Patent ID: 8340729

Claim:
A system comprising: a mobile communications device; a wireless headset including a speaker and a microphone; and a switching unit comprising, separate from and detachably coupled to the mobile communication device through a cabled connection, the switching unit comprising: a mobile communications device interface for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from the mobile communications device; a wireless adapter for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from the wireless headset; and a switch coupled to the mobile communications device interface, the wireless headset and the wireless adapter, wherein the switch is configured to automatically implement push-to-talk functionality by selectively connecting signals between the wireless adapter, the wireless headset, and the mobile communications device interface, wherein a trigger signal generated when a signal level associated with the microphone exceeds a predetermined threshold causes the switch to be set to a first position in which a signal captured by the microphone is connected to the mobile communications device interface and a trigger signal generated when the signal level associated with the microphone falls below a predetermined threshold for a predetermined period of time causes the switch to be set to a second position in which a signal captured by the microphone is not connected to the mobile communications device interface and a signal is transmitted from the mobile communication device to the speaker of the wireless headset.