Cordless telephone system for providing set-up communications between subsidiary units through a master unit

• US 5,699,409 A
• Filed: 08/25/1995
• Issued: 12/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kojima, Susumu
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNSON, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US08/519,349
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 379/58, 379/59, 379/61, 379/63, 455/33.1, 455/54.1, 455/54.2
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72508 using a control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72513 On hold, intercom or transfer communication modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/73 Battery saving arrangements

Abstract

A cordless telephone system includes a master unit permanently connected to a wire telephone line, and a plurality of subsidiary units connected to the master unit by radio. A calling subsidiary unit includes a transmitter for transmitting a signal for requesting speech communication with another called subsidiary unit to the master unit through a radio channel which is monitored by the master unit, and a transmitter for transmitting a signal for calling the called subsidiary unit to the called subsidiary unit through a speech communication channel through which direct speech communication with the called subsidiary unit can be performed. The master unit includes a transmitter for receiving the signal for requesting speech communication from the calling subsidiary unit and transmitting a signal for requesting direct speech communication between the subsidiary units to the called subsidiary unit through a radio channel which is monitored by the called subsidiary unit. The called subsidiary unit includes transmitter which is started upon reception of the signal for requesting direct speech communication from the master unit, and receives the signal for calling the called subsidiary unit from the calling subsidiary unit through the speech channel.

Claims

1. A cordless telephone system comprising a master unit connected to a wire telephone line, and a plurality of subsidiary units in communication with said master unit by radio,

one of said subsidiary units which serves as a calling subsidiary unit including means for transmitting a signal for requesting speech communication with another called subsidiary unit to said master unit through a radio channel which is monitored by said master unit, and means for transmitting a signal for calling said called subsidiary unit to said called subsidiary unit through a speech communication channel through which direct speech communication with said called subsidiary unit can be performed,

said master unit including means for receiving the signal for requesting speech communication from said calling subsidiary unit and transmitting a confirmation signal to said calling subsidiary unit, said master unit transmitting a signal for requesting direct speech communication between said subsidiary units to said called subsidiary unit through a radio channel which is monitored by said called subsidiary unit, and

said called subsidiary unit including means, adapted to be started upon reception of the signal for requesting direct speech communication from said master unit, for receiving the signal for calling said called subsidiary unit from said calling subsidiary unit through the speech communication channel,

wherein said calling subsidiary unit transmits the signal for calling said called subsidiary unit to said called subsidiary unit through the speech communication channel immediately upon receipt of the confirmation signal sent by said master unit to said calling subsidiary unit.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the signal requesting speech communication with said called subsidiary unit includes ID information of said called subsidiary unit.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said means for receiving the signal for calling said called subsidiary unit through the radio channel includes means for searching a plurality of speech communication channels for the signal.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein said means for receiving the signal for calling said called subsidiary unit through the radio channel includes means for searching a plurality of speech communication channels for the signal.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the signal requesting speech communication with said called subsidiary unit includes information of a speech communication channel through which the signal for calling said called subsidiary unit is transmitted.

6. A system according to claim 2, wherein the signal requesting speech communication with said called subsidiary unit includes information of a speech communication channel through which the signal for calling said called subsidiary unit is transmitted.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the cordless telephone system is a digital radio communication system.

8. A cordless telephone system comprising a master unit connected to a wire telephone line, and a plurality of subsidiary units in communication with said master unit by radio,

a first unit of said subsidiary units including a transmitter configured to transmit a first signal to said master unit for requesting speech communication with a second unit of said subsidiary units through a radio channel which is monitored by said master unit, said transmitter configured to transmit a second signal to said second subsidiary unit for calling said second subsidiary unit through a speech communication channel through which direct speech communication with said second subsidiary unit can be performed,

said master unit including a receiver configured to receive the first signal from said first subsidiary unit and a transmitter configured to transmit a confirmation signal to said first subsidiary unit, said transmitter of said master unit configured to transmit a third signal to said second subsidiary unit for requesting direct speech communication between said first and second subsidiary units, the third signal being sent through a radio channel which is monitored by said second subsidiary unit, and

said second subsidiary unit including a receiver, adapted to be started upon reception of the third signal, and configured to receive the second signal through the speech communication channel,

wherein said first subsidiary unit transmits the second signal through the speech communication channel immediately upon receipt of the confirmation signal.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the first signal includes ID information of said second subsidiary unit.

10. A system according to claim 8, wherein said receiver of said second subsidiary unit performs a frequency sweep of a plurality of speech communication channels in order to search for the second signal.

11. A system according to claim 8, wherein the first signal includes information of a speech communication channel through which the second signal is transmitted.

12. A method for providing speech communication between a first subsidiary unit and a second subsidiary unit, in a system having a master unit connected to a telephone line, the first and second subsidiary units being in communication with said master unit by radio, the method comprising the steps of:

a) transmitting, from said first subsidiary unit to said master unit, a signal for requesting speech communication with said second subsidiary unit;

b) receiving, at said master unit, the signal sent in the step a), and transmitting a confirmation signal from said master unit to said first subsidiary unit;

c) receiving, at said first subsidiary unit, the confirmation signal, and transmitting a speech communication signal from said first subsidiary unit to said second subsidiary unit;

d) transmitting, from said master unit to said second subsidiary unit, a signal for requesting direct speech communication between said first and second subsidiary units;

e) receiving, at said second subsidiary unit, the signal sent at the step d); and

f) commencing direct communication between said first and second subsidiary units.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein said second subsidiary unit has a receiver for receiving communications from said first subsidiary unit which is turned off until receipt of the signal in the step e).

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said first subsidiary unit continuously transmits the speech communication signal to said second subsidiary unit during the steps c) through e) even while the receiver of said second subsidiary unit is turned off.