Computer peripheral base station for a cordless telephone

• US 6,728,546 B1
• Filed: 08/26/1999
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Legerity Incorporated (Microsemi Semiconductor Corp.)
• Inventors: Peterson, Joe W., Alton, Ken D., Borland, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G.
• Application Number:
  US09/384,309
• Time in Patent Office: 1,706 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414, 455/462, 455/463, 455/464, 455/66, 455/556, 455/557, 455/558, 455/561, 455/569, 455/573, 455/414.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 375/222
• US Class Current: 455/462
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2473 Telephone terminals interfacing a personal computer, e.g. using an API (Application Programming Interface) details of API H04M7/0021
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72502 with one base station connected to a single line
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A computer system that functions as a cordless telephone base unit is disclosed. The computer system includes a cordless telephone device that can be operative through the computer system. The cordless telephone device can function as a cordless telephone base unit with the help of an external antenna that can be attached to the computer system housing. The cordless telephone device may, for example, include a cordless telephone card installed in one of a plurality of connector slots on the computer system motherboard. The cordless telephone device is coupled to a sound device, which may be a computer sound card and may also be installed on the computer system motherboard. The cordless telephone device comprises a cordless telephone base unit, a microphone output and a speaker input to allow the cordless telephone device to be coupled to the sound device in the computer system. An external cordless telephone handset is coupled to this cordless telephone device to allow a user to carry out a telephone communication over an external telephone line, which is connected to the sound device. The connection of the telephone line to the sound device also facilitates a telephone communication using the Internet. Thus, the computer unit will itself function as a cordless telephone base station. This will eliminate the need to have an external cordless telephone base unit.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

an expansion bus;

a CPU coupled to said expansion bus;

a memory coupled to said expansion bus;

a sound device coupled to said expansion bus, wherein said sound device is configured to couple to an external telephone line to perform a telephone transmission and a telephone reception, wherein the sound device performs audio functions for the computer system; and

a cordless telephone device coupled to said expansion bus, wherein said cordless telephone device is coupled to said sound device and is in wireless communication with an external cordless telephone handset, and wherein said cordless telephone device is configured to allow a user to perform said telephone transmission and said telephone reception over said external telephone line in a cordless fashion using said cordless telephone handset.

2. The computer system as in claim 1, wherein said expansion bus is one of the following:

a PCI bus;

a FireWire bus;

a USB bus; and

an FC-AL bus.

3. The computer system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a motherboard including;

said expansion bus;

said CPU;

said memory; and

a plurality of connector slots coupled to said expansion bus, wherein said sound device is installed into a first one of said plurality of connector slots, and wherein said cordless telephone device is installed into a second one of said plurality of connector slots.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said sound device includes:

a microphone jack to receive a transmit audio signal;

a speaker jack to transmit a receive audio signal to reproduce therefrom an audible sound through a speaker; and

a telephone line jack to transmit a first telephone signal over said external telephone line and receive a second telephone signal through said external telephone line, wherein said sound device is configured to convert said transmit audio signal into said first telephone signal during said telephone transmission over said external telephone line, and wherein said sound device is further configured to convert said second telephone signal into said receive audio signal during said telephone reception through said external telephone line.

5. The computer system as in claim 4, wherein said cordless telephone device includes:

an antenna jack to couple an external RF antenna thereto, wherein said external RF antenna is configured to transmit a first RF signal and receive a second RF signal, wherein said first and said second RF signals represent a modulated human voice signal;

a microphone output coupled to said microphone jack in said sound device, wherein said cordless telephone device is configured to receive said second RF signal from said antenna jack and to transmit in response thereto said transmit audio signal; and

a speaker input coupled to said speaker jack in said sound device, wherein said cordless telephone device is configured to receive said receive audio signal and to transmit in response thereto said first RF signal to said antenna jack, thereby allowing said telephone transmission and said telephone reception in said cordless fashion.

6. The computer system of claim 5, wherein said cordless telephone device includes a cordless telephone base unit coupled to said external cordless telephone handset through said antenna jack, wherein said cordless telephone base unit is configured to receive said second RF signal from said antenna jack and to generate in response thereto said transmit audio signal, and wherein said cordless telephone base unit is further configured to receive said receive audio signal and to transmit in response thereto said first RF signal to said antenna jack.

7. The computer system according to claim 6, further comprising:

an external data input device; and

an external visual display unit (VDU),

wherein said sound device is configured to dial a first telephone number provided through a first request by said user to carry out said telephone transmission and said telephone reception using an Internet, wherein said computer system is configured to allow said user to input said first request using said external data input device and said external VDU, wherein said sound device is configured to allow said telephone transmission and said telephone reception using said Internet in a half-duplex mode, and wherein said cordless telephone base unit is configured to allow said user to carry out said telephone transmission and said telephone reception in said cordless fashion over the Internet using said cordless telephone handset.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein said cordless telephone base unit is configured to dial a second telephone number provided through a second request by said user to carry out said telephone transmission and said telephone reception using a circuit-switched network, wherein said computer system is configured to allow said user to input said second request through said external data input device and said external VDU, wherein said cordless telephone device is configured to allow said telephone transmission and said telephone reception using said circuit-switched network in a full-duplex mode, and wherein said cordless telephone base unit is configured to allow said user to carry out said telephone transmission and said telephone reception in said cordless fashion over said circuit-switched network using said cordless telephone handset.

9. The computer system as in claim 8, wherein said cordless telephone device further includes:

a hybrid coupled to said microphone output and said speaker input, wherein said hybrid is configured to mix said transmit audio signal and said receive audio signal to facilitate said telephone transmission and said telephone reception in said half-duplex and said full-duplex modes; and

a control unit coupled to said cordless telephone base unit and said hybrid, wherein said control unit is configured to communicate with said sound device over said expansion bus and establish a telephone communication path linking said cordless telephone base unit, said hybrid and said sound device.

10. The computer system according to claim 9, wherein said hybrid includes an echo cancellation circuit.

11. The computer system of claim 9, wherein said computer system is configured to allow said user to store a plurality of telephone numbers in said memory using said external data input device and said external VDU, wherein said plurality of telephone numbers includes said first and said second telephone numbers, wherein said sound device and said control unit in said cordless telephone device are configured to access said memory through said expansion bus to retrieve said first and said second telephone numbers in response to said first and said second requests respectively, and wherein said control unit is configured to provide said second telephone number to said cordless telephone base unit in response to said second request.

12. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the cordless telephone device is a card physically coupled to a slot of the expansion bus.

13. A cordless telephone device configured to be operative through a computer system, said cordless telephone device comprising:

an antenna jack to couple an external RF antenna thereto, wherein said external RF antenna is configured to transmit a first RF signal and receive a second RF signal, wherein said first and said second RF signals represent a modulated human voice signal;

a cordless telephone base unit coupled to said antenna jack, wherein said cordless telephone base unit is configured to receive said second RF signal from said antenna jack and to generate in response thereto a transmit audio signal, wherein said cordless telephone base unit is further configured to receive a receive audio signal and to transmit in response thereto said first RF signal to said antenna jack;

a microphone output coupled to said cordless telephone base unit to receive said transmit audio signal; and

a speaker input coupled to said cordless telephone base unit to transmit said receive audio signal thereto,

wherein said cordless telephone device is configured to be coupled to a sound device in said computer system through said microphone output and said speaker input, wherein the sound device performs audio functions for the computer system, wherein said sound device is to be coupled to a telephone line, and wherein said cordless telephone device is further configured to be coupled to a cordless telephone handset through said external RF antenna, thereby allowing a user to carry out a telephone transmission and a telephone reception over said telephone line in a cordless fashion using said cordless telephone handset.

14. The cordless telephone device as in claim 13, wherein said cordless telephone device is a cordless telephone card configured to be installed in a motherboard in said computer system.

15. The cordless telephone device as in claim 14, wherein said sound device is a computer sound card configured to be installed in said motherboard in said computer system.

16. The cordless telephone device of claim 13, wherein said cordless telephone base unit is configured to dial a telephone number when provided through said computer system by said user to carry out said telephone transmission and said telephone reception using a circuit-switched network, and wherein said cordless telephone device is configured to allow said telephone transmission and said telephone reception using said circuit-switched network in a full-duplex mode.

17. The cordless telephone device as in claim 13, further comprising:

a hybrid coupled to said microphone output and said speaker input, wherein said hybrid is configured to mix said transmit audio signal and said receive audio signal to facilitate said telephone transmission and said telephone reception in a half-duplex mode and in said full-duplex mode; and

a control unit coupled to said cordless telephone base unit and said hybrid, wherein said control unit is configured to communicate with said sound device and establish a telephone communication path linking said cordless telephone base unit, said hybrid and said sound device.

18. The cordless telephone device of claim 17, wherein said hybrid includes an echo cancellation circuit.

19. A computer system comprising:

a housing;

an expansion bus comprised in the housing;

a CPU coupled to said expansion bus and comprised in the housing;

a memory coupled to said expansion bus and comprised in the housing;

a cordless telephone device coupled to said expansion bus and comprised in the housing, wherein said cordless telephone device is configured to couple to an external telephone line to perform a telephone transmission and a telephone reception, wherein said cordless telephone device is in wireless communication with an external cordless telephone handset, wherein said cordless telephone device is configured to allow a user to perform said telephone transmission and said telephone reception over said external telephone line in a cordless fashion using said cordless telephone handset and wherein said cordless telephone device implements audio functions in the computer system.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein said cordless telephone device includes:

a sound device coupled to said expansion bus and comprised in the housing, wherein said sound device is configured to couple to an external telephone line to perform a telephone transmission and a telephone reception.

21. A system comprising:

a motherboard coupled to a first connector slot and a second connector slot;

a cordless telephone device connected to the first connector slot;

a sound card connected to the second connector slot, wherein the sound card is configured to conduct communications over a telephone line and is configured to conduct communications over an Internet;

a peripheral component interconnect bus coupled to the first connector slot and the second connector slot;

an antenna jack connected to the cordless telephone device;

a radio frequency antenna electrically connected to the antenna jack; and

a cordless telephone handset communicably coupled to the radio frequency antenna.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the cordless telephone device is a cordless telephone card.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising at least one external speaker coupled to the sound card to convert an audio signal into an audible sound, wherein the sound card provides the audio signal by converting a telephone signal.

24. A system comprising:

a motherboard comprising a first connector slot and a second connector slot;

a cordless telephone device connected to the first connector slot;

a sound card connected to the second connector slot, wherein the sound card is configured to conduct communications over a telephone line and is configured to conduct communications over an Internet;

a bus coupled to the first connector slot and the second connector slot;

an antenna jack connected to the cordless telephone device;

a radio frequency antenna electrically connected to the antenna jack; and

a cordless telephone handset communicably coupled to the radio frequency antenna.