Cordless phone system capable of supporting a broadcast over broadcast mode

• US 6,738,620 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2000
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens Information And Communication Mobile LLC (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Siemens, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US09/730,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20020068561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.01, 455/3.02, 455/3.03, 455/3.04, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/462, 455/465, 455/507, 455/517, 455/556, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/466, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/554.1, 455/554.2, 455/555, 455/556.1, 379/156, 379/157, 379/159
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]

Abstract

A cordless digital telephone system which allows broadcast over broadcast is provided. Time division multiple access (TDMA) cordless phone systems provide a base unit which is able to provide connections for a plurality of mobile units, such as handsets. With time division, the mobile units are synchronized to different time slots. A broadcast mode is provided that causes the mobile units to be placed in a receive only mode and to synchronize to the same time slot where a broadcast message is sent. In this way, a cordless telephone base unit in a broadcast mode receives a radio or streaming audio signal. A call controller unit included in or coupled to the base station then sends the received radio or streaming audio signal to at least one mobile unit in communication with the base station. In those cases where a mobile unit is receiving the broadcast and a conventional phone call is received at the base station, then a determination is made whether or not to send the conventional call to the mobile unit is made. In those cases where the conventional call is to be forwarded, then the base station is set to standard mode and the conventional call is forwarded to the mobile unit whereas any other mobile unit in communication with the base station still receive the broadcast.

Claims

1. A broadcast over broadcast method suitable for a cordless telephone system having a base station operable in a broadcast mode and a standard mode communicatively coupled to mobile units, comprising:

setting the base station in the broadcast mode;

broadcasting a signal to the mobile units;

determining if an incoming message is to be forwarded to designated mobile units;

setting the base station to a standard mode when it is determined that the incoming message is to be forwarded to only the designated mobile units,

receiving the incoming message only at the designated mobile units; and

setting the base station to broadcast mode when the incoming message has been terminated such that the designated mobile units having received the incoming message commence to again receive the signal.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the cordless telephone system is a time division multiple access (TDMA) based system.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

broadcasting the incoming message from the base station during a single time slot of a time division;

receiving the incoming message at the plurality of mobile units; and

converting the incoming message into sound by the plurality of mobile units.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

placing the plurality of mobile units in a receiving mode.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the placing the plurality of mobile units in a receiving mode comprises synchronizing the plurality of mobile units to the single time slot.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein setting the base station to the broadcast mode comprises designating the single time slot.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein at least one of the plurality of mobile units is a hands free unit, wherein converting the audio message into sound by the hands free unit is automatic, and wherein the placing of the plurality of mobile units in a receiving mode places the plurality of mobile units in a receive only mode.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

originating a broadcast origination signal at an additional mobile unit;

transmitting the broadcast origination signal from the additional mobile unit to the base station; and

transmitting the audio message from the additional mobile unit to the base station.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein placing the plurality of mobile units in a receive only mode, comprises turning on only speakers of the plurality of mobile units without turning on microphones of the plurality of mobile units.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein setting the base station to the standard mode comprises synchronizing those plurality of mobile units not desiring receive the broadcast to another time slot that is different than the single time slot.

11. A time division multiple access (TDMA) based broadcast over broadcast system, comprising:

a number of mobile units;

a base station in communication with the mobile units, the base station being operable in a standard mode and a broadcast mode, wherein the broadcast mode causes the mobile units to be placed in a receive only mode and to be synchronized to a particular time slot from where a broadcast message is sent;

a configurable call controller unit coupled to or included in the base station, wherein when the base station in the broadcast mode receives a broadcast type signal, the call controller unit sends the received signal to at least one of the mobile units, and wherein when a message is received at the base station for at least one of the mobile units as a designated mobile unit, the call controller unit determines whether or not to forward the received message to the designated mobile unit currently receiving the signal, and wherein when it is determined that the message is to be forwarded to the designated mobile unit, the call controller unit sets the base station to the standard mode such that the message is sent only to the designated unit while the remaining mobile units receive the broadcast signal.

12. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein the system is a cordless telephone system.

13. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein when the base station is in the standard mode, the call controller synchronizes those plurality of mobile units not desiring to receive the broadcast to another time slot that is different than the broadcast time slot.

14. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein the broadcast signal is a radio signal.

15. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein the broadcast signal is a streaming audio signal.

16. A system as recited in claim 11, further comprising wherein when at least one of the mobile units originates a call message signal corresponding to a call message, the originating mobile unit transmits the call message signal to the base station which, in turn, re-broadcasts the call message signal to those of the mobile units arranged to receive the call message signal.

17. A system as recited in claim 16, wherein the broadcast mode is terminated by a termination command that causes those mobile units synchronized to the broadcast time slot to synchronize with a different time slot.