US5878339A — Cellular radiotelephone system with remotely prog…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 124 words

A method of operating a cellular telecommunications system to manage mobile identification number (MIN) programming stored in mobile stations, to manage signalling between one or more land stations and said mobile stations, and to manage the transfer of user information to and from said mobile stations, said method comprising the steps of: communicating between a land station and a mobile station using one of either a digital data mode or an analog audio mode; operating said land station in cooperation with said mobile station so that said digital data mode is used to communicate both signalling and said MIN programming; and operating said land station in cooperation with said mobile station so that said analog audio mode is used to communicate said user information.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 124 words

A method of operating a cellular telecommunications system to manage mobile identification number (MIN) programming stored in mobile stations, to manage signalling between one or more land stations and said mobile stations, and to manage the transfer of user information to and from said mobile stations, said method comprising the steps of: communicating between a land station and a mobile station using one of either a digital data mode or an analog audio mode; operating said land station in cooperation with said mobile station so that said digital data mode is used to communicate both signalling and said MIN programming; and operating said land station in cooperation with said mobile station so that said analog audio mode is used to communicate said user information.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 99 words

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said MIN is a telephone number assigned to said mobile station; an electronic serial number (ESN) is stored in said mobile station and uniquely identifies said mobile station; said mobile station operates in an inactive state wherein said mobile station does not have a valid MIN but has an ESN and in an active state wherein said mobile station has a valid MIN; and said method additionally comprises the step of signalling pages directed to said mobile station using either data which reference said MIN or data which reference said ESN.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 45 words

A method as claimed in claim 2 additionally comprising the steps of: encrypting said ESN to obtain said signalling data which reference said ESN; and decrypting said signalling data which reference said ESN to determine whether said signalling data are directed to said mobile station.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 143 words

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said MIN is a telephone number assigned to said mobile station; an electronic serial number (ESN) is stored in said mobile station and uniquely identifies said mobile station; said mobile station operates in an inactive state wherein said mobile station does not have a valid MIN but has an ESN and in an active state wherein said mobile station has a valid MIN; said method additionally comprises the step of operating said land station only in said digital data mode to communicate with said mobile station when said mobile station is operating in said inactive state; and said method additionally comprises the step of operating said land station in both said digital data mode and said analog audio mode to communicate with said mobile station when said mobile station is operating in said active state.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 81 words

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said MIN is a telephone number assigned to said mobile station; said mobile station operates in an inactive state wherein said mobile station does not have a valid MIN and in an active state wherein said mobile station has a valid MIN; and said method comprises the step of sending, to said mobile station, MIN programming which causes said mobile station to invalidate said MIN and to thereafter operate in said inactive state.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 91 words

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said system communicates a first portion of said signalling in said digital data mode using a control channel protocol over control channels, communicates a second portion of said signalling in said digital data mode using a voice channel protocol over voice channels, and communicates said user information in said analog audio mode over said voice channels; and said method additionally comprises the step of transferring said MIN programming to said mobile station using said control channel protocol over one of said voice channels.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 84 words

A method as claimed in claim 6 additionally comprising the steps of: paging said mobile station over one of said control channels using said control channel protocol; instructing said mobile station to tune to said one voice channel; transmitting a digital synchronizing signal over said one voice channel; tuning said mobile station to said one voice channel; synchronizing said mobile station to said synchronizing signal; and transmitting said MIN programming to said mobile station over said one voice channel using said control channel protocol.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 206 words

A method of operating a cellular telecommunications system to manage user-specific programming stored in a mobile station having an electronic serial number (ESN) stored therein which uniquely identifies said mobile station, said user-specific programming including a mobile identification number (MIN), said MIN being a telephone number assigned to said mobile station so that said mobile station operates in an inactive state wherein said mobile station does not have a valid MIN but has an ESN and in an active state wherein said mobile station has a valid MIN, said method comprising the steps of: communicating between said land station and said mobile station using one of either a digital data mode or an analog audio mode; operating said land station in cooperation with said mobile station so that said digital data mode is used to communicate both signaling and said user-specific programming; operating said land station in cooperation with said mobile station so that said analog audio mode is used to communicate said user information; using said MIN to signal calls directed to said mobile station when said mobile station operates in said active state; and using said ESN to signal calls directed to said mobile station when said mobile station operates in said inactive state.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 206 words

A method of operating a cellular telecommunications system to manage user-specific programming stored in a mobile station having an electronic serial number (ESN) stored therein which uniquely identifies said mobile station, said user-specific programming including a mobile identification number (MIN), said MIN being a telephone number assigned to said mobile station so that said mobile station operates in an inactive state wherein said mobile station does not have a valid MIN but has an ESN and in an active state wherein said mobile station has a valid MIN, said method comprising the steps of: communicating between said land station and said mobile station using one of either a digital data mode or an analog audio mode; operating said land station in cooperation with said mobile station so that said digital data mode is used to communicate both signaling and said user-specific programming; operating said land station in cooperation with said mobile station so that said analog audio mode is used to communicate said user information; using said MIN to signal calls directed to said mobile station when said mobile station operates in said active state; and using said ESN to signal calls directed to said mobile station when said mobile station operates in said inactive state.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 85 words

A method of activating a cellular mobile station from a location remote to said mobile station, said method comprising the steps of: storing, in said mobile station, data describing a location-independent identifying code for said mobile station; receiving page signalling messages at said mobile station; evaluating said page signalling messages to detect a page which references said location-independent identifying code; and engaging, in response to said page, in a remote programming session in which user-specific programming is received at and stored in said mobile station.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 85 words

A method of activating a cellular mobile station from a location remote to said mobile station, said method comprising the steps of: storing, in said mobile station, data describing a location-independent identifying code for said mobile station; receiving page signalling messages at said mobile station; evaluating said page signalling messages to detect a page which references said location-independent identifying code; and engaging, in response to said page, in a remote programming session in which user-specific programming is received at and stored in said mobile station.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 18 words

A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein said location-independent identifying code is an electronic serial number (ESN).

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 77 words

A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein: said engaging step assigns a mobile identification number (MIN) to said mobile station, said MIN being a telephone number for said mobile station; said mobile station operates in an inactive state prior to activation and in an active state after activation; and said method additionally comprises the step of paging said mobile station using data which reference said MIN when said mobile station is operating in said active state.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 29 words

A method as claimed in claim 10 additionally comprising the step of: encrypting said ESN; and transmitting a page signalling message which conveys said ESN in an encrypted form.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 59 words

A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein said mobile station engages in signalling communications, user-specific programming communications, and user information communications, and said method additionally comprises the steps of: operating in a digital data mode to communicate both said signalling communications and said user-specific programming communications; and operating in an analog audio mode to communicate said user information.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 103 words

A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein: said mobile station cooperates with a cellular system to exchange a first portion of said signalling communications over control channels in said digital data mode using a control channel protocol, to exchange a second portion of said signalling communications over a voice channel in said digital data mode using a voice channel protocol, and to exchange said user information over said voice channels in said analog audio mode; and said method additionally comprises the step of transferring said user-specific programming to said mobile station using said control channel protocol over one of said voice channels.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 84 words

A method as claimed in claim 14 additionally comprising the steps of: paging said mobile station over one of said control channels using said control channel protocol; instructing said mobile station to tune to said one voice channel; transmitting a digital synchronizing signal over said one voice channel; tuning said mobile station to said one voice channel; synchronizing said mobile station to said synchronizing signal; and transmitting said user-specific programming to said mobile station over said one voice channel using said control channel protocol.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 107 words

In a cellular radio telecommunications system which activates mobile stations from locations remote to said mobile stations, a mobile station comprising: a memory having a first storage location containing data describing a location-independent identifying code for said mobile station, and additional storage locations; a receiver configured to receive digital data; a transmitter configured to transmit digital data; and a controller coupled to said memory, receiver, and transmitter, said controller being configured to evaluate a page message which references said location-independent identifying code and to engage in a remote programming session in which user-specific programming is received at said mobile station and stored in said additional storage locations.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 107 words

In a cellular radio telecommunications system which activates mobile stations from locations remote to said mobile stations, a mobile station comprising: a memory having a first storage location containing data describing a location-independent identifying code for said mobile station, and additional storage locations; a receiver configured to receive digital data; a transmitter configured to transmit digital data; and a controller coupled to said memory, receiver, and transmitter, said controller being configured to evaluate a page message which references said location-independent identifying code and to engage in a remote programming session in which user-specific programming is received at said mobile station and stored in said additional storage locations.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 41 words

A mobile station as claimed in claim 16 wherein said memory is configured so that said first storage location resides in a read only component of said memory and said additional storage locations reside in a read/write component of said memory.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 44 words

A mobile station as claimed in claim 16 wherein: said location-independent identifying code represents an electronic serial number (ESN) that uniquely identifies said mobile station; and said controller is configured to decrypt said signalling data to determine whether said page message references said ESN.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 51 words

A mobile station as claimed in claim 18 wherein: said user-specific programming includes a mobile identification number (MIN), said MIN being a telephone number for said mobile station; and said controller is configured to evaluate signalling data to detect a message which references said MIN after performing said remote programming session.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-03-01	2002-08-31	2003-03-02	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-03-01	2006-08-31	2007-03-02	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-03-01	2010-08-31	2011-03-02	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Cellular radiotelephone system with remotely programmed mobile stations

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