Patent ID: 6078821
Filing Date: 2000-06-20
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
An extendable cordless telephone system including a first base station covering a first geographic area and having a first controller, the first base station for communicating with at least one portable station when the at least one portable station is located within the first geographic area, the extendable cordless telephone system comprising:a second base station covering a second geographic coverage area and having a second controller;the first base station to determine whether any of the first base station and the second base station is coupled to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) and to determine whether the second base station is coupled to the cordless telephone system;wherein when it is determined that the first base station is coupled to the PSTN and the second base station is not coupled to the cordless telephone system, the first controller is adapted to act as a master controller to coordinate communications between the at least one portable station and the first base station when the at least one portable station is within the first geographic coverage area, andwhen it is determined that the first base station is coupled to the PSTN and the second base station is coupled to the cordless telephone system and the PSTN, the first controller is adapted to act as the master controller and the second controller is adapted to act as a slave controller, wherein the slave controller is adapted to communicate with the master controller over a communication path to coordinate communications between the at least one portable station and the first base station when the at least one portable station is within the first geographic area and the second base station when the at least one portable station is within the second geographic area.