Cellular phone with cancel function for fixed terminal dialing

• US 6,240,277 B1
• Filed: 03/04/1998
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Bright, Randy
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Craver, Charles
• Application Number:
  US09/034,591
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422, 455/554, 455/90, 455/575, 455/74, 455/74.01, 455/550, 455/556, 455/414, 455/344, 379/359, 379/355, 379/456, 379/441, 379/364, 379/434
• US Class Current: 455/74.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/021 adapted for Wireless Local Loop operation

Abstract

A fixed cellular system including a telephone unit, interface and a fixed cellular terminal is disclosed. A telephone unit enables the generation of a sequence of digits in response to a user input. The sequence of digits are forwarded to a system interface wherein a send command is attached to each digit generated by the telephone unit. The digits with attached send commands are forwarded to a fixed cellular terminal responsive to the send commands such that receipt of a send command delays initiation of calls to destinations associated with the sequence of digits for a predetermined period of time.

Claims

1. A call connection method for a fixed cellular system, comprising the steps of:

entering a sequence of digits at a standard telephone unit;

transferring the sequence of digits to an interface system;

attaching at the interface system a send command for initiating an outgoing call to each digit of the sequence of digits; and

transferring the sequence of digits having the attached send commands for initiating an outgoing call from the interface system to a fixed cellular terminal,

initiating an outgoing call from the fixed cellular terminal associated with the standard telephone unit upon expiration of a predetermined time period after receipt of a final send command for initiating an outgoing call at the fixed cellular terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step of initiating further includes the steps of:

activating a timer upon detection of a first send command attached to first digit received at the fixed cellular terminal;

monitoring for receipt of a second send command attached to a second digit received at the fixed cellular terminal during the predetermined period of time;

reinitiating the timer if the second send command is detected during the predetermined time period; and

initiating the outgoing call from the fixed cellular terminal if the second send command is not detected during the predetermined time period.

3. The method of claim 1, further including the step of:

programming the predetermined time period to a desired length.

4. A fixed cellular system, comprising:

a telephone unit for generating a sequence of digits in response to user input;

an interface for attaching a send command for initiating an outgoing call to each digit generated by the telephone unit; and

a fixed cellular unit for connecting the user with a destination associated with the sequence of digits having the attached send commands received from the interface.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the fixed cellular unit further comprises:

a timer responsive to a send command attached to a digit for delaying initiation of the connection to the destination for a predetermined period of time, the timer further delaying initiation in response to a subsequent send command for the predetermined period of time.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the timer may be programmed to alter the predetermined period of time.

7. A fixed cellular system, comprising:

a telephone unit for generating a sequence of digits in response to a user input;

a fixed cellular unit for delaying initiation of a call to a destination associated with the sequence of digits for a predetermined period of time upon receipt of a send command for initiating an outgoing call attached to a digit, the fixed cellular unit further delaying initiation of a call for the predetermined period of time upon receipt of a subsequent send command for initiating an outgoing call; and

a system interface interconnecting the telephone unit with the fixed cellular unit for attaching the send command for initiating an outgoing call to each digit generated by the telephone unit.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the fixed cellular unit further comprises:

a timer responsive to a send command attached to a digit for timing the delay of initiation of the connection to the destination for the predetermined period of time.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the timer may be programmed to alter the predetermined period of time.

10. A cellular telephone unit, comprising:

a timer initiated in response to a send command for initiating an outgoing call to delay initiation of a call for a predetermined period of time, the timer further responsive to a further send command for initiating an outgoing call to reset the timer to reinitiate the predetermined period of time; and

an input for receiving information and the send command for initiating the outgoing call.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the timer cancels a current send command in response to entry of a digit.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the timer may be programmed to alter the predetermined period of time.

13. A cellular apparatus, comprising:

a fixed cellular unit for delaying initiation of a call to a destination associated with at least one digit for a predetermined period of time upon receipt of a send command for initiating an outgoing call attached to a digit, the fixed cellular unit further delaying initiation of a call for the predetermined period of time upon receipt of a subsequent send command for initiating an outgoing call; and

a system interface interconnecting a standard telephone unit with the fixed cellular unit for attaching the send command for initiating an outgoing call to digits received from the telephone unit.