Intelligent docking station for use with a portable wireless receiver to provide expanded short message services

• US 5,940,767 A
• Filed: 05/07/1996
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Bourgeois, Troy, Lilja, Patrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOBUTKA, PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US08/646,166
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/556, 455/557, 455/414, 455/424-426, 455/403, 455/550, 455/462, 455/344, 455/90, 455/348, 455/349, 455/412, 370/259, 340/825.44
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0256 wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

A digital communication system with digital short message system text capability including a miniaturized transceiver and cooperating intelligent docking station which provides memory to store the received texts and for indication and selective display of the short message service texts plus additional external communication links to other networks.

Claims

1. A portable communication system with expandable short message service comprising:

a portable wireless transceiver;

a fixed intelligent docking station including means to selectively support said transceiver in a docketed position and interconnect said transceiver and said docking station;

memory means connected to said docking station for storing a plurality of said short message service texts received by said transceiver and provided to said docking station through the interconnection therebetween;

a receiver for linking said transceiver to said memory means such that short message service texts may be forwarded from the transceiver to the memory means when said transceiver is separated from said docking station to enable the storage of the short message service texts during the separation; and

display means for selectively displaying the text of messages stored in said memory means.

2. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said docking station includes an electronic digital memory to store a plurality of received short message service texts.

3. The communication system of claim 2 wherein said docking station is adapted for mounting in a fixed position within a vehicle in proximity to the operating position of said vehicle and includes means for selectively displaying said storage short message texts.

4. The communication system of claim 3 including an indicator to indicate the presence of at least one short message system text stored within said digital memory and wherein said memory means is separated from and connected to said docking station.

5. The communication system of claim 4 wherein said indicator is on said transceiver.

6. The communication system of claim 2 wherein said system includes means to operate said transceiver while supported on said docking station.

7. The communication system of claim 6 wherein said means to operate said transceiver includes a voice actuated transmit-receive switch.

8. The communication system of claim 3 wherein said portable transceiver includes a first rechargeable battery for the powering thereof, and said docking station includes means to provide recharging power from a second battery in said vehicle to said first battery through said interconnection when said transceiver is positioned on said docking station.

9. The communication system of claim 2 wherein said portable transceiver includes a keypad and said docking station includes a controller with means to control the display of selected messages within said memory means.

10. The communication system of claim 9 further including means at said docking station for storing and subsequent selective display of information originated at said docking station.

11. The communication system of claim 10 wherein said information includes voice stored messages.

12. The communication system of claim 10 wherein said information inlcudes personal information messages.

13. The communication system of claim 9 wherein said docking station further includes communication means for communication independent of said portable transceiver with units external to said transceiver and docking station.

14. The communication system of claim 13 wherein said communication means includes an infrared transmission link to a remotely located computer which in turn interfaces to external independent communication links.

15. The communication system of claim 2 wherein said docking station further includes an antenna and a receiver for linking said receiver to said memory when said transceiver separated from said docking station to enable the storage of short message service texts during the separation.

16. The communication system of claim 2 further including means to upload selected information stored in said memory to said transceiver.

17. The communication system of claim 16 further including means at said docking station to place information into storage in said memory.

18. The communication system of claim 16 further including means to select the type of information from that in said memory for display.

19. A portable communication system with expandable short message service comprising:

a portable wireless transceiver;

a fixed intelligent docking station including means to selectively support said transceiver in a docketed position and interconnect said transceiver and said docking station;

memory means connected to said docking station for storing a plurality of said short message service texts received by said transceiver and provided to said docking station through the interconnection therebetween; and

a receiver for linking transmitted short message service texts for the transceiver directly with the memory means when said transceiver is separated from said docking station to enable the storage of short message service texts during the separation; and

display means for selectively displaying the text of messages stored in said memory means.