Method and apparatus to indicate communication is wanted or waiting

• US 7,844,258 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2006
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnitracs LLC (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Doyle, Thomas F.
• Primary Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US11/345,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20070178851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,763 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/404.2, 455/414.1, 4554561-457, 370/310.2, 370/328, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/12 Inter-network notification

Abstract

An integrated communication system comprises a first communication device connected to a second communication device using a data link. When the first communication device is out of network, a dispatch center can indicate to the use a communication is waiting or wanted by sending a communication request signal to the second communication device. The second communication device transmits the communication request signal to the first communication device over the data link alerting the user of the first communication device to the requested communication.

Claims

1. A system to provide an indication to a user of a first wireless communication device located in a vehicle that a communication is waiting or wanted, the system comprising:

a first wireless communication device located in a cab portion of the vehicle and available to the user in the vehicle, wherein the first wireless communication device comprises a display indicator;

a second wireless communication device located in a trailer portion of the vehicle,

wherein the second wireless communication device comprises a satellite communication device;

a dispatch center;

a wired data link coupling the first wireless communication device to the second wireless communication device;

a first wireless communication network connecting the first wireless communication device to the dispatch center; and

a second wireless communication network facilitating two-way data communication between the second wireless communication device and the dispatch center, wherein when the first wireless communication device is outside of the first wireless communication network, the dispatcher can alert the user of the first wireless communication device that the communication is waiting or wanted by causing the second wireless communication device to send a signal over the wired data link to the first wireless communication device causing the display indicator to indicate said alert.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication device is a digital wireless communication device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the second wireless communication device is a combination digital and analog wireless communication device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication network and the second wireless communication network are identical.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second wireless communication network encompasses the first wireless communication network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the display indicator is selected from the group of indicators consisting of:

a light, a vibration, a text display, or a ring tone.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication device and the wireless second communication device are mounted in the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the vehicle is selected from a group of vehicles consisting of:

a car, a truck, a train, a plane, and a boat.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication device is portable.

10. A method for alerting a user of a first wireless communication device located in a vehicle that a dispatcher wishes to communicate with the user, comprising:

entering into, by a dispatch center, a two-way data communication with a second wireless communication device over a second wireless communication network, wherein the second wireless communication device is located in a trailer portion of the vehicle and wherein the second wireless communication device comprises a satellite communication device;

sending a communication request to the second wireless communication device when a first wireless communication device loses connection with the dispatch center over a first wireless communication network, wherein the first wireless communication device is located in a cab portion of the vehicle and available to the user in the vehicle;

receiving the communication request at the second wireless communication device;

generating a display signal at the second wireless communication device based on the communication request;

transmitting the display signal to the first wireless communication device over a wired data link coupling the second wireless communication device to the first wireless communication device;

receiving the display signal at the first wireless communication device; and

causing a display indicator on the first wireless communication device to indicate said alert based on the display signal, wherein the user is alerted that the dispatcher wishes to communicate.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of causing the display indicator to indicate causes the display indicator to at least one of illuminate, vibrate, ring, or display a text message.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first communication device is portable.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

supplying a communication request confirmation signal to the dispatcher to confirm the communication request signal was received by the second wireless communication device.

14. A wireless communication apparatus to alert a user of a vehicle when out of network that a communication is desired, the wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a first wireless communication device located in a cab portion of the vehicle and available to the user of the vehicle, wherein the first wireless communication device comprises a display indicator;

a second wireless communication device located in a trailer portion of the vehicle, wherein the second wireless communication device comprises a satellite communication device;

a first wireless communication network connecting the first wireless communication device to a dispatch center;

a second wireless communication network to facilitate two-way data communication between the dispatch center and the second wireless communication device; and

a wired data link coupling the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device, wherein the second wireless communication device can send a communication request signal originating from the dispatch center to the first wireless communication device over the wired data link causing the display indicator to indicate an alert when the first wireless communication device loses connection with the dispatch center over the first wireless communication network.

15. An apparatus for alerting a user of a first wireless communication device located in a vehicle that a dispatcher wishes to communicate with the user, comprising:

means for entering into, by a dispatch center, a two-way data communication with a second wireless communication device over a second wireless communication network, wherein the second wireless communication device is located in a trailer portion of the vehicle and wherein the second wireless communication device comprises a satellite communication device;

means for sending a communication request to the second wireless communication device when a first wireless communication device loses connection with the dispatch center over a first wireless communication network, wherein the first wireless communication device is located in a cab portion of the vehicle and available to the user in the vehicle;

means for receiving the communication request at the second wireless communication device;

means for generating a display signal at the second wireless communication device based on the communication request;

means for transmitting the display signal to the first wireless communication device over a wired data link coupling the second wireless communication device to the first wireless communication device;

means for receiving the display signal at the first wireless communication device; and

means for causing a display indicator on the first wireless communication device to indicate said alert based on the display signal, wherein the user is alerted that the dispatcher wishes to communicate.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising means for causing the display indicator to at least one of illuminate, vibrate, ring, or display a text message.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising means for supplying a communication request confirmation signal to the dispatcher to confirm the communication request signal was received by the second wireless communication device.

18. A non-transitory storage media comprising program instructions which are computer-executable to implement alerting a user of a first wireless communication device located in a vehicle that a dispatcher wishes to communicate with the user, and which when executed perform the steps of:

entering into, by a dispatch center, a two-way data communication with a second wireless communication device over a second wireless communication network, wherein the second wireless communication device is located in a trailer portion of the vehicle and wherein the second wireless communication device comprises a satellite communication device;

sending a communication request to the second wireless communication device when a first wireless communication device loses connection with the dispatch center over a first wireless communication network, wherein the first wireless communication device is located in a cab portion of the vehicle and available to the user in the vehicle;

receiving the communication request at the second wireless communication device;

generating a display signal at the second wireless communication device based on the communication request;

transmitting the display signal to the first wireless communication device over a wired data link coupling the second wireless communication device to the first wireless communication device;

receiving the display signal at the first wireless communication device; and

causing a display indicator on the first wireless communication device to indicate said alert based on the display signal, wherein the user is alerted that the dispatcher wishes to communicate.

19. The non-transitory storage media of claim 18 wherein the step of causing the display indicator to indicate causes the display indicator to at least one of illuminate, vibrate, ring, or display a text message.

20. The non-transitory storage media of claim 18 wherein the program instructions when executed further perform the step of supplying a communication request confirmation signal to the dispatcher to confirm the communication request signal was received by the second wireless communication device.