Telephone docking station for personal digital assistant

• US 6,266,539 B1
• Filed: 06/12/1998
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pardo, Teddy
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vuong, Quochien B.
• Application Number:
  US09/096,462
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556, 455/557, 455/566, 455/90, 455/575, 703/23, 703/27, 710/101, 379/90.01, 379/93.24, 379/93.25, 379/110.01, 379/93.01, 379/93.05
• US Class Current: 455/556.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/02 Constructional features of telephone sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2478 Telephone terminals specially adapted for non-voice services, e.g. email, internet access centralized arrangements where telephones services are combined H04M7/0024; for recording text messages H04M3/5322; for accessing Internet H04M3/4938
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20

Abstract

A telephone docking station for a personal digital assistant provides a simple docking arrangement in conjunction with a basic telephone circuit that exploits all of the resident intelligence of a PDA in connection with the telephone circuit to extend the PDA'"'"'s functionality to the telephone, while extending the telephone'"'"'s communications capability to the PDA. The docking arrangement preferably consists of a docking slot or port provided within the telephone housing itself by which the PDA is readily received and secured to the telephone, and by which an electrical interconnection or infrared (i.e. digital) is made to the telephone circuitry within the telephone housing. Software installed on the PDA implements desired communications functions, such as automatic dialing of a phone number stored in the PDA directory, the receipt and transmission of email, provides the ability to access electronic networks, such as the Internet, e.g. to browse the World Wide Web, and various custom calling services such as: three-way calling, call forwarding caller-id blocking, and call return.

Claims

1. A telephone comprising:

a telephone housing including a fully functional basic telephone, the housing including a keypad, a handset and a telephone circuit for connection to a telephone line;

a docking port disposed in said telephone housing for receiving and retaining a personal digital assistant (PDA) in contact with said housing, said docking port oriented so that the PDA'"'"'s display and controls remain visible, functional and accessible while the PDA is docked;

a modem disposed within said housing, said modem capable of implementing CLASS functions, and configured to activate the PDA when the telephone circuit receives a telephone call;

a data exchange and communication bus interconnecting the PDA, said modem and said telephone circuit;

a first program resident in the PDA for controlling said modem and said telephone circuit and implementing telephony functions and on-line functions including sending and receiving e-mail;

a second program resident in the PDA that recognizes when the PDA is docked with said docking port and automatically utilizes enlarged fonts, icons and display settings for data display on the PDA display in at least one PDA program; and

a data port through which the PDA may be coupled to a user'"'"'s computer through said data exchange and communication bus.

2. A telephone in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply for providing electricity for recharging and operating the PDA when the PDA is attached to said docking port.

3. A telephone in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first program implements at least one of:

CLASS functions, caller ID, three way calling, e-mail, web browsing, speed dial, direct dialing from PDA'"'"'s address book, voice mail, network functions.

4. A telephone in accordance with claim 1, wherein said telephone includes a controller circuit through which the user controls the modem, the telephone and PC synchronization.

5. A telephone in accordance with claim 4, wherein said first program includes additional software allowing it to control the controller circuit for implementing telephony functions and on-line functions including sending and receiving e-mail.

6. A telephone in accordance with claim 1, wherein said docking port comprises:

a standard interface having adapters for any of various PDAs.

7. A telephone in accordance with claim 1, wherein data exchange is enabled through any of an infrared, RF or inductive interface.

8. A method for docking a personal digital assistant (PDA) with a telephone, comprising:

attaching the PDA to the telephone through a docking port that securely holds the PDA in place and allows full use and visibility of the PDA'"'"'s display;

interconnecting the attached PDA to the modem and telephone circuits of the telephone;

controlling the telephone'"'"'s communication capacities through software resident in the PDA allowing the PDA to perform telephony functions and on-line functions including sending and receiving e-mail;

activating a program automatically upon contact with the docking port enlarging the font and display settings of the PDA display in at least one PDA program while the PDA is docked.

9. A method of claim 8, further comprising interconnecting the PDA to a user'"'"'s computer through the docking port.

10. A method of claim 8, further comprising activating the attached PDA whenever the telephone receives a telephone call.

11. A method of claim 8, further comprising recharging the PDA through a power source connected to the PDA though the docking port.

12. A method of claim 8, further comprising controlling the telephone'"'"'s communication capacities through software resident in the PDA allowing the PDA to implement at least one of:

CLASS functions, caller ID, three way calling, e-mail, web browsing, speed dial, direct dialing from PDA'"'"'s address book, voice mail, network functions.