of;

dialing said routing number and entering said Personal Identification Number on said mobile terminal;

receiving at said mobile services center said routing number and said Personal Identification Number from said mobile terminal; and

establishing, by said mobile services center a call connection between said voice mail box and said mobile terminal to enable said mobile subscriber to retrieve said information.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of transmitting further comprises the step of:

transmitting said first code to said mobile services center using an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data protocol.