US006333973B1
`(10) Patent No.:
`a2) United States Patent
`US 6,333,973 B1
`Smith et al.
`(45) Date of Patent:
`*Dec. 25, 2001
`
`
`(54)
`
`INTEGRATED MESSAGE CENTER
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Colin Donald Smith, Ottawa; Brian
`Finlay Beaton, Orleans, both of (CA)
`(73) Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (CA)
`
`4/1998 Pepe et al.
`..cceesecsseeseeeees 455/461
`5,742,905 *
`8/1998 Vantilla et al. oo 455/419
`5,794,142 *
`
`9/1998 Gokhale oe
`eeeeeseeeeeeeeee 370/524
`5,815,506 *
`5,842,141 * 11/1998 Vaihoja et al. oe 455/574
`(List continued on nextpage.)
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`This patent issued on a continued pros-
`(*) Notice:
`
`ecution application filed under 37 CFR 0 630 141=12/1994 (EP).
`1.53(d), and is subject to the twenty year
`0691777
`1/1996 (EP).
`patent
`term provisions of 35 U.S.C.
`WO 96 15490
`5/1996 (EP) .
`154(a)(2).
`8268227
`10/1996 (IP).
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`Hattori et al., “A Multimedia Intelligent Message Commu-
`US.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`nication System for Distributed Coordination Environ-
`ments,” Electronics & Communications in Japan, Part
`1—Communications,vol. 76, No. 1, Jan. 1, 1993, pp. 11-23.
`“Nokia 9000 Communicator User’s Manual,” Nokia Cor-
`poration, 1996, pp. 1-1 through 16-1 (48 pagestotal).
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 08/842,020
`(22)
`Filed:
`Apr. 23, 1997
`(51)
`Ente C17 accesses HO04M 1/64; HO4M 11/00;
`H04M 3/42; H04Q 7/20
`(52) US. Ch. cece 379/88.12; 379/67.1; 379/88.11;
`379/88.22; 379/93.08; 455/412; 455/413,
`455/466
`(58) Field of Searcheee 379/88.01, 88.11,
`379/93.01, 93.08, 93.17, 100.01, 100.08,
`88.22, 111, 112, 113, 211, 230, 246, 88.12,
`114.06, 114.07, 88.23, 88.24; 455/445,
`517, 417, 459, 419, 433, 466, 422, 38.1,
`412, 413, 414; 370/347, 337, 349, 498,
`524; 341/20-23
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,228,029 *
`7/1993 Kotdin cesses 370/95.1
`
`5,283,638 *
`occ 348/14
`2/1994 Engberg et al.
`5,327,486 *
`..-s-sseeseeseeseeeeeeeeen 379/96
`7/1994 Wolff et al.
`
`5,533,102 .
`7/1996 Robinson etal.
`.
`379/88.25
`
`$68,540 + 10/1996 Grecoetal,nnn" 3rojss
`
`
`5,583,920 * 12/1996 Wheeler, Jt. eee 379/88
`5,608,786 *
`3/1997 Gordon oo. eeeseeereeeeeeeee 379/100
`5,719,918 *
`2/1998 Serbetciouglu et al. ........... 379/58
`
`Primary Examiner—Allan Hoosain
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Finnegan, Henderson,
` Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, L.L-P.
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`
`An integrated message center operates on telecommunica-
`tions equipment, having a display and a processor, to con-
`solidate messagesofdifferent types for viewing and manipu-
`lation by a user. The telecommunications equipment
`receives notification messages corresponding to pending
`messagesofdifferent types and determines the message type
`of the pending messages. The integrated message center
`associates a message type indicator with each of the received
`notification messages based on the determined message type
`and displays on the display a portion of the received noti-
`fication messages and the associated message type indicators
`as entries in a single selectable list. The user can select one
`of the pending messagesfor retrieval based on the entries in
`the single selectable list. In response to user selection, the
`integratedmessage centerretrievesthe selectedpending
`s
`&
`P
`¥
`.
`
`33 Claims, 16 Drawing Sheets
`
`1200
`
`55005200 5600
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`£
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`Page | of 26
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`GOOGLEEXHIBIT 1009
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`Page 1 of 26
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`GOOGLE EXHIBIT 1009
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`US 6,333,973 B1
`Page 2
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`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`5,966,663 * 10/1999 Gleason oe eeeeeeeeeeeeee 455/466
`
`5,870,549 *
`2/1999 Bobo,
`II
`305/200.36
`6,055,424 *
`4/2000 Tornqvistet al.
`.. 455/414
`
`
`5,970, ODO,TTvee eeeseteeeeeee 5 # :
`
`
`5,903,832 *
`5/1999 Seppanenet al.
`_. 455/414
`6,205,139
`B/2OOL Voit cececeeeeeeceeeeeeeeeseecones 370/389
`
`5,905,959 *
`5/1999 Foladareetal.
`. 455/445
`6/1999 Rossman vececceccecsecsessesesceeseeees 34/22
`5,911,485 *
`
`.
`.
`* cited by examiner
`
`Page 2 of 26
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`Page 2 of 26
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Dee. 25, 2001
`
`Sheet 1 of 16
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`US 6,333,973 B1
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`Dee. 25, 2001
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`Sheet 2 of 16
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`US 6,333,973 B1
`
`|1] BRAD JOHNSON
`3) 733-8024
`fat _(61
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Page 4 of 26
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`Page 4 of 26
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Dec. 25, 2001
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`Sheet 3 of 16
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Dee. 25, 2001
`
`Sheet 4 of 16
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`US 6,333,973 B1
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`3440
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`GUI MANAGER
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`DEVICE DRIVERS
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`USER APPLICATIONS
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`RTOS UTILITIES
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`FIG. 4
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`Page 6 of 26
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`Page 6 of 26
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 25, 2001
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`Page 7 of 26
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`U.S. Patent
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`Dee. 25, 2001
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`Sheet 6 of 16
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`Page 8 of 26
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`Page 8 of 26
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Dec. 25, 2001
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`Page 9 of 26
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`

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`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 25, 2001
`
`Sheet 8 of 16
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`US 6,333,973 B1
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`U.S. Patent
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`Dec. 25, 2001
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`Sheet 9 of 16
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`Page 11 of 26
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`Page 11 of 26
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Dee. 25, 2001
`
`Sheet 10 of 16
`
`US 6,333,973 B1
`
`BRIAN BEATON
`gl” (613) 238-6602
`¢(( TALK |}DISCARD]} QUIT
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`Page 12 of 26
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`Page 12 of 26
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Dee. 25, 2001
`
`Sheet 11 of 16
`
`US 6,333,973 B1
`
`CDG STUDIO
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`765-6775
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`VIEW ||DISCARD]| QUIT
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`Page 13 of 26
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`Page 13 of 26
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Dee. 25, 2001
`
`Sheet 12 of 16
`
`US 6,333,973 B1
`
`COLIN SMITH
`
`TO: ANDREW CONNELLY
`
`
`
` RECD 24/06/95 13:14
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`je|] smith@nortel.ca
`(Sack [DISCARD] QUIT
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`FROM: COLIN SMITH ®
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`FIG. 12
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`Page 14 of 26
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`Page 14 of 26
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`

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`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 25, 2001
`
`Sheet 13 of 16
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`U.S. Patent
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`Dec. 25, 2001
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`Sheet 14 of 16
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`U.S. Patent
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`Dec. 25, 2001
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 25, 2001
`
`Sheet 16 of 16
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`US 6,333,973 B1
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`Page 18 of 26
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`

`US 6,333,973 B1
`
`1
`INTEGRATED MESSAGE CENTER
`
`RELATED APPLICATIONS
`
`This application is related to US. patent application, Ser.
`No. 08/842,015, entitled MULTITASKING GRAPHICAL
`USER INTERFACE; U.S. patent application, Ser. No.
`08/841,485, entitled ELECTRONIC BUSINESS CARDS;
`U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 08/841,486, entitled
`SCROLLING WITH AUTOMATIC COMPRESSION AND
`
`EXPANSION;U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 08/842,019,
`entitled CLID WITH LOCATION ICON; U‘S. patent
`application, Ser. No. 08/842,017, entitled CLID WITH
`DRAG AND DROP CAPABILITY; and U.S. patent
`application, Ser. No. 08/842,036, entitled ICONIZED
`NAMELIST,all of which werefiled concurrently herewith,
`and all of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`This invention relates to the field of message handling,
`and morespecifically to the field of message presentation to
`a user by which messagesof all types are consolidated and
`graphically displayed in a searchable list to allow for easy
`graphical scanning,prioritizing, editing, selection, viewing,
`forwarding, playback, and response bythe user.
`Traditionally, a user could retrieve only voice messages
`by calling and interacting with a voice mail service using
`dual
`tone multi-frequency (DTMF) commands. Such
`retrieval of messages, however, required the user to dial the
`voice mail service and listen to each message, or minimally
`the header of each message, that is, the name of the person
`and the time received. This type of voice mail retrieval
`tended to be a slow and tedious process.
`Additionally,
`the user needed to memorize the DTMF
`number commandsto control the voice mail service. Some-
`times these commands were different for the user’s home
`voice mail service and the user’s office voice mail service.
`For example, the user needed to rememberthat pressing “1”
`with the office voice mail service, while pressing “6” with
`the home voice mail service, meant “play the message.”
`More recently, telephones have been designed with the
`capability to directly receive, or download,different types of
`messages, such as faxes, e-mail, and Short Messaging Ser-
`vice (SMS) messages. One conventional mobile telephone
`has a display, a keypad, and numeroushard keys, and uses
`menus to enable a user to view different types of received
`messages.
`When a messagearrives, an internal processor detects the
`message type and stores the message in a folder dedicated to
`the message type. If the telephone receives a fax,
`for
`example, the internal processorstores the fax in a fax folder.
`Whenthe user opens the coverto the display, the internal
`processordisplays a note indicating the quantity and type of
`messages received. For example, if two faxes and two SMS
`messages have been received, the note will show “You have:
`2 unread faxes and 2 unread short messages.”
`If the user wants to view a received message,the userfirst
`goes to the main menu and selects the type of message to
`view. This causes the internal processor to launch a
`message-type specific application to retrieve the message
`from the message folder and display it for the user. For
`example, if the user wants to read a received fax, the user
`selects “Received faxes” from the main menu. In response,
`the internal processor launches the fax application to display
`a list of received faxes. From the list, the user selects a
`particular fax to read. The fax application then displays the
`selected fax.
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`2
`If the user then wanted to view a received SMS message,
`however, the user must return to the main menu to select
`“Received short messages.” In response, the internal pro-
`cessor launches the SMS application to display a list of
`received SMS messages from which the user selects the
`desired one.
`
`Telephonesof this type, however, suffer from a number of
`drawbacks. First, they store in their internal memory all
`received messages, except voice and e-mail messages which
`are stored at an external server. This wastes precious
`memory space, and as a result, fewer messages can be
`locally stored.
`Additionally, message handling is cumbersome because
`the telephones are menu driven and contain separate appli-
`cations for the different message types. To view different
`types of messages, the user must follow a series of menus
`that cause specific applications to be executed.
`Therefore, a need exists to integrate different types of
`messages from different types of equipmentinto one graphi-
`cal location to notify the user of pending messages andtheir
`type, and to allow the user to view and respond to the
`messages by simple operation.
`
`SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION
`
`Systems and methods consistent with the present inven-
`tion address this need by providing an integrated message
`center that graphically displays different types of received
`messages together to facilitate user viewing and manipula-
`tion of the messages without having to follow a series of
`menus or launch separate applications.
`In accordance with the purpose of the invention as
`embodied and broadly described herein, an integrated mes-
`sage center consistent with the principles of the present
`invention operates on telecommunications equipment, hav-
`ing a display and a processor, to consolidate messages of
`different types for viewing and manipulation by a user. The
`telecommunications equipment receives notification mes-
`sages corresponding to pending messagesof different types
`and determines the message type of the pending messages.
`The integrated message center associates a message type
`indicator with each of the received notification messages
`based on the determined message type and displays on the
`display a portion of the received notification messages and
`the associated message type indicators as entries in a single
`selectable list. The user can select one of the pending
`messages for retrieval based on the entries in the single
`selectable list. In response to user selection, the integrated
`message center retrieves the selected pending message for
`viewing and manipulation by the user.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in
`and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate systems
`and methods consistent with this invention and, together
`with the description, explain the objects, advantages and
`principles of the invention. In the drawings,
`FIG. 1 is a diagram of a communications network con-
`taining the integrated message center consistent with the
`principles of the present invention;
`FIG. 2 is a diagram of the user mobile telephone operating
`in the network of FIG. 1;
`FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the elements included in the
`user mobile telephone of FIG. 2;
`FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the software components
`stored in the flash ROM of FIG. 3;
`
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`US 6,333,973 B1
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`3
`FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the elements included in the
`network services provider of FIG. 1;
`FIG. 6 is an example of an idle screen of the user mobile
`telephone shownin FIG. 2;
`FIGS. 7A and 7B are example displays of received
`messages;
`
`FIG. 8A is an example display of a received SMStext
`message;
`
`FIG. 8B is an example display of a received electronic ink
`message;
`
`FIGS. 9A and 9B are example displays of SMS text
`messages with hypertext markup language code;
`FIG. 10 is an example display in which the userselects to
`listen to a voice mail message;
`FIG. 11 is an example display in which the user selects to
`forward a fax;
`FIG. 12 is an example display of a received e-mail
`message;
`
`FIGS. 13A through 13D are example displays in which
`the user responds to an ink message by sending an SMS
`message;
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`FIGS. 14A and 14B are example displays in which the
`user responds to an ink message by establishing a voice call;
`and
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`FIGS. 15A and 15B are example displays in which the
`user receives a voice call and an SMS message, respectively.
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
`
`The following detailed description of the invention refers
`to the accompanying drawings that
`illustrate preferred
`embodiments consistent with the principles of this inven-
`tion. Other embodiments are possible and changes may be
`made to the embodiments without departing from the spirit
`and scope of the invention. The following detailed descrip-
`tion does not limit the invention. Instead, the scope of the
`invention is defined only by the appended claims.
`The integrated message center consistent with the prin-
`ciples of the present invention displays different types of
`received messages in a single display and permits manipu-
`lation of the messages by a user, such that the user can view,
`discard, forward, and respond to any type of message
`without the need to launch different applications.
`I. System Architecture
`FIG. 1 is a diagram of a communications network con-
`taining the integrated message center consistent with the
`principles of the present invention. The integrated message
`center is a logical entity that resides in mobile telephone
`1100 and operates in conjunction with network services
`provider 1200 to inform a user of incoming and pending
`messages, such as fax mail, e-mail, voice mail, etc. The
`integrated message center also serves as a mechanism by
`which the user can retrieve, manipulate, and reply to all
`types of messages. User manipulation of the pending mes-
`sages might
`include the ability to view, prioritize, edit,
`playback, discard, and/or forward messages.
`The user uses mobile telephone 1100 to view messages
`from callers having different types of caller equipment, such
`as ordinary telephone 1300, caller mobile telephone 1400
`which is similar to user mobile telephone 1100, facsimile
`equipment 1500, computer 1600, and Analog Display Ser-
`vices Interface (ADSI) telephone 1700. The callers leave
`different types of messages for the user, depending upon the
`type of caller equipment.
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`Network services provider 1200 stores many of the mes-
`sages awaiting retrieval by the user and notifies the user of
`the pending messages. Subscriber mobile telephone 1100
`and caller equipment 1300 through 1700 communicate with
`network services provider 1200 over a communications
`network, such as Global System for Mobile Communica-
`tions (GSM)switching fabric 1800.
`While FIG. 1 showscaller equipment 1300 through 1700
`directly connected to GSM switching fabric 1800,this is not
`typically the case. Telephone 1300, facsimile equipment
`1500, computer 1600, and ADSI telephone 1700 normally
`connect to GSM switching fabric 1800 via another type of
`network, such as a Public Switched Telephone Network
`(PSTN).
`Whena caller uses telephone 1300 to communicate with
`the user, the caller dials the telephone numbercorresponding
`to mobile telephone 1100. If the user does not answerthe call
`for a predetermined numberofrings, or upon direction of the
`user (to be described), the call routes to network services
`provider 1200 over GSM switching fabric 1800 by conven-
`tional mechanisms. Network services provider 1200 stores
`the messageleft by the caller as voice mail and sends a short
`message to mobile telephone 1100, notifying the user of the
`pending voice mail message.
`When the caller uses caller mobile telephone 1400 to
`communicate with the user, the caller may either call the
`user, as described above with regard to telephone 1300, or
`may send the user a Short Messaging Service (SMS) mes-
`sage. GSM networks typically include an SMSserver that
`provides the SMSservice. The SMSserviceis an error-free,
`guaranteed delivery transport mechanism by which callers
`can send short point-to-point messages, 1.e., SMS messages,
`through the GSM network, such as GSM switching fabric
`1800, in a GSM signaling channel, simultaneously with, or
`without, a voice or datacall.
`GSMprotocol limits the length of the standard SMStext
`message to a maximum of 140 bytes. However, GSM
`protocol permits longer messages to be formed by concat-
`enating several messages together, transparentto the caller.
`Because GSM protocol transparently performs this concat-
`enating of messages, the caller sees no restriction on mes-
`sage length.
`If the caller chooses to send the user an SMS message, the
`caller inputs the message data, and selects a destination
`corresponding to the user. GSM switching fabric 1800
`routes the message to an SMSserverthat services the area
`containing mobile telephone 1100, and the SMSserver, in
`turn, relays the message to the user.
`Whenthe caller uses facsimile equipment 1500 to send a
`fax to the user, the caller dials the fax telephone number
`corresponding to network services provider 1200. The caller
`sends the fax to network services provider 1200. Network
`services provider 1200 stores the fax and then sends a short
`message to mobile telephone 1100, notifying the user of the
`pending fax.
`Whenthe caller uses computer 1600 to send an e-mail
`message to the user, the caller enters the message into the
`computer and affixes the user’s e-mail address. The user’s
`e-mail address directs the e-mail message to network ser-
`vices provider 1200. Network services provider 1200 stores
`the e-mail message, and then sends a short message to
`mobile telephone 1100, notifying the user of the pending
`e-mail message.
`Whenthe caller uses ADSI telephone 1700 to communi-
`cate with the user,
`the caller dials the telephone number
`corresponding to mobile telephone 1100, as described above
`
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`US 6,333,973 B1
`
`5
`with regard to telephone 1300. If the user does not answer
`the call for a predetermined number of rings, or upon
`direction of the user,
`the call routes to network services
`provider 1200 over GSM switching fabric 1800 by conven-
`tional mechanisms. Network services provider 1200 stores
`the messageleft by the caller as voice mail and sends a short
`message to mobile telephone 1100, notifying the user of the
`pending voice mail message.
`Mobile telephone 1100 provides a user friendly interface
`to facilitate message retrieval, manipulation, and response
`by the user. FIG. 2 is a diagram of mobile telephone 1100,
`including main housing 2100, antenna 2200, keypad 2300,
`and display 2400.
`FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the hardware elements of
`mobile telephone 1100, including antenna 3100, communi-
`cations module 3200, feature processor 3300, memory 3400,
`sliding keypad 3500, analog controller 3600, display module
`3700, battery pack 3800, and switching power supply 3900.
`Antenna 3100 transmits and receives radio frequency
`information for mobile telephone 1100. Antenna 3100 pref-
`erably comprises a planar inverted F antenna (PIFA)-type or
`a short stub (2 to 4 cm) custom helix antenna. Antenna 3100
`communicates over GSM switching fabric 1800 using a
`conventional voice B-channel, data B-channel, or GSM
`signaling channel connection.
`Communications module 3200 connects to antenna 3100
`
`and provides the GSM radio, baseband, and audio function-
`ality for mobile telephone 1100. Communications module
`3200 includes GSM radio 3210, VEGA 3230, BOCK 3250,
`and audio transducers 3270.
`
`GSM radio 3210 converts the radio frequency information
`to/from the antenna into analog baseband information for
`presentation to VEGA 3230. VEGA 3230 is preferably a
`Texas Instruments VEGA device, containing analog-to-
`digital (A/D)/digital-to-analog (D/A) conversion units 3235.
`VEGA3230 converts the analog baseband information from
`GSMradio 3210 to digital information for presentation to
`BOCK 3250.
`
`BOCK 3250 is preferably a Texas Instruments BOCK
`device containing a conventional ARM microprocessor and
`a conventional LEAD DSP device. BOCK 3250 performs
`GSMbasebandprocessing for generating digital audio sig-
`nals and supporting GSM protocols. BOCK 3250 supplies
`the digital audio signals to VEGA 3230fordigital-to-analog
`conversion. VEGA 3230 applies the resulting analog audio
`signals to audio transducers 3270. Audio transducers 3270
`include speaker 3272 and microphone 3274 to facilitate
`audio communication by the user.
`Feature processor 3300 provides graphical user interface
`features and a Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Feature proces-
`sor 3300 communicates with BOCK 3250 using high level
`messaging over an asynchronous (UART) data link. Feature
`processor 3300 contains additional system circuitry, such as
`a liquid crystal display (LCD) controller, timers, UART and
`bus interfaces, and real time clock and system clock gen-
`erators (not shown).
`Memory 3400 stores data and program code used by
`feature processor 3300. Memory 3400 includes static RAM
`3420 and flash ROM 3440. Static RAM 3420is a volatile
`memory that stores data and other information used by
`feature processor 3300.
`Flash ROM 3440is a non-volatile memorythat stores the
`program code and directories utilized by feature processor
`3300. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the software components
`of flash ROM 3440. ROM 3440 includes graphical user
`interface (GUI) manager 4100, user applications 4200, ser-
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`vice classes 4300, Java environment 4400, real time oper-
`ating system (RTOS)utilities 4500, and device drivers 4600.
`GUI manager 4100 acts as an application and window
`manager. GUI manager 4100 oversees the user interface by
`allowing the user to select, run, and otherwise manage
`applications.
`User applications 4200 contain all the user-visible appli-
`cations and networkservice applications. User applications
`4200 preferably include a call processing application for
`processing incoming and outgoing voice calls, a message
`processing application for sending and receiving short
`messages, a directory managementapplication for managing
`database entries in the form of directories, a web browser
`application, and other various applications.
`Service classes 4300 provide a generic set of application
`programming facilities shared by user applications 4200.
`Service classes 4300 preferably include variousutilities and
`components, such as a Java telephony application interface,
`a voice and data manager, directory services, voice mail
`components,text/ink note components, e-mail components,
`fax components, network services management, and other
`miscellaneous components and utilities.
`Java environment 4400 preferably includes a JVM and the
`necessary run-timelibraries for executing applications writ-
`ten in the Java™ programming language.
`RTOSutilities 4500 provide real time tasks, low level
`interfaces, and native implementations to support Java envi-
`ronment 4400. RTOSutilities 4500 preferably include Java
`peers, such as networking peers and Java telephony peers,
`optimized engines requiring detailed real time control and
`high performance, such as recognition engines and speech
`processing, and standard utilities, such as protocol stacks,
`memory managers, and database packages.
`Device drivers 4600 provide access to the hardware
`elements of mobile telephone 1100. Device drivers 4600
`include, for example, drivers for sliding keypad 3500 and
`display module 3700.
`Returning to FIG. 3, sliding keypad 3500 enables the user
`to dial a telephone number, access remote databases and
`servers, and manipulate the graphical user interface features.
`Sliding keypad 3500 preferably includes a mylarresistive
`key matrix that generates analog resistive voltage in
`response to actions by the user. Sliding keypad 3500 pref-
`erably connects to main housing 2100 (FIG. 2) of mobile
`telephone 1100 through two mechanical “push pin”-type
`contacts.
`
`Analog controller 3600 is preferably a Phillips UCB1100
`device that acts as an interface between feature processor
`3300 and sliding keypad 3500. Analog controller 3600
`converts the analog resistive voltage from sliding keypad
`3500 to digital signals for presentation to feature processor
`3300.
`
`Display module 3700 is preferably a 160 by 320 pixel
`LCD with an analog touch screen overlay and an electrolu-
`minescent backlight. Display module 3700 operates in con-
`junction with feature processor 3300 to display the graphical
`user interface features.
`
`Battery pack 3800 is preferably a single lithium-ion
`battery with active protection circuitry. Switching power
`supply 3900 ensures highly efficient use of the lithtum-ion
`battery power by converting the voltage of the lithium-ion
`battery into stable voltages used by the other hardware
`elements of mobile telephone 1100.
`These hardware elements of mobile telephone 1100 per-
`mit the user to communicate with network services provider
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`US 6,333,973 B1
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`7
`1200 (FIG. 1) to retrieve pending messages.FIG. 5 is a block
`diagram of the elements of network services provider 1200,
`including interface 5100, transcoder and rate adapter unit
`(TRAV) 5200, SMS server 5300,
`interworking function
`(IWF) servers 5400 and 5500, voice mail server 5600, fax
`mail server 5700, e-mail server 5800, and backup 5900.
`Interface 5100 interfaces the elements of network services
`provider 1200 to GSM switching fabric 1800. TRAU 5200
`performs GSM-specific speech encoding and decoding and
`rate adaption of voice signals received from mobile tele-
`phone 1100 for transmission to a destination network, such
`as a PSTN,and vice versa. TRAU 5200 is a conventional
`hardware device that converts, for example, voice signals to
`or from 64 kb/s pulse code modulated (PCM) and 13 kb/s
`RPE-LIP signals.
`SMSserver 5300 provides the SMS service for GSM
`switching fabric 1800. SMSserver 5300 is a conventional
`hardware device that processes SMS messages. SMSserver
`5300 preferably relays SMS messages to or from mobile
`telephone 1100, and notifies the user of pending messages
`via SMSnotification messages. SMS server 5300 transmits
`SMSmessages, including notification messages, on mobile
`telephone 1100’s GSM signaling channel, whichis indepen-
`dent of mobile telephone 1100’s voice and data B-channels.
`IWFservers 5400 and 5500 convert data received from
`
`mobile telephone 1100 to a format suitable for transmission
`to a destination network. IWF servers 5400 and 5500 are
`
`conventional hardware devices that provide an interface
`between dissimilar networks.
`IWFserver 5400 connects to interface 5100. When the
`
`user exchanges data with a terminal in a PSTN,for example,
`IWFserver 5400 provides a digital interface for transmis-
`sion toward mobile telephone 1100 and a modem interface
`for transmission toward the PSTN. IWF server 5400 pref-
`erably handles conversions to or from transmission control
`protocol (TCP) and Internet protocol (IP). IWF server 5500
`operates similar to IWF server 5400. IWF server 5500,
`however, connects to interface 5100 through TRAU 5200
`and processes mainly voice data.
`Voice mail server 5600 processes and stores voice mes-
`sages for the user. When a caller leaves a voice message,
`voice mail server 5600 stores the message at a location
`corresponding to the user and informs SMSserver 5300 of
`the pending message. Voice mail server 5600 also notifies
`SMSserver 5300 of the identity and telephone numberofthe
`caller which voice mail server 5600 obtains from the caller’s
`
`telephone signal or from a local database. Voice mail server
`5600 might makethis notification via a direct connection to
`SMSserver 5300 (not shown), or might alternatively, make
`the notification via a modem connection.
`
`In response to the notification from voice mail server
`5600, SMS server 5300 formulates an SMS voice mail
`notification message to notify the user of the voice mail
`message. The voice mail notification message might include
`the caller’s name and telephone number, a time and date
`stamp, and the name and address of voice mail server 5600.
`Fax mail server 5700 processes and stores fax mail
`messages for the user. Whena caller sends a fax, or fax mail
`message, to network services provider 1200 for the user, fax
`mail server 5700 stores the fax at a location corresponding
`to the user and again informs SMS server 5300 of the
`pending message and the identity and telephone number of
`the caller. SMS server 5300 formulates an SMS fax notifi-
`
`cation message to notify the user of the fax. The fax
`notification message might include the sender’s name and
`telephone and/or fax number, a time and date stamp, and the
`name and address of fax mail server 5700.
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`Similarly, e-mail server 5800 processes and stores e-mail
`messages, an