Communications systems for transmitting high power voice mail notifications and related methods and user terminals

• US 6,188,885 B1
• Filed: 03/16/1998
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Solve, Torbjorn, Kolev, Javor
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US09/039,805
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 454/14--15, 454/17, 454/22, 454/58, 454/66, 455/22, 455/50, 454/13, 454/03, 454/12, 45/313, 454/27, 454/30
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18567 Arrangements for providing additional services to the basic mobile satellite telephony service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A user terminal provides communications to and from a radiotelephone communications system. This radiotelephone communications system supports communications with the user terminal at a first power level and paging to the user terminal at a second power level greater than the first power level. In addition, a page includes an indication when voice mail has been received at the radiotelephone communications system. In particular, the user terminal includes a transceiver, a processor, and a user interface. The transceiver receives communications from the radiotelephone communications system at the first power level, transmits communications to the radiotelephone communications system, and receives pages from the radiotelephone communications system at the second power level. The processor processes the pages to determine when voice mail for the radiotelephone has been received at the radiotelephone communications system, and the user interface provides an indication to a user when voice mail for the user terminal has been received at the radiotelephone communications system. Related methods and communications systems are also discussed.

Claims

1. A radiotelephone communications system for providing communications to and from at least one user terminal, said radiotelephone communications system comprising:

a controller which receives voice mail for a user terminal wherein said controller generates a page including a voice mail reception indicator for transmission to the user terminal wherein the voice mail reception indicator provides indication of voice mail for the user terminal received at the radiotelephone communications system; and

a transceiver coupled with said controller wherein said transceiver transmits communications to the user terminal at a first power level, transmits said page generated by said controller and including said voice mail reception indicator to the user terminal at a second power level greater than said first power level, and receives communications from the user terminal so that indication of voice mail for the user terminal is transmitted at the second power level.

2. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 1 wherein the radiotelephone communications system comprises a satellite radiotelephone communications system and wherein said transceiver is provided on a satellite.

3. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 2 wherein said controller is provided on earth and wherein said controller is coupled with said transceiver via radio transmission and reception.

4. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 1 wherein the page at said second power level comprises a high penetration page message transmitted over a high power alert channel.

5. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 1 wherein the page at said second power level comprises a plurality of bits at least one of which indicates reception of voice mail.

6. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 1 wherein the page at said second power level comprises at least two binary voice mail indicator bits which are set to a first pattern to indicate reception of voice mail for the user terminal and which are set to a second pattern to indicate no reception of voice mail for the user terminal.

7. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 1 wherein the page at said second power level comprises at least two voice mail indicator bits, wherein the at least two voice mail indicator bits are set according to a first pattern to indicate no reception of voice mail for the user terminal, according to a second pattern to indicated reception of one voice mail message for the user terminal, and according to a third pattern to indicate reception of two voice mail messages for the user terminal.

8. A method of notifying a user terminal that voice mail has been received for the user terminal at a radiotelephone communications system, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting radiotelephone communications from the radiotelephone communications system at a first power level;

receiving voice mail for the user terminal at the radiotelephone communications system;

transmitting a page from the radiotelephone communications system at a second power level greater than the first power level wherein the page includes an indication of voice mail reception at the radiotelephone communications system for the user terminal wherein the indication of voice mail reception provides indication of voice mail for the user terminal received at the radiotelephone communications system; and

receiving the page at the second power level at the user terminal wherein the page includes said indication of voice mail reception at the radiotelephone communications system for the user terminal so that indication of voice mail for the user terminal is received at the second power level.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the radiotelephone communications system comprises a satellite radiotelephone communications system and wherein the page is transmitted from a satellite of the satellite radiotelephone communications system.

10. A method according to claim 8 wherein the page at the second power level comprises a high penetration page message transmitted over a high power alert channel.

11. A method according to claim 8 wherein the page at the second power level comprises a plurality of bits at least one of which indicates reception of voice mail.

12. A method according to claim 8 wherein the page at the second power level comprises at least two voice mail indicator bits which are set to a first pattern to indicate reception of voice mail and which are set to a second pattern to indicate no reception of voice mail.

13. A method according to claim 8 wherein the page at the second power level comprises at least two voice mail indicator bits, wherein the at least two voice mail indicator bits are set according to a first pattern to indicate no reception of voice mail, according to a second pattern to indicated reception of one voice mail message, and according to a third pattern to indicate reception of two voice mail messages.

14. A method according to claim 8 further comprising the step of:

providing indication of voice mail reception through a user interface of the user terminal.

15. A user terminal for providing communications to and from a radiotelephone communications system, said user terminal comprising:

a transceiver which receives communications from the radiotelephone communications system at a first power level, which transmits communications to the radiotelephone communications system, and which receives pages from the radiotelephone communications system at a second power level greater than the first power level wherein each of said pages includes an indication when voice mail has been received at the radiotelephone communications system so that said indication that voice mail has been received provides indication of voice mail for the user terminal received at the radiotelephone communications system;

a processor coupled to said transceiver wherein said processor processes said pages received at the second power level to determine when voice mail for the radiotelephone has been received at the radiotelephone communications system; and

a user interface coupled to said processor wherein said user interface provides an indication to a user when voice mail for the user terminal has been received at the radiotelephone communications system.

16. A user terminal according to claim 15 wherein the radiotelephone communications system comprises a satellite radiotelephone communications system and wherein the pages are transmitted from a satellite of the satellite radiotelephone communications system.

17. A user terminal according to claim 15 wherein the pages each comprise a high penetration page message transmitted over a high power alert channel.

18. A user terminal according to claim 15 wherein the pages received at the second power level each comprise a plurality of bits at least one of which indicates reception of voice mail at the radiotelephone communications system for the user terminal.

19. A user terminal according to claim 15 wherein the pages received at the second power level each comprise at least two voice mail indicator bits which are set to a first pattern to indicate reception of voice mail at the radiotelephone communications system for the user terminal and which are set to a second pattern to indicate no reception of voice mail at the radiotelephone communications system for the user terminal.

20. A user terminal according to claim 15 wherein the pages received at the second power level each comprise at least two voice mail indicator bits, wherein the at least two voice mail indicator bits are set according to a first pattern to indicate no reception of voice mail for the user terminal, according to a second pattern to indicate reception of one voice mail message for the user terminal, and according to a third pattern to indicate reception of two voice mail messages for the user terminal.

21. A method for providing communications to and from at least one user terminal, said method comprising:

receiving voice mail for a user terminal at a radiotelephone communication system;

generating a page including a voice mail reception indicator for transmission to the user terminal wherein the voice mail reception indicator provides indication that voice mail for the user terminal has been received at the radiotelephone communications system;

transmitting communications to the user terminal at a first power level;

receiving communications from the user terminal; and

transmitting said page including said voice mail reception indicator to the user terminal at a second power level greater than said first power level so that indication of voice mail for the user terminal is transmitted at the second power level.

22. A method according to claim 21 wherein the radiotelephone communications system comprises a satellite radiotelephone communications system and wherein said page is transmitted from a satellite to the user terminal.

23. A method according to claim 21 wherein the page at said second power level comprises a high penetration page message transmitted over a high power alert channel.

24. A method according to claim 21 wherein the page at said second power level comprises a plurality of bits at least one of which indicates reception of voice mail.

25. A method according to claim 21 wherein the page at said second power level comprises at least two binary voice mail indicator bits which are set to a first pattern to indicate reception of voice mail for the user terminal and which are set to a second pattern to indicate no reception of voice mail for the user terminal.

26. A method according to claim 21 wherein the page at said second power level comprises at least two voice mail indicator bits, wherein the at least two voice mail indicator bits are set according to a first pattern to indicate no reception of voice mail for the user terminal, according to a second pattern to indicated reception of one voice mail message for the user terminal, and according to a third pattern to indicate reception of two voice mail messages for the user terminal.

45. A method according to claim 21 wherein the steps of receiving voice mail and transmitting the page including the voice mail reception indicator are preceded by the step of:

transmitting a call set up page to the user terminal wherein the step of receiving voice mail occurs upon failure to receive an acknowledge of receipt of the call set up communication from the user terminal.

27. A radiotelephone communications system for providing communications to and from at least one user terminal, said method comprising:

means for receiving voice mail for a user terminal at a radiotelephone communication system;

means for generating a page including a voice mail reception indicator for transmission to the user terminal wherein the voice mail reception indicator provides indication that voice mail for the user terminal has been received at the radiotelephone communications system;

means for transmitting communications to the user terminal at a first power level;

means for receiving communications from the user terminal; and

means for transmitting said page including said voice mail reception indicator to the user terminal at a second power level greater than said first power level so that indication of voice mail for the user terminal is transmitted at the second power level.

28. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 27 wherein the radiotelephone communications system comprises a satellite radiotelephone communications system and wherein said means for transmitting is provided on the satellite.

29. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 27 wherein the page at said second power level comprises a high penetration page message transmitted over a high power alert channel.

30. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 27 wherein the page at said second power level comprises a plurality of bits at least one of which indicates reception of voice mail.

31. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 27 wherein the page at said second power level comprises at least two binary voice mail indicator bits which are set to a first pattern to indicate reception of voice mail for the user terminal and which are set to a second pattern to indicate no reception of voice mail for the user terminal.

32. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 27 wherein the page at said second power level comprises at least two voice mail indicator bits, wherein the at least two voice mail indicator bits are set according to a first pattern to indicate no reception of voice mail for the user terminal, according to a second pattern to indicated reception of one voice mail message for the user terminal, and according to a third pattern to indicate reception of two voice mail messages for the user terminal.

46. A radiotelephone communications system according to claim 27 further comprising:

means for transmitting a call set up page to the user terminal prior to receiving voice mail and prior to generating the page including the voice mail reception indicator; and

wherein the means for receiving the voice mail for the user terminal receive the voice mail upon failure to receive an acknowledge of receipt of the call set up page.

33. A method for providing communications to and from a radiotelephone communications system, said method comprising:

receiving communications from the radiotelephone communications system at a first power level;

transmitting communications to the radiotelephone communications system;

receiving a page from the radiotelephone communications system at a second power level greater than the first power level wherein said page includes an indication when voice mail has been received at the radiotelephone communications system so that said indication that voice mail has been received provides indication of voice mail for the user terminal received at the radiotelephone communications system;

processing said page received at the second power level to determine when voice mail for the radiotelephone has been received at the radiotelephone communications system; and

providing an indication to a user when voice mail for the user terminal has been received at the radiotelephone communications system.

34. A method according to claim 33 wherein the radiotelephone communications system comprises a satellite radiotelephone communications system and wherein the pages are received from a satellite of the satellite radiotelephone communications system.

35. A method according to claim 33 wherein the page comprises a high penetration page message transmitted over a high power alert channel.

36. A method according to claim 33 wherein the page received at the second power level comprises a plurality of bits at least one of which indicates reception of voice mail at the radiotelephone communications system for the user terminal.

37. A method according to claim 33 wherein the page received at the second power level comprises at least two voice mail indicator bits which are set to a first pattern to indicate reception of voice mail at the radiotelephone communications system for the user terminal and which are set to a second pattern to indicate no reception of voice mail at the radiotelephone communications system for the user terminal.

38. A method according to claim 33 wherein the pages received at the second power level each comprise at least two voice mail indicator bits, wherein the at least two voice mail indicator bits are set according to a first pattern to indicate no reception of voice mail for the user terminal, according to a second pattern to indicate reception of one voice mail message for the user terminal, and according to a third pattern to indicate reception of two voice mail messages for the user terminal.

39. A user terminal for providing communications to and from a radiotelephone communications system, said method comprising:

means for receiving communications from the radiotelephone communications system at a first power level;

means for transmitting communications to the radiotelephone communications system;

means for receiving a page from the radiotelephone communications system at a second power level greater than the first power level wherein said page includes an indication when voice mail has been received at the radiotelephone communications system so that said indication that voice mail has been received provides indication of voice mail for the user terminal received at the radiotelephone communications system;

means for processing said page received at the second power level to determine when voice mail for the radiotelephone has been received at the radiotelephone communications system; and

means for providing an indication to a user when voice mail for the user terminal has been received at the radiotelephone communications system.

40. A user terminal according to claim 39 wherein the radiotelephone communications system comprises a satellite radiotelephone communications system and wherein the pages are received from a satellite of the satellite radiotelephone communications system.

41. A user terminal according to claim 39 wherein the page comprises a high penetration page message transmitted over a high power alert channel.

42. A user terminal according to claim 39 wherein the page received at the second power level comprises a plurality of bits at least one of which indicates reception of voice mail at the radiotelephone communications system for the user terminal.

43. A user terminal according to claim 39 wherein the page received at the second power level comprises at least two voice mail indicator bits which are set to a first pattern to indicate reception of voice mail at the radiotelephone communications system for the user terminal and which are set to a second pattern to indicate no reception of voice mail at the radiotelephone communications system for the user terminal.

44. A user terminal according to claim 39 wherein the pages received at the second power level each comprise at least two voice mail indicator bits, wherein the at least two voice mail indicator bits are set according to a first pattern to indicate no reception of voice mail for the user terminal, according to a second pattern to indicate reception of one voice mail message for the user terminal, and according to a third pattern to indicate reception of two voice mail messages for the user terminal.