Personal assistance system and method for use with a cellular communication system

Claim 1

A personal assistance system for use with a cellular communication system operating over a cellular communication band and having a plurality of cell-sites, said personal assistance system comprising: a transceiver, said transceiver including transmitting means for transmitting to said plurality of cell-sites a spread spectrum burst of pulses including a service request codeword indicating a request for service from a service provider, and receiving means for receiving a response from said service provider to said request for service, said response being transmitted by at least one of said plurality of cell-sites; a plurality of grid receiver modules, each of said grid receiver modules including coupling means for coupling said grid receiver module to a respective one of said plurality of cell-sites, and proxy cell-phone means for originating a cellular call on said cellular communication system to a destination number of said service provider and on behalf of said transceiver upon receipt of said destination number of said service provider; and processing center means coupled to said plurality of grid receiver modules for, in response to said request for service, informing said service provider of said request for service, designating one of said plurality of cell-sites as a preferred cell-site, and sending said destination number of said service provider to said proxy cell-phone means of said preferred cell-site to cause said proxy cell-phone means of said preferred cell-site to originate said cellular call and thereby create a cellular communication link between said transceiver means and said service provider.

Claim 10

A method of transmitting from a transceiver and to a service provider a request for service, and of receiving at the transceiver a response from the service provider to the request, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting from the transceiver a spread spectrum burst of pulses including a service request codeword indicating a request for service from the service provider; receiving said spread spectrum burst at a cellular communication system operating over a cellular communication band and having a plurality of cell-sites; informing the service provider of said request for service; designating one of said plurality of cell-sites as a preferred cell-site; sending said destination number of the service provider to said preferred cell-site; originating a cellular call from said preferred cell-site to said destination number of the service provider to thereby create a cellular communication link between the transceiver and the service provider; transmitting from said preferred cell-site a response from the service provider to said request for service; and receiving said response from the service provider.

Claim 11

A method of transmitting from a transceiver and to a service provider a request for service, and of receiving at the transceiver a response from the service provider to the request, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting from the transceiver a spread spectrum burst of pulses including a service request codeword indicating a request for service from the service provider; receiving said spread spectrum burst at a cellular communication system operating over a cellular communication band and having a plurality of cell-sites; informing the service provider of said request for service; designating one of said plurality of cell-sites as a preferred cell-site; sending said destination number of the service provider to said preferred cell-site; originating a cellular call from said preferred cell-site to said destination number of the service provider to thereby create a cellular communication link between the transceiver and the service provider; transmitting from said preferred cell-site a response from the service provider to said request for service; and receiving said response from the service provider.