Wireless communications system and method of virtual line/direct station selection

• US 6,377,811 B1
• Filed: 09/28/1998
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Maliszewski, Gerald, Fukuyasu, Akihito, Sood, Prem
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Application Number:
  US09/162,335
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/564, 455/565, 455/465, 455/462, 455/554, 455/555, 455/455, 455/464, 379/216, 379/355, 379/50, 379/56
• US Class Current: 455/464
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72502 with one base station connected to a single line

Abstract

A system and method is provided to permit a mobile phone the options of line-selection and direct station selection (DSS). When the wireless system is interfaced to a land-line system through a limited number of lines, dual-function keys select and capture available outside lines. Other dual-function keys permit other mobile stations in the system to be accessed through a single keystroke. A field of indicators associated with these keys signals the availability of these lines and stations. These line-select/DSS keys are also useable to dial telephone numbers in the traditional method. The virtual line-select concept is also applicable to select land-lines and wireless channels in a group distributed network. Likewise, the virtual DSS function is applicable to monitor and access a select group of mobile stations in the group-distribution system.

Claims

1. A wireless communications system including at least one dedicated transceiving base station interfaced to a first plurality of telephone circuits and including a plurality of transceiving mobile stations, each mobile station comprising:

a plurality of keys, including a first plurality of line-select keys, each said line select key corresponding to a telephone circuit selected from the group including dedicated land-lines and wireless traffic channels for selecting and capturing said corresponding telephone circuit when the line select key is activated such that communication with said mobile station is established via said selected telephone circuit; and

a second plurality of DSS keys, each said DSS key corresponding to a selected one of a second plurality of mobile and landline stations, such that when a DSS key is activated, said selected one of said second plurality of stations is directly accessed, whereby either a selected telephone circuit or a selected one of a plurality of stations is selected by activating a single key.

2. A system as in claim 1 in which each mobile station further comprises:

a busy lamp field (BLF), said BLF including a first plurality of line-select indicators, each of said line-select indicators corresponding to one of said line-select keys and signaling the availability of the corresponding telephone circuit; and

including a second plurality of DSS indicators, each of said DSS indicators corresponding to one of said DSS keys and signaling the availability of the selected station to which the DSS key corresponds, whereby the indicators signal the availability of telephone circuits and selected mobile stations.

3. A system as in claim 2 wherein said first and second plurality of keys operate in a second, telephone keypad mode, and the mobile stations further comprising:

a mode switch, which when activated selects between the line-select/DSS mode and the keypad mode of operation;

in which each said key is identified with a corresponding telephone keypad alphanumeric character; and

in which the second mode of operation permits said keys to manually dial a telephone number, whereby each mobile station dual-function keys include the traditional dialing function.

4. A system as in claim 3 in which said mobile station mode switch is activated by the mobile station.

5. A system as in claim 3 in which said mobile stations further include a logic unit having an output operatively connected said mode switch, with said logic unit activating said mode switch.

6. A system as in claim 4 in which each mobile station includes a list of criteria required to activate said mode switch, and in which the mobile station automatically activates said mode switch to operate in the second, telephone keypad mode of operation, from the first mode, when the criteria are met.

7. A system as in claim 6 in which the mode selection criteria includes enabling the second, keypad mode of operation after activating one of said line-select keys, whereby a telephone number is subsequently dialed after a telephone line is secured.

8. A system as in claim 4 in which the mode switch is activated by a mobile station user command, whereby the user selects the mode of operation for said dual-mode keys.

9. A system as in claim 4 in which each mobile station further includes

a protective cover which closes to cover said keys and opens to reveal said keys, said cover operatively connected to said mode switch;

and

in which said mode switch is automatically activated to select the second, telephone keypad mode of operation when said cover is closed, whereby battery power is saved by deactivating said indicators.

10. A system as in claim 9 in which said mode switch is automatically activated to select the first, line-select/DSS mode of operation when said cover is opened.

11. A system as in claim 3 in which each mobile station further includes

a BLF disable switch, which when activated, disables said BLF indicators;

a protective cover which closes to cover said BLF indicators and opens to reveal said BLF indicators, said cover operatively connected to said BLF disable switch; and

in which said BLF disable switch is automatically activated to disable said BLF indicators when said cover is closed, whereby battery power is saved by deactivating said indicators.

12. A system as in claim 11 with the mobile stations further comprising a logic unit having an input operatively connected to said cover and an output operatively connected said BLF switch, said logic unit activating said BLF disable switch when said cover is closed.

13. A system as in claim 3 in which said mobile station mode switch is activated by the communicating base station.

14. A system as in claim 3 in which said BLF indicators and alphanumeric characters are integral to said corresponding keys, whereby each said key signals its function.

15. A system as in claim 14 in which said integral BLF indicators are lights.

16. A system as in claim 14 in which said integral BLF indicators are light arrays to communicate patterns of alphanumeric characters and pictures, whereby the line-select/DSS functions are clear to the user.

17. A system as in claim 14 in which said BLF indicators and keys are integral to an LCD display with sensors, with said keys being virtual keys that are virtually activated by interaction with said LCD screen.

18. A system as in claim 1 in which said DSS keys includes DSS functions selected from the group consisting of idle, busy, on hold, ringing, and off, and in which each DSS function is indicated by an indicator on the mobile station keypad, each DSS function having a distinct indicator signal pattern.

19. A wireless communications system including at least one transceiving base station operatively connected to a plurality of wireless communication traffic channels and including a plurality of transceiving mobile stations, each mobile station comprising:

a plurality of keys, including a first plurality of channel-select keys, which when a selected key is activated, operates to select a corresponding dedicated wireless communication traffic channel such that communication with said mobile station is established via said selected wireless communication traffic channel; and

a first plurality of channel-select signal indicators, each of said channel-select indicators corresponding to one of said channel-select keys, wherein each said channel-select indicator signals the availability of the corresponding wireless communication traffic channel, whereby the indicators signal the availability of channels.

20. In a communication system including at least one dedicated transceiving base station interfaced to a first plurality of telephone circuits, and a plurality of transceiving mobile stations, a method of incorporating line-select/direct station selection (DSS) modes of operation in the mobile stations comprising the steps of:

a) operating in the line-select mode as follows;

1) establishing a first plurality of keys having the line-select function, with each line-select key corresponding to a telephone circuit selected from the group including dedicated land-lines and wireless traffic channels;

2) activating a line-select key corresponding to an available telephone circuit; and

3) in response to activating the line-select key, capturing the corresponding telephone circuit for use by the mobile station; and

b) operating in the DSS mode as follows;

1) establishing a second plurality of keys having the DSS function, with each DSS key corresponding to one of the second plurality of stations;

2) activating a DSS key; and

3) in response to activating the DSS, accessing the corresponding station, whereby the mobile station is able to select land-lines and directly link to a predefined group of stations.

21. A method as in claim 20 in which a plurality of busy lamp field (BLF) indicators are provided, including a first plurality of line-select indicators, with each line-select indicator corresponding to one of the telephone circuits, and a second plurality of DSS indicators, with each DSS indicator corresponding to a station, and including further sub-steps, preceding sub-Step a)1), of:

establishing a correspondence between the first plurality of line-select indicators and the first plurality of line-select keys; and

using the line-select indicators, signaling the availability of the telephone circuits;

in which sub-Step a)2) includes activating the line-select key, at least partially, in response to the line-select indicator signal;

in which further sub-steps are included, preceding sub-Step b)1), of;

a establishing a correspondence between the second plurality of DSS indicators and the second plurality of DSS keys; and

using the DSS indicators, signaling the status of the stations; and

in which sub-Step b)2) includes activating the DSS key, at least partially, in response to the DSS indicator signal.

22. A method as in claim 20 wherein a plurality of alphanumeric indicators are provided, and wherein the mobile stations incorporate a second, telephone keypad mode of operation, the method comprising the additional steps of:

c) disabling the first, line-select/DSS mode of key operation, and enabling the second, telephone keypad mode;

d) operating in the second mode of operation as follows;

1) establishing a correspondence between the plurality of alphanumeric indicators and the plurality of keys; and

2) in response to the relationship established in sub-Step d)1), activating the keys to manually dial a telephone number, whereby the mobile station keys perform the traditional dialing function.

23. A method as in claim 22 wherein a mode selection switch is provided, and in which Step c) includes disabling the first, line-select/DSS mode, and enabling the second, telephone keypad mode with the mode selection switch, and including a further step, following Step d), of:

e) using the mode selection switch, disabling the second, telephone keypad mode, and enabling the first, line-select/DSS mode of operation.

24. A method as in claim 23 in which Step c) includes activating the mode selection switch, from the mobile station, to enable the second, telephone keypad mode of operation, and in which Step e) includes activating the mode selection switch, from the mobile station, to activate the first, line-select/DSS mode of operation.

25. A method as in claim 24 wherein a logic section, including a list of mode selection criteria, is provided in the mobile station, and in which Step c) includes using the logic section to automatically activate the mode selection switch to enable the second, telephone keypad mode of operation after the logic section determines that the criterion has been satisfied.

26. A method as in claim 25 wherein selecting a line-select key is included in the mode selection criteria, and in which Step c) includes activating a line-select key to enable the second, telephone keypad mode of operation, whereby a telephone number is entered after a line is captured.

27. A method as in claim 24 wherein the mode selection switch is activated by user command, and in which Steps c) and e) includes a user activating the mode selection switch to change the mode of operation for the keys.

28. A method as in claim 24 wherein a protective cover is provided which closes to cover the keys and opens to reveal the keys, and wherein the protective cover is operatively connected to the mode selection switch, and in which Step c) includes closing the protective cover to automatically activate the mode selection switch to engage the second, telephone keypad mode of operation after the cover is closed, whereby battery power is saved by deactivating the BLF indicators.

29. A method as in claim 28 in which Step e) includes opening the protective cover to automatically activate the mode selection switch to engage the first, line-select/DSS mode of operation.

30. A method as in claim 22 wherein a protective cover is provided which closes to cover the keys and opens to reveal the keys, and wherein the protective cover is operatively connected to the BLF indicators, and including further steps of:

closing the protective cover to disable the BLF indicators; and

enabling the BLF indicators when the protective cover is opened, whereby battery power is saved by deactivating the BLF indicators when the cover is closed.

31. A method as in claim 23 wherein the mode selection switch is activated by base station commands, and in which Steps c) and e) includes a base station command activating the mode selection switch to change the mode of operation for the keys.

32. A method as in claim 22 wherein the BLF indicators and alphanumeric characters are integral to the keys, in which Step a)2) includes manipulating the indicator to capture a telephone circuit, in which Step b)2) includes manipulating the indicator to activate a station connection, and in which Step d)2) includes manipulating the indicators to enter a telephone number.

33. A method as in claim 22 wherein the BLF indicators are light arrays, to communicate alphanumeric characters and pictures, integral to the keys, in which Step a)2) includes manipulating the indicator to capture a telephone circuit, in which Step b)2) includes manipulating the indicator to access a station, and in which Step d)2) includes manipulating the indicators to enter a telephone number, whereby the functions are made clearer to the user.

34. A method as in claim 22 wherein the BLF indicators and keys are integral to an LCD display with sensors, in which Step a)2) includes interacting with the LCD screen to capture a telephone circuit, in which Step b)2) includes interacting with the LCD screen to access a station, and in which Step d)2) includes interacting with the LCD screen to enter a telephone number, whereby the keys are virtual keys that are activated by the LCD screen sensors.

35. A method as in claim 21 wherein the DSS functions include idle, busy, on hold, ringing, and off, and in which sub-steps of Step b) includes the BLF providing a unique signal for each DSS function.

36. In a wireless communications system including at least one transceiving base station operatively connected to mobile stations, including a plurality of wireless communication traffic channels, and including a plurality of transceiving mobile stations, a method for selecting a wireless communication traffic channel for establishing communication between a mobile station and the wireless communications system comprising the steps of:

a1) providing a plurality of busy lamp field (BLF) indicators;

a2) providing on each mobile station a first plurality of keys having a channel-select function, each channel-select key corresponding to a dedicated wireless communication traffic channel;

a3) establishing a correspondence between the first plurality of channel-select indicators and the first plurality of channel-select keys;

b) activating a selected channel-select key corresponding to an available wireless communication traffic channel; and

c) capturing that wireless communication traffic channel for use by the mobile station.

37. A method as in claim 36 including the steps of:

a4) using the channel-select indicators, signaling the availability of the wireless communication traffic channels; and

in which Step b) includes activating, at least partially, the channel-select key in response to the corresponding channel-selection indicator signal.

38. A method as in claim 37 wherein a second plurality of stations are provided, and including the further steps of:

d) establishing a second plurality of keys having a DSS function, with each DSS key corresponding to a predetermined station;

e) establishing a correspondence between a second plurality of DSS indicators and the second plurality of DSS keys;

f) using the DSS indicators, signaling the status of stations;

g) activating the DSS key, at least partially, in response to the DSS indicator signal; and

h) accessing the corresponding station, whereby the mobile station is able to directly link to a sub-group of stations in the wireless system.