Cordless modem system having multiple base and remote stations which are interusable and secure

• US 6,259,726 B1
• Filed: 11/05/1997
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Fulton, Paul R., Saadeh, Said S.
• Primary Examiner(s): LUTHER, WILLIAM A
• Application Number:
  US08/964,884
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 375/222, 375/377, 375/224, 375/259, 455/74, 455/74.1, 455/344, 455/345, 455/346, 455/462, 455/463, 455/465, 455/466, 455/528, 455/557, 455/556, 455/558, 455/559, 455/403, 455/410, 455/461, 455/550, 455/575, 340/825.5, 340/825.51, 340/825.52, 340/825.53, 340/825.07, 340/825.21, 340/825.44, 379/110.01, 379/90.01, 379/93.01, 379/93.02, 379/93.03, 379/93.05, 379/93.32, 379/93.34, 379/93.16, 379/93.06, 379/93.07, 379/93.26, 379/93.27, 379/93.28, 379/93.29, 379/93.31, 364/705.05, 364/705.01, 370/471, 370/474, 370/475, 370/276, 370/277, 370/278, 370/279, 370/280, 370/281, 370/297, 370/310, 370/313, 370/314, 1/1
• US Class Current: 375/222
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/733 with a plurality of base stations connected to a plurality of lines for selection in cordless PBX H04W84/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/06 Simultaneous speech and data transmission, e.g. telegraphic transmission over the same conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/00 Interfaces specially adapted for wireless communication networks

Abstract

A cordless modem system where a mobile station unit (MSU) is located in the computer and a base station unit (BSU) is connected to the telephone line. A radio frequency (RF) link is developed between the two units to allow a cordless connection. A series of commands are used between the two units to allow the MSU to request a channel, the BSU to grant a channel, the BSU to notify of a ring, and the MSU to request the BSU to go off hook. In addition, there is preferably a command sequence to allow authorization of a particular MSU or BSU. There are two full duplex channels in each MSU and BSU. This allows multiple BSUs and MSUs to be utilized in a small area. Communications between the two units are secure based on address values for each unit contained in the various commands. The communications software utilized in the computer is not even aware of the presence of the cordless connection. Two embodiments of the MSU are provided, one configured as an external data access arrangement (DAA) to be connected with laptop modems configured to utilize external DAAs, and in a second embodiment the MSU is incorporated with the modem hardware to provide a single, fully integrated unit. The BSU is a single preferably relatively small box which simply plugs into the telephone line.

Claims

1. A transmitting system for transmitting modem data between a computer and a telephone line of a telephone system, the transmitting system comprising:

a modem coupled to the computer;

the computer for providing modem commands to the modem;

a mobile unit connected to the modem, said mobile unit having a mobile unit identification value and including;

a modem interface coupled to the modem for receiving the modem data and dialing signals from the modem and for providing the modem data to the modem;

a mobile unit radio frequency transceiver connected to said modem interface for transmitting the modem data and the dialing signals over a radio frequency channel and for receiving the modem data over the radio frequency channel;

mobile unit command processor coupled to said mobile unit radio frequency transceiver for providing and receiving command information over the radio frequency channel; and

mobile unit operations controller coupled to said mobile unit command processor for performing operations responsive to the command information received by said mobile unit command processor; and

a base unit connected to the telephone line, said base unit having a base unit identification value and including;

a data access arrangement for receiving the modem data from and providing the modem data and the dialing signals to the telephone line, wherein the data access arrangement is directly coupled to the telephone line;

a base unit radio frequency transceiver coupled to said data access arrangement for transmitting the modem data over the radio frequency channel and for receiving the modem data and the dialing signals over the radio frequency channel, said base unit radio frequency transceiver operating with said mobile unit radio frequency transceiver;

base unit command processor coupled to said base unit radio frequency transceiver for providing and receiving the command information over the radio frequency channel; and

base unit operations controller coupled to said base unit command processor for performing operations responsive to the command information received,

wherein the command information provided by said mobile unit command processor and said base unit command processor includes said mobile unit identification value and said base unit identification value, wherein said mobile unit operations controller operates only if the command information received includes the mobile unit identification value of said mobile unit, and

wherein during communication between said mobile unit and said base unit, said mobile unit transmits the base unit identification value of said base unit so that only said base unit communicates with said mobile unit.

2. The transmitting system of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless data link for communicating the modem data between said modem unit radio frequency transceiver and said base unit radio frequency transceiver.

3. The transmitting system of claim 1, wherein said mobile unit is integrated with the modem into a single unit.

4. The transmitting system of claim 1, said base unit being connected to the telephone line through a phone jack, wherein said mobile unit is located away from the phone jack.

5. The transmitting system of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency channel includes a transmit channel and a receive channel.

6. The transmitting system of claim 5, wherein the transmit channel operates at a center frequency of 35.2 MHZ and the receive channel operates at a center frequency of 42.24 MHZ.

7. A transmitting system for transmitting modem data between a computer and a telephone line of a telephone system, the transmitting system comprising:

modem coupled to the computer, said modem adapted for connection to a Public Telephone Network;

the computer for providing modem commands to the modem;

a mobile unit connected to the modem, said mobile unit having a mobile unit identification value and including;

a modem interface coupled to the mode for receiving the modem data and dialing signals from the modem and for providing the modem data to the modem;

a mobile unit radio frequency transceiver connected to said modem interface for transmitting the modem data and the dialing signals over a radio frequency channel and for receiving the modem data over the radio frequency channel;

mobile unit command processor coupled to said mobile unit radio frequency transceiver for providing and receiving command information over the radio frequency channel; and

mobile unit operations controller coupled to said mobile unit command processor for performing operations responsive to the command information received by said mobile unit command processor; and

a base unit connected to the telephone line, said base unit having a base unit identification value and including;

a data access arrangement for receiving the modem data from and providing the modem data and the dialing signals to the telephone line, wherein the data access arrangement is directly coupled to the telephone line;

a base unit radio frequency transceiver coupled to said data access arrangement for transmitting the modem data over the radio frequency channel and for receiving the modem data and the dialing signals over the radio frequency channel, said base unit radio frequency transceiver operating with said mobile unit radio frequency transceiver;

base unit command processor coupled to said base unit radio frequency transceiver for providing and receiving the command information over the radio frequency channel; and

base unit operations controller coupled to said base unit command processor for performing operations responsive to the command information received,

wherein the command information provided by said mobile unit command processor and said base unit command processor includes said mobile unit identification value and said base unit identification value, wherein said mobile unit operations controller operates only if the command information received includes the mobile unit identification value of said mobile unit,

wherein during communication between said mobile unit and said base unit, said mobile unit transmits the base unit identification value of said base unit so that only said base unit communicates with said mobile unit; and

wherein communication between said mobile unit and said base unit over said radio frequency channel is a one-to-one dedicated transmission.

8. The transmitting system of claim 7, further comprising:

a wireless data link for communicating the modem data between said modem unit radio frequency transceiver and said base unit radio frequency transceiver.

9. The transmitting system of claim 7, wherein said mobile unit is integrated with the modem into a single unit.

10. The transmitting system of claim 7, said base unit being connected to the telephone line through a phone jack, wherein said mobile unit is located away from the phone jack.

11. The transmitting system of claim 7, wherein the radio frequency channel includes a transmit channel and a receive channel.

12. The transmitting system of claim 11, wherein the transmit channel operates at a center frequency of 35.2 MHZ and the receive channel operates at a center frequency of 42.24 MHZ.

13. A transmitting system for transmitting modem data between a computer and a telephone line of a telephone system, the transmitting system comprising:

a modem coupled to the computer, said modem adapted for connection to a Public Switched Telephone Network;

the computer for providing modem commands to the modem;

a mobile unit connected to the modem, said mobile unit having a mobile unit identification value and including;

a modem interface coupled to the modem for receiving the modem data and dialing signals from the modem and for providing the modem data to the modem;

a mobile unit radio frequency transceiver connected to said modem interface for transmitting the modem data and the dialing signals over a radio frequency channel and for receiving the modem data over the radio frequency channel;

mobile unit command processor coupled to said mobile unit radio frequency transceiver for providing and receiving command information over the radio frequency channel; and

mobile unit operations controller coupled to said mobile unit command processor for performing operations responsive to the command information received by said mobile unit command processor; and

a base unit connected to the telephone line, said base unit having a base unit identification value and including;

a data access arrangement for receiving the modem data from and providing the modem data and the dialing signals to the telephone line, wherein the data access arrangement is directly coupled to the telephone line;

a base unit radio frequency transceiver coupled to said data access arrangement for transmitting the modem data over the radio frequency channel and for receiving the modem data and the dialing signals over the radio frequency channel, said base unit radio frequency transceiver operating with said mobile unit radio frequency transceiver;

base unit command processor coupled to said base unit radio frequency transceiver for providing and receiving the command information over the radio frequency channel; and

base unit operations controller coupled to said base unit command processor for performing operations responsive to the command information received,

wherein the command information provided by said mobile unit command processor and said base unit command processor includes said mobile unit identification value and said base unit identification value, wherein said mobile unit operations controller operates only if the command information received includes the mobile unit identification value of said mobile unit, and

wherein during communication between said mobile unit and said base unit, said mobile unit transmits the base unit identification value of said base unit so that only said base unit communicates with said mobile unit.

14. The transmitting system of claim 13, further comprising:

a wireless data link for communicating the modem data between said modem unit radio frequency transceiver and said base unit radio frequency transceiver.

15. The transmitting system of claim 13, wherein said mobile unit is integrated with the modem into a single unit.

16. The transmitting system of claim 13, said base unit being connected to the telephone line through a phone jack, wherein said mobile unit is located away from the phone jack.

17. The transmitting system of claim 13, wherein the radio frequency channel includes a transmit channel and a receive channel.

18. The transmitting system of claim 17, wherein the transmit channel operates at a center frequency of 35.2 MHZ and the receive channel operates at a center frequency of 42.24 MHZ.