Patent ID: 6978154
Filing Date: 2005-12-20
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
1. A docking station for operation as part of a handheld wireless telephone system, the system including a wireline telephone installation and a handheld wireless telephone, said docking station being operable to interface the wireline telephone installation to the handheld wireless telephone, said docking station comprising: translation means for translating communication signals between the handheld wireless telephone and the wireline telephone; a main controller box incorporating a data bus connector; the translation means incorporating a first translation means for translating communications signals transmitted between the handheld wireless telephone and the main controller box and a second translation means for translating communication signals between the main controller box and the wireline telephone; a releasable connecting module removably connected to the main controller box, the releasable connecting module being used to connect the handheld wireless telephone to the main controller box and the releasable connecting module having retaining means for retaining the handheld wireless telephone to the releasable connecting module; the first translation means being located in the releasable connecting module, and the second translation means being located in the main controller box; the releasable connecting module comprising a first data bus connector for connection to a corresponding data bus connector in the handheld wireless telephone and a second data bus connector for connection to the data bus connector in the main controller box; the retaining means comprising a portion of a surface of the releasable connecting module defining a cup, the cup having an interior surface being substantially the same shape and size as a surface of the handheld wireless telephone having a data bus connector, the cup further comprising the first data bus connector for connection to the data bus connector of the handheld wireless telephone, whereby the first data bus connector contacts the data bus connector of the handheld wireless telephone when the handheld wireless telephone is inserted into the cup; the main controller box incorporating a locking device for connection to the releasable connecting module and the releasable connecting module additionally comprising a corresponding locking device for connection to the locking device of the main controller box; the cup being physically configured to connect a particular make and model of handheld wireless telephone to the main controller box; the first data bus connector being physically configured to connect to the corresponding data bus connector in the handheld wireless telephone; the first translation means translates signals between a particular make and model of handheld wireless telephone and the main controller box; the releasable connecting module additionally comprising means for connecting to a second releasable connecting module; and wired means for connecting the docking station to the wireline telephone.