System having a dual-purpose telephone and mouse

A system providing a remote control device operable both as a cordless telephone and as a computer system having a wireless mouse, with two separate assemblies. The first assembly is a computer system that is connected to a telephone jack. The computer system has a video display unit with a cursor, a modem, and the electronics for a base unit of a cordless telephone built inside the chassis. The second assembly is the remote control unit, and serves both as a handset for a cordless telephone and as a wireless mouse. The handset can place and receive telephone calls by communicating, via electromagnetic radiation to the computer system hooked up to the telephone jack. The handset can also control the position and functions of the cursor on the video display screen when not being used as a telephone. The remote control unit has a mouse button and another cursor control device.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to an appliance that serves both as a 
cordless telephone and as a computer with a wireless mouse, and more 
particularly, to a base unit of a cordless telephone is located inside the 
computer chassis while a mouse ball and mouse buttons located on the 
handset of the cordless telephone, enable the handset of the cordless 
telephone to remotely control a personal computer. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
A mouse enables a user to control the position of a cursor on a video 
display connected to a personal computer. Recent efforts in the art have, 
with varying degrees of success, endeavored to establish wireless mice as 
useful peripherial devices with a computer system. As U.S. Pat. No. 
4,754,268 for a Wireless Mouse Apparatus to Mori explains, wireless mice 
can be classified into two conventional types--the mechanical type that 
uses a mechanical transducer such as a trackball to operate, and an 
optical type that requires the wireless mouse to be used on a reflective 
pad. In both types, the wireless mouse communicates to the personal 
computer by way of radio waves or infrared electromagnetic radiation. With 
either type, the user is not confined by a cord extending form the 
personal computer to the mouse. Other literature in the art discuss a 
cordless device that operates as a mouse to move the cursor around on a 
personal computer. Examples of these may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 
5,469,193 for a Cordless Pointing Apparatus to Giobbi et al and another in 
European Patent 0596,594 for a Remote Control and Pointing Device to 
Frank. 
The notion of having the base unit of a cordless telephone located within a 
computer has been attempted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,659 for a Wireless 
Phone System Communicatively Combined with a Computer to Nishimura, by 
installing the base unit of the cordless telephone inside of a computer. 
As a result, the computer, containing the base unit, is connected to the 
telephone jack. Both the computer and the handset have antennas so that 
they can communicate with each other. In addition, the handset has a 
microphone, a speaker, a keypad, and a display. The handset can function 
as a conventional telephone or can communicate data to or from the 
computer. If the handset is used to communicate data through a telephone 
line to the master computer, the speaker and the microphone are used as a 
conventional acoustic coupler. Although the remote handset may send and 
receive data from the master computer, the remote handset does not appear 
to operate as a mouse or to perform the functions of a typical mouse, as 
in controlling the position of a cursor on a display terminal. 
The notion of using a hinge operated protective cover to protect features 
on a telephone hand or slave set has been mentioned in JP1-319348, which 
shows a telephone set having speaker, a microphone and a push button 
section. When the slave set unit folds to a closed position, the push 
buttons, the microphone, and the speaker are protected. A hinge is formed 
along the middle of the slave set unit to allow both ends of the slave set 
unit to fold over onto each other, protecting the microphone, push 
buttons, and the speaker inside. 
Other efforts, such as JP6-14370 using a cordless telephone that, in 
addition to operating as a telephone, allows the slave set to also be used 
to remotely control a television set. JP5-130181 using a cordless 
telephone set where the slave set can, in addition to functioning as a 
handset for a cordless telephone, function as a remote control for 
audio/visual equipment and air conditioning equipment. The slave set can 
communicate to these apparatuses by infrared radiation. JP5-130673 has a 
cordless telephone, where the slave set may, in addition to functioning as 
a handset, be used to remotely control apparatus such as a television 
receiver. Such remote control is accomplished by infrared radiation. 
JP5-268303 provides a cordless telephone set where the slave set can 
function both as a handset for the cordless telephone and as a remote 
controller for a variety of appliances such as air conditioners, 
television sets, and home appliances. The slave set can remotely control 
these various apparatuses while a user is busy conversing. JP5-153268 
shows a cordless telephone set that can monitor household appliances such 
as washing machines. With this equipment, when the washing machine cycle 
is finished, a signal is sent to the slave set that converts the signal 
into sound signal so that a user can be alerted to the fact that the 
washing machine cycle is complete. JP4-51742 uses a cordless telephone set 
that can operate both as a cordless telephone or as a modem for a personal 
computer. A switch on the slave set enables a user to choose between 
speech mode and data transmission mode. Another cordless telephone set 
shown in JP4-354229, also operates either as a cordless telephone or as a 
modem for a personal computer. The slave set is electrically connected to 
the personal computer. A switch on the slave set enables a user to choose 
between voice mode or data transmission mode. JP3-148945 uses a cordless 
telephone, where the slave set can function both as a handset for the 
cordless telephone or as a remote controller for various appliances such 
as television sets and air conditioners. As shown in a figure, the slave 
set can also be used to remotely control a personal computer. JP2-198259 
also uses a cordless telephone that can function both as a telephone and 
as a remote controller for various equipment. Optical pulses are emitted 
from the slave set of the cordless telephone to operate the various 
appliances. JP4-160845 provides a cordless telephone that can function 
both as a telephone and as a remote control for a facsimile machine. Both 
the facsimile machine and the master unit are plugged into the telephone 
jack. The slave set remotely control both the master unit and/or the 
facsimile unit. JP6-224418 suggests a cordless telephone that can be used 
to control a personal computer, while EP 630140-A has a cordless telephone 
that can be used to remotely control a facsimile machine, and UK 2 216 
319A provides a cordless telephone with a handset can be used to access 
navigational information from a computer. 
Despite these numerous examples of using the telephone handset to perform 
remote control functions, the art has failed to either appreciate the need 
for, or to construct a telephone handset that can also function as a 
wireless mouse for a personal computer. Nevertheless, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 
320,197 to Weber discloses the ornamental design of a mouse with a dial 
telephone pad. The figures show a tracking ball as well as a telephone 
keypad, together on one device. The figures show a cord emanating from the 
rear of the device. This ornament does not however provide a cordless 
telephone endowed with the ability to functionally operate a computer. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved 
computer peripheral device. 
It is another object to incorporate a mouse and a telephone into a single, 
integrated computer peripheral. 
It is yet another object to provide an integrated peripheral device able to 
operationally function as a mouse and as a telephone, in conformance with 
selections of operational modes by a user. 
It is still another object to provide a single device able to function as 
both a wireless mouse and as a handset for a cordless telephone at the 
discretion of the user, allowing the user to place telephone calls, 
receive telephone calls, and position the cursor on a personal computer 
screen, all from a remote location. 
It is also an object to provide a dual-purpose telephone and wireless mouse 
in which telephone functions are added to a mouse used with a computer, 
and, when needed, the communication functions installed in the computer 
can be easily utilized. 
These and other objects may be achieved by installing the base unit of a 
cordless telephone inside of the chassis of either a laptop computer or a 
personal computer, and by having a separate remote control unit that can 
function both as a wireless mouse for the computer and as a handset for a 
cordless telephone, selective at the discretion of the user. The remote 
control unit may be constructed with a microphone, a speaker, a keypad, an 
antenna, a mouse or trackball, a mouse button, and a selection switch that 
allows the user to choose between a mouse operational mode and a cordless 
operational telephone mode. The personal or laptop computer containing the 
base unit of the cordless telephone is connected to the telephone jack. 
From this single remote control unit, the user can place or receive 
telephone calls as well as operate the computer by, for example, being 
able to position the cursor on the video screen attached to the computer 
to initiate and selectively designate functional and operational 
selections from menus displayed on the screen.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Turning now to the drawings, as it is illustrated in FIG. 1, the assembly 
of a dual-purpose cordless telephone and wireless mouse is constructed as 
a preferred embodiment of the present invention is formed by two separate 
assemblies. The first assembly is computer system 104, examples of which 
are shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Computer system 104 is connected to a 
telephone jack and includes, inside the chassis, a modem as well as 
electronics that function as a base unit for a cordless telephone. The 
second assembly is the remote control unit 200, and is shown in FIGS. 2 
through 7. Remote control unit 200 is physically separated from any 
appliance and communicates with computer system 104 via electromagnetic 
radiation. Remote control unit 200 can function either as a wireless mouse 
or as a handset for a cordless telephone. On remote control unit 200 is 
mode selection knob 29. Depending on the position of mode selection knob 
29, the remote control unit 200, together with computer system 104, both 
operate in concert as either a cordless telephone or as a computer having 
a wireless mouse and a modem. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the 
interrelation between the elements of remote control unit 200 and the 
elements of computer system 104. 
Remote control unit 200 is made up of a mode selection switch S1, an 
operation control unit 21, according to the operational state of the mode 
selection switch S1, enables certain circuits and disables others; a 
receiver 22 connected to operation control unit 21, where receiver 22 
controls and outputs the aural sound signal in accordance with a telephone 
ring signal; a transmitter 23 connected to operation control unit 21, 
where transmitter 23 controls and transmits the user's sound signal; 
keypad 24 for dialing a telephone number; mouse signal input devices 39 
made up of a mouse button 28 and a cursor control device 25 which could be 
a mouse ball, a mouse trackball, a touchpad, or some other control input 
device that is separate from mouse button 28; a mouse selection switch S2, 
and a signal transmission control portion 26, that is further made up of a 
keypad signal transmission control unit 261 and a mouse signal 
transmission control unit 263. 
The above receiver 22 is constructed with telephone signal receiving unit 
221 that receives the telephone signal through antenna 222 sent from a 
telephone transmit-receive apparatus 13; a telephone signal processing 
unit 223 that controls and outputs the telephone signal from telephone 
signal receiving unit 221, and a speaker 225 which converts the signals 
from telephone signal processing unit 223 into aural signals. 
The above transmitter 23 is made up of a microphone 231 that, when the 
telephone is enabled by operation control unit 21, converts a user's aural 
voice into an electronic signal; a sound signal output unit 233 that 
controls the sound signal from microphone 231; and sound signal 
transmission unit 235 that transmits the user's voice to the telephone 
transmit-receive apparatus 13 inside computer system 104. 
In addition to showing remote control device 200 which is a combined 
cordless telephone handset and a wireless mouse, FIG. 1 also shows a 
computer system 104 having telephone transmit-receive apparatus 13, 
receiving unit 11, a base unit for a cordless telephone, and a modem, all 
built inside. FIGS. 8 and 9 respectively show two different embodiments of 
computer system 104, both containing central processing units that are not 
separately shown. FIG. 8 shows laptop computer 100 while FIG. 9 shows 
desktop computer 102. Both laptop computer 100 and desktop computer 102 
include transmit and receive apparatus 13, receiving unit 11, a base unit 
for a cordless telephone, and a modem built inside the chassis. The 
telephone transmit and receive apparatus 13 transmits and receives radio 
frequency electromagnetic radiation to and from remote control device 200. 
As with standard cordless telephones, the transmit frequency is different 
from the receive frequency, allowing both conversers to talk at the same 
time. Telephone transmit and receive apparatus 13 transmits to receiver 22 
while sound signal transmission unit 235 and dial signal transmission 
control unit 261 transmit to telephone transmit and receive apparatus 13 
in computer system 104. Meanwhile, receiving unit 11 of computer system 
104 receives electromagnetic signals only from mouse signal transmission 
control unit 263. These signals originate from cursor control device 25 
and from mouse button 28. In one embodiment, the electromagnetic radiation 
transmitted from mouse signal transmission control unit 263 to receiving 
unit 11 of computer system 104 is infrared, restricting mouse operations 
only to where there is direct line of sight between remote control unit 
200 and computer system 104. In a separate embodiment, however, it is 
possible to transmit and receive mouse control signals at a radio 
frequency, avoiding this limitation. 
The remote control unit 200 is shown in FIGS. 2-7. As seen in FIG. 2, mouse 
button 28, speaker 225, and protection cover 27 are formed on the top side 
of remote control unit 200. Protection cover 27 rotates on hinge 271. When 
protection cover 27 is opened, keypad 24 becomes accessible and allows the 
user place a call. Microphone 231 is formed on the inside of protection 
cover 27 and is also exposed only when protection cover 27 is opened. 
Also, as is illustrated in FIG. 6, the backside of remote control unit 200 
contains cursor control device 25 that, together with mouse button 28, 
define mouse signal input devices 39. 
The following is the application of the present invention structured as 
previously described. In the preferred embodiment of the present 
invention, general telephone functions are added to those of a mouse, used 
in desk or lap-top computers. If a telephone call comes in, the telephone 
transmit-receive apparatus 13 transmits a signal for telephone reception 
to remote control unit 200. The telephone reception signal (or ring 
signal) is transmitted from the telephone transmit-receive apparatus 13 
that is mounted in computer system 104, and is received by receiver 22 
mounted in remote control unit 200. Through telephone signal processing 
unit 223 and speaker 225, the signal is converted to an aural signal as it 
is output to the user. 
When the user hears and responds to the ringing signal put out by speaker 
225 indicating that a call has come in, the user opens protection cover 27 
of remote control unit 200 as is illustrated in FIG. 3, extends antenna 
222, and sets the mode selection knob 29 to the telephone mode position. 
According to the setting of the mode selection knob 29, the operation 
state of mode selection switch S1 is changed, and if a telephone ring 
signal is detected, operation control unit 21 enables transmitter 23 to 
operate. At the same time, mouse signal transmission control unit 263 is 
disabled, desensitizing cursor control device 25 and mouse button 28. In 
addition, the modem inside computer system 104 is disabled as is 
illustrated in table 1 below when mode selection knob 29 is set to the 
telephone mode position. In this state, the user is able to talk to the 
caller through microphone 231 formed in protection cover 27. The voice 
signal of the user, after being changed to an electronic signal by 
microphone 231, passes through sound signal control unit 233, and after 
advancing to the sound signal transmission unit 235, the voice is 
transmitted to the telephone transmit-receive apparatus 13 installed in 
computer system 104, where it is sent out over the telephone line to the 
caller. 
When the user wishes to place a call, the number is dialed by using keypad 
24 located on remote control unit 200. Providing the mode selection knob 
29 is set to telephone mode by the user, operation control unit 21 enables 
the dial signal transmission control unit 261 to transmit the input 
telephone number to telephone transmit-receive apparatus 13 of computer 
system 104, and the base unit inside computer system 104 places the call 
out onto the telephone line. While telephone calls are transmitted and 
received in the above manner, computer system 104 and the modem cease to 
operate, as they remain in a stand-by state as illustrated in Table 1 
below. 
After the telephone call is completed, if the user switches the mode 
selection knob 29 to the mouse mode position, the operational state of the 
mode selection switch S1 is changed, causing operation control unit 21 to 
disable dial signal transmission control unit 261 and enable mouse signal 
transmission control unit 263 as illustrated in table 1 below. 
When in mouse mode, the user closes protection cover 27 and returns antenna 
222 to a collapsed state, as is shown in FIG. 2. Next, cursor control 
device 25 and mouse button 28 are sensitized, meaning that manual 
manipulations of mouse signal input devices 39 in remote control unit 200 
are transmitted to the computer system 104 where they are used to control 
the cursor on the video display monitor. It is mouse signal transmission 
control unit 263 of remote control unit 200 that transmits, by 
electromagnetic radiation, signals originating from mouse signal input 
devices 39 to computer system 104, allowing the user to manipulate the 
position and functions of the cursor on the computer screen from a remote 
location. While in mouse mode, computer system 104 is free to use the 
modem to transmit and receive computer data over the telephone line as 
illustrated in Table 1 below: 
TABLE 1 
______________________________________ 
Enabled Units in Enabled Units in 
Telephone Mode Mouse Mode 
______________________________________ 
1 Mouse Signal Transmission 
Transmitter 23 
control unit 263 
2 Infrared Receiving Unit 11 
Receiver 22 
3 Modem Telephone Transmit-Receive 
Apparatus 13 
4 Mouse Signal Input Devices 
Dial Signal Transmission 
39 Control Unit 261 
______________________________________ 
Switching between telephone mode and mouse mode is ordinarily accomplished 
by toggling mode selection knob 29 on remote control twit 200; a different 
embodiment allows mode switching between telephone and mouse mode through 
user manipulation of the keys of keypad 24. 
Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described 
in detail hereinabove, it should be clearly understood that many 
variations and/or modifications of the basic inventive concepts herein 
taught which may appear to those skilled in the present art will still 
fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined in 
the appended claims.