Transmitter/receiver system, mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus, communication management apparatus, broadcasting station carrier receiver apparatus, and method of attempting communication of call origination information

• US 7,424,286 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2001
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Okada, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAI, WAYNE HUU
• Application Number:
  US10/181,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20030040302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,787 Days
• Field of Search: 455/415, 455/414.1, 455/421, 455/422.1
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/12 Inter-network notification

Abstract

Besides a plurality of base stations (64) enabling telephone calls between mobile terminals (30) and between the mobile terminals (30) and fixed telephones (12), a call management apparatus (60) is further provided a broadcasting station (72) that transmits call origination information via a broadcasting station carrier of a frequency band that is lower than that of a telephone call carrier. Furthermore, each mobile terminal (30) is provided with a broadcasting station carrier receiver portion capable of receiving broadcasting station carriers. An exchange control station (70) transmits call origination information from the broadcasting station (72) via a broadcasting station carrier if a mobile terminal (30) is in a state in which it is incapable of transmission/reception via the telephone call carrier. Since broadcasting station carriers have a better electromagnetic reflection characteristic than telephone call carriers, each mobile terminal (30) can receive call origination information by using the broadcasting station carrier receiver portion even if the mobile terminal (30) is in a state in which it is incapable of transmission/reception via the telephone call carrier. Thus, the communication of call origination information to the mobile terminals (30) can be improved.

Claims

1. A transmitter/receiver system comprising:

one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus comprising;

a telephone call transmission/reception device that transmits and receives respective audio data via a first carrier of a first frequency band and that receives respective first call origination information via said first carrier; and

a call origination information reception device that receives respective second call origination information via a second carrier of a second frequency band that is lower than said first frequency band; and

a transmission/reception management apparatus that manages transmission to and reception from at least one of said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus, said transmission/reception management apparatus comprising;

a telephone call management apparatus that governs an exchange, employing said first carrier, of said respective audio data between said at least one of said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus and at least one other mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus and a communication apparatus connected to said transmission/reception management apparatus;

a first call information transmission apparatus that transmits, when a call is made to any one of said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus, said respective first call origination information via said first carrier; and

a second call information transmission apparatus that transmits, when a call is made to said any one of said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus, said respective second call origination information via said second carrier.

2. The transmitter/receiver system according to claim 1, wherein said second carrier has a frequency of at most 1 GHz.

3. The transmitter/receiver system according to claim 1, wherein said second carrier is a broadcasting station carrier as used for radio or television broadcasting.

4. The transmitter/receiver system according to claim 3, wherein said second carrier is a sideband of said broadcasting station carrier of an area in which said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus is being used.

5. The transmitter/receiver system according to claim 3, wherein said second call information transmission apparatus transmits said respective second call origination information by superimposing said respective second call origination information on said broadcasting station carrier.

6. The transmitter/receiver system according to claim 1, wherein said second call information transmission apparatus transmits said respective second call origination information a plurality of times.

7. The transmitter/receiver system according to claim 6, wherein the second call information transmission apparatus transmits said respective second call origination information a plurality of times at predetermined intervals.

8. The transmitter/receiver system according to claim 6, wherein the second call information transmission apparatus transmits said respective second call origination information a plurality of times at intervals that are changeable in accordance with call or carrier traffic.

9. The transmitter/receiver system according to claim 1, said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus further comprising a first transmission on-off controller that transmits, to said transmission/reception management apparatus, information as to whether the transmission/reception management apparatus should transmit said respective second call origination information to said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus, and

wherein said transmission/reception management apparatus further comprises:

a second call information transmission control storage apparatus that stores control information as to whether transmission of said respective second call origination information is to be performed with respect to each of said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus; and

a first control apparatus that controls said second call information transmission apparatus such that said respective second call origination information is transmitted solely when said control information stored in said second call information transmission control storage apparatus indicates that said respective second call origination information is to be transmitted.

10. The transmitter/receiver system according to claim 1, said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus further comprising a second transmission on-off controller that transmits, to the transmission/reception management apparatus, information as to whether the transmission/reception management apparatus should transmit said respective second call origination information to another of said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus, and

wherein the transmission/reception management apparatus further comprises a second control apparatus that controls, if the mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus has made a request for transmission of said respective second call origination information to another of said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus, the second call information transmission apparatus such that said respective second call origination information is only transmitted to the another of said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus if information indicating that said respective second call origination information is to be transmitted to the another of said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus is transmitted by the second transmission on-off controller.

11. A transmitter/receiver system comprising:

one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus comprising;

a telephone call transmission/reception device that transmits and receives respective audio data via a first carrier of a first frequency band and that receives respective first call origination information via said first carrier; and

a call origination information reception device that receives respective second call origination information via a second carrier of a second frequency band that is lower than said first frequency band; and

a transmission/reception management apparatus that manages transmission to and reception from at least one of said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus, said transmission/reception management apparatus comprising;

a telephone call management apparatus that governs an exchange, employing said first carrier, of said respective audio data between said at least one of said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus and at least one other mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus and a communication apparatus connected to said transmission/reception management apparatus;

a first call information transmission apparatus that transmits, when a call is made to any one of said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus, said respective first call origination information via said first carrier; and

a second call information transmission apparatus that transmits, when a call is made to said any one of said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus, said respective second call origination information via said second carrier,

wherein if said transmission/reception management apparatus cannot confirm receipt of said first call origination information although said respective first call origination information has been transmitted by said first call information transmission apparatus a predetermined number of times, said second call information transmission apparatus transmits said respective second call origination information via said second carrier.

12. A mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus for use in a transmitter/receiver system comprising one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus and a transmission/reception management apparatus that manages transmission to and reception from said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus, comprising:

a telephone call transmission/reception device that transmits and receives audio data via a first carrier of a first frequency band and that receives first call origination information via said first carrier;

a call origination information reception device that receives second call origination information via a second carrier of a second frequency band that is lower than said first frequency band; and

a second transmission on-off controller that transmits to the transmission/reception management apparatus information as to whether the transmission/reception management apparatus should transmit said second call origination information to another mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus.

13. The mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said second carrier has a frequency of at most 1 GHz.

14. A mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said second carrier is a sideband of a broadcasting station carrier that as used for radio or television broadcasting.

15. The mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising;

a telephone call transmission/reception on-off controller that governs an on-off state of said telephone call transmission/reception device, and

a call information reception on-off controller that governs an on-off state of said call origination information reception device.

16. The mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a controller that controls at least one of said telephone call transmission/reception device and said call origination information reception device based on an operating state of said telephone call transmission/reception device and an operating state of said call origination information reception device,

said controller limits a search in which said telephone call transmission/reception device is prompted to check for recovered reception of said first carrier, said search being carried out when said call origination information reception device is in an “

on”

state as governed by the call information reception on-off controller and said telephone call transmission/reception device has lost reception of said first carrier in spite of the fact that said telephone call transmission/reception device is in an “

on”

state as governed by the telephone call transmission/reception on-off controller.

17. The mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said limitation of the search comprises extending the interval between checks for recovered reception as a function of an elapsed time since previous reception.

18. The mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a controller that controls at least one of said telephone call transmission/reception device and said call origination information reception device based on the operating state of said telephone call transmission/reception device and the operating state of said call origination information reception device,

said controller limits either a search in which said telephone call transmission/reception device is prompted to check for recovered reception of said first carrier or a search in which said call origination information reception device is prompted to check for recovered reception of said second carrier, said either of said searches being carried out when said telephone call transmission/reception device and said call origination information reception device have lost reception of said first and second carriers, respectively, in spite of the fact that both said telephone call transmission/reception device and said call origination information reception device are in an “

on”

state as governed by said telephone call transmission/reception on-off controller and said call information reception on-off controller, respectively.

19. The mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said controller limits said search in which said telephone call transmission/reception device is prompted to check for recovered reception of said first carrier.

20. The mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a controller that controls at least one of said telephone call transmission/reception device and said call origination information reception device based on an operating state of said telephone call transmission/reception device and an operating state of said call origination information reception device,

said controller sets said call origination information reception device to an “

on”

state regardless of whether a current state of said call origination information reception device is set to an “

off”

state, when said telephone call transmission/reception device has lost reception of said first carrier in response to a predetermined signal in spite of the fact that said telephone call transmission/reception device is set to an “

on”

state.

21. The mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said predetermined signal is an externally generated jamming signal.

22. The mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the controller limits a search in which said telephone call transmission/reception device is prompted to check for recovered reception of said first carrier when said telephone call transmission/reception device has lost reception of said first carrier due to said predetermined signal.

23. The mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a state display device that displays an operating state of said telephone call transmission/reception device and an operating state of said call origination information reception device.

24. A mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a controller that controls at least one of said telephone call transmission/reception device and said call origination information reception device based on an operating state of said telephone call transmission/reception device and an operating state of said call origination information reception device.

25. A mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said controller limits the operation of said call origination information reception device when said telephone call transmission/reception device is capable of transmission to and reception from said transmission/reception management apparatus.

26. The mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the operational limitation of said call origination information reception device consists of turning off said call origination information reception device.

27. The mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said telephone call transmission/reception device transmits status information to the transmission/reception management apparatus, when said telephone call transmission/reception device is capable of reception of said first carrier.

28. The mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising an electronic key that allow the transmitter/receiver apparatus to adopt the capabilities of an electronic vehicular key.

29. The mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising an information output device that outputs at least a portion of said second call origination information received by said call origination information reception device using at least one of speech/sounds, characters, and images.

30. The mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 29, further comprising:

an identification information storage device that stores at least one piece of identification information identifying each of one or more communication terminals; and

an identification information determination device that determines whether said received first or second call origination information includes a piece of identification information stored by said identification information storage device,

wherein said information output device outputs at least a portion of said received first or second call origination information if said determination by said identification information determination device is affirmative.

31. The mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 30, further comprising an identification information change-addition-deletion device that changes, adds to, and deletes identification information stored by said identification information storage device.

32. The mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 29,

wherein said call origination information reception device is capable of receiving at least one of a radio broadcasting station carrier and a television broadcasting station carrier, and

wherein said information output device outputs at least one of a radio broadcast and a television broadcast via at least one of said radio broadcasting station carrier and television broadcasting station carrier.

33. The mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, when the mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus receives the first carrier, the mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus notifies a user based on said received respective first call origination information, and when the mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus receives the second carrier, the mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus outputs notification information indicating that there was a call based on said received respective second call origination information.

34. A communication management apparatus that manages an exchange of audio data via at least one of a physical communication link and a wireless communication link between communication terminals, comprising:

a second call information transmission apparatus capable of transmitting second call origination information to any one of said communication terminals via a second carrier that is a predetermined carrier; and

a control apparatus that controls said transmission of the second call origination information by said second call information transmission apparatus,

wherein if the communication management apparatus cannot confirm receipt of a first call origination information that has been transmitted by a first call information transmission apparatus via a first carrier of a first frequency a predetermined number of times, the second call information transmission apparatus transmits the second call origination information via the second carrier of a second frequency band that is lower than the first frequency band.

35. The communication management apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said predetermined carrier is a broadcasting station carrier or a sideband thereof.

36. A broadcast receiver apparatus that receives a broadcasting station carrier as used for radio or television broadcasting and that outputs a broadcast via said broadcasting station carrier using at least one of speech/sounds, characters, and images, comprising:

a call carrier reception device that is capable of receiving a second carrier that is a predetermined carrier used by a communication management apparatus that manages an exchange of audio data via at least one of a physical communication link and a wireless communication link between communication terminals to transmit second call origination information to one or more of said communication terminals; and

a call information output device that outputs the second call origination information received by said call carrier reception device that uses at least one of speech/sounds, characters, and images,

wherein, when the call carrier reception device receives a first carrier of a first frequency, the call information output device notifies a user of the call origination information based on received first call origination information, and when the call carrier reception device receives the second carrier of a second frequency band that is lower than the first frequency band the call information output device outputs notification information indicating that there was a call based on received second call origination information.

37. The broadcast receiver apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said predetermined carrier is a sideband of said broadcasting station carrier.

38. The broadcast receiver apparatus according to claim 36, further comprising:

an identification information storage device that stores at least one piece of identification information identifying each of one or more communication terminals; and

an identification information determination device that determines whether said received first or second call origination information includes a piece of identification information stored by said identification information storage device, wherein

the call information output device outputs at least a portion of said received first or second call origination information if said determination by said identification information determination device is affirmative.

39. The broadcast receiver apparatus according to claim 38, further comprising an identification information change-addition-deletion device that changes, adds to, and deletes identification information stored by said identification information storage device.

40. The broadcast receiver apparatus according to claim 38,

wherein said broadcast receiver apparatus is a radio apparatus installed in a vehicle,

wherein said identification information storage device stores, in respective association with said at least one piece of identification information of the communication terminals, identification information identifying each of one or more electronic keys capable of locking a door of the vehicle, unlocking the door, and starting an engine of the vehicle, and

wherein said identification information determination device determines whether said received first or second call origination information includes a piece of identification information stored by said identification information storage device in association with the identification information of the electronic key that has been used to unlock the door and/or start the engine.

41. A method of attempting communication of call origination information to a target communication terminal, comprising at least one of:

establishing at least one of a physical communication link and a wireless communication link suitable for exchanging audio data between communication terminals; and

establishing a broadcasting transmission through a broadcasting station carrier as used for radio or television transmission/reception;

the method further comprising;

deciding whether said communication is to be attempted via said at least one of a physical communication link and a wireless communication link, said broadcasting station carrier, or both depending on at least one of a caller'"'"'s preference, the preference of a target communication terminal user, the ability to establish said at least one of a physical communication link and a wireless communication link, and the success of attempted communication of said call origination information to said target communication terminal via said at least one of a physical communication link and a wireless communication link,

wherein, if the origination information has yet to be received via said at least one of a physical communication link and a wireless communication link although the call origination information has been transmitted via said at least one of a physical communication link and a wireless communication link a predetermined number of times, at least part of the call origination information is transmitted via the broadcasting station carrier at a frequency that is lower than a frequency band used by said at least one of a physical communication link and a wireless communication link.

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein if the success of attempted communication of said call origination information to said target communication terminal via said at least one of a physical communication link and a wireless communication link cannot be confirmed, communication of said call origination information to said target communication terminal is attempted via said broadcasting station carrier.

43. The calling method according to claim 41, wherein if attempted communication via said broadcasting station carrier has been requested by a user of said target communication terminal, communication is attempted via said at least one of a physical communication link and a wireless communication link and said broadcasting station carrier.

44. The calling method according to claim 41, wherein if attempted communication via said broadcasting station carrier has been requested by a caller, communication is attempted via said at least one of a physical communication link and a wireless communication link and said broadcasting station carrier.

45. A transmitter/receiver system comprising:

one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus comprising;

a telephone call transmission/reception device that transmits and receives respective audio data via a first carrier of a first frequency band and that receives respective first call origination information via said first carrier; and

a call origination information reception device that receives respective second call origination information via a second carrier of a second frequency band that is different from said first frequency band;

a transmission/reception management apparatus that manages transmission to and reception from at least one of said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus, said transmission/reception management apparatus comprising;

a telephone call management apparatus that governs an exchange, employing said first carrier, of said respective audio data between said mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus and at least one other mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus and a communication apparatus connected to said transmission/reception management apparatus;

a first call information transmission apparatus that transmits, when a call is made to any one of said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus, said respective said first call origination information via said first carrier;

a second call information transmission apparatus that transmits, when a call is made to said any one of said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus, said respective second call origination information via said second carrier;

a second call information transmission control storage apparatus that stores control information as to whether transmission of said respective second call origination information is to be performed with respect to each of said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus; and

a first control apparatus that controls said second call information transmission apparatus such that said respective second call origination information is transmitted solely when the control information stored in the second call information transmission control storage apparatus indicates that the call origination information is to be transmitted; and

a first transmission on-off controller that transmits, to said transmission/reception management apparatus, information as to whether the transmission/reception management apparatus should transmit said respective second call origination information to said one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus.

46. The transmitter/receiver system according to claim 45, wherein said second carrier has a frequency of at most 1 GHz.

47. The transmitter/receiver system according to claim 45, wherein said second carrier is a broadcasting station carrier as used for radio or television broadcasting.

48. The transmitter/receiver system according to claim 47, wherein said second carrier is a sideband of said broadcasting station carrier of an area in which said mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus is being used.

49. The transmitter/receiver system according to claim 47, wherein said second call information transmission apparatus transmits said second call origination information by superimposing said respective second call origination information on said broadcasting station carrier.

50. The transmitter/receiver system according to claim 45, wherein said second call information transmission apparatus transmits said respective second call origination information a plurality of times.

51. The transmitter/receiver system according to claim 50, wherein the second call information transmission apparatus transmits said respective second call origination information a plurality of times at predetermined intervals.

52. The transmitter/receiver system according to claim 50, wherein the second call information transmission apparatus transmits said respective second call origination information a plurality of times at intervals that are changeable in accordance with call or carrier traffic.

53. The transmitter/receiver system according to claim 45, wherein if said mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus has yet to receive said first call origination information although said first call origination information has been transmitted by said first call information transmission apparatus a predetermined number of times, said second call information transmission apparatus transmits said second call origination information via said second carrier.

54. The transmitter/receiver system according to claim 45, the mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus further comprising a second transmission on-off controller that transmits, to the transmission/reception management apparatus, information as to whether the transmission/reception management apparatus should transmit said respective second call origination information to another of said mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus, and

wherein the transmission/reception management apparatus further comprises a second control apparatus that controls, if the mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus has made a request for transmission of said respective second call origination information to another of said mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus, the second call information transmission apparatus such that said respective second call origination information is only transmitted to another mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus if information indicating that said respective second call origination information is to be transmitted to the another mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus is transmitted by the second transmission on-off controller.

55. A transmitter/receiver system comprising:

one or more mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus comprising;

a telephone call transmission/reception device that transmits and receives respective audio data via a first carrier of a first frequency band and that receives respective first call origination information via said first carrier; and

a call origination information reception device that receives respective second call origination information via a second carrier of a second frequency band that is different from said first frequency band; and

a transmission/reception management apparatus that manages transmission to and reception from at least one of said mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus, said transmission/reception management apparatus comprising;

a telephone call management apparatus that governs an exchange, employing said first carrier, of said respective audio data between said at least one of said mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus and at least one other mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus and a communication apparatus connected to said transmission/reception management apparatus;

a first call information transmission apparatus that transmits, when a call is made to any one of said mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus, said respective first call origination information via said first carrier; and

a second call information transmission apparatus that transmits, when a call is made to said any one of said mobile transmitter/receiver apparatus, said respective second call origination information via said second carrier,

wherein when the mobile transmitter/receiver receives the first carrier, the mobile transmitter/receiver notifies a user based on said received respective first call origination information, and when the mobile transmitter/receiver receives the second carrier, the mobile transmitter/receiver outputs notification information indicating that there was a call based on said received respective second call origination information.