Abstract:
An apparatus and method of integrating a wireless telephone and a multiple handset cordless telephone system is taught. A docking station is used which receives a wireless telephone and electrically interfaces with in, including power, audio and data interfaces. A controller manages the interface to a transceiver, and speakerphone. The transceiver operates in compliance with a multiple handset cordless telephone system to enable communications therebetween.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to telephones. More specifically, the present invention relates to multiple handset cordless systems and wireless telephones. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   The field of telephony has changed dramatically since the break-up of AT&amp;T in the early 1980&#39;s. Competition has driven innovation and the range of products available to consumers has increased accordingly. One area of innovation has been the development of cordless telephones. Cordless telephones are similar to conventional corded telephones in that they are connected by wire to a local central office. However, they differ in that there is no cord between the base unit of the cordless telephone and the handset; thus, they are called ‘cordless’ telephones. Cordless telephones add the convenience of mobility within the range of coverage of the radio transceivers employed in the base and handset units that comprise the cordless telephone. 
   The deployment of cellular service established the beginning of a wireless telephony era. The first widely adopted and implemented standard in the United States was AMPS cellular. Later, other standards were implemented, including TDMA (IS-136), CDMA (IS-95), GSM, PCS (various standards), and others. All of these wireless telephones share the characteristic in that there is no local metallic loop between the telephone and a telephone company central office employed to render service. Rather, a wireless telephone network is deployed by a service provider, and wide area coverage (at least respecting the coverage range of a cordless telephone) is delivered via radio signals. Wireless telephones do not typically comprise a base unit; rather, the entire telephone circuitry is inside a single enclosure, including the battery. 
   Wireless telephones do suffer from certain disadvantages. They are physically small, and hence the user interface is rather compact and reduces the convenience of operation. The transmitter power and received signal strengths are very low, due to the battery power limitations and network infrastructure considerations. This means that radio signal strength is often time so limited that interference and noise become common annoyances during calls. The mobility of the receiver exacerbates this because of the vagaries of radio propagation, including multi-path interference, Rayleigh fading, and physical blocking of radio signal paths. In addition, wireless telephones have limited battery life, especially during extended conversation times. 
   Cordless telephones offer improved interfaces and performance over wireless telephones in most circumstances. They are usually larger and have more complete and convenient user interfaces. The base unit can house voice messaging systems and speakerphones. They operate in a small geographic area so that signal levels at the receivers of both the base and handset are higher, offering better receiver quieting, higher signal to noise ratios, and less interference generally. They also offer longer battery life standby and talk times, owing to their larger batteries and their more extended times at rest on a charging cradle. Recently, manufacturers of cordless telephones have developed multiple handset cordless telephone systems. A multiple handset system typically employs a base unit and multiple handsets. Handsets are able to communicate between each other as an intercom, in addition to communicating with the base unit for interconnectivity with the public switch telephone network. Multiple handset cordless systems may operate in various frequency bands, 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz and others. The communications protocol used in multiple handset cordless systems may be proprietary or follow a promulgated standard, such as the Bluetooth standard, known to those skilled in the art. 
   The trend for many users of wireless telephones is toward using their wireless telephone as the principal communications device, even over the traditional wired and corded telephones. Users merely keep their wireless telephone with them at all times, whether during travel, at home, or at work. Thus, they are readily reachable by calling to the wireless telephone number. However, this implies the aforementioned limitations of wireless telephones are always present for such users. It is known in the art to utilize a base unit with a wireless telephone that offers battery charging, hands free operation, and even interfaces to RJ-11 devices, such as wired telephones. However, such devices are cumbersome to use, limit mobility, and may require installation procedures beyond the skill level of average users. The tension between wireless telephones and cordless telephones was mitigated with an invention that integrated a cordless telephone base unit with a wireless telephone docking cradles, and the interconnection of communications signals therebetween. See U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/737,289 filed on Dec. 13, 2000, to Uchiyama and entitled Cordless and Wireless Telephone Docking Systems. With the deployment of multiple handset cordless telephones, which offer even greater conveniences, the tension between the mobility of wireless telephones and convenience of wireless telephones has increased. Thus, there is a need in the art for an integration apparatus and method to improve upon the utilization of a wireless telephone in a local geographic area while maintaining mobility through the use of cordless telephony technology having multiple handset capabilities and features. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The need in the art is addressed by the apparatus and methods of the present invention. A docking station for interconnecting telephone calls between a wireless telephone and a multiple handset cordless telephone system method and apparatus are taught. The docking station includes an electrical interface that has an audio signal coupling and a data signal coupling, which engage the wireless telephone. A transceiver operates to communicate via radio signals with the multiple handset cordless telephone system. The transceiver is selectively coupled to the audio signal coupling in the interface. A controller is coupled to control the transceiver and coupled to the data signal coupling in the interface. The controller operates to communicate data signals with the wireless telephone when the wireless telephone is coupled to the electrical interface. Also, the controller operates to process telephone calls between the wireless telephone and the multiple handset cordless telephone system through control of the transceiver, thereby enabling audio communications by selectively coupling the audio signal coupling and the transceiver. 
   In a specific embodiment, the docking station further includes a power supply coupled to the electrical interface for providing electrical power to the wireless telephone when engaged therewith. In another embodiment, the controller controls the transceiver to operate as a terminal unit in the multiple handset cordless telephone system. The controller may selectively couple the audio signal coupling to the transceiver upon receipt of data indicative of an incoming telephone call from the wireless telephone. The controller may also selectively couple the audio signal coupling to the transceiver upon receipt of data indicative of a call request from the multiple handset cordless telephone system. The call request data may include a called party telephone number, then the controller couples the telephone number to the data signal coupling for use by the wireless telephone. 
   In a refinement of the present invention, a telephone keypad is added to the docking station and is coupled to the controller. Also, the controller operates to receive telephone number digits from the keypad and couple the telephone number digits to the data signal coupling for use by the wireless telephone. In another refinement, the docking station further includes a speakerphone selectively coupled to the audio signal coupling and the transceiver. The controller may operate to selective couple the speakerphone to the transceiver when the wireless telephone is disengaged from the electrical interface. In a specific embodiment, the docking station further includes an actuator coupled to the controller. Actuation of the actuator causes the controller to selectively couple the speakerphone to the transceiver, thereby enabling speakerphone functionality for the multiple handset wireless telephone systems. Various cordless telephone protocols are applicable, however, in a particular embodiment, the controller controls the transceiver to communicate in accordance with the Bluetooth protocol specification. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a system diagram in an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a drawing of the user interface of a prior art cordless telephone 
       FIG. 3  is a drawing of the user interface of a prior art wireless telephone. 
       FIG. 4  is a drawing of the electrical interface of a prior art wireless telephone. 
       FIG. 5  is a top view of the base unit in an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a front view of the base unit, with a wireless telephone docked therein, in an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a functional block diagram of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a flow diagram in an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Illustrative embodiments and exemplary applications will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings to disclose the advantageous teachings of the present invention. 
   While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility. 
   The present invention teaches an illustrative embodiment in which a wireless telephone docking station mechanism is implemented as one of the multiple handsets of a cordless telephone system. Multiple handset cordless telephone systems are known in the art. They operate according to a variety of radio air protocols, including the industry standard Bluetooth protocol as well as various manufacturer proprietary protocols. The teachings of the present invention are applicable to all multiple handset cordless telephone systems and protocols. Accordingly, the present invention provides that any multiple handset cordless telephone system may dedicate one of the handset addresses to the role of being an adapter to interface a wireless telephone resource into the cordless system. This is made possible by docking any type of wireless telephone to the inventive docking station, which then couples the audio and data signaling of the wireless telephone onto the cordless system through a compliant radio interface operating in accordance with the cordless systems air protocol. The docking station of the present invention has a cradle for receiving a wireless telephone. The data and audio signals of the wireless telephone interface to a controller and transceiver in the docking station. The transceiver is controlled to operate in accordance with the air protocol of the cordless system. The transceiver is addressed as one of the cordless units of the cordless system and can communicate directly with the base station of the cordless system or directly with the various other handsets in the cordless system. With this arrangement, users are able to access the wireless telephone resource from any of the various cordless handsets in the cordless system. Access may be for placing calls outgoing from the cordless system into the wireless network, or for receiving calls incoming from the wireless network to the cordless system. 
   Reference is directed to  FIG. 1 , which is drawing of an illustrative embodiment cordless and wireless telephone docking station  2  integrated into a cordless telephone systems. The docking station  2  accepts a wireless telephone  4 . The wireless telephone  4  rests in the cradle of the docking station  2 . The wireless telephone  4  may be of any of the presently available wireless telephone technologies, including but not limited to, AMPS cellular, TDMA wireless, CDMA wireless, PCS, GSM, or other US or international standards, or private systems, or, may be adapted for yet to be released or developed wireless telephone systems and standards, throughout the world. 
   The wireless telephone  4  employs a conventional wireless antenna  36  to communicate into a wireless telephone network  10  via radio signals  18  that operate in accordance with the particular wireless network  10  protocol specification. Thus, the wireless telephone network  10  provides a telephone resource to the wireless telephone  4 . The docking station  2  has an antenna  16  that is used to communicate with the multiple handset cordless telephone base station  6  via radio signals  20  to the base unit  6  antenna  14 . The base unit  6  is coupled to the public switched telephone network  12  (‘PSTN’), which provides another telephone resource to the multiple handset cordless telephone system. Plural other cordless telephones  8  operate in the vicinity of the cordless base  6  and communicate via radio signals  22  utilizing the cordless system air protocol. The radio signals  22  couple to antennas  62  in the cordless terminal units  8  to and from antenna  14  of the cordless base unit  6 . Depending on the particular multiple handset cordless telephone system, the plural terminal units  8  may communicate by direct radio link from one unit to another or such communications may occur by relaying radio signals through the base unit  6 . 
   With the foregoing arrangement in place, the cordless telephones  8  are enabled to operate in the vicinity of the base unit  6  and docking station  2  without the users being tethered by a cord coupled to the handset. The users are able to access telephone resources in the PSTN through either of the wireless network  10  or the base unit  6 , coupled to the PSTN  12 . There is no need to install any additional wiring when the docking station  2  is implemented into the cordless system. This feature gives the invention a measure of portability of installation and operation. Within the docking station  2 , a cordless telephone transceiver unit (not shown) is coupled to the wireless telephone  4 . During a wireless based call, and for certain other telephone operations, the wireless telephone  4  and the cordless telephone system are interconnected. Since the wireless telephone is in a fixed position, and that position can be selected where good radio performance is realized, the quality of the wireless communications is improved. Multi-path distortion and Rayleigh fading are improved significantly. 
     FIG. 2  illustrate a typical prior art cordless telephone  8  employed with current multiple handset cordless telephone systems. In  FIG. 2 , the user interface on the front of the cordless telephone  8  is illustrated. An earphone speaker  50  and a display  52  are present along with a grouping of function keys  54 . A conventional telephone keypad  56  is typically used as well as special function keys  58  and a microphone  60 . Also, an antenna  62  which is coupled to an internal transceiver (not shown) that enables the cordless telephone  8  to communicate with the base unit  6  transceiver. A user of the cordless telephone  8  can access the PSTN to place outgoing telephone calls. This access is provided through the base unit in the prior art. Through application of the present invention, such access is also provided through the illustrative embodiment docking station, through the wireless telephone network. In a multiple handset cordless telephone system, individual cordless terminal units  8  are addressed within the protocol and are given user definable extensions so that users are able to utilize the system as an intercom, and to transfer calls between units. The extensions allow the users to access the docking station in the illustrative embodiment. For example, the docking station may be assigned extension number one. Users of the terminal units  8  can access the docking station in the same way they would access another terminal unit, through access to extension one, for example. 
   The present invention can accommodate any number of different types of wireless telephones through advantageous use of the interface adapter. By way of example and reference, and not for illustration of any limitations,  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  illustrate an exemplar prior art wireless telephone suitable for interface to the present invention docking station. Most wireless telephones  4  share common characteristics, and the present invention takes advantage of this fact. In  FIG. 3 , which is a view of the user interface of a wireless telephone  4 , there is an earphone speaker  24 , a display  28 , a group of function keys  30 , a conventional telephone keypad  32 , a microphone  34 , a power switch  26 , and an antenna  36 . Such wireless telephones typically employ a menu selection interface of various wireless telephone functions.  FIG. 4  illustrates the mechanical and electrical interface of a typical wireless telephone  4 . Wireless telephone manufacturers and suppliers do provide adjunct products designed to operate in conjunction with their wireless telephones. For example, headset/microphones are offered. So too are hands-free systems for use in motor vehicles, battery charging cradles, and interfaces for modems and other data ports. Such items are well understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. To meet the interface requirements of such adjunct devices, most prior art wireless telephone include an electrical interface, accessible from the exterior of the telephone, which presents the transmit and receive audio signals as well as a data interface and a power supply connection.  FIG. 4  illustrates such an interface. A typical wireless telephone  4  interface includes a coaxial power supply connector  48 , typically used with a wall-jack transformer. But, there is also available separate power supply terminals  46  that allow simple interface to cradle-type battery chargers and other mountable interfaces. The typical wireless telephone  4  also includes a bus-type connector  40  that has a plurality of electrical conductors and may include transmit and receive audio signals, transmit and receive data signals, system ground, and system power supply signals. The interface protocol and specifications for such an interface can be obtained from the wireless telephone manufacturer either freely or through a licensing arrangement, or can be reverse engineered if necessary. Of course, different wireless telephones employ different physical interfaces, which may be of the form of a straight bus connector, for example. 
     FIG. 4  also illustrates part of the mechanical interface of a wireless telephone  4 . These may include notches, recesses or pins  42  used to align the wireless telephone, and may include other alignment notches, recesses or pins  44  used to particularly align the electrical connector  42 . In addition, the physical size, shape, and dimensions of the wireless telephone are used in designing a cradle, on which it will rest or be inserted into. 
   Reference is directed to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , which illustrate a wireless telephone docking station  2  in an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 5  particularly illustrates the user interface and wireless telephone cradle  63 .  FIG. 6  illustrates a front elevation of the docking station  2  with a wireless telephone  4  engaged with the cradle  63 . The docking station  2  of the illustrative embodiment is molded from plastic and houses the various circuitry defined later with respect to the functional block diagram. The antenna  14  extends about the housing. In the illustrative embodiment a user interface is provided for user control of the docking station  2 . The user interface includes a conventional telephone keypad  70  that can be used to control the wireless telephone and to emulate the cordless telephone terminal unit that is embodied within the housing. In operation, the telephone keypad  70  can used to dial a called party telephone number for outgoing calls from the wireless telephone  4 . The keypad  70  can also be used to define and access cordless telephone terminal units in the multiple handset cordless telephone system. The docking station  2  user interface further includes a loudspeaker  78  and a microphone  74  that are used in the speakerphone function provided therein. And indicator lamp  76  is also provided to indicate operational status of the unit, including speakerphone active, wireless call in progress and other status indications. The lamp  76  may alternatively be an alphanumeric or other display, as preferred. Several function keys  72  are also provided to control of speaker volume, muting, intercom function among the plural cordless system terminal units and for initiation and termination of telephone and intercom calls. 
   The wireless telephone cradle  63  is formed in the housing of physical dimensions suitable for engaging the base of the wireless telephone  4 . There are plural mechanical and electrical interface items disposed in the cradle  63  that correspond to the interface of the particular wireless telephone the docking station  2  is designed to accommodate. In particular, a coaxial power supply connector  66 , or separate power supply terminals  68 . The functional interface is implemented with an audio and data bus connector  64  that complies with the signaling present in the particular wireless telephone. 
   Another added measure a convenience is obtained by providing a power supply adapter  80 , which is coupled to the docking station  2  via power cord  82 . The power supply adapter  80  provides operating power to the docking station  2  during normal operation. It also provides a source of current for recharging the rechargeable batteries in the wireless telephone  4 . Without the use of the present invention, the user of a wireless telephone would require another means of recharging the batteries in the wireless phone. Since a user of the present invention will place the wireless telephone  4  in the cradle of the docking station  2  during extended periods when the wireless telephone  4  is used with the present invention, the ability to charge the batteries of the wireless telephone  4  with the present invention advantageously eliminates the need for an alternative charging apparatus. 
   Reference is directed to  FIG. 7 , which is a functional block diagram of an illustrative embodiment according to the present invention. The wireless telephone  4  rest in and connects to the wireless telephone cradle  62  in the docking station  2 . The functional structure of the docking station  2  can readily be modeled as bus architecture, having four basic bus paths. These include a power bus  108 , audio signal bus  110 , data signal bus  112 , and internal control bus  114 . The function of the power bus  108  is to receive electric power from the power supply  106  and distribute it within the docking station and to the wireless telephone  4  for power supply and battery charging. The audio bus  110  carries transmit and receive audio signals between the wireless telephone  4 , the speakerphone  124 , and the transceiver  116 . The data bus  112  carries wireless telephone  4  data signals between the wireless telephone and the controller  128  in the docking station. The control bus  128  carries control information from controller  128  to the wireless telephone  4 , the speakerphone  124 , the user interface  126 , and the transceiver  116 . It is to be understood that the bus structure is meant as a model of the architecture and that formally laid out bus structures on a printed circuit board are not required. Rather, this is an exemplary embodiment, and those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other circuit topologies can be employed to achieve the same or similar results. 
   More specifically, respecting  FIG. 7 , the wireless telephone  4  coupled to the wireless cradle  62 , both mechanically and electrically. An interface  104  interconnects and adapts the signal levels between the wireless telephone  4  and the various internal circuitry of the docking station  2 . The data signals from the wireless telephone  4  are thus coupled to the internal data bus  112 . So too are transmit and receive audio signals from the wireless telephone  4  coupled to the audio bus  110 . Power is delivered from the power bus  108  to the wireless telephone  4  though interface  104 , with power level conversion if needed, via wireless cradle  102 . The source of external power is an AC/DC cord-mounted power converter  82  (not shown in  FIG. 7 ) in the illustrative embodiment. A transceiver  116  is also coupled to the audio bus  110 . Thus, the audio signals from the wireless telephone  4  can be selectively coupled to the transceiver from broadcast and reception to and from the multiple handset cordless telephone system. The general operation of the transceiver, however, is controlled by controller  128  by communications thought the control bus  114 . Therefore, the wireless telephone  4  does not generally control the docking station, rather controller  128  controls the docking station functions though execution of software programs. 
   The controller  128  may be any of the large variety of microprocessor, microcontrollers, or even digital signal processors currently available, or which may later become available. Such a controller will typically include memory for storage of source code software, RAM, and other memory as needed to implement features and functions of the device. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the proper selection and implementation of a suitable controller device. 
   Again referring to  FIG. 7 , the controller  128  executes software to control transceiver  116  in its operation as a terminal unit compliant with the multiple handset cordless telephone system protocol. The air protocol between the transceiver  116  and the multiple handset cordless telephone system is defined by the protocol employed by that host system. Such protocols are known and understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. A user interface  126 , which includes the standard telephone keypad and the function keys described herein before, is coupled to the control bus  114  so that key actuations are sensed by controller  128 . The speakerphone  124  is a part of the user interface, and the audio signals are derived from the audio bus  110 . When the speakerphone key is actuated, this actuation is sensed by the controller  128  which controls switches to couple the wireless telephone audio signals, or the transceiver  116  audio signals to the loudspeaker and microphone circuits in the speakerphone. 
   Reference is directed to  FIG. 8 , which is a flow diagram of the docking station operation in an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The process begins at step  130  when the docking station is energized. The mode of operation is set to IDLE at step  132 , awaiting the initiation of some communications. At step  134 , the unit checks to determine if the wireless telephone is present in the cradle. This test repeats regularly to determine if and when the user inserts or removes the wireless telephone from the docking station. If the wireless telephone is not detected at step  134 , then a flag is set to NO at step  136 , indicating that no wireless phone is available for communications. Alternative, at step  134 , if the wireless telephone is detected, then flow proceeds to step  138  where the flag is set to YES. In either case, flow proceeds to step  140  after the wireless telephone detection routine. At step  140 , the process checks for an incoming wireless telephone call. If a call is detected, then the call is processed at step  142  where it is routed to the default cordless telephone unit ID. The unit ID is a programming choice made by the user. This choice directs incoming wireless calls to one particular of the plural multiple handsets in the cordless system. After the call is processed and routed at step  142  flow returns to step  134  to repeat. 
   On the other hand, at step  140 , if an incoming wireless call has not been received, then flow continues to step  144  where the process tests to determine is a call is being placed from the cordless system to the wireless telephone. If no such call is occurring, then flow recirculates to step  134 . On the other hand, at step  144 , if call to the wireless unit has been requested, then flow proceeds to step  146  where the process tests for the state of the wireless flag set at steps  134 ,  136 , and  138 . If the wireless flag is set to YES, then call is connected at step  150 . Also, the call is processed, and then flows returns to step  134 . On the other hand, at step  146 , if the wireless flag is set to NO, indicating that the wireless telephone is not available for communications, then flow proceeds to step  148  where the mode is set from IDLE to SPEAKERPHONE. This mode switch connects the audio signals from the transceiver to the speakerphone in lieu of the wireless telephone. A digitally produced alert message is produced by the controller to the transceiver so that the requesting cordless telephone user can be made aware of the unavailability of the wireless telephone. Then, the speakerphone is coupled to the transceiver so that any user in the vicinity of the docking station can communicate with the cordless user making the call request. This is useful, for example, for the requesting user to ask that the wireless telephone be inserted into the cradle. After completion of the communication, flow returns to step  132  where the mode is reset to IDLE. 
   Thus, the present invention has been described herein with reference to a particular embodiment for a particular application. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the present teachings will recognize additional modifications, applications and embodiments within the scope thereof. 
   It is therefore intended by the appended claims to cover any and all such applications, modifications and embodiments within the scope of the present invention.