US5579376A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Phantom mobile-identification number method and apparatus
Assignee: Benhov GmbH LLC
•
Filing: 1995-05-03
•
Granted: 1996-11-26
•
Expires: 2015-05-03
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for changing the mobile identification number of a cellular telephone unit to reflect a local network planning area number, including a cellular telephone unit having a microprocessor and associated data storage. The microprocessor is programmed to interrogate the cellular telephone unit to obtain the local system identification number. The network planning area number corresponding to the system identification number is included as a part of the mobile identification number, thereby establishing a local cellular system number, such that the cellular telephone unit appears as a local unit to enable calls to be pre-validated by the local cellular system. Both the cellular telephone unit and the cellular system determine the local cellular system number independently. In response to an incoming call for the cellular telephone unit, the local cellular system pages the cellular telephone unit using the local cellular system number.
Inventors
- 👤 William C. Kennedy, III
- 👤 Robert J. Charles
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 20:41
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W8/00; H04W8/18; H04W8/183; G; G07; G07C; G07C5/00; G07C5/008; G08; G08G; G08G1/00; G08G1/20; H04B; H04B7/00; H04B7/14; H04B7/15; H04B7/185; H04B7/1853; H04B7/18558; H04W4/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
184 words
A method of coupling a call to a cellular telephone unit located in an area serviced by a serving switch, the cellular telephone unit having a home mobile identification number including a network planning area number, the method comprising: receiving at the cellular telephone unit a serving switch system identification number; transmitting from the cellular telephone unit to a central controller computer, coupled to the serving switch, the home mobile identification number and the serving switch system identification number; determining, at the central controller computer; a local cellular system number for the cellular telephone unit in response to the home mobile identification number and the serving switch system identification number received from the cellular telephone unit; determining, at the cellular telephone unit, the local cellular system number for the cellular telephone unit in response to the home mobile identification number and the received serving switch system identification number; and modifying, at the cellular telephone unit, only the network planning area number of the home mobile identification number of the cellular telephone unit to identify the cellular telephone unit with the local cellular system number.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
184 words
A method of coupling a call to a cellular telephone unit located in an area serviced by a serving switch, the cellular telephone unit having a home mobile identification number including a network planning area number, the method comprising: receiving at the cellular telephone unit a serving switch system identification number; transmitting from the cellular telephone unit to a central controller computer, coupled to the serving switch, the home mobile identification number and the serving switch system identification number; determining, at the central controller computer; a local cellular system number for the cellular telephone unit in response to the home mobile identification number and the serving switch system identification number received from the cellular telephone unit; determining, at the cellular telephone unit, the local cellular system number for the cellular telephone unit in response to the home mobile identification number and the received serving switch system identification number; and modifying, at the cellular telephone unit, only the network planning area number of the home mobile identification number of the cellular telephone unit to identify the cellular telephone unit with the local cellular system number.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1, comprising: receiving the call for the cellular telephone unit at the central controller computer; and coupling the call to the cellular telephone unit through the serving switch using the local cellular system number.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the step of receiving the call for the cellular telephone unit comprises: establishing communication with the central controller computer; and providing an access number identifying the cellular telephone unit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the step of coupling the call comprises: accessing a roamer access port of the serving switch; paging the cellular telephone unit using the local cellular system number; and patching a call to the cellular telephone unit through the serving switch.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting comprises issuing a roamer code to the serving switch, the roamer code including a serving switch system identification number and the home mobile identification number of the cellular telephone unit, the roamer code indicating the presence of the cellular telephone unit as roamer in the serving switch.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving at the cellular telephone unit a serving switch system identification number further comprises: interrogating a database to determine if the serving switch system identification number is authorized; and receiving at the cellular telephone unit a second serving switch system identification number corresponding to a second serving switch if the serving switch system identification number is not authorized.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the home mobile identification number comprises: a variable three-digit network planning area number; and a fixed seven-digit number following the three-digit network planning area number, the fixed seven-digit number identifying the cellular telephone unit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1, comprising the step of updating the location of the cellular telephone unit at the central controller computer in response to the serving switch system identification number.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
231 words
A national roaming cellular network, comprising: a serving switch operable to emit a serving switch system identification number; a cellular telephone unit coupled with the serving switch and located in an area serviced by the serving switch, the cellular telephone unit having a home mobile identification number that includes a network planning area number, the cellular telephone unit operable to receive the serving switch system identification number from the serving switch, the cellular telephone unit operable to transmit to the serving switch the home mobile identification number, the cellular telephone unit further operable to determine a local cellular system number for the cellular telephone unit in response to the home mobile identification number and the received serving switch system identification number, the cellular telephone unit further operable to modify only the network planning area number of the home mobile identification number of the cellular telephone unit to identify the cellular telephone unit with the local cellular system number; and a central controller computer coupled with the serving switch and operable to receive from the serving switch the home mobile identification number transmitted to the serving switch by the cellular telephone unit and the serving switch system identification number, the central controller computer further operable to determine the local cellular system number for the cellular telephone unit in response to the home mobile identification number and the serving switch system identification number.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
231 words
A national roaming cellular network, comprising: a serving switch operable to emit a serving switch system identification number; a cellular telephone unit coupled with the serving switch and located in an area serviced by the serving switch, the cellular telephone unit having a home mobile identification number that includes a network planning area number, the cellular telephone unit operable to receive the serving switch system identification number from the serving switch, the cellular telephone unit operable to transmit to the serving switch the home mobile identification number, the cellular telephone unit further operable to determine a local cellular system number for the cellular telephone unit in response to the home mobile identification number and the received serving switch system identification number, the cellular telephone unit further operable to modify only the network planning area number of the home mobile identification number of the cellular telephone unit to identify the cellular telephone unit with the local cellular system number; and a central controller computer coupled with the serving switch and operable to receive from the serving switch the home mobile identification number transmitted to the serving switch by the cellular telephone unit and the serving switch system identification number, the central controller computer further operable to determine the local cellular system number for the cellular telephone unit in response to the home mobile identification number and the serving switch system identification number.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
The network of claim 9, further comprising a home switch coupled with the serving switch and the central controller computer, the home switch operable to receive the home mobile identification number and the serving switch system identification number from the serving switch and to communicate this information to the central controller computer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
The network of claim 9, wherein the central controller computer is operable to receive an incoming call placed to the cellular telephone unit, the central controller computer further operable to cause the incoming call to be routed to the cellular telephone unit using the local cellular system number.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
60 words
The network of claim 9, wherein the cellular telephone unit is operable to issue a roamer code to the serving switch, the roamer code including the serving switch system identification number and the home mobile identification number of the cellular telephone unit, the roamer code indicating the presence of the cellular telephone unit as a roamer in the serving switch.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
50 words
The network of claim 9, wherein the cellular telephone unit is further operable to determine if the serving switch system identification number is authorized and to receive a second serving switch system identification number corresponding to a second serving switch if the serving switch system identification number is not authorized.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
The network of claim 9, wherein the central controller computer is operable to access a roamer access port of the serving switch and to cause the serving switch to page the cellular telephone unit using the local cellular system number.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The network of claim 9, wherein the home mobile identification number comprises: a variable three-digit network planning area number; a fixed seven-digit number following the three-digit network planning area number, the fixed seven-digit number identifying the cellular telephone unit.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
202 words
A method of coupling a call to a cellular telephone unit located in an area serviced by a serving switch, the cellular telephone unit having a home mobile identification number that includes a network planning area number, the method comprising: receiving at the cellular telephone unit a serving switch system identification number; transmitting a roamer code from the cellular telephone unit to the serving switch, the roamer code including the serving switch system identification number and the home mobile identification number, the roamer code indicating the presence of the cellular telephone unit as a roamer in the serving switch; receiving the roamer code at a central controller computer coupled to the serving switch; determining, at the central controller computer, a local cellular system number for the cellular telephone unit in response to the roamer code; determining, at the cellular telephone unit, the local cellular system number for the cellular telephone unit in response to the home mobile identification number and the serving switch system identification number; and modifying, at the cellular telephone unit, only the network planning area number of the home mobile identification number of the cellular telephone unit to identify the cellular telephone unit with the local cellular system number.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
202 words
A method of coupling a call to a cellular telephone unit located in an area serviced by a serving switch, the cellular telephone unit having a home mobile identification number that includes a network planning area number, the method comprising: receiving at the cellular telephone unit a serving switch system identification number; transmitting a roamer code from the cellular telephone unit to the serving switch, the roamer code including the serving switch system identification number and the home mobile identification number, the roamer code indicating the presence of the cellular telephone unit as a roamer in the serving switch; receiving the roamer code at a central controller computer coupled to the serving switch; determining, at the central controller computer, a local cellular system number for the cellular telephone unit in response to the roamer code; determining, at the cellular telephone unit, the local cellular system number for the cellular telephone unit in response to the home mobile identification number and the serving switch system identification number; and modifying, at the cellular telephone unit, only the network planning area number of the home mobile identification number of the cellular telephone unit to identify the cellular telephone unit with the local cellular system number.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of: receiving the call for the cellular telephone unit at the central controller computer; and coupling the call to the cellular telephone unit through the serving switch using the local cellular system number.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 17, wherein the step of coupling the call comprises: accessing a roamer access port of the serving switch; paging the cellular telephone unit using the local cellular system number; and patching a call to the cellular telephone unit through the serving switch.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 17, wherein the step of receiving the call for the cellular telephone unit comprises: establishing communication with the central controller computer; and providing an access number identifying the cellular telephone unit.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 16, comprising the step of updating the location of the cellular telephone unit at the central controller computer in response to the roamer code.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 16, wherein the home mobile identification number comprises: a variable network planning area number; and a fixed number identifying the cellular telephone unit.
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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) | 1999-11-26 | 2000-05-27 | 2000-11-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-11-26 | 2004-05-27 | 2004-11-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-11-26 | 2008-05-27 | 2008-11-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |