Subscriber telephone station

• US 4,542,262 A
• Filed: 11/10/1981
• Issued: 09/17/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-GmbH (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-GmbH (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Ruff, Gunter
• Primary Examiner(s): Rubinson, Gene Z.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brady, W. J.
• Application Number:
  US06/320,060
• Time in Patent Office: 1,407 Days
• Field of Search: 179/2 E, 179/2 EA, 179/2 EB, 179/2 EC, 179/2 TC, 179/90 AD, 179/90 B, 179/90 K, 179/90 BB, 179/2 DP, 455/26, 455/30
• US Class Current: 379/56.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/737 Characterised by transmission of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. infrared waves

Abstract

A subscriber telephone station in a dial telephone network, composed of: a main subscriber instrument connected by wire into the network, a portable second instrument, and circuitry establishing wireless signal transmission and reception communication between the instruments for permitting the second instrument to be connected into the network for communication with other instruments connected to the network.

Claims

1. A subscriber telephone station in a dial telephone network, comprising:

a main subscriber instrument connected by wire into the network, said main subscriber instrument including an automatic dialing device;

a portable second instrument, said portable second instrument including

a keyboard;

a display; and

an electronic timing device packaged with said keyboard and display in the form of a watch, said electronic timing device being coupled to said keyboard and display to provide switchable alarm and pocket calculator functions, a phone number to be called, an alarm time and numbers and operations for calculator functions being inputted into said electronic timing device by means of said keyboard; and

communications means employing a medium consisting of one of radio, ultrasound and light energy for establishing wireless signal transmission and reception between said main subscriber instrument and said portable second instrument for connection of said second instrument into said network for communication with other instruments connected to said network, said communications means operating at a plurality of selectable operating frequencies and media whereby adjacent subscribers are provided with at least one of different, fixed operating frequencies and media.

2. A station as defined in claim 1 wherein said main subscriber instrument and said portable second instrument are each provided with a voice masking-demasking unit and storage means for storing a subscriber number, station number and codeword, said communications means being switchable by said keyboards to a mode of operation for masked transmission whereby said subscriber number, station numbers and codeword are exchanged.

3. A station as defined in claim 1 wherein a plurality of subscriber numbers are stored in said automatic dialing device, said numbers being called up by inputting a short code to said keyboard.

4. A station as defined in claim 1 further comprising means for displaying at least one of the time of a call and the consumed call units.

5. A station as defined in claim 2 wherein only the codeword assigned to said main subscriber instrument is stored in said second instrument, and wherein the keyboard of said second instrument is used to input that codeword and the called subscriber number for transmission to said main subscriber instrument.

6. A station as defined in claim 1 wherein said second instrument comprises at least one of a microphone, loudspeaker and a speakerphone which permit voice operation in both directions.

7. A station as defined in claim 1 wherein said second instrument comprises an earphone.

8. A subscriber telephone system in a dial telephone network, comprising:

a plurality of main subscriber instruments connected by wire into the network, said main subscriber instruments each including an automatic dialing device;

a plurality of portable second instruments, each said portable second instrument being associated with a respective one of said main subscriber instruments and including;

a keyboard;

a display;

an electronic timing device packaged with said keyboard and display in the form of a watch, said electronic timing device being coupled to said keyboard and display to provide switchable alarm and pocket calculator functions, a phone number to be called, an alarm time and numbers and operations for calculator functions being inputted into said electronic timing device by means of said keyboard; and

communications means employing a medium consisting of one of ratio, ultrasound and light energy for establishing wireless signal transmission and reception between each said main subscriber instrument and the said associated portable second instrument for connection of said associated second instrument into said network for communication with other instruments connected to said network, said communications means operating at a plurality of selectable operating frequencies and media whereby adjacent subscribers are provided with at least one of different, fixed operating frequencies and media.