Base unit for communicating with a cellular telephone

• US 7,251,484 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2004
• Issued: 07/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tomotu Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tomotu Incorporated
• Inventors: Aslanian, Berge H.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US10/865,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20050020258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.05, 455/3.06, 455416-420, 455/422.1, 4554261-4262, 455/41.2, 455462-463, 455/465, 455/550.1, 455/551, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/554.1, 455/554.2, 455/555, 4555561-5562, 455/557, 455/561, 455/561.1, 455/569.1, 455423-425, 455 411- 413, 455 73- 74, 455/74.1, 455/500, 455405-409, 455/514, 455/517, 455524-525, 455/566, 455/573, 455/575.1, 379/111, 379/112.06, 379/114.01, 379/114.03, 379139-140, 379/428.01, 379/428.02, 379/428.03, 379/428.04, 379/433.05, 379/112.01
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a telecommunication system to be used with a cellular telephone network at a fixed location, including a portable cellular handset, a base unit having a recess for the portable cellular handset, a processor included in the base unit for processing information from the portable cellular handset, a display for displaying information processed by the processor, and controls for manipulating the information from the portable cellular handset. Also disclosed is a method of managing cellular telephone information associated with a particular cellular subscription, and wherein the cellular telephone information is downloaded from the portable cellular handset to the base unit.

Claims

1. A telecommunication system, comprising:

a portable handset;

a base unit having a recess for the portable handset;

a processor included in the base unit for downloading and processing call information from the portable handset, the call information comprising at least one of a call time, a call date, or a call duration;

a display for displaying information processed by the processor and based on the call information; and

controls on the base unit configured to receive at least one parameter used by the processor to process the call information.

2. The telecommunication system according to claim 1, wherein the portable handset is a cellular telephone.

3. The telecommunication system of claim 2, further comprising, a cordless telephone, with a base unit having a second recess for the cordless telephone.

4. The telecommunication system of claim 1, further comprising a keypad for communicating with the portable handset or the base unit.

5. The telecommunication system according to claim 4, wherein the telecommunication system is adapted to allow a user to communicate with the portable handset and to set parameters in the base unit that correspond to the user'"'"'s cellular subscription.

6. The telecommunication system according to claim 1, further comprising a remote antenna connected to the base unit to provide a signal to the base unit.

7. The telecommunication system of claim 6, wherein the signal is a cellular signal.

8. The telecommunication system according to claim 7, wherein the base unit further comprises a signal amplifier.

9. The telecommunication system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of output or input jacks adapted to connect the base unit with peripheral equipment.

10. The telecommunication system of claim 9, wherein the output or input jacks include an input jack for connecting the base unit to a land telephone line.

11. The telecommunication system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one extension handset.

12. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the information includes minutes used or minutes available under a particular cellular subscription.

13. A method of managing cellular telephone information associated with a particular cellular subscription, comprising:

providing a portable cellular handset and a base unit having a recess for the portable cellular handset, the base unit including a processor for processing information from the portable cellular handset, and the base unit further having a display for displaying information processed by the processor;

downloading call information from the portable cellular handset to the base units, the call information comprising at least one of a call time, a call date, or a call duration;

processing the call information downloaded from the portable cellular handset based on control data stored in the base unit to generate processed information;

displaying the processed information generated from the call information downloaded from the portable cellular handset on the display; and

providing controls on the base unit for manipulating the call information downloaded from the portable handset, and for manipulating the control data.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the user sets parameters in the control data stored in the base unit that correspond with the user'"'"'s cellular subscription.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the user'"'"'s set parameters comprises at least one of the user'"'"'s anytime minutes, total night minutes, weekend minutes, or total prime time minutes according to the user'"'"'s cellular subscription.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the set parameters further include a billing period according to the user'"'"'s cellular subscription.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein set parameters are resetable by the user either manually or automatically based upon the user'"'"'s billing period.

18. A telecommunication system to be used with a cellular telephone network at a fixed location, comprising:

a portable cellular handset;

a base unit having a recess for the portable cellular handset;

a processor included in the base unit for downloading, via at least one electrical connection in the recess, and processing call information from the portable cellular handset, the call information comprising at least one of a call time, a call date, or a call duration;

a display for displaying information processed by the processor and based on the call information; and

controls on the base unit configured to receive at least one parameter used by the processor to process the call information.

19. The telecommunication system of claim 18, wherein the processor further includes a memory module, for storing input information.

20. The telecommunication system of claim 19, wherein the memory module is adapted to store information relating to a particular cellular subscription.

21. The telecommunication system of claim 18, further comprising a remote antenna connected to the base unit to provide a signal to the base unit.