Mesh network telephone system

• US 20070242661A1
• Filed: 04/17/2006
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chemtron Research LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Available For Licensing
• Inventors: Tran, Bao
• Granted Patent: US 8,917,716 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/121 Details of network access arrangements or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed having one or more mesh network appliances (such as ZigBee appliances); a mesh network telephone base station in communication with the mesh network appliances, the mesh network telephone base station including a telephone jack wired to a plain old telephone service (POTS) or a public switched telephone network (PSTN) land-line; and a telephone in communication with the one or more mesh network appliances including the mesh network telephone base station.

Claims

1. A system, comprising

a mesh network;

a mesh network telephone base station in communication with the mesh network, the mesh network telephone base station including a telephone jack wired to a plain old telephone service (POTS) or a public switched telephone network (PSTN) land-line; and

a telephone in communication with the telephone base station over the mesh network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mesh network comprises an 805.15 network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the telephone records a message from a caller, wherein the telephone answers two calls by selecting a first line or a second line and wherein the telephone receives distinctive ring tones and rings with a melody or distinctive ring pattern.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the telephone comprises a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) telephone.

5. The system of claim 1, comprising a server coupled to the POTS or PSTN, the server receiving a search query from the telephone;

the server searching one or more databases based on the search query and returning a search result on the display.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a third party associated with one of the search results is selected to call back the telephone.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the server transmits the telephone'"'"'s caller identification (Caller ID) number to the entity for calling back the telephone and wherein the third party pays a fee for each Caller ID.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the databases comprise one or more of:

music, food, restaurant, movie, map, telephone directory, news, blogs, weather, stocks, calendar, sports, horoscopes, lottery, messages, traffic, direction.

9. The system of claim 1, comprising a mesh network appliance to provide one of:

home security, door access control, lighting control, power outlet control, dimmer control, switch control, temperature control, humidity control, carbon monoxide control, fire alarm control, blind control, shade control, window control, oven control, cooking range control, personal computer control, entertainment console control, television control, projector control, garage door control, car control, pool temperature control, water pump control, furnace control, heater control, thermostat control, electricity meter monitor, water meter monitor, gas meter monitor, remote diagnotic.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the telephone is coupled to a cellular telephone to answer calls directed at the cellular telephone.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the telephone synchronizes calendar, contact, emails, blogs, or instant messaging with the cellular telephone.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the telephone synchronizes calendar, contact, emails, blogs, or instant messaging with a personal computer.

13. The system of claim 1, comprising a patient monitoring appliance coupled to the POTS or PSTN through the mesh network.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the patient monitoring appliance monitors drug usage and patient falls.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the patient monitoring appliance monitors patient movement.

16. The system of claim 1, comprising an in-door positioning system coupled to one or more mesh network appliances to provide location information.

17. The system of claim 1, comprising a call center coupled to the telephone to provide a human response.

18. The system of claim 1, comprising a web server coupled to the mesh network and to the POTS to provide information to an authorized remote user.

19. The system of claim 1, comprising a wireless router coupled to the mesh network and wherein the wireless router comprises one of:

802.11 router, 802.16 router, WiFi router, WiMAX router, Bluetooth router, X10 router.

20. The system of claim 1, comprising a mesh network appliance coupled to a power line to communicate X10 data to and from the mesh network.

21. A system, comprising:

a cordless telephone having a ZigBee transceiver to communicate digitized voice and data over a ZigBee wireless link; and

a base station wirelessly coupled to the cordless telephone over the ZigBee wireless link, the base station having a telephone jack coupled to a plain old telephone service (POTS) or a public switched telephone network (PSTN) land-line.

22. The system of claim 21, comprising a server coupled to the POTS or PSTN, the server receiving a search query from the telephone;

the server searching one or more databases based on the search query and returning a search result to display on the telephone, wherein the server provides information to one of;

directory assistance, yellow page directory, white page directory, search engine, music, food, restaurant, movie, map, telephone directory, news, blogs, weather, stocks, calendar, sports, horoscopes, lottery, messages, traffic, direction, wherein the server transmits the telephone'"'"'s caller identification (Caller ID) number to a third party to call back the telephone and wherein the third party pays a fee for each Caller ID.