Nonreusable cellular telephone

• US 6,112,077 A
• Filed: 08/06/1996
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: STX Corporation (AFC Korea Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: STX Corporation (AFC Korea Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Spitaletta, Edward C., Spitaletta, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMMING, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US08/692,533
• Time in Patent Office: 1,484 Days
• Field of Search: 379/37, 455/35.1, 455/414, 455/567, 455/572, 455/127, 455/550, 455/407, 455/410, 455/565, 455/405, 455/408, 455/343, 455/409, 370/330, 370/380
• US Class Current: 455/407
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A nonreusable cellular telephone includes a programmable timer for providing a predetermined period of calling time during which the cellular phone may be used for cellular communications. The amount of remaining calling time is monitored and the phone is disabled when the calling time has expired rending the phone inoperative so that it may be disposed of.

Claims

1. A cellular phone which is nonresettable and permanently rendered inoperative after the expiration of a predetermined period of calling time, comprising:

(a) a remaining time indicator providing a one-time predetermined period of calling time during which the cellular phone is usable for cellular communications;

(b) a microprocessor operative to deduct calling time from said remaining time indicator, monitor the amount of time remaining of said predetermined period of calling time and to permanently disable said cellular phone;

(c) send and end keys for allowing the user to initiate and end a call and to start and stop the deduction of the calling time so as to allow the user to make an initial call and one or more additional calls in accordance with the operation of said send and end keys by the user without regard to when said initial call was made and until said predetermined period of calling time is used up; and

(d) said microprocessor being further operative to permanently disable the cellular phone once said one-time predetermined period of calling time has been used up such that the cellular phone is permanently rendered inoperative and incapable of any further use.

2. The cellular phone of claim 1, wherein said remaining time indicator comprises an oscillator circuit driving a clock to indicate the amount of time remaining of said one-time predetermined period of calling time.

3. The cellular phone of claim 1, wherein said remaining time indicator comprises an erasable-only magnetic strip which is sequentially erased by said microprocessor during cellular communications.

4. A cellular phone as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a tone generator for generating one or more tones to alert the user of the cellular phone as to the status of remaining calling time.

5. A cellular phone as claimed in claim 4, wherein said tone generator generates one or more tones when two minutes are remaining of the calling time.

6. A cellular phone as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an LED which is illuminated upon expiration of a predetermined amount of calling time.

7. A cellular phone as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a vibration generator that vibrates to alert the user of the cellular phone as to the status of remaining calling time.

8. A cellular phone as claimed in claim 1, wherein said microprocessor is further programmed to calculate the remaining time of the calling time based on a flat rate corresponding to the duration of the phone call.

9. A cellular phone as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a power supply comprising one or more non-rechargeable batteries for powering the cellular phone.

10. A method of making a plurality of phone calls using a cellular phone which is nonresettable and permanently rendered inoperative after the expiration of a predetermined period of calling time, the cellular phone comprising a remaining time indicator providing a one-time predetermined period of calling time, a microprocessor operative to deduct calling time from said remaining time indicator and permanently disable said cellular phone and send and end keys allowing the user to initiate and end cellular communications and to start and stop the deduction of the calling time, said method comprising:

(a) conducting first cellular communications with the cellular phone for a limited duration less than said predetermined period of calling time in accordance with the operation of said send and end keys by the user;

(b) automatically deducting a first amount of calling time from said predetermined period of calling time corresponding to the duration of said first cellular communications such that the user can make one or more additional calls without regard to when said first cellular communications was made and until said predetermined period of calling time is used up;

(c) conducting additional cellular communications with the cellular phone;

(d) automatically deducting a second amount of calling time from said predetermined period of calling time corresponding to the duration of the additional cellular communications; and

(e) repeating steps (c) and (d) until said predetermined period of calling time is used up and, at such time, permanently disabling the cellular phone such that it is permanently rendered inoperative and incapable of any further use.