Keyless portable cellular phone system having remote voice recognition

• US 6,167,251 A
• Filed: 06/21/1999
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Evolving Systems Labs Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Telespree Communications (CCUR Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Segal, Alon, Segal, Edna
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): WASHINGTON, ERIKA ALISE
• Application Number:
  US09/337,050
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/410, 455/411, 455/550, 455/558, 455/563, 455/575, 455/405, 455/409, 455/426, 455/569, 455/517, 455/90, 379/357, 379/433, 380/28
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675

Abstract

A keyless portable cellular phone system is provided, wherein matched sets of algorithmically generated communication units are generated, each communication unit pair defining a discrete time increment of authorized communication. One set is stored on a system server (i.e. a service provider), and the pre-paid set is available for use within a keyless portable cellular phone. The phone, normally non-activated, automatically contacts the system server upon selective activation by the user, to initiate a call (outgoing or incoming). A voice recognition system allows the user to place calls and/or receive calls. During a call, the keyless portable cellular phone periodically sends the sequential discrete airtime communication units, having unique identifiers (i.e. encryption), whereby the system server allows pre-paid authorized access to time increments of system services, such as communication, based upon the receipt of the matching, uniquely identified, sequential discrete airtime communication units. The phone typically has either an internal energy supply and storage for pre-paid communication units, or a removable airtime cartridge, typically containing an energy supply and either the ability to store or to generate a set of pre-paid single use airtime communication units.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a system server, said system server having a plurality of algorithmically generated sequential single use server communication units, each of said plurality of algorithmically generated single use sequential server communication units defining a discrete time increment of authorized communication; and

a keyless portable wireless phone having wireless phone circuitry, an energy storage, and an airtime cartridge, said airtime cartridge having an airtime cartridge identifier, and a plurality of algorithmically generated sequential pre-paid single use airtime communication units, each of said plurality of algorithmically generated pre-paid single use communication units matching corresponding of said each of said plurality of algorithmically generated sequential server communication units at said system server, each of said plurality of algorithmically generated pre-paid single use airtime communication units defining a discrete time increment of authorized communication, each of said plurality of algorithmically generated pre-paid single use communication units having a unique identifier;

whereby sequential transmission of each of said algorithmically generated pre-paid single use airtime communication units having said unique identifiers from said keyless portable wireless phone to said system server is matched to said corresponding of said each of said plurality of algorithmically generated sequential single use server communication units at said system server, in which said system server allocates said defined discrete time increment of authorized communication for said keyless portable wireless phone based upon said matching of each of said corresponding algorithmically generated single use server communication units and said algorithmically generated pre-paid single use airtime communication units.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said airtime cartridge includes a memory, wherein a unit key and said plurality of algorithmically generated sequential pre-paid single use airtime communication units within said airtime cartridge is stored in said memory.

3. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said airtime cartridge includes an airtime processor and an algorithm, and wherein said plurality of algorithmically generated sequential pre-paid single use airtime communication units within said airtime cartridge are generated by said airtime processor using said algorithm.

4. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said system server includes a server memory, and wherein said plurality of algorithmically generated sequential single use server communication units within said server is stored in said server memory.

5. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said system server includes a server processor and an algorithm, and wherein said plurality of algorithmically generated sequential single use server communication units within said system server are generated by said server processor using said algorithm.

6. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said system server is in communication with a public switched telephone network, and wherein said system server allocates said defined discrete time increment of authorized communication between said keyless portable wireless phone and said public switched telephone network.

7. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said system server includes a voice recognition server, and wherein a voice command entered into said keyless portable wireless phone is interpreted by said voice recognition server.

8. The communication system of claim 7, wherein said voice command is a phone number.

9. The communication system of claim 7, wherein said voice command is a speed-dial number.

10. The communication system of claim 7, wherein said voice command is a name.

11. The communication system of claim 7, wherein said voice command is a voice mail identifier.

12. The communication system of claim 7, wherein said voice command is a destination.

13. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said system server includes a billing server.

14. The communication system of claim 1, wherein each of said transmitted algorithmically generated pre-paid single use airtime communication units is generated by an encryption algorithm.

15. The communication system of claim 14, wherein each of said encrypted transmitted algorithmically generated pre-paid single use airtime communication units having said unique identifiers is encrypted using 3DES.

16. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said keyless portable wireless phone includes a phone identifier.

17. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said keyless portable wireless phone is normally inactivated.

18. The communication system of claim 17, wherein said keyless portable wireless phone includes paging circuitry, whereby an incoming call is stored at said system server, whereby said paging circuitry is activated to announce said incoming, stored call, and whereby said normally inactivated keyless portable wireless phone is selectively activated by user to connect to said incoming, stored call at said system server.

19. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said keyless portable wireless phone includes a microphone activation switch having a first open position and a second closed position, whereby movement of microphone from said first open position to said second closed position activates said phone, and whereby movement of microphone from said second closed position to said first open position deactivates said phone.

20. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said keyless portable wireless phone automatically transmits information to said system server to establish communication when activated.

21. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said keyless portable wireless phone includes pager circuitry having a pager identifier, whereby said pager circuitry is activated by said system server to alert user.

22. The communication system of claim 21, wherein said server includes means for forwarding a communication connection between said keyless portable wireless phone to stored information.

23. The communication system of claim 22, wherein said server includes means for forwarding a communication connection between said keyless portable wireless phone to an incoming call.

24. The communication system of claim 22, wherein said pager circuitry functions independently of said cellular circuitry.

25. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said energy storage is rechargeable.

26. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said energy storage is a single use energy supply.

27. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said airtime cartridge is replaceable, and wherein said energy storage is located within said replaceable airtime cartridge.

28. The communication system of claim 1, wherein keyless portable wireless phone includes a phone identifier, and wherein said system server includes means for associating user of said keyless portable wireless phone with information, and means for user to associate said information with said phone identifier.

29. The communication system of claim 1, wherein information is stored on said system server.

30. The communication system of claim 29, wherein said information is an address book database.

31. The communication system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for determining first activation for said airtime cartridge.

32. A process, comprising the steps of:

providing an algorithm;

generating a plurality of sequential single use server communication units using said algorithm, each of said plurality of algorithmically generated single use sequential server communication units defining a discrete time increment of authorized communication;

supplying said plurality of sequential single use server communication units to a system server;

generating a plurality of sequential single use airtime communication units having unique identifiers using said algorithm, each of said plurality of algorithmically generated sequential single use airtime communication units defining a discrete time increment of authorized communication and matching corresponding of each of said plurality of algorithmically generated single use sequential server communication units;

providing a keyless portable wireless phone having wireless phone circuitry, energy storage, and an airtime cartridge, said airtime cartridge having an airtime cartridge identifier;

establishing said plurality of sequential single use airtime communication units having said unique identifiers to said airtime cartridge within said keyless portable wireless phone on a pre-paid basis;

authorizing access to said system server based upon a receipt of transmitted airtime cartridge identifier from said keyless portable wireless phone; and

authorizing said discrete time increments of authorized communication for said keyless portable wireless phone, based upon a receipt of one or more sequentially transmitted sequential single use airtime communication units having unique identifiers, using said algorithm to retrieve each of said sequential single use airtime communication units from each of said unique identifiers, and matching each of said transmitted sequential single use airtime communication units with each of said corresponding sequential single use server communication units at said system server.

33. The process of claim 32, wherein said airtime cartridge includes an authentication module memory, and wherein said step of establishing said plurality of sequential single use airtime communication units having said unique identifiers to said airtime cartridge consists of storing said plurality of sequential single use airtime communication units to said authentication module memory.

34. The process of claim 32, wherein said airtime cartridge includes an airtime processor, and wherein said step of establishing said plurality of algorithmically generated sequential pre-paid single use airtime communication units within said airtime cartridge is performed by said airtime processor using said algorithm.

35. The process of claim 32, wherein said system server includes a server memory, and wherein said plurality of algorithmically generated sequential single use server communication units within said server is stored in said server memory.

36. The process of claim 32, wherein said system server includes a server processor and an algorithm, and wherein said plurality of algorithmically generated sequential single use server communication units within said system server are generated by said server processor using said algorithm.

37. The process of claim 32, wherein said system server is in communication with a public switched telephone network, and wherein said step of allocating said defined discrete time increment of authorized communication allows communication between said keyless portable wireless phone and said public switched telephone network.

38. The process of claim 32, further comprising the step of:

interpreting a voice command entered into said keyless portable wireless phone at said system server.

39. The process of claim 38, wherein said voice command is a phone number.

40. The process of claim 38, wherein said voice command is a speed-dial number.

41. The process of claim 38, wherein said voice command is a name.

42. The process of claim 38, wherein said voice command is a voice mail identifier.

43. The process of claim 38, wherein said voice command is a destination.

44. The process of claim 43, wherein said keyless portable wireless phone includes pager circuitry having a pager identifier.

45. The process of claim 44, further comprising the steps of:

storing incoming calls from a public switched telephone network in said system server; and

sending an incoming call paging signal to said pager circuitry at said keyless portable wireless phone.

46. The process of claim 45, wherein said pager circuitry includes an incoming call signal.

47. The process of claim 32, wherein said system server includes a billing server.

48. The process of claim 32, wherein each of said transmitted algorithmically generated pre-paid single use airtime communication units having said unique identifiers is encrypted.

49. The process of claim 48, wherein each of said encrypted transmitted algorithmically generated pre-paid single use airtime communication units having said unique identifiers is encrypted using 3DES.

50. The process of claim 32, wherein said keyless portable wireless phone includes a phone identifier.

51. The process of claim 32, wherein said keyless portable wireless phone is normally inactivated.

52. The process of claim 32, wherein said keyless portable wireless phone includes a microphone activation switch having a first open position and a second closed position, whereby movement of microphone from said first open position to said second closed position activates said phone, and whereby movement of microphone from said second closed position to said first open position deactivates said phone.

53. The process of claim 32, further comprising the step of:

automatically transmitting said airtime identifier from said keyless portable wireless phone to said system server to establish communication when said keyless portable wireless phone is activated.

54. The process of claim 32, further comprising the steps of:

receiving an incoming call to said keyless portable wireless phone at said system server;

controllably forwarding said received incoming call to one of a group of appropriate receivers consisting of the group including a voice mail receiver, a call back number receiver, and a call hold receiver;

upon connection of said keyless portable wireless phone to said system server, prompting said keyless portable wireless phone regarding said controllably forwarded said received incoming call; and

selectively forwarding said keyless portable wireless phone to said appropriate receiver.

55. The process of claim 32, wherein said energy storage is rechargeable.

56. The process of claim 32, wherein said energy storage is a single use energy supply.

57. The process of claim 32, wherein said energy storage is located within said airtime cartridge.

58. The process of claim 32, wherein said airtime cartridge is replaceable.

59. The process of claim 32, further comprising the step of:

receiving information at said system server from an external source.

60. The process of claim 59, wherein said received information is stored on said system server.

61. The process of claim 60, wherein said information is an address book database.

62. The process of claim 32, further comprising the step of:

marking each of said transmitted algorithmically generated pre-paid single use airtime communication units as used at said keyless portable phone.

63. The process of claim 32, further comprising the step of:

determining first activation for said airtime cartridge.