Home personal communications system

• US 5,805,582 A
• Filed: 09/09/1996
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inter-Tel (Delaware) Incorporated (Mitel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Home Wireless Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: McIntosh, P. Stuckey, Tucker, Mark, Snelling, Richard K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOM, SHICK C
• Application Number:
  US08/709,597
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 370/280, 370/294, 370/330, 370/334, 370/336, 370/337, 370/347, 370/359, 370/535, 370/349, 455/403, 455/422, 455/454, 455/515, 455/562
• US Class Current: 370/337
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72505 Radio link set-up procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]

Abstract

A wireless telephone subsystem for coupling line type telephony equipment to the public switched telephone network is described. A base unit is provided which is adapted to be coupled to a plurality of lines of the PSTN. The base unit includes a base coder/decoder which transforms analog signals received from the lines of the PSTN to digital signals and conversely transforms digital signals to analog signals for coupling to the lines of the PSTN. The base unit includes a multiple channel transceiver coupled to the base coder/decoder which responds to the digital signals provided by the base coder/decoder for transmitting those signals by placing selected portions of the digital signals into selected portions of a multiplex frame. The base multiple channel transceiver also receives digital signals and couples those digital signals to the base coder/decoder. Programmable switching is provided to associate selected of the PSTN lines and selected portions of the multiplex frame. The subsystem also includes a wireless interface unit for connecting to the line type telephony equipment. The wireless interface unit also includes a remote coder/decoder for transforming analog signals received from the line type telephony equipment into digital signals and for transforming other digital signals into analog signals for coupling to the line type telephony equipment. The wireless interface also includes a remote transceiver which is coupled to the remote coder/decoder. The remote transceiver responds to digital signals from the remote coder/decoder for transmitting the signals into selected portions of the multiplex frame and receives other digital signals and couples those to the remote coder/decoder.

Claims

1. A wireless telephone subsystem for coupling line type telephony equipment to at least one digital line of the Public Switched Telephone Network PSTN comprising:

a) a base unit adapted to be coupled to a plurality of lines of the PSTN, said base unit including;

a1) base mux/demux means for demultiplexing digital signals received from said at least one digital line of said PSTN to a plurality of first digital signals and for multiplexing a plurality of other digital signals to produce a multiplexed digital signal for coupling to said at least one digital line of said PSTN,

a2) base multiple channel transceiver means coupled to said base mux/demux means, said base multiple channel transceiver means responsible to said first digital signals for transmitting said first digital signals by placing selected portions of said first digital signals into selected portions of a multiplex frame, and for receiving other digital signals and coupling said other digital signals to said base mux/demux means, and

a3) programmable switching means for associating selected of said PSTN lines and selected portions of said multiplex frame

at least one wireless interface unit comprising;

b1) coupling means for connecting to a line type telephony equipment,

b2) remote coder/decoder means for transforming analog signals received from said line type telephony equipment over said coupling means to third digital signals and for transforming other digital signals to analog signals for coupling to said line type telephony equipment through said coupling means, and

b3) remote transceiver means coupled to said remote coder/decoder means, said remote transceiver means responsive to said third digital signals for transmitting said third digital signals by placing said third digital signals into selected portions of said multiplex frame, and for receiving other digital signals for coupling said other digital signals to said remote coder/decoder means

whereby said line type telephony equipment is coupled to said PSTN without requiring a conductive path therebetween.

2. The wireless telephone subsystem as recited in claim 1 which further includes at least one remote handset including:

c1) a microphone and a speaker,

c2) a remote handset coder/decoder means for transforming analog signals received from said microphone to fourth digital signals and for transforming other digital signals to analog signals for coupling to said speaker, and

c3) handset transceiver means coupled to said handset coder/decoder means,

whereby said microphone and speaker are coupled to said PSTN without requiring a conductive path therebetween.

3. The wireless telephone subsystem as is recited in claim 1 wherein said wireless interface unit is adapted to be connected to a modem.

4. The wireless telephone subsystem as is recited in claim 1 wherein said wireless interface unit is adapted to be connected to a facsimile machine.

5. The wireless telephone subsystem as recited in claim 1 wherein said coupling means of said wireless interface unit includes a hybrid with a two wire interface and a four wire interface, said two wire interface coupled to said line type telephone equipment and said four wire interface coupled to said remote coder/decoder means.

6. The wireless telephone subsystem as recited in any of claims 1-5 wherein said coupling means includes ring generator means for generating ringing energy.

7. A wireless telephone subsystem for coupling line type DATA TERMINAL equipment to at least one digital line of the Public Switched Telephone Network PSTN comprising:

a) a base unit adapted to be coupled to a plurality of lines of the PSTN, said base unit including;

a1) base mux/demux means for demultiplexing digital signals received from said at least one digital line of said PSTN to a plurality of first digital signals and for multiplexing a plurality of other digital signals to produce a multiplexed digital signal for coupling to said at least one digital line of said PSTN,

a2) base multiple channel transceiver means coupled to said base mux/demux means, said base multiple channel transceiver means responsive to said first digital signals for transmitting said first digital signals by placing selected portions of said first digital signals into selected portions of a multiplex frame, and for receiving other digital signals and coupling said other digital signals to said base mux/demux means, and

a3) programmable switching means for associating selected of said PSTN lines and selected portions of said multiplex frame

b) at least one wireless interface unit comprising;

b1) coupling means for connecting to said line type DATA TERMINAL equipment for passing second digital signals received from said line type DATA TERMINAL equipment, and

b2) remote transceiver means coupled to said coupling means, said remote transceiver means responsive to said second digital signals for transmitting said second digital signals by placing said second digital signals into selected portions of said multiplex frame, and for receiving other digital signals for coupling said other digital signals to said coupling means,

whereby said line type DATA TERMINAL equipment is coupled to said PSTN without requiring a conductive path therebetween.

8. The wireless telephone subsystem as recited in claim 7 which further includes:

c) at least one remote handset including;

c1) a microphone and a speaker,

c2) a remote handset coder/decoder means for transforming analog signals received from microphone to third digital signals and for transforming other digital signals to analog signals for coupling to said speaker, and

c3) handset transceiver means coupled to said handset coder/decoder means,

whereby said microphone and speaker are coupled to said PSTN without requiring a conductive path therebetween.

9. The wireless telephone subsystem as is recited in claim 7 wherein said wireless interface unit is adapted to be connected to a modem.

10. The wireless telephone subsystem as is recited in claim 7 wherein said wireless interface unit is adapted to be connected to a facsimile machine.

11. The wireless telephone subsystem as recited in claim 7 wherein said coupling means supports an RS-232 interface.

12. The wireless telephone subsystem as recited in claim 7 wherein said base unit includes a facsimile modulator/demodulator means coupled between said base multiple channel transceiver means and base mux/demux means for creating fax data for transmission to said PSTN.

13. The wireless telephone subsystem as recited in claim 7 which further includes

c) a second wireless interface unit comprising:

c1) second coupling means for connecting to said line type DATA TERMINAL equipment for passing third digital signals received from said line type DATA TERMINAL equipment, and

c2) second remote transceiver means coupled to said second coupling means, said second remote transceiver means responsive to said third digital signals for transmitting said third digital signals by placing said third digital signals into selected portions of said multiplex frame, and for receiving other digital signals for coupling said other digital signals to said second coupling means whereby said line type DATA TERMINAL equipment is coupled to said PSTN without requiring a conductive path therebetween.

14. The wireless telephone subsystem as recited in any of claims 7-13 wherein said coupling means includes ring generator means for generating ringing energy.

15. A wireless telephone subsystem for coupling line type DATA TERMINAL equipment to the Public Switched Telephone Network PSTN comprising:

a) a base unit adapted to be coupled to a plurality of lines of the PSTN, said base unit including;

a1) base coder/decoder means for transforming analog signals received from said lines of said PSTN to first digital signals and for transforming other digital signals to analog signals for coupling to said lines of said PSTN,

a2) base multiple channel transceiver means coupled to said base coder/decoder means, said base multiple channel transceiver means responsive to said first digital signals for transmitting said first digital signals by placing selected portions of said first digital signals into selected portions of a multiplex frame, and for receiving other digital signals and coupling said other digital signals to said base coder/decoder means, and

a3) programmable switching means for associating selected of said PSTN lines and selected portions of said multiplex frame

b) at least one wireless interface unit comprising;

b1) coupling means for connecting to line type DATA TERMINAL equipment responsive to second digital signals received from said line type DATA TERMINAL equipment,

b2) remote transceiver means coupled to said coupling means, said remote transceiver responsive to said second digital signals for transmitting said second digital signals by placing said second digital signals into selected portions of said multiplex frame, and for receiving other digital signals for coupling said other digital signals to said coupling means,

whereby said line type DATA TERMINAL equipment is coupled to said PSTN without requiring a conductive path therebetween.

16. The wireless telephone subsystem as recited in claim 15 which further includes

c) at least one remote handset including:

c1) a microphone and a speaker,

c2) a remote handset coder/decoder means for transforming analog signals received from said microphone to third digital signals and for transforming other digital signals to analog signals for coupling to said speaker, and

c3) a handset transceiver coupled to said handset coder/decoder means,

whereby said microphone and speaker are coupled to said PSTN without requiring a conductive path therebetween.

17. The wireless telephone subsystem as is recited in claim 15 wherein said wireless interface unit is adapted to be connected to a modem.

18. The wireless telephone subsystem as is recited in claim 15 wherein said wireless interface unit is adapted to be coupled to a facsimile machine.

19. The wireless telephone subsystem as recited in claim 15 wherein said coupling means supports an RS-232 interface.

20. The wireless telephone subsystem as recited in claim 15 wherein said base unit includes a facsimile modulator/demodulator means coupled between said base multiple channel transceiver means and base mux/demux means for creating fax data for transmission to said PSTN.

21. The wireless telephone subsystem as recited in claim 15 which further includes

c) a second wireless interface unit comprising:

c1) second coupling means for connecting to said line type DATA TERMINAL equipment for passing third digital signals received from said line type DATA TERMINAL equipment, and

c2) second remote transceiver means coupled to said second coupling means, said second remote transceiver means responsive to said third digital signals for transmitting said third digital signals by placing said third digital signals into selected portions of said multiplex frame, and for receiving other digital signals for coupling said other digital signals to said second coupling means whereby said line type DATA TERMINAL equipment is coupled to said PSTN without requiring a conductive path therebetween.

22. The wireless telephone subsystem as recited in any of claims 15-21 wherein said coupling means includes ring generator means for generating ringing energy.