Radiotelephone for automatically dialing remotely programmed number upon call termination and without user operation

• US 5,276,729 A
• Filed: 07/14/1992
• Issued: 01/04/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: OKI Telecom, Inc. (OKI Electric Industry Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited, OKI Telecom, Inc. (OKI Electric Industry Company Limited)
• Inventors: Higuchi, Masayuki, Otake, Tsuyosi, Hardin, Stephen T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Application Number:
  US07/913,738
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 379/57-59, 379/60, 379/63, 379/67, 379/355, 379/356
• US Class Current: 455/564
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/401 for selecting or indicating operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2749 Automatic dialling or redialling systems, e.g. on off-hook or redial on busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/673 the user being required to key in a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A remotely programmable radiotelephone and a remote programming unit. The radiotelephone (10) includes a receiver front end and demodulator (23), receiver signal processing circuits (30), a dual-tone, multiple-frequency converter (31), a controller (50), and a memory (51). The converter (31) converts DTMF tones into digital signals. The controller (50) monitors the output of the converter (31). If the output corresponds to a valid command then the controller (50) executes the command. Certain commands must be preceded by the user entering an access code using a control keypad (56) and by the reception of DTMF tones corresponding to a password or security code stored in the memory (51). Some commands cause telephone numbers to be stored in the memory (51) for later recall by the user. Other commands cause a number to be stored and an outgoing call to be automatically initiated. The remote programming capability allows a user'"'"'s secretary to cause the radiotelephone (10) to place a call to a party specified by the user, and allows a dealer to reprogram operating parameters and features of the radiotelephone (10) without the user having to come to the dealer'"'"'s place of business. The remote programming unit provides for the manual or computer-assisted programming of the radiotelephone.

Claims

1. A radiotelephone, comprising:

transmitter means for providing a modulated transmit signal;

receiver means for providing a demodulated signal in response to a received signal;

tone converter means for providing digital signals corresponding to dual-tone, multiple-frequency (DTMF) tones contained in said demodulated signal, said DTMF tones corresponding to a telephone number and an instruction to automatically dial said telephone number, said telephone number and said instruction being provided by a connected party during a first call; and

control means comprising a processor and a memory for storing operating instructions for said processor;

wherein said processor responds to a predetermined set of said digital signals when a user is present by storing said telephone number and, upon completion of said first call, by causing said transmitter means to automatically place a second call, without a dialing operation by said user, to said telephone number by sending a said modulated transmit signal corresponding to said telephone number to be called.

2. A method for operating a radiotelephone, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a demodulated signal in response to a received signal;

providing digital signals corresponding to dual-tone, multiple-frequency (DTMF) tones contained in said demodulated signal, said DTMF tones corresponding to a telephone number and an instruction to automatically dial said telephone number, said telephone number and said instruction being provided by a connected party during a first call; and

when a user is present, responding to a predetermined set of said digital signals by causing said radiotelephone to store said telephone number and, upon completion of said first call, causing said radiotelephone to automatically place a second call, without a dialing operation by said user, to said telephone number by sending a modulated transmit signal corresponding to said telephone number to be called.