Cellular radiotelephone with dialed number analysis

• US 6,021,335 A
• Filed: 05/02/1996
• Issued: 02/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GTE Wireless Service Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GTE Mobile Communications Service Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Zicker, Robert G., Dion, John K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WYCHE, MYRON
• Application Number:
  US08/642,237
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• Field of Search: 379/58, 379/59, 379/60, 379/63, 379/354, 379/355, 455/33.1, 455/33.2, 455/564, 455/565
• US Class Current: 455/564
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27 Devices whereby a plurality of signals may be stored simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27463 Predictive input, predictive dialling by comparing the dialled sequence with the content of a telephone directory
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27485 Appending a prefix to or inserting a pause into a dialling sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/00 Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 by downloading data to substation equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/16 for PBS [Private Base Station] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/28 Number portability ; Network address portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/14 WLL [Wireless Local Loop]; RLL [Radio Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/021 adapted for Wireless Local Loop operation

Abstract

A radiotelephone (10) simulates the call origination process performed by land-line telephones. Dial tone is generated (78) in response to an off-hook condition and removed when a first digit (54) is dialed. A timer process (84, 110) and a number analysis process (100) simultaneously evaluate dialed digits to detect the completion of dialing. The number analysis process (100) identifies seven, ten, and eleven digit, and indeterminate length phone number formats (64, 66, 52, 68). The ten digit format is recognized in response to remotely programmed (42) connected NPA codes. For most calls, the number analysis process (100) instantly detects a phone number'"'"'s final digit (62). In a few cases the timer process (84, 110) detects the final digit through the absence of dialing activity for a predetermined duration. When the final digit (62) is detected, an origination message is transmitted to a cellular network.

Claims

1. A method of operating a portable cellular telephone to originate a call, said portable cellular telephone having a keypad and said method comprising the steps of:

identifying, within said portable cellular telephone, the entry of earlier and later dialed digits at said portable cellular telephone keypad, said earlier digit being dialed prior to said later digit;

determining if said portable cellular telephone is roaming while the digits are beings dialed;

determining, at said portable cellular telephone in response to a numeric value of said earlier digit and in further response to the determination as to whether said portable cellular telephone is roaming, whether said later digit is a final digit of a phone number; and

automatically transmitting an origination message from said portable cellular telephone when said later digit is said final digit of said phone number, said origination message conveying said phone number to a telecommunication network.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 additionally comprising the steps of:

detecting manipulation of a key from said keypad which signals an off-hook condition; and

generating, in response to detection of said off-hook condition, an audio tone at said portable cellular telephone, said audio tone having a tonal quality approximating precision dial tone.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 additionally comprising the step of attenuating said audio tone when a first digit is entered.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 additionally comprising the steps of:

detecting manipulation of a key which signals an instruction to delete one or more dialed digits; and

generating said audio tone in response to said detecting step when a first dialed digit is deleted.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said earlier digit is a first digit of said phone number;

said identifying step further identifies the entry of a second dialed digit; and

said determining step comprises the step of verifying that said second digit is neither a zero nor a one when said first digit was a zero or a one.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein said identifying step identifies the entry of each digit of said phone number, including said first, second, and later digits, and said method additionally comprises the steps of:

initiating, when said second digit is a one or a zero and said first digit is a one or a zero, a wait period in response to the entry of at least one of said digits; and

automatically transmitting said origination message when said wait period expires.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said identifying step identifies the entry of each digit of said phone number, including said earlier and later digits, and said method additionally comprises the steps of:

initiating a wait period in response to the entry of at least one of said digits; and

performing said transmitting step when said wait period expires.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said initiating step is configured so that entry of each digit following a first digit of said phone number reinitiates said wait period.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1 additionally comprising the step of configuring said keypad to include a phone key and to exclude a send key.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 additionally comprising the steps of:

detecting, within said portable cellular telephone, the pressing of said phone key; and

generating dial tone within said portable cellular telephone in response to said detecting step.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said determining step comprises the steps of:

following a dialing plan analysis algorithm to determine whether said later digit is said final digit; and

receiving a remote programming RF data communication which defines said dialing plan analysis algorithm.

9. A portable cellular telephone with automatic number completion recognition, said portable cellular telephone comprising:

an outer case enclosing an interior space;

a keypad residing at least partially within said interior space of said outer case, said keypad being for detecting the entry of each of a plurality of dialed digits;

a controller residing within said interior space being coupled to said keypad, said controller being configured to capture and analyze numeric values of said dialed digits, said controller also being configured to determine completion of a dialed phone number based upon the numeric values of at least some of said dialed digits and a determination as to whether said portable cellular telephone is roaming; and

a transmitter residing within said interior space and being coupled to said controller, said transmitter being configured to send an origination message to a cellular communications network, said origination message conveying said phone number to said network.

10. A portable cellular telephone as claimed in claim 9 wherein:

said portable cellular telephone additionally comprises means, residing within said interior space and being coupled to said controller, for generating an audio signal having a tonal quality approximating a precision dial tone; and

said controller is additionally configured to detect an off-hook condition, activate said generating means upon detection of said off-hook condition, and deactivate said generating means upon entry of a first dialed digit, said off-hook condition being signaled in response to manipulation of a key from said keypad.

11. A portable cellular telephone as claimed in claim 9 wherein said controller is configured to manage an interdigit timer that starts timing when each of at least a portion of said plurality of digits is entered so that subsequent digit entries restart said timer, to manage a number analysis processor which responds to at least one of a first three of said digits to predict whether a last-entered digit is a final digit of said phone number, and to select between said timer and said processor to provide a decision regarding when an entire phone number has been entered.

15. A portable cellular telephone as claimed in claim 9 wherein said keypad is configured to include a phone key and to exclude a send key.