Generic number cellular telephone

• US 6,580,908 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2000
• Issued: 06/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Braden W. Kroll, Chase R. Kroll, Karl J.F. Kroll, Mark W. Kroll
• Original Assignee: Braden W. Kroll, Chase R. Kroll, Karl J.F. Kroll, Mark W. Kroll
• Inventors: Kroll, Chase R., Kroll, Karl J. F., Kroll, Braden W., Kroll, Mark W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G.
• Application Number:
  US09/584,326
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/406, 455/407, 455/409, 455/410, 455/434, 455/435, 455/551, 455/552, 455/553, 455/558, 455/550, 455/575, 455/186.1, 455/404
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0287 being disposable or recyclable
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/18 Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment H04M1/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/21 Combinations with auxiliary equipment, e.g. with clocks or memoranda pads
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/677 Preventing the dialling or sending of predetermined telephone numbers or selected types of telephone numbers, e.g. long distance numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6775 by providing access to preprogrammed keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72421 with automatic activation of emergency service functions, e.g. upon sensing an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/765 Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/77 involving multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/005 Disposable prepaid communication devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/724 Linked accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7254 Multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

The present invention teaches an economical disposable emergency cellular telephone. A further object of the invention is a new technique for having a large number of cellular phones share the same small group of access numbers and serial numbers in order to reduce the monthly charges to zero for the end consumer. This makes it more practical to use cellular phones for data transmission and monitoring applications.

Claims

1. A method of operating a system of cellular phones through the use of dedicated numbers chosen from a pool of shared numbers, comprising the steps of:

by a first phone, attempting registration with a first mobile identification number from the pool of shared numbers, and

by the first phone, proceeding to attempt registration with another number from the pool of shared numbers if the previous registration attempt is not successful.

2. The method of claim 1 in which further numbers are selected in a fixed sequence.

3. The method of claim 1 in which further numbers are selected in a random sequence.

4. The method of claim 1 in which further registration attempts are made after a pseudo-random time delay.

5. The method of claim 1 in which the phone uses at least one primary cell for a power source.

6. The method of claim 1 in which the phone uses at least one alkaline cell for a power source.

7. The method of claim 1 in which the phone uses at least one lithium cell for a power source.

8. The method of claim 1 in which the phone uses at least one manganese dioxide cell for a power source.

9. The method of claim 1 in which the phone uses a thermal battery for a power source.

10. The method of claim 1 with the additional step of the phone turning on when the antenna is extended.

11. The method of claim 1 with the additional step of the phone turning on automatically with the sensing of acceleration.

12. The method of claim 1 with the additional step of the phone turning itself off after a predetermined number of minutes have elapsed.

13. The method of claim 1 with the additional step of the phone allowing the usage of above normal transmission powers for emergency transmissions.

14. The method of claim 1 with the additional step of the phone transmitting digital data.

15. The method of claim 1 with the additional step of the phone receiving digital data.

16. The method of claim 1 with the additional step of the phone transmitting Email.

17. The method of claim 1 with the additional step of the phone receiving Email.

18. The method of claim 1 with the additional step of the phone verifying the operator identity by the use of keyboard timing.

19. The method of claim 1 with the additional step of the phone making calls at random times in order to monitor the whereabouts of the person attached to the phone.

20. The method of claim 1 with the additional step of the phone transmitting its location.

21. The method of claim 1 with the additional step of the phone transmitting medical information.

22. The method of claim 1 with the additional step of the phone transmitting data of an industrial emergency.

23. The method of claim 1 with the additional step of the phone transmitting a pseudo random binary number to unlock the door of a car, house, or building.

24. The method of claim 1 with the additional step of the phone checking for nearby emergency vehicle transmissions.

25. A method of operating a system of cellular phones through the use of a pool of at least one generic mobile identification number, comprising the steps of:

attempting registration with a generic mobile identification number chosen from the pool, and

proceeding to wait briefly if the previous registration was not successful, and after the wait

attempting registration again, with another generic mobile identification number chosen from the pool.

26. The method of claim 25 in which the phone uses at least one primary cell for a power source.

27. The method of claim 25 in which the phone uses at least one alkaline cell for a power source.

28. The method of claim 25 in which the phone uses at least one lithium cell for a power source.

29. The method of claim 25 in which the phone uses at least one manganese dioxide cell for a power source.

30. The method of claim 25 in which the phone uses a thermal battery for a power source.

31. The method of claim 25 with the additional step of the phone turning on when the antenna is extended.

32. The method of claim 25 with the additional step of the phone turning on automatically with the sensing of acceleration.

33. The method of claim 25 with the additional step of the phone turning itself off after a predetermined number of minutes have elapsed.

34. The method of claim 25 with the additional step of the phone allowing the usage of above normal transmission powers for emergency transmissions.

35. The method of claim 25 with the additional step of the phone transmitting digital data.

36. The method of claim 25 with the additional step of the phone receiving digital data.

37. The method of claim 25 with the additional step of the phone transmitting Email.

38. The method of claim 25 with the additional step of the phone receiving Email.

39. The method of claim 25 with the additional step of the phone verifying the operator identity by the use of keyboard timing.

40. The method of claim 25 with the additional step of the phone making calls at random times in order to monitor the whereabouts of the person attached to the phone.

41. The method of claim 25 with the additional step of the phone transmitting its location.

42. The method of claim 25 with the additional step of the phone transmitting medical information.

43. The method of claim 25 with the additional step of the phone transmitting data of an industrial emergency.

44. The method of claim 25 with the additional step of the phone transmitting a pseudo random binary number to unlock the door of a car, house, or building.

45. The method of claim 25 with the additional step of the phone checking for nearby emergency vehicle transmissions.

46. A cellular phone comprising a power source, an on/off switch, an antenna, electronic circuitry, and an electronic memory cooperatively connected so that the phone attempts registration with a mobile identification number (MIN) chosen from a pool of shared numbers stored in the memory and, if that registration attempt was unsuccessful, attempts registration with another MIN from a pool of shared numbers stored in the electronic memory.

47. The phone of claim 46 in which the phone uses at least one primary cell for a power source.

48. The phone of claim 46 in which the phone uses at least one alkaline cell for a power source.

49. The phone of claim 46 in which the phone uses at least one lithium cell for a power source.

50. The phone of claim 46 in which the phone uses at least one manganese dioxide cell for a power source.

51. The phone of claim 46 in which the phone uses a thermal battery for a power source.

52. The phone of claim 46 in which the on/off switch is connected to the antenna so that the phone turns on when the antenna is extended.

53. The phone of claim 46 in which the on/off switch is connected to acceleration circuitry so that the phone turns on automatically with the sensing of acceleration.

54. The phone of claim 46 in which the on/off switch is connected to timing circuitry so that the phone turns itself off after a predetermined number of minutes have elapsed.

55. The phone of claim 46 in which the circuitry of the phone allows the usage of above normal transmission powers for emergency transmissions.

56. The phone of claim 46 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of transmitting digital data.

57. The phone of claim 46 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of receiving digital data.

58. The phone of claim 46 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of transmitting Email.

59. The phone of claim 46 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of receiving Email.

60. The phone of claim 46 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of verifying the operator identity by the use of keyboard timing.

61. The phone of claim 46 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of making calls at random times in order to monitor the whereabouts of the person attached to the phone.

62. The phone of claim 46 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of transmitting the location of the phone.

63. The phone of claim 46 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of transmitting medical information.

64. The phone of claim 46 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of transmitting data of an industrial emergency.

65. The phone of claim 46 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of transmitting a pseudo random binary number to unlock the door of a car, house, or building.

66. The phone of claim 46 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of checking for nearby emergency vehicle transmissions.

67. The phone of claim 46 in which the phone is a personal digital assistant.

68. The phone of claim 46 in which the phone is a laptop computer.

69. The phone of claim 46 in which the phone is a palmtop computer.

70. A cellular phone comprising a power source, an on/off switch, an antenna, electronic circuitry, and an electronic memory cooperatively connected so that the phone attempts registration with a generic mobile identification number (MIN) chosen from a shared pool of at least one number stored in the memory and, if that registration attempt was unsuccessful, attempts registration with the same generic MIN stored in the electronic memory after a brief delay.

71. The phone of claim 70 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of transmitting digital data.

72. The phone of claim 70 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of receiving digital data.

73. The phone of claim 70 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of transmitting Email.

74. The phone of claim 70 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of receiving Email.

75. The phone of claim 70 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of verifying the operator identity by the use of keyboard timing.

76. The phone of claim 70 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of making calls at random times in order to monitor the whereabouts of the person attached to the phone.

77. The phone of claim 70 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of transmitting the location of the phone.

78. The phone of claim 70 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of transmitting medical information.

79. The phone of claim 70 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of transmitting data of an industrial emergency.

80. The phone of claim 70 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of transmitting a pseudo random binary number to unlock the door of a car, house, or building.

81. The phone of claim 70 in which the electronic circuitry is capable of checking for nearby emergency vehicle transmissions.

82. The phone of claim 70 in which the phone is a personal digital assistant.

83. The phone of claim 70 in which the phone is a laptop computer.

84. The phone of claim 70 in which the phone is a palmtop computer.

85. A cellular phone comprising a power source, an antenna, and electronic circuitry, cooperatively connected so that the phone is turned on when the antenna is deployed.

86. A cellular phone powered by a thermal battery power source.

87. A method of operating a cellular communication system including subscriber units, comprising the steps of:

a) assigning a set of dedicated mobile identification numbers (MINs) to a pool to be shared by the subscriber units,

b) assigning a set of dedicated electronic serial numbers (ESNs) to a pool to be shared by the subscriber units,

c) attempting to register a subscriber unit with the use of a first MIN from the pool of MINs and a first ESN from the pool of ESNs, and

d) proceeding to use a further MIN and ESN from the pool if the previous registration was not successful.

88. The method of claim 87 in which the further numbers are selected in a fixed sequence.

89. The method of claim 87 in which the further numbers are selected in a random sequence.

90. The method of claim 87 in which at least one subscriber unit is a laptop computer.

91. The method of claim 87 in which at least one subscriber unit is a personal digital assistant.

92. The method of claim 87 in which at least one subscriber unit is a device capable of sending or receiving electronic mail.

93. The method of claim 87 with the additional step of sending or receiving electronic mail after registration.

94. The method of claim 87 in which the set of MINs has at least 4 MINs.

95. The method of claim 87 in which the set of subscriber units consists of at least 1000 subscribers.