Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating a cellular communications system of a type that comprises a Base Station/Mobile Switching Center/Internetworking function (BMI) and a plurality of mobile stations. The method includes the steps of transmitting a point-to-multipoint message (e.g., a Broadcast SMS message) from the BMI to the plurality of mobile stations; and, in at least some of the plurality of mobile stations, receiving the point-to-multipoint message and transmitting an acknowledgement to the BMI using a point-to-point message. The point-to-multipoint message includes an information element having a value for specifying one of (a) that a mobile station receiving the message is prohibited from responding to the message, (b) that a mobile station receiving the message must respond to the message, and (c) that a mobile station receiving the message may optionally respond to the message.

Abstract: This invention provides for the use of an index message in a Cell Broadcast Service. An index message is considered to be a special type of Cell Broadcast message which contains general information about actual broadcast messages. The index message is transmitted in a predetermined logical S-BCCH subchannel, and contains information elements such as (a) message overviews or summaries for each cell broadcast message, (b) information concerning emergency messages, (c) information concerning the language used in different broadcast messages, (d) an alphanumeric broadcast domain operator name and a specific operator greeting, (e) information concerning changes in broadcast messages, and (f) information concerning subchannels.

Abstract: This invention provides for the use of an index message in a Cell Broadcast Service. An index message is considered to be a special type of Cell Broadcast message which contains general information about actual broadcast messages. The index message is transmitted in a predetermined logical S-BCCH subchannel, and contains information elements such as (a) message overviews or summaries for each cell broadcast message, (b) information concerning emergency messages, (c) information concerning the language used in different broadcast messages, (d) an alphanumeric broadcast domain operator name and a specific operator greeting, (e) information concerning changes in broadcast messages, and (f) information concerning subchannels.

Abstract: A cellular telephone (10) has a user interface (5) that includes an actuator (23) for inputting information to the telephone. The actuator extends from a surface of the telephone and has multiple degrees of freedom for selecting at least individual ones of numeric digits 0 through 9. Indicia representing individual ones of the numeric digits 0 through 9 in addition to the characters * and # may be arrayed about the actuator, and may correspond to a clock face, wherein the indicia “1” corresponds to the 1:00 position, and wherein one of the indicia “*” and “#” corresponds to the 12:00 position. Alternatively, digits may be displayed to the user in an n by m matrix format. Further in accordance with this invention the user interface also includes a display (20) disposed on the surface. The display is capable of displaying characters with a non-perpendicular orientation (e.g.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a method for varying the level of an alerting indicator of a radiotelephone while an incoming call is being received, and also to a radiotelephone that operates in accordance with the method. The method includes a first step of operating a user interface (22) for inputting information to a controller (20) of the radiotelephone, the information specifying that an alerting indicator volume be reduced or muted. In response to the inputted information, a second step reduces the alerting indicator volume. An alerting indicator volume that has been reduced is increased upon the termination of the incoming call signal, upon the elapse of a predetermined time period and/or in response to information inputted to the controller (20) via the user interface (22), which information specifies that the alerting indicator volume be increased.

Abstract: A mobile station (10) maintains a single, prioritized list of all available networks (i.e., all public, residential, and private networks). Access to the various networks is then based on the user's needs. A first type of access is an automatic access, that requires little or no user involvement. A second type of access is to a user-specified network. A third type of access is to a user-specified service (e.g., data, fax, e-mail, etc.) that is supported by at least one of the networks. The mobile station can search for additional networks, and can also search for additional networks that support only a specified type of service, or for a network that supports a service not supported by networks that are already in the list. All of the networks can be searched at once so that the user can readily make a selection from the single, prioritized network list.

Abstract: A wireless mobile station (10), such as a cellular telephone, executes a method to selectively display one of a plurality of graphical information sequences on a display (20) of the mobile station. The graphical information sequence is displayed during an Idle state of the mobile station, that is, when the mobile station is not involved in receiving a call or during a call. By example, the graphical information sequence can be displayed when the mobile station is in a Keyguard state, and/or in a Charging state, or when the mobile station is first powered on. In a further aspect of this invention the user interface (20, 22) of the mobile station is adapted to enable the user to selectively: enable or disable the display of a graphical information sequence; and/or select a graphical information sequence to be displayed from a plurality of pre-stored graphical information sequences; and/or input a definition of a graphical information sequence from an external source for storage in the mobile station.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating a cellular telephone that includes a first step, executed in response to input from a user, of disabling the cellular telephone from receiving cellular telephone calls. A second step then periodically enables the cellular telephone to receive, store and display user-related messages from a network control channel. In one embodiment the step of disabling includes a step of de-registering the cellular telephone from the network, and the step of periodically enabling includes an initial step of re-registering the cellular telephone with the network. The step of disabling may include a step of reducing the power consumption of the cellular telephone. In accordance with a further aspect of this invention the step of periodically enabling includes an initial step of requesting the network to assign the cellular telephone to a predetermined paging frame class that insures that the cellular telephone will receive a paging message from the network every n seconds.

Abstract: An Easy Activation sequence for cellular phones that includes a checking code calculation feature which enables a phone owner or user to safely carry out operator assisted NAM programming activation locally in the phone independent of the support provided by the network. The user need only key in a MIN, SID, and checksum in response to appropriate prompts and obtain an indication of whether the NAM programming has been correct or not. Various other parameters, such as A-key and alphanumeric SID, may also be accomodated.

Abstract: A radiotelephone (10) includes a keypad (22) having a plurality of keys (22a, 22b) and a display device (20) for displaying information, including messages, to a user. A method includes the steps of: (a) transmitting a point-to-point short message service (SMS) message from an operator's site (36) through a network (32) to the radiotelephone; (b) receiving the SMS message from the network; (c) interpreting the received SMS message; and (d) activating a network service function that is specified in received SMS message. The method includes a preliminary step of transmitting a SMS message from the radiotelephone to the operator's site, the SMS message requesting activation of the network function.

Abstract: A cellular radiotelephone (10) includes a keypad (22) having a plurality of keys (22a, 22b) and a display device (20) for displaying information, including messages, to a user. A method includes the steps of: (a) transmitting a short message service (SMS) message from a network (32) to the cellular radiotelephone; (b) receiving the SMS message from the network and storing the message in a memory (24) of the cellular radiotelephone; (c) presenting the stored SMS message to a user; (d) determining if the presented SMS message requires a manual acknowledgment by the user and, if so, monitoring an output of the keypad to detect a single key depression by the user. The method further includes a step of (e) determining if the user's single key depression is a correct manual acknowledgement and, if so, automatically generating and transmitting to the network a SMS manual acknowledgement message that includes an identification of the single key depressed by the user.