Personal communications system and method

• US 7,437,148 B1
• Filed: 06/08/2001
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vaghi Family Intellectual Properties LLC
• Original Assignee: Vaghi Family Intellectual Properties LLC
• Inventors: Vaghi, Mary Burns, Vaghi, Joseph P. III, Vaghi, Nino R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang; Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elahee; Md S
• Application Number:
  US09/876,049
• Time in Patent Office: 2,685 Days
• Field of Search: 455/417, 455/422.1, 455/426.2, 455/223, 455/463, 455/550.1, 455/444, 455/445, 455/552.1, 455/426.1, 455/418, 455/419, 455/414.1, 455/343, 455/411, 455/433, 455/450, 455/557, 455/558, 455/462, 455/556.1, 455/435.2, 379/67.1, 379/377, 379/142.05, 379/211.05, 340/540
• US Class Current: 455/417
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/006 Call diverting means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• 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

Abstract

A personal communications system includes an interface unit which transmits calls received on a mobile wireless phone to one or more hard-wired telephones. In one embodiment, the interface unit includes a connector which mates with a voice communications port of a wireless device, which may be a cell phone, web-enabled phone, personal digital assistant adapted for wireless communications, or a so-called pocket PC. When a call is received by the wireless device, a processor automatically sends the call to a hard-wired telephone through the connector. In another embodiment, the interface unit is equipped to receive multiple wireless devices, and calls from each device are managed to prevent calls from two or more of the devices from being sent to the hard-wired telephone at the same time. This system thereby advantageously allows a use only one telephone number to satisfy all his personal communications needs. This translates into significant cost savings to the user in terms of end-of-the-month bills and increased convenience to all concerned. In another embodiment, a removable recording medium stores information (e.g., a user'"'"'s telephone number) for activating the wireless communications device to receive or place calls through a wireless service provider. The wireless communications device may be integrated, for example, into a hard-wired telephone, wireless device, an appliance, a television, or a car. In another embodiment, a cell phone is programmed to automatically configure, and re-configure, itself to operate using cell phone numbers of different users.

Claims

1. A telephone set, comprising:

a first wireless communications unit;

a memory unit for storing activation information; and

a hard-wired telephone to receive calls from a land line at a first telephone number, the hard-wired telephone including a processor for automatically setting the first wireless communications unit to receive one or more calls from a wireless service provider, said processor automatically setting the first wireless communications unit to receive said calls from a mobile communications network at a phone number of second wireless communications unit which is a user'"'"'s pre-existing mobile telephone number, wherein the user'"'"'s pre-existing mobile telephone number is entered through a keypad of the hard-wired telephone for access by the processor for automatically setting the first wireless communications unit.

2. The telephone set of claim 1, wherein, after setting the first wireless communications unit, the processor automatically transmits a signal to the wireless service provider to provide notification that the first wireless communications unit is available to receive calls from the mobile communications network at the user'"'"'s mobile telephone number of the second wireless communications unit.

3. The telephone set of claim 1, wherein the processor resets the first wireless communications unit to receive calls from the mobile communications network at a mobile telephone number of third wireless communications unit of a new user, after the removable storage medium is replaced with a removable storage medium containing the new user'"'"'s mobile telephone number.

4. The telephone set of claim 3, wherein the processor transmits a message to the wireless service provider to prevent the first wireless communications unit from receiving calls from any number different from the new user'"'"'s telephone number.

5. The telephone set of claim 1, wherein the processor automatically prevents the first wireless communications unit from receiving calls corresponding to the mobile telephone number of the user'"'"'s second wireless communications unit based on time-of-activation information entered by the user.

6. The telephone set of claim 5, wherein the time-of-activation information indicates a period of time, and wherein the processor counts down the period of time while the first wireless communications unit is set in a call monitoring mode to receive calls from the mobile communications network at the mobile telephone number of the user'"'"'s second wireless communications unit.

7. The telephone set of claim 6, wherein the time-of-activation information is set by the user through operation of the keypad of the hard-wired telephone.

8. The telephone set of claim 1, wherein audio signals corresponding to said calls as received by the first wireless communications unit are output through a handset of the hard-wired telephone.

9. The telephone set of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communications unit, the memory unit, and said processor are included within a housing of the hard-wired telephone.

10. The telephone set of claim 1, wherein the first telephone number is a PSTN number.

11. The telephone set of claim 1, wherein said processor automatically deactivates the first wireless communications unit from receiving calls at the phone number of the second wireless communications unit, and automatically sets the first wireless communications unit to receive calls from the mobile communication network or another mobile communications network at a phone number of a third wireless communications unit corresponding to another user'"'"'s pre-existing mobile telephone number.

12. A communications system, comprising:

a hard-wired telephone, including a keypad and a transceiver, to receive calls from a land-line at a first telephone number; and

a first wireless communications unit remotely coupled to said hard-wired telephone; and

a memory unit for storing activation information;

wherein the hard-wired telephone includes a processor for automatically setting the first wireless communications unit to receive one or more calls from a wireless service provider, said processor automatically setting the first wireless communications unit to receive said calls from a mobile communications network at a phone number of a second wireless communications unit which is a user'"'"'s pre-existing mobile telephone number, wherein the user'"'"'s pre-existing mobile telephone number is entered through a keypad of the hard-wired telephone for access by the processor for automatically setting the first wireless communications unit.

13. The communications system of claim 12, wherein the processor resets the first wireless communications unit to receive calls from the mobile communications network at a mobile telephone number of a third wireless communications unit of a new user, after the removable storage medium is replaced with a removable storage medium containing the new user'"'"'s mobile telephone number.

14. The communications system of claim 13, wherein the processor transmits a message to the wireless service provider to prevent the first wireless communications unit from receiving calls from any number different from the new user'"'"'s telephone number.

15. The communications system of claim 12, wherein the processor automatically prevents the first wireless communications unit from receiving calls corresponding to the user'"'"'s mobile telephone number of the second wireless communications unit based on time-of-activation information entered by the user.

16. The communications system of claim 15, wherein the time-of-activation information indicates a period of time, and wherein the processor counts down the period of time while the first wireless communications unit is set in a call monitoring mode to receive calls based on the user'"'"'s mobile telephone number.

17. The communications system of claim 15, wherein time-of-activation information is set by the user through operation of the keypad.

18. The communications system of claim 12, wherein audio signals corresponding to said calls as received by the first wireless communications unit are output through a handset of the hard-wired telephone.

19. The communications system of claim 12, wherein the first wireless communications unit, the memory unit, and said processor are included within a housing of the hard-wired telephone.

20. The communications system of claim 12, wherein the first telephone number is a PSTN number.

21. The communications system of claim 12, wherein said processor automatically deactivates the first wireless communications unit from receiving calls at the phone number of the second wireless communications unit, and automatically sets the first wireless communications unit to receive calls from the mobile communications network or another mobile communications network at a phone number of a third wireless communications unit corresponding to another user'"'"'s pre-existing mobile telephone number.

22. A telephone set, comprising:

a first wireless communications unit;

a reader that reads information from a removable storage medium; and

a hard-wired telephone to receive calls from a land line at a first telephone number, the hard-wired telephone including a processor for automatically setting the first wireless communications unit to receive one or more calls from a wireless service provider, said processor automatically setting the first wireless communications unit to receive said calls from a mobile communications network at a phone number of a second wireless communications unit which is a user'"'"'s pre-existing mobile telephone number read by the reader from the removable storage medium.

23. The telephone set of claim 22, wherein the reader reads a user identification code from the removable storage medium, and wherein said processor compares the user identification code to a pre-stored code to authorize receiving calls from the mobile communications network at the mobile telephone number of the user.

24. The telephone set of claim 22, wherein the information stored on the removable storage medium includes a serial number used to authorize receipt of said calls.

25. The telephone set of claim 22, wherein the information stored on the removable storage medium includes location information used to authorize receipt of said calls.

26. The telephone set of claim 22, wherein the information stored on the removable storage medium includes information which the wireless service provider or a local exchange carrier needs to activate operation of a wireless phone.

27. The telephone set of claim 22, further comprising:

a communications port to receive telephone calls through a public switched telephone network.

28. The telephone set of claim 27, wherein the telephone calls received through the public switched telephone network bypass the first wireless communications unit.

29. The telephone set of claim 27, wherein the processor generates a control signal to prevent reception of calls through the public switched telephone network when the first wireless communications unit is activated.

30. The telephone set of claim 27, wherein the first wireless communications unit is deactivated to allow calls to be received through the public switched telephone network when no removable storage medium is coupled to the reader.

31. The telephone set of claim 22, further comprising:

a connector to connect the first wireless communications unit to a remotely located antenna.

32. The telephone set of claim 31, wherein the hard-wired telephone is located in a hotel room.

33. The telephone set of claim 22, wherein the hard-wired telephone includes a keypad to enter a phone number to be dialed by the user based on the user'"'"'s mobile telephone number of the second wireless communications unit to which the first wireless communications unit is set by said processor.

34. The telephone set of claim 22, further comprising:

a USB port coupled to the removable storage medium for transferring said information to the reader.

35. The telephone set of claim 22, wherein the hard-wired telephone is located in a kitchen appliance.

36. The telephone set of claim 35, wherein the processor places the first wireless communications unit in call monitoring mode after receiving a confirmation signal from the wireless service provider, the confirmation signal received in response to the notification signal.

37. The telephone set of claim 22, wherein audio signals corresponding to said calls as received by the first wireless communications unit are output through a handset of the hard-wired telephone.

38. The telephone set of claim 22, wherein the first wireless communications unit, the memory unit, and said processor are included within a housing of the hard-wired telephone.

39. The telephone set of claim 22, wherein the first telephone number is a PSTN number.

40. The telephone set of claim 22, wherein said processor automatically deactivates the first wireless communications unit from receiving calls at the phone number of the second wireless communications unit, and automatically sets the first wireless communications unit to receive calls from the mobile communications network or another mobile communications network at a phone number of a third wireless communications unit corresponding to another user'"'"'s pre-existing mobile telephone number.

41. The telephone set of claim 22, wherein the reader is included in the hard-wired telephone.