Cordless telephone with MP3 player capability

• US 20050054379A1
• Filed: 10/07/2004
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bell Northern Research, LLC (Hilco Inc. (d/b/a Hilco Global))
• Original Assignee: Agere Systems Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Luo, Wenzhe, Wu, Jian, Jin, Liang, Ma, Zhigang, Cao, Qinghong
• Granted Patent: US 7,702,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72502 with one base station connected to a single line

Abstract

A cordless telephone which allows a user to play MP3 digital audio bit stream music, a video game, either alone or with a user of another cordless telephone, using the remote handset of a cordless telephone to control the functions of the MP3 player. The cordless telephone remains usable as a typical cordless telephone with all the features and conveniences of a cordless telephone including, but not limited to, connection of a telephone call between a calling party and a called party, caller ID information, voice messaging features, etc. MP3 digital audio bit stream music may be downloaded from a remote source through, e.g., the Internet and a PC.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. A method of integrating an MPEG audio a player in a cordless telephone, comprising:

connecting a base unit of said cordless telephone to a public switched telephone network (PSTN);

switching a remote handset of said cordless telephone from performing as a telephony device to performing as an MPEG audio player; and

playing MP3 music from said remote handset of a cordless telephone.

7. The method of integrating an MPEG audio player in a cordless telephone according to claim 6, wherein:

said MP3 music is pre-loaded before said step of playing.

8. The method of integrating an MPEG audio player in a cordless telephone according to claim 7, wherein:

said MP3 music is played substantially real-time as it is received by said cordless telephone.

11. The method of integrating an MPEG audio player in a cordless telephone according to claim 6, further comprising:

downloading digital bit stream music comprised in an MPEG format to said remote handset directly from a remote bit stream audio source.

12. The method of integrating an MPEG audio player in a cordless telephone according to claim 11, further comprising:

storing said downloaded digital bit stream music comprised in an MPEG format in a base unit of said cordless telephone.

13. The method of integrating an MPEG audio player in a cordless telephone according to claim 11, further comprising:

storing said downloaded digital bit stream music comprised in an MPEG format in said remote handset of said cordless telephone.

17. The method of integrating an MPEG audio player in a cordless telephone according to claim 11, wherein:

said MPEG format is an MP3 format.

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

18. Apparatus for integrating an MPEG audio player in a cordless telephone, comprising:

means for playing pre-loaded MP3 music from a remote handset of a cordless telephone;

means for switching a remote handset of said cordless telephone from performing as a telephony device to performing as an MPEG audio player; and

means for connecting a base unit of said cordless telephone to a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

21. The apparatus for integrating an MPEG audio player in a cordless telephone according to claim 18, further comprising:

means for downloading digital bit stream music comprised in an MPEG format to said remote handset directly from a remote bit stream audio source.

22. The apparatus for integrating an MPEG audio player in a cordless telephone according to claim 21, further comprising:

means for storing said downloaded digital bit stream music comprised in an MPEG format in a base unit of said cordless telephone.

23. The apparatus for integrating an MPEG audio player in a cordless telephone according to claim 21, further comprising:

means for storing said downloaded digital bit stream music comprised in an MPEG format in said remote handset of said cordless telephone.

27. The apparatus for integrating an MPEG audio player in a cordless telephone according to claim 21, wherein:

said MPEG format is an MP3 format.

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

30. A wireless device, comprising:

a wireless handset;

a base station connected to a wired local area network (WLAN);

an MPEG audio player integrated within at least one of said wireless telephone and said base station;

wherein said wireless telephone can switch between performing as a telephony device and performing as said MPEG audio player.

31. The wireless device according to claim 30, wherein:

said MPEG audio player is integrated within said wireless telephone.

32. The wireless device according to claim 30, wherein:

said MPEG audio player is an MP3 player.

33. The wireless device according to claim 31, wherein:

said MPEG audio player is an MP3 player.

34. The wireless device according to claim 30, wherein:

said switch is initiated upon activation of a button on said wireless telephone.

35. A method of integrating an MPEG audio player in a wireless telephone, comprising:

connecting a radio access point of said wireless telephone to a public switched telephone network (PSTN);

switching said wireless telephone from performing as a telephony device to performing as an MPEG audio player;

pre-loading MP3 music into said wireless telephone;

playing said MP3 music from said wireless telephone; and

muting said playing of said MP3 music when said wireless telephone is active in a current telephone call.

36. The method of integrating an MPEG audio player in a wireless telephone according to claim 35, wherein:

said muting pauses said playing of said MP3 music.

37. A method of integrating an MPEG audio player in a wireless telephone, comprising:

connecting a radio access point of said wireless telephone to a public switched telephone network (PSTN);

switching said wireless telephone from performing as a telephony device to performing as an MPEG audio player;

pre-loading MP3 music into said wireless telephone;

playing said MP3 music from said wireless telephone;

downloading digital bit stream music comprised in an MPEG format to said wireless telephone directly from a remote bit stream audio source; and

storing said downloaded digital bit stream music comprised in an MPEG format in Flash memory in said wireless telephone.

38. A method of integrating an MPEG audio player in a wireless telephone, comprising:

connecting a radio access point of said wireless telephone to a public switched telephone network (PSTN);

switching said wireless telephone from performing as a telephony device to performing as an MPEG audio player;

pre-loading MP3 music into said wireless telephone;

playing said MP3 music from said wireless telephone; and

downloading digital bit stream music comprised in an MPEG format to said wireless telephone directly from a remote bit stream audio source;

wherein said remote bit stream audio source is accessible by said wireless telephone via an Internet.

39. Apparatus for integrating an MPEG audio player in a wireless telephone, comprising:

means for playing pre-loaded MP3 music from a wireless telephone;

means for switching said wireless telephone from performing as a telephony device to performing as an MPEG audio player;

means for connecting a radio access point of said wireless telephone to a public switched telephone network (PSTN); and

means for muting said playing of said pre-loaded MP3 music when said wireless telephone is active in a current telephone call.

40. The apparatus for integrating an MPEG audio player in a cordless telephone according to claim 39, wherein:

said means for muting pauses said playing of said pre-loaded MP3 music.

41. Apparatus for integrating an MPEG audio player in a wireless telephone, comprising:

means for playing pre-loaded MP3 music from a wireless telephone;

means for switching said wireless telephone from performing as a telephony device to performing as an MPEG audio player;

means for connecting a radio access point of said wireless telephone to a public switched telephone network (PSTN);

means for downloading digital bit stream music comprised in an MPEG format to said wireless telephone directly from a remote bit stream audio source; and

means for storing said downloaded digital bit stream music comprised in an MPEG format in Flash memory in said wireless telephone.

42. Apparatus for integrating an MPEG audio player in a wireless telephone, comprising:

means for playing pre-loaded MP3 music from a wireless telephone;

means for switching said wireless telephone from performing as a telephony device to performing as an MPEG audio player;

means for connecting a radio access point of said wireless telephone to a public switched telephone network (PSTN); and

means for downloading digital bit stream music comprised in an MPEG format to said wireless telephone directly from a remote bit stream audio source;

wherein said remote bit stream audio source is accessible by said wireless telephone via an Internet.

43. Apparatus for integrating an MPEG audio player in a wireless telephone, comprising:

means for playing pre-loaded MP3 music from a wireless telephone;

means for switching said wireless telephone from performing as a telephony device to performing as an MPEG audio player;

means for connecting a radio access point of said wireless telephone to a public switched telephone network (PSTN);

means for downloading digital bit stream music comprised in an MPEG format to said wireless telephone directly from a remote bit stream audio source; and

means for decompressing MPEG formatted music into digital music samples for digital to analog output.