System containing a mobile communication device and associated docking station

• US 9,077,796 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2011
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: OpenPeak LLC (Ni, Wang & Massand, PLLC)
• Original Assignee: OpenPeak Inc.
• Inventors: Krzyzanowski, Paul, Gittleman, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Karikari, Kwasi
• Application Number:
  US13/211,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20120046074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 455/557
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

A communication system is described that includes a mobile communication device and a docking station with which the mobile communication device can be selectively engaged and disengaged. The mobile communication device includes telephony logic that enables a user to conduct a voice call using a first speaker/microphone and/or a first network interface provided by the mobile communication device when the mobile communication device is disengaged from the docking station and that enables the user to conduct a voice call using a second speaker/microphone and/or a second network interface provided by the docking station when the mobile communication device is engaged with the docking station. The telephony logic is also capable of dynamically switching between the use of the first and second speakers/microphones and/or the first and second network interfaces in response to detecting engagement or disengagement of the docking station during a voice call.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a mobile communication device that includes

a first microphone,

a first speaker,

a display,

telephony logic that enables a user to conduct a voice call, and

a first docking interface; and

a docking station that includes

a second microphone,

a second speaker, and

a second docking interface that is configured to detachably engage the first docking interface of the mobile communication device, thereby permitting the mobile communication device to be selectively engaged with and disengaged from the docking station;

wherein when the mobile communication device is disengaged from the docking station, the telephony logic of the mobile communication device enables the user to conduct a voice call utilizing the first microphone and the first speaker and when the mobile communication device is engaged with the docking station, the telephony logic of the mobile communication device enables the user to conduct a voice call utilizing the second microphone and the second speaker, the voice call being conductable over networks independently by the mobile communication device and dependently via the docking station,

wherein the mobile communication device further includes a user interface that enables the user to control one or more settings associated with the docking station when the mobile communication device is engaged with the docking station, and

wherein, when the mobile communication device is engaged with the docking station, the telephony logic of the mobile communication device enables the user to conduct a video teleconference in which the display is used to display video content associated with the video teleconference and the second microphone and the second speaker are utilized to receive an output audio content associated with the video teleconference.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the docking station includes a handset that includes the second microphone and the second speaker.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface enables the user to control one or more settings associated with the second microphone or the second speaker when the mobile communication device is engaged with the docking station.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the docking station further includes a keypad that enables the user to enter information that is used by the telephony logic to conduct a voice call when the mobile communication device is engaged with the docking station.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the docking station further includes a video output port, and wherein the docking station is configured to route video data received from the mobile communication device to the video output port when the mobile communication device is engaged with the docking station.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device further includes a detection component that detects when the mobile communication device has been engaged with the docking station, and wherein the telephony logic is configured to switch from using the first microphone and the first speaker to conduct a voice call to using the second microphone and the second speaker to conduct the voice call in response to receiving a signal from the detection component that indicates that the mobile communication device has been engaged with the docking station during the voice call.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device further includes a detection component that detects when the mobile communication device has been disengaged from the docking station, and wherein the telephony logic is configured to switch from using the second microphone and the second speaker to conduct a voice call to using the first microphone and the first speaker to conduct the voice call in response to receiving a signal from the detection component that indicates that that the mobile communication device has been disengaged from the docking station during the voice call.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the docking station is configured to provide power to the mobile communication device when the mobile communication device is engaged with the docking station.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the docking station is configured to provide one or more telephony features to the mobile communication device when the mobile communication device is engaged with the docking station, the one or more telephony features including at least one of call waiting, call forwarding, speakerphone mode, caller identification, incoming call detection and voice messaging.

10. A method for conducting a voice call by telephony logic on a mobile communication device that includes a first microphone, a first speaker and a display, the method comprising:

conducting the voice call using the first microphone and the first speaker;

receiving a signal from a detection component of the mobile communication device that indicates that the mobile communication device has been engaged with a docking station that includes a second microphone and a second speaker;

in response to receiving the signal, switching from conducting the voice call using the first microphone and the first speaker to conducting the voice call using the second microphone and the second speaker, the voice call being conductable over networks independently by the mobile communication device and dependently via the docking station;

when the mobile communication device is engaged with the docking station;

enabling a user to control one or more settings associated with the docking station using a user interface of the mobile communication device; and

enabling the user to conduct a video teleconference in which the display is used to display video content associated with the video teleconference and the second microphone and the second speaker are utilized to receive an output audio content associated with the video teleconference.

11. A method for conducting a voice call by telephony logic on a mobile communication device that includes a first microphone and a first speaker, the method comprising:

conducting the voice call using a second microphone and a second speaker of a docking station to which the mobile communication device is engaged;

receiving a first signal from a detection component of the mobile communication device that indicates that the mobile communication device has been disengaged from the docking station;

in response to receiving the first signal, switching from conducting the voice call using the second microphone and the second speaker to conducting the voice call using the first microphone and the first speaker, the voice call being conductable over networks independently by the mobile communication device and dependently via the docking station;

receiving a second signal from the detection component of the mobile communication device that indicates that the mobile communication device has been engaged with the docking station; and

in response to receiving the second signal, sending video data to the docking station for routing to a video output port of the docking station.

12. A communication system, comprising:

a mobile communication device that includes

a first network interface for connecting to a first network;

telephony logic that enables a user to conduct a voice call over the first network using the first network interface, and

a first docking interface; and

a docking station that includes

a second network interface for connecting to a second network; and

a video output port;

a second docking interface that is configured to detachably engage the first docking interface of the mobile communication device, thereby permitting the mobile communication device to be selectively engaged with and disengaged from the docking station;

wherein when the mobile communication device is engaged with the docking station, the telephony logic of the mobile communication device enables the user to conduct a voice call over the second network using the second network interface, and

wherein the docking station is configured to route video data received from the mobile communication device to the video output port when the mobile communication is engaged with the docking station.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first network interface comprises a wireless network interface for connecting to a wireless network and wherein the second network interface comprises a wired network interface for connecting to a wired network.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the mobile communication device further includes a user interface that enables the user to control one or more settings associated with the second network interface when the mobile communication device is engaged with the docking station.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the mobile communication device further includes a detection component that detects when the mobile communication device has been engaged with the docking station, and wherein the telephony logic is configured to switch from using the first network connection to conduct a voice call to using the second network connection to conduct the voice call in response to receiving a signal from the detection component that indicates that the mobile communication device has been engaged with the docking station during the voice call.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the mobile communication device further includes a detection component that detects when the mobile communication device has been disengaged from the docking station, and wherein the telephony logic is configured to switch from using the second network connection to conduct a voice call to using the first network connection to conduct the voice call in response to receiving a signal from the detection component that indicates that the mobile communication device has been disengaged from the docking station during the voice call.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the mobile communication device further includes a first microphone and a first speaker and the docking station includes a handset comprising a second microphone and a second speaker, and wherein when the mobile communication device is disengaged from the docking station, the telephony logic of the portable computing device enables the user to conduct a voice call utilizing the first microphone and the first speaker and when the mobile communication device is engaged with the docking station, the telephony logic of the mobile communication device enables the user to conduct a voice call utilizing the second microphone and the second speaker.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the mobile communication device further includes a user interface that enables the user to control one or more settings associated with the second microphone or the second speaker when the mobile communication device is engaged with the docking station.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the mobile communication device further includes a detection component that detects when the mobile communication device has been engaged with the docking station, and wherein the telephony logic is configured to switch from using the first microphone and the first speaker to conduct a voice call to using the second microphone and the second speaker to conduct the voice call in response to receiving a signal from the detection component that indicates that the mobile communication device has been engaged with the docking station during the voice call.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the mobile communication device further includes a detection component that detects when the mobile communication device has been disengaged from the docking station, and wherein the telephony logic is configured to switch from using the second microphone and the second speaker to conduct a voice call to using the first microphone and the first speaker to conduct the voice call in response to receiving a signal from the detection component that indicates that that the mobile communication device has been disengaged from the docking station during the voice call.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the docking station further includes a keypad that enables the user to enter information that is used by the telephony logic to conduct a voice call when the mobile communication device is engaged with the docking station.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the docking station is configured to provide power to the mobile communication device when the mobile communication device is engaged with the docking station.

23. The system of claim 12, wherein the docking station is configured to provide one or more telephony features to the mobile communication device when the mobile communication device is engaged with the docking station, the one or more telephony features including at least one of call waiting, call forwarding, speakerphone mode, caller identification, incoming call detection and voice messaging.

24. The system of claim 12, wherein the mobile communication device includes a display and, when the mobile communication device is engaged with the docking station, the telephony logic of the mobile communication device enables the user to conduct a video teleconference in which the display is used to display video content associated with the video teleconference and the second microphone and the second speaker are utilized to receive and output audio content associated with the video teleconference.

25. A method for conducting a voice call by telephony logic on a mobile communication device that includes a first network interface and a display, the method comprising:

conducting the voice call over a first network using the first network interface;

receiving a signal from a detection component of the mobile communication device that indicates that the mobile communication device has been engaged with a docking station that includes a second network interface;

in response to receiving the signal;

switching from conducting the voice call over the first network using the first network interface to conducting the voice call over the second network using the second network interface;

enabling a user to control one or more settings associated with the docking station using a user interface of the mobile communication device when the mobile communication device is engaged with the docking station; and

enabling the user to conduct a video teleconference in which the display is used to display video content associated with the video teleconference when the mobile communication device is engaged with the docking station.

26. A method for conducting a voice call by telephony logic on a mobile communication device that includes a first network interface and a display, the method comprising:

conducting the voice call over a second network using a second network interface of a docking station to which the mobile communication device is engaged;

receiving a first signal from a detection component of the mobile communication device that indicates that the mobile communication device has been disengaged from the docking station;

in response to receiving the first signal, switching from conducting the voice call over the second network using the second network interface to conducting the voice call over the first network using the first network interface

receiving a second signal from the detection component of the mobile communication device that indicates that the mobile communication device has been engaged with the docking station; and

in response to receiving the second signal, enabling a user to conduct a video teleconference in which the display is used to display video content associated with the video teleconference while the video teleconference is conducted over the second network.