Base Unit for Communicating with a Cellular Telephone

• US 20080051146A1
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tomotu Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tomotu Incorporated
• Inventors: Aslanian, Berge
• Application Number:
  US11/830,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20080051146A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a telecommunication system to be used with a cellular telephone network at a fixed location, including a portable cellular handset, a base unit having a recess for the portable cellular handset, a processor included in the base unit for processing information from the portable cellular handset, a display for displaying information processed by the processor, and controls for manipulating the information from the portable cellular handset. Also disclosed is a method of managing cellular telephone information associated with a particular cellular subscription, and wherein the cellular telephone information is downloaded from the portable cellular handset to the base unit.

Claims

1. A telecommunication system, comprising:

a base unit having a receptacle configured to receive and establish an electrical connection with a wireless telephone;

a processor included in the base unit for accessing and processing call information from the wireless telephone;

a display for displaying information processed by the processor and based on the call information; and

controls on the base unit configured to receive at least one parameter used by the processor to process the call information.

2. The telecommunication system of claim 1, further comprising a communication port configured to establish a wired communication link between a landline telephone and the wireless telephone.

3. The telecommunication system of claim 1, further comprising an antenna port configured to couple the wireless telephone to a remote antenna.

4. The telecommunication system of claim 1, further comprising a memory module configured to store information input via the controls.

5. The telecommunication system of claim 1, further comprising a second receptacle configured to receive a cordless telephone.

6. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the wireless telephone comprises a cellular telephone.

7. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to access call information from the wireless telephone, the call information comprising at least one of a call time, a call date, or a call duration.

8. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the controls comprise a keypad.

9. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the controls are configured to permit modification of information stored within the wireless telephone.

10. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter comprises parameters for categorizing the call information.

11. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter comprises parameters defining a time period, and wherein the processor determines a duration of calls within the time period.

12. The telecommunication system of claim 11, wherein the time period comprises at least one of a billing month, a prime time period, or a non-prime time period.

13. A method of managing cellular telephone information in a telecommunication system, the method comprising:

establishing a wireline communication between a portable cellular handset and a base unit, the base unit including a processor for accessing information from the portable cellular handset, and the base unit further having a display for displaying information processed by the processor;

retrieving call information from the portable cellular handset to the base unit;

receiving one or more control data at controls on the base unit;

storing the control data in memory within the base unit;

processing the call information from the portable cellular handset_based on the control data stored in the base unit to generate processed information; and

displaying the processed information on the display.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising coupling communication signals between the portable cellular handset and a wired connection on the base unit.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising coupling signals at an antenna port on the base unit to the portable cellular telephone.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the information comprises at least one of a call time, a call date, or a call duration.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the control data comprises at least one of anytime minutes, total night minutes, weekend minutes, or total prime time minutes according to a cellular subscription.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the processor in the base unit determines a duration of calls occurring within a period of time defined by the control data.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the control data comprises a billing period.