System and method for maintaining personal communications information in a mobile communications system

• US 6,134,454 A
• Filed: 12/18/1995
• Issued: 10/17/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Weber, Roy Philip, Goldman, Shelley B., Foladare, Mark Jeffrey, Silverman, David Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WYCHE, MYRON
• Application Number:
  US08/573,839
• Time in Patent Office: 1,765 Days
• Field of Search: 379/56, 379/57, 379/58, 379/59, 379/357, 455/33.1, 455/456, 455/433, 455/517, 455/31.3, 455/557, 455/558, 340/825.44
• US Class Current: 455/556.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/022 Paging systems personal calling arrangements or devices G08B3/1008; selective calling networks H04W84/022
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

The invention is an apparatus and method for updating a communications network from one or more user communications devices. The invention uses the electronic scheduling or other time-based features within a communications device to control and/or initiate transmission of information between the communications device and the communications network. Information from one or more communications devices is updated to the communications network in response to time-based components in the information entries corresponding to a timing device associated with the respective communications device. Also, once the network has received this updated information, comparisons of related information entries are initiated to detect discrepancies therebetween. In this manner, user submitted time and geographic location information is compared with similar information automatically retrieved by the communications network using conventional and future network communications technology. Any detected discrepancies are used and/or retrieve updated information to initiate appropriate notification to the user or to default to existing message delivery systems.

Claims

1. Portable apparatus comprising:

a communications device including a timing device, a database for receiving from a user of said apparatus information entries comprising a data component and a component that specifies a time, and a transmitter for transmitting therefrom a device identification together with information based on at least a portion of said information entries, and

a controller coupled to said database and to said transmitter for initiating the transmission a) in consultation with said timing device and b) based on said components of said information entries that specify time,

where said data component includes either a telephone number to be included in the information string, or specifies that a step of ascertaining the physical location of said portable communications apparatus be carried out and the results of said step of ascertaining be included in the information string.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said transmitter comprises elements that allow said transmitter to transmit to wireline networks and elements that allow said transmitter to transmit to wireless networks.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising means to cause said controller to initiate transmission upon entry of an information entry into said apparatus.

5. The apparatus as recited in claims 1 or 3, wherein said communications device is selected from a group consisting of a PDA, a computer, an electronic scheduler, a telephone, a calculator and an electronic recording device.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 where said component that specifies a time specifies an absolute time.

3. Portable apparatus comprising:

a communications device including a timing device, a database for receiving from a user of said apparatus information entries consisting of a portion that specifies a user-chosen time of transmission and a data portion, and a transmitter for transmitting therefrom a device identification together with information based on at least a portion of said information entries, and

a controller coupled to said database and to said transmitter for initiating a transmission, in consultation with said timing device, based on said user-chosen and based on said data component of said information entry,

where said data component includes a direction to ascertain the physical location of said apparatus at time of said transmission and to include the ascertained physical location in said transmission.

7. A method for transmitting information from a portable communications device to a communications system, said communications device having associated therewith a timing device, an information transmitter, and a database, said method comprising the steps of:

entering information entries into said database, said entering step including the selection of a time-based component for one or more of said information entries; and

transmitting an identification and at least one of said information entries to said communications system in response to said timing device triggering said information transmission based on said time-based component associated therewith, where said information transmission imparts to said communication system information about a telephone number to which calls may be made.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said entering step further comprises selection, for the time-based component for one or more of said information entries, a date and time for transmission, via a scheduler associated with said communications device, and wherein said transmitting step further comprises transmitting in response to said timing device triggering said information transmission based on said date-based component associated therewith.

9. An apparatus for use with a communications network, said apparatus comprising:

a comparator; and

an interface in operable connection with said communications network for receiving information entries from at least a pair of communications devices, where

each one of said information entries includes at least a time-based information segment and a location-based information segment,

the comparator includes stored information for said time-based information segment and location-based information segment, and

said comparator is in operable connection with said interface for detecting discrepancies between said information segments received by said interface.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, further comprising a timing device associated therewith, wherein one or more of said information entries includes a time-based component associated therewith, and wherein the operation of said comparator is triggered by said timing device based on said time-based component associated with said information entries.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein at least one of said communications devices has associated therewith an electronic scheduler that transmits information entries having time-based and location-based components therewith.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein at least one of said communications devices is a two-way pager that transmits information entries having time-based and location-based components as a portion thereof.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said at least one pair of communications devices is selected from a group consisting of a pager, a PDA, a desktop computer, a portable computer, a telephone, a cellular telephone and a radio signal transmitter.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said interface receives signals across a medium selected from the group consisting of electrical impulse signals across electrical wiring connected therebetween, optical radiation impulse signals across optical fiber connected therebetween, and radio broadcast signals across a wireless connection therebetween.

25. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said interface initiates an inquisitive signal to at least one of said communications devices in response to discrepancy detection by said comparator.

15. A method for use with a communications network for verifying communications information having time-based and location-based components, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving information entries from a first communications device, said communications information including a device identification, a time-based component and a location-based component;

coupling communications information to a network database from a second communications device, said communications information having associated therewith a device identification, a time-based component and a location-based component; and

comparing said information received from said first communications device with corresponding communications information coupled from said second communications device to detect discrepancies therebetween.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said comparing step further comprises detecting discrepancies in said location-based components of said communications entry received from said first communications device and corresponding communications information received from said second communications devices having effectively the same time-based components.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising the step of initiating an inquisitive signal to a least one of said first and second communications devices if discrepancies are detected between said coupled communications information and said corresponding information entry.

18. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said first communications device has a timing device associated therewith and wherein said receiving step further comprises receiving information entries transmitted upon initiation by said timing device associated with said first communications device.

19. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said comparing step further comprises the steps of determining the location of said second communications device when said first communications device transmits said at least one information entry, and comparing the location of said second communication device to said location-based component of said at least one information entry transmitted.

20. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said second communications device couples said communications information when said at least one information entry is transmitted by said first communications device.

21. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said second communications device is located within one of a plurality of location areas and wherein said second communications device couples said communications information when said second communications device has entered a new one of said plurality of location areas.

22. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said second communications device couples said communications information periodically.

23. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said second communications device couples said communications information continuously.

24. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein at least one of said communications devices couples said communications information using a global positioning system.

26. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising the step of updating information from at least one of said first and second communications devices when a discrepancy is detected between said coupled communications information and said corresponding information entry.