Wireless terminal with auxilary desktop unit

• US 6,018,665 A
• Filed: 08/01/1997
• Issued: 01/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Lehder, Jr., Wilfred E., Griffith, Gary L., Chavez, Jr., David L., Stima, Michael J., Rorick, Jr., Joseph C.
• Primary Examiner(s): TO, DORIS HA
• Application Number:
  US08/904,383
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445, 455/462, 455/465, 455/551, 455/556, 455/557, 455/560, 455/11.1, 455/575
• US Class Current: 455/462
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/737 Characterised by transmission of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. infrared waves

Abstract

Providing by a wireless terminal the sole communication link to a wireless telecommunication switching system, and inserting the wireless terminal into an auxiliary desktop unit to provide the full functional capabilities of a business telecommunication terminal. The result is that a user has one telephone number for the wireless terminal, and yet, when the wireless terminal is inserted into the auxiliary unit, the user is provided the full capabilities of a modern business telecommunication wired terminal. Also, no wired telephone links must be installed since the wireless terminal communicates solely over a wireless media.

Claims

1. An apparatus providing both mobile and fixed location telecommunication services via a wireless switching system, comprising:

an auxiliary fixed unit for providing a plurality of telecommunication feature functions;

a wireless terminal connecting to the wireless switching system via a first wireless link and to the auxiliary fixed unit via a second wireless link with all telecommunication information to or from the auxiliary fixed unit being communicated via the second wireless link and the wireless terminal;

a first controller in the wireless terminal responsive to first ones of telecommunication control messages from the wireless switching system for transmitting ones of a second type of control messages to the auxiliary fixed unit;

a second controller in the auxiliary fixed unit responsive to the ones of the second type of control messages for controlling ones of the plurality of telecommunication feature functions;

the second controller responsive to actuation of other ones of the plurality of telecommunication feature functions by a user on the auxiliary fixed unit for transmitting ones of a third type of control messages to wireless terminal; and

the first controller responsive to the ones of the third type of control messages for transmitting second ones of the telecommunication control messages to the wireless switching system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wireless terminal comprises a transceiver connected to the second wireless link for detecting a loss of the second wireless link;

and

the first controller responsive to the loss of the second wireless link and receipt of third ones of telecommunication control messages from the wireless switching system for storing other ones of the second type of control messages.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the transceiver further detecting the restoration of the second wireless link and the first controller responsive to the detection of restoration for transmitting the stored other ones of the second type of control messages to the auxiliary fixed unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the wireless terminal responsive to voice information from the wireless switching system for communicating the voice information via the second wireless link;

and

the auxiliary fixed unit comprises an interface for connecting to the second wireless link and transferring the communicated voice information to an auxiliary audio device.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the auxiliary fixed unit transferring other voice information from the auxiliary audio device to the wireless terminal;

and

the wireless terminal responsive to the other voice information from the auxiliary fixed unit for communicating the other voice information via the first wireless link to the wireless switching system.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the auxiliary device is a speakerphone.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the auxiliary device is a headset.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the second wireless link is an infra-red wireless link.

9. A wireless terminal for providing both wireless and desktop functions, comprising:

a circuit for receiving first ones of a plurality of wireless control messages from a wireless switching system via a first wireless link;

a controller for translating ones of the received first ones of the plurality of wireless control messages to ones of a first type of control messages; and

a transmitter under control of the controller for transmitting the ones of the first type of control messages to an auxiliary fixed unit via a second wireless link wherein the ones of the first type of control messages specify ones of a plurality of telecommunication feature functions to be performed on the auxiliary fixed unit with all telecommunication information to or from the auxiliary fixed unit being communicated via the second wireless link and the wireless terminal;

a receiver for receiving ones of a second type of control messages from the auxiliary fixed unit via the second wireless link wherein the ones of the second type of control messages define user actions on the auxiliary fixed unit;

the controller responsive to the received ones of the second type of control messages for further translating the received ones of the second type of control messages to second ones of the plurality of the wireless control messages; and

a circuit for transmitting the second ones of the plurality of wireless control messages to the wireless switching system.

10. The wireless terminal of claim 9 wherein the receiver for receiving ones of a second type of control messages further detecting the loss of the second wireless link;

and

the controller further responsive to the detection of the loss of the second wireless link and receipt of third ones of the plurality of wireless control messages for storing other ones of the first type of control messages.

11. The wireless terminal of claim 10 wherein the receiver for receiving ones of a second type of control messages further detecting the restoration of the second wireless link;

and

the controller further responsive to the restoration of the second wireless link for transmitting the stored other ones of the first type of control messages to the auxiliary fixed unit.

12. A method providing both mobile and fixed location telecommunication services via a wireless terminal, an auxiliary fixed unit, and a wireless switching system, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of telecommunication feature functions by the auxiliary fixed unit;

connecting to the wireless switching system via a first wireless link and to the auxiliary fixed unit via a second wireless link by the wireless terminal with all telecommunication information to or from the auxiliary fixed unit being communicated via the second wireless link and the wireless terminal;

transmitting ones of a second type of control messages to the auxiliary fixed unit by the wireless terminal in response to first ones of telecommunication control messages from the wireless switching system;

controlling ones of the plurality of telecommunication feature functions by the auxiliary fixed unit in response to the ones of the second type of control messages;

transmitting ones of a third type of control messages to wireless terminal from the auxiliary fixed unit in response to actuation of other ones of the plurality of telecommunication feature functions by a user on the auxiliary fixed unit; and

transmitting second ones of the telecommunication control messages to the wireless switching system by the wireless terminal in response to the ones of the third type of control messages.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprises the steps of detecting a loss of the second wireless link by the wireless terminal;

and

storing other ones of the second type of control messages by the wireless terminal in response to the loss of the second wireless link and receipt of third ones of telecommunication control messages from the wireless switching system.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprises the steps of detecting the restoration of the second wireless link by the wireless terminal;

and

transmitting the stored other ones of the second type of control messages to the auxiliary fixed unit by the wireless terminal in response to the detection of restoration for.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprises the steps of communicating voice information via the second wireless link by the wireless terminal in response to voice information from the wireless switching system;

and

transferring the communicated voice information to an auxiliary audio device by the auxiliary fixed unit.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprises the steps of transferring other voice information from the auxiliary audio device to the wireless terminal by the auxiliary fixed unit;

and

communicating the other voice information via the first wireless link to the wireless switching system by the wireless terminal in response to the other voice information from the auxiliary fixed unit.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the auxiliary device is a speakerphone.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the auxiliary device is a headset.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the second wireless link is an infra-red wireless link.

20. A method for providing both wireless and desktop functions by wireless terminal, comprising the steps of:

receiving first ones of a plurality of wireless control messages from a wireless switching system via a first wireless link;

translating ones of the received first ones of the plurality of wireless control messages to ones of a first type of control messages; and

transmitting the ones of the first type of control messages to an auxiliary fixed unit via a second wireless link wherein the ones of the first type of control messages specify ones of a plurality of telecommunication feature functions to be performed on the auxiliary fixed unit with all telecommunication information to or from the auxiliary fixed unit being communicated via the second wireless link and the wireless terminal;

receiving ones of a second type of control messages from the auxiliary fixed unit via the second wireless link wherein the ones of the second type of control messages define user actions on the auxiliary fixed unit;

further translating the received ones of the second type of control messages to second ones of the plurality of the wireless control messages; and

transmitting the second ones of the plurality of wireless control messages to the wireless switching system.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprises the steps of detecting the loss of the second wireless link;

and

storing other ones of the first type of control messages in response to the detection of the loss of the second wireless link and receipt of third ones of the plurality of wireless control messages.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprises the steps of receiving ones of a second type of control messages further detecting the restoration of the second wireless link;

and

transmitting the stored other ones of the first type of control messages to the auxiliary fixed unit in response to the restoration of the second wireless link.