US6650871B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cordless RF range extension for wireless piconets
Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Ltd
•
Filing: 1999-10-14
•
Granted: 2003-11-18
•
Expires: 2019-10-14
Abstract
Abstract Cordless telephone technology provides a long range and highly sophisticated wireless extension between a plurality of wireless piconet networks. In one embodiment, base units of separate cordless telephones include respective piconet front ends (e.g., Bluetooth protocol bearing RF front ends) in addition to the otherwise conventional RF front end. The piconet-capable base units are placed and made members of separate piconet networks, but within conventional cordless telephone range of one another, e.g., within one mile of one another. To allow communications between piconet devices on the separate wireless piconet networks, the cordless telephone base units pass piconet content information (i.e., the messages passed by a piconet device on a first piconet network including a first cordless telephone base unit intended for receipt by another piconet device on a second piconet network serviced by the other cordless telephone base unit. In another embodiment, a base unit of a cordless telephone is made a member of a first wireless piconet network while its remote handset is made a member of a second wireless base unit, and piconet content information is passed from a device on one wireless piconet network to another device on the other wireless piconet network over the wireless cordless telephone (e.g., 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz range) channel established between the cordless telephone base unit and its remote handset.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph M. Cannon
- 👤 James A. Johanson
- 👤 Philip D. Mooney
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 09:15
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W88/00; H04W88/02; H04M; H04M1/00; H04M1/72; H04M1/725; H04M1/733; H04M2250/00; H04M2250/02; H04W28/00; H04W28/16; H04W28/18; H04W28/22; H04W4/00; H04W4/18; H04W48/00; H04W48/08; H04W48/16; H04W84/00; H04W84/18; H04W88/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
An RF cordless telephone range extender for a piconet, comprising: a cordless telephone including a cordless telephone RF front end and a piconet wireless network RF front end; and a rate adapter to adapt a data rate of piconet information from said piconet to a data rate of said cordless telephone; wherein piconet content information flowing on a piconet wireless network is transmitted by said cordless telephone RF front end of said cordless telephone to another cordless telephone component, rate adapted back to said data rate of said piconet information, and passable to another piconet device, to effectively extend a communication range of said piconet wireless network.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
107 words
An RF cordless telephone range extender for a piconet, comprising: a cordless telephone including a cordless telephone RF front end and a piconet wireless network RF front end; and a rate adapter to adapt a data rate of piconet information from said piconet to a data rate of said cordless telephone; wherein piconet content information flowing on a piconet wireless network is transmitted by said cordless telephone RF front end of said cordless telephone to another cordless telephone component, rate adapted back to said data rate of said piconet information, and passable to another piconet device, to effectively extend a communication range of said piconet wireless network.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The RF cordless telephone range extender for a piconet according to claim 1 , wherein: said piconet content information transmitted by said cordless telephone is transmitted by said base unit of said cordless telephone to a remote handset of said cordless telephone.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
The RF cordless telephone range extender for a piconet according to claim 2 , wherein: said base unit is a member of a first piconet wireless network; and said remote handset is a member of a second piconet wireless network separate from said first piconet wireless network.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The RF cordless telephone range extender for a piconet according to claim 2 , further comprising: a piconet device in communication with said cordless telephone.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
58 words
The RF cordless telephone range extender for a piconet according to claim 1 , wherein: said piconet content information transmitted by said cordless telephone is transmitted by said base unit of said cordless telephone to a base unit having a cordless telephone RF front end and a piconet wireless network RF front end of a second cordless telephone.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
The RF cordless telephone range extender for a piconet according to claim 5 , wherein: said base unit of said cordless telephone is a member of a first piconet wireless network; and said base unit of said second cordless telephone is a member of a second piconet wireless network separate from said first piconet wireless network.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The RF cordless telephone range extender for a piconet according to claim 1 , wherein: said piconet utilizes a Bluetooth protocol.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The RF cordless telephone range extender for a piconet according to claim 1 , wherein: said piconet utilizes a HomeRF protocol.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The RF cordless telephone range extended for a piconet according to claim 1 , wherein: information from a remote handset of said cordless telephone being used to remotely control a device within said piconet wireless network.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
130 words
In a cordless telephone, the improvement comprising: a piconet RF front end in a base unit of said cordless telephone; and a rate adapter to adapt a data rate of piconet information between a data rate of a piconet network to a data rate of said cordless telephone; wherein piconet content information indicating a destination piconet device received by said piconet RF front end of said cordless telephone relating to a first wireless piconet is transmitted over a cordless telephone RF front end of said base unit of said cordless telephone to a second wireless piconet separate from said first wireless piconet, and rate adapted back to said data rate of said piconet information, and passable to another piconet, to effectively extend a communication range of a piconet wireless network.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
130 words
In a cordless telephone, the improvement comprising: a piconet RF front end in a base unit of said cordless telephone; and a rate adapter to adapt a data rate of piconet information between a data rate of a piconet network to a data rate of said cordless telephone; wherein piconet content information indicating a destination piconet device received by said piconet RF front end of said cordless telephone relating to a first wireless piconet is transmitted over a cordless telephone RF front end of said base unit of said cordless telephone to a second wireless piconet separate from said first wireless piconet, and rate adapted back to said data rate of said piconet information, and passable to another piconet, to effectively extend a communication range of a piconet wireless network.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
In the cordless telephone according to claim 10 , wherein: said piconet content information transmitted over said cordless telephone RF front end is transmitted by said base unit of said cordless telephone to a remote handset of said cordless telephone.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
In the cordless telephone according to claim 11 , wherein: said base unit is a member of a first piconet wireless network; and said remote handset is a member of a second piconet wireless network separate from said first piconet wireless network.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
In the cordless telephone according to claim 11 , further comprising: a piconet device in communication with said cordless telephone.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
In the cordless telephone according to claim 11 , wherein: said piconet content information transmitted over said cordless telephone RF front end is transmitted by said base unit of said cordless telephone to a base unit having a cordless telephone RF front end and a piconet wireless network RF front end of a second cordless telephone.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
In the cordless telephone according to claim 14 , wherein: said base unit of said cordless telephone is a member of a first piconet wireless network; and said base unit of said second cordless telephone is a member of a second piconet wireless network separate from said first piconet wireless network.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
In the cordless telephone according to claim 11 , wherein: said piconet utilizes a Bluetooth protocol.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
In the cordless telephone according to claim 11 , wherein: said piconet utilizes a HomeRF protocol.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of simulating scatternet functionality with a cordless telephone, comprising: implementing a piconet front end in a cordless telephone; adapting a data rate of piconet information passed in a piconet network including said cordless telephone to a data rate of said cordless telephone; and passing piconet network information across a cordless telephone wireless channel established by said cordless telephone to another cordless telephone component for rate adaption back to said data rate of said piconet information, to effectively extend a communication range of said piconet network.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of simulating scatternet functionality with a cordless telephone, comprising: implementing a piconet front end in a cordless telephone; adapting a data rate of piconet information passed in a piconet network including said cordless telephone to a data rate of said cordless telephone; and passing piconet network information across a cordless telephone wireless channel established by said cordless telephone to another cordless telephone component for rate adaption back to said data rate of said piconet information, to effectively extend a communication range of said piconet network.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of simulating scatternet functionality with a cordless telephone according to claim 18 , wherein: said piconet front end includes a Bluetooth compliant protocol.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of simulating scatternet functionality with a cordless telephone according to claim 18 , wherein: said piconet front end includes a HomeRF compliant protocol.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of simulating scatternet functionality with a cordless telephone according to claim 18 , further comprising: another piconet front end is implemented in a remote handset of said cordless telephone.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
88 words
Apparatus for simulating scatternet functionality with a cordless telephone, comprising: piconet front end means in a cordless telephone; rate adaption means for adapting a data rate of piconet information between a data rate of a piconet network to a data rate of said cordless telephone; and means for passing piconet network information across a cordless telephone wireless channel established by said cordless telephone to another cordless telephone for rate adaption to a data rate of another piconet device, to effectively extend a communication range of said piconet network.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
88 words
Apparatus for simulating scatternet functionality with a cordless telephone, comprising: piconet front end means in a cordless telephone; rate adaption means for adapting a data rate of piconet information between a data rate of a piconet network to a data rate of said cordless telephone; and means for passing piconet network information across a cordless telephone wireless channel established by said cordless telephone to another cordless telephone for rate adaption to a data rate of another piconet device, to effectively extend a communication range of said piconet network.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus for simulating scatternet functionality with a cordless telephone according to claim 22 , wherein: said piconet front end includes a Bluetooth compliant protocol.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus for simulating scatternet functionality with a cordless telephone according to claim 22 , wherein: said piconet front end includes a HomeRF compliant protocol.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus for simulating scatternet functionality with a cordless telephone according to claim 22 , further comprising: additional piconet front end means implemented in a remote handset of said cordless telephone.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus for simulating scatternet functionality with a cordless telephone according to claim 22 , further comprising: additional piconet front end means implemented in a base unit of another cordless telephone.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
151 words
A method of routing wireless piconet information over a long range wireless communication device, comprising: routing piconet information indicating a destination piconet device from a first wireless piconet to a long range wireless communication device having a cordless telephone RF front end and a piconet wireless network RF front end; adapting a data rate of said piconet information to a data rate of said long range wireless communication device; transmitting said piconet information over said long range wireless communication device to a mating long range wireless communication device having a cordless telephone RF front end and a piconet wireless network RF front end; and routing said received piconet information from said mating long range wireless communication device to a second wireless piconet distinct from said first wireless piconet; wherein said long range wireless communication device and said mating long range wireless communication device transmit over distances greater than a piconet device.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
151 words
A method of routing wireless piconet information over a long range wireless communication device, comprising: routing piconet information indicating a destination piconet device from a first wireless piconet to a long range wireless communication device having a cordless telephone RF front end and a piconet wireless network RF front end; adapting a data rate of said piconet information to a data rate of said long range wireless communication device; transmitting said piconet information over said long range wireless communication device to a mating long range wireless communication device having a cordless telephone RF front end and a piconet wireless network RF front end; and routing said received piconet information from said mating long range wireless communication device to a second wireless piconet distinct from said first wireless piconet; wherein said long range wireless communication device and said mating long range wireless communication device transmit over distances greater than a piconet device.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of routing wireless piconet information over a long range wireless communication device according to claim 27 , wherein: said wireless piconet information conforms to a Bluetooth protocol.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of routing wireless piconet information over a long range wireless communication device according to claim 27 , wherein: said long range wireless communication device is a base unit of a cordless telephone.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4549293A
Cited
US5890069A
Cited
EP0568212A2
Cited
US5363426A
Cited
US5406615A
Cited
US6026297A
Cited
US6366622B1
Cited
US6069588A
Cited
US6346692B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-11-17 | 2007-05-19 | 2007-11-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-11-17 | 2011-05-19 | 2011-11-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-11-17 | 2015-05-19 | 2015-11-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |