US5799067A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Smart phone integration with computer systems
Assignee: INPRO II LICENSING SARL
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Filing: 1997-06-12
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Granted: 1998-08-25
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Expires: 2017-06-12
Abstract
Abstract A business telephone system employs digital signal processing in a digital telephone having a serial link for connection to a general-purpose computer. The Smart Phone is the central intelligence for the system, which may utilize a PBX connected in a LAN network to multiple computers, including file servers, and each computer may have one or more Smart Phones connected. In one embodiment, docking bays in the phone provide an ability to interchange functional modules, including DSP modules. The docking bays and functional modules may be configured to PCMCIA standards. In another embodiment, a docking bay, which may also be PCMCIA, has a physical window allowing access to an input area on a docked module, wherein the docked module is an intelligent module with a CPU, a memory, and a bus structure, affording control of the smart phone and the entire system through the input interface of the docked module. In various embodiments the external form of the system may vary, and in one embodiment, the smart phone elements are integrated with a desktop or a portable computer having docking bays to receive and connect functional modules, such a DSP modules and/or an intelligent module.
Inventors
- 👤 Dan Kikinis
- 👤 Pascal Dornier
- 👤 William J. Seiler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 10:43
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/03; G06F3/033; G06F3/0354; G06F3/03541; G06F1/00; G06F1/16; G06F1/1613; G06F1/1615; G06F1/1616; G06F1/1626; G06F1/1632; G06F1/18; G06F1/183; G06F13/00; G06F13/38; G06F13/40; G06F13/4063; G06F13/409; G06F3/03543; G06F3/03549; H; H04; H04M; H04M1/00; H04M1/247; H04M1/2473; H04M11/00; H04M11/06; H04M11/066; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/42314; H04M9/00; H04M9/002; H04M9/005; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/00127; H04N1/00204; H04N1/00236; H04N1/00241; H04N1/00326; H04N1/00339; H04N1/0035; H04N1/00352; H04N1/00392; H04Q; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/04; H04Q11/0428; H01; H01H; H01H2223/00; H01H2223/046; H01H2223/052; H04M1/72; H04M1/725; H04M2250/00; H04M2250/22; H04M3/42323; H04N1/00519; H04N1/00538; H04N1/04; H04N1/10; H04N1/107; H04N1/19; H04N1/195; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/0008; H04N2201/0034; H04N2201/0048; H04N2201/0049; H04N2201/0051; H04N2201/0053; H04N2201/0063; H04Q2213/00; H04Q2213/13003; H04Q2213/13034; H04Q2213/1308; H04Q2213/13093; H04Q2213/13096; H04Q2213/13098; H04Q2213/13103; H04Q2213/13106; H04Q2213/13107; H04Q2213/13174; H04Q2213/13175; H04Q2213/13179; H04Q2213/13199; H04Q2213/13209; H04Q2213/1322; H04Q2213/13299; H04Q2213/13322; H04Q2213/13389; H04Q2213/13396
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
145 words
A digital telephone comprising: control circuitry for managing operations of the digital telephone; a microphone-speaker unit connected to the control circuitry for audio input and output, including a coder/decoder (CODEC) for conversions between analog and digital data forms; a user input interface connected to the control circuitry for dialing and function selection; a telephone line port coupled to the control circuitry, for connecting the digital telephone to a telephone line; a serial communication port coupled to the control circuitry for providing communication with external digital equipment; at least one docking bay coupled to the control circuitry for docking functional modules; and a functional module adapted to dock in at least one docking bay; wherein the functional module includes a digital signal processor (DSP) adapted to process digital audio data which becomes coupled to the control circuitry by docking in the at least one docking bay.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
145 words
A digital telephone comprising: control circuitry for managing operations of the digital telephone; a microphone-speaker unit connected to the control circuitry for audio input and output, including a coder/decoder (CODEC) for conversions between analog and digital data forms; a user input interface connected to the control circuitry for dialing and function selection; a telephone line port coupled to the control circuitry, for connecting the digital telephone to a telephone line; a serial communication port coupled to the control circuitry for providing communication with external digital equipment; at least one docking bay coupled to the control circuitry for docking functional modules; and a functional module adapted to dock in at least one docking bay; wherein the functional module includes a digital signal processor (DSP) adapted to process digital audio data which becomes coupled to the control circuitry by docking in the at least one docking bay.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A digital telephone as in claim 1 wherein the control circuitry is implemented as at least one application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A digital telephone as in claim 1 wherein the control circuitry comprises a mask read only memory (ROM) for storing control routines.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A digital telephone as in claim 1 wherein the electronic memory comprises random access memory.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
A digital telephone as in claim 1 wherein the electronic memory comprises flash memory.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A digital telephone as in claim 1 wherein the microphone-speaker unit comprises a handset connected to the control circuitry.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
A digital telephone as in claim 1 wherein the microphone-speaker unit is configured as a speakerphone.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A digital telephone as in claim 1 wherein the user input interface comprises an LCD display for displaying functional and operational data to a user.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A digital telephone as in claim 1 wherein the input interface comprises LEDs for indicating operational data to a user.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
A digital telephone as in claim 1 wherein the telephone line port is configured for Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) protocol.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
A digital telephone as in claim 1 wherein the serial communication port is configured for one of RS-232 and RS-485 protocol.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
A digital telephone as in claim 1 wherein the at least one docking bay is configured to a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) standard, and is coupled to the control circuitry by a PCMCIA bus interface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
A digital telephone as in claim 1 wherein a microprocessor-based controller is coupled to the control circuitry as a plug-in module engaged in one or more of the docking bays.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
A digital telephone as in claim 13 wherein the microprocessor-based controller is implemented as a PCMCIA card.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
A digital telephone as in claim 1 wherein one of the multiple docking bays comprises a physical window affording a user physical access to a portion of the area of one side of a docked functional module.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
A digital telephone as in claim 15 further comprising a portable computer unit docked in the docking bay, the portable computer unit comprising a touch-screen user interface accessible to a user through the physical window.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
85 words
A business telephone system comprising: a digital telephone having control circuitry coupled by a bus system to at least one docking bay, and a digital signal processor (DSP) as part of a plug-in card engaged in the at least one docking bay and thereby coupled to the control circuitry; a phone line interface to the digital telephone; a general-purpose computer; and a serial communication link between the digital telephone and the general-purpose computer; wherein the control circuitry utilizes the DSP in processing digital audio data.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
85 words
A business telephone system comprising: a digital telephone having control circuitry coupled by a bus system to at least one docking bay, and a digital signal processor (DSP) as part of a plug-in card engaged in the at least one docking bay and thereby coupled to the control circuitry; a phone line interface to the digital telephone; a general-purpose computer; and a serial communication link between the digital telephone and the general-purpose computer; wherein the control circuitry utilizes the DSP in processing digital audio data.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
A business telephone system as in claim 17 wherein the phone line interface is configured as an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) interface.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
A business telephone system as in claim 18 further comprising a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) connected to the digital telephone by the ISDN interface and to the general-purpose computer by a serial communication link.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
A business telephone system as in claim 19 comprising multiple computers connected in a Local Area Network (LAN) with the PBX.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
61 words
A business telephone system as in claim 17 further comprising an electronic memory connected to the control circuitry; a microphone-speaker unit connected to the control circuitry for audio input and output, including a coder/decoder (CODEC) for conversions between analog and digital data forms; and a user input interface connected to the control circuitry including a keypad for dialing and function selection.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
A business telephone system as in claim 18 wherein the control circuitry comprises a microcontroller for managing control operations.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
A business telephone system as in claim 22 wherein the control circuitry comprises a mask read only memory (ROM) for storing control routines for execution by the microcontroller.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
A business telephone system as in claim 21 wherein the electronic memory comprises random access memory.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
A business telephone system as in claim 21 wherein the electronic memory comprises flash memory.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
A business telephone system as in claim 21 wherein the microphone-speaker unit comprises a handset connected to the control circuitry.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
17 words
A business telephone system as in claim 21 wherein the microphone-speaker unit is configured as a speakerphone.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
26 words
A business telephone system as in claim 21 wherein the user input interface comprises an LCD display for displaying functional and operational data to the user.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
A business telephone system as in claim 21 wherein the user input interface comprises LEDs for indicating operational data to the user.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
A business telephone system as in claim 17 wherein the serial communications link is configured for one of RS-232 and RS-485 protocol.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
39 words
A business telephone system as in claim 17 wherein the at least one docking bay is configured to a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) standard, and is coupled to the control circuitry by a PCMCIA bus interface.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
31 words
A business telephone system as in claim 17 wherein a microprocessor-based controller is coupled to the control circuitry as a plug-in module engaged in one or more of the docking bays.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
18 words
A business telephone system as in claim 31 wherein the microprocessor-based controller is implemented as a PCMCIA card.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
38 words
A business telephone system as in claim 17 wherein one of the multiple docking bays comprises a physical window affording a user physical access to a portion of the area of one side of a docked functional module.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
36 words
A business telephone system as in claim 33 further comprising a portable computer unit docked in the docking bay, the portable computer unit comprising a touch-screen user interface accessible to a user through the physical window.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5335276A
Cited
US5373149A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-08-24 | 2002-02-23 | 2002-08-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-08-24 | 2006-02-23 | 2006-08-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-08-24 | 2010-02-23 | 2010-08-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |