Wireless telephone system with discardable keyless instruments

• US 6,845,234 B1
• Filed: 09/10/2002
• Issued: 01/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dot 23 Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Byard G. Nilsson
• Inventors: Nilsson, Byard G.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US10/238,531
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90, 455/406, 455/517, 455/409, 455/550, 455/556, 455/563, 455/564, 455/569, 455/565, 379/88.01, 379/88.02, 379/88.03, 379/88.04, 379/419, 379/420.01, 379/433.01, 379/433.1
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/406 with more than one transmission mode, e.g. analog and digital modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/005 Disposable prepaid communication devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/026 Constructional features
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42204 Arrangements at the exchange for service or number selection by voice at the terminal H04M1/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A telecommunication system incorporates individual station instruments simplified by wireless operation, voice dialing, prepaid accounting and out-call operation, all enabled by cooperative system operation including supporting central equipment. Wireless operation of the central equipment involves a multiple port wireless platform along with other units for interfacing a multitude of mobile station instruments simultaneously for interactive audio communication to, regulate control, monitor and record operations of the instruments, and bridge communication with selected remote terminals through the public switched telephone network. Message capability, emergency abort to an operator station and security features supplement the basic system. Communication is controlled for the individual instruments to be either voice or dial-up signals. Voice recognition units alternatively are located in the central equipment and/or the individual station instruments and controlled accordingly. Manual control at instruments accommodates either voice or number outgoing communication.

Claims

1. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied on said processor readable storage devices, the processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method for accomplishing a connection from keyless mobile wireless telephone instruments to a select remote telephone terminal through a public switched telephone network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving identification signals from an activated keyless mobile wireless telephone instrument to indicate a desire for communication with a remote telephone terminal;

cueing the activated keyless mobile wireless telephone instrument to vocally indicate the telephone number of a select remote telephone terminal;

receiving audio telephone number signals from the activated keyless mobile wireless telephone instrument to indicate the telephone number of a select remote terminal;

supplying number signals representations for the select remote telephone terminal to a public switched telephone network to attain a connection for the activated keyless mobile wireless telephone instrument with the select remote telephone terminal; and

bridging the activated keyless mobile wireless telephone instrument to the public switched telephone network.

2. A method as defined by claim 1 wherein the step of supplying dial-up signal representations includes a voice recognition step of converting voice signals to number signals.

3. A storage device according to claim 1 wherein said method includes testing the identification signals received from the activated keyless mobile wireless mobile telephone instrument as a condition to signaling the activated keyless mobile wireless mobile telephone instrument to vocally indicate the telephone number.

4. A storage device according to claim 3 wherein the testing includes testing a prepaid value associated with the activated keyless mobile wireless.

5. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied on said processor readable storage devices, the processor readable code for programming one or more processors in a keyless mobile wireless mobile telephone instrument to perform a method for interfacing a central station to accomplish a connection to a select remote telephone terminal through a public switched telephone network, the method comprising the steps of:

responding to manual activation to transmit an identification signal to the central station to indicate a desire to communicate with a select remote telephone terminal;

receiving cue signals from the central station to manifest a cue for speaking a telephone number for a select remote telephone terminal;

defining first and second intervals of operation;

during a first interval of operation, including a time immediately following receiving cue signals, transducing spoken words representative of numbers into representative dial-up number signals;

during the first interval transmitting the representative dial-up number signals to the central station to enable connection to a select remote telephone terminal; and

during a second interval of operation, transducing spoken words into voice signals and transmitting the voice signals to the central station for communication with the select remote telephone terminal.

6. The method of claim 5 further including a step of responding to manual activation to alter the interval of operation.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of transducing spoken words produces DTMF signals.

8. A process for a keyless mobile wireless telephone instrument to interface a central station to accomplish a connection to a select remote telephone terminal through a public switched telephone network, the method comprising the steps of:

responding to manual activation to fetch and transmit identification signals;

defining a plurality of operating phases including first phase of operation for transmitting number signals and a second phase of operation for transmitting voice signals;

during the first phase of operation, transmitting the identification data signals to the central station to indicate a desire to communicate;

receiving and manifesting cue signals;

during the first phase of operation transducing vocalized words responsive to the cue signals to provide numerical signals indicative of a select remote telephone terminal; and

during the second phase of operation, transmitting voice audio signals representative of spoken word sounds for vocalized communication with the select remote telephone terminal.

9. A process according to claim 8 further including a step of shifting between the first phase of operation and the second phase of operation in response to manual control.

10. A mobile, keyless, wireless telephone instrument for communication with remote telephonic terminals, as through a central station and a public switched telephone network, comprising:

a housing;

a wireless keyless telephone transceiver, including a microphone and an earphone for manual communication, the transceiver being fixed in the housing;

a signal transducer unit coupled to the transceiver; and

a control unit fixed in the housing and including manual means for actuating the transceiver to place a call to a select remote telephone terminal, and a control, unit for defining at least first and second phases of operation of the signal transducer unit for communication, the first phase of operation, including an initial period following activation by the manual means, transmitting number signals derived from spoken number audio signals to represent numbers, and the second phase of operation transmitting voice signals representative of spoken word sounds for vocalized communication, as with the select remote terminal.

11. An instrument according to claim 10 wherein the control unit halts operation of the mobile, keyless, wireless telephone instrument when a prepaid credit is consumed.

12. A telephone instrument according to claim 10 further including a memory for storing number signals to represent a complete called telephone number prior to transmitting number signals.

13. A telephone instrument according to claim 10 wherein the control unit provides a prompt for approval of a complete called telephone number prior to transmitting the number signals.

14. A mobile keyless, wireless telephone instrument according to claim 13 wherein the control unit halts operation of the telephone instrument when a prepaid credit is consumed.

15. A mobile, keyless, wireless telephone instrument according to claim 13 further including a manual switch structure for activating the control unit to shift from the second phase of operation back to the first phase of operation.

16. A mobile, keyless, wireless telephone instrument according to claim 10 wherein the manual switch structure activates the control unit to shift back to the second phase of operation after shifting from the second phase of operation back to the first phase of operation.

17. A system for wireless telephone communication to desired telephone terminals through a public switched telephone network, comprising:

a plurality of discardable, keyless, wireless telephone instruments including a transceiver, an instrument control, an earphone output and an input structure including a microphone unit for converting voice sound to representative audio signals;

prepaid structures for limiting the use of the discardable, keyless, wireless, telephone instruments to prepaid extents of use;

a wireless platform located at a central station to communicate with the discardable, keyless, wireless telephone instruments;

a central control unit located at the central station;

a voice generator and a voice recognition unit controlled by the central control unit to sequence vocal prompts provided from the voice generator to an earphone output of an active discardable, keyless, wireless, telephone instrument, and number signals provided from the input structure of the active discardable, keyless, wireless telephone instrument to the voice recognition unit to accomplish a dial-up called telephone number for communication with a desired telephone terminal and for use by a switched telephone network.

18. A system according to claim 17 wherein the prepaid structures comprise storage fields at the central station for storing prepaid values.

19. A system according to claim 17 wherein the prepaid structures can be refreshed by incurring a charge.

20. A system according to claim 17 wherein the number signals provided from the input structure represent digits of the dial-up called telephone number.

21. A system according to claim 17 wherein the number signals provided from the input structure represent digits of the dial-up called number transmitted digit by digit.

22. A system according to claim 17 wherein the number signals provided from the input structure represent digits of the dial-up called telephone number are transmitted as audio signals.

23. A system according to claim 17 wherein the number signals provided from the input structure represent digits of the dial-up called telephone number are transmitted as number signals.

24. A system according to claim 17 wherein only active discardable, keyless, wireless, telephone instrument are in communication with the central station.

25. A system according to claim 17 wherein said central station further includes storage capacity to store messages for the discardable, keyless, wireless, telephone instruments.

26. A system according to claim 17 wherein the control unit, includes a manual switch for setting different phases of operation.

27. A process for wireless telephone communication to desired telephone terminals through a public switched telephone network, comprising:

providing a plurality of discardable, keyless, wireless telephone instruments including a transceiver, an instrument control, an earphone output and an input structure including a microphone unit for converting voice sound to representative audio signals;

limiting the use of the discardable, keyless, wireless, telephone instruments to prepaid extents of use;

at a central station, communicating with active of the discardable, keyless, wireless telephone instruments;

at the central station, sequentially providing vocal prompts to the earphone output structure of an active discardable, keyless, wireless telephone instrument and receiving number signals from the input structure of the active discardable, keyless, wireless telephone instrument to recognize the number signals and accomplish a dial-up called telephone number for communication with a desired telephone terminal and for use by a public switched telephone network.

28. A process according to claim 27 wherein the step of limiting the use includes storing prepaid values at the central station.

29. A process according to claim 27 wherein the prepaid structures can be refreshed by incurring a charge.

30. A process according to claim 27 wherein the number signals provided from the input structure represent digits of the dial-up called number.

31. A process according to claim 27 wherein the number signals provided from the input structure represent digits of the dial-up called number transmitted digit by digit.

32. A system according to claim 27 wherein the number signals provided from the input structure represent digits of the dial-up called number are transmitted as audio signals.

33. A system according to claim 27 wherein the number signals provided from the input structure represent digits of the dial-up called number are transmitted as number signals.

34. A system according to claim 27 wherein said central station further includes storage capacity to store messages for the discardable, keyless, wireless, telephone instruments.