Methods and apparatus for multi-mode telephone

• US 7,376,221 B1
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Services Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Glazner, David L., Remy, Terrence E.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US10/922,704
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.07, 379/93.09, 379/90.01, 455/573, 455/572, 455/552.1, 455/553.1
• US Class Current: 379/93.07
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72502 with one base station connected to a single line
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

A multi-mode telephone, e.g., an enhanced cell phone, includes a battery powered telephone module and a POTS telephone module. The phone includes a telephone jack for coupling the phone to a landline. When connected through the landline, the phone includes a mode of operation in which the phone can be operated without any external AC power source and without using internal battery power, the power used being supplied via the POTS landline. The multi-mode phone may function as a lifeline in times of emergency, e.g., during power failures when cell phone calls cannot be completed. Other modes of operation include an enhanced landline mode using the phone'"'"'s battery power to provide enhanced features such as, e.g., caller ID. If battery power is depleted in the enhanced landline mode, the phone reverts to a standard POTS phone, e.g., during an in progress call, requiring no battery power for continued operation.

Claims

1. A telephone comprising:

a telephone line jack for receiving a telephone line;

a battery;

a microphone;

a speaker;

a battery powered telephone module coupled to said microphone and said speaker for performing cell phone call operations during a cell phone mode of operation;

a landline telephone module coupled to said microphone and said speaker, said telephone being powered during a landline powered mode of operation solely from a telephone line to which said landline telephone module is coupled; and

a mode selection module for selecting as a function of a signal indicating whether a telephone line is inserted into said telephone line jack, between at least a telephone line powered mode of operation and a battery powered mode of operation.

2. The telephone of claim 1, further comprising:

a battery monitor coupled to said battery and to said mode selection module, said battery monitor providing battery condition information to said mode selection module.

3. The telephone of claim 1, wherein said mode selection module is responsive to said battery condition information and operates to restrict telephone device operation to a landline powered mode of operation when there is insufficient battery power to support a battery powered mode of telephone operation.

4. The telephone of claim 3, further comprising a keypad coupled to said mode selection module, said keypad providing user mode of operation selection information to said mode selection module.

5. The telephone of claim 4, wherein said mode selection module allows a user to select between a landline powered mode of operation and a battery powered mode of operation when a telephone line is inserted into said telephone jack and there is sufficient power to support a battery powered mode of telephone device operation.

6. The telephone of claim 4, further including:

a display device for displaying call related information including calling party identification information when operating in at least one mode of battery powered operation, the display device being coupled to said battery powered telephone module.

7. The telephone of claim 6, wherein said mode selection module selects said telephone line powered mode of operation as the default mode of operation when a telephone line is inserted into said telephone jack.

8. The telephone of claim 6, further comprising a transmitter/receiver coupled to said battery powered telephone module for transmitting and receiving cellular communications signals when operating in a battery powered mode of operation which supports cellular communication.

9. A method of operating a telephone capable of supporting a plurality of different modes of telephone operation including a landline powered mode of operation in which said telephone is powered solely by said landline and at least one battery powered mode of operation in which at least some telephone operations are powered by battery power and said telephone is capable of receiving and sending signals over a cellular communications link, the method comprising:

receiving battery status information;

generating a signal indicating if a telephone line is connected to said telephone; and

selecting between at least said landline powered mode of operation and said battery powered mode of operation as a function of said received battery status information and whether said generated signal indicates that a landline telephone line is connected to said telephone.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said selecting includes selecting said landline powered mode of operation as a default mode of operation when said generated signal indicates that a landline is connected to said telephone.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said battery powered mode of operation is a cell phone mode of operation.

12. A method of operating a telephone capable of supporting a plurality of different modes of telephone operation including a landline powered mode of operation in which said telephone is powered by said landline and at least one battery powered mode of operation in which at least some telephone operations are powered by battery power and said telephone is capable of receiving and sending signals over a cellular communications link, the method comprising:

generating a signal indicating if a telephone line is connected to said telephone; and

selecting between at least said landline powered mode of operation and said battery powered mode of operation as a function of whether said generated signal indicates that a telephone line is connected to said telephone, including receiving battery status information; and

selecting said mode of operation as a function of said received battery status information and said signal indicating whether a landline is connected to said telephone, said method further comprising;

operating said telephone to transition from a battery powered mode of operation involving communication over said landline to said landline powered mode of operation during an ongoing telephone call in response to received battery status information indicating a change in battery status.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said telephone switches to said landline powered mode of operation in response to said receive battery status information indicating that the battery has insufficient power to continue to support said battery powered mode of operation involving communication over said landline.

14. A method of controlling a telephone to operate in different modes of operation, the method comprising:

operating said telephone in a solely landline powered mode of operation during a first period of time when said telephone is coupled to a landline;

operating said telephone in a battery powered cell phone mode of operation during a second period of time during which said telephone is not coupled to said landline; and

operating said telephone to switch between a battery powered mode of landline operation and said solely landline powered mode of operation in response to a detected decrease in battery power.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

supporting caller identification functionality in said battery powered landline mode of operation but not in said solely landline powered mode of operation.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

operating said telephone in a battery powered mode of landline operation in which caller identification functionality is supported during a third period of time during which said telephone is coupled to said landline.