Abstract:
A compact modular wireless telephone includes a base unit, a headset selectively connected to and disconnected from the base unit, and a separate card for placement in the base unit to enable telephonic communication. The card includes an identifier for providing a signal identifying a dedicated service account, an interfacer for interfacing the telephone with a service provider for authorization of a telephonic communication, and a selector for placing an authorized telephonic communication, upon interfacing the telephone with the service provider and gaining authorization for the telephonic communication. Telephonic communications are authorized on the basis of the amount of airtime made available in the dedicated service account represented by the card, and the mode of operation of the telephone indicated in the dedicated service account.

Description:
This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/660,130, filed Sep. 12, 2000, the substance of which is incorporated herein by reference thereto. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to telephonic communications and pertains, more specifically, to a wireless telephone constructed in a compact modular arrangement and having an enabling module allowing the convenient purchase and use of predetermined amounts of airtime. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The construction of highly compact and economical wireless telephones is described in detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,875,393 and 5,965,848, granted to Altschul et al., the substance of which patents is incorporated herein by reference thereto. The present invention provides wireless telephones which are even more compact, and which are constructed for added versatility, convenience and safety in use, as well as for increased economy of manufacture. As such, the present invention provides several objects and advantages, some of which are summarized as follows: Provides a modular arrangement which allows the use of relatively less expensive modules in a wireless telephone suitable for more widespread use and acceptance; enables greater convenience in carrying about and using wireless telephones; allows greater convenience in purchasing and using predetermined amounts of airtime; provides a simplified wireless telephone having both call-out and call-in capabilities; reduces potential hazards associated with electromagnetic radiation emanating from wireless telephones; allows greater convenience in providing power to a wireless telephone; provides greater versatility in the design and function of wireless telephones; enables the economical manufacture and distribution of relatively low-cost, reliable wireless telephones, thereby opening up new and larger markets for wireless telephones. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The above objects and advantages, as well as further objects and advantages, are attained by the present invention which may be described briefly as a compact modular wireless telephone for telephonic communications, the wireless telephone comprising: an operator module including wireless telephonic operating circuitry, operator electrical connector elements connected to the wireless telephonic operating circuitry, and a power source for supplying power to the wireless telephonic operating circuitry; an enabling module for being supplied separate from the operator module, the enabling module including a body member having limited dimensions, including a limited length, a limited width and a limited thickness, an identifier in the body member for identifying a service account dedicated to the enabling module, an interfacer in the body member, a selector integral with the body member, and enabling electrical connector elements connected to the identifier, the interfacer and the selector, the enabling electrical connector elements being complementary to corresponding operator electrical connector elements; an antenna; an earphone assembly; a microphone assembly; electrical connections for connecting the antenna, the earphone assembly and the microphone assembly with the wireless telephonic operation circuitry; and an interconnect for selectively connecting the enabling electrical connector elements with the operating electrical connector elements such that upon connecting the enabling electrical connector elements with the operating electrical connector elements, signals from the interfacer, the identifier, and the selector are transmitted by the wireless telephonic operating circuitry to interface the wireless telephone with a service provider, to identify the dedicated service account to the service provider for authorization of a telephonic communication, and to establish an authorized telephonic communication. 
    
    
     The invention will be understood more fully, while still further objects and advantages will become apparent, in the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which: 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded pictorial perspective view showing a compact modular wireless telephone constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of components of the telephone; 
     FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of components of the telephone; 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an operating module of the telephone; 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an enabling module of the telephone; and 
     FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of a wireless telephonic communications system utilizing a telephone of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawing, and especially to FIG. 1 thereof, a compact modular wireless telephone constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown at  10  and is seen to include an operator module in the form of a base unit  12 , an enabling module in the form of card  14 , and an audio module in the form of a headset  16 . Card  14  includes a body member  20  having very limited dimensions, including a limited length L, a limited width W and a limited thickness T. Typically, card  14  is about the size of currently available credit cards, so that length L is just over three inches, width W is about two inches, and thickness T is a fraction of an inch. These compact dimensions are attained by a construction made available through the technology described in aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,848, the disclosure of which patent is incorporated herein by reference thereto. Base unit  12  includes a housing  22  which also is provided with limited dimensions, the dimensions of the housing  22  being somewhat greater than the dimensions of body member  20 , but still very compact. Thus, for example, housing  22  includes a length LL of about three and three-quarter inches, a width WW of about two and one-half inches, and a thickness TT of about one-half inch, the thickness TT extending between a front face  24  and a back face  26 . 
     An interconnect enables the selective connection of card  14  with base unit  12  and includes a receptacle  30  having a card slot  32  at the front face  24  of the housing  22 , the card slot  32  being complementary to at least a portion of the body member  20  of the card  14  for receiving at least the portion of the card  14  within the housing  22 . An electrical connection includes a jack  34  in the housing  22  and a plug  36  in the headset  16  for enabling connection of the headset  16  to the base unit  12 . Headset  16  includes an earphone assembly shown as an earphone  40  and a microphone assembly shown as a microphone  42 , both connected to plug  36  by an elongate cable  44  having appropriate earphone and microphone electrical conductors for effecting the necessary connections so that the earphone  40  and the microphone  42 , when connected to the base unit  12 , are remote from the base unit  12 . 
     Turning now to FIGS. 2 through 5, as well as to FIG. 1, base unit  12  includes wireless telephonic operating circuitry  50  housed within housing  22  and a plurality of operator electrical connector elements in the form of operating contacts illustrated as electrical contacts  52  of an electrical connector  54  located within the housing  22 , juxtaposed with the receptacle  30 , and electrically connected to the telephonic operating circuitry  50 . An antenna  56  is located in housing  22  and is connected to the telephonic operating circuitry  50 . A power source is provided in the form of a battery pack  60  placed within a battery compartment  62  in the housing  22 , accessible through a battery access door  64  at the back face  26  of the housing  22 , and a power switch  66  selectively controls the supply of power to the telephonic operating circuitry  50 . For convenience, base unit  12  is provided with a carrying arrangement, shown in the form of a belt clip  68  at the back face  26  of the housing  22 . 
     Card  14  includes a selector in the form of a keypad  80  integrated with the body member  20  of the card  14  in the manner disclosed in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,848. Keypad  80  includes number and symbol keys  82 , as well as a “SEND” key  84  and an “END” key  86 , all located at obverse face  88  of the body member  20 . Enabling electrical connector elements are provided in the form of enabling contacts shown as electrical contacts  90  of an electrical connector  92  placed at reverse face  94  of body member  20 . Card  14  further includes a microprocessor  100  within body member  20 , and an identifier  110  and an interfacer  112  are placed within the card body  20  and are connected to the microprocessor  100 . The keypad  80  is electrically connected to electrical contacts  90 K of the electrical connector  92 , and the microprocessor  100  is electrically connected to electrical contacts  90 M of the electrical connector  92 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, identifier  110  includes an identifier memory  120  programmed with a service account identification corresponding to a service account dedicated to card  14 , the service account identification being in the form of an electronic serial number (ESN). The interfacer  112  preferably includes an interfacer memory  122  programmed with a dial code representing an interfacing telephone number, the telephone number preferably being a toll-free number for calling into a service provider. 
     In order to use telephone  10 , a user will purchase a base unit  12  and a card  14 . The card  14  is programmed with an ESN and a toll-free number leading to a service provider who maintains the service account identified by the ESN. The service account dedicated to card  14  is provided with a predetermined amount of airtime, as reflected in the purchase price of card  14 . As seen in FIG. 6, card  14  is placed within base unit  12 , effecting electrical connections between the electrical connectors  92  and  54 . With the power switch  66  actuated to supply power, the toll-free number is dialed, in response to signals from the interfacer  112 , and communication is established between the telephone  10  and the service provider  130 . Signals from the identifier  110  are transmitted to the service provider  130  for verification of the authenticity of the dedicated service account and to confirm that the service account has airtime available for use. A confirmation signal then is transmitted from the service provider  130  to the telephone  10 , enabling the user to initiate a telephonic communication, utilizing the keypad  80  to select a called number. The ensuing telephonic communication, having been authorized by the service provider  130 , then is connected and routed by the service provider  130  to the recipient of the communication, either through land lines or through wireless means. The airtime consumed by telephonic communications is monitored by the service provider  130  and, upon the consumption of all of the airtime available in the service account dedicated to card  14 , service is discontinued. The user then can discard card  14  and can purchase another card  14 , for a purchase price determined by the amount of airtime made available in the service account dedicated to the new card  14 . Alternately, the user can instruct the service provider  130  to replenish the service account with additional airtime, for an additional fee. 
     The arrangement of telephone  10  is available for functioning in a call-out mode only, or for the reception of incoming calls as well as for making outgoing calls. A construction which allows call-out only is somewhat less expensive to manufacture than a construction which enables the reception of incoming calls as well as the transmission of outgoing calls; however, a universal construction enabling both modes of operation is practical from a manufacturing standpoint, with the ability to operate in one or the other of the modes being controlled by the service provider, in response to information obtained by the service provider pertaining to the dedicated service account identified by a particular card  14 . 
     The present telephone  10  provides a very compact and practical arrangement for making available wireless telephonic communication at a very reasonable cost to a user. Once a user is furnished with a base unit  12 , all that is necessary to obtain and use a predetermined amount of airtime is the purchase of a card  14 . There is no need to subscribe to a wireless service, there are no corresponding start-up fees, and there is no purchase of a relatively expensive telephone. Use of telephone  10  is renewable each time the airtime authorized by a card  14  is exhausted, simply by purchasing a new card  14 , or by replenishing the airtime in the dedicated service account. 
     It will be seen that the present invention attains all of the objects and advantages summarized above, namely: Provides a modular arrangement which allows the use of relatively less expensive modules in a wireless telephone suitable for more widespread use and acceptance; enables greater convenience in carrying about and using wireless telephones; allows greater convenience in purchasing and using predetermined amounts of airtime; provides a simplified wireless telephone having both call-out and call-in capabilities; reduces potential hazards associated with electromagnetic radiation emanating from wireless telephones; allows greater convenience in providing power to a wireless telephone; provides greater versatility in the design and function of wireless telephones; enables the economical manufacture and distribution of relatively low-cost, reliable wireless telephones, thereby opening up new and larger markets for wireless telephones. 
     It is to be understood that the above detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention is provided by way of example only. Various details of design and construction may be modified without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.