Telephone base unit having dynamically configurable software
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A cordless telephone system comprised of:
- a cellular telephone adapter providing operative interconnection with a cellular telephone having a communications port, the adapter comprising;
a base interface connector capable of conveying a plurality of electrical signals;
a cellular telephone interface connector configured to engage with the communications port of the cellular telephone, which cellular telephone interface connector is also operatively linked with the base interface connector providing for the conveyance of electrical signals between the cellular telephone interface connector and the base interface connector;
an adapter digital memory device electrically interconnected with the base interface connector, the adapter digital memory device containing driver-core interface code and driver code;
a base unit comprised of;
an adapter interface connector configured to electrically engage with the base interface connector;
a base unit digital memory having core application code, core-driver interface code, a storage region for driver-core interface code, and a storage region for driver code, the core-driver interface code and the driver-core interface region each being located at predetermined positions within the base unit digital memory;
a microprocessor operatively connected to the adapter interface connector and the base unit digital memory, the microprocessor being configured to read the driver-core interface code from the adapter digital memory device and to store the driver-core interface code within the driver-core interface region of the base unit digital memory;
the microprocessor being further configured to read the driver code from the adapter digital memory device and to store the driver code within the driver code region of the base unit digital memory.
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Abstract
A cordless telephone base unit having a dynamically changeable cellular telephone adapter and partially reconfigurable software is provided. The software includes a static portion containing core application software, and a dynamic portion containing reconfigurable driver software for interfacing with an external device such as a cellular telephone. The driver software can be downloaded from a removable cellular telephone adapter. The core software and the driver software each contain interface portions at fixed locations. The interface portions provide for transparent interaction between core application and driver software.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A cordless telephone system comprised of:
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a cellular telephone adapter providing operative interconnection with a cellular telephone having a communications port, the adapter comprising; a base interface connector capable of conveying a plurality of electrical signals; a cellular telephone interface connector configured to engage with the communications port of the cellular telephone, which cellular telephone interface connector is also operatively linked with the base interface connector providing for the conveyance of electrical signals between the cellular telephone interface connector and the base interface connector; an adapter digital memory device electrically interconnected with the base interface connector, the adapter digital memory device containing driver-core interface code and driver code; a base unit comprised of; an adapter interface connector configured to electrically engage with the base interface connector; a base unit digital memory having core application code, core-driver interface code, a storage region for driver-core interface code, and a storage region for driver code, the core-driver interface code and the driver-core interface region each being located at predetermined positions within the base unit digital memory; a microprocessor operatively connected to the adapter interface connector and the base unit digital memory, the microprocessor being configured to read the driver-core interface code from the adapter digital memory device and to store the driver-core interface code within the driver-core interface region of the base unit digital memory;
the microprocessor being further configured to read the driver code from the adapter digital memory device and to store the driver code within the driver code region of the base unit digital memory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for updating the software of a cordless telephone base unit having digital memory, the base unit being configured for use with a cellular telephone adapter providing interconnectivity with a cellular telephone, the method comprising the steps of:
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reading by the base unit of driver-core interface code and driver code stored within the cellular telephone adapter, wherein the driver-core interface code and driver code stored within the cellular telephone adapter are associated with the cellular telephone; storing the driver-core interface code in a driver-core interface region of the base unit digital memory, the driver-core interface region being located at a first predetermined position within the memory; and storing the driver code in a driver code region of the base unit digital memory, the driver code region being located at a second position within the digital memory. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for implementing digital communications between a base unit and a cellular telephone, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing core application code and core-driver interface code for execution by a microprocessor within the base unit; providing driver-core interface code and driver code for execution by a microprocessor within the base unit; prompting the execution of a portion of the driver code by the core application code, which step is further comprised of the substeps of; providing procedural calls within the core application code which invoke the execution of a portion of the core-driver interface code; making a call to the driver-core interface code by the core-driver interface code, the call invoking execution of a portion of the driver-core interface code that corresponds to the portion of the core-driver interface code from which the call is made; calling a portion of the driver code referred to by the executed portion of the driver-core interface code; whereby the core application code can prompt communications with the cellular telephone without directly calling the driver code. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A method for implementing digital communications between a base unit and a cellular telephone, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing core application code and core-driver interface code for execution by a microprocessor within the base unit; providing driver-core interface code and driver code for execution by a microprocessor within the base unit; prompting the execution of a portion of the core application code by the driver code, which step is further comprised of the substeps of; calling a function within the driver-core interface code by the driver code; making a call to the core-driver interface code by the driver-core interface code, the call invoking execution of a portion of the core-driver interface code that corresponds to the portion of the driver-core interface code from which the call is made; calling a portion of the application code corresponding to the executed portion of the core-driver interface code; whereby the driver code can prompt the execution of a portion of the application code without directly calling the application code. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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Specification