Tele-remote telephone and remote control device

• US 6,445,933 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2000
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tim Pettit
• Original Assignee: Tim Pettit
• Inventors: Pettit, Tim
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thanh Cong
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOW, CHARLES CHIANG
• Application Number:
  US09/617,786
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556, 455/344, 455/550, 455/420, 455/90, 379/56, 379/61, 379/93, 379/96, 345/168, 345/169, 345/170, 348/14, 348/15, 348/176
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A teleremote device includes a cordless or cellular telephone in combination with a remote controller for a television, VCR, satellite receiver, DVD device, and/or video game controller. The telephone and remote control device are provided in a single rechargeable unit. The device includes a telephone keypad on one side of the device, and a remote control keypad on the other side. To avoid accidental or inadvertent actuation of keys on one side of the device while intending use of the other side, a switch control element is provided to permit selective actuation of the telephone keypad or the remote control keypad. An off switch is provided to conserve battery power when the teleremote device is not in use. Indicator lights may also be provided to show which side of the device is actuated.

Claims

1. A combination telephone apparatus and a remote control apparatus in a single housing combined to form a portable teleremote apparatus, which comprises:

a) the housing having a front portion, a back portion, a top portion, a bottom portion, a first side portion and a second side portion;

b) the telephone apparatus located within the housing, with a telephone keypad having a plurality of selectable telephone actuation keys located on the front portion of the housing;

the telephone apparatus in electrical communication with a telephone memory located within the housing when the telephone apparatus is selectively actuated, the telephone apparatus further having a microphone portion for picking up sounds, a speaker portion for reproducing sounds, and an antenna extending from the housing for remote communication with a remote telephone base;

c) the remote control apparatus located within the housing, with a remote control keypad having a plurality of selectable remote control actuation keys located on the back portion of the housing, the remote control apparatus in electrical communication with a remote control memory located within the housing when the remote control apparatus is selectively actuated, the remote control apparatus further having a transmitting and receiving means and an antenna in remote communication with a remote control base;

d) a battery power supply located within the housing, the battery power supply in electrical communication with the telephone memory, the remote control memory; and

a switch control element;

e) the switch control element mounted on the housing for selectively directing power from the battery power supply to a selected one of the telephone apparatus, and the remote control apparatus; and

f) a rechargeable base unit adapted to provide electrical communication between the rechargeable base unit and the battery power supply located within the housing, when the housing is in electrical communication with the rechargeable base unit, and the rechargeable base unit is in electrical communication with a remote power supply.

2. The portable teleremote apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switch control element includes multiple switch positions, including a telephone actuation position, an off switch position, and a remote control apparatus position, with a manual actuator positioned upon the housing to selectively actuate a selected one of the multiple switch positions.

3. The portable teleremote apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one telephone actuation key located on the telephone keypad is illuminated when the switch control element is selectively positioned to actuate the telephone keypad, and at least one remote control actuation key located on the remote control keypad is illuminated when the switch control element is selectively positioned to actuate the remote control keypad.

4. The portable teleremote apparatus of claim 1, wherein a visual indicator is mounted on the distal end of the antenna to signal actuation of at least one of the telephone apparatus and the remote control apparatus.

5. The portable teleremote apparatus of claim 4, wherein said visual indicator is a first light emitting diode located on the housing adjacent to the telephone keypad, and a second light emitting diode is located on the housing adjacent to the remote control keypad.

6. The portable teleremote apparatus of claim 1, wherein the telephone keypad is similar in layout and actuation to a conventional telephone keypad.

7. The portable teleremote apparatus of claim 1, wherein the remote control keypad is similar in layout and actuation to a conventional remote control keypad.

8. The portable teleremote apparatus of claim 1, wherein the telephone memory is selectively accessed by the telephone keypad to provide at least one of:

redial, recall of pre-programmed telephone numbers, voice mail, and call forwarding.

10. The portable teleremote apparatus of claim 1, wherein the remote control keypad is adapted to selectively control at least one of:

a television, a VCR, a satellite receiver, a DVD device, and a video game.

9. The portable teleremote apparatus of claims, wherein the remote control memory is selectively accessed by the remote control keypad to provide at least one of:

storing data on the remote control memory and selecting data from the remote control memory.

11. A combination telephone apparatus and a remote control apparatus in a single housing combined to form a portable teleremote apparatus, which comprises:

a) the housing having a front portion, a back portion, a top portion, a bottom portion, a first side portion and a second side portion;

b) the telephone apparatus located within the housing, with a telephone keypad having a plurality of selectable telephone actuation keys located on the front portion of the housing;

the telephone apparatus in electrical communication with a telephone memory located within the housing when the telephone apparatus is selectively actuated, the telephone apparatus further having a microphone portion for picking up sounds, a speaker portion for reproducing sounds, and an antenna extending from the housing for remote communication with a remote telephone base;

c) the remote control apparatus located within the housing, with a remote control keypad having a plurality of selectable remote control actuation keys located on the back portion of the housing, the remote control apparatus in electrical communication with a remote control memory located within the housing when the remote control apparatus is selectively actuated, the remote control apparatus further having a transmitting and receiving means and an antenna in remote communication with a remote control base;

d) a battery power supply located within the housing, the battery power supply in electrical communication with the telephone memory, the remote control memory; and

a switch control element;

e) the switch control element mounted on the housing for selectively directing power from the battery power supply to one of a plurality of switch control positions, the switch control positions including a switch position connecting the battery power supply to the telephone apparatus, to an off position, and connecting the battery power supply to the remote control apparatus; and

f) a rechargeable base unit adapted to provide electrical communication between the rechargeable base unit and the battery power supply located within the housing, when the housing is in electrical communication with the rechargeable base unit, and when the rechargeable base unit is in electrical communication with a remote power supply.

12. The portable teleremote apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one telephone actuation key located on the telephone keypad is illuminated when the switch control element is selectively positioned to actuate the telephone keypad, and at least one remote control actuation key located on the remote control keypad is illuminated when the switch control element is selectively positioned to actuate the remote control keypad.

13. The portable teleremote apparatus of claim 11, wherein a first light emitting diode is located on the housing adjacent to the telephone keypad, and a second light emitting diode is located on the housing adjacent to the remote control keypad, and the first light emitting diodes is actuated upon selective actuation of the telephone apparatus, and the second light emitting diode is actuated upon selective actuation of the remote control apparatus.

14. The portable teleremote apparatus of claim 11, wherein the telephone keypad is similar in position, layout and function to a conventional telephone keypad.

15. The portable teleremote apparatus of claim 11, wherein the remote control keypad is similar in position, layout and function to a conventional remote control keypad.

16. The portable teleremote apparatus of claim 11, wherein the telephone memory is accessed by the telephone keypad to provide at least one of:

redial, recall pre-programmed telephone numbers, voice mail, and call forwarding.

17. The portable teleremote apparatus of claim 11, wherein the remote control memory is accessed by the remote control keypad to provide at least one of:

programming the remote control memory and selecting pre-programming data from the remote control memory.

18. The portable teleremote apparatus of claim 11, wherein the remote control keypad is adapted to selectively control at least one of:

a television, a VCR, a satellite receiver, a DVD device, and a video game.

19. A combination telephone apparatus and a remote control apparatus in a single housing, combined to form a portable teleremote apparatus, which comprises:

a) the housing having a front portion, a back portion, a top portion, a bottom portion, a first side portion and a second side portion;

b) the telephone apparatus located within the housing, with a telephone keypad having a plurality of selectable telephone actuation keys located on the front portion of the housing;

the telephone apparatus in electrical communication with a telephone memory located within the housing when the telephone apparatus is selectively actuated, the telephone apparatus further having a microphone portion for picking up sounds, a speaker portion for reproducing sounds, and an antenna extending from the housing for remote communication with a remote telephone base;

c) the remote control apparatus located within the housing, with a remote control keypad having a plurality of selectable remote control actuation keys located on the back portion of the housing, the remote control apparatus in electrical communication with a remote control memory located within the housing when the remote control apparatus is selectively actuated, the remote control apparatus further having a transmitting and receiving means and an antenna in remote communication with a remote control base;

d) a battery power supply located within the housing, the battery power supply in electrical communication with the telephone memory, the remote control memory; and

a switch control element;

e) the switch control element mounted on the housing for selectively directing power from the battery power supply to one of a plurality of switch control positions, the switch control positions including a switch position connecting the battery power supply to the telephone apparatus, to an off position, and to the remote control apparatus;

f) at least one telephone actuation key located on the telephone keypad is illuminated when the switch control element is positioned to connect the battery power supply to the telephone apparatus, and at least one remote control actuation key located on the remote control keypad is illuminated when the switch control element is positioned to connect the battery power supply to the remote control apparatus; and

g) a rechargeable base unit adapted to provide electrical communication between the rechargeable base unit and the battery power supply located within the housing, when the housing is in electrical communication with the rechargeable base unit, and when the rechargeable base unit is in electrical communication with a remote power supply.

20. The portable teleremote apparatus of claim 19, wherein a single antenna extending from the housing is selectively actuated for remote communication with a remote telephone base, and for remote communication with a remote control base.