Method and apparatus for automatic telephone dialing from a pager message

A portable personal communication device for receiving messages over a radio air link, the received messages including a numeric sequence representing a telephone number which can be dialed by the portable communication device to initiate a telephone call, the portable personal communication device comprising:

• a radio receiver to receive messages over a radio air link;
• a processor coupled to the radio receiver, the processor to control the functionality of the portable personal communication device and to process the received messages and to allow a user to select a numeric sequence as a telephone number within a received message;
• a display device coupled to the processor to display a received message and a user directable cursor to select a numeric sequence as a telephone number within a received message;
• an input device coupled to the processor, the input device to receive user inputs directing the user directable cursor over the numeric sequence displayed by the display device to select a telephone number within a received message and to communicate to the processor received user inputs, including the selection of a numeric sequence as a telephone number within a received message;
• a DTMF generator, the DTMF generator to generate a sequence of DTMF signals in response to the selection of a numeric sequence associated with a telephone number within a received message;
• and
• a loudspeaker coupled to the DTMF generator, the loudspeaker to receive a generated sequence of DTMF signals from the DTMF generator and to generate a sequence of audible tones in response thereto, the generated sequence of audible tones for coupling into a microphone of a telephone to initiate a telephone call.

A personal communication device for receiving messages over a radio air link, the messages including a numeric sequence representing a telephone number which can be dialed to call a sender of a received message, the personal communication device comprising:

• a receiver for receiving messages over a radio air link;
• a processor coupled to the receiver, the processor to control the personal communication device and to process received messages and allow a user to select a numeric sequence associated with a telephone number within a received message;
• a display device coupled to the processor to display a received message and a user directable cursor to select a telephone number within a received message, the display device further displays user selectable icons, the user selectable icons being associated with operational procedures or a sequence of DTMF signals for instructing the processor to identify a telephone number within a displayed received message, wherein one of the user selectable icons displayed on the display device selects a particular carrier for use in placing a call to a selected telephone number using a user's credit card number and the processor generates DTMF signals to select the particular carrier and represent the user's credit card number and the selected telephone number;
• an input device coupled to the processor, the input device to receive user inputs to direct the user directable cursor to select a telephone number within a received message and to communicate received user inputs to the processor, including the selection of a telephone number within a received message;
• a DTMF generator, the DTMF generator to generate a sequence of DTMF signals in response to the selection of a numeric sequence associated with a telephone number within a received message;
• and
• a speaker coupled to the DTMF generator, the speaker to receive a generated sequence of DTMF signals from the DTMF generator and generate a sequence of audible tones in response thereto, the generated sequence of audible tones for coupling into a microphone of a telephone.

A portable personal communication device for receiving messages over a radio air link, the messages including a numeric sequence representing a telephone number which can be dialed by the portable personal communication device to initiate a telephone call, the portable personal communication device comprising:

• a radio receiver to receive messages over a radio air link;
• a processor coupled to the radio receiver, the processor to control operation of the portable personal communication device and to process received messages and to allow a user to select a numeric sequence as a telephone number within a received message;
• a speech synthesis output device coupled to the processor to audibly communicate information to a user using audible speech to enable a user to select a telephone number within a received message;
• a speech recognizer input device coupled to the processor, the speech recognizer input device to receive and recognize audible speech user inputs including audible speech commands to select a numeric sequence as a telephone number within a received message and to communicate to the processor received user inputs, including the selection of numeric sequence as a telephone number within a received message;
• a DTMF generator, the DTMF generator to generate a sequence of DTMF signals in response to the selection of a numeric sequence as a telephone number within a received message;
• and
• a loudspeaker coupled to the DTMF generator, the loudspeaker to receive a generated sequence of DTMF signals from the DTMF generator and to generate a sequence of audible tonal sounds in response thereto, the generated sequence of audible tonal sounds for coupling into a microphone of a telephone to initiate a telephone call.

A method of automatic acoustical dialing of a telephone number for coupling into a telephone to dial a telephone number, the method comprising:

• a) providing a portable personal communication device for receiving messages over a radio air link, the portable personal communication device including,
• a radio receiver to receive messages over a radio air link,
• a processor coupled to the radio receiver, the processor to automatically parse a received message to automatically identify a numeric sequence as a a telephone number,
• a DTMF generator, the DTMF generator to generate a sequence of DTMF signals in response to the processor automatically identifying a numeric sequence as a telephone number within a received message, and
• a loudspeaker coupled to the DTMF generator, the loudspeaker to receive a generated sequence of DTMF signals from the DTMF generator and generate a sequence of audible tonal sounds in response thereto, the generated sequence of audible tonal sounds including audible tonal sounds to dial a telephone number into a microphone of a telephone to initiate a telephone call;
• b) receiving a message in the portable personal communication device;
• c) automatically parsing a received message in the processor to automatically identify a numeric sequence as a telephone number in the received message;
• d) generating DTMF signals in the DTMF generator in response to the automatic parsing of the received message identifying a numeric sequence as a telephone number;
• and
• e) generating audible tonal sounds in response to the generated DTMF signals, the audible tonal sounds for acoustical coupling to a microphone to dial a telephone number in order to initiate a telephone call.

A method of automatic acoustical dialing of a telephone number for coupling into a telephone to dial a telephone number, the method comprising:

• a) providing a portable personal communication device for receiving messages over a radio air link, the portable personal communication device including,
• a radio receiver to receive messages over a radio air link;
• a processor coupled to the radio receiver, the processor to control the functionality of the portable personal communication device and to process received messages and to allow a user to select a numeric sequence as a telephone number within a received message;
• a display device coupled to the processor to display a received message and a user directable cursor to select a numeric sequence as a telephone number within a received message;
• an input device coupled to the processor, the input device to receive user inputs directing the user directable cursor over the numeric sequence displayed on the display device to select a telephone number within a received message and to communicate to the processor received user inputs, including the selection of a numeric sequence as a telephone number within a received message;
• a DTMF generator, the DTMF generator to generate a sequence of DTMF signals in response to the selection of a numeric sequence associated with a telephone number within a received message;
• and
• a loudspeaker coupled to the DTMF generator, the loudspeaker to receive a generated sequence of DTMF signals from the DTMF generator and generate a sequence of audible tonal sounds in response thereto, the generated sequence of audible tonal sounds for coupling into a microphone of a telephone to initiate a telephone call;
• b) receiving a message in the portable personal communication device;
• c) moving the user directable cursor by use of the input device to select a numeric sequence associated with a telephone number within the received message displayed on the display;
• d) generating DTMF signals in the DTMF generator in response to the selection of the numeric sequence in the received message;
• and
• e) generating audible tonal sounds for coupling to a microphone in response to the generated DTMF signals.