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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. In a radio telephone system, an apparatus for transmitting a data string
representing DTMF tones which may include a preceding series of dialing
digits followed by a predefined delimiter comprising:
a radio telephone having a computer interface connected to receive commands
from a data bus; a random access memory for storing a character string;
a data processor connected by said bus and to said random access memory and
to said radio telephone, said data processor being programmed to create
logic means comprising:
phone busy means for detecting whether said radio telephone is engaged in a
telephone call;
means, responsive to said phone busy means indicating an active call, for
reading said character string and for sending commands over said data bus
to cause said radio telephone to send DTMF tones corresponding to the
entire character except for the delimiter character which is interpreted
as a pause;
means, responsive to said phone busy means indicating no active call, for
reading each character of said stored character string and for identifying
each delimiter character in said character string, the first of said
characters delimiting the end of dialing digits and the beginning of DTMF
digits;
means for sending a command over said bus to said radio telephone to place
a call to a party identified by said dialing digits;, if any, and,
means for sending a subsequent command to said radio telephone to transmit
each character following the first said delimiter character as DTMF tones
except delimiter characters.
2. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 1, wherein the delimiter
character is a comma and each comma following said dialing digits
represents a time delay interval between each command to transmit a
character as a DTMF tone.
3. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the
programming step of:
prior to reading each character, determining if said radio telephone is
engaged in a telephone call; and,
if said radio telephone is determined to be in a telephone call, sending a
series of commands to said radio telephone to transmit all of said
characters as DTMF digits separated by a time interval represented by each
comma which is found between characters.
4. The radio telephone of claim 2, wherein the identifying means inserts
each a null character in the string of characters in place of said first
character to delimit the dialing digits from DTMF digits, and replaces
said null character with a comma when said call has been placed.
5. The radio telephone of claim 4, wherein each comma including said
replaced comma represents a time delay between each DTMF tone transmitted
by said radio telephone.
6. A method of controlling a radio telephone to place a telephone call and
transmit a series of DTMF digits contained in the same character string as
dial digits comprising:
storing in a register a series of digits including a sequence of DTMF
digits, which include dial digits separated from said DTMF digits by at
least one comma;
detecting if said radio telephone is busy with an existing call;
reading each character in said register and identifying the first comma in
said register as a delimiter to separate dialing digits and DTMF digits if
said radio telephone is not busy and as a pause in a series of DTMF digits
if said radio telephone is busy;
forming a dial command from said dialing digits, if any, and forwarding
said command to a radio telephone for placing a call to a receiving device
identified by said dialing digits; and,
forming a DTMF command for each of said digits following said comma, and
forwarding said DTMF commands to said radio telephone along with each of
said following digits, whereby said radio telephone places said call and
subsequently transmits said DTMF digits to said called receiving device.
7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising during the reading of
each character following said first comma, delaying the transmission of
said DTMF digits a delay period which is proportional to the number of
said commas.
8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of: before
reading each character in said string, determining whether said radio
telephone is engaged in a call; and,
transmitting all of said characters as DTMF digits if said radio telephone
is engaged in a call, and introducing a delay between transmission of
digits for each comma detected between digits. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to the following patent applications:
(1) Attorney Docket No. BC994-050 is Ser. No. 08/310,728, filed Sep. 22,
1994;
(2) Attorney Docket No. BC994-096 is Ser. No. 08/279,640, filed Jul. 25,
1994;
(3) Attorney Docket No. BC994-099 is Ser. No. 08/179,644, filed Jul. 25,
1994;
(4) Attorney Docket No. BC994-097 is Ser. No. 08/279,413, filed Jul. 25,
1994; and,
(5) Attorney Docket No. BC994-101 is Ser. No. 08/279,659, filed Jul. 25,
1994.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to personal communication devices which
communicate over both cellular radio networks and public switched networks
(PSTN). More particularly, the invention provides for autodialing and DTMF
signalling over the cellular radio network or PSTN network.
2. Background of the Invention
Cellular radio service is now widespread throughout most of the United
States. Standards have been promulgated to permit universal access to the
cellular telephone network by portable telephones and mobile telephones.
The communication protocol standard used in the cellular network is
identified as the AMPS protocol. The service permits radio telephone
communication between portable/mobile units, and the public switched
telephone network (PSTN) through a radio interface.
The cellular service is now digitized and permits not only digital
telephone traffic but data services as well. Thus, various services which
have been implemented in the PSTN network, such as E-MAIL and facsimile,
may now be implemented as well over the cellular telephone network. A
radio modem is implemented at each personal communication device which
provides for the capability of transmitting and receiving data on the
transmitted carrier signal.
The public switched network supports various user services such as
accessing equipment through the use of a personal information number
(PIN). Using DTMF signalling, a caller who places a call to a bank or to
his home or office message recording equipment, can access the equipment
by inserting his PIN number via DTMF tones from the telephone keypad.
Dialing equipment exists for entering not only the number of the called
party supporting such equipment, but also the PIN information as DTMF
signalling tones following the dialing digits. As the PSTN network employs
DTMF signals for placing a call as well as for transmitting a PIN number,
such information may be sent as a single character string, with separating
pauses between the dialing digits and PIN number.
The same type of service is also desirable over cellular telephone networks
which communicate with personal communication devices. However, the
protocol used in the cellular communication network presents an obstacle
in forming character strings which include dial digits as well as DTMF
signalling information. As the AMP cellular radio service does not use the
DTMF signalling tones for placing a call, the DTMF command signals for
accessing the called party's equipment cannot be sent as a single string
with the dial digits.
In view of these difficulties, the present invention has been provided.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide compatible signalling in a
personal communications device which supports cellular telephone
communications as well as communications over the PSTN network.
It is a more specific object of this invention to combine in a single
string of characters a dial command and a DTMF signalling command for a
cellular telephone system.
It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a system for
delimiting dialing digits and DTMF signalling digits in a string of
characters for processing by a cellular telephone.
These and other objects of the invention are provided for by an apparatus
used in a personal communications device. A personal communication device
supports telephone and data traffic via a cellular telephone network as
well as through a direct connection to the PSTN network at the option of
the user. When placing calls with the personal communication device which
include DTMF signalling commands for accessing the called party's
equipment, a single character string of digits is formed. The single
string of digits includes the dialing digits for placing the call as well
as the DTMF signalling digits to be sent over the connection representing
personal information or commands relating to the personal information.
The single character string is delimited between those digits which
comprise the called party's dialed digits and the remaining digits
representing a DTMF command with a delimiting character. The delimiting
character may be a comma placed in the string of characters by the user
delimiting dial digits from DTMF commands. A processor executes a command
to place a telephone call over the cellular telephone by individually
reading out each digit and marking the first comma in the string with a
null character. The cellular telephone treats each character preceding the
null character as a digit of the called party's telephone number.
Additional commas following the first null digit indicate a delay following
which DTMF digits are transmitted. Thus, the cellular telephone, after
detecting the null digit, will wait a period of time represented by the
number of commas in the string before commencing DTMF signalling using the
remaining digits.
Before forwarding the string of characters to the cellular telephone, the
system checks to determine whether the cellular telephone is already in
use. If so, the entire string of characters is sent as a DTMF command to
the cellular telephone network.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1A is a plan view of a personal communication device employing a
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1B is an end view of the personal communication device of FIG. 1A.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the device of FIG. 1 illustrating the personal
communication device of the preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3A illustrates the first screen of an address book/auto dialer feature
of the personal communication device of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3B is a second screen associated with the address book/auto dialer of
the personal communication device of FIGS. 1A and 1B.
FIG. 3C illustrates the third screen of the address book/auto dialer of the
personal communication device of FIGS. 1A and 1B.
FIG. 3D illustrates the screen presented to the user when using the address
book/auto dialer to place a telephone call.
FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the routine executed by the processor of FIGS. 1A
and 1B for autodialing a called number from a character string which
includes DTMF signalling characters.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to FIG. 1A, there is shown a personal communication device
10. The personal communication device includes a cellular telephone and an
internal data processing system for implementing, via cellular radio,
multiple data communication features, such as E-MAIL, facsimile
transmission/reception, etc. The personal communicator 10 includes a
housing 12 which has pushbuttons 14, 16 and 18 mounted along lateral sides
thereof. Manual pushbuttons 14, 16 and 18 provide for on/off, up
(increase) and down (decrease) functions.
The personal communication device 10 includes a speaker 22 and microphone
24 positioned at approximately the standard telephone handset positions.
In use, the cellular telephone communicates through antenna 20 to provide
normal two-way voice communication between the user and a base station
connected to the PSTN network.
Input/output functions to the processor within the personal communications
device 10 are effected through the touch-sensitive screen 28, and
underlying touch screen display 26. The touch screen display 26 displays
various menus familiar to computer users, and various selection icons. By
using a small pointed stylus 23, it is possible to select among menu
selections appearing on the touch screen display 26 by pressing stylus 23
against the portion of the touch-sensitive screen 28 overlaying the
display 26.
The touch-sensitive overlay which identifies user selections made with the
stylus 23, encodes the selection and is read by the processor resident
within personal communication device 10.
Various functions such as increased volume, decreased volume, increased
brightness, decreased brightness, etc. may be implemented by selecting the
appropriate menu function from touch screen display 26 and then operating
one of switches 16 or 18.
The personal communicating device of FIG. 1A also includes a standard RJ11
jack 25 as shown in FIG. 1B. The personal communication device can be
directly coupled to the PSTN network through a standard telephony cable in
those circumstances where cellular radio is not needed.
The protocols used in cellular radio for placing a call and answering a
call are set forth in the AMPS standards. These protocol functions are
carried out in a different format, suitable for RF communications
different from the signalling used in the PSTN network for the same
functions. The personal communication device of FIGS. 1A and 1B therefore
includes interface circuitry peculiar to the cellular telephone network
protocols and the PSTN network protocols so that communication through
both networks is possible.
A block diagram of the electronic circuitry architecture for the personal
communication device of FIG. 1A is shown in FIG. 2. Referring now to FIG.
2, a CPU 32 is shown which controls the display of various user menus on
the touch-screen display 26, as well as provides an interface between the
cellular radio 50 and modem 35.
The system of FIG. 2 operates from programming information contained in
EPROM 36, EPROM 38 and RAM 34. RAM 34 stores the application programs,
such as the one for the address book/auto dialer, one for placing a call
over the cellular radio 50, etc. The system implementation emulates that
of a PC/XT class portable computer. The CPU 32 belongs to the type of
Model VG 230, commercially available from VADEM, Inc., San Jose, Calif.
The CPU 32 and its companion controller include an LCD controller 40, a
communications port and various power and bus connections to the bus 33.
The EPROM 36 stores the basic input/output system (BIOS), as well as a
self-test program. EPROM 38 contains files for providing a navigator
program, the DOS and certain application programs which produce the
communication and data processing functions, as well as interrupt handling
for the CPU 32. Further details relating to this architecture can be found
in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/146,342, filed Nov. 1, 1993
(Attorney Docket No. BC993-079, common assignee).
The operation of the touch-screen display 26 and touch screen overlay 28 is
controlled from a touch-screen controller 40. A screen driver 48 provides
the illuminating voltages and character drive signals to the touch screen
display 26. The touch-sensitive screen 28 comprises an array which will
sense a force applied to a particular part of the touch overlay 28 and
encode the same as position information. Touch screen controller 40, via
the bus 33, can provide a command identifying the location touched on the
touch-sensitive screen 28 to the CPU 32. CPU 32 can then invoke the
selected application program or subroutine of an application program
stored in the RAM 34 for execution.
A tone generator 44 is shown which will produce an audible beep in the
speaker 22 each time the screen is touched by the user using the stylus 23
and a command is successfully decoded. Thus, the user can audibly detect
when his selection has been recognized.
The integrated cellular and PSTN interface is connected to the antenna 22
for transmitting and receiving to the local cellular network. The cellular
telephone 50 produces a cellular ring signal indicating that an incoming
call is being received by the cellular radio 50. Further, the ACC
interface 39 provides a standard PSTN ring voltage from the RJ11 connector
25 tip and ring connections. A common ring generator 41 receives the ring
voltage from the ACC interface 39 and cellular radio 50 and produces a
single PSTN mode ring signal for modem 35.
In this way, modem 35 is initialized with a PSTN ting signal whether the
incoming call is received via cellular radio 50 or over the PSTN RJ11 jack
25. The modem 35 responds to the PSTN ting signal by posting an interrupt
to the CPU 32 which invokes the routine for communicating by modem.
Incoming data from either the PSTN network or cellular radio 50 is
received by the modem 35 as standard modem signalling tones and processed
in the usual way. Further, data is output from the modem 35 to both the
cellular radio 50 and interface 39 providing communication through either
medium.
The capability of providing data communication through either the RJ11 jack
25 or cellular radio 50 must take into account different formats of the
cellular radio network and PSTN network. When placing a call over the
cellular radio network 50, .the cellular radio 50 invokes the AMPS
protocol application for sending dial digits via the radio interface to a
base station.
The standard for placing calls on the PSTN network uses DTMF tones
corresponding to called number digits. DTMF tones are also used to access
equipment connected to the called party's telephone, such as banking
information, voice mail messages, etc.
Various telephone equipment provides auto dialing features which will
generate DTMF digits for placing a call over the PSTN network, followed by
a series of DTMF digits which access equipment connected to the called
station. In the cellular telephone environment, however, DTMF signalling
is not used to identify the dial digits of a called party, hence
transmitting a character string which includes digits of a called party's
telephone number, followed by DTMF signalling digits must be delimited to
prevent the cellular telephone from transmitting the PIN number as part of
the dialing sequence.
The system of FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2 permits an auto dialing feature to be
implemented for placing calls over the PSTN network as well as the
cellular telephone network. An address/auto dialer is configured from an
application program stored in RAM 34.
Among the menu selections presented to the user is an icon identified as
ADDRESS BOOK 29 on the face of the touch screen display 26. When the icon
29 is selected using the stylus 23, a full screen such as shown in FIG. 3A
appears on the touch screen display 26. The display shows a series of file
folder tabs labelled A through Z. By selecting a tab of FIG. 3A, using the
stylus 23, a second screen, FIG. 3B, is presented. This would include all
the names as well as a telephone number, not visible but stored in a
memory location linked to the particular displayed name.
An icon presented with FIG. 3B, labeled NEW ENTRY, permits the user to
enter yet additional names in this particular page of the address book.
When the new entry icon is selected with stylus 23, a screen shown as FIG.
3C is illustrated. The user can then enter a new entry in the address book
including phone number. The phone number is entered as a series of digits
including any particular access codes, area codes, seven digit phone
number, followed by pauses and PIN number information. Thus, the user
could program his own office telephone number, using the screen of FIG.
3C, as well as any access code or personal identification number to reach
a voice mail box, bank account information, or other personal information
requiring an access code.
FIG. 3D illustrates the screen presented to the user when placing a call
using a previously entered telephone number. The telephone number may
include a set of dialing digits and an access code.
A typical character string representing a telephone number and access code
entry may look as follows:
703 555 1212 , , , A B C
With the foregoing character string in a conventional DTMF dialing system,
all digits would be produced as DTMF tones corresponding to each digit.
Commas would be interpreted as a pause of a finite length. As is known to
users of telephone accessed equipment, a delay time is necessary before
inputting access codes to permit the called station to go off hook and
connect to a DTMF response unit. The commas appearing in the character
string will provide the required delay determined by the user's
experience.
When using the foregoing auto dialing feature in a cellular telephone
environment, problems result because the cellular telephone does not use,
per se, DTMF tone signalling. Thus, the entire character string such as
shown above, would be treated as dialed digits and not as DTMF tones.
The foregoing feature address book/auto dialer feature can be implemented
in a cellular telephone by an application program which will process the
character string and delimit the dialed digits from any following access
code. In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the user inserts a
delimiting character which may be a comma between the dial digits and the
access code. A null character such as # is inserted at the end of the
character string.
An application program executing the functions of FIG. 4 may be invoked
when the user places a call, via the cellular network from an entry from
the address book of FIG. 3D which includes a DTMF encoded access code.
Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown the processing of a character
string 53. A first decision block 54 determines whether or not a call has
already been placed. If so, each of the digits contained within the string
53 are processed in step 66 as DTMF characters.
Assuming that the character string 53 includes both dialing digits for
establishing a telephone connection over the cellular network and DTMF
digits, the process continues to step 56. The program will count, left to
right, the digits of the character string 53 and determine whether there
is a first comma appearing therein. If so, decision block 55 will set a
flag in step 58, and replace the comma in step 57 with a null character.
The null character will delimit where DTMF signalling digits begin and
dial digits end.
Having so delimited the character string 53, a call dial routine is entered
in step 59 for dialing the digits preceding the null character using
cellular telephone 50.
Once the dialing is completed, decision block 73 determines whether there
was a flag set in step 58, indicating the presence of a comma. If so, step
65 replaces the null character with the original comma. After a delay
imposed by 69, the remaining characters are processed as DTMF characters.
Step 66 reads the next character following the first comma, and if it is
not a second null character as determined in 67, it is checked again in
decision block 70 to determine whether a comma is present. If the read
character is a comma, a delay is imposed in step 68 before returning to
step 66 to read the next character. When a subsequent character is
detected which is not a comma, as determined in decision block 70, a DTMF
command is issued in step 72 to transmit the character as a DTMF tone over
the cellular telephone.
The reading of characters in the string continues until a null character is
reached in step 67 and which indicates the end of the string 11.
Thus, the foregoing routine executed by the CPU 32 will correctly delimit
the dial digits from DTMF tones while treating commas during DTMF
signalling as a delay in the process for dialing. Thus, users may insert
commas when creating a character string 53 to provide sufficient time for
the answering telephone equipment to go off hook to connect to DTMF
recognition equipment.
Thus, it is clear that the personal communications device of FIGS. 1A, 1B
and 2 is capable of providing DTMF signalling in the same character string
even though communications are routed by cellular telephone communications
or standard telephone line modem communication. Those skilled in the art
will recognize yet other embodiments of the invention described more
particularly by the claims which follow.
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