Cordless connection for a data/fax modem

• US 6,128,510 A
• Filed: 05/13/1997
• Issued: 10/03/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cina, Michael Frank, Ponnapalli, Saila, Gaucher, Brian Paul, Kwark, Young Hoon, Beukema, Troy James, Flint, Ephraim Bemis, Oprysko, Modest Michael, Pence, William Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woldetatios, Yemane
• Application Number:
  US08/855,502
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556, 455/557, 455/575, 455/462, 455/112, 455/560, 455/426, 455/66, 455/465, 455/74, 455/74.1, 375/200, 375/208, 375/219, 375/222
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A cordless modem comprises a radio pair interfaced to a standard data/fax modem which allows a user of a personal computer to wirelessly connect to a telephone line. One end of the radio pair is a remote unit interfaced to the modem contained within the PC while the other end is a base unit connected to a standard telephone wall jack. The base unit can selectively discriminate and adjust for signals received from a telephone voice handset or data signals received from the cordless modem remote unit. Upon receiving an off-hook signal or an incoming call signal, the base unit identifies the type of data (i.e., voice or computer modem data) and adapts accordingly by placing an FM modulator in either of a narrow band deviation or a wide band deviation covering the required range of the particular signal combined with local echo. That is, when voice data is present, a low deviation, narrow filter combination is selected. If, on the other hand, the computer data from the cordless modem is detected, a higher deviation, wider bandwidth filter is selected. In addition, the remote unit switches a pre-detection filter from one mode to another depending on whether it is connected to a computer modem or to a voice handset. Security from eavesdroppers as well as the mitigation of signal fading is provided by overlaying a pseudo-random number (PN) code on the FM modulated signal.

Claims

1. A radio pair for cordlessly connecting a modem to a standard telephone line, comprising:

a base unit pluggable into a telephone jack connected to a telephone line,

said base unit comprising;

a first data access arrangement (DAA) module for converting a signal from said telephone jack into a 4-wire signal;

a first radio transceiver connected to said first DAA module for transmitting and receiving data over the telephone line; and

discrimination means for discriminating between data signals received from said modem and signals received from a telephone voice handset; and

a remote unit connectable to a modem interface with a telephone jack, said remote unit comprising;

a second DAA module for converting the 4-wire signal into signal compatible with said modem interface; and

a second radio transceiver connected to said second DAA module for transmitting and receiving data to and from said first radio transceiver in said base unit.

2. A radio pair as recited in claim 1 wherein said telephone jack comprises an RJ-11 connector.

3. A radio pair as recited in claim 1 wherein said telephone jack comprises an x-jack connector.

4. A radio pair as recited in claim 1 wherein said telephone jack comprises a flat connector.

5. A radio pair as recited in claim 1 wherein said modem interface comprises an RJ-11 connector.

6. A radio pair as recited in claim 1 wherein said modem interface comprises an x-jack connector.

7. A radio pair as recited in claim 1 wherein said modem interface comprises a flat connector.

8. A radio pair for cordlessly connecting a modem to a standard telephone line as recited in claim 1 wherein said second DAA module comprises:

means for detecting an impedance drop across tip and ring terminals of said modem to detect an off-hook condition; and

means for detecting an impedance increase across said tip and ring terminals of said modem to determine an on-hook condition.

9. A radio pair for cordlessly connecting a modem to a standard telephone line as recited in claim 1 wherein said second DAA module includes a ring detection circuit comprising:

means for receiving an incoming call code signal from said base unit;

a storage capacitor connected to a power supply for storing a charge voltage needed to generate a ring voltage waveform;

a first bridge and transformer connected to said storage capacitor for stepping up said charge voltage to a higher voltage to energize a ring detection circuit;

a second bridge for commutating said high voltage into a waveform having a frequency and cadence emulating a telephone ring voltage waveform.

10. A device for cordlessly connecting a modem to a telephone line, comprising:

a base unit adapted to be plugged into a telephone jack hard-wired to a telephone line and a remote unit having a telephone jack adapted to be connected to a modem, at least one of said base unit and said remote unit comprising a data access arrangement (DAA) module for making the modem compatible with the telephone line; and

a first wide-band radio transceiver in said base unit;

a second wide-band radio transceiver in said remote unit for communicating with said first wide-band radio transceiver;

said first wide-band radio transceiver for modulating a first analog signal from the telephone line on a frequency modulation carrier and for demodulating a second signal received from said second wide-band radio transceiver in said remote unit, and transmitting said second signal over the telephone line;

said second wide-band radio transceiver for modulating an analog signal from said modem on a frequency modulation carrier and for demodulating a signal received from said first wide-band radio transceiver in said base unit.

11. A device as recited in claim 10 wherein said first and said second wide-band transceivers comprise a direct digital synthesis modulator.

12. A device as recited in claim 10 wherein said first and said second wide-band transceivers comprise a crystal modulator and a multiplier.

13. A device as recited in claim 12 said multiplier comprises a frequency multiplier.

14. A device as recited in claim 10 wherein said first and said second wide-band transceivers comprise a phase-lock-loop modulator.

15. A device as recited in claim 10 wherein said first and said second wide-band transceivers comprise an offset upconverter and multiplier.

16. A device as recited in claim 10 further comprising:

pseudo-random number (PN) code generator means, connected to said first wide-band transceiver and said second wide-band transceiver, for further modulating said first analog signal from the telephone line and said analog signal from said modem.

17. A method for cordlessly communicating data between a modem and a telephone line, comprising the steps of:

connecting a base unit comprising a first transceiver to a telephone line jack connected to the telephone line;

connecting a remote unit comprising a second transceiver to a modem with a telephone jack positioned on said remote unit;

sending control signals between said first transceiver and said second transceiver to establish recognition between said base unit and said remote unit;

modulating modem data signals from said telephone line on a first frequency modulation carrier and modulating modem data signals from said modem on a second frequency modulation carrier;

modulating said first frequency modulation carrier with a first pseudo-random code number;

modulating said second frequency modulation carrier with a second pseudo-random code number;

transmitting and receiving said first and said second frequency modulation carriers between said first transceiver and said second transceiver; and

demodulating said first and said second frequency modulation carriers.

18. A method for cordlessly communicating data between a modem and a telephone line as recited in claim 17 wherein said first pseudo-random code number and said second pseudo random code number are identical.