Auto sensing home base station for mobile telephone with remote answering capabilites

• US 7,120,454 B1
• Filed: 12/26/2001
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meadows, Vernon, Frank, Scott M.
• Primary Examiner(s): APPIAH, CHARLES NANA
• Application Number:
  US10/036,206
• Time in Patent Office: 1,749 Days
• Field of Search: 455/465, 455/462, 455/433, 455/567, 455/411, 455/410, 455/517, 455/561, 455/454, 455/41.2, 455/435.1, 455/554.1, 455/554.2, 455/525, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/435, 455/432
• US Class Current: 455/462
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/105 PBS [Private Base Station] network H04W84/12 - H04W84/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

The present invention discloses in one embodiment a mobile telephone capable of communicating with a home base station through radio signals. The mobile telephone registers with a home base station before beginning to communicate with the home base station. The home base station is capable of sensing the presence of the mobile telephone in its coverage area and subsequently establishing contact with the mobile telephone, if the mobile telephone is registered with the home base station. The home base station can support a plurality of telephone devices, including corded and cordless telephone devices, and provides call placement and answering services to these telephone devices if there is a registered mobile telephone within its coverage area.

Claims

1. A method for providing privacy to a user during a telephone call, wherein the user uses a home base station to communicate with a third party, the method comprising:

receiving a privacy request from an originating device;

if the originating device is a mobile telephone, disabling telephone devices connected to the home base station; and

if the originating device is one of the telephone devices connected to the home base station,

disabling other telephone devices, and

sending a privacy request to the mobile telephone.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

determining the originating device.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein disabling telephone devices further comprises:

disabling audio connections to the telephone devices.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

enabling telephone devices when the telephone call ends.