Sharing of wireless telephone services for a personal wireless telephone and a vehicular wireless telephone

• US 7,457,608 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2001
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shah, Hitesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): THIER, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US09/971,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20020068543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,610 Days
• Field of Search: 455405-411, 455/462, 455/463, 455/11.1, 455518-519, 4555541-555, 455/569.2, 370/310, 370/310.1, 370/314, 370/315, 370319-321, 379/88.25, 379/88.26
• US Class Current: 455/351
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

Sharing of wireless telephone services between a subscriber'"'"'s personal wireless telephone and the subscriber'"'"'s vehicular wireless telephone. The shared service may be a connectivity service, allowing the subscriber'"'"'s personal wireless telephone to communicate directly with the subscriber'"'"'s vehicular wireless telephone. Alternately, or additionally, the shared service may be one or more services provided for by the wireless service agreement plan of the subscriber'"'"'s vehicular wireless telephone or the subscriber'"'"'s personal wireless telephone.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a first wireless telephone subscribed to receive one or more services including a voicemail service from a first wireless service provider, the first wireless telephone being a personal wireless telephone and;

a second wireless telephone subscribed to receive one or more services including a hands-free dialing service from a second wireless service provider and sharing at least one service of the one or more services with the first wireless telephone, the second wireless telephone being a vehicular wireless telephone integrated into an electrical control system of a vehicle, a home location register servicing the vehicular wireless telephone indicating a sharing of the voice mail service of the personal wireless telephone with the vehicular wireless telephone, the home location register instructing a mobile switching center to reroute a call to a voice mail account of the personal wireless telephone responsive to detection of a no answer by the vehicular wireless telephone of the call;

the first wireless telephone and the second wireless telephone sharing a single wireless service plan administered by the first wireless service provider or the second wireless service provider, and

a single billing report under the single wireless service plan, the single wireless service plan including a connectivity service for sharing information between the vehicular wireless telephone and the personal wireless telephone.

2. A wireless communication system as in claim 1 comprising:

the vehicular wireless telephone including a receiver for receiving display image data encoded according to a Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) standard and a display for displaying said MPEG encoded image data, the connectivity service including relaying calls carrying said MPEG encoded image data to a personal wireless telephone for display responsive to subscriber input.

3. A wireless communication system as in claim 1 comprising:

the second wireless service provider providing a shared concierge service including roadside assistance and navigation services, said connectivity service delivering navigation directions to said personal wireless telephone responsive to a comparison of the telephone number of the personal wireless telephone with telephone numbers of a database of personal wireless telephone numbers authorized to receive navigation directions.

4. A wireless communication system as in claim 1 comprising:

the second wireless service provider providing a shared concierge service including a navigation service responsive to receiving a request to share said concierge service at said second wireless service provider.

5. A wireless communication system as in claim 1 comprising:

the personal wireless telephone transferring an electronic mail message to the vehicular wireless telephone, the vehicular wireless telephone comprising a larger display than said personal wireless telephone, said connectivity service including electronic mail message sharing responsive to receiving a request for sharing said electronic mail message service at said first wireless service provider.

6. A wireless communication system as in claim 1 comprising:

the personal wireless telephone receiving concierge service of the second wireless service provider, responsive to receiving a request to share said concierge service at said second wireless service provider.

7. A wireless communication system as in claim 1 comprising:

the vehicular wireless telephone including a receiver for receiving display image data encoded according to a Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) standard and a display for displaying said MPEG encoded image data, the connectivity service including relaying calls carrying said MPEG encoded image data from a personal wireless telephone to the vehicular wireless telephone for display responsive to subscriber input.

8. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a first wireless telephone subscribed to receive a first call service measured by communication minutes and a second call service measured by a predetermined number of short message service messages and a voicemail service from a first wireless service provider, the first wireless telephone being a personal wireless telephone and;

a second wireless telephone subscribed to receive a third call service comprising a concierge service from a second wireless service provider and sharing at least one service of the first, second or third call services between the first wireless telephone and the second wireless telephone, the second wireless telephone being a vehicular wireless telephone integrated into an electrical control system of a vehicle, a home location register serving the vehicular wireless telephone indicating a sharing of the voice mail service of the personal wireless telephone with the vehicular wireless telephone, the home location register instructing a mobile switching center to reroute a call to a voice mail account of the personal wireless telephone responsive to detection of no answer by the vehicular wireless telephone of the call;

the first wireless telephone and the second wireless telephone sharing a single wireless service plan administered by the first wireless service provider or the second wireless service provider, and

a single billing report under the single wireless service plan, the personal wireless telephone and the vehicular wireless telephone sharing two of the communication minutes, the predetermined number of short message units and the concierge service under the single wireless service plan,

the single wireless service plan further comprising a connectivity service for sharing information between the vehicular wireless telephone and the personal wireless telephone, the connectivity service including the downloading of stored telephone numbers from one of said vehicular wireless telephone and said personal wireless telephone to the other of said personal wireless telephone and said vehicular wireless telephone responsive to an authentication code.

9. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a first wireless telephone subscribed to receive a first call service measured by communication minutes and a second call service measured by a predetermined number of short message service messages from a first wireless service provider, the first wireless telephone being a personal wireless telephone and;

a second wireless telephone subscribed to receive a third call service comprising a concierge service from a second wireless service provider and sharing at least one service of the first, second or third call services between the first wireless telephone and the second wireless telephone, the second wireless telephone being a vehicular wireless telephone integrated into an electrical control system of a vehicle;

the first wireless telephone and the second wireless telephone sharing a single wireless service plan administered by the first wireless service provider or the second wireless service provider, and

a single billing report under the single wireless service plan, the personal wireless telephone and the vehicular wireless telephone sharing two of the communication minutes, the predetermined number of short message units and the concierge service under the single wireless service plan,

the single wireless service plan further comprising a connectivity service for sharing information between the vehicular wireless telephone and the personal wireless telephone, the connectivity service including the downloading of stored telephone numbers from one of said vehicular wireless telephone and said personal wireless telephone to the other of said personal wireless telephone and said vehicular wireless telephone responsive to an authentication code.

10. The wireless communication system recited in claim 9, wherein the second wireless telephone is subscribed to receive one or more services from a second wireless service provider comprising rerouting a call to a voice mail account of the personal wireless telephone, the call intended for receipt by the vehicular wireless telephone, the rerouting being responsive to detection that the vehicular wireless telephone is not answering the call.

11. The wireless communication system recited in claim 9, wherein

the second wireless service provider is different from the first wireless service provider;

and

revenue obtained under the single wireless service plan is divided between the first wireless service provider and the second wireless service provider.

12. A wireless communication system comprising:

a first wireless telephone subscribed to receive one or more services including one of a call forwarding and a voicemail service from a first wireless service provider, the first wireless telephone being a personal wireless telephone and;

a second wireless telephone subscribed to receive one or more services including a hands-free dialing service from a second wireless service provider and sharing at least one service of the one or more services with the first wireless telephone, the second wireless telephone being a vehicular wireless telephone integrated into an electrical control system of a vehicle;

the first wireless telephone and the second wireless telephone sharing a single wireless service plan administered by the first wireless service provider or the second wireless service provider, and a single billing report under the single wireless service plan, the single wireless service plan including a connectivity service for sharing information between the vehicular wireless telephone and the personal wireless telephone;

the first wireless service provider providing a shared voicemail service with the second wireless service provider to the vehicular wireless telephone responsive to receiving a request to share a voicemail service at said first wireless service provider; and

a home location register servicing the vehicular wireless telephone indicating a sharing of the voice mail service of the personal wireless telephone with the vehicular wireless telephone, the home location register instructing a mobile switching center to reroute a call to a voice mail account of the personal wireless telephone responsive to detection of a no answer by the vehicular wireless telephone of the call.

13. A wireless communication system comprising:

a first wireless telephone subscribed to receive one or more services including one of a call forwarding and a voicemail service from a first wireless service provider, the first wireless telephone being a personal wireless telephone;

a second wireless telephone subscribed to receive one or more services including a hands-free dialing service from a second wireless service provider and sharing at least one service of the one or more services with the first wireless telephone, the second wireless telephone being a vehicular wireless telephone integrated into an electrical control system of a vehicle;

the first wireless telephone and the second wireless telephone sharing a single wireless service plan administered by the first wireless service provider or the second wireless service provider, and a single billing report under the single wireless service plan, the single wireless service plan including a connectivity service for sharing information between the vehicular wireless telephone and the personal wireless telephone, the system, upon detecting a proximity of the personal wireless telephone to the vehicular wireless telephone, re-routing a call intended for the personal wireless telephone to the vehicular wireless telephone while the vehicle of the vehicular wireless telephone is being driven, a wireless local area network communication unit of said vehicle being responsive to receipt of a proper activation code; and

a home location register servicing the vehicular wireless telephone indicating a sharing of the voice mail service of the personal wireless telephone with the vehicular wireless telephone, the home location register instructing a mobile switching center to reroute a call to a voice mail account of the personal wireless telephone responsive to detection of a no answer by the vehicular wireless telephone of the call.

14. A wireless communication system comprising:

a first wireless telephone subscribed to receive one or more services including one of a call forwarding and a voicemail service from a first wireless service provider, the first wireless telephone being a personal wireless telephone and;

a second wireless telephone subscribed to receive one or more services including a hands-free dialing service from a second wireless service provider and sharing at least one service of the one or more services with the first wireless telephone, the second wireless telephone being a vehicular wireless telephone integrated into an electrical control system of a vehicle;

a home location register servicing the vehicular wireless telephone indicating a sharing of the voice mail service of the personal wireless telephone with the vehicular wireless telephone, the home location register instructing a mobile switching center to reroute a call to a voice mail account of the personal wireless telephone responsive to detection of a no answer by the vehicular wireless telephone of the call;

the first wireless telephone and the second wireless telephone sharing a single wireless service plan administered by the first wireless service provider or the second wireless service provider, and a single billing report under the single wireless service plan;

the first wireless service provider providing a shared voicemail service with the second wireless service provider to the vehicular wireless telephone responsive to receiving a request to share a voicemail service at said first wireless service provider.

15. A wireless communication system comprising:

a first wireless telephone subscribed to receive one or more services including one of a call forwarding and a voicemail service from a first wireless service provider, the first wireless telephone being a personal wireless telephone and;

a second wireless telephone subscribed to receive one or more services including a hands-free dialing service from a second wireless service provider and sharing at least one service of the one or more services with the first wireless telephone, the second wireless telephone being a vehicular wireless telephone integrated into an electrical control system of a vehicle;

a home location register servicing the vehicular wireless telephone indicating a sharing of the voice mail service of the personal wireless telephone with the vehicular wireless telephone, the home location register instructing a mobile switching center to reroute a call to a voice mail account of the personal wireless telephone responsive to detection of a no answer by the vehicular wireless telephone of the call;

the first wireless telephone and the second wireless telephone sharing a single wireless service plan administered by the first wireless service provider or the second wireless service provider, and

a single billing report under the single wireless service plan,

the system, upon detecting a proximity of the personal wireless telephone to the vehicular wireless telephone, re-routing a call intended for the personal wireless telephone to the vehicular wireless telephone while the vehicle of the vehicular wireless telephone is being driven, a wireless local area network communication unit of said vehicle being responsive to receipt of a proper activation code.

16. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a first wireless telephone subscribed to receive one or more services including a voicemail service from a first wireless service provider, the first wireless telephone being a personal wireless telephone and;

a second wireless telephone subscribed to receive one or more services including a hands-free dialing service from a second wireless service provider and sharing at least one service of the one or more services with the first wireless telephone, the second wireless telephone being a vehicular wireless telephone integrated into an electrical control system of a vehicle, a home location register servicing the vehicular wireless telephone indicating a sharing of the voice mail service of the personal wireless telephone with the vehicular wireless telephone, the home location register instructing a mobile switching center to reroute a call from the personal wireless telephone responsive to the vehicular wireless telephone without requiring a storing of any portion of a signal in the personal wireless telephone after rerouting the call to the vehicular wireless telephone;

the first wireless telephone and the second wireless telephone sharing a single wireless service plan administered by the first wireless service provider or the second wireless service provider, and

a single billing report under the single wireless service plan, the single wireless service plan including a connectivity service for sharing information between the vehicular wireless telephone and the personal wireless telephone.