Abstract: A thermostat control system for monitoring and controlling environmental characteristics of a building includes a base station unit and a remote access unit continuously interfacing through instant wireless private direct connectivity. The system also includes a plurality of sensors that measure the environmental characteristics and provide the thermostat unit with the measurements.

Abstract: A thermostat control system for monitoring and controlling environmental characteristics of a building includes a base station unit and a remote access unit continuously interfacing through instant wireless private direct connectivity. The system also includes a plurality of sensors that measure the environmental characteristics and provide the thermostat unit with the measurements.

Abstract: A thermostat control system for monitoring and controlling environmental characteristics of a building includes a base station unit and a remote access unit continuously interfacing through instant wireless private direct connectivity. The system also includes a plurality of sensors that measure the environmental characteristics and provide the thermostat unit with the measurements.

Abstract: A recyclable cellular telephone is disclosed having an inner rigid cellular electronics supporting frame member surrounded by a replaceable outer cover. The telephone is acquired having a limited period of use. The electronics of the telephone operate to disable the telephone following expiration of the period of use. Following expiration of the period of use, the telephone is returned for refurbishment where the outer cover is stripped and replaced and the electronics tested before being recycled with a new period of use for an another acquisition. The cellular network supporting telephone operation also monitors the period of use, disabling telephone access to the network following expiration. Directory numbers are selectively assigned to the recyclable telephones from a pool of available numbers, with assigned numbers returned to the pool after expiration of a predetermined period or telephone deactivation for re-use by another recyclable telephone.

Abstract: A method and system for message signalling in a radiocommunication system are disclosed. Privacy and urgency indicators and subaddressing can be provided to segregate messages in a hierarchical manner. User acknowledgment and reply functionality is incorporated.

Abstract: A current time of day is generated in a cellular radiotelephone by monitoring changes in the registration ID (REGID) field of the overhead messages as the REGID is incremented. The cellular radiotelephone user is prompted to indicate a time of day, and a corresponding REGID value is obtained. The time interval between REGID updates is determined. When a current time of day is required, a current REGID value is obtained and a current time of day is calculated based on the user indicated time of day, the difference between the REGID values and the update interval. Current time of day may thereby be generated in cellular radiotelephone systems which do not broadcast a current time of day, without the need for real time clock chips in the cellular radiotelephone.

Abstract: A cellular radiotelephone system is accessed by a cellular radiotelephone without requiring System IDentification (SID) comparison during access. Access is performed by eliminating a rescan of Access Channels during access and using the Combined Paging and Access Channel which was identified during initialization for system access. Alternatively, the Access Channels may be rescanned upon an access request and a comparison of the Digital Color Code with the initially scanned channels is made. If the compared Digital Color Code matches, the identified channel is used for system access regardless of its SID.