Electronic mail system with RF communications to mobile processors and ...

United States Patent m

Campana, Jr. et al.

[54] ELECTRONIC MAIL SYSTEM WITH RF
COMMUNICATIONS TO MOBILE
PROCESSORS AND METHOD OF
OPERATION THEREOF

[76] Inventors: Thomas J. Campana, Jr., 3836 W.

86th St., Chicago, 111. 60652; Michael P. Ponschke, 212 Tara Dr., Lockport, 111. 60441; Gary F. Thelen, 16 Fox La., Palos Park, III. 60464

[21] Appl. No.: 702,939

[22] Filed: May 20, 1991

[51] Int. Cl.« H04M 11/00

[52] U.S. CI 379/58; 379/93

[58] Field of Search 379/58, 67, 88, 93,

379/96,97,98, 57; 364/222.2, 222.3, 284,284.3,

284.4, 919.2

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

4,644,351 2/1987 Zabarsky et al 379/57 X

4,768,087 8/1988 Taub et al 455/2 X

4,821,308 4/1989 Hashimoto 379/57

4,825,546 4/1989 Rosenberg 379/57

4,837,797 6/1989 Freeny, Jr 379/96

4,845,658 7/1989 Gifford 364/919.2 X

4,875,039 10/1989 Andros et al 379/57 X

4,882,744 11/1989 Hashimoto 379/57

4,942,598 7/1990 Davis 379/57

4,961,216 10/1990 Baehr et al 379/57

5,128,981 7/1992 Tsukamoto et al 379/58

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

63-209263 12/1988 Japan .
1125049 5/1989 Japan .

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

"X,400 Breeds Third Generation E-Mail Systems",
Morris, J., TPT Mar. 1989, vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 34-37.
"Data Communications on Cellular—The Office of
Tomorrow in Your Car Today", What Telepohone &
Comm. News, Oct. 1985, No. 14, pp. 28-31.
"Cellular Radio", Computer Law & Security Report,
Jan. 1986, vol. 1, No. 5, pp. 18-19.

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US005436960A

[ii] Patent Number: 5,436,960 [45] Date of Patent: Jul. 25, 1995

"More Power to the Pager", Today's Office (Jul. 1987), No. 7, pp. 16-17.

"Get Me Memphis Tennessee (Cellular Communications)", Micro Decision, May 1989, No. 95, pp. 50-54. "Tele-laptop: Mobility as deciding competition feature (radio telephone & comp.)", Funkschaw, Dec. 1989, No. 26, pp. 35-36, 39.

"Electronic Mail Radio Pulse Shaper . . . ", Revue Polytechnique, Dec. 1989, No. 12, pp. 1508-1510. "Message Link", appearing in British Telecommunications Engineering, vol. 4, Jan. 1986, p. 202. "Mobile Data Report"publication, vol. 3, No. 15, Apr. 22, 1991, pp. 1-12.

Primary Examiner—Dwayne D. Bost

Assistant Examiner—G. J. Dehling

Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Antonelli, Terry, Stout &

Kraus

[57] ABSTRACT

A system for transmitting originated information from one of a plurality of originating processors in an electronic mail system to at least one of a plurality of destination processors in the electronic mail system in accordance with the invention includes a RF information transmission network for transmitting the originated information to at least one RF receiver which transfers the originated information to the at least one of the plurality of destination processors, at least one interface switch, one of the at least one interface switch connecting the electronic mail system to the RF transmission network and transmitting originated information received from the electronic mail system to the RF information transmission network. The originated information is transmitted to a receiving interface switch by the electronic mail system in response to an address of the receiving interface switch and the originated information is transmitted from the receiving interface switch to the RF information transmission network with an address of the destination processor to receive the information. The electronic mail system transmits other originated information within the electronic mail system through a telephone network.

89 Claims, 12 Drawing Sheets