Patent Publication Number: US-2005119014-A1

Title: Home cellular phone system

Description:
This application is based upon U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/524,876, filed Nov. 26, 2003. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a home- or office-based telephone system employing one or more cellular phones, as well as one or more cordless/wireless phones.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      During the last 50 years, the telecommunications industry has undergone unprecedented growth, both as to the number of callers and called parties, as well as to the type of services currently available to these parties. For many years, most homes and some business utilized only a single hard wired telephone to receive incoming calls, as well as to make outgoing calls. Since this system utilized a rotary dial, it was analog in nature and only voice communications between the parties were possible. With the advent of digital technology, the telecommunications industry has undergone marked changes in the last 20 years. These changes include the transmission of information digitally, such as voice communication, as well as other data. Additionally, a wireless communication system has been developed. While many homes still include a land line telephone system, this is generally augmented by one or more members of a household being provided with their own wireless cellular phone. As can be appreciated, the utilization of cellular phones, in many cases, by all of the members of a particular family, as well as the inclusion of the land line, would increase the cost to these families since each of the cellular phone numbers, as well as the land line, would require the payment of separate fees.  
      Several U.S. patents, as well as Patent Office publications, have addressed this problem. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,367,558 and 6,141,560, both issued to Gillig et al, disclose a cellular/cordless telephone system providing both cellular and cordless telephone services. Various embodiments are shown which include a cordless base station  180  and a cellular base station  190 , as well as a control terminal  196 . The system shown in these patents further operates so that a cellular/cordless telephone automatically operates as a cordless telephone whenever it is in the range of its corresponding base station.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,403, issued to Tam, discloses a wireless wireline interface and permits a cellular telephone transceiver to originate and receive calls using both cellular and wireline services. This is accomplished with a single subscriber device that has user specific personal information contained therein, which can be used to access both the cellular and the wireline networks. The apparatus for this operation includes a cellular transceiver, a handset, a wireline interface adapter and a duplex audio switch.  
      Published U.S. patent application 2003/0104809, to Godshaw et al, discloses a wireless network system for supporting at least one wireless instrument, such as a wireless cellular phone. The system includes a telephone cradle for the cellular phone, the cradle comprising a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface. The interface allows the cradle to communicate with a controller, which controller communications with a base station of a wireless communication network. The system contemplates two or more wireless cellular telephones, each having its own phone number and two or more cradles.  
      Published U.S. patent application 2002/0068529, to Knoble, details a system for adapting a standard telephone system in a home to be converted for cellular usage in order to avoid a redundant telephone service and its associated cost. A first connector is connected to a cellular phone and a second connector is connected is connected to the telephone system. A conversion unit is employed for converting signals received by the cellular phone to signals that emulate those of a public switch telephone network, and vice-versa.  
      A review of these references failed to disclose a telephone system employing a home base into which a cellular telephone is associated. This home base would allow telephone communication between this master cellular unit and various wireless receivers provided in a home or office environment.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The aforementioned deficiencies in the prior art are addressed by the present invention which is directed to a phone system usable in a home or business environment wherein a cellular phone or cellular phones are used as the primary connection to the outside world. The cellular phones would replace hard wired or portable wireless telephones now in use in the home or business environment. The system would allow for the use of multiple cellular phones and wireless telephones. Additionally, the cellular phone or cellular phones may be taken on the road or any place outside the home or business without changing the system. These cellular phones are designated as master cellular phones and would operate in conjunction with a base unit and a number of wireless receivers which would be able to simultaneously relay voice and/or data to the multiple wireless receivers in the home or business. One embodiment would allow operation of the entire system even when the master cellular phone is not physically connected to the base unit.  
      The above and other features of the invention, including various novel details of constructions and combination of units, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will understood that the particular devices and methods embodying the invention is shown by way of illustration only and not as limitations to the invention. The principles and features of this invention may be employed in varied and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing the master cellular phone unit;  
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the entire home cellular phone system;  
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing one type of connection for the home cellular phone system;  
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing a second type of connection in the home cellular phone system;  
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram of the second embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 6  is a block diagram showing the connection of the home cellular phone system used in the second embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 7  is a block diagram showing a modified cellular telephone used in the system of the present invention; and  
       FIGS. 8-10  are flow diagrams showing the operation of the present invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is directed to a cellular phone system utilized in both the home and business environment. Although this is the case, for ease of explanation, we will refer to this system as a “home cellular phone system”. This home cellular phone system would enable a user to integrate one or more cellular phones into their home phone system, which in turn would include a number of wireless phones as well as an optional wired phone connection. The system would enable the user to utilize multiple phones, with multiple lines, but without having to subscribe to a wired system such as provided by AT&amp;T, Bell Telephone, or the like. The cellular phone system would accept voice, data and video information, similar to units now on the market. However, the present invention would allow users to respond to cellular telephone calls by ringing at home or in the office, whether or not the portable cellular phone was active.  
      The home system would operate as if there were multiple lines when two or more cellular phones or cellular phone subscriber identity module (SIM) cards are plugged into a home base. The SIM cards will be usually supplied with a program by the cellular phone service provider to enable operation of the home cellular phone system without the need to plug the user&#39;s portable cellular phone into the system. It is noted that many cellular phones already utilize the SIM card to operate.  
      The aforementioned cellular phones which form the crux of the present invention are shown in  FIGS. 1, 2  and  7  and would be denoted as the master cellular phone. This master cellular phone, otherwise characterized as a modified/enhanced cellular phone module (Mcell), can operate as a standard cellular phone, as well as being able to handle incoming and outgoing phone calls for two or more wireless phones by using time and/or code diversity. Additionally, with more electronic complexity, these cellular phones can act as two cellular independent phones in one location. A home base or master cellular unit  10  would be provided allowing one or more multiple cellular phones  48 ,  50  or multiple SIM cards  44 ,  46  plugged into the unit, as well as being able to simultaneously route voice and/or data to multiple wireless receivers in the home.  
      The master cellular unit  10  is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 7 . This cellular phone would include a modified cellular phone electronics unit  12  allowing incoming calls to be received, as well as outgoing calls to be made utilizing an antenna  16 . An interface electronics unit  14  is in communication with the modified cellular phone electronics  12  thereby allowing the system to be used as a standard phone interface with one or more of the home wireless phones. The interface electronics  14  would allow the display and utilization of a keypad generally provided on the home base unit. Additionally, when the master cellular phone is attached to the home base unit, a source of power such as a DC plug would be used to both charge the master cellular phone, as well as to operate the entire system. The present invention contemplates the utilization of a multitude of wireless units, these units having the capacity of displaying data.  
      The master cellular unit  10  is shown in detail in  FIG. 7 . The antenna  16  is connected to an electronics section  17  utilized to receive information from the antenna  16  as well as an electronics unit  19  utilized to transmit information from the master cellular unit  10 . Both electronic units  17  and  19  are also connected to a base-band chipset  21  which in turn is connected to a micro-controller as well as memory unit  23 . The micro-controller as well as memory unit  23  are in turn connected to a standard keyboard and display used by the cellular phone.  
      It is important to note that various modifications for the master cellular unit would depend upon the cellular phone chipset chosen. These modifications would include, by not limited to, adding the ability to handle additional interfaces and real-time protocols between the cellular system and the cordless phone electronics. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 7 , a micro-controller and additional memory  23  are added. Although most of the changes to the cellular system would be software in nature, this will not always be the case. The type of changes would generally depend upon the particular base-band chipset used and exactly how the designer/service provider would want the system to interact with the cellular system.  
       FIG. 2  illustrates a first embodiment of the home cellular phone system including a base unit  18  into which one or more master cellular units  48 ,  50  are plugged. Alternatively, a number of SIM cards  44 ,  46  could be utilized in lieu of one or more of the master cellular units  48 ,  50 . It is noted that the master cellular unit would include an electronic section  22 , as well as an interface electronics section  24  similar in nature as to the electronics units described with respect to  FIG. 1 . Alternatively, the electronics unit  22 , as well as the interface electronics unit  24 , may be built into the home base unit  18  or even into a separate unit. Each of the units  44 ,  46 ,  48  or  50  would have its own distinctive telephone number. Each of these telephone numbers could be associated with one or more of wireless phones  52 ,  54 ,  56  or  58 , or they may all ring with a different tone or indicator for each different telephone numbers or lines. Alternatively, each of the wireless units  52 ,  54 ,  56  or  58  could be associated with only one of the portable cellular phone numbers or SIM card connections. An antenna  20  is attached to the home base unit  18  to provide wireless communication between the home base unit  18  and the cellular base station. Additionally, as is noted therein, the number of wireless units, as well as the number of cellular units, are not crucial to the present invention. The wireless phones or receivers  52 ,  54 ,  56  and  58  could be of identical design but would operate on different channels in the home wireless system. If more than one cellular phone or SIM card is plugged into the home base  18 , the home phones  52 ,  54 ,  56  and  58  could be provided with a distinctive ring for each cellular phone number called. As shown in  FIG. 2 , a wired phone connection  28  could also be provided. This wired phone connection could also have a distinctive ring. The home wireless electronics unit  24 , as well as the master cellular electronics unit  22  are connected to a select electronics unit  26  to allow the telephone call to be received by the proper wireless phone  52 ,  54 ,  56  or  58 , as well as the wired phone connection  28 . Additionally, this select unit  26  would also allow outgoing calls to be properly made. A plurality of line select switches  38 ,  40  and  42  would allow an operator to manually make the proper connections between the portable cellular phones or SIM connections  44 ,  46 ,  48  and  50  with the home wireless phones  52 ,  54 ,  56  and  58 . A display  34  and keyboard  36  would also be provided in the base unit  18  for the purpose of transmitting and receiving digital information to be depicted upon the screen  34 . A display could also be included in each of the cellular and wireless units. An antenna  60  is used to provide wireless communication between the interface electronics  24  and each of the wireless phones  52 ,  54 ,  56  and  58 .  
      The multiple home receivers  52 ,  54 ,  56  and  58  may operate over a standard 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1900 MHz, 2.4 GHz or any other wireless bands that typically do not require fees or a service provider. Presently, various home wireless technology for multiple receivers are in existence and have typically been used in the home to connect the hard wired Bell Telephone system to multiple wireless phones in the home using various analog or digital/TDMA communications technologies. These technologies could be utilized in the present invention, but different modulation schemes could also be employed.  
      In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the master cellular phone  62  provided with an antenna  64  includes the cellular phone electronics  12  and interface electronics  14  (see  FIG. 1 ) therein. A portion of a home base unit  66  is also shown in  FIG. 3  into which the portable cellular unit  62  is connected utilizing a socket  70 . Power for the operation of the cellular phone is provided by plugging the phone  62  into the sockets  72 ,  74 . Additionally, an optional wired phone connection  68  is also provided, as is an antenna  76  for receiving and transmitting information from the home wireless phone  52 ,  54 ,  56  and  58 . Each of the wireless receivers is provided in their own charging base  53 ,  55 ,  57  and  59 , respectively. It is important to note that the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3  would only operate if the master cellular unit  62  is plugged into the home base unit  66 .  
       FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment in which the electronics units  12 ,  14  are inserted directly into the home base unit  80 , also including optional line selects  38 ,  40  and  42 . Additionally, a plug-in unit  84  would be provided to plug the unit  62  (see  FIG. 3 ) into the base unit  80 . Although the unit  62  as described with respect with  FIG. 3 , included electronics units  12  and  14 , the unit plugged into plug  84  need not include such electronics units. The plug  84  would include a socket  86  for the insertion of a SIM card, as well as power sockets  90 ,  92  and the cellular phone socket  88 . The units shown in  FIG. 4  would be able to employ either the SIM card or the cellular phone therein. Although the home base  80  is shown with respect to only one socket, it is noted that a multiple number of SIM cards or cellular phones could be utilized. Furthermore, as was true with respect to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , a wired phone connection  94 , as well as an antenna  96 , would also be included.  
      The antenna  96  would be used to communicate information between the home base unit  80  and the wireless receivers  52 ,  54 ,  56  and  58 . The antenna  64  (see  FIG. 3 ) would receive information, as well as transmit information, to the outside world. Electronics connection with the home base unit would transmit information between the antenna associated with the home base unit and the antenna associated with the master cellular units. This would be true in all of the embodiments shown. The only exceptions to this rule, would be when the interface electronics unit provided in the cellular unit.  
      Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated with respect to  FIGS. 5 and 6 . This embodiment would not require that the master cellular phone unit to be directly attached to the home base. The home base  10  would be provided with a robust wireless link (RWL) electronics  106 , as well as the home wireless electronics  108  and the select unit  120 . It is noted that the home wireless electronics unit  108  could also be provided in a separate base for contact with home wireless phones  110 ,  112 ,  114  and  116  provided in separate charging bases  113 ,  115 ,  117  and  119 , respectively. The portable cellular phones  102  and  104  would be attached to the home base  100  in a manner similar to the unit shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . An optional wired phone connection  118  would be provided, as well as line select switches  122 ,  124  and  126 . Additionally, a display  128 , as well as a keypad  130  would also be included in the base unit  100 .  
      Alternatively, as illustrated with respect to  FIG. 6 , a master cellular unit  124  would include both the electronics unit  12  (see  FIG. 1 ), as well as the RWL electronics unit  106  (see  FIG. 5 ). The unit  124  is provided with an antenna  128 , as well as an RWL antenna  130 . A base unit  120  would include a socket  132  into which the master cellular phone  124  would be attached. Additionally, power sockets  134 ,  136  would be included to provide power to the system. The base unit  120  would also be provided with an optional wired phone connection  138 , as well as an RWL antenna  122  and a home wireless antenna  126 .  
      The system shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  would allow the master cellular unit  124  to leave home for quite a distance and still allow the home wireless system to be fully operational. When the unit  124  receives a phone call, the user, by utilizing a certain input button or code, would allow the phone call to be forwarded to the base unit  110 ,  120 . This trigger would produce a signal from the RWL antenna  130  on the unit  124  to the RWL antenna  122  on the base unit  110 ,  120 . In this instance, a wireless transmission line would be created between the home wireless antenna  126  associated with the base unit  120  and any of the antennae associated with the wireless receivers  112 ,  114 ,  116  or  118 . Once this wireless communications link is established, a link would be provided from the unit  124  to one of the receivers  112 ,  114 ,  116  or  118  through the base unit  120 .  
      The present system in any of the embodiments, may be programmed with a unique enabling code of the user, given by a service provider in several ways. One way would be to plug the user&#39;s cellular phone into the base unit. Alternatively, a SIM card would be programmed by the service provider and plugged into the appropriate slot. Finally, the unit can be programmed by the service provider directly at the place of origin.  
      All of the embodiments described hereinabove, would allow both the home system and the portable cellular phones to be active at the same time, at the discretion of the service provider. This may be accomplished by withholding the SIM card, by a shut-down signal from the service provider&#39;s base station, or by any other reasonable method.  
      The fact that two cellular phone units with the same phone number may be active at the same time can be accomplished in many ways. One of these ways would be to provide a unique identification number in the home cellular phone system to identify itself as such to the service provider&#39;s base station. The only penalty that would be paid for such a system would be resources, as a 24 hour always-active home cellular phone system will tie up some system resources. Other protocols could also be employed.  
      With respect to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , it is noted that the home cellular phone system would be enabled as long as the master cellular unit is within range of the home unit utilizing the RWL link. In this instance, only one cellular phone unit per phone number can be active at any one time.  
      Additionally, with respect to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , if the master cellular unit  124  is removed from the base unit  110 ,  120 , and a link has been established between the phone  124  and one of the home receivers  112 ,  114 ,  116  or  118 , the user of the master unit  124  cannot turn off his phone until the home phone is also hung up and the RWL link automatically closes.  
      Furthermore, although the present invention is directed to generally a wireless link system, the main base station, as previously indicated, can have a wired phone connected thereto. While this would involve paying for two distinct services, it does give the advantages of giving the user the ability to make or receive cellular phone calls, as well as land based calls on their home phone system.  
      Although it is noted that the modified cellular phone electronics  12 , as well as the RWL electronics  106  can be provided within the master cellular unit, if the electronics is mounted in the base unit as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 5 , there would be no high power RF radiation in the user&#39;s head or torso. Additionally, the base antenna may be made larger. Furthermore, the electronics may be made more sophisticated and not to be constrained to be of low power, thereby allowing the use of surface acoustic wavelength (SAW) filters to be used for better sensitivity and selectivity.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 8-10 , a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the present invention will now be described. Once a call is transmitted to the master cellular unit, a determination must be made by the system at step  150  whether the cellular unit is plugged into the home base. If this is the case, at step  152 , the home base is activated and the entire system operates as a fixed cell phone having multiple radio links. If this is not the case, a determination is made at step  154  whether the SIM card or cards are inserted into the home base as shown in  FIG. 2 . If it is determined that the proper SIM card or cards are inserted into the home base, a determination is made at step  158  whether the cellular unit is active. If it is not active, at step  152 , the home base would be activated similar to step  152  in which the home base operates as a fixed cell phone system, having multiple radial links. Similarly, if it is determined at step  154  that there is no SIM card inserted into the base, a determination must be made whether the data included in a SIM card was downloaded into the memory of the home base unit, if allowed by a provider. If this is the case, the system would proceed to step  158 . If this was not the case, and the SIM card was determined not to be inserted into the home base, the base unit is not active for the user at step  164 .  
      If, however, it is determined that the SIM card was inserted into the home base or the SIM data was loaded into home base, the system would proceed to box  160 . At this point, as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , a determination is made at step  163  whether multiple active cell locations are allowed. If multiple active cell locations are not allowed, the home cell system is ignored for this user at step  176 . On the other hand, if multiple active cell locations are allowed, a determination is made at step  164  whether the system is to originate or receive a call. If it is to originate a call, the home base at step  166 , would make the call. In this instance, it would operate as a fixed cell phone system having multiple radio lengths. If it is determined at step  164  that a call is to be received, step  168  would determine whether the mobile cell phones called at step  170 , the home cell base is called at step  172  or the caller is asked to try either the home base or the mobile phone accept  174 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 10 , if the mobile cell phone is called, the cell phone would ring at step  178 . If the ring is not answered, a recorded announcement at  184  would indicate to the caller to call the home cell base at step  186 . If the ring is answered, a cell phone link would be established at step  182 .  
      Similarly, if the home cell base is called at step  172 , a ring would be generated at step  180 . If this ring was answered, the cell phone link would be established at step  182 . However, if the ring is not answered, the caller would be asked, at step  190 , to call the mobile cell phone at step  192 . Alternatively, if the home base is not called at step  184 , or the mobile cell phone is not called at step  190 , the caller would have an option to leave a message at step  188 .  
      It should be understood that various modifications within the scope of this invention can be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit thereof.