Cordless telephone capable of programming an ID code into both a base and cordless remote unit via the cordless remote unit

• US 5,068,889 A
• Filed: 12/12/1989
• Issued: 11/26/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yamashita, Kouji
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Application Number:
  US07/448,838
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 379/61-62, 379/356, 379/63, 379/354-355
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/727 Identification code transfer arrangements

Abstract

According to the invention, an E² P-ROM, which is a non-volatile memory element capable of electrically reading and writing data as a memory element to store ID codes, is used and the remaining memory area of the non-volatile memory element is used to store abbreviated dialing numbers. This arrangement makes it unnecessary to separately provide a memory element to store the abbreviated dialing numbers and dispenses with the backup batteries for the abbreviated dialing numbers memory. The number of component parts can also be reduced to allow the telephone set to be manufactured at a lower cost. Further, a cordless remote unit can be used to program itself, and a base unit, with identical ID codes to provide private access lines. Also, the base unit can either read or write the ID code from or to its memory, respectively, dependent upon the transmission sent from the remote unit.

Claims

1. A cordless telephone for transmitting and receiving telephone calls including a base unit and a remote unit capable of communicating with each other through radio transmission, where both the base unit and the remote unit include a programmable ID code which is transmitted when the remote unit desires radio transmission of an outgoing telephone call via the base unit or the base unit desires radio transmission of an incoming telephone call to the remote unit whereupon communication of incoming and outgoing telephone calls through radio transmission, between both units, is established only when the ID code of a remote unit is identical to the ID code of the base unit, the remote unit further including,

storage means for storing said programmable ID code, and

input means, operatively connected to said storage means and including a programming key, numerical keys and an ID key, for inputting said ID code into said storage means upon activating said programming key and said ID key and numerical keys corresponding to the ID code, and for subsequently outputting a radio transmission to the base unit, including the ID code;

the base unit including,

detecting means for receiving said output radio transmission, including said ID code, and for detecting activation of said programming key and ID key,

control means, operatively connected to said detecting means, for outputting a first write signal, followed by said ID code, in response to said detecting means detecting activation of said programming key and said ID key, and

non-volatile memory means, operatively connected to said control means and capable of accessing and storing data, for, upon receiving said output first write signal, storing said ID code in a first memory area.

2. The cordless telephone of claim 1, wherein in the remote unit, upon the remote unit desiring transmission of an outgoing call to another remote telephone,

said input means, including a calling key, for inputting a telephone number subsequent to said calling key being activated, corresponding to said another remote telephone,

said storage means, in response to said input means, automatically accessing said stored programmable ID code and outputting said programmable ID code, and subsequently, said input telephone number, and wherein, in the base unit,

said detecting means receives said output radio transmission, including the ID code and input telephone number, and detects activation of said calling key,

said control means outputs a first read signal, followed by said ID code and input telephone number, in response to said detecting means detecting activation of said calling key,

said non-volatile memory means, upon receiving said output first read signal, accesses the stored ID code, compares the stored ID code to the ID code received in said radio transmission, and upon determining that the ID codes are identical, outputs a signal to said control means authorizing output of said received telephone number and subsequent transmission of an outgoing call.

3. The cordless telephone of claim 1 wherein said input means of the remote unit further includes an abbreviated number key for, upon activation of said programming key, being activated, followed by an input abbreviated telephone number, containing a plurality of digits, less in number, than a plurality of digits in a standard telephone number, and an input of said standard telephone number, and outputs a radio transmission including the abbreviated telephone number and standard telephone number to the base unit, and wherein

in the base unit,

said detecting means receives said output radio transmission, including the abbreviated and standard telephone numbers, and detects activation of said programming and abbreviated number key,

said control means outputs a second wire signal, followed by said abbreviated and standard telephone numbers, in response to the detecting means detecting activation of said programming key and said abbreviated number key,

said non-volatile memory means, upon receiving said output second write signal, stores said abbreviated and standard telephone numbers in a second memory area.

4. The cordless telephone of claim 3 wherein in the remote unit, upon the remote unit desiring transmission of an outgoing call to another remote telephone,

said input means, including a calling key, actuates said calling key and said abbreviated number key and inputs an abbreviated number, prestored in said non-volatile memory means of said base unit with a standard telephone number corresponding to another remote telephone,

said storage means, in response to said input means, accesses said stored programmable ID code and outputs a radio transmission including said programmable ID code and, subsequently, said input abbreviated number;

and

wherein, in the base unit,

said detecting means receives said output radio transmission, including the ID code and abbreviated number, and detects activation of said calling key and abbreviated number key,

said control means outputs a second read signal, followed by said ID code and said abbreviated number, in response to said detecting means detecting activation of said calling key and abbreviated number key,

said non-volatile memory means, upon receiving said output second read signal, accesses the stored ID code, compares the stored ID code to the ID code received in the radio transmission, and, upon determining that the ID codes are identical, accesses a standard telephone number, utilizing by the received abbreviation number, prestored with a corresponding abbreviated number identical to the received abbreviated number, for subsequent transmission of an outgoing call.

5. A cordless telephone comprising:

a base unit and a remote unit,

wherein the base unit includes,

detecting means for receiving a first radio transmission, including an ID code, from a remote unit and for detecting activation of a programming key and ID key from the remote unit,

control means, operatively connected to said detecting means, for outputting a first write signal, followed by said ID code, in response to said detecting means detecting activation of said programming key and said ID key from the remote unit.

first memory means, including an electrically erasable programmable read only memory, for storing the ID code, received as a portion of the first radio transmission from the remote unit, to identify the particular combination of the base unit and the remote unit upon the detecting means detecting indication of an activated programming key, at the remote unit, from the first radio transmission,

first modulator transmitter means for modulating and transmitting a radio signal,

means for reading the ID code stored in the first memory means and for outputting the read ID code to the first modulator-transmitter means upon receiving a second radio transmission from the remote unit, and for subsequently transferring the second radio transmission, to the first modulator-transmitter means,

first receiver-demodulator means for receiving and demodulating the second radio transmission, including the ID code and a remote telephone number, from the remote unit, and

means for, in response to output from the first receiver-demodulator means, inputting a portion of the demodulated second radio transmission, the portion following the ID code containing the remote telephone number, onto a telephone line when the demodulated received ID code and the ID code stored in the first memory means are identical, and

the remote unit including,

input means, including a programming key, for, upon activation of the programming key, inputting an ID code,

second memory means for storing the ID code input through the input means,

a microphone for inputting an audible signal,

second modulator-transmitter means for transmitting a modulated radio signal, including the ID code and indication of activation of the programming key, as a first radio transmission to the base unit,

said input means inputting the remote telephone number to access another remote telephone,

means for automatic accessing the ID code stored in the second memory means, for outputting the automatically accessed ID code and the remote telephone number to the second modulator-transmitter means, and for subsequently outputting the audible signal from the microphone to the second modulator-transmitter means,

said second modulator transmitter means transmitting a modulated radio signal including the automatically accessed ID code and the remote telephone number, as a second radio transmission,

second receiver-demodulator means for receiving and demodulating a radio signal from the base unit,

a speaker and

means for, in response to an output from the second receiver-demodulator means, converting the demodulated signal following the ID code and remote telephone number, into an acoustic signal by means of the speaker when the demodulated ID code and the ID code stored in the second storage means are identical and upon connecting to a remote telephone.

6. The cordless telephone as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second memory means of the remote unit is an electrically erasable programmable read only memory.

7. The cordless telephone as claimed in claim 5, wherein

the input means includes means for inputting an abbreviated dialing number consisting of a plurality of digits, less in number than the number of digits of the dialing number of the destination terminal,

the remote unit including means for reading the ID code stored in the second storage means and for outputting the ID code to the second modulator-transmitter means, and for subsequently outputting the input abbreviated dialing number to the second modulator-transmitter means,

the first memory means of the base unit storing dialing numbers of destination terminals with corresponding abbreviated dialing numbers,

the base unit further including means for, in response to output from the first receiver-modulator means, reading the dialing number of a destination terminal stored in the first storage means corresponding to the abbreviated dialing number received from the remote unit, following the ID code, when the received demodulated ID code is identical to the ID code stored in the first storage means, and for outputting a signal representing the dialing number to the first modulator-transmitter means.