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 7,190,954 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2006
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telular Corporation (Ametek Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Telular Corporation (Ametek Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hickey, Jeffrey M., Wonak, Daniel C.
• Primary Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US11/348,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20060148420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/426.2, 455/553.1, 455/554.2, 455/550.1, 455/352.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 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. A system for coupling at least one POTS-type telephone device to a radio network, comprising:

interface means coupled to at least one POTS-type telephone device for providing at least some central office functions thereto;

a radio mobile handset connected to a radio network for communication therewith, and having a wireless-enabled transceiver;

a wireless-connectivity transceiver for coupling said interface means to a radio mobile handset for providing bi-directional communication therebetween for communicating with a wireless-enabled transceiver of a radio mobile handset for generating signals for coupling said interface means to a wireless-enabled transceiver of a radio mobile handset, so that the at least one POTS-type telephone device is coupled to a radio network via a radio mobile handset, whereby the mobile handset is allowed mobility of movement, and for generating signals for implementing connectivity to a mobile handset via its wireless-enabled transceiver for establishing incoming and outgoing calls for the at least one POTS-type telephone device via a radio network, and for sending digits input into the at least one POTS-type telephone device so that an outgoing call over a radio network may be made thereby;

a microprocessor, memory for said microprocessor, software stored in said memory for said microprocessor for controlling said wireless-connectivity transceiver and said interface means for coupling the at least one POTS-type telephone device to a mobile handset for bidirectional communication therebetween for connecting the at least one POTS-type telephone device to a radio network;

said wireless-connectivity transceiver for communicating with a remote wirelessly-enabled transceiver of a mobile handset connected a radio network comprising a wireless-connectivity transceiver capable of being coupled with any of a wireless-enabled GSM-based and CDMA-based standard transceiver.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said wireless-connectivity transceiver comprises a Bluetooth-wireless connectivity transceiver for coupling to a Bluetooth-wireless-enabled transceiver of a radio mobile handset.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising docking means for receiving a mobile handset therein, said docking means comprising charging means for recharging a battery of a mobile handset.

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

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

said wireless-connectivity transceiver being operatively connected to said interface means for generating signals for coupling said interface means to a wireless-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 a radio network via a remote mobile handset, whereby a mobile handset is allowed mobility of movement relative to said apparatus;

said wireless-connectivity transceiver generating signals for implementing connectivity to a mobile handset via a wireless-enabled transceiver thereof for establishing at least one of incoming calls and outgoing calls for the at least one POTS-type telephone device via the radio network;

said coupler further comprising a microprocessor, memory for said microprocessor, and software stored in said memory for controlling said wireless-connectivity transceiver and said interface means for coupling the at least one POTS-type telephone device to a mobile handset for bidirectional communication therebetween for connecting the at least one POTS-type telephone device to a radio network;

said wireless-connectivity transceiver for communicating with a remote wireless-enabled transceiver of a mobile handset connected a radio network comprising a wireless-connectivity transceiver capable of being paired with any of a wireless-enabled standard transceiver of any of multiple cellular radio networks of different specifications.

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

second coupling means for coupling said interface means to the Bluetooth-enabled transceiver of a cellular mobile handset for providing bidirectional communication therebetween;

said second coupling means comprising wireless-connectivity transceiver means for communicating with the Bluetooth-enabled transceiver of a cellular mobile handset, and comprising first means for generating signals via said wireless-connectivity transceiver means to the Bluetooth-enabled transceiver of a cellular mobile handset for the coupling of the Bluetooth-enabled transceiver with said wireless-connectivity transceiver means, whereby a mobile handset is allowed mobility of movement relative to said first coupling means and for generating signals for implementing connectivity to a mobile handset via the Bluetooth-enabled transceiver thereof for establishing incoming and outgoing calls for the at least one POTS-type telephone device via a radio network;

said second coupling means comprises a microprocessor, memory for said microprocessor, and software stored in said memory for said microprocessor for controlling said wireless-connectivity transceiver means and said interface means for coupling the at least one POTS-type telephone device to a mobile handset for bidirectional communication therebetween for connecting the at least one POTS-type telephone device to a radio network;

said wireless-connectivity transceiver means for communicating with a remote Bluetooth-enabled transceiver of a mobile handset connected a radio network comprising a wireless-connectivity transceiver capable of being paired with any of a Bluetooth-enabled, GSM-based and CDMA-based standard transceiver.