US4916728A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Cellular telephone unit with prioritized frequency acquisition
Assignee: GTE Wireless Inc
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Filing: 1988-07-25
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Granted: 1990-04-10
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Expires: 2008-07-25
Abstract
Abstract A cellular telephone unit includes selective carrier signal acquisition. Priority of acquisition is given to carrier signals associated with home system identification codes (SIDs), then to any carrier signal associated with a non-excluded SID. Any attempt to dial an emergency call (e.g., a 911 call) overrides any lockout of excluded SIDs. A display such as "roam" and "no service" lights is used selectively to indicate to the user the availability of home and/or non-excluded carrier signals.
Inventors
- 👤 Kevin B. Blair
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 20:16
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W48/00; H04W48/18; H04W4/00; H04W4/90; H04W72/00; H04W72/02; H04W76/00; H04W76/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
A cellular telephone unit with control logic circuit means including: scanning means for scanning a plurality of frequencies to identify a home SID signal, means responsive to said scanning means, in the absence of a home SID signal, for alternatively scanning for any nonnegative SID, means for acquiring a carrier signal corresponding to an SID signal found by said scanning means, and means for activating a display indicating the availability of any SID so found.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
75 words
A cellular telephone unit with control logic circuit means including: scanning means for scanning a plurality of frequencies to identify a home SID signal, means responsive to said scanning means, in the absence of a home SID signal, for alternatively scanning for any nonnegative SID, means for acquiring a carrier signal corresponding to an SID signal found by said scanning means, and means for activating a display indicating the availability of any SID so found.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
116 words
A cellular telephone unit including: scanning means for sequentially monitoring a plurality of frequencies; detection means for detecting any SID that is present on any said frequency that is monitored by said scanning means; frequency selection means for selecting as a working frequency the frequency corresponding to a home SID if said home SID is detected by said detection means, and for selecting as a working frequency the frequency corresponding to a nonhome, nonnegative SID if such an SID is detected by said detection means and a home SID is not detected by said detection means; and display means for displaying a frequency selection status corresponding to any said frequency selected by said frequency selection means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
116 words
A cellular telephone unit including: scanning means for sequentially monitoring a plurality of frequencies; detection means for detecting any SID that is present on any said frequency that is monitored by said scanning means; frequency selection means for selecting as a working frequency the frequency corresponding to a home SID if said home SID is detected by said detection means, and for selecting as a working frequency the frequency corresponding to a nonhome, nonnegative SID if such an SID is detected by said detection means and a home SID is not detected by said detection means; and display means for displaying a frequency selection status corresponding to any said frequency selected by said frequency selection means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
262 words
A cellular telephone unit comprising: scanning means for sequentially monitoring a plurality of frequencies and for detecting any SID corresponding to any said frequency; frequency selection means for selecting a working frequency from among said plurality of frequencies; a roam status indicator and a no-service status indicator; frequency selection control means for controlling the selection by said frequency selection means of a working frequency, said working frequency being a frequency corresponding to a home SID if said home SID is detected by said scanning means, and said working frequency being a frequency corresponding to a nonnegative SID if such an SID is detected by said scanning means and a home SID is not detected by said scanning means, and said working frequency being a frequency corresponding to a negative SID if no nonnegative SID is detected by said scanning means; and display control means for controlling said roam status indicator and said no-service status indicator, whereby: if said frequency selection control means selects a working frequency that corresponds to a home SID, neither of said status indicators is activated, if said frequency selection control means selects a working frequency that corresponds to a nonnegative, nonhome SID and that is a home frequency, said roam status indicator is continuously activated, if said frequency selection control means selects a working frequency that corresponds to a nonnegative, nonhome SID and that is a nonhome frequency, said roam status indicator is intermittently activated, and if said frequency selection control means selects a working frequency corresponding to a negative SID, neither of said status indicators is activated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
262 words
A cellular telephone unit comprising: scanning means for sequentially monitoring a plurality of frequencies and for detecting any SID corresponding to any said frequency; frequency selection means for selecting a working frequency from among said plurality of frequencies; a roam status indicator and a no-service status indicator; frequency selection control means for controlling the selection by said frequency selection means of a working frequency, said working frequency being a frequency corresponding to a home SID if said home SID is detected by said scanning means, and said working frequency being a frequency corresponding to a nonnegative SID if such an SID is detected by said scanning means and a home SID is not detected by said scanning means, and said working frequency being a frequency corresponding to a negative SID if no nonnegative SID is detected by said scanning means; and display control means for controlling said roam status indicator and said no-service status indicator, whereby: if said frequency selection control means selects a working frequency that corresponds to a home SID, neither of said status indicators is activated, if said frequency selection control means selects a working frequency that corresponds to a nonnegative, nonhome SID and that is a home frequency, said roam status indicator is continuously activated, if said frequency selection control means selects a working frequency that corresponds to a nonnegative, nonhome SID and that is a nonhome frequency, said roam status indicator is intermittently activated, and if said frequency selection control means selects a working frequency corresponding to a negative SID, neither of said status indicators is activated.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
274 words
Logic circuitry for control of a cellular telephone unit, said telephone unit including: scanning means for sequentially monitoring a plurality of frequencies and for detecting any SID corresponding to any said frequency, frequency selection means for selecting a working frequency from among said plurality of frequencies, a roam status indicator and a no-service status indicator, said logic circuitry comprising: frequency selection control means for controlling the selection by said frequency selection means of a working frequency, said working frequency being a frequency corresponding to a home SID if said home SID is detected by said scanning means, and said working frequency being a frequency corresponding to a nonnegative SID if such an SID is detected by said scanning means and a home SID is not detected by said scanning means, and said working frequency being a frequency corresponding to a negative SID if no nonnegative SID is detected by said scanning means; and display control means for controlling said roam status indicator and said no-service status indicator, whereby: if said frequency selection control means selects a working frequency that corresponds to a home SID, neither of said status indicators is activated, if said frequency selection control means selects a working frequency that corresponds to a nonnegative, nonhome SID and that is a home frequency, said roam status indicator is continuously activated, if said frequency selection control means selects a working frequency that corresponds to a nonnegative, nonhome SID and that is a nonhome frequency, said roam status indicator is intermittently activated, and if said frequency selection control means selects a working frequency corresponding to a negative SID, neither of said status indicators is activated.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
274 words
Logic circuitry for control of a cellular telephone unit, said telephone unit including: scanning means for sequentially monitoring a plurality of frequencies and for detecting any SID corresponding to any said frequency, frequency selection means for selecting a working frequency from among said plurality of frequencies, a roam status indicator and a no-service status indicator, said logic circuitry comprising: frequency selection control means for controlling the selection by said frequency selection means of a working frequency, said working frequency being a frequency corresponding to a home SID if said home SID is detected by said scanning means, and said working frequency being a frequency corresponding to a nonnegative SID if such an SID is detected by said scanning means and a home SID is not detected by said scanning means, and said working frequency being a frequency corresponding to a negative SID if no nonnegative SID is detected by said scanning means; and display control means for controlling said roam status indicator and said no-service status indicator, whereby: if said frequency selection control means selects a working frequency that corresponds to a home SID, neither of said status indicators is activated, if said frequency selection control means selects a working frequency that corresponds to a nonnegative, nonhome SID and that is a home frequency, said roam status indicator is continuously activated, if said frequency selection control means selects a working frequency that corresponds to a nonnegative, nonhome SID and that is a nonhome frequency, said roam status indicator is intermittently activated, and if said frequency selection control means selects a working frequency corresponding to a negative SID, neither of said status indicators is activated.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
131 words
A method for displaying the availability of carrier signals associated respectively with a home SID, a nonhome, nonnegative SID on a home frequency, a nonhome, nonnegative SID on a nonhome frequency, and a negative SID, comprising the steps of: if a carrier signal is available that corresponds to a home SID, then activating neither a roam status indicator nor a no-service indicator; else if a carrier signal is available that corresponds to a nonhome, nonnegative SID on a home frequency, then continuously activating said roam status indicator; else if a carrier signal is available that corresponds to a nonhome, nonnegative SID on a nonhome frequency, then intermittently activating said roam status indicator; else if a carrier signal is available that corresponds to to a negative SID, then activating said no-service indicator.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
131 words
A method for displaying the availability of carrier signals associated respectively with a home SID, a nonhome, nonnegative SID on a home frequency, a nonhome, nonnegative SID on a nonhome frequency, and a negative SID, comprising the steps of: if a carrier signal is available that corresponds to a home SID, then activating neither a roam status indicator nor a no-service indicator; else if a carrier signal is available that corresponds to a nonhome, nonnegative SID on a home frequency, then continuously activating said roam status indicator; else if a carrier signal is available that corresponds to a nonhome, nonnegative SID on a nonhome frequency, then intermittently activating said roam status indicator; else if a carrier signal is available that corresponds to to a negative SID, then activating said no-service indicator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
151 words
A cellular telephone unit comprising: scanning means for sequentially monitoring a plurality of frequencies and for detecting any SID corresponding to any said frequency; frequency selection means for selecting a working frequency from among said plurality of frequencies; frequency selection control means for controlling the selection by said frequency selection means of a working frequency; said working frequency being a frequency corresponding to a home SID if said home SID is detected by said scanning means, and said working frequency being a frequency corresponding to a nonnegative SID if such an SID is detected by said scanning means and a home SID is not detected by said scanning means, and said working frequency being a frequency corresponding to a negative SID if: (i) no home SID is detected by said scanning means, and (ii) no nonnegative SID is detected by said scanning means, and (iii) a user dials a predetermined number.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
151 words
A cellular telephone unit comprising: scanning means for sequentially monitoring a plurality of frequencies and for detecting any SID corresponding to any said frequency; frequency selection means for selecting a working frequency from among said plurality of frequencies; frequency selection control means for controlling the selection by said frequency selection means of a working frequency; said working frequency being a frequency corresponding to a home SID if said home SID is detected by said scanning means, and said working frequency being a frequency corresponding to a nonnegative SID if such an SID is detected by said scanning means and a home SID is not detected by said scanning means, and said working frequency being a frequency corresponding to a negative SID if: (i) no home SID is detected by said scanning means, and (ii) no nonnegative SID is detected by said scanning means, and (iii) a user dials a predetermined number.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
A cellular telephone unit as defined in claim 6 wherein the predetermined number is an emergency number.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-04-09 | 1993-10-09 | 1994-04-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-04-09 | 1997-10-09 | 1998-04-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-04-09 | 2001-10-09 | 2002-04-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |