Quick-recognition visual notification system for use in radiotelephones

A telephone programmable to visually indicate the category of an incoming telephone call comprising:

• a) a housing structure;
• b) color-coded indicia formed in the housing structure for emitting a series of different color-coded signals;
• c) a programmable microprocessor and associated memory with the programmable microprocessor being programmed to include a series of incoming call categories and an array of incoming telephone numbers with each incoming telephone number being linked to a specific category such that the microprocessor and associated memory is operative to categorize incoming telephone calls;
• and
• d) means for detecting an incoming telephone number that corresponds to a programmed telephone number and associating that incoming telephone number with an incoming call category and directing an actuating signal corresponding to that category to the color-coded indicia so as to cause a color code to be emitted from the telephone that identifies the category of the incoming telephone call.

A method of visually indicating on a telephone categories of incoming calls comprising the steps of:

• a) programming a series of distinct incoming call categories into a microprocessor associated with the telephone;
• b) programming an array of incoming telephone numbers into the microprocessor and linking certain incoming telephone numbers with certain categories;
• c) storing the program categories and incoming telephone numbers in a memory associated with the microprocessor;
• d) assigning a specific color code to each category;
• e) for each incoming call, scanning the memory to determine if the phone number of the incoming call is stored in memory;
• f) when the incoming phone number is stored in memory, determining the category link with the incoming phone number;
• and
• g) directing a signal representative of the identified category to a color-coded indicia formed on the telephone and actuating the color-coded indicia so as to emit a color code that specifically identifies the category of the incoming call.

A cellular telephone having a quick recognition visual notification system, comprising:

• a) a housing structure;
• b) a color-coded indicia formed in the telephone for emitting color-coded signals;
• c) a programmable microprocessor and an associated memory for receiving programmed identification data and storing the same therein;
• d) wherein the programmable microprocessor and associated memory are programmed to include a series of incoming call categories and an array of incoming telephone numbers with each incoming telephone number being linked to a specific incoming call category such that the microprocessor and associated memory are operative to identify the incoming call category corresponding to each incoming telephone call;
• and
• e) wherein the microprocessor and associated memory are linked with the color coded indicia such that the color coded indicia upon actuation emits a color coded signal that is representative of the programmed identification data identified by the microprocessor, such that the color coded indicia emits a particular color coded signal that in-turn specifically identifies the category of the incoming call.