EP0985312A2

EP0985312A2 - Caller only initiated two-way wireless communication system with caller generated billing

Info

Publication number: EP0985312A2
Application number: EP98906313A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Joseph F. Scalisi; Julio C. Smiriglio
Original assignee: E S P Communications Inc
Current assignee: E S P Communications Inc
Priority date: 1997-02-12
Filing date: 1998-02-10
Publication date: 2000-03-15
Also published as: EG21188A; WO1998035508A3; AR006881A1; WO1998035508A2; EP0985312A4; AU6156898A; MX9701442A; CR5721A; PE72598A1

Abstract

A system and method for a two-way wireless communication is disclosed which can only be initiated by, and billed to, a caller (120). The system utilizes a subscriber apparatus having pager and radiotelephone functions whereby a caller (120) may call the apparatus and gain direct two-way communication (146) with the subscriber. The caller is billed for the communication (156) and the subscriber is unable to initiate any outgoing calls from the apparatus.

Description

CALLER ONLY INITIATED TWO-WAY WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WITH CALLER GENERATED BILLING

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a personal communication system which employs two-way wireless communication that can only be initiated by, and billed to, a caller. The system uses a method for billing the calling party in a wireless communication system using a one-way signal transfer. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a system which utilizes a subscriber apparatus having pager and radiotelephone functions to generate two-way wireless communication by an outside caller calling a page number wherein the caller is billed for the communication time and the subscriber is unable to incur communication charges due to their inability to initiate or place a call with the apparatus.

Background of the Invention

Mobile radio communication is well known in the art. Cellular radio has spawned Personal Communication Service. PCS is wireless and the user requires no tether such as the wire pair that connects a conventional telephone to a local serving switch. Cellular radio with the hand held terminal, i.e. hand held cellular telephones, gives the user tetherless telephone communication. Further, paging systems provide the mobile and ambulatory user with a means of being alerted that someone wishes to contact or talk to that person.

The public switched telecommunications network (PSTN) is vast and includes hundreds of national networks that are interconnected to form a gigantic international network. Cellular service is an adjunct to the network. Cellular radio systems provide two-way signaling and communication by usually connecting a mobile terminal to another user through the PSTN where the other user is most commonly a subscriber of the PSTN. Nevertheless, the other user may be a mobile terminal. Most of the connectivity involves connecting wired telephone service to mobile users. The mobile telephone switching office (MTSO) is the heart of a cellular system for a specific serving area. The MTSO is connected to the PSTN by a trunk group. Trunks are the telephone lines connecting one telephone switch or exchange with another.

Paging is a one-way radio alerting system that is a simple extension of the

PTSN. Unlike cellular radio systems, the direction of transmission is from a fixed paging transmitter to an individual. Some pagers have digital readouts which provide the individual with a number to call back while others give a short message or enable a transmitter to leave a voice mail by hooking into a voice mail system.

The cordless telephone is another example of a personal communication system. Technology in recent years has resulted in a vast number of cordless telephones, cellular telephones and paging apparatus which exhibit a variety of unique and multiple features. For example, the following described inventions are directed to cellular telephones. U.S. Patent No. 4,908,848 issued to Hanawa discloses an apparatus for a mobile communication system having a handset which can be programmed to lock calls, restrict calls, or time calls. U.S. Patent No. 5,203,009 issued to Bogusz et al. describes a cellular telephone having a fixed calling capacity which limits the use of the phone by only enabling it to call emergency telephone numbers. A similar cellular telephone is described in U.S. Patent No. 5,365,570 issued to Boubelik which discloses an emergency radio telephone apparatus having a housing, a radio transceiver for receiving and transmitting modulated radio signals, and an actuator connected to the housing for actuating the transceiver and initiating the process of connecting to a predetermined emergency phone number. U.S. Patent No. 4,845,772 issued to Metroka et al. describes a portable radiotelephone with control switch disabling having a keypad covered by a movable element which produces an on-hook condition when the movable element is in a first position covering the keypad and which produces an off-hook condition when the movable element is in a second position exposing the keypad.

Numerous paging systems having various functions and capabilities are also well known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Patent No. 4,906,989 issued to Kasugai describes a paging system having a vehicle mounted repeater with a portable paging receiver detachably mounted on the repeater. Also, U.S. Patent No. 4,940,963 issued to Gutman et al. discloses a paging system having a centrally located terminal and a plurality of remote pager units wherein both automatic and manual acknowledge back signaling is provided.

The prior are also includes combined radiotelephone and paging systems as evidences by the following: I) U.S. Patent No. 5,040,204 issued to Sasaki et al. discloses a cordless telephone apparatus with a removably mounted pager which reports an incoming signal from a parent device or radiotelephone; ii) U.S. Patent No. 4,747, 1 22 issued to Bhagat et al. describes a mobile paging call back system which includes a control unit interconnecting a radio pager, a memory, an indicator, a control switch, and an automatic dialer with the control unit including a logic circuit that is programmed to verify valid telephone number information received from a pager, to store the verified data in memory, to activate the indicator to show that valid data has been received and to transfer the stored data to the automatic dialer to reach a mobile radiotelephone; iii) U.S. Patent No. 5, 1 1 7,449 issued to Metroka et al. discloses an integrated paging and radiotelephone apparatus which combines paging and cellular radiotelephone functions in a single unit having dual receivers thereby allowing reception of paging signals simultaneously with cellular radiotelephone signals; and iv) U.S. Patent No. 5, 1 48,473 issued to Freeland et al. which describes an apparatus combining a radio pager and a cellular radiotelephone into one unit which may automatically receive a plurality of pages while the cellular radiotelephone is on, communicating a cellular telephone call, or off or unattended.

Although combined radiotelephone and paging systems have been described, none of those systems prevents initiation of a radiotelephone call by the subscriber or holder of the dual paging/radiotelephone system, nor do any of those combined systems described above include a system wherein only the outside calling party pays for the telecommunication when the caller and subscriber are activated. Either one or both of these features would drastically reduce fraudulent use of the wireless two- way communication system. Further, implementation of either or both of these features would enable a subscriber to exert optimum control over costs.

Accordingly, there is a need for a wireless two-way communication system which allows for incoming calls but prevents outgoing calls in order to control costs and fraudulent use of the system. This is particularly useful in those situations where companies would like to enable their employees to have wireless two-way communication with one another in order to facilitate job efficiency. For example, individual employees such as sales persons, drivers and delivery personnel, real estate agents, and hospital personnel could be equipped with the present invention in order to communicate with others within or outside of their organization either out in the field or within a large facility that houses the employees. There is also a need for such a system where the calling party is billed for the call so that a pager number is not given out to numerous individuals by the person carrying the apparatus thereby enabling anyone to run up telephone toll charges associated with use of the apparatus during two-way communication.

Parents would be another target market for this system in that it would enable children to be directly connected to their parents upon being paged by their parents without the expense of cellular telephone charges. Such a system would also prevent the accumulation of billings associated with frivolous or unnecessary calls made by children within the system in that the system does not allow for those possessing the apparatus to make outgoing calls. Further, if the apparatus were stolen, it would be impossible to commit further fraud by charging the communication system for calls because the system employs caller generated billing.

Summary of the Invention It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a two-way wireless communication system wherein the calling party pays and the two-way wireless communication can only be initiated by the caller.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a two-way wireless communication system that establishes instant two-way wireless communication between a public switched telecommunications network caller and a subscriber having an apparatus with means to receive both paging signals and radiotelephone signals through a caller generated billing system.

It is further object of the present invention to provide a two-way wireless communication system that establishes instant two-way wireless communication between a wireless radiotelephone caller and a subscriber having an apparatus with means to receive both paging signals and radiotelephone signals through a caller generated billing system.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for selectively receiving incoming calls only from a telephone system wherein the calling party pays in accordance with their associated telephone toll system.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a wireless communication system which utilizes a caller generated billing system and has an automatic voice mail call back means. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method for reducing fraud associated with the personal communications system.

In brief, the caller only generated two-way wireless communication system includes:

1 ) means for initiating a call to an apparatus having a mobile identification number;

2) means for receiving and processing the mobile identification number such that a radiotelephone associated with the initiating call is transmitted to the apparatus thereby establishing a two-way communication between the means for initiating a call and the apparatus; and

3) means for charging the call to an account associated with the means for initiating a call. The objects and features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals denote like elements. Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of one example of the electronic circuitry of an apparatus for use with the personal communication system of the present invention which employs two-way wireless communication that can only be initiated by, and billed to, the caller.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustrating the conceptual layout of a wireless system and its relation to the public switched telecommunications network.

FIG. 3 is a schematic showing the conceptual layout of the public switched telecommunications network. FIG. 4 is a flow chart depicting a two-way wireless communication system that establishes instant two-way wireless communication between a public switched telecommunications network caller and a pagephone subscriber in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart depicting a two-way wireless communication system that establishes instant two-way wireless communication between a wireless radiotelephone caller and a pagephone subscriber in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6 is flow chart depicting a second embodiment of two-way wireless communication system that establishes instant two-way wireless communication between a wireless radiotelephone caller and a pagephone subscriber in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a method for a caller only initiated two-way wireless communication with caller generated billing in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventors of carrying out their invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined herein specifically to provide for an improved and simplified system for interfacing with a telephone or similar communications system, in any selected location, for enabling a caller to contact a user of an apparatus combining paging functions and radiotelephone functions (hereinafter referred to as a "pagephone") by radiotelephone. By way of example, and not by way of limitation, set forth below is a description of a preferred embodiment of the simplified system and method for carrying out the system of the present invention which is directed to a two-way wireless communication system with one way initiation by a caller and caller generated billing. Turning now to the drawings, a block diagram 1 0 of one example of an electronic circuitry of an apparatus for use with the personal communication system of the present invention which employs two-way wireless communication that can only be initiated by, and billed to, the caller is shown in FIG. 1 . The antenna 1 2 is used to receive and transmit radiotelephone signals to and from separate receiving circuit 14 and a transmitter circuit 1 6. The receiving and transmitting circuits 12 and 1 4 may be assembled using components and methods well known in the art. Both the receiving and transmitting circuits 1 2 and 1 4 are coupled to a microprocessor 1 8. When a signal is received from an outside caller having the correct mobile identification (M.I.D.) number of the pagephone, the microprocessor 1 8 will activate an alert signal such as an audio signal 20 or vibrator 22. If the pagephone is then fully opened (i.e. a flip element is moved into the open position such as with a flip phone), and not in use, a further switch means is activated in the pagephone. Activation of the further switch means enables the microprocessor to activate the readiotelephone transmitter 1 6 so that the pagephone will receive incoming signals and transmit outgoing signals to thereby allow a conversation to take place between the caller and the user of the unit.

The microprocessor 1 8 is capable of storing several telephone numbers which are transmitted by the radiotelephone receiver 14. Each time the apparatus is turned on via switch 24, the microprocessor 1 8 reads the data stored and sends the data to the transmitter 26 for transmission to the radiotelephone receiver 28 on the apparatus thereby establishing a two-way communication between an outside caller and the user of the apparatus.

The apparatus for use with the electronic circuitry preferably comprises a transmitting means that is only capable of transmitting radiotelephone signals that are associated with the signals received from the pagephone. The system may also include an optional voice mail means 26 which is later described with reference to FIG. 7. The system may further include an interface circuit 28 which is coupled to the microprocessor 1 8 which sends verbal voice mail message left by callers to a pager receiver 30. The pager receiver 30 transmits the voice mail messages to a speaker 32 which enables the phonepage user to hear their voice mail messages without accessing a telephone to retrieve their messages. The speaker 32 may also be coupled to an LED display 34 which can show the number of the message, the time the message was left, and the telephone number of the caller. If the pagephone is in use during the transmission of another call to the pagephone, the voice mail message system may be triggered automatically upon closing the flip element of the page phone thereby enabling a pagephone user to hear the voice mail messages which were transmitted during his previous use of the pagephone.

Other radiotelephone transceiving apparatus that may be successfully used in conjunction with the caller initiated and billed personal communication system of the present invention are disclosed and described in detail in U.S. Patent No. 5,574,772 which is directed to a personal apparatus for receiving radiotelephone communications and is herein incorporated by reference.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the wireless system layout and its relation to the public switched telecommunications network while FIG. 3 shows a schematic of the public switched telecommunications network. In FIG. 3, there are numerous individual subscribers 40 that subscribe to the PSTN and these subscribers are linked to local exchange carriers (LEC) 42,44 and are interconnected by trunks. Toll connecting trunks 46 connect the local network 42,44 to the toll network 48. FIG. 2 shows the mobile telephone switching office (MTSO) as the heart of the wireless system for a specific serving area. The conventional wireless telecommunications switched network 50 is a network consisting of a plurality of wireless antennae 52 capable of receiving wireless band radio frequency signals 54, with each of the plurality of wireless antennae 52 being associated with a discrete cell site 56. The plurality of antennae 52 represent mobile units. The mobile units may be hand held or vehicle mounted terminals. Each of the plurality of wireless antennae 52 is electrically linked to a wireless switch 58 (the MTSO) which governs the operation of the wireless telecommunications switched network 50 and links the network 50 to a local exchange carrier 60 via T1 land lines 62. As previously described with reference to FIG. 2, the local exchange carrier 60 is connected to the toll network 64 via connecting trunks 66. Satellite means 68 may also be used to access the MTSO 58 via satellite signals 70. The MTSO 58 can then access the toll system 64 as previously described.

A flow chart depicting a two-way wireless communication system establishing two-way wireless communication between a public switched telecommunications network caller and a pagephone subscriber in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIG. 4. A PSTN caller 80 initiates a telephone call by dialing a pagephone number. The caller enters their telephone number which is transmitted to the local exchange carrier 82 via a subscriber line and the caller's telephone number is further transmitted to the PSTN toll system 84 via connecting trunks. The pagephone number which is dialed by the PSTN caller 80 is also transmitted along the PSTN. The PSTN toll system 84 sends a signal to an interface 86 which functions to signal a pagephone subscriber that a page is being transmitted and to record the PSTN caller's telephone number. The interface 86 sends a signal to the MTSO 88 with the PSTN caller's telephone number which is then transmitted to the radiotelephone receiver contained within the pagephone in order to connect the initiated PSTN call to the pagephone subscriber 90.

A wireless telephone may also be used to initiate a call to the pagephone which is used with the two-way wireless communication system of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a flow chart depicting a two-way wireless communication system that establishes two-way wireless communication between a wireless radiotelephone caller and a pagephone subscriber in accordance with the present invention. The wireless caller initiates a telephone call by dialing a pagephone number. The caller enters their wireless telephone number which is transmitted to the MTSO 1 02. The MTSO 102 transmits the signal to the local exchange carrier 1 04 via a T1 land line and the caller's wireless telephone number is further transmitted to the PSTN toil system 106 via connecting trunks. The pagephone number which was dialed by the wireless caller 1 00 is also transmitted along the PSTN to the PSTN toll system 106. The PSTN toll system 1 06 sends a signal to an interface 1 08 which functions to signal a pagephone subscriber that a page is being transmitted and to record the wireless caller's telephone number. The interface 1 08 sends a signal back to the MTSO with the wireless caller's telephone number which is then transmitted to the radiotelephone receiver contained within the pagephone in order to connect the initiated wireless call to the pagephone subscriber 1 10.

FIG. 6 shows a flow chart depicting a second embodiment of two-way wireless communication system that establishes instant two-way wireless communication between a wireless radiotelephone caller and a pagephone subscriber in accordance with the present invention. A wireless caller 1 1 2 sends a signal to the MTSO 1 1 4 by making a call. The MTSO 1 1 4 sends a signal to a wireless toll system 1 1 6 which tracks the amount of time that the wireless caller 1 1 2 is connected to, or communicating with, the pagephone subscriber 1 1 8. The wireless toll system 1 1 6 then bills the wireless caller 1 1 2 for the call. FIG. 7 depicts a flowchart showing a method for a caller only initiated two-way wireless communication with caller generated billing in accordance with the present invention. Referring now to FIG. 7, an outside caller 1 20, either a PSTN caller or wireless caller, initiates a telephone call by calling a pagephone number. The call from the outside caller 1 20 is transmitted to a hardline switch or LEC 1 22 which is then transmitted to a telephone toll system 1 24. The call is then transmitted to the MTSO (wireless switch) 1 26 and the MTSO 126 sends a signal to a unit in step one 1 28.

The unit is preferably a radiotelephone transceiving apparatus in the form of a pagephone which comprises: 1 ) a housing with no keypad and no keypad circuitry so that the apparatus is a caller initiated only receiving apparatus for wireless two-way communication where no outgoing calls can be initiated by a user, 2) a receiving means for receiving radiotelephone signals contained within the housing, 3) transmission means for transmitting radiotelephone signals by the receiving means upon receipt of radiotelephone signals by the receiving means whereby the apparatus can only be used to supervise a two-way voice communication initiated from another telephone apparatus, 4) processing means coupled to the transmission means and receiving means for processing received signals and only transmitting radiotelephone signals in response to receipt of a signal having the correct mobile identification number of the transceiving apparatus whereby the processing means cannot create an outgoing address signal and can only produce an alert signal in response to a signal having the correct mobile identification number, and 5) means for indicating that radiotelephone signals coupled to the processing means are received.

In step two 1 30, the toll system 1 24 determines if the call was received by the unit. If the call was not received, the system 1 24 determines if the unit is in use 1 32. If the unit is in use, the system 1 24 has to determine if the caller has disconnected 1 34. The caller may be able to leave a voice mail message for the user. Two options exist for the voice mail - the voice mail can either be manually retrieved by the user of the unit 1 36 or the voice mail can automatically call back and play a message via the wireless system 1 38. With respect to the manual voice mail retrieval option, a pagephone subscriber may either access a telephone and call their pagenumber to receive messages or, alternatively, the subscriber may manually push a "play" button on the pagephone which will play back voice mail messages that are recorded directly into the pagephone via a miniature recording system.

If the unit is not in use, the system 1 24 determines if the unit is out of the service area 1 40. If the system 1 24 is out of the service area, the system 1 24 returns to determine whether the caller has disconnected 1 34. If the unit is in the service area 140 the system 1 24 determines if the signal received by the unit is too low for transmission 1 42. If the signal received by the unit is too low for transmission 1 42, the system 1 24 returns to determine whether the caller has disconnected 1 34. If the signal received by the unit is not too low for transmission, the system 1 24 determines if the unit responds to the incoming signal within a predetermined time 144. If the unit does not respond to the incoming signal within the predetermined time 144, then the system 1 24 returns to determine whether the caller has disconnected 1 34.

If the unit responds to the incoming signal then the unit is activated for two- way communication between the caller and the unit subscriber 146. If the call was received by the unit and not activated 148 then the caller 1 20 can leave a voice mail message for the unit 1 36, 1 38. If the unit is activated 1 48 and normal two-way communication proceeds 1 46, the toll system begins to count air time 1 50. When the call is completed the unit is deactivated 1 52 and the air time count is stopped 1 54. The total air time is calculated and recorded and billed to the outside caller's initiating telephone number 1 56. The unit then returns to the sleep mode 1 58.

The foregoing has described a simplified two way wireless communication system wherein the calling party initiates the call and pays for the call. The system does not allow for transmitting outgoing calls and only allows for receiving incoming calls thereby reducing fraud and creating a method for use by employers and parents alike that allows for controlling costs of two-way wireless communication.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.

Claims

We Claim:

1 . A caller generated wireless communication and billing system for allowing a recipient to receive a telephone call from an incoming page without the ability to produce any type of outgoing address signal comprising: means for initiating a call to an apparatus having a mobile identification number; means for receiving and processing said mobile identification number such that a radiotelephone associated with said initiating call is transmitted to said apparatus thereby establishing a two-way communication between said means for initiating a call and said apparatus; and means for charging said call to an account associated with said means for initiating a call.

2. The caller generated apparatus of Claim 1 further comprising a means for indicating that a call is being received by the apparatus.

3. The caller generated apparatus of Claim 1 further comprising a means for enabling a user initiating said call to leave a voice mail message via a voice mail messaging system.

4. The caller generated apparatus of Claim 3 wherein said voice mail messaging system includes the manual retrieval of voice messages by a user of said apparatus.

5. The caller generated apparatus of Claim 3 wherein said voice mail messaging system comprises an automatic call back of an initiating caller's number along with an automatic play back of the initiating caller's message.

6. The caller generated apparatus of Claim 3 wherein said means for enabling a user to leave a voice mail message comprises a recording means contained within the apparatus which can be accessed by a switch contained on the apparatus.

7. The caller generated apparatus of Claim 1 further comprising a means for a caller to leave at least one of a numerical message and voiced message and means for displaying said message on the apparatus.

8. A method for caller generated two way wireless communication with caller generated billing comprising the steps of: a) initiating a call from at least one of a telephone and a wireless radio system to an apparatus having means for receiving a pager signal; b) receiving said pager signal with said apparatus; c) processing said pager signal to transmit a radiotelephone signal to said at least one of a telephone and a wireless radio system; d) receiving said radiotelephone signal with said apparatus to create a two-way wireless communication between a user of the apparatus and a user of the at least one of a telephone and a wireless radio system; e) measuring an amount of time during which said two-way wireless communication occurs; f) calculating a billing amount for said measured amount of time; and g) billing said billing amount to an account associated with said at least one of a telephone and a wireless radio system.

9. The method of Claim 8 wherein said apparatus having means for receiving a pager signal is incapable of transmitting an outgoing signal to another distinct apparatus.

1 0. The method of Claim 8 further comprising the step of activating a voice system informing the caller that calling party pays prior to said step of receiving said pager signal with said apparatus.

1 1 . The method of Claim 8 further comprising the step of enabling the caller to leave a voice mail message via a voice mail messaging system that can be accessed when the apparatus is not accessible.

1 2. The method of Claim 6 further comprising the step of activating a hardware mechanism contained on the apparatus to retrieve a message recorded by the apparatus.