Method and system for simplified control of a subscriber terminal

• US 6,865,403 B1
• Filed: 11/28/2000
• Issued: 03/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Averkamp, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bhattacharya, Sam
• Application Number:
  US09/724,004
• Time in Patent Office: 1,561 Days
• Field of Search: 455/563, 455/564, 455/565, 455/575.1, 455/569.1, 455/569.2
• US Class Current: 455/564
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241

Abstract

A method and system for establishing subscriber terminal communications. An actuator, which may be as simple as a single pushbutton switch for instance, may be engaged by a human so as to send an actuation signal to a controller that preferably resides external to the subscriber terminal. The controller receives the actuation signal and further receives an indication of the status of the subscriber terminal (such as whether the terminal is currently engaged in a call, is idle, or is ringing). Based on the actuation signal and the status of the subscriber terminal, the controller determines an action to be taken by the subscriber terminal. The controller then sends a directive to the subscriber terminal, which causes the subscriber terminal to take the action. In one arrangement, for instance, the action may be the subscriber terminal dialing digits that are sufficient to cause a dial-up-connection to a voice-activated-dialing platform. Once connected to the platform, the human may then speak commands to the voice-activated-dialing platform and the platform may appropriately perform an action based on the commands.

Claims

1. A control system coupled externally to a subscriber terminal, the subscriber terminal having a status, the control system comprising, in combination:

an actuator that can be selectively actuated by a human;

a controller receiving an actuation signal in response to actuation of the actuator;

a routine performed by the controller for (i) determining, based at least on the actuation signal and the status of the subscriber terminal, an action to be taken by the subscriber terminal, (ii) generating a directive indicative of the action, and (iii) sending the directive to the subscriber terminal,

whereby the subscriber terminal may then take the action in response to the directive;

wherein, if the subscriber terminal is on and engaged in a call placed via a voice-activated-dialing platform, then the action comprises the subscriber terminal sending one or more digits to the voice-activated-dialing platform suitable for instructing the voice-activated-dialing platform to disconnect the call but to retain a connection between the voice-activated-dialing platform and the subscriber terminal, whereby another call may then be placed from the subscriber terminal via the voice-activated dialing platform.

2. The control system of claim 1, further comprising:

a microphone for receiving audio signals to be provided to the subscriber terminal, whereby the audio signals may comprise speech signals.

3. The control system of claim 1, further comprising:

an audio output source for providing audio signals from the subscriber terminal to a speaker, to be heard by a human.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a single button that can be actuated by the human.

5. The control system of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a single rotary dial.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein:

the controller comprises a processor, a memory, and a set of machine language instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor; and

the machine language instructions define the routine.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein the subscriber terminal defines a plurality of functions and wherein the action comprises the subscriber terminal carrying out one or more of those functions.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein, if the subscriber terminal is on and idle, then the action comprises the subscriber terminal dialing one or more digits suitable for establishing a dial-up connection to the voice-activated-dialing platform,

whereby, once the subscriber terminal is connected to the voice-activated-dialing platform, a human may speak into a microphone so as to provide speech signals that may be recognized and acted upon by the voice-activated-dialing platform.

9. The control system of claim 8, wherein the one or more digits are selected from the group consisting of (i) a feature code and (ii) a telephone number.

10. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller determines the action in response to the actuation signal reflecting that the actuator was actuated for at least a predetermined duration.

11. The control system of claim 10, wherein the predetermined duration is 1.5 seconds.

12. The control system of claim 1, wherein, if the subscriber terminal is on and receiving an incoming call, then the action comprises the subscriber terminal connecting to the call.

13. The control system of claim 1, wherein the subscriber terminal is a wireless subscriber terminal.

14. A method for controlling communications of a subscriber terminal, the subscriber terminal having a status, the method comprising, in combination:

receiving an indication of the status of the subscriber terminal;

receiving an actuation signal provided in response to a human actuating an actuator;

in response to the indication of status and the actuation signal, determining an action to be taken by the subscriber terminal; and

sending a directive to the subscriber terminal indicating the action to be taken,

whereby the subscriber terminal may then take the action,

wherein, if the subscriber terminal is on and engaged in a call placed via a voice-activated-dialing platform, then the action comprises the subscriber terminal sending one or more digits to the voice-activated-dialing platform suitable for instructing the voice-activated-dialing platform to disconnect the call but to retain a connection between the voice-activated-dialing platform and the subscriber terminal, whereby another call may then be placed from the subscriber terminal via the voice-activated dialing platform.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, if the subscriber terminal is on and idle, then the action comprises the subscriber terminal dialing one or more digits suitable for establishing a dial-up connection to the voice-activated dialing platform.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more digits are selected from the group consisting of (i) a feature code and (ii) a telephone number.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the action comprises determining the action based at least in part on the actuation signal reflecting that the actuator was actuated for at least a predetermined duration.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined duration is 1.5 seconds.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein, if the subscriber terminal is on and receiving an incoming call, then the action comprises the subscriber terminal connecting to the call.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the subscriber terminal is a wireless subscriber terminal.

21. A control system coupled externally to a subscriber terminal, the subscriber terminal having a status, the control system comprising, in combination:

an actuator that can be selectively actuated by a human;

a controller receiving an actuation signal in response to actuation of the actuator; and

a routine performed by the controller for (i) determining, based at least on the actuation signal and the status of the subscriber terminal, an action to be taken by the subscriber terminal, (ii) generating a directive indicative of the action, and (iii) sending the directive to the subscriber terminal, whereby the subscriber terminal may then take the action in response to the directive,

wherein, if the status is a first status, then the controller determines a first action to be taken by the subscriber terminal, generates a first directive indicative of the first action, and sends the first directive to the subscriber terminal,

wherein, if the status is a second status, then the controller determines a second action to be taken by the subscriber terminal, generates a second directive indicative of the first action, and sends the second directive to the subscriber terminal,

wherein the first status is different than the second status, the first action is different than the second action, and the first directive is different than the second directive, and

wherein, if the subscriber terminal is on and engaged in a call placed via a voice-activated-dialing platform, then the action comprises the subscriber terminal sending one or more digits to the voice-activated-dialing platform suitable for instructing the voice-activated-dialing platform to disconnect the call but to retain a connection between the voice-activated-dialing platform and the subscriber terminal, whereby another call may then be placed from the subscriber terminal via the voice-activated dialing platform.

22. A method for controlling communications of a subscriber terminal, the subscriber terminal having a status, the method comprising, in combination:

receiving an indication of the status of the subscriber terminal;

receiving an actuation signal provided in response to a human actuating an actuator;

if the status is a first status, then, in response to the indication of status and the actuation signal, determining a first action to be taken by the subscriber terminal; and

sending a first directive to the subscriber terminal indicating the first action to be taken, whereby the subscriber terminal may then take the first action;

if the status is a second status, then, in response to the indication of status and the actuation signal, determining a second action to be taken by the subscriber terminal; and

sending a second directive to the subscriber terminal indicating the second action to be taken, whereby the subscriber terminal may then take the second action,

wherein the first status is different than the second status, the first action is different than the second action, and the first directive is different than the second directive, and

wherein, if the subscriber terminal is on and engaged in a call placed via a voice-activated-dialing platform, then the action comprises the subscriber terminal sending one or more digits to the voice-activated-dialing platform suitable for instructing the voice-activated-dialing platform to disconnect the call but to retain a connection between the voice-activated-dialing platform and the subscriber terminal, whereby another call may then be placed from the subscriber terminal via the voice-activated dialing platform.