DOCK STATION FOR MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20110053643A1
• Filed: 08/03/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RingCentral Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RingCentral Incorporated
• Inventors: Shmunis, Vladimir
• Granted Patent: US 8,805,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• 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 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer program products for processing a call as between a mobile device and a linked base telephone system are described. A phone docking station allows the mobile device to be linked to the base telephone system. Features of either the mobile device or the base telephone system may be used to support a call. For example, through the phone docking station, one or more features and functions of the mobile device may be enabled on or supported by the base telephone system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

linking a mobile device to a base telephone system using a link, the mobile device including a telephony communication link and the base telephone system including a different independent telephony communication link;

receiving a call on a number associated with the mobile device;

presenting information related to the call on a display associated with the mobile device;

using the link, passing call information associated with the call between the mobile device and the base telephone system where the call information may include one or more signals associated with a received call; and

supporting the call using the base telephone system.

2. The method of claim 1, where supporting the call includes completing the call using a speaker or receiver of the base telephone system to transmit and receive signals associated with the call.

3. The method of claim 1, where linking the mobile device to the base telephone system includes extending one or more functions supported by the mobile device to the base telephone system.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a call on a number associated with the base telephone system; and

using the display associated with the mobile device in support of the call received on the base telephone system.

5. The method of claim 1, where linking the mobile device to the base telephone system includes extending one or more functions available on the base telephone system to the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring the call to the base telephone system upon decoupling the mobile device from the link.

7. The method of claim 1, where the base telephone system is connected to an online network to allow the mobile device to access resources on the online network.

8. A method comprising:

initiating a call on a base telephone system using a telephony communication link;

after initiating the call, linking the base telephone system to a dock;

transferring, through the dock, one or more signals associated with the call on the base telephone system to a mobile device, the mobile device including a different independent telephony communication link; and

supporting the call using the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising transferring the call to the mobile device upon decoupling the base telephone system from the dock.

10. A method comprising:

linking a mobile device to a terminal using a link, the mobile device including a telephony communication link, the terminal not being linked to any telephony communication link and including one or more functionalities;

receiving a call on a number associated with the mobile device;

using the link, passing call information associated with the call between the mobile device and the base telephone system where the call information may include one or more signals associated with a received call; and

supporting the call using at least one functionality of the terminal.

11. A communication device comprising:

a dock including, a base telephone system having a connection to a telephony system; and

a link coupling the dock to a mobile device, the mobile device including a separate independent link to a telephony system, the link communicating one or more signals between the mobile device and the base telephone system, the signals being associated with calls originating on either the mobile device or the base telephone system.

12. The device of claim 11, where the connection is a land line connection.

13. The device of claim 11, where the connection is a Voice-over-IP connection.

14. The device of claim 11, further comprising the mobile device.

15. The device of claim 14, where the mobile device is a smart phone.

16. The device of claim 11, where the mobile device is associated with a telephone number and includes a display operable to display communication information related to inbound and outbound communication events.

17. The device of claim 16, where the display is configured such that when a call is received on the mobile device, call information associated with the call is passed through the link to enable one or more features of the base telephone system.

18. The device of claim 11, where the mobile device is linked to the dock, and where at least one function of the mobile device is enabled on the base telephone system through the link.

19. The device of claim 11, where, when the mobile device is linked while a call received on the mobile device is in progress, the mobile device transfers the call from the mobile device to the base telephony system to complete the call using the base telephone system.

20. The device of claim 11, where the dock includes a speaker and a display.

21. The device of claim 11, where the link is wireless link.

22. The device of claim 11, where the link is a physical link allowing docking of the mobile device to the dock.

23. The device of claim 11, where the link is configured to charge the mobile device.

24. The device of claim 11, where the link is configured to pass a telephony signal between the mobile device and the base telephone system.