Cordless and wireless telephone docking station

• US 6,766,175 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2000
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Waxess USA, Inc. (Airtouch Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Waxess Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Uchiyama, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pan, Yuwen
• Application Number:
  US09/737,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20020072390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/572, 455/573, 455/575, 455/569.1, 455/426, 455/557, 455/462, 455/74.1, 379/428.04, 379/420.04
• US Class Current: 455/462
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724

Abstract

An apparatus and method of integrating a wireless telephone and a cordless telephone is taught. A docking station is used which receives a wireless telephone and electrically interfaces with in, including power, audio and data interfaces. A controller manages the interface to a transceiver, and speakerphone. A cordless telephone communicates with the transceiver, thereby enabling the utilization of a cordless telephone over a wireless telephone network. No wiring or installation is required, and the convenience and usability of the medium is enhanced.

Claims

1. A docking station for interconnecting telephone calls between a wireless telephone, which accesses telephone service from a wireless telephone network, and a cordless telephone handset, which employs radio waves instead of a cord to connect telephone signals with a base unit, comprising:

an electrical interface, having a plurality of connectors for coupling audio and data signals with the wireless telephone;

a transceiver operable to communicate telephone calls via radio signals to the cordless telephone handset, said transceiver coupled to at least a first audio signal connector in said electrical interface, and

a controller coupled to said transceiver, and coupled to at least a first data connector in said electrical interface, said controller operable to communicate data signals with the wireless telephone when coupled to said electrical interface, and operable to process telephone calls between the wireless telephone and the cordless telephone handset via said transceiver.

2. The docking station in claim 1, wherein said electrical interface is aligned with a socket in a case of the docking station, and further comprising at least a first removably mountable interface adapter, said interface adapter further comprising:

a docking station electrical interface adapted to connect with said electrical interface in said socket;

a wireless telephone cradle formed to received and support the wireless telephone, said cradle having a wireless telephone electrical interface adapted to connect with the wireless telephone, and

an interface circuit operable to interconnect said docking station electrical interface with said wireless telephone electrical interface.

3. The docking station in claim 2, and wherein said interface circuit comprises electrical components operable to adapt wireless telephone signals to signals at said electrical interface.

4. The docking station in claim 1, further comprising a power supply coupled to at least a first connector in said electrical interface, and coupled to said transceiver and said controller.

5. The docking station in claim 4, wherein the wireless telephone operates from rechargeable batteries;

and wherein said interface circuit couples said at least a first connector in said electrical interface to the wireless telephone, and is operable to charge the rechargeable batteries in the wireless telephone.

6. The docking station in claim 5, wherein the cordless telephone handset operates from rechargeable batteries, further comprising:

a cordless telephone handset cradle disposed upon a case enclosing the docking station;

a cordless telephone handset electrical interface aligned with said cordless telephone handset cradle, and wherein

said power supply is coupled to at least a first conductor in said cordless telephone handset electrical interface, and is operable to charge the cordless telephone handset rechargeable batteries.

7. The docking station in claim 1, further comprising:

a speakerphone having an audio interface and a control interface, and wherein

said controller is coupled to said speakerphone control interface and is operable to selectively coupled said speakerphone audio interface to said electrical interface audio signals, thereby enabling the speakerphone function for telephone calls on the wireless telephone while the wireless telephone is interfaced to said electrical interface.

8. A docking station for interconnecting telephone calls between a wireless telephone, which accesses telephone service from a wireless telephone network, and a cordless telephone handset, which employs radio waves instead of a cord to connect telephone signals with a base unit, wherein both of the wireless telephone and the cordless telephone handset operate from rechargeable batteries, comprising:

a case;

an electrical interface aligned with a socket in said case, and having a plurality of connectors for coupling power, audio and data signals with the wireless telephone;

a first removably mountable interface adapter, said interface adapter further comprising;

a docking station electrical interface adapted to connect with said electrical interface in said socket;

a wireless telephone cradle formed to received and support the wireless telephone, said cradle having a wireless telephone electrical interface adapted to connect with the wireless telephone, and

an interface circuit operable to interconnect said docking station electrical interface with said wireless telephone electrical interface;

a transceiver operable to communicate telephone calls via radio signals to the cordless telephone handset, said transceiver coupled to at least a first audio signal connector in said electrical interface, and

a controller coupled to said transceiver, and coupled to at least a first data connector in said electrical interface, said controller operable to communicate data signals with the wireless telephone when coupled to said electrical interface, and operable to process telephone calls between the wireless telephone and the cordless telephone handset via said transceiver

a power supply coupled to at least a first connector in said electrical interface, and coupled to said transceiver and said controller, and wherein said interface circuit couples said at least a first connector in said electrical interface to the wireless telephone, and is operable to charge the rechargeable batteries in the wireless telephone;

a cordless telephone handset cradle disposed upon said case;

a cordless telephone handset electrical interface aligned with said cordless telephone handset cradle, and wherein said power supply is coupled to at least a first conductor in said cordless telephone handset electrical interface, and is operable to charge the cordless telephone handset rechargeable batteries;

a speakerphone having an audio interface and a control interface, and wherein

said controller is coupled to said speakerphone control interface and is operable to selectively coupled said speakerphone audio interface to said electrical interface audio signals, thereby enabling the speakerphone function for telephone calls on the wireless telephone while the wireless telephone is interfaced to said electrical interface.

9. The docking station in claim 8, and wherein said interface circuit comprises electrical components operable to adapt wireless telephone signals to signals at said electrical interface.

10. A method of interconnecting telephone calls between a wireless telephone, which accesses telephone service from a wireless telephone network, having a first electrical interface, and a cordless telephone handset, which employs radio waves instead of a cord to connect telephone signals with a base unit, using a docking station having a second electrical interface, the docking station having a transceiver operable to couple telephone calls, via radio waves, with the cordless telephone handset, wherein the second electrical interface has at least a first audio connector coupled to the transceiver and at least a first data connector coupled to a controller in the docking station, comprising the steps of:

connecting the first electrical interface to the second electrical interface;

receiving a ring data signal by the controller from the wireless telephone through the at least a first data connector, and

in response to receiving the ring data signal, coupling audio signals between the at least a first audio connector and the cordless telephone handset through the transceiver.

11. A method of interconnecting telephone calls between a wireless telephone, which accesses telephone service from a wireless telephone network, having a first electrical interface, and a cordless telephone handset, which employs radio waves instead of a cord to connect telephone signals with a base unit, using a docking station having a second electrical interface, the docking station having a transceiver operable to couple telephone calls, via radio waves, with the cordless telephone handset, wherein the second electrical interface has at least a first audio connector coupled to the transceiver and at least a first data connector coupled to a controller in the docking station, and the controller is coupled to the transceiver, comprising the steps of:

connecting the first electrical interface to the second electrical interface;

entering a telephone number into a keypad on the cordless telephone handset;

communicating the telephone number to the controller via the transceiver;

establishing a wireless telephone call by sending the telephone number from the controller to the wireless telephone through the at least a first data connector, and

coupling audio signals between the at least a first audio connector and the cordless telephone handset through the transceiver during the telephone call.

12. A method of transferring data between a wireless telephone, which accesses telephone service from a wireless telephone network, having a first electrical interface, and a cordless telephone handset, which employs radio waves instead of a cord to connect telephone signals with a base unit, using a docking station having a second electrical interface, the docking station having a transceiver operable to couple information, via radio waves, with the cordless telephone handset, and the docking station having a controller coupled to said second electrical interface and coupled to the transceiver, comprising the steps of:

detecting the presence of the wireless telephone at the docking station upon the connection of the first electrical interface to the second electrical interface;

transferring data from the wireless telephone to the transceiver by the controller;

transmitting said data by the transceiver to the cordless telephone handset, and

storing said data in a memory in the cordless telephone handset.