Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a telecommunication system to be used with a cellular telephone network at a fixed location, including a portable cellular handset, a base unit having a recess for the portable cellular handset, a processor included in the base unit for processing information from the portable cellular handset, a display for displaying information processed by the processor, and controls for manipulating the information from the portable cellular handset. Also disclosed is a method of managing cellular telephone information associated with a particular cellular subscription, and wherein the cellular telephone information is downloaded from the portable cellular handset to the base unit.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/477,412 (Attorney Docket No. 021962-000100US) filed Jun. 9, 2003 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/477,217 (Attorney Docket No. 021962-000200US) filed Jun. 9, 2003 which are herein incorporated by reference for all purposes. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE  
       [0002]     The present disclosure relates to wireless telecommunications and, more particularly, a cellular phone system and method for utilizing cellular telephones and managing data relating to same.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE  
       [0003]     Wireless telecommunications have advanced dramatically over the years with the improvement of CDMA and other wireless telecommunication standards and with the technical advancements and reduction in cost of the equipment required to establish a cellular telecommunications network. For example, to establish a cellular network, a distribution hub with several base stations can provide cellular telecommunications coverage to a relatively very large geographical area divided into cells.  
         [0004]     With the technical advancements and reduction in costs to establish a cellular network, providing telephone coverage to remote locations has become a practicality with the installation of a cellular network system, however, to date no such systems, or relatively few, have been engineered or implemented to provide cellular telephone coverage to such locations.  
         [0005]     Another disadvantage of existing cellular telephone systems is that based on the topography of the land where the base station is placed and the topography of the land surrounding the base station, the coverage area of the cell may not provide consistent signal strength or reliability in the signal. This is particularly the case for areas along the fringe of a cell and for users who are utilizing their cellular telephones indoors. In addition, weather may impact signal strength and signal reliability.  
         [0006]     In addition, wireless telephones have become very popular with the advancements in technology and the lowered costs of owning a cellular telephone. Most wireless subscription plans include incentives to draw new subscribers, and these incentives typically include free evening and weekend minutes with a finite number of prime time minutes that may be used by the subscriber. In addition, most of the wireless telephones in use today include call data management features that allow the wireless telephone to keep track of minutes used by the user. This call data information is also available typically on the wireless subscription services website, wherein the user logs on to the website to view the night and weekend minutes that have been used, as well as the primetime minutes that have been used, as well as the remaining minutes left for that particular month&#39;s allocation of minutes. Nevertheless, it is difficult for users to keep track of the call data information, because typically it is not convenient to log on to the particular Internet site, and it may be difficult to keep track of each particular month&#39;s usage in each category that needs to be tracked.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE  
       [0007]     Disclosed herein is a telecommunication system to be used with a cellular telephone network at a fixed location, including a portable cellular handset, a base unit having a recess for the portable cellular handset, a processor included in the base unit for processing information from the portable cellular handset, a display for displaying information processed by the processor, and controls for manipulating the information from the portable cellular handset.  
         [0008]     Also disclosed is a telecommunication system including a portable handset, a base unit having a recess for the portable handset, a processor included in the base unit for processing information from the portable handset, a display for displaying information processed by the processor, and controls for manipulating the information from the portable handset. The telecommunication system may be utilized with the portable handset that is a cellular telephone and the telecommunication system may further include a cordless telephone that may be housed in the base unit. Further, the base unit may include a keypad for communicating with the portable handset or the base unit. The telecommunication system may further include a remote antenna connected to the base unit to provide a signal to the base unit.  
         [0009]     Also disclosed herein is a method for managing cellular telephone information associated with a particular cellular subscription, including providing a portable cellular handset and a base unit having a recess for the portable cellular handset, the base unit including a processor for processing information from the portable cellular handset, and the base unit further having a display for displaying information processed by the processor, downloading information from the portable cellular handset to the base unit, processing the information downloaded from the portable cellular handset, displaying information downloaded from the portable cellular handset on the display, and providing controls on the base unit for manipulating the information downloaded from the portable handset. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like elements bear like reference numerals, and wherein:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the multi-functional base unit which allows the user to manage wireless telecommunications data according to the present disclosure;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of the multi-functional base unit and system according to the present disclosure;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates a multi-functional base unit according to the present disclosure with multiple extension handsets;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates a schematic representation of a circuit diagram of the multi-functional base unit according to the present disclosure; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  illustrates another embodiment of the telecommunication system disclosed. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]     Disclosed is a multi-functional base unit for a cellular telecommunications system. The base unit allows the user to utilize cellular telecommunications indoors, such as inside the user&#39;s house where previous cellular telecommunication systems may not have been available. The base unit, according to the present disclosure, includes a remote antenna that may be located, for example, on top of the home of the user or on top of an antenna on the user&#39;s property so that cellular signals may be captured by the base unit and ultimately the cellular telephone inside of the home or building, and if it was not for the use of the remote antenna, the cellular telephone may not capture the signal inside of the home or building.  
         [0017]     Also disclosed is a device that allows a user to manage call information data from the user&#39;s cellular telephone so that the user may efficiently utilize call minute units allocated to the user under the user&#39;s subscription plan. For example, the user may track minutes used under the night and weekend unit allocation and the prime time unit allocation.  
         [0018]     Also disclosed is a device and method that allows the user to manage call information data from the user&#39;s cellular telephone so that the user may efficiently utilize call minute units allocated to the user under the user&#39;s subscription plan. For example, the user may track minutes used under the night and weekend unit allocation and the prime time unit allocation.  
         [0019]     An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in  FIG. 1 . The multi-functional base unit  10  includes a base  12  with a receptacle  13  for receiving a cellular telephone  14 . The receptacle  13  includes the electrical connections necessary to allow the base  12  to electrically communicate with the cellular telephone  14 . The electrical connections allow the base  12  to charge the cellular telephone while the cellular telephone is resting in the receptacle  13 . The base unit  12  includes an electrical cord  23  for AC input to the base unit  12 . In addition, the base  12  includes the software necessary to communicate with the cellular telephone  14  through the electrical connections in receptacle  13  so that information available in the cellular telephone, such as received calls, placed calls, and the stored electronic directory in the cellular telephone, may be displayed on the base  12 , as will be further explained below.  
         [0020]     The base  12  may also include a cordless landline telephone  16  and the receptacle for receiving the cordless telephone  16 . A display  18  allows information to be displayed on the base  12  in which the display  18  is larger in size when compared to the typical display of a cellular telephone  14 . This allows an ergonomic display to the user and may provide other advantages to users who are disadvantaged, such as those with poor or failing eyesight.  
         [0021]     The base  12  also includes a miniature keyboard  20  and a numeric dial pad  22  so as to allow the user a means to communicate with the base  12  and the cellular telephone  14 . The keyboard or keypad may, for example, allow the user to place calls on the cellular telephone from the keyboard or keypad or may allow the user to enter information or edit information in the cellular telephone&#39;s electronic directory. The base  12  also includes a speakerphone, a speakerphone switch  26  and the electrical circuits and connections  24  necessary so that the base  12  may communicate to and from a landline telephone jack, a computer, a telefacsimile machine, a printer and/or a user headset. The connections include phone jacks, such as RJ 11 jacks or DSL phone jacks to allow a landline telephone to be plugged into the base unit  12 . In addition, the phone jacks allow the base unit to be connected to other peripheral devices, which may include those previously mentioned. Antenna  28  is electronically connected either through a wire or through RF communications so that the antenna  28  communicates with the base  12  from a remote location. The antenna  28  may be placed atop the user&#39;s home or building or the antenna  28  may be placed, for example, on top of an antenna tower adjacent to the user&#39;s home or building.  
         [0022]     The base  12  also includes other means for the user to interface with the cellular telephone and the call management software located in the base  12 . The user interfaces may include a plurality of touch screen buttons or other buttons located on the base  14 . In an exemplary embodiment, the base may include a set button  21 , a mode button  11 , a scroll down button  17 , a scroll up button  15 , and a clear button  19 . These buttons may be used as described below.  
         [0023]     In one embodiment, the user plugs the base unit into a power supply and then activates an On/Off switch to the On position. The user then presses the Set button  21  and the LCD/LED display  18  is energized. By pressing the Mode button  11 , “Anytime” is displayed in the display  18 . The user then may press the Up scroll button  15  repeatedly until the number of monthly Anytime minutes the user has contracted for per month appears in the display window  18 . In one example, numbers may be displayed in increments of 50. The user can decrease the number displayed by pressing the Down scroll button, which decreases the number in increments, such as by 50 increments each time the button is pressed. When the correct number appears in the display  18 , the user presses the Set button  21 .  
         [0024]     The user then may press the Mode button  11 , and “Night/Weekend” appears in the display  18 . The user may then press the Up scroll button  15  repeatedly to enter the correct number of monthly night and weekend minutes that the user has contracted for with their wireless provider. The night and weekend amounts may be, for example, displayed in increments of 250. The total display can be decreased by the user pressing the Down scroll button  17 . The display  18  then displays “M-F Start.” The user then presses the Up scroll button  15  to increase the number displayed, or the user presses the Down scroll button to decrease the entry in increments of 1 through 12, which represents the PM hours. When the proper number appears, the user presses the Set button  21 .  
         [0025]     The display button then displays “M-F End.” The user then presses the Up scroll button  15  or the Down scroll button  17  to decrease the entry in increments of 1 through 12, representing the AM hours. When the correct number appears in the display  18 , the user presses the Set button  21 . The unit is now programmed for the user&#39;s time period of night minutes allowed for use during weekdays.  
         [0026]     The display window then displays “Weekend-Fri Start.” The user then presses the Up scroll button to increase the entry in increments of 1-12 representing PM hours. When the correct number appears, corresponding to the commencement of user&#39;s allotment of weekend minutes, user presses the Set button. The display now displays “Weekend-Mon. End.” The user presses the Down scroll button to decrease the entry in increments of 1-12 representing AM hours. When the correct number appears, corresponding to the end of user&#39;s allotment of weekend minutes, user presses the Set button. The unit is now programmed for the user&#39;s time period of weekend minutes allowed for use during weekends.  
         [0027]     The display window then displays “Billing Month.” The user presses the Up scroll button  15  to increase the amount displayed, or the user presses the Down scroll button  17  to decrease the entry displayed in increments of 1 through 12, representing the months of the year. When the correct number appears in the display  18 , the user presses the Set button  21 .  
         [0028]     The display window then shows “Billing Start.” The user then presses the Up scroll button  15  to increase the amount displayed, or the user presses the Down scroll button  17  to decrease the entry in increments of one through 31, which represents the day of the month when the billing period by the service provider starts. When the correct number appears, the user presses the Set button  21 .  
         [0029]     The display  18  then shows “Billing End,” The user then presses the Up scroll button  15  to increase the number displayed, or presses the Down scroll button  17  to decrease the entry displayed in increments of 1 through 31, which represents the day of the month when the billing period ends. When the correct number appears, the user presses the Set button  21 . In the alternative, software accounts for the billing end period based on the billing start entry by the user.  
         [0030]     The cellular telephone is then placed in the receiver  13 , and the cellular telephone is activated to display call information in its display. The user then presses the Mode button  11  and the system microprocessor sorts the call information time, date, and minutes from the cellular telephone to display certain totals in the display window  18 . The display  18  will show totals for the monthly billing period, for example:  
         [0031]     Anytime min. XX  
         [0032]     Night W/E min. YY  
         [0033]     Total min. zz  
         [heading-0034]     Above, the “XX”, “YY”, and “ZZ” are representative only and according to the present disclosure the appropriate minutes for each category would be illustrated or shown in the display  18 .  
         [0035]     The user then presses the Clear button  19  to erase the data for the period displayed. This will reset the device to show data for the next consecutive monthly billing period, or as prescribed by the software or the user.  
         [0036]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary schematic block diagram of the system of the present disclosure with a cellular telephone  30  connected to a charger  32 . The charger receives power from a DC power adapter  34 , which is connected to a power source  36 . Also connected to the DC power adapter  34  is an input/output junction  38 , which in turn is connected to a signal amplifier and modulator  40 . The signal amplifier and modulator  40  amplifies a signal fed from a remote antenna  42 . The signal amplifier and modulator  40  is also connected to a microprocessor  44 , which in turn is electronically connected to a keyboard  46  and electronic controls  48 . The display  50  is connected to the microprocessor  44  and electronically connected to the display and the signal amplifier and modulator is the speakerphone module with keypad  52 . In addition, the system may include at least one, or several, extensions  31  so that at the location that the system of the present disclosure is utilized, multiple portable handsets may be utilized with one incoming cellular signal that is multiplied by the signal amplifier and modulator  40 . The telecommunication system disclosed herein further includes a memory module  47  which may be resetable, and which stores information that is particular to the user and the user&#39;s particular cellular subscription plan. The system is further adapted to accept information from the user such as the user&#39;s billing cycle and minute categories allowed according to the user&#39;s cellular subscription plan, as further described below. The memory module  47  may further include random access memory or RAM or other memory so as to store information as downloaded from the last download cycle from the portable cellular handset  30  to the processor  44 . Therefore, even though the handset  14  may be removed from the base unit  12 , the user may still review the latest download information from the handset  14  on the display  18 .  
         [0037]      FIG. 3  illustrates a plurality of extension telephones  54 A- 54 C that are electronically connected to the base unit  12  to further comprise the telecommunication system of the present disclosure. The extensions  54 A- 54 C may be hard-wired to the base unit  12 , or may operate on a frequency that allows the extensions to be wirelessly connected to the base unit  12 . The extension base units  56 A- 56 C, which correspond with the corresponding handset extensions may also be used as power charging units that may be plugged into an electrical outlet with the appropriate electrical cord and outlet, such as AC cord  23  of base unit  12 .  
         [0038]     The telecommunication system illustrated in  FIG. 3  allows for the system to receive wireless incoming telephone calls, and allows for the user to place outgoing telephone calls utilizing a wireless cellular network.  
         [0039]      FIG. 4  illustrates a schematic representation of the telecommunication systems disclosed herein, wherein a signal bus  60  is utilized to connect the portable handset  14  to the keyboard  20 , as well as the cordless handset  16  and the base unit  12 .  
         [0040]      FIG. 5  illustrates another embodiment similar to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , however the cordless phone  16  and recess for same are shown removed from the base unit.  
         [0041]     The software and the microprocessor of the present disclosure provides a system and method for downloading and analyzing call information data from the cellular telephone and provides a mechanism to assemble that data into certain categories to track usage within the defined parameters, according to the user&#39;s subscription with the wireless carrier. These predefined parameters may include total anytime minutes, total night and weekend minutes and total prime time minutes. All these parameters are tracked within the time period entered into the disclosed system by the user, which coincides with the billing period according to the user&#39;s subscription. The present disclosure saves time for the user, and provides a more efficient and effective means for the user to manage their call minute units, by allowing the user access to the same information at the will of the user.  
         [0042]     As wireless subscription services increase in popularity, the system according to the present disclosure may be programmed to accommodate additional demands for more information. This includes, but is not limited, assembling data to track call minutes made, such as calls made from a wireless cellular telephone to other wireless cellular telephones, and also for tracking call minutes for browser access within the same parameters of anytime, night/weekend, and total minutes, or any other way that the minutes may be billed by the subscriber&#39;s service provider.  
         [0043]     By providing access to information that is stored in the user&#39;s cellular telephone, the usability and functionality of the user&#39;s cellular telephone is enhanced and more user friendly. The present disclosure also benefits the sellers and service providers of cellular telephones, because more people will be more interested in purchasing and utilizing their cellular telephones with the enhanced features of the present disclosure.  
         [0044]     The software and tracking methods disclosed herein also may be offered in the future to wireless telephone manufacturers as an item that may be built into future wireless telephones as an added feature.  
         [0045]     Although this disclosure has been shown and described with respect to detailed embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing form the scope of the claimed disclosure.