Mobile phone docking station multi-network telephony hub

• US 9,002,399 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Eichen, Elliot G., Gaviria Velez, Rafael Andres, Goodman, Lee N.
• Primary Examiner(s): GESESSE, TILAHUN
• Application Number:
  US13/327,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20130155170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 455/556.1, 455/574, 455/90.1
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

A docking station includes a first docking port configured to physically dock with a first mobile device, wherein the first docking port includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port. The docking station includes a subscriber line interface connected to one or more Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) phones. The docking station further includes a switch configured to: receive a first call via the first mobile device docked in the docking station, and route the first call to the subscriber line interface, wherein the subscriber line interface rings the one or more Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) with a first ringtone specific to the first mobile device. The first mobile device comprises a portable digital computing device that includes the capability to communicate via a mobile carrier network or via other network connections.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a first call at a docking station via a first mobile device docked in the docking station, wherein the first mobile device includes a cellular telephone, a tablet computer, or a personal digital assistant (PDA);

receiving a second call at the docking station via a second mobile device docked in the docking station, wherein the second mobile device includes a cellular telephone, a tablet computer, or a PDA;

ringing one or more Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) or one or more cordless phones connected to the docking station and to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) with a first ringtone specific to the first mobile device; and

ringing the one or more POTS or the one or more cordless phones connected to the docking station and to the PSTN with a second ringtone specific to the second mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

routing the first call through the docking station to the one or more POTS or one or more cordless phones; and

routing the second call through the docking station to the one or more POTS or one or more cordless phones.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second ringtone is different than the first ringtone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile device is connected to a first mobile carrier network via a first wireless link and the first call is received by the first mobile device via the first mobile carrier network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second mobile device is connected to a second mobile carrier network via a second wireless link.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second mobile carrier network is different than the first mobile carrier network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the PSTN is connected to the docking station, the method further comprising:

receiving a third call at the docking station via the PSTN; and

ringing the one or more POTS or the one or more cordless phones connected to the docking station with a third ringtone specific to the PSTN.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

routing the third call through the docking station to the one or more POTS or the one or more cordless phones.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a fourth call at the docking station via a broadband access network connected to the docking station, wherein the fourth call comprises a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call; and

ringing the one or more POTS or the one or more cordless phones connected to the docking station with a fourth ringtone specific to the fourth call being a VoIP call.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving incoming video data from the first or second docked mobile devices or a broadband access network connected to the docking station;

converting, at the docking station, the video data into a television or monitor-compatible format; and

sending the converted video data to a television or a monitor connected to the docking station.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving incoming data from the first or the second docked mobile devices or a broadband access network connected to the docking station; and

sending the incoming data to one or more destination client devices via a wired or wireless local area network (LAN) connected to the docking station.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second mobile devices each comprise a portable digital computing device that includes the capability to communicate via a mobile carrier network or via other network connections.

13. A docking station, comprising:

a first docking port configured to physically dock with a first mobile device, wherein the first docking port includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port;

a second docking port configured to physically dock with a second mobile device;

a subscriber line interface connected to one or more Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) phones and to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN); and

a switch configured to;

receive a first call via the first mobile device docked in the docking station,

receive a second call via the second mobile device docked in the docking station, and

route the first call and the second call to the subscriber line interface,

wherein the subscriber line interface rings the one or more POTS phones with a first ringtone specific to the first mobile device, and

wherein the subscriber line interface rings the one or more POTS phones with a second ringtone specific to the second mobile device.

14. The docking station of claim 13, wherein the second docking port comprises a USB port.

15. The docking station of claim 13, wherein the first mobile device comprises a portable digital computing device that includes the capability to communicate via a mobile carrier network or via other network connections.

16. The docking station of claim 13, wherein the first and second mobile devices each comprise a cellular telephone, a tablet computer, or a personal digital assistant (PDA).

17. The docking station of claim 13, further comprising:

a cordless interface connected to one or more cordless telephones;

wherein the switch is further configured to route the first call to the cordless interface, and

wherein the cordless interface rings the one or more cordless telephones with a first ringtone specific to the first mobile device.

18. The docking station of claim 17, wherein the switch is further configured to route the second call to the cordless interface, and

wherein the cordless interface rings the one or more cordless telephones with a second ringtone specific to the second mobile device.

19. The docking station of claim 13, wherein the PSTN is connected to the docking station, and wherein the switch is further configured to:

receive a third call at the docking station via the PSTN; and

route the third call to the subscriber line interface,

wherein the subscriber line interface rings the one or more POTS phones with a ringtone specific to the PSTN.

20. The docking station of claim 13, wherein the switch is configured to:

receive a fourth call at the docking station via a broadband access network connected to the docking station, wherein the fourth call comprises a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call, and

route the fourth call to the subscriber line interface,

wherein the subscribe line interface rings the one or more POTS phones with a ringtone specific to the fourth call being a VoIP call.

21. A docking station, comprising:

a first docking port configured to physically dock with a first mobile device, wherein the first docking port includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port;

a second docking port configured to physically dock with a second mobile device, wherein the second docking port includes a USB port,

wherein the first and second mobile devices each comprise a portable digital computing device that include a capability to communicate via a mobile carrier network or via other network connections,

a subscriber line interface connected to one or more Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) phones and to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN);

a cordless interface connected to one or more cordless telephones and to the PSTN; and

a switch configured to;

receive a first call via the first mobile device docked in the docking station,

receive a second call via the second mobile device docked in the docking station,

route the first and second calls to the subscriber line interface,

wherein the subscriber line interface rings the one or more POTS phones with a first ringtone specific to the first mobile device, and

wherein the subscriber line interface rings the one or more POTS phones with a second ringtone specific to the second mobile device.

22. The docking station of claim 21, wherein the first and second mobile devices each comprise a cellular telephone, a tablet computer, or a personal digital assistant (PDA).

23. The docking station of claim 21, wherein the first mobile device is connected to a first mobile carrier network via a first wireless link, wherein the second mobile device is connected to a second mobile carrier network via a second wireless link, and wherein the first mobile carrier network is different than the second mobile carrier network.