Abstract:
A telephone set of a telephone system is provided with an infrared interface. This infrared interface is able to communicate with an infrared port on a local computer. The computer is configured to send data to the infrared port, and receive data from the infrared port, in the same manner as if the computer was sending and receiving data over a telephone system. The telephone circuitry in the telephone system receives the infrared data and converts the infrared data into a format for transmitting across the telephone system.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to telephone systems, and in particular to computer communications over telephone systems. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Telephone systems were initially, and are now predominantly analog systems. Computers are practically by definition digital devices. In order to transfer data from one computer to another computer using an analog telephone system, the digital signals from the computer are converted into analog signals that are transferable over an analog telephone system. The device for converting the digital and analog signals is known as a modem. 
     As computers have evolved, new ways of communicating between computers has also evolved. One new way of computer communication is by infrared (IR) electromagnetic waves. Infrared communication has features that are advantageous in specific circumstances. Infrared communication does not require the connection of electrical cables, but is disadvantageous because it requires a line of sight between the transmitter and receiver, and infrared communication requires relatively close distances between the transmitter and receiver. Infrared communication is often used in notebook computers for communicating with a docking station or another notebook computer, or other handheld computing devices. Infrared communication is desirable in these circumstances because the units are usually very close together, and no physical cable needs to be provided or connected. However for long distances computer communications, physical electrical cables are preferred. 
     SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a telephone system that can be easily connected to a computer for long distance computer communications. 
     The present invention accomplishes this object by providing a telephone set of a telephone system with an infrared interface. This infrared interface is able to communicate with an infrared port on the computer. The computer is configured to send data to the infrared port, and receive data from the infrared port, in the same manner as if the computer was sending and receiving data over a telephone system. The telephone circuitry in the telephone system receives the infrared data and converts the infrared data into a format for transmitting across the telephone system. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the computer is configured to use the infrared port as it would use a serial port with an external modem. The telephone circuitry in the telephone system operates as an external modem receiving serial data via the infrared interface. This is very convenient especially for portable computers which need a temporary long distance communication connection. The infrared port of the computer only needs to be arranged within a line of sight of the infrared interface of a telephone set of the present invention. The local computer does not require any other physical connections or structures. The software in the local computer can be easily configured to use the infrared port as a serial connection with an external modem. Many operating systems for computers, especially personal computers, can be automatically configured when devices are added. The infrared interface on the telephone set could be programmed to emit a modem identifying signal, and the local computer could automatically recognize that a modem is available through the infrared port. In the alternative, the local computer could be specifically told that an external modem is present through the infrared port. The exact configuration of the local computer to use the infrared port as a serial connection to an external modem depends on the type of operating system used by the local computer and is within the ability of those persons skilled in the art of computer operating systems. 
     The local computer can then be easily removed from a position for long distance communication and moved to another position according to the needs of the local computer user. The connection and disconnection of electrical cables is therefore eliminated. 
     Also the need for a modem in the local computer is also eliminated. This is very advantageous because the cost, weight, volume and power consumption of a modem is also eliminated. The infrared port of the local computer is able to perform two functions which makes the infrared port more valuable. 
     A more important benefit of using the IR port to connect to a telephone system is that the specific structure required for the signal conversion resides in the telephone circuitry of the telephone system. There are many different types of telephone systems, and many with their own signal format. Probably the largest and most common is known as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). This is the telephone systems that connects the individual residences and businesses in a community. As described previously, this system is predominantly analog and requires a modem to be able to transfer computer data. New digital services are being provided by the PSTN, such as DSL and ISDN. These new digital services do not require an analog modem, but instead require a different type of converter. Furthermore, many organizations had their own private telephone system for communicating within the organization, and between the organization and the PSTN. These private telephone systems are known as Private Branch eXchanges (PBX). There are many different types of PBX&#39;s available, with many different types of signal formats for transferring the voice data between the telephone sets of the PBX. 
     For a computer to communicate over a telephone system, it is necessary for the computer to know what type of signal format the telephone system is using. With all the different types of signal formats, such as PSTN analog, DSL, ISDN, and the individual proprietary formats for PBX&#39;s, having a computer/telephone converter for all of the possible signal formats is prohibitively expensive. Very often an organization will run a PSTN analog line separate from the PBX lines in order to provide a computer with long distance communication. 
     With the present invention, the telephone set inherently knows the signal format of the telephone system to which it is connected. Therefore the telephone circuitry only needs to provide one computer/telephone converter. This in combination with the local computer only requiring an infrared port, is a great reduction in cost and a great increase in versatility. The user of the local computer no longer needs to determine the signal format of the telephone system and then try to obtain the proper computer/telephone converter. The computer/telephone converter is built into the telephone circuitry of the telephone system. The computer user can then easily and quickly connect to any telephone system using the present invention. 
     When the present invention is incorporated into a PBX which is connected to a PSTN, the telephone set has a converter for converting the data from the infrared interface into the signal format of the PBX. The telephone set also directs this computer data to the PBX hub for connection to the PSTN. The PBX hub then has another converter for converting from the PBX format to the PSTN format. This type of converter is similar to a modem. 
     A PBX can also be used to connect a plurality of computers in an organization to form a Local Area Network (LAN). This is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/203,542 filed Dec. 1, 1998. This is known as a PBX/LAN network, and can also take advantage of the present invention. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the infrared interface of the telephone set can receive data from the local computer for transmission to the other computers on the LAN. The telephone set can either be manually switched to send data from the IR interface to the modem in the PBX hub, or to send data from the IR interface to the LAN. The local computer is also either manually or automatically switched to transfer modem data or LAN data through the IR port. This is especially useful for members of the organization which use portable computers and need to repetitively connect and disconnect from the LAN of the organization. These highly mobile members of the organization can rapidly connect and disconnect from the LAN, and can also rapidly connect and disconnect from the PSTN. These uses also do not need to only connect at one particular location, but the IR interface of the telephone sets allows these uses to connect wherever an IR telephone set is present. The mobility and versatility of computers and the PBX/LAN network is increased and allows an organization greater opportunities. 
    
    
     The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a PBX/LAN network connected to a PSTN; 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the data flow in the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the modules inside the local computer used for transferring modem data; 
     FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the modules inside the local computer used for transferring LAN data; 
     FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the modules inside the telephone set. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to be drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, the present invention is incorporated into a PBX telephone system which connects to an external telephone complex, such as a PSTN. A plurality of individual PBX phones  3  are connected to a PBX upper network  5  preferably a PBX/LAN upper network. The PBX upper network  5  controls how the individual phones  3  communicate with the PSTN  1  and how the individual PBX phones  3  communicate between themselves. A system workstation  7  allows an operator to program the PBX upper network  5  and monitor the status of the PBX upper network  5 . The PBX phones  3  are connected to the PBX upper network  5  by wires or lines  35 . Individual workstations  37  can be connected to the PBX phones  3  if the PBX upper network  5  is a PBX/LAN network. 
     According to the present invention infrared phones  17  include an infrared interface  13  which send and receive infrared signals from and to an infrared capable local computer  19 . The local computer  19  includes an infrared port  15  for communicating with the infrared interface  13 . 
     When a local computer  19  has modem data or wishes to communicate over the PSTN, the local computer sends the modem data to the IR port  15 . The local computer  19  treats the IR port  15  as a serial port with an external modem. The local computer  19  is positioned so that the infrared port  15  can transmit and receive infrared signals with the infrared interface  13 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the infrared phone is part of a PBX/LAN system as shown in FIG.  2 . If the infrared phone  17  were directly connected to a PSTN system, the infrared phones  17  would have a modem for converting computer data directly into PSTN signal format. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the PBX system uses a LAN type signal format to communicate with the other PBX phones and with the PSTN system. The infrared phone  17  therefore contains a network interface card  21  for connecting to the network lines  35 . The infrared phone  17  converts the data from the IR interface  13  into the proper format for the PBX/LAN system so that this data is transferred to the modem  23  in the PBX hub  25 . The modem  23  in PBX hub  25  converts the data from the LAN type format into PSTN format. The modem  23  is connected to the PSTN via lines  9 . The local computer  19  is thus able to communicate with the PSTN through the PBX system and through any intermediate network devices such as a LAN hub  43 . The PBX system does not need to be a PBX/LAN system, but can be any PBX system where the infrared phone  17  converts the infrared data into the required PBX format and sends it to a modem  23  in the PBX hub  25 . The modem  23  must then convert from the PBX format to the PSTN format. The modem  23 , the PBX hub  25 , and the infrared phone  17  operate similarly in the reverse direction. The local computer  19  does not need to know the specific PBX signal format and does not need a modem for any specific telephone system. The present invention also does not require the local computer to use an electrical cable. The connection through the telephone set and the PBX hub is completely transparent to the local computer  19 . 
     FIG. 3 shows how the local computer  19  communicates with the infrared port  15 . The local computer  19  has modem software which is standard and known. This modem software  27  communicates to a serial interface  29  in the usual fashion. The serial interface  29  of the modem software  27  is configured to connect to a serial interface  31  of the IR port  15 . Most computers and operating systems presently available are readily configurable to make this connection. The modem  23  and the modem software  27  communicate back and forth through the PBX system according to standard computer operating procedures for an external modem. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the PBX system is a PBX/LAN system where telephones  3 ,  17  and workstations  37  communicate over the same lines and to many of the same network devices. If the local computer  19  desires to communicate with the other workstations  37  in the PBX/LAN system, the local computer  19  contains network software  29 . The network software  29  has a serial interface  33  which communicates with the serial interface  31  of the infrared port  15 . Network data is then send from the local computer  19 , to the network software  29 , then to the IR port  15  where this network data is then received by the IR interface  13  in the IR phone  17 . 
     The IR phone  17  can handle both modem and LAN data as shown in FIG.  5 . When the IR interface  13  receives the data from the local computer  19 , the IR phone  17  needs to determine whether the data from the IR interface  13  is modem data or LAN data. The IR phone  17  can be manually switched through a control switch  37  to accept modem data or LAN data. In the alternative, control switch  37  can detect automatically the type of data been received by the IR interface  13 . If modem data is being received through the IR interface  13 , IR-modem converter  39  is used to convert and transfer the data from the IR interface  13  to the network interface card  21 . The IR-modem converter configures the data so that it will be sent to the modem  23  in the PBX hub  25 . 
     If the control switch  37  indicates that LAN data is being received, IR-LAN converter  41  is used to convert the LAN data in the proper PBX format, and direct this data to the proper workstations  37 , a LAN server  45 , or other local computer  19 . 
     Local computers  19 , especially portable computers such as laptops, notebooks and hand-helds can be easily connected to a PSTN system, even through a PBX system of unknown signal format. The local computer can also be connected to other workstations through a PBX/LAN system. The versatility, and therefore the value, of portable computers and their users, are increased by the present invention. 
     While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.