Determination of mobile service option via phone number

• US 6,370,399 B1
• Filed: 09/29/1999
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Phillips, Marc S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRAVER, CHARLES R
• Application Number:
  US09/408,117
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414, 455/466, 455/550, 455/575, 455/90, 455/552, 455/557, 455/556, 455/564, 455/565, 455/558, 379/201.19, 379/211.05, 379/216.01, 379/218.01, 379/428.04, 379/429, 379/442, 379/456
• US Class Current: 455/564
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A system and method for selecting from a plurality of data service options in a wireless communication system having mobile data service support. The system comprises a terminal device includes a terminal device for originating a call and transmitting and receiving data in accordance with a selected data service option. The terminal device includes a communications interface for inputting a sequence of one or more alpha-numeric characters representing an AT dial command string in order to originate the call and for including information that indicates the selected data service option. The system also includes a communication device, coupled to the terminal device, for interfacing with the wireless communication system and for sending signaling messages to the terminal device. The communication device receives the AT dial command string from the terminal device and examines the contents of the received AT dial command string. The communication device compares the contents of said AT dial command string with stored predetermined alpha-numeric character sequences. These character sequences include standard telephone numbers and reserved telephone numbers representing different data service options. The communication device determines whether a match exists between the inputted sequence and the stored reserved telephone numbers. If a match does exist, the communication device signals the terminal device to transmit data in accordance with the selected data service option indicated by the reserved telephone number.

Claims

1. A system for selecting from a plurality of data service options in a wireless communication network having mobile data service support, said system comprising:

a terminal device for originating a call and for transmitting and receiving data in accordance with a selected data service option, said terminal device including a dialing interface for inputting a sequence of one or more symbols representing a dial command string for originating said call, said input symbol sequence includes information indicating a selection of a data service option; and

a communication device, coupled to said terminal device, for receiving said dial command string from said terminal device, for storing a plurality of predetermined symbol sequences including standard telephone numbers and reserved telephone number sequences representing different data service options, and for comparing contents of said dial command string with said stored predetermined symbol sequences,

wherein said communications device operates in accordance with said selected data service option when said communication device determines that said contents of said dial command string may access one of said reserved telephone number sequences.

2. The system set forth in claim 1, wherein said selected data service option is one of asynchronous data service and facsimile service when said communication device determines that said dial command string contents does not match one of said reserved telephone number sequences.

3. The system set forth in claim 2, wherein said communication device initiates a call based on one of said asynchronous data service and facsimile service with the unmatched dial command string contents operating as a destination telephone number.

4. The system set forth in claim 3, wherein said selected data service option is determined by information included in said matching reserved telephone number sequence.

5. The system set forth in claim 4, wherein said input symbol sequence includes alpha-numeric characters.

6. The system set forth in claim 5, wherein said predetermined symbol sequences include alpha-numeric characters.

7. A method for selecting from a plurality of data service options in a wireless communication system having mobile data service support, said wireless communication system including a terminal device, for originating a call and for transmitting and receiving data in accordance with a selected data service option, and a communication device, coupled to said terminal device for interfacing with said wireless communication system and for sending signaling messages to said terminal device, said method comprising:

storing, in a memory, a plurality of predetermined symbol sequences including a plurality of reserved telephone number sequences representing different data service options and a plurality of standard telephone numbers;

inputting a sequence of one or more symbols into said terminal device which represents a dial command string for originating said call, said input symbols sequence includes information indicating a selection of a data service option;

receiving, in said communication device, said dial command string from said terminal device;

examining, in said communication device, contents of said received dial command string;

comparing,in said communication device, contents of said dial command string with said stored predetermined symbol sequences; and

determining in said communication device, a match between said contents of said dial command string and said stored predetermined symbol sequences,

wherein said communication device operates in accordance with said selected data service option when said communication device determines that said contents of said dial command string matches one of said reserved telephone number sequences.

8. The method set forth in claim 7, wherein said selected data service option is one of asynchronous data service and facsimile service when said communication device determines that said dial command string contents does not match one of said reserved telephone number sequences.

9. The method set forth in claim 8, wherein said communication device initiates a call based on one of said asynchronous data service and facsimile service with the unmatched dial command string contents operating as a destination telephone number.

10. The method set forth in claim 9, wherein said selected data service option is determined by information included in said matched reserved telephone number sequence.

11. The method set forth in claim 10, wherein said input symbol sequence includes alpha-numeric characters.

12. The method set forth in claim 11, wherein said predetermined symbol sequences include alpha-numeric characters.

13. A mechanism for selecting from a plurality of data service options in a wireless communication system having mobile data service support, said mechanism comprising:

a terminal device for originating a call and transmitting and receiving data in accordance with a selected data service option, said terminal device including means for inputting a sequence of one or more symbols representing an dial command string for originating said call, wherein said input symbol sequence includes information indicating a selection of a data service option; and

a communication device, coupled to said terminal device, for interfacing with said wireless communication system and for sending signaling messages to said terminal device, said communication device including,

means for receiving said dial command string from said terminal device,

means for examining contents of said received dial command string,

means for storing a plurality of predetermined symbol sequences including a plurality of reserved telephone numbers representing different data service options and a plurality of standard telephone numbers,

means for comparing contents of said dial command string with said stored pre-determined symbol sequences, and

means for determining a match between said contents of said dial command string and said stored predetermined symbol sequences,

wherein said communication device operates in accordance with said selected data service option when said communication device determines that said contents of said dial command string matches one of said reserved telephone number sequences.

14. The mechanism set forth in claim 13, wherein said selected data service option is one of asynchronous data service and facsimile service when said communication device determines that said dial command string contents does not match one of said reserved telephone numbers.

15. The method set forth in claim 14, wherein said communication device initiates a call based on one of said asynchronous data service and facsimile service with the unmatched dial command string contents operating as a destination telephone number.

16. The mechanism set forth in claim 15, wherein said selected data service option is determined by information included in said matching reserved telephone number sequence.

17. The mechanism set forth in claim 16, wherein said input symbol sequence includes alpha-numeric characters.

18. The mechanism set forth in claim 17, wherein said predetermined symbol sequences include alpha-numeric characters.

19. A method for selecting from a plurality of data service options in a wireless communication system having mobile data service support, said wireless communication system including a terminal device, for originating a call and for transmitting and receiving data in accordance with a selected data service option, and a communication device, coupled to said terminal device for interfacing with said wireless communication system and for sending signaling messages to said terminal device, said method comprising:

storing, in a memory, a plurality of predetermined symbol sequences including reserved telephone numbers representing different data service options and standard telephone numbers;

inputting a sequence of one or more symbols into said terminal device which represents an AT dial command string for originating said call, said input symbols sequence includes information indicating a selection of a data service option;

receiving, by said communication device, said AT dial command string from said terminal device;

examining, by said communication device, contents of said received AT dial command string;

comparing, by said communication device, contents of said AT dial command string with said stored predetermined symbol sequences; and

determining by said communication device, a match between said contents of said AT dial command string and said stored predetermined symbol sequences,

wherein said communication device signals said terminal device to transmit data in accordance with said selected data service option when said communication device determines that said contents of AT dial command string matches one of said reserved telephone numbers, said selected data service option being identified by the information included in said matching reserved telephone number, and

wherein said selected data service option is one of asynchronous data service and facsimile service when said communication device determines that said AT dial command string contents does not match one of said reserved telephone numbers, said unmatched AT dial command string contents operating as a destination telephone number for said asynchronous data service and facsimile service.

20. The method set forth in claim 19, wherein said input symbol sequence and said predetermined symbol sequences include alpha-numeric characters.