Abstract: A multiple mode, personal, wireless communications system exists within a radiotelephone network serving general customers and provides additional services to a select group of customers. The system uses handsets (32) which automatically switch between a standard cellular radiotelephone mode of operation (1901) and an enhanced cordless mode (1420) when the handsets (32) are within range of pico cells (26) that are interconnected to the public switched telephone network (20). Each pico cell is controlled via a framework of overlay cells (10b) that operates independently of the radiotelephone network and uses a unique control protocol on a small number of reserved cellular channels. Each pico cell consists of a spectrally dynamic, non-capturing, frequency agile, multi-purpose base station (26) provided at customer-selected locations to cooperate with the overlay cell framework. Each pico cell is capable of supporting multiple handsets (32) and uses low power operation that achieves limited coverage.

Abstract: A call directed to a mobile telephone station from a public switch telephone network is received in a mobile services switching center of a mobile telephone network. An attempt is made to locate the profile of the mobile telephone station in a visitor location register. If the mobile telephone profile is not found in the visitor location register, a query message is sent to a home location register requesting routing information for the call. The profile has an HLR query flag for indicating whether the home location register should be queried. If the profile of the mobile telephone station is found in the visitor location register, the status of the HLR query flag is checked. If the HLR query flag is set to yes, a query message is sent to a home location register requesting routing information for the call. If the HLR query flag is set to no, the call to the mobile telephone station is completed using the profile in the visitor location register.

Abstract: In a mobile communication system, a plurality of mobile base stations and a home memory station are connected directly to an integrated service digital network (ISDN) without mobile control stations. Connection between the mobile base stations is established by the ISDN.

Abstract: Data terminal equipments placed in a rental company and a mass retailer are interconnected via a data transfer network over an intelligent network for rendering an accounting service. The intelligent network accommodates a credit accounting service manager and a credit accountant. In response to a subscriber registration request for a credit accounting service issued from a data terminal equipment, the credit accounting service manager stores a credit card member number and a subscriber number of a portable telephone as a pair in a database. In response to a call setup request issued from a registered telephone, the credit accountant retrieves a credit card member number from the database using a subscriber number and produces credit withdrawal information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for changing the mobile identification number of a cellular telephone unit to reflect a local network planning area number, including a cellular telephone unit having a microprocessor and associated data storage. The microprocessor is programmed to interrogate the cellular telephone unit to obtain the local system identification number. The network planning area number corresponding to the system identification number is included as a part of the mobile identification number, thereby establishing a local cellular system number, such that the cellular telephone unit appears as a local unit to enable calls to be pre-validated by the local cellular system. Both the cellular telephone unit and the cellular system determine the local cellular system number independently. In response to an incoming call for the cellular telephone unit, the local cellular system pages the cellular telephone unit using the local cellular system number.

Abstract: A cellular telephone includes a speaker, a microphone and voice channel establishing components for opening a voice channel between the cellular telephone and a source telephone requesting communications with the cellular telephone without opening the speaker and microphone. Thus, voice communications between the cellular telephone and the source telephone are prevented until a predetermined signal from the user of the cellular telephone is received. The cellular telephone also include delayed speaker and microphone connecting components for receiving and processing data from the source telephone without opening the speaker and the microphone. The data may include the identity of the source telephone or a message which may be displayed for the user of the cellular telephone. Based upon the identity of the source telephone, the user of the cellular telephone may selectively ignore or respond to the request for communications, or may route the request to an automated answering device or another telephone.

Abstract: A global radio paging system in which a plurality of radio frequency carriers having the same frequency are synchronously modulated in a plurality of base stations corresponding in number to the radio frequency carriers with the same digital paging signal and transmitted, respectively. A paging controller which receives paging calls through a public switched telephone network stores preliminarily the maximum value of a sum of a paging request signal transmission time in a transmission line and a time required to process the paging request signal in each of the base stations and a high precision time signal is produced on the basis of a reference signal from a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite. A transmission time assigning code is attached to the paging request signal, which assigns a time instance which is delayed from a current time determined by the high precision time signal by the maximum value of the sum of the transmission time and the processing tame as a transmission start time.

Abstract: A method of providing communication services in a cellular communication system which consists of a plurality of service coverage areas having a plurality of shared frequency microcells. Each microcell has an omnidirectional, remote antenna interconnected with a base site. The method consists of receiving a request, at the base site, to provide communication access to a communication unit. A supervisory audio tone is simulcast through each omnidirectional, remote antenna of the plurality of shared frequency microcells. A signal quality factor of a looped-back supervisory audio tone received from the communication unit at each omnidirectional, remote antenna is then measured. A communication link between the communication unit and base site is then established through a selected antenna of said plurality of omnidirectional, remote antennas. The antenna is selected based upon the signal quality factor of the looped-back supervisory audio tone.

Abstract: A method for providing emergency information using presently existing cellular telephone system technology. Traffic sensors monitor the control and voice channel transmissions of cellular units within a cellular telephone system for emergency conditions. Data from these transmissions is extracted and analyzed for emergencies according to a statistical model and derived vehicle geolocating information to generate emergency information that is transmitted to a central control center. By combining the information from all of the traffic sensors and each individual cell within a cellular telephone system, a picture of the emergency conditions existing along major thoroughfares may be determined.

Abstract: Aircraft communications are established on a cellular system by having the transmission to aircraft directed above ground level so as not to interfere with ground cellular systems and having the transmissions from the aircraft at extreme low power levels so as not to interfere with transmissions from ground vehicles. The location of mobile stations either aircraft or ground vehicles for one embodiment is determined by Loran reception or other radio navigation system in the mobile station and transmitted to a mobile switching center to be used in transferring control from cell to cell by use of the determined location of the mobile station. For another embodiment the antennae for aircraft (both base station and mobile) are horizontally oriented while ground vehicle antennae (both base station and mobile) are vertical as in present commercial practice.

Abstract: A cellular phone based emergency vessel/vehicle location system which includes a navigation unit to determine position and speech synthesis to modulate a transmitter with the emergency message includes a combined dialer and activation detector, in which activation may either be from the cellular phone keypad or from a panic button, a Lojack/hijack sensor, a car theft alarm, airbag deployment, a man down sensor, or other form of remote activation. Upon activation, the activation detector/dialer causes DTMF tones to be generated for telephone number dialing. After dialing, the transmitter for the transceiver is modulated with the emergency message in natural speech. In one embodiment, the dialer and activation detector is actuated from the keypad of the cellular phone, such as 911, *CG, *SP or other predetermined activation code.

Abstract: A microcell unit, in a cellular telephone system using digital signal processing BSs, is digitally connected to a macrocell, via a metallic link, such as a twisted pair. The microcell includes a plurality of radio channel units (RCU), to provide voice connectivity to mobile subscribers (MS), which are under control of a radio control complex (RCC) located in the macrocell. Several time slots of the macrocell TDM bus, through which the RCC exerts control of the RCUs, are remoted to the microcell thereby enabling control of the RCUs at the microcell location by the RCC of the macrocell. This remoting action is achieved, via a remote time division multiplex (TDM) circuit pack which enables the RCC to communicate with the RCUs as if they were located within the macrocell.

Abstract: A messaging unit (16) equipped with a cellular transceiver (38) is attached to a truck trailer (12) located within a communications network (10). The messaging unit (16) generates a data message in response to the occurrence of a reporting event. Upon generation of a data message, the cellular transceiver (38) transmits the data message over the network (10) via voice or data channels. The data message is received at an MTSO (20) and then routed to a platform (24), a clearinghouse (22), or the platform (24) through the clearinghouse (22). The data message stored at the platform (24) or the clearinghouse (22) is accessed by a host (26). A data message may be sent over a voice channel of the network (10) subject to a handshake protocol between the messaging unit (16) and the platform (24). Data messages may also be sent over a data channel of the network (10) by altering the mobile identification number (MIN) or electronic serial number (ESN) of the cellular transceiver (38).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cellular mobile radio telephone system which incorporates an independent paging capability with an existing mobile telephone by taking advantage of call forwarding and redirecting features available on the telephone switching network. When a mobile telephone is set to an active or "on" mode, calls are directed to that mobile telephone using the cellular paging channel and conventional cellular paging procedures. However, when the mobile telephone is set to a sleep mode and the power is switched off, the mobile switching center automatically forwards calls to the mobile to an independent paging system which transmits the call as a paging signal to a small pager associated with the mobile telephone. When the pager receives a page signal as a result of the forwarded call, the pager transmits a low-power signal to the mobile telephone which switches on the power of the mobile telephone.

Abstract: A messaging unit (16) equipped with a cellular transceiver (38) is attached to a truck trailer (12) located within a communications network (10). The messaging unit (16) generates a data message in response to the occurrence of a reporting event. Upon generation of a data message, the cellular transceiver (38) transmits the data message over the network (10) via voice or data channels. The data message is received at an MTSO (20) and then routed to a platform (24), a clearinghouse (22), or the platform (24) through the clearinghouse (22). The data message stored at the platform (24) or the clearinghouse (22) is accessed by a host (26). A data message may be sent over a voice channel of the network (10) subject to a handshake protocol between the messaging unit (16) and the platform (24). Data messages may also be sent over a data channel of the network (10) by altering the mobile identification number (MIN) or electronic serial number (ESN) of the cellular transceiver (38).

Abstract: A radio telephone interface apparatus for speed dialing any of a plurality of stored sequences of digits forming telephone numbers. Pre-stored telephone numbers are stored in an electronic memory. Actuation of switches permits either sequential access to each of the stored telephone numbers or direct, nonsequential access to a desired set of stored telephone numbers. When the telephone numbers are sequentially access, mneumonic information associated with each one of the telephone numbers is provided to a voice synthesizer to provide an aural indication of the telephone numbers stored within individual ones of the directory locations.

Abstract: A radiotelephone (10) simulates the call origination process performed by land-line telephones. Dial tone is generated (78) in response to an off-hook condition and removed when a first digit (54) is dialed. A timer process (84, 110) and a number analysis process (100) simultaneously evaluate dialed digits to detect the completion of dialing. The number analysis process (100) identifies seven, ten, and eleven digit, and indeterminate length phone number formats (64, 66, 52, 68). The ten digit format is recognized in response to remotely programmed (42) connected NPA codes. For most calls, the number analysis process (100) instantly detects a phone number's final digit (62). In a few cases the timer process (84, 110) detects the final digit through the absence of dialing activity for a predetermined duration. When the final digit (62) is detected, an origination message is transmitted to a cellular network.

Abstract: A system controller (102) for managing telephone inputs includes telephone inputs for connecting to telephone calls, a service request handler (420), a monitor (432), and a limit adjuster (434). The telephone inputs are used for telephone calls, each telephone call being one of a plurality of call types. The service request hander (420) handles requests for phone call service by connecting telephone inputs to telephone calls according to an input limit for the call types, and further couples the telephone inputs to call handlers according to the call types. The monitor (432) monitors call connections of the telephone inputs for a first call type. The limit adjuster (434) adjusts an input limit according to a utilization factor derived in the monitoring step.

Abstract: An extension phone type cordless telephone comprises a terminating set, a plurality of branch sets, and a plurality of charger stands. The terminating set comprises a terminating set radio communication circuit for performing radio communication with the plurality of branch sets and a terminating set wire communication circuit for performing communication over a commercial power line with the branch sets via a stand wire communication circuit included in the charger stand.

Abstract: In the construction of a mobile communications system wherein coder-decoder units for high-efficiency coding which should originally be placed in base stations are arranged in a concentrated manner in a mobile exchange office, a circuit changing-over switch is provided as a part of the communications circuits extending from the base stations to the mobile exchange office and the coder-decoder units in the same office. Consequently, the total number of coder-decoder units is reduced to a number which is smaller than the total number of base stations and which corresponds to the volume of traffic of the entire system. Further, when a communication channel is prepared at the time of a call origination or hand-over, since the setting of a communication channel is completed after synchronization is established between a base station and a coder-decoder unit, interruptions of the service are prevented at an initial stage of setting of a communication channel.