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

• US 6,507,610 B1
• Filed: 11/05/1997
• Issued: 01/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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:
  US08/968,858
• Time in Patent Office: 1,896 Days
• Field of Search: 1/1, 375/222, 375/223, 375/224, 375/377, 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, 379/93.06, 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
• 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 system for transmitting data between a modem in a computer and a telephone line of a telephone system, the system comprising:

a computer;

a standard computer modem coupled to the computer, the standard computer modem adapted to receive digital modem data and standard digital modem commands from the computer and adapted to convert the digital modem data and act upon the standard digital modem commands to generate standard data access arrangement suitable signals;

a mobile unit coupled to the modem, the mobile unit adapted to receive the standard digital access arrangement suitable signals and convert them into wireless signals; and

a base unit adapted to receive the wireless signals from the mobile unit and convert them back into converted standard data access arrangement suitable signals, the base unit including a standard data access arrangement for coupling to a telephone line, the standard data access arrangement adapted to receive the converted standard data access arrangement suitable signals and provide corresponding telephone line signals to the telephone line.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile unit further comprises a mobile unit operations controller, and wherein the base unit further comprises a base unit operations controller, and wherein the base unit operations controller provides a wireless ring indication command to the mobile unit operations controller via the wireless signals when the base unit operation controller detects a ring from the telephone line.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the mobile unit operation controller provides standard data access arrangement suitable signals back to the modem indicating a telephone line is ringing in response to receiving the wireless ring indication command over the wireless signals from the base unit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile unit operations controller provides an off-hook command via the wireless signals to the base unit operations controller in response to detecting standard data access arrangement suitable signals indicating an off-hook condition by the modem.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein responsive to detecting the modem going off-hook, the mobile unit operations controller further provides an initial request command over the wireless signals, wherein said initial request command includes a mobile unit identification Value, and wherein the base unit operations controller provides an authorization granted command over the wireless signals in response to the initial request command.

6. A method for transmitting modem data between a modem in a computer and a telephone line, comprising the steps of:

providing digital modem data and standard digital modem commands from the computer to the modem;

converting in the modem the digital modem data and the standard digital modem commands to standard data access arrangement signals;

converting the standard data access arrangement signals into wireless signals and transmitting them to a base unit;

converting in the base unit the wireless signals back into converted standard data access arrangement signals; and

coupling the converted standard data access arrangement signals to the telephone line.