MXPA97002577A - Systems and methods to selectively accept telephone calls without establishing communications from ha - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method of cellular radio communications including a response delay element for accepting a telephone call from a precedence telephone without establishing voice communications between the cellular telephone and the originating telephone. The answer delay element is triggered by selection of a hold selection by the cell phone user after the user has been alerted of an incoming telephone call. Then, voice communications can be established between the cell phone and the phone of origin of the accepted telephone by operating a selection of retention release by the cell phone user. Consequently, a user can accept an incoming telephone call without keeping with the calling party so that the user can complete their previous activities before establishing voice communications with the originating telephone. In this way, the convenience and security of accepting incoming cell phone calls is further improved.

Description

SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO ACCEPT SELECTI AMENTE TELEPHONE CALLS CAS WITHOUT ESTABLISHING SPEECH COMMUNICATIONS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates contemporarily to issues of cellular radio communications and methods and, more generally, to systems and methods for selectively establishing voice or speech communications in a cellular radio communication system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Radio cellular radio systems are increasingly being used to provide wireless voice and data communication to a number of mobile units or their crypts. Cellular radio communication systems include both analogous cellular systems, such as the "AMPS" system, and more recently, digital cellular systems, such as the pan-European "GSM" system. These systems, and others, are described in a book entitled Dual Mode Cellular by Harte, published by P. T. Steiner Publishing Co., Bridgeville, Pennsylva nia (1992). A cellular radio communication system generally includes one or more cell phones, one or more radio base stations, and a 9msc0 Mobile Phone Switching Center. A typical cellular radio communication system can include hundreds of radio base stations, thousands of cellular telephones and one or more MSCs. A cellular radio communication system includes a number of radio-spaced zones of nominated cells. Each cell includes a radio base station for transmitting and receiving messages to and from cell phones that are located within the cell scale. Each cell of the cellular radio communication system typically includes a plurality of fold voice channels through which cell phone messages are carried. Each cell is also provided with a number of control channels to control the operation of the cell phones and the assigned voice channels. Consequently, through the cellular radio communications system, a signal or double radio communication link can be established between two cell phones or, between the cell phone and the line telephone of the year. As used herein, the term "cellular telephone" encompasses a wide variety of portable telephone devices that have access to a cellular radio communication system. Cell phones include cell phones that are carried in the hand or from a variety of cell phone phones permanently mounted in the car. The "cell phone" tea also includes terminals that provide functions in addition to those of a cell phone, such as facsimile, data communications, data processing, word processing applications, and other functions of personal communication issues. These highly functional cell phones are often referred to as "Personal Communication Systems". Each radio base station generally includes a control unit and an associated antenna. With respect to the tel < Cell phones located within the cell scale, the base station works mainly to relay messages to and from cell phones. The radio base station also monitors the quality of the communications link with cell phones. A typical radio base station is the Model No. RBS882 manufactured by Ericsson Radio Systems, AB, This high, Sweden for the cellular phone system CMS880. A full description of this analogous cellular network is available in Publication No. EN / LZT 101 908 R2B, published by Ericsson Radio Systems AB. A number of base stations are connected to a single MSC that acts as the central coordination element of the cellular system, the MSC includes a cellular processor and a cellular switch connected to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to allow communications between cell phones and wire line telephones. The MSC may also be associated with a Home Location Registry (HLR). The HLR includes storage elements to store data related to cellular system subscribers. This information may include the subscriber's telephone number as well as any specific services required by the subscriber., such as e_s call pear or call retention. The HLR may also include processing elements to manipulate the stored subscriber data. A node particularity may also be associated with the MSC of a cellular radio communications system or with another associated communications network, such as the PSTN. for example, the particularity of the node can be incorporated into or associated with the HLR. Even though the particularity of the node is associated with another communication network, such as the PSTN, the cellular radio communications re-access can have access to the node particularity through the interconnection between the MSC of the cellular radio communications system and the PSTN or other communication networks. A node particularity provides predefined functions to cell phones or telephones associated with the PASTN, such as, for example, establishing an efficient communication link between telephones, such as through intermediate radio base stations, or providing voice controlled speech information and number translation services -as well as facilitating the establishment of conference telephone calls. Still further, a node particularity may provide call services for the user of a cellular telephone and may facilitate the establishment of alternative communication links if the primary communications link is not available. A node particle is described, for example, in greater detail in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 018,268, entitled "A Method for Establishing Cooperation with a Functionality," and the United States Patent Application. Serial No. 018,223, entitled "A Method for Organization Communication," both of which were filed on February 16, 1993 and both of which are incorporated herein by reference. Due in part to the availability of cell phones, numerous users of a common cellular radio system carry a cell phone with them while they are conducting other activities. For example, many users have portable cell phones that they carry with them during the day. Other users have mobile phones that can be either a variety of phone bag or a cell phone permanently mounted on the car that allows the subscriber to communicate while in a vehicle. Consequently, the cell phone user can be located while they are performing a variety of activities by simply placing a phone call on the user's cell phone. In response to the cell phone alert, the user, if they are in the vicinity of the cell phone, can answer the phone call and start voice communications with the calling party. Alternatively, if the user does not want to respond to the alert and start voice communications with the calling party, the user can simply ignore or not respond to the alert. Still further, the user can redirect the incoming telephone call by transferring the telephone call to another party or to an answering device to which the cell phone has previously been assigned. In some cases, the cell phone user talks with the caller, but is unable to interrupt their current activities and start communications with the calling party, for example, the user may be involved in a meeting that is close to completion or the user may be involved in a driving activity that demands their full attention, such as passing a large truck on a narrow road. In these cases, the user can establish v communications with the calling party and inform them that they will be with them at any time. The user can then hold the phone call on hold, thus closing the speaker and the cell phone microphone., and complete your current activities. Once completed, the user can resume communications with the calling party. However, the user may occasionally be involved in particularly demanding activities and is unable to respond appropriately or safely, even momentarily to the incoming telephone call. In these cases, the user may wish to converse with the calling party, but must ignore the cell phone alert to complete their current activities. In this way, the user must either return the telephone call at a later time if the calling party left a message or must wait for the calling party to try again to contact the user. In any case, the communications between the cell phone and the phone of origin, at best, are significantly delayed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing background, therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved systems and methods of cellular radio communications. It is also an object of the present invention to provide cellular radio communication systems and methods that selectively establish voice communications between a cell phone and a home phone. these and other objects are provided, in accordance with the present invention, by cellular radio communication systems and methods that allow a user of a non-cellular telephone to accept a telephone call from a proc dence telephone by placing a telephone call to the telephone. My cell phone after delaying the establishment of voice conversations with the originating phone until the user provides a predetermined signal. In this way, the user can accept the telephone call without impeding their current activities and can delay establishing voice communications with the calling party until they have finished those activities. A cellular radio communications system in accordance with the present invention includes a notification element for alerting the user of a cellular telephone that a telephone has been placed on a telephone call to the cellular telephone. The cellular radio communication system also includes elements of response delay, in response to the notification element and in response in addition to the actuation of a retention selection element by the user of the cellular telephone, to accept the telephone call from the telephone origin without establishing voice communications between the cell phone and a phone of origin. In this way, the user can accept the incoming telephone call without talking to the calling party so that the user can continue with current activities. The answer delay element also preferably transmits a predetermined signal, such as a predetermined message announcing acceptance of the telephone call to the originating telephone. The response delay element of a mode also includes a stopwatch element so that the answer delay element is only responsive to the actuation of the retention selection element within a predetermined period of time after the notification element. has alerted the user.

A cellular radio communication system of the invention also includes release elements, which are responsive to the actuation of a retention selection release element by the cell phone user after acceptance of the telephone call from the telephone. of proc dencia through the answer delay element, to establish voice communications between the cell phone and the phone of origin. The user in this manner typically activates the retention selection release element to the terp nation of his previous activity. Additionally, the cellular radio communication system includes answering elements, which respond to the action of an answer selection element by the cell phone user after the notification element has alerted the user, to establish voice communications between the user and the user. the cell phone and the phone of origin. In this case, the user of the cellular telephone can establish voice communications with the originating telephone without delay, such as in case the user is not currently involved in a demanding activity. The cellular radio communication system also preferably includes a cell phone that includes the retention selection element, the retention selection release element, the answer selection element and, in some embodiments, the notification element. to alert the user of an incoming phone call pending. The non-cellular telephone may also include elements to display a predetermined telephone number assigned to the originating telephone so that the user of the cellular telephone can identify the user of the originating telephone before responding to the alert of the notification element. Still additionally, the preferred cell phone includes a loudspeaker and a microphone. Consequently, the preference response delay element includes a method for establishing a communication link between the home phone and the cell phone without opening the loudspeaker and the cell phone microphone in such a way that they prevent the same from occurring. voice communications. In addition, both the reply element and the release element of this mode also preferably include elements for opening the loudspeaker and the microphone so that voice communications between the originating telephone and the cell phone are established. lar. A cellular radio communication system of the invention may also include a cellular radio network that includes the cellular telephone and is associated with the answer delay element, the answer element and the release element. The cellular radio communication system may also include a node particularity, responsive to the cellular radio network, to provide predeterminated functions to cellular phones of the cellular radio network. In one embodiment, the particularity of the node includes the notification element, the response delay element, the reply element and the release element. In another embodiment, the cell phone includes the notification element, the response delay element, the reply element and the release element. In this embodiment, the node particularity preferably includes elements to provide the predetermined telephone number of the originating telephone to the cellular telephone for display. In this way, the cellular communication system and method of the present invention allows a user of a cellular telephone to accept a telephone call from a non-originating telephone without establishing voice communications between the cellular telephone and the originating telephone. . Consequently, the user can complete his current activities before agreeing with the user of the originating telephone. Thus, the convenience and safety of using a non-cellular telephone of the present invention are improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating the basic components of a cellular diode communication system of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of a cell phone of the present invention. Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram of a node particularity of the present invention. Figure 4 illustrates detailed operations for selectively establishing voice communications with a prognostic telephone in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. This invention, however, can be modalized in many different forms and should not be considered as limited to the mobilities set forth herein; rather, this modality is provided so that this exposure is complete and you fully trace the scope of the invention to those experts in the field. Like reference numbers refer to similar elements throughout the description. Referring now to Figure 1, a cellular radio communication system 20 is illustrated. The cellular radio communications system includes a plurality of cell regions 36, each of which is defined by a radio base station 23 corresponding to e. Each base station of the cellular radio communications system is connected to a Mobile Phone Switching Center 25 (MSC) to provide control and control of known cellular radio communications system functions. As shown, the MSC typically includes a cellular processor 28 and a cellular switch 29. The cellular switch of the MSC is connected to and provides the interface to other associated communication networks, such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) 30. The radio-base stations and the MSC generally define the cellular radio network. The design of cellular radio communication systems is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art and will therefore not be further described herein. It is noted, however, that the present invention can be used with any cellular system, either analogue 1. A cellular phone 21 is also schematically illustrated in Figure 1. It will be understood that each radio base station 23 is adapted to communicate with the cell phones in their cell 36. The other communication networks 30 to which the MSC 25 is connected, such as the PSTN, are also in communication with one or more telephones, such as the telephone line 33 of wire illustrated in Figure 1. In this way, a dual radio communication signal 32 can be affected through cellular radio communication system 20 between two cellular telephones, or between a cellular telephone and a telephone line. of wire. One modality of the cellular radio communication system 20 includes a particularity node 34, which responds to the cellular radio network, and associated with the MSC 25. Although not illustrated, the particularity of the node may also be associated with PSTN or another network. of communications to provide predetermined operation to both the telephones 33 associated with the PSTN and the cellular telephones 21 associated with the cellular radio communications network through the interface established between the MSC and the associated PSTN. Still further, the node identity can be associated with only predetermined users of a cellular radio communications network, such as the plurality of telephones in a business. Even though the particularity of node 34 is illustrated with a discrete block in Figure 1, all or a portion of the node parity 34 can actually be incorporated into the MSC 25 or the Home Location Register (HLR). furtherAfter the node particle is shown as a single block in Figure 1 for purposes of illustration, the particularity of the node can be distributed within the cellular radio communication system without abandoning the spirit and scope of the invention. expiration For example, a portion of the node particularity may be incorporated into the HLR while the remainder of the node special may be external to, but associated with, the MSC. In this way, the particularity of node 34 may not require a dedicated controller, memory and modem (in analogous applications), but instead, it may share those resources, such as a group modem, with other components of the cellular system. of radio communications. Although the system and method of the present invention is described in detail below as it is modalized in the cellular telephone 21 of Figure 2, a particularity of node 34 may also include the system and method of the present invention as set forth in FIG. shown in Figure 3 and described below. Alternatively, the cellular radio communications system 20 may include the particularities of the system and method of the present invention in components other than the cellular telephone, the particularity of the node. For example, the system and method of the present invention can be implemented, at least in part, by the MSC 25. The cellular telephone 21 of the present invention can be adapted to communicate with either an analog or a digital cellular system. Thus, even when an analog cell phone is shown schematically in Figure 2, a digital cell phone may also be employed as described below. In any mode, however, the cellular telephone 21 includes a controller 45, such as a microprocessor or a microcontroller, to control the operation of the cellular telephone. The cellular telephone also includes a loudspeaker 40 and a microphone 42, operably connected to the controller, for transmitting and receiving audible signals, respectively, and for supporting voice communications between a cellular phone and another telephone. In accordance with the illustrated embodiment, the cellular telephone 21 preferably includes notification elements 46, operably connected to a cell phone bell signal generator 41, to alert the user of the cell phone that a telephone call has been placed thereon. While the ring signal generator may be incorporated within the speaker 40, the ring signal generator is generally a separate component of the cell phone. Tíocia, the bell signal generator transmits an audible tone indicative of an incoming telephone call in response to a predetermined signal of the notification element. Next, the cell phone user can answer the call and establish voice communications with the user of the home phone by activating the answer selection element 48. Alternatively, the cellular telephone user can accept the telephone call without establishing voice communications with the originating telephone by activating the retention selection element 50.

The answer selection element 48 and the retention selection element 50 may include predetermined keys on a keypad 51 associated with the cellular telephone 21. For example, the default keys can be appropriately labeled, such as "answer" and "hold call", to allow easy reference by the user. The check selection element and the check selection element can also be combined in a single key. In addition, the answer selection element and the retention selection element may include one or more soft keys associated with an alternative menu in which the particular function selected by pressing the soft keys is defined by the cell phone and displayed. the user. Alternatively, the check selection element and the check selection element may include a touch pad to accept user input. In addition, the answer selection element and the retention selection element can be activated by voice answering oral questions from the user. As illustrated schematically in Figure 2, the controller 45 of the cellular telephone 21 includes answering elements 52, which respond to the activation of the answering element element 48 by the cell phone user, to establish voice communications between the cell phone and the telephone of origin that requested communication with the cell phone. More specifically, the answering element may include element 53 for opening the loudspeaker 40 and the microphone 42 of the cellular telephone so that voice communications are established between the originating telephone and the cellular telephone without significant delay. Once the voice communications have been established, such as through a voice channel, the controller 45 operates to control an antenna 41 and an associated radio frequency (RF) transceiver 74 receiving voice signals from the telephone. Progression in analog cellular radio systems. As is known to those skilled in the art, a digital cell phone 21 of the present invention can also support voice communications by controlling a speech coder to encode speech signals transmitted by the digital cellular telephone through a channel. of established speech and to decode cryptographic voice signals received through the voice channel, such as from the originating telephone. In addition to voice communications, an analog cellular telephone may also transmit a received modulated data through the open voice channel in accordance with the modem signaling, such as through a Frequency Offset Tc signaling scheme. Fast (FFSK), or tone signaling, such as through Dual Tone Frequency Mute (DTMF) signaling. As is known to those skilled in the art, the modem 48 typically processes, and modulates and demodulates, the data in accordance with a predetermined form and rate. Also, a digital cellular telephone 21 can also receive and transmit data in addition to voice communications. As is known to those experienced in the field, the digitized data is transmitted and typically received through a digital control channel (DCC) in accordance with digital signaling such as unstructured service signaling data in the GSM system. Thus, for digital cellular telephones of a cellular radio communication system that includes a particularity of node 34, the digital cellular telephone does not need to include a modem. However, for digital cellular telephones of a cellular radio communication system that does not include a particularity of a node, the digital cellular telephone is preferably associated with a modem group of the radio communications cellular system that receives the data. Digital data from digital cell phone and converts data to analog modem signaling for transmission and processing as described above. In some cases, the user of the cellular telephone 21 - would like to accept the incoming telephone call, but does not wish to contact the calling party immediately. For example, the cell phone user may be driving a vehicle and performing a particular driving activity that requires his or her full attention, such as passing a large truck on a narrow road. In this way, the cell phone user will be able to complete his current driving activity, such as passing the truck, before starting voice communications with the calling party. Alternatively, the user may be at a meeting that is close to completion. In this way, the cell phone user typically prefers to complete the meeting and then start talking with the calling party. In order to allow the user of cellular telephone 21 to complete his previous activity without simply ignoring the incoming telephone call, the cellular telephone of the present invention includes elements 54 of response delay, sensi-bles to the notification element 46 and furthermore sensitive to the action of the retention selection element 50 by the user of the cellular telephone, to accept a telephone call from the originating telephone without establishing voice communications between the cellular telephone and the originating telephone. As illustrated in Figure 2, the answering delay element includes elements 55 for establishing a communication link with the telephone of origin without establishing voice communications with it. The communication link establishment element also preferably transmits an "off hook" signal to the cellular radio communication system 20 so that the cellular radio communication system can monitor the state of the cellular telephone. The answer delay element also preferably includes elements 56, such as a speech chip, to transmit a predetermined signal to the originating telephone. For example, the predetermined signal may include a message indicating that the user of the originating telephone has accepted the telephone call and will begin to converse with the calling party momentarily. The response delay element may also include a first stopwatch element 58, such as the in-te no clock or timer of the controller 45, which is initiated during the notification of the cellular telephone 21 of the incoming telephone call. While the first stopwatch is included within the response delay element 54 of the telephone 21 cell, the first stopwatch may be a separate component of a cellular telephone without abandoning the spirit and scope of the present invention. The first timer 58 is initially set to a predetermined value within which the user of the cell phone 21 must respond to the alert. The predetermined time period can be adjusted, such as by the cell phone user or the designer of the cellular radio network, to any desired value. However, the predetermined time period is preferably between about fifteen seconds to about forty seconds. Once established, the first stopwatch is then decreased so that if the user of the cell phone does not respond appropriately to the party within the predetermined period of time, a message is transmitted to the originating phone notifying the calling party that the user of the cell phone is temporarily unavailable. In this case, voice communications are never established between the cellular phone 21 and the home telephone and, consequently, the loudspeaker 40 and the microphone 42 of this cell phone do not open. Instead, the telephone call placed by the calling party can be transferred to the answering device, such as a voice chip from the cell phone that registers a message from the calling party or a voice mail system from the callers. cellular radio communications systems that, for example, it can be incorporated into or associated with a particularity node 34. Alternatively, the telephonic call placed by the calling party can be transferred to another predetermined telephone of the cellular radio communication system 20, such as the cellular telephone user's secretary. The cellular telephone 21 of the present invention also includes release elements 60 for establishing voice communication between the cellular telephone and the originating telephone thus that the telephone call has been accepted by the response delay element 54. The release element is preferably responsive to activation of a release hold selection element 62, such as a predetermined key on the cell phone keypad 51, "free retention", for example. The released hold selection element may also include one or more soft keys in association with the displayed menu options, may include a touch pad, or may be voice activated as described above. The release element also preferably includes an element 64 for opening the loudspeaker 40 and the microphone 42 of the cellular telephone such as during operation of the release latch selection element by the user of the cellular telephone, the loudspeaker and the microphone voice communications are opened and established between the cell phone and the phone of origin. In this way, once the user of the cellular telephone 21 has completed his previous activities, the user can activate the element 62 of selection of release of retention and establish voice communications with the telephone of the origin of the telephone call. previously accepted. Consequently, the cell phone user does not have to return the call to the calling party or wait for the calling party to call again, but can respond appropriately and securely to the request for communications in a relatively fast manner. Once the telephone call placed by the non-originating telephone has been accepted by the answering delay element 54 of the cellular telephone 21, a second timer element 66 of the reply delay element is preferably set to a second predetermined value. . As described above in conjunction with the first element 58 of e ntro, the second chronometer element may also be an internal clock or timer of the controller 45 or may be a separate co -ponent of the cell phone without abandoning the spirit scope of the present invention. The second timekeeper 66 is initially set to a predetermined lor in which the user of the cellular telephone 21 must start voice communications with the telephone from the source of the accepted telephone call. The predetermined time period can also be adjusted, such as by the cell phone user or the cell phone network designer, to any desired value. However, the predetermined period of time of the second chronometer is preferably between about fifteen seconds and about forty seconds. Once adjusted, the second stopwatch is periodically decreased below and, if the second stopwatch expires before the activation of the retention release selection element 62 by the cell phone user, a modality of the cellular phone of the present invention may transmit. a predetermined message to the originating telephone informing the calling party that the cell phone user is not currently available to speak with him. Alternatively, the cellular phone can, in some cases, connect the called party to an answering machine or other voice mail system so that the calling party can leave a message for the cell phone user. Using a second chronometer element, the cell phone in this way ensures that the caller is not put on hold indefinitely. The preferential cellular telephone 21 includes an element to remind the user that a telephone call has been placed on hold. The user reminder element typically includes a ring signal generator 41 that alerts the user to one or more predetermined intervals within a predetermined time period of the 66 second timer of the latched telephone call. In one embodiment, the frequency of the alert signal provided by the signal generator increases as the length of time for which the telephone call has been retained, as measured by the second timer, increases. The cellular telephone 21 also preferably includes a display element 68, typically an alphanumeric display. In a modality the telephone number or other indications of identification of the originating telephone can be displayed to the user of the cellular telephone during the telephone alerting by the notification element 46. In this way, the cell phone user can decide, based in part on the displayed information, if he wishes to immediately answer the communication request by activating the content selection element 48 and establish voice communications with the calling party or if you want to accept the telephone call, but setting up voice communications with it by activating the retention selection element 50. Alternatively, the cell phone user can transfer to another party or machine with a tester, or simply ignore the communication request. as described above, the pa- ticularity node 34 provides predetermined functions to the plurality of cellular telephones 21 of the common cellular system. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention the particularity node may include a notification element 46, the response delay element 54, the release element, and the response element 56 as illustrated in Figure 3. In accordance with this embodiment, the cellular telephone is responsive to the particularity node and includes the response selection element 48, the retention selection element 50, the retenta tion release selection element 62, a loudspeaker 40, a microphone 42, and in some modalities, a display 68. In accordance with this embodiment of the present invention, the user of the cellular telephone 21 is typically notified by an alert produced by the cell signal generator 41 in response to the cell phone. at a signal of the notification element of the particularity node 34 of a pending communication request by means of a telephone of origin. In this case, the cell phone user can activate the response selection element 48 or the retention selection element 50 as described above to respond to the alert, in accordance with this mode, the participle node also preferably includes the element 70 to provide the telephone number or other indication of telephone identification of origin to the cell phone 21 for display by the cell phone display element 68. In accordance with yet another embodiment, the cellular radio communication system 20 may include the notification element 46, the response delay element 54, the release element 60, and the response element 56. In this way, the cellular radio communications system of this modality can implement the system and method of the present invention in components other than the cellular telephone 21 and a do 34 of particularity. For example, the particularities of the system and method of the present invention can be implemented, at least in part, by the HLR. Alternatively, the particularities of the system and method of the present invention can be implemented, at least in part, by the MSC 25 In accordance with these modalities, the cellular telephone is connected to the cellular radio network and again includes the response selection element 48, the retention selection element 50, the elemnt 62 of the release of retention of the loudspeaker 40 a microphone 42 and, in some embodiments, exhibition 68. In accordance with these modalities of the present invention, the user of the cellular telephone 21 is typically notified by means of an alert produced by the signal generator 41 of the cellular telephone in response to a signal of the notification element of the cellular communication system 20 of a pending request for communications by means of a source telephone. Then, the cell phone user can activate the answer selection element 48 or the retention selection element 50 as described above to respond to the alert. In accordance with this modality, the cellular radio communication system also includes an item 70 to provide the telephone number or other indication of identification of the originating telephone to the cellular telephone 21 for display by the telephone display element 68. cell phone. Regardless of the particular embodiment of the invention, the production telephone, for example, can be another cellular telephone 21 or a telephone line 33 of wire. In addition, the communication request is typically a telephone flame placed by the calling party. from the originating phone. However, the communication request may also be a request to transmit data, such as a message transmitted to a calling device, a facsimile transmission, an e-mail message or other types of communication. Each cellular telephone 21 of a cellular radio communications system 20 does not need to include or be associated with particularity of delayed answering since the cellular telephone users that include or are associated with such particularity usually pay an additional fee for the particularity. Instead, the cellular radio communication system can be configured so that only a few completed cell phones include or utilize the response delay characteristic. In this way, only those users wishing to selectively accept incoming telephone calls without starting voice communications can choose to use, and therefore pay for, the particularity. furthermore, the user of a cellular telephone 21 who has selected the particularity of the reply delay may subsequently undermine this feature if, for example, the user is not frequently using the feature. Alternatively, the user of a cellular telephone that has not initially selected the particularity of the response delay may select or subsequently add the particularity, or is desired. The system and method of the present invention, including the notification element, answering element, answer delay element and release element, can be implemented by the cellular communication system 20, external to the telephone. 21 cellular and node 34 of particularity, if any. For example, the MSC 25 or the HLR of the radio communication system may include the no-fication element, the answering element, the response delay element and the release element without abandoning the spirit and scope of the communication. present invention. Referring now to FIG. 4, detailed operations for selectively establishing a voice cadence between a cellular telephone and a telephone in accordance with the present invention are described. As illustrated in block 80, the cell phone user is initially alerted to the incoming telephone call placed by the originating telephone. In some modalities, the telephone number or other identification of the originating telephone can be displayed, such as by the display element 68 - of the cell phone, for the cell phone user as - shown in block 82. Next, a The first timer 58 may be started and the cellular telephone 21 monitored to determine whether the user has operated the retention selection element 50 as illustrated in blocks 84 and 86, respectively. If the cell phone user has activated the retention selection element, a communication link is established between the cell phone and the originating telephone by means of the answer delay element, without opening the speaker 40 and the microphone 42 of the telephone cell, as shown in block 88. In addition, a predetermined message is preferably transmitted to the originating telephone as illustrated in block 90 indicating that the telephone call has been accepted and that the cell phone user will be available momentarily . A second timer 66 may be initiated later and the cellular telephone 21 may be monitored to determine if the user has operated the retention release selection element 62 as shown in blocks 92 and 94, respectively. If the cell phone user has activated the retention release selection item, voice communications are established with the originating telephone, typically opening the cellular telephone speaker and microphone, to complete the accepted telephone call as shown in block 96. However, if the retention release selection element has not been operated by the cell phone user, the second stopwatch is decremented and set to determine whether the second stopwatch has expired as illustrated in FIGS. blocks 98 and 100, respectively. If the second timer has expired, preferably a message is transmitted to the user of the originating telephone as shown in block 102 to inform the calling party that the cell phone user is not available. If the second stopwatch has not expired, the system and method of the present invention continue to monitor the cell phone to determine whether the retention release selection element has been triggered by the user until the second time counter expires or until the retention release element is activated. If the retention selection element 50 is not acted upon in response to the cellular telephone alert 21, the system method of the present invention continues to monitor the non-cellular telephone to determine whether the user has operated the response selection element 48 as is shown in block 104 If the user has operated the answer selection element, voice communications are established with the forwarding telephone, typically by opening the loudspeaker 40 and the microphone 42 of the cellular telephone, as shown in FIG. block 106. If the cell phone user has not operated the answer selection element, the first stopwatch 58 is decremented and checked to determine if it has expired, as illustrated in blocks 108 and 110, respectively. If the first timer has expired, preferably a message is transmitted to the proc dence telephone as shown in block 112 to inform the calling party that the cell phone user is not available. If the first chronometer has not expired, the system and method of the present invention continue to monitor the cell phone to determine whether the user has operated the retention selection element until the first chrono meter expires or the retention selection element is activated. . In this way, in accordance with the present invention, the user of a cellular telephone 21 can more selectively establish voice communications with a telephone of origin requesting communications with the cellular telephone. For example, the user of the cellular telephone can immediately establish voice communications with the calling party by activating the response selection element 48. Alternatively, the cell phone user can accept the telephone call ac by activating the retention selection element 50. Even when the telephone call is accepted, the establishment of voice communications with the originating telephone is delayed until the user, for example, has completed his previous activities. Once the user has completed his previous activities, the user can establish voice communications with the telephone of origin of the accepted telephone call by actuating the element 62 of selection of retention release. In this way, a user of a cell phone can accept calls-call them more conveniently and safely, as well as perform other activities on demanding occasions. In the drawings and specification, preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth and, even when specific teas are employed, the terms are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention. being exposed in the following claims.

Claims (25)

1. - A cellular radio communication system comprising: a cellular phone comprising: notification elements for alerting a user of the cell phone that a telephone of origin has placed a telephone call to the cell phone; retention selection elements; Retention release selection elements answer selection elements; response delay elements, which are responsive to the notification element and also responsive to the activation of the retention selection element by the user of the non-cellular telephone, to accept the telephone call of the originating telephone without establishing voice communications between the telephone no. cell phone and the phone of origin, and to transmit a predetermined s nal to the phone of origin; response element, responsive to the activation of the answer selection element by the user of the cell phone after the notification element has alerted the user, to establish voice communications between the cell phone and the phone of origin; and releasing element, responsive to actuation of the retention release selection element by the user of the cellular telephone after acceptance of the telephone call of the originating telephone by means of the answering delay element, to establish voice communications between the cell phone and the phone of origin.

2. A cellular radio communications system according to claim 1, wherein the cell phone further comprises a loudspeaker and a microphone and wherein the reply delay message includes an element for establishing a communication link. communications between the orccending telephone and the unopened cell phone with the microphone and the microphone so that voice communications are prevented between them.

3. A cellular radio communication system according to claim 2, wherein the The test element comprises an element for opening the loudspeaker and the microphone so that the voice communications between the home telephone and the cell phone are established without delay and wherein the release element comprises elements for opening the loudspeaker and the loudspeaker. microphone so that voice communications are established between the originating telephone and the cellular phone.

4. A cellular radio communication system according to claim 1, wherein the answering response element comprises a chronometer element and wherein the response delay element is only sensitive to the actuation of the selection element. of retention within a predetermined period of time after the notification element has alerted the user.

5. A cellular radio communication system according to claim 1, wherein the answering response element comprises an element for transmitting a predetermined message to the originating telephone to announce the acceptance of the telephone call.

6. A cellular radio communication system according to claim 1, wherein the cell phone comprises an element for displaying a predetermined telephone number assigned to the originating telephone, so that the user of the cellular telephone can identify the user of the proxy phone before responding to the notification element alert.

7. A cellular radio communication system according to claim 1, further comprising a cellular radio station that includes the cell phone and associated with the answer delay element, the answering element and the release element. .

8. A cellular radio communication system according to claim 7, further comprising a particularity node, which responds to the cellular radio network, to provide predetermined functions to cell phones of the cellular radio network, the node of particularity including the answer delay element, the answer element and the release element.

9.- A cell phone that includes: a notification element for alerting a user of the cell phone that a telephone of origin has placed a telephone call to the cell phone; a retention selection element and a retention release selection element; an answer selection element; an answer delay element, responsive to the notification element and which also responds to the activation of the retention selection element by the user of the non-cellular telephone, to accept the telephone call of the originating telephone without establishing voice communications between the telephone cell phone and the originating telephone, and to transmit a predetermined s nal to the originating telephone; an answer element, which responds to the activation of the response selection element by the user of the cellular telephone after the notification element has alerted the user, to establish voice communications between the cell phone and the telephone of origin; and a release element, which responds to the operation of the retention release selection element by the cell phone user after acceptance of the telephone call of the originating telephone by means of the answer delay element, to establish voice communications between the cell phone and the home phone.

10. A cellular phone according to claim 9, further comprising a loudspeaker and a microphone wherein the answer delay element includes an item to establish a communication link between the originating telephone and the cellular telephone without open the loudspeaker and microphone so that voice communications are prevented between them.

11. A cell phone according to claim 10, wherein the answer element comprises an element for opening the loudspeaker and the microphone so that s establish voice communications between the telephone of origin and the cell phone without delay, wherein the releasing element comprises elements to open the loudspeaker and the microphone so that voice communications are established between the originating telephone and the cellular telephone.

12. A cell phone according to claim 9, wherein the response delay element comprises chronometer elements and wherein the response delay element is only sensitive to the operation of the retention selection element within a pre-terminated time period after the notification element has alerted the user.

13. A cell phone according to claim 9, wherein the answering retrieval element comprises elements to transmit a predetermined message to the originating telephone to announce the acceptance of the telephone call.

14. A cellular telephone according to claim 9, further comprising an element for displaying a predetermined telephone number assigned to the originating telephone so that the user of the cellular telephone can identify the user of the originating telephone before respond to the alert of the notification element.

15. A node of particularity for providing predetermined functions to a plurality of cellular telephones a cellular radio communication system, at least one cellular telephone comprising retention selection element, retention release selection element and answer, the particularity node comprising a notification element to alert a user of a cell phone that a telephone of origin has placed a telephone call to the cell phone; a delay element of the station, responsive to notification notification and sensitive in addition to the activation of the retention selection method by the cell phone user, to accept the telephone call of the procedure telephone without establishing voice communications between The cell phone and the phone are from, and to transmit a signal p determined to the phone of origin; a station element, responsive to the operation of the response selection element by the user of the cellular telephone after the notification element has been set to the user, to establish voice communications between the cell phone and the originating telephone; and a releasing element, responsive to actuation of the retention release selection element by the user of the cellular telephone after acceptance of the telephone call from the originating telephone by means of the delay response element, to establish communication. of voice between the cell phone and the phone of origin.

16. A particularity node according to claim 15, wherein the at least one cellular telephone also includes a loudspeaker and a microphone and wherein the response delay includes an element to establish a communication link between the phone and the cell phone without opening the loudspeaker and the microphone so that voice communications between them are prevented.

17. A node of particularity according to claim 16, wherein the answering element purchase an element to open the loudspeaker and the microphone so that the voice communications are established between the telephone and the cell phone without delay, and wherein the release element comprises an element for opening the loudspeaker and the microphone so that voice communications are established -between the originating telephone and the cellular telephone.

18. A node of particularity according to claim 15, which further comprises a chronometer element and wherein the response delay element is only responsive to actuation of the retention selection element within a predetermined period of time after that the notification element has alerted the user.

19. A node of particularity in accordance with claim 15, wherein the response delay element comprises an element for transmitting a predetermined message to the originating telephone to announce the acceptance of the telephone call.

20. A node of particularity according to claim 15, further comprising an element for providing a predetermined telephone number of the proc dence telephone to the cell phone so that the user of the cell phone can identify the user of the telephone. of origin before responding to the alert of the notification element.

21. A method for selectively establishing voice communications between a cell phone and a procedure phone that places a telephone call to the cell phone, wherein the cell phone comprises a retention selection element, a release selection element. of retention and a response selection element, the method comprising steps of: alerting a user of the cellular telephone that has placed a telephone call from a telephone of origin to the cellular telephone; accepting the telephone call of the telephone proceeding during the actuation of the retention selection element by the user of the cellular telephone after the pairing step without establishing voice communications between each cell phone and the telephone of origin; establishing voice communications between the cellular telephone and the originating telephone without delay during the action of the responding element by the cellular telephone user after the alerting step; and establishing voice communications between the headset and the telephone of origin of the previously accepted telephone call to actuation of the selection element of retention reservation by the user of the cell phone after acceptance step.

22. A method according to claim wherein the cellular phone further comprises a loudspeaker and a microphone and wherein the acceptance step comprises the step of establishing a communication link between the pro-phone and the cell phone without opening the loudspeaker and microphone so that voice communications are prevented between them.

23. - A method according to claim 2 wherein both the steps of establishing voice communications take the step of opening the loudspeaker and the microphone so that voice communications are established between the originating phone and the cellular telephone for announce the acceptance of the telephone call.

24. A method according to claim 2 further comprising the step of determining the time elapsed since the cell phone user was initially alerted where the telephone call of the originating telephone can only be accepted within a period of time default after the cell phone user was initially alerted.

25. A method according to claim 2 wherein the acceptance apso comprises the step of transmitting or predetermined message to the originating telephone. 26, - A method according to claim 2 wherein the alerting step comprises the step of displaying a predetermined telephone number assigned to the originating telephone so that the user of the cellular telephone can identify the user of the originating telephone. before answering 1 to alert.