System and method for controlling the use of a wireless device

• US 7,177,632 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2002
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilch-Ringen, Brenda S., Ringen, Deron J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ, JULIO R
• Application Number:
  US10/159,636
• Time in Patent Office: 1,720 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/410, 455/411, 455/432, 379/58, 379/59, 379/91, 379/112
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/677 Preventing the dialling or sending of predetermined telephone numbers or selected types of telephone numbers, e.g. long distance numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72475 specially adapted for disabled users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2272 Subscriber line supervision circuits, e.g. call detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64

Abstract

Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide for enabling a user to select telephone numbers to which a wireless device may place calls and from which the wireless device may receive calls. One preferred embodiment of the present invention includes software for use on a general purpose computer allowing the user to input into the memory of a wireless device desired telephone numbers that may not be changed by the operator of the wireless device. The computer software also programs the wireless device to only place calls to, or receives calls from, the telephone numbers entered into the memory of the wireless device by the owner.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the use of a first device, the system comprising:

a first device; and

a computer connected to the first device, wherein the computer is configured with software to enable a user to program and reprogram the first device with at least one telephone number of a second device such that the first device restricts the initiation of communications to the at least one telephone number of the second device;

wherein the software is configured to program the first device to prevent an operator of the first device from adding the at least one telephone number of the second device to the first device except through the software, such that the operator may not add the at least one telephone number of the second device through manipulation of the first device.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a connection device connected between the first device and the computer, the connection device configured to transmit the programming to the first device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the connection device comprises a cable, a first end of the cable attached to the computer, a second end of the cable attached to the first device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first end of the cable is attached to a serial port of the computer or a parallel port of the computer.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the connection device comprises a cradle, the cradle attached to the computer, the cradle configured with plug elements configured to receive the first device, each of the plug elements configured to receive a specific type or brand of first device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the software is further configured to enable the user to program the first device with the at least one telephone number of the second device such that the first device will only place telephone calls to telephones involving the at least one telephone number of the second device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one telephone number of a second device includes a plurality of telephone numbers of the second device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of telephone numbers of a second device includes a first set to which the first device will only place telephone calls and a second set from which the first device will only accept communications.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first set of telephone numbers of a second device and the second set of telephone numbers of a second device comprise the same telephone numbers.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the software is further configured with an interface, the interface allowing the user to input a first set of telephone numbers of the second device and a second set of telephone numbers of the second device, wherein the first set of telephone numbers of the second device includes the only telephone numbers to which the first device can place telephone calls, and the second set of telephone numbers of the second device includes the only telephone numbers from which the first device can accept communications.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first and second sets of telephone numbers of the second device are stored in at least one file on the computer, and the software is further configured to program the first device with the sets of telephone numbers of the second device contained in the at least one file.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises at least one of a pager, an Internet pager, a cellular telephone, and a personal digital assistant.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the software is further configured to enable the user to program the first device with the at least one telephone number of the second device such that the first device will only accept communications from telephones involving the at least one telephone number of the second device.

14. A method for controlling the use of a first device, the method comprising:

selecting at least one telephone number of a second device;

storing the at least one telephone number of the second device into an acceptable number memory of the first device;

programming the first device to restrict the initiation of communications only to a telephone having the at least one telephone number of the second device associated therewith; and

programming the first device to only allow alteration of the acceptable number memory by the programming software, such that an operator of the first device may not alter the acceptable number memory through manipulation of the first device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein storing further comprises storing at least one telephone number of the second device into an acceptable calling number memory of the first device, and programming the first device further includes programming the first device to restrict telephone calls placed by the first device to a called telephone number that is contained in the acceptable calling number memory of the first device.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein storing and programming are performed by a computer connected to the first device, the computer configured with programming software.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein selecting is performed by a user inputting the telephone numbers into the computer.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one telephone number of the second device further comprises a first plurality of telephone numbers of the second device and a second plurality of telephone numbers of the second device, the first plurality of telephone numbers of the second device stored in an acceptable receiving number memory of the first device, and the second plurality of telephone numbers of the second device stored in an acceptable calling number memory of the first device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein programming further comprises preventing an operator of the first device from altering the telephone numbers stored in the acceptable receiving number memory of the first device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein preventing an operator of the first device from altering the telephone numbers of the second device stored in the first device further comprises programming a unique identifier into the first device, the unique identifier associated with a computer.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein preventing an operator of the first device from altering the telephone numbers of the second device stored in the first device further comprises programming the first device to only allow alteration of the telephone numbers of the second device stored in the memory of the first device by the computer.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein programming further comprises preventing an operator of the first device from altering the telephone numbers stored in the acceptable calling number memory of the first device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein preventing an operator of the first device from altering the telephone numbers stored in the first device further comprises programming a unique identifier into the first device, the unique identifier associated with a computer.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein preventing an operator of the first device from altering the telephone numbers stored in the first device further comprises programming the first device to only allow alteration of the telephone numbers stored in the memory of the first device by the computer.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein storing further comprises storing at least one telephone number of the second device into an acceptable receiving number memory of the first device, and programming the first device further includes programming the first device to accept only telephone calls received by the first device from a called telephone number of the second device that is contained in the acceptable receiving number memory of the first device.

26. A method for controlling the use of a first device, the method comprising:

providing programming software configured to operate on a computer, the software comprising;

an interface; and

programming the first device to only allow alteration of a set of telephone numbers by the programming software, the interface configured to accept information comprising the set of telephone numbers; and

logic, the logic configured to transmit the information to the first device, the logic further configured to program the first device to use the information to restrict the initiation of communications; and

implementing the software on the computer;

wherein the software is configured to program the first device to prevent an operator of the first device from adding telephone numbers to the set of telephone numbers except through the software, such that the operator may not alter the set of telephone numbers through manipulation of the first device.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the first device is programmed to restrict communications received by the first device or communications from the first device.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the software is provided to an owner of the first device.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the information is selected by the owner.

30. A first device comprising:

an acceptable number memory containing at least one telephone number of a second device; and

programming logic configured to use the at least one telephone number of the second device to restrict communications to communications involving the at least one telephone number of the second device in the acceptable number memory;

wherein a plurality of telephone numbers of the second device contained in the acceptable number memory may only be altered by a computer in communication with the first device, such that an operator of the first device may not alter the plurality of telephone numbers through manipulation of the first device.

31. The first device of claim 30, wherein the acceptable number memory contains a plurality of telephone numbers of the second device.

32. The first device of claim 31, wherein the acceptable number memory includes an acceptable receiving number memory, and wherein the programming logic is further configured to reject telephone calls placed to the first device from a telephone associated with a telephone number of the second device that is not in the acceptable receiving number memory.

33. The first device of claim 31, wherein the acceptable number memory includes an acceptable calling number memory, and wherein the programming logic is further configured to reject telephone calls placed by the first device to a telephone number of the second device that is not in the acceptable calling number memory.

34. The first device of claim 31, wherein the acceptable number memory includes an acceptable calling number memory, and wherein the programming logic is further configured to reject telephone calls placed by the first device to a telephone number of the second device that is not in the acceptable calling number memory, wherein the acceptable number memory includes an acceptable receiving number memory, and wherein the programming logic is further configured to reject telephone calls placed to the first device from a telephone associated with a telephone number of the second device that is not in the acceptable receiving number memory.

35. The first device of claim 34, wherein the plurality of telephone numbers of a second device contained in the acceptable calling number memory are different from the plurality of telephone numbers of the second device contained in the acceptable receiving number memory.

36. The first device of claim 35, wherein the plurality of telephone numbers of the second device contained in the acceptable receiving number memory may only be altered by a computer in communication with the first device.

37. The first device of claim 36, wherein the plurality of telephone numbers of a second device contained in the acceptable calling number memory may only be altered by the computer in communication with the first device.

38. A computer-readable medium including logic for performing:

receiving a set of at least one telephone number of the second device from a user;

programming a first device to use the at least one telephone number of a second device to restrict communications involving the first device;

restricting the reception of the at least one telephone number of the second device to a reception from a particular user; and

restricting the updating of the set of at least one telephone number of the second device to a computer in communication with the first device, such that an operator of the first device may not alter the plurality of telephone numbers through manipulation of the first device.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein programming further includes storing the received set of at least one telephone number of the second device to an acceptable receiving number memory on the first device.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein programming further includes programming the first device to reject telephone calls placed by the first device to a called number that is not in the set of at least one telephone number of the second device received from the user.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein programming further includes storing the received set of at least one telephone number of the second device into the acceptable calling number memory on the first device.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein receiving further includes receiving a plurality of telephone numbers of the second device.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein programming further includes storing a first plurality of telephone numbers of the second device in the acceptable calling number memory, and storing a different plurality of telephone numbers of the second device in the acceptable receiving number memory.

44. A device for controlling the use of a first device, the device comprising:

an interface connected to the first device; and

software configured for enabling a user to program the first device with at least one telephone number of a second device such that the first device restricts initiation of communications to the at least one telephone number of the second device;

wherein the software is further configured to program and reprogram the first device to prevent an operator of the first device from adding telephone numbers of the second device to the first device except through the software, such that the operator of the first device may not alter the telephone numbers through manipulation of the first device.

45. The device of claim 44, wherein the software is further configured to enable the user to program the first device with the at least one telephone number of the second device such that the first device will only place telephone calls to telephones involving the at least one telephone number of the second device.

46. The device of claim 45, wherein the software is further configured to enable the user to program the first device at least one telephone number of the second device includes a plurality of telephone numbers of the second device.

47. The device of claim 46, wherein the plurality of telephone numbers of the second device includes a first set to which the first device will only place telephone calls and the second set from which the first device will only accept communications.

48. The device of claim 47, wherein the first set of telephone numbers of the second device and the second set of telephone numbers of the second device comprise the same telephone numbers of the second device.

49. The device of claim 44, wherein the software is further configured with an interface, the interface allowing the user to input a first set of telephone numbers of the second device and a second set of telephone numbers of a second device, wherein the first set of telephone numbers of the second device includes the only telephone numbers of the second device to which the first can place telephone calls, and the second set of telephone numbers of the second device includes the only telephone numbers of the second device from which the first device can accept communications.

50. The device of claim 44, wherein the first and second sets of telephone numbers of the second device are stored in at least one file on the device, and the software is further configured to program the first device with the sets of telephone numbers of the second device contained in the at least one file.