Mobile phone distribution system having programming and tracking

• US 6,243,574 B1
• Filed: 05/16/1996
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telemac Cellular Corporation
• Original Assignee: Telemac Corporation
• Inventors: McGregor, Donald Scott, McGregor, Gregory M.
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMMING, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US08/648,596
• Time in Patent Office: 1,846 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/551, 455/557, 379/441, 370/346, 390/991, 342/457, 371/68.2
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/30 the meter or calculation of charges not being controlled from an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/02 Coin-freed or check-freed systems , e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/92 Autonomous calculations of charges in terminal, i.e. meter not controlled from exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A mobile telephone programming and accounting system that includes an integrated hardware system interlinking a telephone unit, a telephone interlink receiver, and a central processing unit connected to the interlink receiver. The hardware system also preferably includes a receipt printer and a credit card reader. The telephone unit is preferably equipped with an internal real time clock and calendar circuit and memory store to record the time and date of calls for reporting to the central processing unit to enable tracking and detailed accounting of calls. The interlink receiver in the improved design includes a gang platform for programming multiple phone units, which may be phone units of different manufacturers, and provides for automatic programming of the multiple units and, in the retail distribution setting, programming the operating parameters and assignment of the phone unit to a service provider with encryption keys to reduce service churning.

Claims

1. A mobile phone programming and tracking system comprising:

an information processing unit;

interface means for interfacing a mobile phone unit with the information processing unit and communicating data and programming signals between the information processing unit and the mobile phone unit; and

,

translation means for establishing protocol relative to data signals and programming signals between the mobile phone unit and the information processing unit, wherein the interface means includes a software program including instructions expressed in the form of data and programming signals that are specific to a select type of mobile phone unit, wherein the mobile phone unit includes a manufacturer'"'"'s access code for enabling programming of the mobile phone unit, and wherein the software program includes program routine means accessing the manufacturer'"'"'s entry code and changing the manufacturer'"'"'s entry code for the mobile phone unit to a new encrypted entry code for preventing further programming of the mobile phone unit without the new encrypted entry code for the programmed mobile phone unit.

2. The mobile phone programming and tracking system of claim 1 wherein the software program includes security means for restricting access to the program routine means.

3. A programming and distribution tracking system for mobile phone units having a communication port comprising:

an informational processing unit;

a gang platform having a plurality of interlink receiver stations each receiver station having a port terminal constructed to connect with the communication port of a mobile phone unit;

a network routing controller with means for routing data and programming signals selectively to each of the interlink receiver stations and port terminals; and

,

a system program operable in the information processing unit with program means for operating the network controller means and communicating data and programming signals with a plurality of selected receiver stations having a mobile unit installer therein for automated programming of the mobile phone units at substantially the same time, wherein each receiver station has electronic circuit means compatible with a select type of mobile phone unit for effecting communication of data and programming signals between the mobile phone unit and the information processing unit, wherein the gang platform comprises a platform module unit with the plurality of receiver stations located in the platform module unit and with the plurality of receiver stations having at least two different electronic circuit means and port terminals compatible with two different types of mobile phone units, and, wherein the system program includes programming means for communicating data and program signals to each of the different types of mobile phone units when the different types of mobile phone units are connected to selected port terminals of receiver stations that are compatible with the phone unit connected.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein each receiver station has electronic circuit means compatible with a select type of mobile phone unit for effecting communication of data and programming signals between the mobile phone unit and the information processing unit.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein each port terminal includes terminal connectors configured to connect to the communication port of the mobile phone unit.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein the system program includes programming means for simultaneously communicating data and program signals to two or more of said interlink receiver stations having mobile phone units of the same type installed in the terminal ports thereof.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the system program includes programming means for selectively communicating data and program signals to discrete mobile phone units when a plurality of mobile phone units are connected to selected port terminals of the platform module.

9. The system of claim 3 wherein the information processing unit includes a database and the database includes parameters for programming mobile phone units with phone numbers and recording data related to programming of mobile phone units with phone numbers.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the database includes storage means for storing recorded data including a mobile phone unit identification number assigned to the phone unit by a manufacturer and the programmed phone number.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the database includes further, means for storing recorded data including mobile phone service provider identification and customer identification.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the database includes further, means for storing a history of programming mobile phone units.

13. The system of claim 3 wherein the information processing unit is a central information processing unit and communicates with a plurality of other networked processing units.

14. The system of claim 3 wherein each mobile phone unit installed in the receiver station is installed in a port terminal of such receiver station.

15. The system of claim 3 wherein the program means for communicating data and programming signals includes phone numbers and instructions which assign a phone number to a selected mobile phone unit.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the program means for communicating data and programming signals includes instructions which assign specific phone numbers to specific mobile phone units.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the program means for communicating data and programming signals includes instructions which activate for use a selected mobile phone unit to which a phone number has been assigned.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the program means for communicating data and programming signals includes instructions which activate for use selected mobile phone units which have been assigned phone numbers.

8. A programming and distribution tracking system for mobile phone units having a communication port comprising:

an informational processing unit;

a gang platform having a plurality of interlink receiver stations each receiver station having a port terminal constructed to connect with the communication port of a mobile phone unit;

a network routing controller with means for routing data and programming signals selectively to each of the interlink receiver stations and port terminals; and

,

a system program operable in the information processing unit with program means for operating the network controller means and communicating data and programming signals with a plurality of selected receiver stations having a mobile unit installer therein for automated programming of the mobile phone units at substantially the same time, wherein the gang platform includes a plurality of platform modules wherein each platform module includes a plurality of receiver stations having electronic circuit means compatible with a select type of mobile phone unit for effecting communication of data and programming signals between the phone unit and the information processor when phone units of that select type are connected to compatible type receiver stations in the platform module with at least two platform modules having receiver stations having electronic circuit means compatible with two different types of mobile phone units wherein all of the receiver stations in one of the platform modules is compatible with one type of mobile phone unit and all of the receiver stations in the other platform module is compatible with a different type of mobile phone unit.

21. The system of claim 8 wherein the information processing unit includes a database and the database includes parameters for programming mobile phone units with phone numbers and recording data related to programming of mobile phone units with phone numbers.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the database includes storage means for storing recorded data including a mobile phone unit identification number assigned to the phone unit by a manufacturer and the programmed phone number.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the database includes further, means for storing recorded data including mobile phone service provider identification and customer identification.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the database includes further, means for storing a history of programming mobile phone units.

25. The system of claim 8 wherein the information processing unit is a central information processing unit and communicates with a plurality of other networked processing units.

26. The system of claim 8 wherein the program means for communicating data and programming signals includes phone numbers and instructions which assign a phone number to a selected mobile phone unit.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the program means for communicating data and programming signals includes instructions which assign specific phone numbers to specific mobile phone units.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein the program means for communicating data and programming signals includes instructions which activate for use a selected mobile phone unit to which a phone number has been assigned.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein the program means for communicating data and programming signals includes instructions which activate for use selected mobile phone units which have been assigned phone numbers.

19. A programming and distribution tracking system for mobile phone units having a communication port comprising:

an informational processing unit;

a gang platform having a plurality of interlink receiver stations each receiver station having a port terminal constructed to connect with the communication port of a mobile phone unit;

a network routing controller with means for routing data and programming signals selectively to each of the interlink receiver stations and port terminals; and

,

a system program operable in the information processing unit with program means for operating the network controller means and communicating data and programming signals with a plurality of selected receiver stations having a mobile unit installer therein for automated programming of the mobile phone units at substantially the same time, wherein the program means for communicating data and programming signals includes phone numbers and instructions which assign a phone number to a selected mobile phone unit, includes instructions which assign specific phone numbers to specific mobile phone units, and, includes instructions which activate for use selected mobile phone units which have been assigned phone numbers.

20. A programming and distribution tracking system for mobile phone units having a communication port comprising:

an informational processing unit;

a gang platform having a plurality of interlink receiver stations each receiver station having a port terminal constructed to connect with the communication port of a mobile phone unit;

a network routing controller with means for routing data and programming signals selectively to each of the interlink receiver stations and port terminals; and

,

a system program operable in the information processing unit with program means for operating the network controller means and communicating data and programming signals with a plurality of selected receiver stations having a mobile unit installer therein for automated programming of the mobile phone units at substantially the same time; and

,

at least one remote interlink receiver station removed from the gang platform wherein the remote interlink receiver station has a port terminal constructed to connect with the communication port of a mobile phone unit and includes a program means for communicating data and programming signals to a mobile phone unit installed in the terminal port of the remote interlink receiver station, wherein the program means of the remote receiver station includes phone numbers and instructions which assign a selected phone number to a selected mobile phone unit installed in the port terminal of the remote interlink receiver station, wherein the remote interlink receiver station includes a plurality of port terminals constructed to connect with a plurality of mobile phone units installed in the port terminals wherein the program means of the remote interlink receiver station includes instructions which assign selected phone numbers to selected mobile phone units installed in port terminals of the remote interlink receiver station, and wherein the program means of the remote interlink receiver station includes instructions which activate selected mobile phone units to which phone numbers have been assigned.