Patent ID: 8229515

Claim:
A communication system comprising: a communication module including a microphone, a speaker and a short-range transceiver; a wireless device that includes a microphone, a speaker, a short-range transceiver for short-range wireless communication with the module's short-range transceiver, and a long-range transceiver for long-range wireless communication with a wireless network; and a wired communication device, including a computer, configured for wired communication with a wired network, and including a short-range transceiver for short-range communication with the module's short-range transceiver; the communication module, the wireless device and the wired communication device being configured for first, second, third, fourth and fifth modes of operation; in the first mode of operation, communication between a user and the wireless network is conducted through the wireless device's microphone, speaker and long-range transceiver; in the second mode of operation, the module is not mounted on the wireless device, and communication between the user and the wireless network is conducted through the module's microphone, speaker and short-range transceiver and through the wireless device's short range transceiver and long-range transceiver; in the third mode of operation, the module is not mounted on the wireless device, and communication between the user and the wired network is conducted through the module's microphone, speaker and short-range transceiver, and through the wired communication device's short-range transceiver; in the fourth mode of operation, the module is mounted on the wireless device in a first orientation and conducts communication through the module's speaker and microphone while being charged by the wireless device; and in the fifth mode of operation, the module is mounted on the wireless device in a second orientation, different than the first orientation, while being charged by the wireless device and is inoperative for conducting communication, wherein the mode of operation can be automatically changed from the fourth mode to the fifth mode by changing the orientation of the module.