GB2360175A

GB2360175A - Wireless telephone equipment

Info

Publication number: GB2360175A
Application number: GB0005790A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel Robertson
Original assignee: Roke Manor Research Ltd
Current assignee: Roke Manor Research Ltd
Priority date: 2000-03-11
Filing date: 2000-03-11
Publication date: 2001-09-12
Also published as: GB0005790D0; WO2001069898A1; AU3743701A

Abstract

The present invention relates to apparatus for connecting wireless telephones to a fixed wired telecommunications network. A digital enhanced cordless telecommunications (DECT) telephone charger unit (100) for a DECT telephone (104) is provided with a standard Private Automatic Branch eXchange (PABX) telephone socket (110). Any conventional PABX telephone equipment (112) can connect to the standard PABX telephone socket (110). The DECT telephone (104) communicates with a DECT base station (102). Also provided in the charger unit (100) is a conversion unit (114). The conversion unit (114) interfaces between the standard PABX telephone socket (110) and the DECT telephone (104) in order that conventional telephone exchange facilities, including conference call functions, speaker phone functions and modem connection functions, can be accessed.

Description

1 2360175 IMPROVEMENTS TO WIRELESS TELEPHONE EQUIPMENT The present

invention relates to improvements to wireless telephone equipment. More particularly, there is provided an apparatus for connecting a conventional telephone to a wireless telecommunications network. The apparatus can comprise a battery charger unit arranged to receive a wireless telephone.

Digital enhanced cordless telecommunications (DECT) is a common wireless telecommunications network standard. As in other lo telecommunications networks, a DECT network consists of a plurality of base stations. DECT is a short range radio frequency standard: operating at frequencies between 1880 and 1930 MHz over a range of up to 600m from each base station. DECT telephones support voice communications but generally do not provide a wide range of functions that are available in conventional wired telecommunication. Conventional fixed wired telephone exchange systems, for instance Private Automatic Branch eXchanges (PABX) can provide facilities including conference call functions, speaker phone functions and modem connection functions. DECT base stations can couple to a fixed, wired telephone exchange through a DECT card installed in a switching system, for instance HICOM.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to obviate or at least mitigate the above deficiencies.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for connecting a conventional wired telephone to a wireless telecominunications network, the apparatus includes: a telephone socket for connection to a conventional wired telephone; a receiving portion for receiving the wireless telephone; and a detecting portion for detecting the presence of the wireless telephone in the receiving portion and for diverting communications received from the wireless telecommunications network to 2 the conventional wired telephone via the telephone socket when the presence is detected.

The apparatus enables the conventional telephone to access conventional fixed wired telephone facilities on the wireless telecommunications network via the wireless telephone and without the need for a separate base station.

Advantageously, the detecting portion includes a battery charger unit that is capable of supplying electricity to the wireless telephone, when the wireless telephone is present in the receiving portion.

The receiving portion preferably includes a battery contact arrangement coupled to the battery charger unit and the presence of the wireless telephone in the receiving portion is detected by the engagement of the wireless telephone with the battery contact arrangement.

Preferably, the detecting portion includes a conversion unit, which couples to the telephone socket and which converts communications from a wireless telecommunications network format to a conventional wired telephone format.

The conversion unit preferably also detects the presence of the wireless telephone in the receiving portion.

Advantageously, the receiving portion further includes a data contact arrangement for conveying data between the wireless telephone and the conversion unit. Preferably, the data contact arrangement couples to the conversion unit and communications from the wireless telecommunications network are diverted from the wireless telephone, across the data contact arrangement and through the conversion unit to the telephone socket, thereby facilitating access to conventional wired telephone functions at the telephone socket.

Preferably, the telephone socket is a standard PABX telephone socket and the conventional telephone is PABX capable.

3 Preferably, the wireless telephone complies with the DECT wireless communications standard.

The invention can thus be implemented with minimal alterations to conventional components.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 shows an arrangement of wireless telecommunications apparatus and a conventional fixed wired telephone according to the invention.

It should be understood that although the following description is in io terms of a DECT-compliant wireless telephone, a DECT wireless telephone charger unit and a conventional PABX-capable telephone, the invention is not limited to providing an interface between conventional telephones and DECT-compliant networks.

Referring to Figure 1, a DECT wireless telephone charger unit 100 is provided with a standard PABX telephone socket 110 and a receiving portion 118 for receiving a DECT wireless telephone 104. The receiving portion 118 of the charger apparatus 100 is provided with a data contact arrangement 106 and a battery contact arrangement 116. The DECT wireless telephone 104 communicates with at least one DECT base station 102. Each DECT base station 102 is connected by wire to a DECT card installed in a HICOM PABX switch 13 0.

The charger apparatus 100 includes a battery charger unit 108 which is capable of supplying electricity to the wireless telephone via the battery contact arrangement 116. The power for the battery charger can be supplied from mains electricity or from a generator (not shown). When supplied with a local power source, a solar cell or a wind turbine for instance, the DECT telephone 104, the charger apparatus 100 and the conventional telephone 112 can be entirely remote from, yet still communicate with, the DECT network.

4 Also provided in the charger apparatus 100 is a conversion unit 114. The data contact arrangement 106 couples to the conversion unit 1 14 which in turn couples to the standard PABX telephone socket 110. The data contact arrangement 106, the conversion unit 114 and the standard PABX telephone socket 110 together form an interface between the DECT wireless telephone 104 and a conventional PABX capable telephone 112. When the conventional PABX capable telephone 112 is connected to the standard PABX telephone socket 110 and the DECT wireless telephone 104 is placed in the receiving portion 118 of the charger unit 100, io communications received by the DECT wireless telephone 104 are redirected to the conventional telephone 112. The charger apparatus 100 can thereby provide access to PABX exchange facilities including conference call functions, speaker phone functions and modem connection functions over the wireless connection between the DECT wireless telephone 104 and the DECT base station 102.

The presence of the DECT wireless telephone 104 in the receiving portion 118 can be detected in a number of ways. Electrical contact between the DECT wireless telephone 104 and the battery contact arrangement 116 can complete a circuit and thereby indicate the presence of the DECT wireless telephone 104. Alternatively, data is sent by the DECT wireless telephone 104 through the data contact arrangement 106 to indicate that the DECT wireless telephone 104 is present. Equally, the conversion unit 114 can supply data to the DECT wireless telephone 104 through the data contact arrangement 106, the DECT wireless telephone 104 then sends a response signal to indicate that the DECT wireless telephone 104 is present. The ways of detecting the presence of the DECT wireless telephone 104 mentioned above are not mutually exclusive and can be combined to ensure that the DECT wireless telephone 104 is fully engaged in the receiving portion 118.

When the DECT wireless telephone 104 is not engaged with the receiving portion 118, the DECT wireless telephone 104 can operate only as a wireless telephone and the charger unit 100 can provide no interface to the DECT network.

It will be understood that the wireless telephone and base station can connect according to one of many wireless voice and data communications standards known from the prior art, including HomeRF, DECT, Bluetooth,

Personal HandyPhone System (PHS), Personal Wireless Telephone (PWT and PWT/E) and the 802.11 short range RF communications standard.

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Claims

CLAIMS:

An apparatus for connecting a conventional wired telephone to a wireless telecommunications network. the apparatus includes: a telephone socket for connection to a conventional wired telephone; a receiving portion for receiving a wireless telephone; and a detecting portion for detecting the presence of the wireless telephone in the receiving portion and for diverting communications received from the wireless telecommunications network to the conventional wired telephone via the telephone socket when the presence is detected.
2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the detecting portion includes a battery charger unit, which is capable of supplying electricity to the wireless telephone, when the wireless telephone is present in the receiving portion.
3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the receiving portion includes a battery contact arrangement coupled to the battery charger unit and the presence of the wireless telephone in the receiving portion is detected by the engagement of the wireless telephone with the battery 20 contact arrangement.
4. An apparatus as claimed in Claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the detecting portion includes a conversion unit, which couples to the telephone socket and which converts communications from a wireless telecommunications 25 network format to a conventional wired telephone format.
5. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the conversion unit also detects the presence of the wireless telephone in the receiving portion.

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6. An apparatus as claimed in Claims 3 or 4, wherein the receiving portion further includes a data contact arrangement for conveying data between the wireless telephone and the conversion unit.
7. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the data contact arrangement couples to the conversion unit and wherein communications from the wireless telecommunications network are diverted from the wireless telephone, across the data contact arrangement and through the io conversion unit to the telephone socket, thereby facilitating access to conventional wired telephone functions at the telephone socket.
8. An apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the telephone socket is a standard PABX telephone socket and the conventional telephone is PABX capable.
9. An apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the wireless telephone complies with the DECT wireless communications standard.
10. An apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.