Patent ID: 7979035

Claim:
A communication apparatus comprising: a wireless communication device having a docking cavity, a short-range transceiver, and a long-range transceiver for long-range wireless communication with a wireless network; and a detachable module including a speaker and a microphone and a short-range transceiver for short-range wireless communication with the device's short-range transceiver; the module being configured to operate in an unmounted operative mode in which the module is detached and separated from the communication device, and a mounted operative mode in which the module is mounted in the cavity and oriented such that its speaker faces away from the device and out of the cavity, in both operative modes, communication between a user and the network is conducted through the module's microphone and speaker, both short-range transceivers and the long-range transceiver; and the module being further configured to operate in a mounted inoperative mode in which the module is mounted in the cavity and oriented such that its speaker faces into the docking cavity and is inoperative for conducting communication between the user and the device, wherein orientation of the module in the docking cavity automatically selects between the mounted operative mode and the mounted inoperative mode.