Signaling the type of incoming telephone calls

A cellular telephone capable of receiving calls from an analog cellular system and from a digital cellular system, the cellular telephone having a programmable processing system, the programmable processing system being programmed to perform the functions of:

• receiving an incoming call to the cellular telephone by monitoring incoming signals of said incoming call to detect an indication of a call type by detecting one of an incoming control channel or incoming data packet header, determining whether the incoming call is an analog call or a digital call, in the case of an analog call, monitoring incoming signals of said incoming call to detect an incoming control channel prior to accepting the call, and in the case of a digital call, monitoring incoming signals of said incoming call to detect an incoming data packet header prior to accepting the call;
• if the call is from the analog cellular system, then activating a first indicator to signal to a user receipt of an analog call;
• if the call is from the digital cellular system, then determining if the call is a voice or a data call;
• if the call from the digital cellular system is determined to be a voice call, then activating a second indicator to signal to a user receipt of a digital voice call;
• and
• if the call from the digital cellular system is determined to be a data call, then activating a third indicator to signal to a user receipt of a digital data call.

A computer program, for use in a cellular telephone capable of receiving calls from an analog cellular system and from a digital cellular system, the cellular telephone having a programmable processing system, for configuring and operating the programmable processing system to perform the functions of:

• receiving an incoming call to the cellular telephone, wherein each message includes information indicating the source of said message;
• monitoring incoming signals of said incoming call to detect an indication of a call type by detecting one of an incoming control channel or incoming data packet header;
• if the call is from the analog cellular system, then activating a first indicator to signal to a user receipt of an analog call;
• if the call is from the digital cellular system, then activating a second indicator to signal to a user receipt of a digital call;
• and
• if the cellular telephone is in a message screening mode, determining from the source information of a received data message that the data message is to be displayed.

A computer program, for use in a cellular telephone capable of receiving calls from an analog cellular system and from a digital cellular system, the cellular telephone having a programmable processing system, for configuring and operating the programmable processing system to perform the functions of:

• receiving an incoming call to the cellular telephone by monitoring incoming signals of said incoming call to detect an indication of a call type by detecting one of an incoming control channel or incoming data packet header determining whether the incoming call is an analog call or a digital call, in the case of an analog call, monitoring incoming signals of said incoming call to detect an incoming control channel prior to accepting the call, and in the case of a digital call, monitoring incoming signals of said incoming call to detect an incoming data packet header prior to accepting the call;
• if the call is from the analog cellular system, then activating a first indicator to signal to a user receipt of an analog call;
• if the call is from the digital cellular system, then determining if the call is a voice or a data call;
• if the call from the digital cellular system is determined to be a voice call, then activating a second indicator to signal to a user receipt of a digital voice call;
• if the call from the digital cellular system is determined to be a data call, then activating a third indicator to signal to a user receipt of a digital data call, wherein each data message includes information indicating the source of such message;
• and
• if the cellular telephone is in a message screening mode, determining from the source information of the received message that the data message is to be displayed.

In a cellular telephone capable of receiving calls from an analog cellular system and from a digital cellular system, a method including:

• receiving an incoming call to the cellular telephone, wherein each message includes information indicating the source of such message;
• monitoring incoming signals of said incoming call to detect an indication of a call type by detecting one of an incoming control channel or incoming data packet header;
• if the call is from the analog cellular system, then activating a first indicator to signal to a user receipt of an analog call;
• if the call is from the digital cellular system, then activating a second indicator to signal to a user receipt of a digital call;
• and
• if the cellular telephone is in a message screening mode, determining from the source information of the received message that a message is to be provided.

In a cellular telephone capable of receiving calls from an analog cellular system and from a digital system, a method for distinctively signaling a call type, comprising:

• receiving a call by monitoring incoming signals of said incoming call to detect an indication of a call type by detecting one of an incoming control channel or incoming data packet header, determining whether the incoming call is an analog call or a digital call, in the case of an analog call, monitoring incoming signals of said incoming call to detect an incoming control channel prior to accepting the call, and in the case of a digital call, monitoring incoming signals of said incoming call to detect an incoming data packet header prior to accepting the call;
• if the call is from the analog cellular system, then activating a first indicator to signal to a user receipt of an analog call;
• if the call is from the digital cellular system, then determining if the call is a voice or a data call;
• if the call from the digital cellular system is determined to be a voice call, then activating a second indicator to signal to a user receipt of a digital voice call;
• if the call from the digital cellular system is determined to be a data call, then activating a third indicator to signal to a user receipt of a digital data call, wherein each data message includes information indicating the source of such message;
• and
• if the cellular telephone is in a message screening mode, determining from the source information of the received message that the message is to be displayed.

A cellular telephone capable of receiving calls from an analog cellular system and from a digital cellular system, the cellular telephone having a programmable processing system, the programmable processing system being programmed for:

• receiving an incoming call to the cellular telephone;
• monitoring incoming signals of said incoming call to detect an indication of a call type by detecting one of an incoming control channel or incoming data packet header;
• if the call is from the analog cellular system, then activating a first indicator to signal to a user receipt of an analog call;
• if the call is from the digital cellular system, then activating a second indicator to signal to a user receipt of a digital call;
• if the cellular telephone is in a secret message mode, storing the data message within the cellular telephone and indicating receipt of the data message without displaying the data message on the display;
• accepting user input on the keyboard of an authorization code authorizing display of the data message;
• and
• displaying the data message on the display if the authorization code is valid.

A cellular telephone capable of receiving calls from an analog cellular system and from a digital cellular system, the cellular telephone having a programmable processing system for:

• receiving a call by monitoring incoming signals of said incoming call to detect an indication of a call type by detecting one of an incoming control channel or incoming data packet header, determining whether the incoming call is an analog call or a digital call in the case of an analog call, monitoring incoming signals of said incoming call to detect an incoming control channel prior to accepting the call and in the case of a digital call, monitoring incoming signals of said incoming call to detect an incoming data packet header prior to accepting the call;
• if the call is from the analog cellular system, then activating a first indicator to signal to a user receipt of an analog call;
• if the call is from the digital cellular system, then determining if the call is a voice of data call;
• if the call from the digital cellular system is determined to be a voice call, then activating a second indicator to signal to a user receipt of a digital voice call;
• if the call from the digital cellular system is determined to be a data call, then activating a third indicator to signal to a user receipt of a digital data call;
• if the cellular telephone is in a secret message mode, storing the data message within the cellular telephone and indicating receipt of the data message without displaying the data message on the display;
• accepting user input on the keyboard of an authorization code authorizing display of the data message;
• and
• displaying the data message on the display if the authorization code is valid.

A computer program, for use in a telephone capable of receiving calls from an analog system and from a digital system, the telephone having a programmable processing system, for configuring and operating the programmable processing system to perform the functions of:

• receiving an incoming call to the telephone:
• monitoring incoming signals of said incoming call to detect an indication of a call type by detecting one of an incoming control channel or incoming data packet header;
• if the call is from the analog system, then activating a first indicator to signal to a user receipt of an analog call;
• if the call is from the digital system, then activating a second indicator to signal to a user receipt of a digital call;
• if the cellular telephone is in a secret message mode, storing the data message within the cellular telephone and indicating receipt of the data message without displaying the data message on the display;
• accepting user input on the keyboard of an authorization code authorizing display of the data message;
• and
• displaying the data message on the display if the authorization code is valid.

A computer program, for use in a cellular telephone capable of receiving calls from an analog cellular system and from a digital cellular system, the cellular telephone having a programmable processing system for:

• receiving an incoming call by monitoring incoming signals of said incoming call to detect an indication of a call type by detecting one of an incoming control channel or incoming data packet header, determining whether the incoming call is an analog call or a digital call, in the case of an analog call, monitoring incoming signals of said incoming call to detect an incoming control channel prior to accepting the call, and in the case of a digital call, monitoring incoming signals of said incoming call to detect an incoming data packet header prior to accepting the call;
• if the call is from the analog cellular system, then activating a first indicator to signal to a user receipt of an analog call;
• if the call is from the digital cellular system, then determining if the call is a voice or a data call;
• if the call from the digital cellular system is determined to be a voice call, then activating a second indicator to signal to a user receipt of a digital voice call;
• if the call from the digital cellular system is determined to be a data call, then activating a third indicator to signal to a user receipt of a digital data call;
• if the cellular telephone is in a secret message mode, storing the data message within the cellular telephone and indicating receipt of the data message without displaying the data message on the display;
• accepting user input on the keyboard of an authorization code authorizing display of the data message;
• and
• displaying the data message on the display if the authorization code is valid.