Portable hybrid communication system and methods
DCFirst Claim
1. A portable hybrid communications system comprising:
- (a) entry means for entering a data signal;
(b) public telephone network connection means for accessing a public telephone network in response to public telephone accessing control signals;
(c) modem means for modulating and demodulating data signals;
(d) cellular transceiving means for accessing a cellular network in response to cellular network accessing control signals;
(e) analog switch means connected to the public telephone network connection means, to the cellular transceiving means, and to the modem means;
(f) digital data connecting means for selectively creating a digital data transmission connection with the cellular transceiving means;
(g) central processing means connected with said entry means, said public telephone network connection means, said modem means, said analog switch means, and said digital data connection means for generating public telephone accessing control signals and cellular network accessing control signals and for selectively operably connecting the modem means to either the public telephone network or the cellular network so that the central processing means may transmit or receive information over the public or cellular network.
2 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A laptop device includes a personal computer, a cellular transceiver, a speakerphone, and a hybrid communications control unit. The device has connectors for attaching a headset, cellular control unit, land telephone line, and additional speakers and microphones. The microprocessor-controlled hybrid communications control unit includes a modem, a data access arrangement, and a tone generator as well as digital, analog, and power switches. The hybrid communications control unit switches the communications components and provides, under program control, the proper protocols, level, and impedance matching to connect the modem, speakerphone, headset, speaker/microphone, or cellular control unit to the landline or to the cellular network via the transceiver. Matching and switching operations are automatic and transparent to the user. The unit can also connect two of the terminal devices or connect the cellular and landlines for call relaying. The device is capable of connecting plural calls at the same time. The hybrid communications control unit may be controlled by its internal firmware, by toggle switches, or by commands issued from the personal computer. Microfiche Appendix Included (1 Microfiche, 79 pages).
105 Citations
61 Claims
-
1. A portable hybrid communications system comprising:
-
(a) entry means for entering a data signal;
(b) public telephone network connection means for accessing a public telephone network in response to public telephone accessing control signals;
(c) modem means for modulating and demodulating data signals;
(d) cellular transceiving means for accessing a cellular network in response to cellular network accessing control signals;
(e) analog switch means connected to the public telephone network connection means, to the cellular transceiving means, and to the modem means;
(f) digital data connecting means for selectively creating a digital data transmission connection with the cellular transceiving means;
(g) central processing means connected with said entry means, said public telephone network connection means, said modem means, said analog switch means, and said digital data connection means for generating public telephone accessing control signals and cellular network accessing control signals and for selectively operably connecting the modem means to either the public telephone network or the cellular network so that the central processing means may transmit or receive information over the public or cellular network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. An integrated, hand-held, battery operated cellular telephone and computing device for facilitating voice and data communication over a plurality of public communication networks using different communication protocols, comprising
a housing small enough to be hand held; -
an antenna supported by the housing for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic energy;
an integral screen supported by the housing for displaying information that is visually perceptible to a user;
memory contained within the housing for storing an operating program and data including network information, telephone numbers and text messages;
a touch-sensitive device for receiving user commands and data;
network accessing circuitry for accessing one or more of the public communication networks using a protocol appropriate to the communication network accessed to establish a communication link for voice or data communication over the accessed network, the circuitry including a cellular telephone transceiver for sending voice signals and data signals, the network accessing circuitry being electrically connected to the antenna;
a processor electrically connected to the screen, memory, touch-sensitive device and network accessing circuitry for responding to user commands for accessing a plurality of public communication networks for sending and receiving both voice signals and data signals wherein at least one network is a cellular telephone network that also provides both voice and data communication capability, the processor operating, under the control of the operating program, to control the cellular telephone and computing device, providing information for display on the screen, carrying out arithmetic calculations and retrieving data from memory;
wherein the functions of data processing and placing or receiving telephone calls are combined into a single integrated hand-held unit that allows data processing and network telephone communication to be carried out by selective access, under the control of the processor, to one or more of the public communication networks through operation of the network accessing circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 58, 59)
-
-
33. An integrated, hand-held, battery operated cellular telephone and computing device for facilitating voice and computer communication over a plurality of public communication networks using communication protocols which differ in the manner by which voice, data or incoming call placement signals are formatted and processed, comprising
a housing of an appropriate size to enable the device to be hand held; -
an antenna connected with the housing for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic energy;
an integral display screen connected with the housing for displaying information that is perceptible to a user;
memory contained within the housing for storing an operating program and data including network information, telephone numbers and message data;
a touch-sensitive device for receiving user commands and data;
network accessing circuitry for accessing one or more of the public communication networks using a protocol appropriate to the communication network accessed to establish a communication link for voice or data communication over the accessed network, the circuitry including a cellular telephone transceiver for sending voice signals and data signals, the network accessing circuitry being electrically connected to the antenna;
a processor, connected to the screen, memory and touch sensitive device for responding to user commands to provide information for display on the screen, carry out arithmetic calculations and retrieve data from memory;
interconnective circuitry for connecting the processor with the network accessing circuitry to allow the processor, operating under program control, to control the network accessing circuitry and to process call placement signals and data signals sent and received over each of the plurality of networks, including the cellular network, using the different communication protocols, wherein the functions of data processing and placing or receiving telephone calls are combined into the housing that allows data processing and network communication to be carried out by selective access, under the control of the processor, to one or more of the public communication networks through operation of the network accessing circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 60, 61)
-
-
41. An integrated, hand-held, battery operated cellular telephone and computing device for facilitating communication over a plurality of public telephone communication networks using different signals for announcing incoming calls, comprising
a housing small enough to be hand held; -
an antenna supported by the housing for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic energy modulated with voice signals and call placement signals;
an integral screen supported by the housing for displaying information that is visually perceptible to a user;
a touch-sensitive device for receiving user data and commands including user defined preferences for one of a plurality of different ways of being notified that an incoming call placement signal has been received over one of the public communication networks;
memory contained within the housing for storing an operating program including software for processing signals announcing incoming calls and for storing user preferences entered via the touch-sensitive device for indicating the manner by which the existence of an incoming call is announced to the user;
network accessing circuitry for accessing one or more of the public voice communication networks using a protocol appropriate to the communication network accessed to establish a communication link for communication over the accessed network, the circuitry including a cellular telephone transceiver for sending and receiving voice signals, the network accessing circuitry being electrically connected to the antenna;
a processor electrically connected to the screen, memory, touch-sensitive device and network accessing circuitry for responding to incoming call placement signals and user commands indicating the manner in which the user prefers to be notified that an incoming call placement signal has been received to one of the plurality of public communication networks accessible to cause an incoming call announcement of the type preprogrammed by the user to be implemented;
wherein the manner by which the user is notified of an incoming call over any one of the networks may be controlled by the processor in accordance with user defined preferences that have been preprogrammed or subsequently reprogrammed by the user and stored in the memory to cause the manner of announcement of an incoming call to suit the current desires of the user. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
-
-
48. An integrated, hand-held, battery operated cellular telephone and computing device for facilitating communication over a plurality of public telephone communication networks using different signals for announcing incoming calls, comprising
a housing small enough to be hand held; -
an antenna supported by the housing for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic energy modulated with voice signals and call placement signals;
an integral screen supported by the housing for displaying information that is visually perceptible to a user;
a touch-sensitive device for receiving user data and commands including user defined preferences for one of a plurality of different ways of being notified that an incoming call placement signal has been received over one of the public communication networks;
memory contained within the housing for storing an operating program including software for processing signals announcing incoming calls and for storing changeable user preferences for announcing the existence of an incoming call;
network accessing circuitry for accessing one or more of the public voice communication networks using a protocol appropriate to the communication network accessed to establish a communication link for communication over the accessed network, the circuitry including a cellular telephone transceiver for sending and receiving voice signals, the network accessing circuitry being electrically connected to the antenna;
a processor electrically connected to the screen, memory, touch-sensitive device and network accessing circuitry for responding to incoming call placement signals and user commands indicating the manner in which the user prefers to be notified that an incoming call placement signal has been received to one of the plurality of public communication networks to cause an incoming call announcement of the type preprogrammed by the user to be implemented;
wherein the manner by which the user is notified of an incoming call over any one of the networks may be controlled by the processor in accordance with user defined preferences that have been preprogrammed or subsequently reprogrammed by the user and stored in the memory to cause the manner of announcement of an incoming call to suit the current desires of the user. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
-
Specification