Abstract:
A telecommunications system for providing telecommunication services across national borders to a plurality of system subscribers. The system includes an operations center for receiving incoming requests for communications with a selected subscriber and a network interface for coupling the operations center to a digital data network for sending and receiving data signals. Satellite up and down links couple the operations center to a plurality of earth based broadcast stations for broadcasting control signals to portable communication terminals adapted to be carried by subscribers of the system. The control signals are used to activate the terminals to automatically connect to the operations center via the digital data network in order to conduct a communications session.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to the field of telecommunications and more particularly, is directed to a mobile telecomputing device which can automatically receive, transmit and relay telecommunications information and data. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The telecommunications system for the present invention makes it possible to cause the automatic unattended receipt of E-MAIL, facsimile, telex, telegrams, voice mail and two-way voice communications. The system includes a telecomputer device which is portable and operates from battery power or from an A/C power line when one is available. 
     The telecomputer has an electronic microprocessor circuit board that directly interfaces a numeric or alphanumeric paging radio receiver system having a port for downloading data and which is removable or non-removable from a portable computer that also internally contains a cellular telephone. 
     Specially coded control signals relayed through the pager by way of the interface microprocessor circuit board may be used to activate or turn on the electrically dormant or unpowered standby computer, data modem, facsimile modem, wireline modem, and cellular telephone transceiver sections of the telecomputer, thereby making it possible through special function control programming to cause the cellular telephone to automatically dial a local or (800) national or international telephone number. This number&#39;s phone system is connected to a data distribution center that upon receiving the pager induced looped call from the portable telecomputer&#39;s internal cellular transceiver, automatically transfers back to the portable machine&#39;s computer data storage section, an electronic data message such as E-MAIL, file archives, group level-3 facsimiles, telefax, telegram or when attended, voice mail or two-way voice calls. 
     The information received by the telecomputer can be stored on an electromagnetic storage medium such as tape, drum, floppy disc, hard disk drive, optical laser disc or other retention medium. The information may also be stored in volatile or non-volatile memory elements. In addition, the telecomputer can also be programmed to verify for the central paging mainframe computer the receipt of a high priority numeric or alphanumeric pager message. The device then shuts off all other systems of the telecomputer except the paging function while alerting the user by appropriate external audible or visual signal as to what is occurring. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the telecomputer device used in the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the overall construction of the mobile telecommunications system in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the basic construction of the telecomputer which forms an integral part of the communications system of the present invention. 
     As FIG. 1 shows, the telecomputer includes a number of interrelated elements such as RAM memory  1  and ROM memory  2  where instructions and temporary data storage areas of a computer program reside. The telecomputer also includes input/output (I/O) peripherals devices  3  which allow the system to communicate with the user and with the outside world through such devices as LCD screen  4 , telephone modem  5 , keyboard  6 , printer  7 , electronic pager  8  and cellular telephone  9 . The telecomputer further includes mass storage devices  11  which allow the system to store data to and receive programming instructions from such peripheral devices as magnetic floppy disks, optical and tape units and CD-ROM storage devices. 
     The heart of the telecomputer is central processing unit (CPU)  12  which supervises the flow of information between the various elements of the telecomputer and which perform logic calculations and other functions based on instructions in the computer program. CPU  12  may also integrally include RAM and/or ROM storage devices. A task scheduler  10  also is connected to CPU  12 . As further described below, task scheduler  10  helps CPU  12  supervise the flow of information between CPU  12  and other elements of the telecomputer of Applicants&#39; invention. 
     CPU  12  uses the concept of “time sharing” wherein a number of computer programs, or routines within an overall program, reside in memory at the same time and seemingly run simultaneously. Some programs and routines may also reside in mass storage devices and be read into and out of memory when needed in an overlay fashion. Each program or routine is referred to as a task or job and though it may appear to the causal observer that the CPU is continuously devoting its full attention to the task being performed for the user. In actuality, each task receives only a fraction of the CUP&#39;s time before the CPU moves on to other tasks. 
     A facility known as an “interrupt” allows the execution of the CPU to be interrupted periodically based on requests for service from internal or external devices or based on the passage of a certain amount of time. When an interrupt occurs and depending on its priority with respect to other interrupts and the task currently being performed by the CPU, the CPU stores information about the task it was performing when the interrupt occurred and then executes another task determined by the nature of the interrupt. The stored information allows the CPU to resume execution of the task which was interrupted once it has finished performing the task required by the interrupt. The CPU may also execute other tasks required by other higher priority interrupts before returning to the original task. 
     Means must be provided for selecting the task which will be executed by the CPU and means for deciding how long the CPU will execute the tasks before reassigning the CPU to another task. Task scheduler  10  performs this function. The operation of task scheduler  10  is itself supervised by CPU  12 . 
     Tasks performed by CPU  12  can be divided into the following three categories based on the criticality or priority of the timeliness of the CPU&#39;s response to events related to the task: 
     1. “Real-time” tasks where the essence of the CPU function is to provide a rapid response to external events. An example of this type of task is the guidance control program for a missile. If the CPU is unable to provide a rapid response to course deviations or changing fuel weight, the missile will go off course. 
     2. “Interactive” task where a delay in response is inconvenient and inefficient but is not disastrous. An example of this type of task is a computer program which provides information about a customer&#39;s account status to a bank teller. If the computer is unable to provide a rapid response, the teller&#39;s time will be wasted and a waiting customer will be annoyed, but the bank will suffer no major adverse consequences. 
     3. “Background” tasks where response time to external events is not important. An example of this type of task is a program to print bank accounts summary statement at the end of the month. 
     All of the above types of task exist in the telecomputer of Applicants&#39; invention and are supervised by task scheduler  10 . 
     With reference again to FIG. 1, the telecomputer of Applicants&#39; invention is powered by AC power  15  when available or by battery  16 . Power may also be provided by solar power  17  which also can be used to maintain battery  16  in a charged state. The telecomputer also includes a satellite transmitter/receiver  14  for sending and receiving radio signals from a satellite as discussed below. 
     The elements illustrated in FIG. 1 may be generally selected from among prior art devices known to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     With reference to FIG. 2, there is illustrated an overall block diagram of the mobile communications system of Applicants&#39; invention. The system includes data distribution center  20  which receives communication information from various sources for processing and routing. The communication information may include, telegram and telex data, E-MAIL and voice mail message data, paging data, facsimile data and control signal information. 
     Data distribution center  20  may be formed of a main frame computer and include many of the elements illustrated in FIG. 1 with respect to the telecomputer of Applicants&#39; invention. 
     Data distribution center  20  is coupled to global satellite up/down link  21  by communication path  22 . Up/down link  21  includes satellite transmission and receiving equipment for transmitting the communication information up to an orbiting satellite for relay to telecomputer  30  as shown in FIG.  2 . Up/down link  21  also includes information from the satellite which originates form telecomputer  30 . Up/down link  21  may also include signal processing and formatting equipment in order to maximize the efficiency of the transfer of the communications information between the satellite and data distribution center  20 . 
     Data distribution center  20  also is coupled to commercial switched telephone network  23 , cellular telephone transmission facility  26  and pager transmission facility  28  by communication paths  24 ,  27  and  29 . Facilities  26  and  28  may be used to transfer the communication information between telecomputer  30  and data distribution center  20  using a radio signal  40 . The communication information also may be transferred between telecomputer  30  and data distribution center  20  via switched telephone network  23 . 
     Communication paths  22 ,  24 ,  27  and  29  may be a part of the commercial switched telephone network using wire or fiber optic conductors or may be formed of a microwave link as is known in the art. 
     In accordance with the present invention, specially coded control signals may be relayed from data distribution center  20  via pager transmission facility  28  to telecomputer  30  to activate or turn on the electrically dormant or unpowered CPU  12 , modem  5  for facsimile, data and voice telephone and cellular telephone  9  of telecomputer  30 , thereby making it possible through special function control programming to cause cellular telephone  9  to automatically dial a local or (800) national or international telephone number. This number&#39;s phone system is connected to a data distribution center  20  from switched telephone network  23 . Upon receiving the pager induced looped call from the telecomputer&#39;s internal cellular telephone  9 , data distribution center  20  automatically transfers back to the telecomputer&#39;s data storage section (mass storage devices  11 , e.g.), any electronic data messages such as E-MAIL, file achieves, group level-3 facsimiles, telex, telegram or when attended, voice mail or two-way voice calls that are bing held in data distribution center  20 . 
     In addition, telecomputer  30  may also be programmed to verify for data distribution center  20  the receipt of a high priority numeric or alphanumeric pager message. Telecomputer  30  may then shut off all other systems of the telecomputer except the paging function while alerting the user by appropriate external audible or visual signal as to what is occurring. 
     In accordance with the present invention, a user of telecomputer  30  may originate communication information in the form of a voice telephone signal, for example, for transmission through the system to a distant telephone. Such communication information is transferred to data distribution center  20  via switched telephone network  23  using modem  5  shown in FIG. 1 or via cellular telephone transmission facility  27  using cellular telephone  9  shown in FIG.  1 . The communication information includes distribution information which is used by data distribution center  20  to route the communication information to the recipient in the most efficient manner. In the case of a voice or facsimile telephone number. If the destination telephone number is connected to the switched telephone network  23 , data distribution center routes the communication information to the telephone network via communications path  24  for transfer to the destination telephone. Data distribution center  20  may hold the communication information for later transfer to the recipient. 
     If the communication information is destined for a second telecomputer device  30 , data distribution center  20  consults a stored information filed for information concerning the current geographical location of the second telecomputer  30  and routes the communication information accordingly. 
     If second telecomputer  30  is located a great distance from first telecomputer  30 , the communication information maybe routed through up/down link  21  for transfer via satellite to satellite transmitter/receiver  14  shown in FIG.  1 . Telecomputer  30  also may use transmitter/receiver  14  to transmit the communications information directly to the satellite for down linking to up/down link  21  and transfer to data distribution center  20  for routing to the recipient. 
     While the forgoing describes a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Various alternative embodiments will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. The invention is only limited by the claims appended hereto.