Cellular phone interface for a simultaneous voice/data modem

• US 5,711,012 A
• Filed: 04/26/1996
• Issued: 01/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rembrandt Communications LP (Rembrandt IP Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Paradyne Corporation (Dasan Networks Incorporated)
• Inventors: Roberson, D. Randy, Bottoms, Stanley, Ko, Kenneth David, Bremer, Gordon, Scott, Robert Earl
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNSON, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US08/639,359
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.09, 379/93.28, 379/99.37, 379/100.01, 379/100.15, 455/557, 375/222, 375/261, 370/493, 370/328, 370/522, 370/494, 370/495
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

An new cellular interface directly couples the speaker and microphone of a cellular telephone to a simultaneous voice and data (SVD) modem. This interface allows a cellular telephone user to use their cellular telephone for simultaneous voice and data communications over the cellular network. In addition, of the SVD modem has a port coupled to a switched facility of a switching system, this cellular interface allows the cellular telephone user to place a telephone call from their cellular telephone over the switched facility.

Claims

1. Apparatus for use in a cellular telephone arrangement, wherein a cellular telephone comprises a cellular transceiver section and a cellular handset such that the cellular handset is plugged into the cellular transceiver section for communicating via a cellular transceiver over a cellular network, the apparatus comprising:

a cable that couples a modem to the cellular transceiver section, wherein the cable includes a plurality of conductors for a) communicating signaling between the modem and the cellular transceiver for communication over the cellular network and b) communicating signaling between the modem and the cellular handset even though the cellular handset is plugged into the cellular transceiver section for communicating directly with the cellular transceiver.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the signaling communicated between the modem and the cellular handset includes a microphone signal derived from a microphone of the cellular handset and a speaker signal for application to a speaker of the cellular handset.

3. An improved modem for use in cellular telephone arrangement wherein a cellular telephone comprises a cellular transceiver section and a cellular handset such that the cellular handset is plugged into the cellular transceiver section for communicating via a cellular transceiver over a cellular network, wherein the improved modem comprises:

a cellular telephone interface port that is adapted for a) communicating signaling between the modem and the cellular transceiver for communication over the cellular network and b) communicating signaling between the modem and the cellular handset even though the cellular handset is plugged into the cellular transceiver section for communicating directly with the cellular transceiver.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the signaling communicated between the modem and the cellular handset includes a microphone signal derived from a microphone of the cellular handset and a speaker signal for application to a speaker of the cellular handset.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the improved modem further comprises coupling circuitry for communicating the signaling between the modem and cellular handset to another interface port of the modem that is used for coupling to a non-cellular telephone line for communication over a telephone network.

6. A cellular telephone comprising:

a cellular transceiver;

a cellular handset;

a cellular interface port; and

control circuitry able to couple the cellular handset to the cellular transceiver for communicating over a cellular network, said control circuitry able to couple the cellular handset to the cellular interface port for communicating with a modem attached thereto, said control circuitry responsive to a command signal received via the cellular interface port for either a) coupling the cellular handset to the cellular transceiver for communicating over a cellular network;

or b) coupling the cellular handset to the cellular interface port for communicating with a modem attached thereto.

7. A cellular telephone comprising:

a cellular transceiver;

a cellular handset;

a cellular interface port; and

control circuitry able to cause the cellular transceiver to process audio signaling from the cellular handset for communicating over a cellular network, said control circuitry able to couple the cellular handset to the cellular interface port for communicating with a modem attached thereto such that the cellular transceiver ignores any audio signaling from the cellular handset, said control circuitry responsive to a command signal received via the cellular interface port for either a) causing the cellular transceiver to process audio signaling from the cellular handset for communicating over a cellular network or b) coupling the cellular handset to the cellular interface port for communicating with a modem attached thereto such that the cellular transceiver ignores any audio signaling from the cellular handset.

8. A method for use in a modem, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a mode of operation from a number of modes of operation, wherein the number of modes of operation include at least a voice-only mode, and a voice-and-data mode; and

providing control signaling to a cellular telephone, which includes a cellular handset and a cellular transceiver;

wherein the control signaling causes the cellular telephone to operate differently depending on the selected mode of operation such that in the voice-only mode signaling from the cellular handset is communicated to the cellular transceiver for communication over a cellular network, but in the voice-and-data mode said signaling is communicated from the cellular handset to the modem for subsequent communication over the cellular network, via the cellular transceiver.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the control signaling is representative of a set of predefined commands stored within the modem that control the operation of the cellular telephone in accordance with the selected mode of operation.

10. A method for use in a modem, the method comprising the steps of:

coupling to a cellular telephone that includes a cellular transceiver and a cellular handset;

selecting one of a number of modes of operation, where the modes of operation include at least a voice-only mode, and a voice-and-data mode; and

causing the cellular telephone to operate differently depending on the selected one of the number of modes such that in the voice-only mode control circuitry of the cellular telephone couples the cellular transceiver to the cellular handset but in the voice-and-data mode the control circuitry couples the cellular handset to the modem and not to the cellular transceiver.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the causing step includes the step of providing control signaling to the cellular telephone, the control signaling representative of predefined commands that control the operation of said control circuitry of the cellular telephone in accordance with the selected mode of operation.

12. A method for use in a modem, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting one of a number of modes of operation, where the modes of operation include at least a cellular-voice-only mode, a land-line-voice-only mode, and a cellular voice-and-data mode; and

providing control signaling to a cellular telephone, which includes a cellular handset and a cellular transceiver;

wherein the control signaling causes the cellular telephone to operate differently depending on the selected one of the number of modes such that in the cellular-voice-only mode control circuitry of the cellular telephone couples the cellular transceiver to the cellular handset, but in both the land-line-voice-only mode and the cellular-voice-and-data mode the control circuitry couples the cellular handset to the modem and not to the cellular transceiver.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the control signaling is representative of a set of predefined commands stored within the modem that control the operation of the cellular telephone in accordance with the selected mode of operation.

14. A method for use in a modem, the method comprising the steps of:

coupling to a cellular telephone that includes a cellular transceiver and a cellular handset;

selecting one of a number of modes of operation, where the modes of operation include at least a cellular-voice-only mode, a land-line-voice-only-mode, and a cellular voice-and-data mode; and

causing the cellular telephone to operate differently depending on the selected one of the number of modes such that in the cellular-voice-only mode control circuitry of the cellular telephone couples the cellular transceiver to the cellular handset but in both the cellular-voice-and-data mode and the land-line-voice-only-mode the control circuitry couples the cellular handset to the modem and not to the cellular transceiver.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the causing step includes the step of providing control signaling to the cellular telephone, the control signaling representative of predefined commands that control the operation of said control circuitry of the cellular telephone in accordance with the selected mode of operation.

16. The method of claim 14 such that when the modem is in the land-line-voice-only mode of operation, the method further comprises the step of communicating signaling from the cellular handset to an interface port of the modem, said interface port used for coupling to a land-line facility of a telephone network.

17. The method of claim 14 such that when the modem is in the cellular-voice-and-data mode of operation, the method further comprises the steps of

modulating signaling from the cellular handset for transmission as part of a voice and data signal;

and

communicating the voice and data signal to the cellular transceiver for transmission over a cellular network.