United States Patent [19J
`Comer
`
`I IIIII IIIIIIII Ill lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll 111111111111111111
`US005588042A
`[llJ Patent Number:
`[45) Date of Patent:
`
`5,588,042
`Dec. 24, 1996
`
`[54)
`
`INTERACTIVE ROAMER CONTACT
`SYSTEM FOR CELLULAR MOBILE
`RADIOTELEPHONE NETWORK FOR
`AUTOMATICALLY INITIATING A
`COMMUNICATION WITH AN
`AUTONOMOUSLY REGISTERING
`CELLULAR MOBILE RADIOTELEPHONE
`
`4,958,368
`5,046,082
`5,090,050
`5,227,874
`5,301,223
`5,375,161
`5,432,841
`5,485,505
`
`9/1990 Parker ....................................... 379/91
`9/1991 Zicker et al. ............................. 379/59
`2/1992 Heffernan .................................. 379/60
`7/1993 Von Kohom ............................. 358/84
`4/1994 Amadon et al. .......................... 379/58
`12/1994 Fuller et al. .............................. 379/57
`7/1995 Rimer ........................................ 379/59
`1/1996 Norman et al. ........................... 379/58
`
`[75)
`
`Inventor: Edward I. Comer, Marietta, Ga.
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`[73) Assignee: BellSouth Corporation, Atlanta, Ga.
`
`2234649
`
`2/1991 United Kingdom ..................... 379/59
`
`[21) Appl. No.: 468,794
`
`[22] Filed:
`
`Jun.6, 1995
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`[63] Continuation of Ser. No. 647,719, Jan. 28, 1991.
`Int. Cl.6
`....•.................................................. H04Q 7/22
`[51)
`[52) U.S. Cl . ................................. 379/59; 379/89; 379/58;
`379/91
`[58) Field of Search .................................. 379/59, 91, 58,
`379/89, 57, 60; 358/84
`
`[56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`4/1974 Mills et al. ............................... 325/55
`3,806,804
`4,178,476 12/1979 Frost.
`4,583,217
`4/1986 Kittel ........................................ 370/29
`4,644,351
`2/1987 Zabarsky et al ..
`4,658,416
`4/1987 Tanaka.
`4,670,905
`6/1987 Sandvos et al ..
`4,700,374 10/1987 Bini.
`4,723,264
`2/1988 Sasuta et al. .
`4,737,978
`4/1988 Burke et al ..
`4,748,655
`5/1988 Thrower et al ..
`4,752,951
`6/1988 Konneker.
`4,761,807
`8/1988 Matthews et al. ........................ 379/89
`4,775,999 10/1988 Williams .
`4,814,763
`3/1989 Nelson et al. .
`4,827,499
`5/1989 Warty et al ..
`4,833,701
`5/1989 Comroe et al ..
`4,833,702
`5/1989 Shitara et al ..
`4,901,340
`2/1990 Parker et al ..
`4,935,956
`6/1990 Hellwarth et al ....................... 379/112
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`America On-Line, "Cellular provider Selects AvData Sys(cid:173)
`tem to Provide Links to Roaming and Verification Clearing(cid:173)
`houses" Jul. 1995.
`
`(List continued on next page.)
`
`Primary Examiner-William Cumming
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Jones & Askew
`
`[57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`An automated interactive customer class identification and
`contacting system for use in or for a cellular mobile radio(cid:173)
`telephone (CMR) system. A mobile radiotelephone provides
`identification information as it originates a call or registers
`into the CMR system by powering up or initially entering the
`area of coverage of a cell. This identification information is
`monitored by a detection module, and predetermined iden(cid:173)
`tifying characteristics derived from the identification infor(cid:173)
`mation identify the registering mobile radiotelephone as a
`member of· a predetermined class, such as roamers. An
`interactive module places a telephone call to the registering
`mobile radiotelephone and provides synthesized voice mes(cid:173)
`sage information targeted to the specific class of radiotele(cid:173)
`phones, for example, roamers. The interactive module is
`further responsive to DTMF inputs from the user of the
`telephone, for example to select services offered by the
`cellular system operator, block further solicitations, provide
`information requested by the cellular system operator, and
`the like. A database module stores information associated
`with the mobile telephone such as acceptance or rejection of
`services, last time of detection or solicitation, and the like.
`
`120 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets
`
`Twitter Exhibit 1045
`Twitter, Inc. v. BlackBerry Ltd.
`Page 00001
`
`

`

`5,588,042
`Page 2
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`America On-Line, "Seamless Roaming: Featurs that Follow
`You" Sep. 1995.
`Mobile Station-Land Station Compatibility Specification,
`
`EIA!fIA-553 Standard Electronic Industries Association,
`Engineering Dept., Sep. 1989.
`Cellular Radiotelecommunications Intersystem Operations:
`Functional Overview, IS-41.1 (Rev. B) EIA!fIA, Electronic
`Industries Association, Engineering Dept., Feb. 1991.
`
`Page 00002
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 24, 1996
`
`Sheet 1 of 7
`
`5,588,042
`
`FIG. I
`
`' ' '
`
`12
`
`15
`
`.,
`
`FOREIGN
`CMR
`SYSTEM
`
`ROAMER
`16
`
`CELL
`CONTROL
`
`20
`
`I
`
`I
`
`HOME
`CMR
`SYSTEM
`' '
`37
`OTHER DATA
`I
`"--1--------.-T-E_L_E_P_H_O_N_E_L_,,I_N_E_S~ SOURCES
`14 - - - - - l - - - - - - -1 - - - - r - - - - - - , TO TELCO
`
`' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
`
`22
`
`35
`
`36
`
`MTSO
`25
`
`30a
`
`:
`1
`
`IDENTIFICATION
`INFORMATION
`
`27
`
`32
`------------------
`
`1
`
`VOICE
`DTMF
`RESPONSE MESSAGE
`(in)
`( out)
`
`DETECTION
`MODULE
`
`40
`
`45
`
`INTERACTIVE
`MODULE
`
`AT ALK SCRIPT
`
`SOLICITATION
`RESPONSE
`
`SOLICITATION
`REQUEST
`
`ORIGINATIONS,
`AUTONOMOUS
`REGISTRATIONS
`
`DATABASE
`MODULE
`
`42
`
`I
`I
`
`- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _J
`
`48
`
`ADMINISTRATOR'S
`
`TELEPRINTER ----
`
`Page 00003
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 24, 1996
`
`Sheet 2 of 7
`
`5,588,042
`
`FIG. 2
`
`~ 100
`
`FIG. 3
`
`120
`
`'
`
`Mobile enters
`cell or powers
`up
`
`102
`L/
`
`y
`
`Mobile scans
`signalling
`channels
`
`104
`
`~.__S_ID _
`
`__...._ __ N_X_T_R_E_G....J
`
`FIG.4
`
`i
`;
`I ..,.
`
`130
`
`!v1obile selects
`signalling
`channel
`
`106
`
`4041234567
`
`87052691
`
`8
`
`L SCMinhex
`
`ES:\" in hex
`
`~,UN [~PA NXX XXXX]
`
`~fobile reads
`0~1T:
`: SID(15) I
`i REGH, 1) I
`I REGRi 1)
`I REG ID ( 20) i
`
`I REGI:\CR (12) j
`
`108
`
`110
`
`Registration
`indicJted 1
`
`YES
`
`'(
`
`S;:,nd
`rcgi<rati,Jn
`
`1 12
`
`Page 00004
`
`

`

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`
`~ = """"'
`
`~
`•
`rJJ.
`d •
`
`32
`
`30
`
`TELEPRINTER
`
`TRATOR'S
`ADMINIS(cid:173)
`
`48
`
`Telephone line(s)
`
`Serial In from MTSO [IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION]
`L---------------------------------J
`I
`I
`
`40
`
`L ___ -= ___ J
`I MODULE
`I
`! -DETECTION--I
`L---=---J
`I
`I
`j lNTERACTIVE -I
`L ___ -= ___ J
`I
`I
`~ -DAT/\8/\Sr~ -I
`L _______ J
`I 60MB HARD DISKI
`
`MODULE
`
`45
`
`MODULE
`
`42
`
`,-------1
`
`3 1/2 11oppy
`
`MTSO
`
`25
`
`SYNTHESIZER
`
`VOICE
`
`CIRCUITS
`INTERFACE
`TELEPHONE
`
`&
`
`L
`70
`
`68
`
`__/
`62
`
`60
`
`COMPUTER
`
`MICRO(cid:173)
`
`63
`
`RADIOTELEPI IONE
`
`MOBILE
`CELLULAR
`
`FIG. 5
`
`10~
`
`""'-
`
`I()
`
`Page 00005
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 24, 1996
`
`Sheet 4 of 7
`
`5,588,042
`
`FIG. 6
`
`Start
`
`Receive
`identification
`information
`from registering
`or originating
`mobile
`
`150
`
`40 \
`
`151
`
`YES
`
`153
`
`Branch to
`routines for
`contacting roamers
`(A in FIG. 7
`
`156
`
`Branch to
`routines for con(cid:173)
`tacting home units
`rB in FIG. 8)
`
`Page 00006
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 24, 1996
`
`Sheet 5 of 7
`
`5,588,042
`
`170
`
`171
`
`Check
`roamer
`status
`data
`
`YES
`
`Add roamer's
`MIN to
`database
`
`173
`
`FIG. 7
`
`42
`
`~
`
`192
`
`NO
`
`200
`
`YES
`
`Jump to
`Selected Service
`Provision
`Routines
`
`Cpd3.te database for
`status of solicited
`unit
`
`205
`
`Interactive
`Module
`(for Roamer)
`
`( Re:urn )
`. ' ____ __,/
`
`':,,"'
`
`Page 00007
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 24, 1996
`
`Sheet 6 of 7
`
`5,588,042
`
`220
`
`221
`
`Check status
`data for unit;
`determine is
`t eX
`
`FIG. 8
`
`42
`
`)
`
`Add customer's
`MIN to
`database
`
`223
`
`242
`
`NO
`
`260
`
`Y"ES
`
`Jump to
`Selected Service
`Provision
`Routines
`
`Update database for
`status of solicited
`unit
`
`245
`
`Interactive
`Module
`(for units of
`type X)
`
`Return
`
`Page 00008
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 24, 1996
`
`Sheet 7 of 7
`
`5,588,042
`
`300
`
`Start
`
`301
`Receive and
`call Roamer's __}
`MIN
`
`FIG.9
`
`YES
`
`305
`Hang up;
`set return value
`to SOLICIT_FAIL
`
`45
`
`f
`
`. - - - -~ ANSWERED
`
`Speak: "Welcome,
`this is a free call
`from BellSouth
`Mobilit " ... etc.
`
`315
`
`1320
`set a=DTivIF
`
`330
`
`325
`
`Set a= 'O'
`
`331
`
`332
`
`Speak
`"Roamer info"
`message
`
`341
`
`Speak
`"Kill Done"
`messaoe
`
`set return
`\'alue to
`SOLICIT_OK
`
`1342
`set return
`\·alue to
`SOLICIT _KILL
`
`351
`
`,,,,- 352
`
`Speak:
`"Sorry, I heard
`nothing"
`
`set return
`\'Jlue to
`SOLICIT _ABORT
`
`Speak:
`"Bad selection, 355
`try agarn ...
`
`II _ )
`
`'
`
`310
`
`EXIT
`
`Page 00009
`
`

`

`5,588,042
`
`1
`INTERACTIVE ROAMER CONTACT
`SYSTEM FOR CELLULAR MOBILE
`RADIOTELEPHONE NETWORK FOR
`AUTOMATICALLY INITIATING A
`COMMUNICATION WITH AN
`AUTONOMOUSLY REGISTERING
`CELLULAR MOBILE RADIOTELEPHONE
`
`5
`
`This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/647,719,
`filed Jan. 28, 1991, now allowed.
`
`10
`
`2
`Increasingly, users of cellular mobile radiotelephones
`travel between cities having cellular systems operated by
`different operating companies. In addition, the FCC has
`established that each area wishing to establish a cellular
`telephone network may have up to two cellular system
`operators, and therefore parallel but separate systems are in
`place in most major metropolitan areas. While the mobile
`radiotelephones for use in these different systems are iden(cid:173)
`tical, the cellular systems are configured so that only cellular
`telephones which are identified as "home" units or subscrib(cid:173)
`ers within a given cellular system may communicate within
`a given operator's system.
`It is known that when a cellular mobile radiotelephone
`originates a call, it transmits a series of data messages to the
`serving cell. These messages, referred to as a Call Origina-
`tion, are defined by EIA/TIA-533. These data messages
`always contain the low order seven digits of the unit's
`telephone number, known as the Mobile Identification Num(cid:173)
`ber (MIN), the unit's Station Class Mark (SCM), which
`identifies functional characteristics of the unit, and the
`
`15
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`The present invention generally relates to cellular mobile
`radiotelephone (CMR) communication systems, and mor.e
`particularly relates to methods and apparatus for automati(cid:173)
`cally detecting the presence of predetermined classes of
`mobile radiotelephones within the cellular network, such as
`roamers, and for automatically and interactively communi(cid:173)
`cating with a registering mobile radiotelephone within such
`classes. For example, the present invention is suitable for
`detecting roamers, placing a call to a detected roamer,
`providing a predetermined synthesized voice message (such
`as information concerning the availability of roaming ser(cid:173)
`vices within the network), and receiving responses provided
`via the telephone keypad.
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`2° Called Address, or dialed telephone number. Although
`
`optional, cellular system operators typically also require
`additional data words to be transmitted that contain the
`MIN2, which is the high order three digits or NPA of the
`cellular unit's telephone number, and the Electronic Serial
`25 Number (ESN).
`These data messages are provided first to the cell, and
`then through a data link to the mobile telephone switching
`office ("MTSO"). The MTSO, also known as "the switch",
`30 makes voice connections between mobile radiotelephones
`and the main telephone network. At the MTSO, a determi(cid:173)
`nation is typically made whether the radiotelephone is an
`authorized user or subscriber by looking up the telephone
`number, serial number, and other information provided by
`the radiotelephone to see if there is an entry in the MTSO' s
`database corresponding to that particular telephone. Part of
`the normal, but optional, functions of an MTSO is to validate
`that the ESN and MIN received as part of a Call Originalion
`message are valid. If the MIN is valid and "home", the
`40 received ESN is compared to the MTSO's database ESN
`entry to detect fraud. If these checks succeed, the call is
`allowed to proceed.
`It is also known that a cellular mobile radiotelephone,
`when it first powers up or first enters the cell of a CMR
`45 system when already powered up, can optionally be
`instructed to identify itself as actively present within a
`particular cell and on the system. The radiotelephone iden(cid:173)
`tifies itself or "registers" through a process known as
`Autonomous Registration by providing a data packet similar
`to that of a Call Origination. The original design intent of
`Autonomous Registration was to improve the efficiency of
`potential future call deliveries by keeping the MTSO
`informed of the approximate whereabouts of each individual
`cellular unit, and to reduce paging channel load by lessening
`the need to page all cells to find a cellular unit. When the
`MTSO is thus informed, it can "page" (i.e., attempt to ring)
`the cellular unit only in the cell or area that it was last known
`to be in. Additional cells would be paged only if the mobile
`was not found with the initial page.
`While most cellular systems support the Autonomous
`Registration feature, processing of the received identifica(cid:173)
`tion information is usually proprietary to the vendor of the
`MTSO equipment. However, it will be observed that the data
`contained in an Autonomous Registration message is essen-
`tially the same as a Call Origination. The difference is that
`an Autonomous Registration is not associated with a call
`attempt, and is not necessarily used to validate a cellular
`
`35
`
`Cellular mobile radiotelephone (CMR) service has been
`in widespread use for several years. Typical systems are
`characterized by dividing a radio coverage area into smaller
`coverage areas or "cells" using low power transmitters and
`coverage-restricted receivers. CMR systems are described in
`U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,906,166 and 4,268,722. As will be known
`to those skilled in the art, the limited coverage area enables
`the radio channels used in one cell to be reused in another
`cell. As a cellular mobile radiotelephone within one cell
`moves across the boundary of the cell and into an adjacent
`cell, control circuitry associated with the cells detects that
`the signal strength of the telephone in the just-entered cell is
`stronger, and communications with the radiotelephone are
`"handed off" to the just-entered cell.
`A cellular mobile radiotelephone system typically utilizes
`a pair of radio frequencies for each radio channel in each
`cell. Each cell typically includes at least one signalling
`channel (also called a control or access channel) and several
`voice channels. The signalling channel is selected or dedi(cid:173)
`cated to receive requests for service from mobiles and
`portables, to page selected mobiles or portables, and to
`instruct the mobiles or portables to tune to a predetermined
`voice channel where a conversation may take place. The
`signalling channel is responsible for receiving and transmit(cid:173)
`ting data to control the actions of the mobiles and portables.
`The data message and radio channel specifications for
`U.S. cellular radiotelephone systems are set forth in Elec(cid:173)
`tronic Industries Association/felecommunications Industry
`Association (EIA/TIA) Standard 533 (previously known as 60
`Interim Standard CIS-3) implemented in accordance with 47
`C.F.R. 22, in the Report and Orders pertaining to Federal
`Communications Commission (FCC) Docket No. 79-318.
`Copies of the EIA/TIA-533 may be obtained from the
`Engineering Department of the Electronic Industries Asso(cid:173)
`ciation at 2001 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington,
`D.C. USA 20006.
`
`50
`
`55
`
`65
`
`Page 00010
`
`

`

`5,588,042
`
`3
`unit's ability to place or receive calls. Instead, an Autono(cid:173)
`mous Registration is simply a set of messages periodically
`and autonomously sent from the mobile to the serving cell
`at an interval specified in data parameters previously
`received from the cell by the cellular unit.
`For purposes of the present application, the terms "reg(cid:173)
`ister", "registration", etc. will be used to denote the provi(cid:173)
`sion of identification information by Call Origination,
`Autonomous Registration, or other means.
`It is further known that in CMR systems, a subscriber's 10
`ability to receive incoming calls outside his or her home
`service area is restricted. A subscriber using or attempting to
`use his or her cellular mobile radiotelephone in a service
`area outside his home service area is said to be "roaming",
`and he or she is commonly referred to as a "roamer". When 15
`cellular telephone subscribers leave the area of their sub(cid:173)
`scribed service, they frequently do not use their cellular
`telephones because they do not know (or have forgotten) the
`particular procedures for operating their radiotelephone as a
`"roamer" in the newly-entered service area. Lack of use of 20
`the radiotelephone in different service areas results in a loss
`the benefits of cellular telephone service to the subscriber,
`and a loss of revenue both from the calls that would
`otherwise be made by the roamer and from calls to the
`roamer which cannot be completed because the roamer's 25
`home service area does not know where to forward the calls.
`Even though a subscriber is not always aware of having
`travelled beyond the range of the home service area, CMR
`systems are designed to detect this situation and so apprise
`the user, in the following manner. Each cellular system has
`been uniquely assigned a System IDentification (SID) num(cid:173)
`ber. Electrical signals corresponding to each cellular sys(cid:173)
`tem's SID are continuously transmitted by that system over
`a control channel. The SD of the system from which a
`particular subscriber has agreed to acquire CMR services is
`programmed into a Numerical Assignment Module (NAM)
`or memory incorporated into the subscriber's mobile radio(cid:173)
`telephone unit.
`When a subscriber's mobile radiotelephone unit is "pow(cid:173)
`ered up" or first enters the area of coverage of a CMR system
`when already powered up, it selects the strongest detectable
`control channel and receives a system parameter overhead
`message in the form of an overhead message train (OMT).
`The OMTincludes the 15-bit SID of the CMR system whose
`signal the mobile unit is receiving. The mobile unit then
`compares the transmitted SID to the SID programmed into
`its NAM to determine identicality. If the unit determines
`lack of identicality, it is indicated that the unit is "roaming".
`In many cellular radiotelephone units, a "roam" indicator
`light is activated on the control panel associated with the
`unit. In this manner, a subscriber is made aware that his or
`her mobile radiotelephone unit has seized or entered a
`system other than the system on which he or she is an
`authorized subscriber.
`A roamer who desires to place an outgoing call typically
`must then access the CMR system in which he or she is
`roaming through procedures established by the CMR system
`operator. These procedures typically involve special codes,
`key sequences, and information solicitation from the sub(cid:173)
`scriber so that the roamer is aware that he or she will be
`billed at the rates established for roaming services (instead
`of the usual "home" service rate).
`Further difficulties are encountered when a roamer desires
`to receive incoming calls when in a foreign service area. In 65
`order for a roamer to receive incoming calls, it is typically
`required that would-be third-party callers know the where-
`
`4
`abouts of the subscriber. Unanswered calls placed to the
`subscriber's home number are typically answered with a
`message indicating that the subscriber cannot be found. If
`the caller knows the CMR system in which the roamer is
`5 present, then there are procedures provided for accessing the
`subscriber through the facilities of that CMR system. This
`requires the caller to know the roamer's itinerary and the
`roamer access number of the CMR system in which the
`roamer is present. Many major service areas have a IO-digit
`roamer access number. Armed with this and other informa(cid:173)
`tion, a would-be caller may dial the 10-digit roamer access
`number of the CMR system in which the roamer is present.
`Then, the caller dials the roamer's home number, including
`home area code, and the call will be delivered.
`This unwieldy procedure can sometimes be exacerbated
`by the need for the subscriber to arrange the right to have
`incoming calls delivered with the CMR service provider in
`the foreign area.
`Needless to say, procedures for arranging for roaming
`service such as these require advance planning, scheduling,
`and dissemination of itinerary information to persons who
`may want to call the subscriber in a foreign service area.
`These cumbersome procedures inhibit the flexibility and
`freedom prized by many cellular telephone subscribers, and
`also reduce the likelihood that a subscriber will avail himself
`or herself of roaming services in a foreign area. Moreover,
`the requirement for advance arrangement of roaming ser(cid:173)
`vices simply precludes the use of roaming services by
`subscribers who, because of reasons beyond their control
`30 and foresight, find themselves in a foreign service area
`without any guidance as to the procedures for access to
`roaming services, and must place a call or other inquiry to
`the CMR system operator. Obviously, the subscribers in
`such circumstances are deprived of the convenience and
`35 benefit of their cellular mobile radiotelephones and the CMR
`system operators miss the opportunity to earn revenue.
`Some CMR systems, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,
`340, of Parker et al., "System for the Extended Provision of
`40 Cellular Mobile Radiotelephone Service", also known as the
`GTE Mobilenet
`Incorporated
`"Follow-Me-Roaming"
`(trademark) service, are provided to ameliorate many of
`these difficulties and make the use of roaming services in
`foreign service areas more convenient. However, even with
`45 such services as the "Follow-Me-Roaming" service, it is
`required that the "Follow-Me-Roaming" service system
`hardware and software be implemented in the CMR system.
`Such systems, although they provide many advantages to
`roamers, do not accommodate the roamers who are from
`50 systems that do not have the "Follow-Me-Roaming" service
`or other types of following services. Again, the subscribers
`are deprived of the benefit of their cellular mobile radio(cid:173)
`telephones and the CMR systems lose revenue from poten(cid:173)
`tial customers.
`55 When considering the nature of the problem with accom-
`modating roamers, the present inventor has discovered cer(cid:173)
`tain key aspects of the nature of the difficulty with roaming
`services. One key aspect in the provision of convenient
`roaming services involves the detection of the presence of
`roamers, who by definition are not subscribers in the CMR
`system, within a CMR system. Once the roamers are
`detected, another key aspect is the ability to contact these
`roamers for the purpose of providing information in a
`convenient manner concerning access to roaming services.
`Considered in these terms, yet another key aspect
`involves the detection that a particular mobile radiotele(cid:173)
`phone is a member of a certain class of mobile radiotele-
`
`60
`
`Page 00011
`
`

`

`5,588,042
`
`5
`phones, for example, roamers, or home unit owners of a
`certain type of mobile radiotelephone, or home subscribers
`having a certain prefix in his or her NPANXXXXXX. Once
`the presence of members of a certain class have been
`detected as present (and active) in the CMR system, it is
`possible to consider directing a class-targeted communica(cid:173)
`tion to members of that certain class, by placing calls to
`members of the class with an automated contacting means.
`As examples, for roamers, information concerning the pro(cid:173)
`vision of roaming services may be provided; for owners of
`certain types of telephones, information concerning newly
`available features may be provided; for subscribers having a
`certain prefix in his or her telephone number, an automated
`survey may be conducted or the acceptance of particular
`special telephone services provided by the CMR system
`operator (e.g. voice messaging or call waiting) may be
`interactively solicited.
`Prior to the present invention, there has been no way to
`selectively determine whether a registering mobile radio(cid:173)
`telephone is a roamer, or a home unit, or for that matter, to 20
`determine whether the registering mobile radiotelephone
`possesses other predetermined class characteristics, and to
`provide services to directed specifically to that class of
`telephones. Accordingly, there is a need for an automated
`system capable of detecting mobile radiotelephones by 25
`class, for example roamers, and for proactively contacting
`selected mobile radiotelephones for the purpose of the
`providing provision of information and interactive service
`solicitation.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`30
`
`6
`receiving responses to the voice messages. In the preferred
`embodiment, the communicating means is operative to place
`a telephone call to registering mobile radiotelephone, gen(cid:173)
`erate a synthesized voice message corresponding to a pre-
`s programmed voice message script, and deliver the synthe(cid:173)
`to
`the
`registering mobile
`sized voice message
`radiotelephone. Interactive responses to the voice messages
`are preferably received in the form of TOUCH-TONE® key
`entries by the radiotelephone user.
`10 While a particular function of the present invention is to
`differentiate between local or home units of the CMR system
`and roamers, it should be understood that the system is
`capable of detecting other predetermined identifying char(cid:173)
`acteristics of mobile radiotelephones. For example, the
`system is capable of detecting portions of the mobile tele-
`15 phone number (MIN) associated with mobile radiotele(cid:173)
`phone, the station class mark (SCM) identifier, the electronic
`serial number (ESN) associated with the telephone, and the
`like.
`Still more particularly described, the present invention
`comprises means for monitoring identification information
`provided by a mobile radiotelephone as it originates a call or
`registers into a CMR system by powering up or initially
`entering the area of coverage of a cell of the CMR system.
`The monitoring means receives the identification informa(cid:173)
`tion by a connection or tap to the cell/MTSO dam link, or
`alternatively as an output from the MTSO. The identification
`information typically comprises the mobile telephone num(cid:173)
`ber, electronic serial number, and station class mark identi(cid:173)
`fier of the mobile radiotelephone, in the form of a serial data
`stream between the cell and the MTSO, or alternatively as
`an output from the MTSO.
`A database is provided for storing status information
`associated with various radiotelephones which are present
`with the system, either actively or have been indicated as
`subscribing customers. Detection means operatively con-
`nected to the monitoring means is responsive to the identi(cid:173)
`fication information, and conducts a search of the database
`based upon information contained in the serial data stream.
`A determination is made whether the detected mobile radio(cid:173)
`telephone is within a predetermined class of mobile radio-
`telephones, for example a roamer, and generates a signal
`indicating that the detected and registering radiotelephone is
`a member of a predetermined class. The detection means
`further determines whether the system is programmed to
`contact this particular class of radiotelephones, and if so,
`generates a solicitation request targeted to registering mobile
`radiotelephone.
`Solicitation means responsive to the solicitation request
`so solicits the detected mobile radiotelephone, now determined
`to be a member of a selected class, by placing a call to the
`mobile telephone number of the detected mobile radiotele(cid:173)
`phone. Interactive response detection means then determines
`the response of the detected mobile radiotelephone to the
`55 call placed by the solicitation means, typically in the form of
`TOUCH-TONE® entries, and provides a response informa(cid:173)
`tion output. This interactively-solicited information output is
`then used to update the database to reflect several categories
`of information. For example, one response can be an indi-
`60 cation that further solicitations are not desired. Another
`response can be the acceptance of the offering of services
`provided to the class of customers, for example, the provi(cid:173)
`sion of roaming services to detected roamers. Yet another
`response can be the failure of the solicitation means to
`65 successfully contact the detected mobile radiotelephone and
`receive an active response to an inquiry, in which case the
`status information is updated to reflect that the detected
`
`35
`
`40
`
`Briefly described, the present invention is a computer(cid:173)
`based electronic system that provides selected cellular cus-
`tomers, differentiated on the basis of predetermined identi(cid:173)
`fying characteristics provided upon electronic registration
`into the cellular system, with electronically digitized voice
`information, and that recognizes and acts upon TOUCH(cid:173)
`TONE® customer responses. The system is capable of
`determining that a customer's mobile radiotelephone is
`turned on, within the range of the cellular telephone system,
`and is therefore ready to receive calls. This particular
`capability differentiates the system from pre-existing auto(cid:173)
`mated telephone solicitation systems, and enhances the 45
`probability of reaching a cellular customer as soon as he or
`she has entered the coverage area of the cellular telephone
`system.
`More particularly described, the present invention com(cid:173)
`prises an automated customer class identification and con(cid:173)
`tacting system. A monitoring means detects identification
`information provided by a mobile radiotelephone as it
`originates a call, powers up, or initially enters the area of
`coverage of a cell of the CMR system. Means responsive to
`the identification information detects predetermined identi(cid:173)
`fying characteristics of the registering mobile radiotele(cid:173)
`phone, for example, whether the unit is a roamer, is a home
`unit, possesses a telephone number with a predetermined
`prefix, or is of a particular manufacturer's type. Communi(cid:173)
`cating means responsive to detection of a selected predeter(cid:173)
`mined identifying characteristic of the registering mobile
`radiotelephone then communicates with registering mobile
`radiotelephones having the selected predetermined identify(cid:173)
`ing characteristic.
`In particular, the communicating means comprises an
`interactive circuit for delivering synthesized voice messages
`to the registering mobile radiotelephone, and interactively
`
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`

`5,588,042
`
`5
`
`10
`
`8
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the preferred embodiment of
`an automated interactive CMR system customer class iden-
`tification and contacting system constructed in accordance
`with the present invention.
`FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the process carried out within a
`cellular mobile radiotelephone as it initially enters a cell or
`powers up for the first time within a cell and registers,
`thereby providing its predetermined registration informa(cid:173)
`tion.
`FIG. 3 is a diagram of various fields of data stored within
`the parameter memory of a typical cellular mobile radio(cid:173)
`telephone.
`FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the various fields of the
`identification information data record provided in the pre(cid:173)
`ferred embodiment by the detection module to the database
`module upon detection of a mobile radiotelephone in the
`CMR, and is representative of the information passed from
`the cell to the MTSO whenever a cellular mobile radiotele(cid:173)
`phone originates a call or autonomously registers.
`FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the hardware architecture of
`the preferred automated interactive CMR system customer
`class identification and contacting system of FIG. 1.
`FIG. 6 is flow chart of the detection module software of
`the preferred automated interactive CMR system customer
`class identification and contacting system of FIG. 1.
`FIG. 7 is a flow chart of the database module software of
`the preferred automated interactive CMR system customer
`class identification and contacting system of FIG. 1, spe(cid:173)
`cifically directed to roamers.
`FIG. 8 is a flow chart of the database module software of
`the preferred automated interactive CMR system customer
`class