Importance

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for initiating a telecommunications call. A plurality of beacons (102) are geographically disposed in a telecommunications system (100). Each beacon (102n) radiates an electromagnetic carrier that is modulated with an identifying address (e.g., a telephone number, an Internet address) for an associated terminal. An identifying signal is stored in a memory (206). A controller (208) modulates a carrier with the identifying signal and a transmission element (210) transmits the carrier to allow a communications terminal (104) to initiate a call to the associated communications terminal (114, 116). A wireless terminal (104a) includes a directional receiver (204). To initiate a call, a user points directional receiver (204) at a beacon. The directional receiver (204) receives the electromagnetic carrier and the wireless terminal recovers the identifying address. Wireless terminal (104) then uses the identifying address to initiates a call, in well-known fashion, to the communications terminal associated with the identifying address.

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First Claim