Method of determining end-of-dialing for cellular interface coupling a standard telephone to the cellular network

• US 6,035,220 A
• Filed: 04/01/1998
• Issued: 03/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telular Corporation (Ametek Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Telular Corporation (Ametek Incorporated)
• Inventors: Douglas, Paul William, Claudio, George, Hickey, Jeffry, Giacopelli, Daniel, Engelking, Fred
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAUNG, NAY AUNG
• Application Number:
  US09/054,050
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 455/74.1, 455/90, 455/403, 455/422, 455/550, 455/554, 455/556, 455/557, 455/560, 455/561, 455/564, 455/565, 455/575, 379/88.02, 379/200, 379/355, 379/356, 379/357
• US Class Current: 455/564
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/14 WLL [Wireless Local Loop]; RLL [Radio Local Loop]

Abstract

A method of determining the end-of-dialing of a currently-dialed telephone number entered into a land-type POTS telephone coupled to a cellular transceiver via a cellular interface unit. The software of the invention will automatically generate a SEND signal upon the matching of a presently-dialed telephone number with a previously-dialed telephone number stored in the memory of the cellular interface unit that has been dialed on the telephone of the system a preset number of times, such as two. The software of the invention stores the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers by numerical order by time-ordering, or random storage of numbers, and continually updates the list for each new dialed telephone number. The software of the invention will allow one of the prior-art, end-of-dialing methods to determine the generation of a SEND signal for those presently-dialed telephone numbers that are not matched with a stored, previously-dialed telephone number.

Claims

1. In a radio interface apparatus coupling a land-type telephone instrument to a radio transceiver for coupling the telephone instrument to a radio network, said interface comprising a microprocessor and memory means, a method of automatically determining the generation of a send-signal to the transceiver upon the detection of the end-of-dialing of a telephone number entered into the telephone instrument, said method comprising:

(a) storing a list of telephone numbers that have been previously-dialed telephone numbers on the telephone instrument coupled to the radio interface apparatus;

(b) comparing a currently-dialed telephone number entered by the telephone instrument to the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers;

(c) determining if the currently-dialed telephone number matches one of the previously-dialed telephone numbers of the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers;

(d) determining an end-of-dialing detection method to utilize; and

(e) generating a send-signal command in response to said step (d) to the transceiver for transmission over the radio network;

said step (b) comprising comparing the first dialed digit of the currently-dialed telephone number with all of the first digits of the previously-dialed telephone numbers of the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step (c) comprises:

(f) determining, for a matched currently-dialed telephone number, if the matched, previously-dialed telephone number has been previously, successfully completed at least a predetermined minimum amount.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said step (f) further comprises, if the matched, previously-dialed telephone number has been previously, successfully completed at least a predetermined minimum amount of times, immediately thereafter performing said step (e) in response to said step (c);

said step of determining that the matched, previously-dialed telephone number has been previously, successfully completed at least a predetermined minimum amount constituting said step (d).

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein said step (e) further comprises, if the matched, previously-dialed telephone number has not been previously, successfully completed at least a predetermined minimum amount:

performing said step (d) and generating the send-signal command to the transceiver by another, end-of-dialing determination method; and

(f) adding the currently-dialed telephone number to the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers if the currently-dialed telephone number has been successfully completed.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step (d) comprises one of the following:

determining end-of-dialing by a match of the currently-dialed telephone number with a previously-dialed telephone number of the list of stored previously-dialed telephone numbers for that matched previously-dialed telephone number that has been successfully completed a predetermined minimum amount;

time-out method; and

manual entry of end-of-dialing by the user of the telephone instrument.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein if the matched, previously-dialed telephone number has not been previously, successfully completed at least a predetermined minimum amount, immediately after performing said steps (d) and (e);

updating, in the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers, the number of successfully completed connections of the matched telephone number.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step (a) comprises updating the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers with the currently-dialed telephone number after the currently-dialed telephone number has been successfully-connected to the radio network.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said step of updating comprises dropping the oldest previously-dialed telephone number from the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers, and adding the currently-dialed telephone number to the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers if successfully connected;

said step of dropping being carried out when the memory-storage area for the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers has reached capacity.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step (b) comprises comparing each dialed digit of the currently-dialed telephone number with at least some of the corresponding digits of the previously-dialed telephone numbers.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step (b) comprises comparing each subsequently dialed digit of the currently-dialed telephone number with the corresponding digits of those previously-dialed telephone numbers of the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers for which a match was found during the performance of said step (b) for the previous digit entered of the currently-dialed telephone number.

11. A method of automatically determining the generation of a send-signal to a radio transceiver upon the detection of the end-of-dialing of a telephone number entered into the telephone instrument connected to a radio interface coupling a land-type telephone instrument to a radio transceiver for coupling the telephone instrument to a radio network, the interface comprising a microprocessor and memory means, comprising:

(a) comparing a currently-dialed telephone number entered by the telephone instrument to a list of previously-dialed telephone numbers;

(b) determining that the currently-dialed telephone number matches one of the previously-dialed telephone numbers of the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers;

(c) generating a send-signal command in response to said step (b) to the transceiver for transmission over the radio network;

said step (a) comprising comparing the first dialed digit of the currently-dialed telephone number with the first digit of at least one previously-dialed telephone number of the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

(d) updating, in the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers, the number of successfully completed connections of the matched currently-dialed and previously-dialed telephone number.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

(d) determining that the currently-dialed telephone number is not a match with any of the previously-dialed telephone numbers of the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers; and

(e) generating a send-signal command in response to said step (d) to the transceiver for transmission over the radio network.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

(f) updating the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers with the currently-dialed telephone number after the currently-dialed telephone number has been successfully-connected to the radio network.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step (f) comprises:

(g) dropping the oldest previously-dialed telephone number from the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers, and adding the currently-dialed telephone number to the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers if successfully connected;

said step of dropping being carried out when the memory-storage area for the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers has reached capacity.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein said step (a) further comprises comparing each subsequently dialed digit of the currently-dialed telephone number with the corresponding digits of the those previously-dialed telephone numbers of the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers for which a match was found during the performance of said step (b) for the previous digit entered of the currently-dialed telephone number.

17. In a radio interface apparatus coupling a land-type telephone instrument to a radio transceiver for coupling the telephone instrument to a radio network, said interface comprising a microprocessor, and means for automatically determining the generation of a send-signal and transmitting a send-signal command to the radio transceiver upon the detection of the end-of-dialing of a telephone number entered into the telephone instrument, the improvement comprising:

said means for automatically determining the generation of a send-signal to the radio transceiver upon the detection of the end-of-dialing of a telephone number entered into the telephone instrument comprising a first memory portion operatively associated with said microprocessor for storing a list of telephone numbers that have been previously-dialed telephone numbers on a telephone instrument coupled to the radio interface apparatus;

a second memory portion operatively associated with said microprocessor, and a comparing means stored in said second memory portion for comparing a currently-dialed telephone number entered by the telephone instrument coupled to the radio interface apparatus to the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers stored in said first memory portion for determining that the currently-dialed telephone number matches one of the previously-dialed telephone numbers of the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers stored in said first memory portion; and

a third memory portion operatively associated with said microprocessor for generating a send-signal command to the radio receiver;

said third memory portion generating a send-signal command in response to said comparing means finding a match between the currently-dialed telephone number and a previously-dialed telephone number of said list of previously-dialed telephone numbers stored in said first memory portion.

18. In a radio interface apparatus coupling a land-type telephone instrument to a radio transceiver for coupling the telephone instrument to a radio network, said interface comprising a microprocessor, memory means associated with said microprocessor, means for determining the end-of-dialing of a currently-dialed telephone number entered into the telephone instrument, and means for automatically generating a send-signal command to the radio transceiver upon the detection of the end-of-dialing of a telephone number entered into the telephone instrument, the improvement comprising:

said means for determining the end-of-dialing of a currently-dialed telephone number entered into said telephone instrument comprising a first portion of said memory means for storing a list of telephone numbers that have been previously-dialed telephone numbers on the telephone instrument coupled to the radio interface apparatus;

a second portion of said memory means and a comparison means stored in said second portion for comparing a currently-dialed telephone number entered by the telephone instrument coupled to the radio interface apparatus to the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers stored in said first portion of said memory means for determining that the currently-dialed telephone number matches one of the previously-dialed telephone numbers of the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers stored in said first portion of said memory means; and

said means for automatically generating a send-signal command to the radio transceiver generating the send-signal command in response to said comparison means of said second memory portion finding a match between the currently-dialed telephone number and a previously-dialed telephone number of said list of previously-dialed telephone numbers stored in said first portion of said memory means.

19. The radio interface apparatus according to claim 18, in combination with a cellular-radio transceiver, and a land-type telephone instrument means said telephone instrument means and said transceiver being operatively coupled to said radio interface apparatus.

20. The radio interface apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising additional means for determining the end-of-dialing of a currently-dialed telephone number entered into said telephone instrument, said additional means for determining the end-of-dialing of a currently-dialed telephone number entered into said telephone instrument comprising at least one of:

an automatic time-out means; and

a manual-entry means of end-of-dialing by the user of the telephone instrument.

21. The radio interface apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising additional means for determining the end-of-dialing of a currently-dialed telephone number entered into said telephone instrument;

said additional means for determining being used to actuate said means for automatically generating a send-signal command to the radio transceiver when said comparison means of said second portion of said memory means fails to find a match between said currently-dialed telephone number and said list of previously-dialed telephone numbers stored in said first portion of said memory means.

22. The radio interface apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said means for determining the end-of-dialing of a currently-dialed telephone number entered into said telephone instrument further comprises updating means stored in said memory means for updating said list of previously-dialed telephone numbers stored in said first portion of said memory means.

23. The radio interface apparatus according to claim 22, wherein updating means comprises means for erasing the oldest previously-dialed telephone number of said list of previously-dialed telephone numbers and adding the currently-dialed telephone number to said list.

24. In a radio interface apparatus coupling a land-type telephone instrument to a radio transceiver for coupling the telephone instrument to a radio network, said interface comprising a microprocessor and memory means, a method of automatically determining the generation of a send-signal to the transceiver upon the detection of the end-of-dialing of a telephone number entered into the telephone instrument, said method comprising:

(a) storing a list of telephone numbers that have been previously-dialed telephone numbers on the telephone instrument coupled to the radio interface apparatus;

(b) comparing a currently-dialed telephone number entered by the telephone instrument to the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers;

(c) determining if the currently-dialed telephone number matches one of the previously-dialed telephone numbers of the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers;

(d) determining an end-of-dialing detection method to utilize; and

(e) generating a send-signal command in response to said step (d) to the transceiver for transmission over the radio network;

said step (c) comprising;

(f) determining, for a matched currently-dialed telephone number, if the matched, previously-dialed telephone number has been previously, successfully completed at least a predetermined minimum amount;

said step (f) further comprising, if the matched, previously-dialed telephone number has been previously, successfully completed at least a predetermined minimum amount of times, immediately thereafter performing said step (e) in response to said step (c);

said step of determining that the matched, previously-dialed telephone number has been previously, successfully completed at least a predetermined minimum amount constituting said step (d); and

said step (e) further comprising, if the matched, previously-dialed telephone number has not been previously, successfully completed at least a predetermined minimum amount;

performing said step (d) and generating the send-signal command to the transceiver by another, end-of-dialing determination method; and

adding the currently-dialed telephone number to the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers if the currently-dialed telephone number has been successfully completed.

25. In a radio interface apparatus coupling a land-type telephone instrument to a radio transceiver for coupling the telephone instrument to a radio network, said interface comprising a microprocessor and memory means, a method of automatically determining the generation of a send-signal to the transceiver upon the detection of the end-of-dialing of a telephone number entered into the telephone instrument, said method comprising:

(a) storing a list of telephone numbers that have been previously-dialed telephone numbers on the telephone instrument coupled to the radio interface apparatus;

(b) comparing a currently-dialed telephone number entered by the telephone instrument to the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers;

(c) determining if the currently-dialed telephone number matches one of the previously-dialed telephone numbers of the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers;

(d) determining an end-of-dialing detection method to utilize; and

(e) generating a send-signal command in response to said step (d) to the transceiver for transmission over the radio network;

said step (c) comprising;

(f) determining, for a matched currently-dialed telephone number, if the matched, previously-dialed telephone number has been previously, successfully completed at least a predetermined minimum amount;

wherein if the matched, previously-dialed telephone number has not been previously, successfully completed at least a predetermined minimum amount, immediately after performing said steps (d) and (e), updating, in the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers, the number of successfully completed connections of the matched telephone number.

26. In a radio interface apparatus coupling a land-type telephone instrument to a radio transceiver for coupling the telephone instrument to a radio network, said interface comprising a microprocessor and memory means, a method of automatically determining the generation of a send-signal to the transceiver upon the detection of the end-of-dialing of a telephone number entered into the telephone instrument, said method comprising:

(a) storing a list of telephone numbers that have been previously-dialed telephone numbers on the telephone instrument coupled to the radio interface apparatus;

(b) comparing a currently-dialed telephone number entered by the telephone instrument to the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers;

(c) determining if the currently-dialed telephone number matches one of the previously-dialed telephone numbers of the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers;

(d) determining an end-of-dialing detection method to utilize; and

(e) generating a send-signal command in response to said step (d) to the transceiver for transmission over the radio network;

said step (a) comprising updating the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers with the currently-dialed telephone number after the currently-dialed telephone number has been successfully-connected to the radio network.

27. A method of automatically determining the generation of a send-signal to a radio transceiver upon the detection of the end-of-dialing of a telephone number entered into the telephone instrument connected to a radio interface coupling a land-type telephone instrument to a radio transceiver for coupling the telephone instrument to a radio network, the interface comprising a microprocessor and memory means, comprising:

(a) comparing a currently-dialed telephone number entered by the telephone instrument to a list of previously-dialed telephone numbers;

(b) determining that the currently-dialed telephone number matches one of the previously-dialed telephone numbers of the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers;

(c) generating a send-signal command in response to said step (b) to the transceiver for transmission over the radio network; and

(d) updating, in the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers, the number of successfully completed connections of the matched currently-dialed and previously-dialed telephone number.

28. A method of automatically determining the generation of a send-signal to a radio transceiver upon the detection of the end-of-dialing of a telephone number entered into the telephone instrument connected to a radio interface coupling a land-type telephone instrument to a radio transceiver for coupling the telephone instrument to a radio network, the interface comprising a microprocessor and memory means, comprising:

(a) comparing a currently-dialed telephone number entered by the telephone instrument to a list of previously-dialed telephone numbers;

(b) determining that the currently-dialed telephone number matches one of the previously-dialed telephone numbers of the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers;

(c) generating a send-signal command in response to said step (b) to the transceiver for transmission over the radio network;

(d) determining that the currently-dialed telephone number is not a match with any of the previously-dialed telephone numbers of the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers;

(e) generating a send-signal command in response to said step (d) to the transceiver for transmission over the radio network; and

(f) updating the list of previously-dialed telephone numbers with the currently-dialed telephone number after the currently-dialed telephone number has been successfully-connected to the radio network.