Plain ordinary telephone line and local area network connections for mobile phones

• US 20020106994A1
• Filed: 02/02/2001
• Published: 08/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Payne, David M., Killingsworth, Thomas A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,909,908 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/74.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A mobile phone handset has incorporated connectors and/or circuitries to connect to plain ordinary telephone (POT) lines, various computing devices and/or a local area network (LAN). The POT line connection, e.g., a RJ-11 type connector, and the relevant circuitries allow a user of the mobile phone handset to utilize many convenience enhancement features of the mobile phone handset while at the same time taking advantage of the cheaper rate in making a telephone call over the POT line. In addition, the LAN connections and the connections to other computing devices allow the user to access the Internet (e.g., the e-mail network and/or the world-wide-web (WWW)) at a cheaper rate than the wireless access to the Internet, and may provide a better user interface.

Claims

1. A mobile phone handset, comprising:

a connector configured to connect said mobile phone handset to at least one of a plain ordinary telephone line, a local area network and one or more computing devices.

2. The mobile phone handset according to claim 1, further comprising:

a network controller configured to allow said mobile phone handset to communicate with said local area network.

3. The mobile phone handset according to claim 2, further comprising:

a processor control subsection configured to control operations of said mobile phone handset; and

a line detector configured to send said processor control subsection a local area network present signal if said connector is connected to said local area network.

4. The mobile phone handset according to claim 3, wherein:

said processor control subsection is configured to allow a user of said mobile phone handset to access said local area network through a user interface of said mobile phone handset.

5. The mobile phone handset according to claim 1, further comprising:

a network controller configured to allow said mobile phone handset to communicate with said one or more computing devices, each of said one or more computing devices having a device network controller configured to communicate with said network controller using a network communication protocol.

6. The mobile phone handset according to claim 5, further comprising:

a processor control subsection configured to control operations of said mobile phone handset; and

a line detector configured to send said processor control subsection a local area network present signal if said connector is connected to said one or more computing devices.

7. The mobile phone handset according to claim 6, wherein:

said processor control subsection is configured to allow a user of said mobile phone handset to access a wide area network through a user interface of said one or more computing devices if said connector is connected to said one or more computing devices.

8. The mobile phone handset according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plain ordinary telephone transmitter receiver circuitry configured to send and receive telephone call signals to and from said plain ordinary telephone line.

9. The mobile phone handset according to claim 8, further comprising:

a processor control subsection configured to control operations of said mobile phone handset; and

a line detector configured to send said processor control subsection a plain ordinary telephone line present signal if said connector is connected to said plain ordinary telephone line.

10. The mobile phone handset according to claim 9, wherein:

said processor control subsection is configured to, upon receiving said plain ordinary telephone line present signal, allow a user of said mobile phone handset to place a call through said plain ordinary telephone line.

11. The mobile phone handset according to claim 10, further comprising:

a memory having stored therein a telephone number directory; and

a user interface having a display screen configured to display one or more records of said telephone number directory;

wherein said processor control subsection configured to allow said user of said mobile phone handset to dial a called party corresponding to said displayed one or more record without manually entering a telephone number of said called party.

12. The mobile phone handset according to claim 9, wherein:

said processor control subsection is configured to allow a user of said mobile phone handset to receive a call through said plain ordinary telephone line, and to display a caller identification information said user.

13. The mobile phone handset according to claim 1, further comprising:

a modem configured to communicate with said one or more computing device through said plain ordinary telephone line; and

a line detector configured to send said processor control subsection a plain ordinary telephone line present signal if said connector is connected to said one or more computing device.

14. The mobile phone handset according to claim 13, wherein:

said processor control subsection is configured to allow a user of said mobile phone handset to access a wide area network through a user interface of said one or more computing devices if said connector is connected to said one or more computing devices.

16. The method of mobile communication in accordance with claim 15, further comprising:

detecting whether said connector is connected to said local area network; and

allowing said user to access said local area network through a user interface of said mobile phone handset if said connector is connected to said local area network.

17. The method of mobile communication in accordance with claim 16, further comprising:

detecting whether said connector is connected to said one or more computing devices; and

allowing said user to access a wide area network through a user interface of said one or more computing devices if said connector is connected to said one or more computing devices.

18. The method of mobile communication in accordance with claim 17, further comprising:

detecting whether said connector is connected to said plain ordinary telephone line; and

allowing said user to place a call through said plain ordinary telephone line if said connector is connected to said plain ordinary telephone line.

19. The method of mobile communication in accordance with claim 18, further comprising:

providing a memory configured to store a telephone number directory;

providing a user interface having a display screen configured to display one or more records of said telephone number directory; and

allowing said user to dial a called party corresponding to said displayed one or more record without manually entering a telephone number of said called party.

20. The method of mobile communication in accordance with claim 17, further comprising:

allowing said user to receive a call through said plain ordinary telephone line; and

displaying a caller identification information to said user.

15. A method of mobile communication, comprising:

providing a mobile phone handset having a connector configured to connect said mobile phone handset to at least one of a plain ordinary telephone line, a local area network and one or more computing devices; and

allowing a user to operate said mobile phone handset utilizing at least one of connected ones of said at least one of a plain ordinary telephone line, a local area network and one or more computing devices.