Dual-mode device for voice communication

• US 20080056208A1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skype S.Ã R.L. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Skype Limited (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Melchior, Max, O'Loughlin, Gareth, Rice, Liz, Hinrikus, Taavet
• Granted Patent: US 7,860,071 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42289 with carrierprovider selection by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

A terminal for use in a peer-to-peer voice communications system comprising: a base station; and at least one handset arranged to communicate wirelessly with said base station; wherein the base station comprises a first interface to a packet data network and a second interface to a public switched telephone network, said base station being arranged to selectively establish a packet data call from said first interface and a public switched telephone call from said second interface.

Claims

1. A terminal for use in a peer-to-peer voice communications system comprising:

a base station; and

at least one handset arranged to communicate wirelessly with said base station;

wherein the base station comprises a first interface to a packet data network and a second interface to a public switched telephone network, said base station being arranged to selectively establish a packet data call from said first interface and a public switched telephone call from said second interface.

2. A terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the packet data call comprises voice over internet protocol (VoIP) packets.

3. A terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base station further comprises a switching device operable to direct a voice communication signal to either said first interface or said second interface, responsive to a selection by said base station.

4. A terminal as claimed in claim 3, wherein said selection is based on preferences of a user and the characteristics of the call being established.

5. A terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base station further comprises a microprocessor arranged to execute embedded client software, wherein the client software is arranged to establish said packet data call, encode speech information as packet data for transmission from said first interface, and decode speech information from packet data received at said first interface.

6. A terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one handset comprises:

a display; and

a keyboard comprising multifunctional keys capable of entering numeric or alphabetic characters depending on a number of key presses, said keyboard being arranged to enter contact information into a user interface displayed on said display, select contacts on the user interface, and initiate a voice call with a contact.

7. A terminal as claimed in claim 6, wherein the user interface further displays presence information for the contacts, said presence information indicating the current status of the contact.

8. A terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one base station further comprises a storage device for storing contact information, whereby, upon activation of the terminal, the contact information is transmitted to the base station from a contact server connected to said packet data network and stored in said storage device.

9. A terminal as claimed in claim 6, wherein the user interface further displays a contact search interface, whereby information is entered into the contact search interface using the keyboard and transmitted to said base station, and, in response thereto, the base station is arranged to create a contact search request that is transmitted to the peer-to-peer voice communications system from said first interface.

10. A terminal as claimed in claim 7, wherein, in response to the contact search request, a contact search response is received by said terminal, said contact search response being displayed on said user interface.

11. A terminal as claimed in claim 8, wherein a packet data call may be established with a contact displayed in said contact search response

12. A terminal as claimed in claim 8, wherein a contact displayed in said contact search response may be stored in the handset.

13. A peer-to-peer voice communications system comprising:

a terminal comprising a base station and at least one handset arranged to communicate wirelessly with said base station, wherein the base station comprises a first interface to a packet data network and a second interface to a public switched telephone network, said base station being arranged to selectively establish a packet data call from said first interface and a public switched telephone call from said second interface; and

a network element connected to the packet data network and arranged to communicate with said terminal, wherein the network element transfers packets of said packet data call between said wireless handset and the network.

14. A peer-to-peer voice communications system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the packet data call comprises voice over internet protocol (VoIP) packets.

15. A peer-to-peer voice communications system as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a contact server connected to the network for storing the contact information for the terminal, wherein, upon activation of the terminal, the contact information is transmitted to the terminal via the network element and stored in said terminal.

16. A terminal for use in a peer-to-peer voice communications system comprising:

a base station; and

at least one handset arranged to communicate wirelessly with said base station;

wherein the base station comprises a first means for interfacing to a packet data network and a second means for interfacing to a public switched telephone network, said base station being arranged to selectively establish a packet data call from said first means for interfacing and a public switched telephone call from said second means for interfacing.

17. A terminal as claimed in claim 16, wherein the base station further comprises a switching means operable to direct a voice communication signal to either said first means for interfacing or said second means for interfacing, responsive to a selection by said base station.