Cordless telephone with integral caller ID display

• US 5,703,934 A
• Filed: 06/02/1995
• Issued: 12/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GTE Wireless Service Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GTE Mobile Communications Service Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Zicker, Robert G., Dion, John K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): RICHARDSON, SCO
• Application Number:
  US08/458,537
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 379/58, 379/59, 379/61, 379/63, 379/142, 455/33.1
• US Class Current: 455/462
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72511 Searching for available channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections

Abstract

A radiotelephone (RT) operates in either a cellular telephone mode or a cordless telephone mode within a cellular telecommunications system. The RT operates in the cordless mode if it is within the operating range of a cordless base station. The cordless base station receives data from a central telephone office, converts the data into a transmittable caller ID message, and transmits the caller ID message to the RT. The RT receives the caller ID message and displays it in a readable form to the user. The caller ID message may be saved at the RT for subsequent retrieval by the user. In addition, a speed dial operation may be performed to respond to the caller ID message.

Claims

1. A radiotelephone (RT) set capable of providing information describing an incoming call to a user, said RT set comprising:

a cordless base station capable of receiving an incoming call conveying description data from a central telephone office, said cordless base station having;

an interface for establishing data communication between said cordless base station and said central telephone office,

a convertor configured to convert said description data into a transmittable caller identification (caller ID) message, said caller ID message being formatted according to a cellular transmission protocol, and

a transmitter configured to transmit said caller ID message to said RT; and

an RT configured to communicate with said cordless base station, said RT having;

a control circuit configured to control the operation of said RT,

a receiver connected to said control circuit and configured to receive said caller ID messages,

a display element connected to said control circuit and configured to display said caller ID message in a readable format, and

a user interface connected to said control circuit and configured to allow a user to control the operation of said RT.

2. An RT set according to claim 1, wherein said cordless base station further comprises a modem for extracting said description data from said incoming call.

3. An RT set according to claim 1, wherein:

said cordless base station has a transmit/receive range defined by a cordless boundary;

said RT is configured to function in a cordless telephone mode by communicating with said cordless base station if said RT is within said cordless boundary; and

said RT is configured to function in a cellular telephone mode if said RT is outside of said cordless boundary.

4. An RT set according to claim 1, wherein said convertor converts said description data into a digitally encoded message having a substantially fixed bit transmission rate.