Apparatus for wirelessly-coupling a bluetooth-wireless cellular mobile handset to a docking station for connecting a standard telephone set to the cellular network

• US 6,778,824 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Telular Corporation (Ametek Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Telular Corporation (Ametek Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hickey, Jeffrey M., Wonak, Daniel C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US10/459,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20030236091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/426.2, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/554.1, 455/554.2, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/560
• US Class Current: 455/426.2
• 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 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/021 adapted for Wireless Local Loop operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

A Bluetooth-wireless docking station for use with a Bluetooth-enabled cellular mobile handset, which docking station allows mobility to the cellular mobile handset rather than having to be fixed stationarily in the docking station, which docking station couples standard POTS telephone sets, or POTS-like telephone units, connected to in-premises wiring, to the cellular, or cellular like, network. The cellular mobile handset may be used to make or receive calls remote from the docking station, while the docking station communicates with the Bluetooth-enabled cellular mobile handset via a Bluetooth-wireless transceiver using Bluetooth-wireless air-interface protocol. A subscriber-line interface circuit, controlled by a microprocessor, couples the standard POTS telephone sets to the cellular mobile handset'"'"'s transceiver whereby the phones may make or receive calls via the cellular, or cellular like, network, which subscriber line interface also provides loop current, ring signaling, dial tone, loop current detect, flash detection, DTMF conversion, and other central office functions to the telephone sets. As long as the cellular mobile handset is within range of the Bluetooth-wireless transceiver of the docking station, the telephones are connected to the cellular network, as long as the cellular mobile handset is not engaged in a call of its own. The same docking station is capable of accommodating and being paired with any of a wireless-enabled TDMA-based, GSM-based, CDMA-based, or AMPS-based standard transceiver.

Claims

1. In an apparatus for coupling at least one POTS-type telephone device to a radio network, which apparatus comprises coupling means for coupling the at least one POTS-type telephone device to a transceiver of a radio mobile handset connected to the radio network, said coupling means comprising interface means providing at least some central-office functions to the at least one POTS-type telephone device, the improvement comprising:

said coupling means comprising docking means for receiving a mobile handset therein;

said coupling means comprising wireless-connectivity transceiver means for communicating with a remote wireless-connectivity-enabled transceiver of a mobile handset connected to a radio network;

said wireless-connectivity transceiver means being operatively connected to said interface means, and comprising means for generating signals for coupling said interface means to said wireless-connectivity-enabled transceiver of a radio mobile handset connected to a radio network, so that the at least one POTS-type telephone device may be coupled to the radio network via a remote mobile handset, whereby the mobile handset is allowed mobility of movement relative to said apparatus;

said coupling means comprising disconnecting means for disconnecting the pairing of said wireless-connectivity transceiver means with the remote wireless-connectivity-enabled transceiver of a mobile handset when the mobile handset has been removed and is distant from said docking means and is engaged in a call via the radio network, and restoring means for restoring the pairing thereof after the mobile handset has terminated the call.

2. The apparatus for coupling at least one POTS-type telephone device to a radio network according to claim 1, in combination with a remote wireless-connectivity-enabled mobile handset connected a radio network;

said mobile handset comprising a wireless-connectivity-enabled transceiver.

3. The apparatus for coupling at least one POTS-type telephone device to a radio network according to claim 1, wherein said wireless-connectivity transceiver means comprises a Bluetooth-wireless connectivity transceiver means.

4. The apparatus for coupling at least one POTS-type telephone device to a radio network according to claim 2, wherein each of said wireless-connectivity transceiver means and said wireless-connectivity-enabled transceiver comprises Bluetooth-wireless-connectivity coupling means.

5. The apparatus for coupling at least one POTS-type telephone device to a radio network according to claim 1, wherein said docking means comprises charging means for recharging the battery of the mobile handset.

6. The apparatus for coupling at least one POTS-type telephone device to a radio network according to claim 1, wherein said coupling means comprises:

a microprocessor;

memory means for said microprocessor;

software means stored in said memory means for controlling said microprocessor;

said microprocessor controlling said wireless-connectivity transceiver means, said interface means for coupling the at least one POTS-type telephone device to the mobile handset for bidirectional communication therebetween for connecting the at least one telephone POTS-type telephone device to a radio network for at least one of receiving an incoming call and for making an outgoing call via the radio network, said disconnecting means for disconnecting the pairing of said wireless-connectivity transceiver means with the remote wireless-connectivity-enabled transceiver of a mobile handset, and said restoring means for restoring the pairing thereof after the mobile handset has terminated the call.

7. The apparatus for coupling at least one POTS-type telephone device to a radio network according to claim 1, wherein said wireless-connectivity transceiver means for communicating with a remote wireless-connectivity-enabled transceiver of a mobile handset connected to a radio network comprises a wireless-connectivity transceiver capable of being paired with any of a wireless-connectivity-enabled TDMA-based, GSM-based, CDMA-based and AMPS-based standard transceiver.

8. The apparatus for coupling at least one POTS-type telephone device to a radio network according to claim 4, wherein said wireless-connectivity transceiver means for communicating with a remote wireless-connectivity-enabled transceiver of a mobile handset connected a radio network comprises a wireless-connectivity transceiver capable of being paired with any of a Bluetooth-wireless-connectivity TDMA-based, GSM-based, CDMA-based, and AMPS-based standard transceiver.

9. The apparatus for coupling at least one POTS-type telephone device to a radio network according to claim 1, wherein said coupling means comprises means for connection to the in-premises wiring to which are connected at least one POTS-type telephone device.

10. A method of coupling an apparatus comprising an interface for use with at least one POTS-type telephone device for connecting the at least one POTS-type telephone device to a radio network via a cellular mobile handset having a Bluetooth-enable transceiver, comprising:

(a) remotely, wirelessly connecting said interface to the Bluetooth-enabled transceiver of said cellular mobile handset, said step of remotely, wirelessly connecting said interface providing mobility to the cellular mobile handset with respect to the apparatus;

(b) said step (a) comprising pairing a Bluetooth-wireless transceiver of said apparatus to said Bluetooth-enabled transceiver of said cellular mobile handset;

(c) connecting at least one of an outgoing call made by said cellular mobile handset to the radio network, and an incoming call from the radio network to said cellular mobile handset when said cellular mobile handset is located away from said apparatus via the mobility provided thereby of said step (a);

(d) disabling the connection of said step (b) between said Bluetooth-wireless transceiver of said apparatus and said Bluetooth-enabled transceiver of said cellular mobile handset while said step (c) is in process; and

(e) repeating said step (b) after said step of connecting of said step (c) has ended.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said step (a) comprises:

(f) generating messaging between said interface and said cellular mobile handset representative of telephone signals for establishing call-connection between the telephone set and the cellular mobile handset;

(g) connecting the telephone set with the radio network via said mobile handset; and

(h) establishing at least one of an incoming call and an outgoing call on the telephone via the radio network with which said cellular mobile handset communicates.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein said step (b) comprises:

(c) connecting said Bluetooth-wireless transceiver of said apparatus to a said Bluetooth-enabled transceiver of one of a TDMA-based, GSM-based, CDMA-based, and AMPS-based standard transceiver of a said cellular mobile handset; and

further comprising;

(d) connecting said Bluetooth-wireless transceiver of said apparatus to a said Bluetooth-enabled transceiver of another, different one of a TDMA-based, GSM-based, CDMA-based, and AMPS-based standard transceiver of another said cellular mobile handset.