US5546444A — Methods and apparatus for communicating data via …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 168 words

In or for a cellular mobile radiotelephone (CMR) system having an array of cells for communicating with cellular radiotelephones within coverage areas of said array of cells, a data message system for communicating selected data collected from a plurality of remote data sources, said data message system comprising: a plurality of data reporting means, each of said data reporting means operative for monitoring a corresponding one of said remote data sources to obtain said selected data and for transmitting a data message containing said selected data, said data message formatted as an identification signal transmitted by one of said cellular radiotelephones when said cellular radiotelephone identifies itself to said CMR system; at least one mobile switching center (MSC) for receiving said data message via a cellular network control channel from each of said data reporting means operating within said coverage areas of said array of cells; and means for collecting said selected data in response to receiving said data message from said MSC via a first communications link.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 168 words

In or for a cellular mobile radiotelephone (CMR) system having an array of cells for communicating with cellular radiotelephones within coverage areas of said array of cells, a data message system for communicating selected data collected from a plurality of remote data sources, said data message system comprising: a plurality of data reporting means, each of said data reporting means operative for monitoring a corresponding one of said remote data sources to obtain said selected data and for transmitting a data message containing said selected data, said data message formatted as an identification signal transmitted by one of said cellular radiotelephones when said cellular radiotelephone identifies itself to said CMR system; at least one mobile switching center (MSC) for receiving said data message via a cellular network control channel from each of said data reporting means operating within said coverage areas of said array of cells; and means for collecting said selected data in response to receiving said data message from said MSC via a first communications link.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said data collection means is connected to at least one memory storage device for storing said data message as a stored data message.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 43 words

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said data collection means is operative to transmit said stored data message to a data processing system via a second communications link, said data processing system being operative to process said selected data of said data message.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 42 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said data collection means is operative to transmit said data message to a data processing system via a second communications link, said data processing system being operative to process said selected data of said data message.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 19 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said data collection means is compatible with an EIA/TIA Interim Standard 41 (IS-41).

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 13 words

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said data collection means comprises a computer.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 37 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said data message comprises said selected data and a predetermined identifying characteristic which uniquely identifies a certain one of said data reporting means that transmits said data message to said MSC.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 51 words

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said identification signal comprises data fields for a mobile telephone number and an electronic serial number (ESN), said predetermined identifying characteristic corresponding to at least a portion of said mobile telephone number and said selected data corresponding to at least a portion of said ESN.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 33 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said remote data sources include at least one of a group of utility meters, community antenna television (CATV) pay-per-view (PPV) terminals, vending equipment, and security alarm systems.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 22 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said selected data describes certain parameters of operation or performance for each of said data sources.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 54 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said data reporting means comprises: a monitor, connected to said corresponding remote data source, for monitoring said corresponding remote data source to obtain said selected data; and a cellular communications device connected to said monitor and operative to transmit said data message containing said selected data.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said monitor comprises a recorder for recording said selected data during at least one predetermined time period.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 33 words

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said recorder is operative to add to said selected data a time tag indicating the relative time for the start of each of said predetermined time period.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 77 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said data reporting means monitors said cellular network control channel to detect a stream of busy idle bits for a predetermined time period, each of said busy idle bits indicating whether a cellular source has initiated a cellular communication with said MSC via said cellular network control channel, and determines the level of communications for said cellular network control channel based upon the status of said busy idle bits.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein each of said data reporting means transmits said data message to said MSC when said level for said communications is below a certain minimum threshold.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said data reporting means conducts predetermined operations in response to receiving command signals from said MSC via said cellular network control channel.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 32 words

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each of said command signals comprises address data, wherein each of said data reporting means is responsive to said command signals only for predetermined address data.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 42 words

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein a selected one of said data reporting means transmits said data message to said MSC via said cellular network control channel in response to receiving one of said command signals via said cellular network control channel.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 46 words

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein a selected one of said data reporting means monitors said corresponding remote data source and obtains said selected data for a certain monitoring time period in response to receiving one of said command signals via said cellular network control channel.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said data reporting means is connected to a memory storage device for storing selected data as stored selected data.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said data reporting means includes a clock that outputs a clock signal upon expiration of a time interval.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 35 words

The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said data reporting means transmits a certain data message containing said stored selected data to said MSC via said cellular network control channel in response to said clock signal.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 26 words

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each of said data reporting means includes a clock that outputs a clock signal upon expiration of a time interval.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 17 words

The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said time interval is different for each of data reporting means.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus of claim 24, wherein each of said data reporting means transmits said data message to said MSC via said cellular network control channel in response to said clock signal.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus of claim 23, wherein each of said data reporting means transmits said data message to said MSC via said cellular network control channel in response to said clock signal.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 38 words

The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said time interval is set to a certain time in response to said data reporting means receiving another one of said command signals from said MSC via said cellular network control channel.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 49 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said data reporting means includes a clock that outputs a clock signal upon expiration of a time interval, said data reporting means responsive to said clock signal to transmit said data message to said MSC via said cellular network control channel.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 77 words

The apparatus of claim 28, wherein each of said data reporting means monitors said cellular network control channel to detect a stream of busy idle bits for a predetermined time period, each of said busy idle bits indicating whether a cellular source has initiated a cellular communication with said MSC via said cellular network control channel, and determines the level of communications on said cellular network control channel based upon the status of said busy idle bits.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 34 words

The apparatus of claim 29, wherein each of said data reporting means, responsive to said clock signal, delays transmitting said data message until said level of said communications is below a certain minimum threshold.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said data reporting means is connected to a memory storage device for storing said selected data as stored selected data.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 21 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said data message is formatted to represent an extended protocol message in accordance with EIA/TIA-553.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 105 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said remote communications devices monitors said cellular network control channel to detect a stream of busy idle bits for a predetermined time period, each of said busy idle bits indicating whether a cellular source has initiated a cellular communication with said MSC via said cellular network control channel during a particular time interval, and determines the level of communications for said cellular network control channel by calculating a running average of said busy idle bits for said predetermined time period and an average of last "n" counts of said busy idle bits for said predetermined time period.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 53 words

The apparatus of claim 33, wherein each of said remote communications devices transmits said data message to said MSC when said communications level is below a certain minimum threshold defined by said average of last "n" counts of said busy idle bits being less than said running average of said idle busy bits.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 45 words

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said cellular communications device transmits said data message to said MSC in response to a status signal generated by said monitor, said status signal representing the occurrence of an event in the environment of said corresponding remote data source.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 200 words

In or for a cellular mobile radiotelephone (CMR) system having an array of cells for communicating with cellular radiotelephones within coverage areas of said array of cells, a data message system for communicating data collected from a plurality of remote data sources, said data message system comprising: a plurality of monitors, each of said monitors connected to a corresponding one of said remote data sources and operative for monitoring the operation of said corresponding remote data source to obtain selected data; a plurality of cellular communications devices, each of said cellular communications devices connected to a corresponding one of said monitors and operative to transmit a data message containing said selected data, said data message formatted as an identification signal transmitted by one of the cellular radiotelephones when said cellular radiotelephone identifies itself to said CMR system; at least one mobile switching center (MSC) for receiving said data message via a cellular network control channel from each of said cellular communications devices operating within said coverage areas of said array of cells; and a data collection system for receiving said data message from said MSC via a first communications link, said data collection system operative to collect said data message.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 200 words

In or for a cellular mobile radiotelephone (CMR) system having an array of cells for communicating with cellular radiotelephones within coverage areas of said array of cells, a data message system for communicating data collected from a plurality of remote data sources, said data message system comprising: a plurality of monitors, each of said monitors connected to a corresponding one of said remote data sources and operative for monitoring the operation of said corresponding remote data source to obtain selected data; a plurality of cellular communications devices, each of said cellular communications devices connected to a corresponding one of said monitors and operative to transmit a data message containing said selected data, said data message formatted as an identification signal transmitted by one of the cellular radiotelephones when said cellular radiotelephone identifies itself to said CMR system; at least one mobile switching center (MSC) for receiving said data message via a cellular network control channel from each of said cellular communications devices operating within said coverage areas of said array of cells; and a data collection system for receiving said data message from said MSC via a first communications link, said data collection system operative to collect said data message.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 43 words

The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said data collection system is connected to at least one memory storage device for storing said data message as a stored data message in response to said data collection system receiving said data message from said MSC.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 51 words

The apparatus of claim 37 wherein said data collection system is operative to transmit said stored data message to a data processing system via a second communications link, said data processing system being remotely located from said data collection system and operative to process said selected data of said data message.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 50 words

The apparatus of claim 36 wherein said data collection system is operative to transmit said data message to a data processing system via a second communications link, said data processing system being remotely located from said data collection system and operative to process said selected data of said data message.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 37 words

The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said data message comprises said selected data and a predetermined identifying characteristic that uniquely identifies the certain one of said cellular communications devices that transmits said data message to said MSC.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 51 words

The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said identification signal comprises data fields for a mobile telephone number and an electronic serial number (ESN), said predetermined identifying characteristic corresponding to at least a portion of said mobile telephone number and said selected data corresponding to at least a portion of said ESN.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 82 words

The apparatus of claim 36, wherein each of said cellular communications devices monitors said cellular network control channel to detect a stream of busy idle bits for a predetermined time period, each of said busy idle bits indicating whether a cellular source has initiated a cellular communication with said MSC via said cellular network control channel during a particular time interval, and determines the level of communications for said cellular network control channel based upon the status of said busy idle bits.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus of claim 42, wherein each of said cellular communications devices transmits said data message to said MSC when said level for said communications is below a certain minimum threshold.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus of claim 36, wherein each of said cellular communications devices conducts predetermined operations in response to receiving command signals from said MSC via said cellular network control channel.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 37 words

The apparatus of claim 44 wherein each of said command signals comprises address data, wherein each of said cellular communications devices is responsive to said command signals for conducting said predetermined operations only for predetermined address data.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 42 words

The apparatus of claim 44, wherein a selected one of said cellular communications device transmits said data message to said MSC via said cellular network control channel in response to receiving one of said command signals via said cellular network control channel.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 26 words

The apparatus of claim 44, wherein each of said cellular communications devices includes a clock that outputs a clock signal upon expiration of a time interval.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said time interval is set to a certain time in response to said cellular communications device receiving another one of said command signals.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus of claim 48, wherein each of said cellular communications devices transmits said data message to said MSC via said cellular network control channel in response to said clock signal.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 18 words

The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said time interval is different for each of said cellular communications devices.

Claim 53

Dependent Claim 49 words

The apparatus of claim 36, wherein each of said cellular communications devices includes a clock that outputs a clock signal upon expiration of a time interval, said cellular communications devices responsive to said clock signal to transmit said data message to said MSC via said cellular network control channel.

Claim 54

Dependent Claim 82 words

The apparatus of claim 51, wherein each of said cellular communications devices monitors said cellular network control channel to detect a stream of busy idle bits for a predetermined time period, each of said busy idle bits indicating whether a cellular source has initiated a cellular communication with said MSC via said cellular network control channel during a particular time interval, and determines the level of communications for said cellular network control channel based upon the status of said busy idle bits.

Claim 55

Dependent Claim 37 words

The apparatus of claim 52, wherein each of said cellular communications devices, responsive to said clock signal, delays transmitting said data message to said MSC until said level for said communications is below a certain minimum threshold.

Claim 56

Dependent Claim 21 words

The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said data message is formatted to represent an extended protocol message in accordance with EIA/TIA-553.

Claim 57

Dependent Claim 47 words

The apparatus of claim 36, wherein each of said cellular communications devices transmits said data message to said MSC in response to a status signal generated by said monitor, said status signal representing the occurrence of an event in the environment of said corresponding remote data source.

Claim 58

Dependent Claim 143 words

The apparatus of claim 36, wherein each of said remote communications devices monitors said cellular network control channel to detect a stream of busy idle bits for a predetermined time period, each of said busy idle bits indicating whether a cellular source has initiated a cellular communication with said MSC via said cellular network control channel during a particular time interval, and determines the level of communications for said cellular network control channel by calculating a running average of said busy idle bits for said predetermined time period and an average of last "n" counts of said busy idle bits for said predetermined time period, each of said remote communications devices operative to transmit said data message to said MSC when said average of last "n" counts of said busy idle bits is less than said running average of said idle busy bits.

Claim 59

Dependent Claim 129 words

In or for a cellular mobile radiotelephone (CMR) system for communicating with cellular radiotelephones, a method for communicating data collected from a plurality of remote data sources, comprising the steps of: monitoring the operation of each of said remote data sources to obtain selected data; transmitting a data message containing said selected data via a cellular network control channel to a mobile switching center (MSC) of said CMR system, said data message formatted as an identification signal that is transmitted by one of said cellular radiotelephones when said cellular radiotelephone identifies itself to said CMR system; transmitting said data message from said MSC to a data collection system via a first communications link, said data collection system operative to collect said selected data in response to said data message.

Claim 60

Dependent Claim 129 words

In or for a cellular mobile radiotelephone (CMR) system for communicating with cellular radiotelephones, a method for communicating data collected from a plurality of remote data sources, comprising the steps of: monitoring the operation of each of said remote data sources to obtain selected data; transmitting a data message containing said selected data via a cellular network control channel to a mobile switching center (MSC) of said CMR system, said data message formatted as an identification signal that is transmitted by one of said cellular radiotelephones when said cellular radiotelephone identifies itself to said CMR system; transmitting said data message from said MSC to a data collection system via a first communications link, said data collection system operative to collect said selected data in response to said data message.

Claim 61

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 57 further comprising the step of storing said data message as a stored data message in response to said data collection system receiving said data message from said MSC.

Claim 62

Dependent Claim 45 words

The method of claim 58 further comprising the step of transmitting said stored data message from said data collection system to a data processing system via a second communications link, said data processing system being operative to process said selected data of said data message.

Claim 63

Dependent Claim 44 words

The method of claim 57 further comprising the step of transmitting said data message from said data collection system to a data processing system via a second communications link, said data processing system being operative to process said selected data of said data message.

Claim 64

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 57, wherein said data message comprises said selected data and a predetermined identifying characteristic that uniquely identifies a cellular communications device that transmits said data message to said MSC.

Claim 65

Dependent Claim 51 words

The method of claim 61, wherein said identification signal comprises data fields for a mobile telephone number and an electronic serial number (ESN), said predetermined identifying characteristic corresponding to at least a portion of said mobile telephone number and said selected data corresponding to at least a portion of said ESN.

Claim 66

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 57, wherein said monitoring step comprises: monitoring said selected data for one of said remote data sources; and recording said selected data during at least one predetermined time period.

Claim 67

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 63, wherein said monitoring step further comprises adding to said selected data a time tag indicating the relative time for the start of each of said predetermined time period.

Claim 68

Dependent Claim 103 words

The method of claim 57, further comprising the steps of: monitoring said cellular network control channel for a predetermined time period to detect a stream of busy idle bits, each of said busy idle bits indicating whether a cellular source has initiated a cellular communication with said MSC via said cellular network control channel during a particular time interval; calculating the level of communications for said control network control channel based upon the status of said busy idle bits; and delaying said step of transmitting said data message to said MSC until said level of said communications is below a certain minimum threshold.

Claim 69

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 57, further comprising the step of conducting predetermined operations in response to receiving command signals from said MSC via said cellular network control channel.

Claim 70

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 66, wherein each of said command signals comprises address data, wherein said step of conducting predetermined operations is completed only in response to said command signals only for predetermined address data.

Claim 71

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 67 further comprising the step of transmitting said data message to said MSC via said cellular network control channel in response to receiving one of said command signals.

Claim 72

Dependent Claim 55 words

The method of claim 66 further comprising the steps of: outputting an instruction signal in response to receiving one of said command signals from said MSC via said cellular network control channel; and monitoring said remote data source in response to said instruction signal to obtain said selected data for a certain monitoring time period.

Claim 73

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 69 further comprising the step of storing said selected data as stored selected data.

Claim 74

Dependent Claim 49 words

The method of claim 68 wherein said step of transmitting said data message to said MSC comprises: outputting a clock signal upon expiration of a time interval; and transmitting one of said data messages to said MSC via said cellular network control channel in response to said clock signal.

Claim 75

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 68 further comprising the step of synchronizing said time interval of said clock signal to a certain time in response to receiving another one of said command signals from said MSC via said cellular network control channel.

Claim 76

Dependent Claim 53 words

The method of claim 57 wherein said step of transmitting said data message to said MSC comprises: outputting a clock signal upon expiration of a time interval; and transmitting one of said data messages containing said selected data to said MSC via said cellular network control channel in response to said clock signal.

Claim 77

Dependent Claim 103 words

The method of claim 73 further comprising the steps of: monitoring said cellular network control channel for a predetermined time period to detect a stream of busy idle bits, each of said busy idle bits indicating whether a cellular source has initiated a cellular communication with said MSC via said cellular network control channel during a particular time interval; determining the level of communications for said control network cellular channel based upon the status of said busy idle bits; and delaying said step of transmitting said data message to said MSC until said level for said communications is below a certain minimum threshold.

Claim 78

Dependent Claim 110 words

The method of claim 57, wherein said step of transmitting said data message to said MSC comprises: monitoring said cellular network control channel for a predetermined time period to detect a stream of busy idle bits, each of said busy idle bits indicating whether a cellular source has initiated a cellular communication with said MSC via said cellular network control channel during a particular time interval; determining the level of communications for said cellular network control channel based upon the status of said busy idle bits; and delaying said step of transmitting said data message to said MSC until said level for said communications is below a certain minimum threshold.

Claim 79

Dependent Claim 57 words

The method of claim 57, wherein said step of transmitting said data message to said MSC comprises: outputting a status signal representing the occurrence of an event within the environment of said remote data source; and transmitting one of said data messages to said MSC via said cellular network control channel in response to said status signal.

Claim 80

Dependent Claim 127 words

The method of claim 57, wherein said step of transmitting said data message comprises: monitoring said cellular network control channel for a predetermined time period to detect a stream of busy idle bits, each of said busy idle bits indicating whether a cellular source has initiated a cellular communication with said MSC via said cellular network control channel during a particular time interval; calculating a running average of said busy idle bits for said predetermined time period and an average of last "n" counts of said busy idle bits for said predetermined time period; and delaying transmitting of said data message to said MSC until said average of last "n" counts of said busy idle bits is less than said running average of said busy idle bits.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1999-08-13	2000-02-12	2000-08-13	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2003-08-13	2004-02-12	2004-08-13	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2007-08-13	2008-02-12	2008-08-13	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Methods and apparatus for communicating data via a cellular network control channel

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