WO2003084197A2

WO2003084197A2 - Apparatus, method, media and signals for controlling a wireless communication appliance

Info

Publication number: WO2003084197A2
Application number: PCT/CA2002/001537
Authority: WO
Inventors: Leonard George Bleile; Christopher Henry Becker; Mae Jennifer Mah
Original assignee: Embedded Systems Products Inc.
Priority date: 2002-04-03
Filing date: 2002-10-15
Publication date: 2003-10-09
Also published as: WO2003084197A3; CA2480700A1; US20030190018A1; US7162228B2; AU2002331500A1

Abstract

Apparatus, method, media and signals for controlling a wireless communication appliance are disclosed. A method implemented by the apparatus, media and signals involves producing a message signal comprising an address portion and a payload portion, in response to an action signal received at an adjunct apparatus, causing the adjunct apparatus to perform a function identified in the payload portion when the address portion satisfies a condition and transmitting the message signal to the wireless communication appliance when the address portion fails to satisfy the condition. The message signal may be used to cause an adjunct zone or roam signal to be transmitted to a wireless communications service provider, permitting different billing rates, or service to be applied, depending on whether the wireless communication appliance is in communication with the adjunct apparatus.

Description

APPARATUS, METHOD, MEDIA AND SIGNALS FOR CONTROLLING A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION APPLIANCE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to wireless communication appliances and more particularly to apparatus, method, media and signals for controlling a wireless communication appliance.

2. Description of Related Art

There has been a rapid increase in mobile telephone usage as manufacturers have overcome many technical problems associated therewith, including extension of battery life and convenience.

Despite overcoming these technical problems, the increasing usage of mobile telephones is impeded by the inherent resistance of some people to change and accept new technologies. Many people still prefer to use conventional landline telephones despite the availability of better features on mobile telephones as compared to the features available to conventional landlines and to the telephones connected thereto. This greater feature set may include two-way messaging and/or predictive text entry, for example. Feature sets available to conventional landlines are generally applied to the line and not to individual telephone appliances connected to the line. Thus, those who do not make use of mobile telephones generally do not enjoy the features of such telephones.

One reason that people are reluctant to adopt mobile telephones is due to the fact that mobile telephones have a form factor that is designed for mobility. Reduced size, for example, facilitates mobility. However, reductions in size are made at the expense of ease of use. For example, keypad buttons and displays are smaller on mobile telephones than on landline based telephones. In addition, the housings of mobile telephones often act as the handset and are much smaller and less optimized for audio quality than handsets of landline based telephones. Considerable expenditures of research time and money have gone into optimizing the acoustics and ergonomics of landline based handsets since the inception of the telephone in the late 1800's. Much of this optimization has been discarded by present mobile telephone designs.

Another deterrent to the use of mobile telephones is the apparently unresolved issue of whether or not radiation produced by mobile telephones is harmful. Some potential users prefer not to take the risk.

Another deterrent to mobile telephone use is the difficulty experienced when using user response systems that require the entry of passcodes. When using such a system, the user of a mobile telephone typically moves the mobile telephone back and forth, toward and away from the user's ear, so that the user can see and access the keypad, which is usually positioned adjacent an earpiece of the mobile telephone.

Some people, particularly older people, find mobile telephones awkward and uncomfortable to use, due to lack of familiarity. Many people are simply more comfortable using conventional landline based telephones due to the better ergonomics of such telephones, as compared to the ergonomics of mobile telephones. In addition, appliances for the sight impaired or hearing impaired are more readily available for landline based telephones. Further, the impaired have greater familiarity with landline based telephones.

In the past, landline telephones have been connected to mobile telephones using subscriber line interface circuits which require a 4 to 2 wire conversion and a 2 to 4 wire conversion in the voice path. This requires hybrid circuits and requires a high voltage battery feed and a ringing circuit. These create unnecessary complexity. With the plethora of wireless communication appliances available to consumers today, each manufacturer of wireless communication appliances is faced with the above problems for generally all wireless communication appliance products it produces. Thus, each manufacturer may be required to address each of the above problems for each of its products in order to increase its market share.

What would be desirable is a simple way of providing wireless communication appliance features to users, in a landline-based form easily adaptable to a plurality of different wireless communication appliances.

In addition, there has been much effort expended to develop methods of determining the physical location of these mobile telephones. Systems have been developed which employ GPS (global positioning systems) as well as sophisticated algorithms that attempt to locate a mobile telephone based on relative signal strength from various known points or based on delay of signal reception from multiple known points. These are all very sophisticated and costly methods to determine the location of a mobile telephone. There are also methods that attempt to simply narrow the location of a mobile telephone to an area serviced by a particular cell tower as an example. These methods all rely on knowing where the mobile telephone is at any given time. What is needed is a method of knowing when a mobile telephone is in single point, or zone or whether it is not in that zone. The existing method of using the location of the cell tower, which the mobile telephone is originating calls from, does not provide a small enough zone. The density of mobile subscribers within a cell tower as well as geographical differences will affect the area served by a given cell tower. This leads to varying geographical sizes served by any given cell tower. It would be advantageous to have another method of determining when a mobile telephone was in a particular area of interest without needing the sophistication of knowing where it was at any other given time. Knowing the location of a mobile telephone allows service providers to offer enhanced services such as different billing rates when a mobile telephone user is in a known zone, such as a home or business office.

What would be desirable is a simple, cost effective way of providing this information to service providers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of controlling a wireless communication appliance. The method involves producing a message signal comprising an address portion and a payload portion, in response to an action signal received at an adjunct apparatus, causing the adjunct apparatus to perform a function identified in the payload portion when the address portion satisfies a condition and transmitting the message signal to the wireless communication appliance when the address portion fails to satisfy the condition.

The method may further comprise receiving the action signal at the adjunct apparatus and receiving may comprise receiving the action signal from a remote device and/or from a remote computer.

The method may further comprise producing the action signal at the adjunct apparatus and this may involve detecting actuation of a switch at the adjunct apparatus. Producing the action signal may comprise detecting engagement of the wireless communication appliance with a receptacle on the adjunct apparatus and producing the message signal may comprise producing a message signal having an address portion that does not meet the condition and having a payload portion representing a command operable to cause the wireless communication appliance to transmit a home signal to indicate that the wireless communication appliance is engaged with the receptacle.

A command operable to control the wireless communication appliance may be included in the payload portion. The command may be operable to cause the wireless communication appliance to perform a function operable to be invoked by an actuator on the wireless communication appliance.

Transmitting the message signal may comprise causing electrical signals to be produced at a control interface of the wireless communication appliance.

Alternatively, or in addition transmitting the message signal may comprise causing electromagnetic energy to be radiated for reception by the wireless communication appliance.

The method may further comprise receiving the action signal from the wireless communication appliance and this may involve receiving an indicator signal from the wireless communication appliance.

Producing a message signal may involve producing a message signal such that the address portion satisfies the condition and such that the payload portion identifies a function that causes the adjunct apparatus to actuate an indicator on the adjunct apparatus to indicate information received from the wireless communication appliance.

Producing a message signal may involve producing a message signal such that the address portion does not satisfy the condition and such that the message signal has a payload portion identifying a function that causes the wireless communication appliance to employ a predictive text engine thereof. The method may further involve actuating the indicator at the adjunct apparatus and actuating the indicator may comprise actuating a light emitting device on the adjunct apparatus, actuating a display on the adjunct apparatus and/or actuating a sound producing device on the adjunct apparatus.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided an adjunct apparatus for a wireless communication appliance. The apparatus comprises a message signal generator operable to produce a message signal comprising an address portion and a payload portion, in response to an action signal received at the adjunct apparatus, a functional block operable to perform a function indicated by the payload portion when the address portion satisfies a condition and a transmitter operable to transmit the message signal to the wireless communication appliance when the address portion fails to satisfy the condition.

The apparatus may further comprise a receiver operable to receive the action signal at the adjunct apparatus. The receiver may be operable to receive the action signal from a remote device such as a remote computer.

The apparatus may further comprise a signal generator operable to produce the action signal at the adjunct apparatus. The signal generator may comprise a switch.

The apparatus may comprise a base having a receptacle for engaging the wireless communication appliance and the base may have an appearance of a landline telephone base. The apparatus may further comprise an adjunct handset operable to interface with a voice path in the wireless communication appliance to permit the handset to be used as an alternative to a handset in the wireless communication appliance. The base may have a handset receptacle for receiving and holding the adjunct handset.

The message signal generator may comprise a detector operable to detect engagement of the wireless communication appliance with the receptacle. The message signal generator may be operable to produce a message signal having an address portion that does not meet the condition and having a payload portion representing a command operable to cause the wireless communication appliance to transmit a home signal to indicate that the wireless communication appliance is engaged with the receptacle.

The message signal generator may be operable to include in the payload portion a command operable to control the wireless communication appliance. The message signal generator may be operable to include in the payload portion a representation of command operable to cause the wireless communication appliance to perform a function operable to be invoked by an actuator on the wireless communication appliance.

The apparatus may comprise an interface in communication with the transmitter and operable to engage with a control interface of the wireless communication appliance to cause electrical signals representing the message signal to be produced at the control interface. The transmitter may comprise an electromagnetic transmitter operable to radiate electromagnetic energy representing the message signal, for reception by the wireless communication appliance.

The apparatus may comprise a receiver operable to receive the action signal from the wireless communication appliance and the receiver may be operable to receive an indicator signal from the wireless communication appliance.

The message signal generator may be operable to produce a message signal such that the address portion satisfies the condition and such that the payload portion identifies a function that causes the adjunct apparatus to actuate an indicator at the adjunct apparatus to indicate information received from the wireless communication appliance.

The message signal generator may be operable to produce a message signal having an address portion that does not satisfy the condition and having a payload portion identifying a function that causes the wireless communication appliance to employ a predictive text engine thereof.

The apparatus may further comprise an indicator operable to indicate information received from the wireless communication appliance. The indicator may comprise a light emitting device on the adjunct apparatus and/or a display on the adjunct apparatus and/or a sound producing device on the adjunct apparatus.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided an adjunct apparatus for controlling a wireless communication appliance, the apparatus including a device for producing a message signal comprising an address portion and a payload portion, in response to an action signal received at an adjunct apparatus, a device for causing the adjunct apparatus to perform a function identified in the payload portion when the address portion satisfies a condition and a device for transmitting the message signal to the wireless communication appliance when the address portion fails to satisfy the condition.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a computer readable medium for providing codes operable to direct a processor circuit to control a wireless communication appliance, by producing a message signal comprising an address portion and a payload portion, in response to an action signal received at an adjunct apparatus, performing a function identified in the payload portion when the address portion satisfies a condition and transmitting the message signal to the wireless communication appliance when the address portion fails to satisfy the condition.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a signal representing codes for directing a processor circuit to control a wireless communication appliance. The signal may have a first segment for directing the processor circuit to produce a message signal comprising an address portion and a payload portion, in response to an action signal received at an adjunct apparatus, a second segment for directing the processor circuit to perform a function identified in the payload portion when the address portion satisfies a condition and a third segment for directing the processor circuit to transmit the message signal to the wireless communication appliance when the address portion fails to satisfy the condition. In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of signaling the location of a wireless communications appliance. The method involves detecting the establishment of communications between a wireless communication appliance and an adjunct and causing an adjunct zone signal indicating the communications have been established with the adjunct to be transmitted to a wireless communication service provider associated with the wireless communications appliance.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a computer readable medium and/or a computer readable signal operable to provide encoded instructions for directing a processor circuit to carry out the method for signaling the location of a wireless communication appliance as recited above.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided an adjunct apparatus operable to communicate with a wireless communications appliance. The apparatus comprises a detector operable to detect the establishment of communications between the wireless communication appliance and the adjunct and a processor circuit in communication with the detector and operable to cause an adjunct zone signal to be transmitted to a wireless communication service provider to indicate the communications have been established with the adjunct, when the detector detects the establishment of communications between the wireless communication appliance and the adjunct.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of billing a communication sen/ice subscriber based on location. The method involves receiving at a wireless communication service provider a message initiated from a wireless communication appliance, the message indicating at least one of: 1 ) the wireless communication appliance is in communication with an adjunct; and 2) the wireless communication appliance is no longer in communication with the adjunct. The method further involves causing a billing service associated with the communication service provider to adjust a billing rate for the communication service in response to the message.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a system for billing a communication service subscriber based on location. The system comprises a communication service provider operable to receive a signal initiated from a wireless communication appliance, indicating at least one of 1 ) the wireless communication appliance is in communication with an adjunct; and 2) the wireless communication appliance is no longer in communication with the adjunct. The system further includes a billing service associated with the communication service provider operable to receive a message from the communication service provider indicating whether the wireless communication appliance is or is not in communication with the adjunct and operable to adjust a billing rate for the communication service in response to the message.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a method for transferring contact information. The method involves transmitting from a wireless communication appliance, on a wireless network a first message containing the contact information, receiving said first message at a communication service provider, receiving at least some of the contact information from the communication service provider at a message server in communication with the communication service provider and receiving at a remote device, from the message server, a second message containing at least some of the contact information.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a system for transferring contact information. The system involves a wireless communication appliance operable to transmit on a wireless network a first message containing the contact information, a communication service provider operable to receive the first message via the wireless communication network, from the wireless communication device, a message server in communication with the communication service provider, operable to receive at least some of the contact information from the communication service provider, and a remote device operable to receive from the message server a second message containing at least some of the contact information.

Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention,

Figure 1 is a block diagram of an adjunct apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a broken perspective detail of a wireless communication appliance receptacle of the apparatus, sectioned along lines Ill-Ill in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a bottom view of a prior art cellular telephone;

Figure 5 is a schematic representation of an apparatus according to an alternate embodiment of the invention;

Figure 6 is a block diagram of a processor circuit used to implement the apparatus shown in Figure 1 ; Figure 7 is a flowchart of a wireless communication appliance (WCA) detector routine executed by the processor circuit shown in Figure 5, for use when directly connecting the WCA to the adjunct apparatus;

Figure 8 is a flowchart of a WCA detector routine executed by the processor circuit shown in Figure 5, for use when the WCA communicates with the adjunct apparatus using a radio frequency link;

Figure 9 is a flowchart of a main routine executed by the processor circuit shown in Figure 6;

Figure 10 is a block diagram showing a system comprised of a base of the type shown in Figures 2 or 5 and a wireless communication appliance;

Figure 11 is a block diagram of a system comprising the system shown in

Figure 10 and a remote computer;

Figure 12 is a block diagram of an alternate embodiment of the system shown in Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a block diagram of a system for transferring contact information according to another aspect of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to Figure 1 , an adjunct apparatus for a wireless communication appliance (WCA), such as a cellular telephone, or personal data organizer, for example, is shown generally at 10. The adjunct apparatus 10 comprises a message signal generator 12, an adjunct functional block 14 and a transmitter 16. The message signal generator 12 is operable to produce a message signal comprising an address portion 18 and a payload portion 20 in response to an action signal received at the adjunct apparatus. The action signal may be received from any of a plurality of devices including a remote device, such as a laptop computer for example (not shown), an action signal generator 22 possibly located at the adjunct apparatus, or a receiver 24 operable to receive signals from the WCA.

An action signal from a remote device may be received by an action signal receiver 26 which buffers and formats the action signal for receipt by the message signal generator 12. An action signal from a remote device may represent certain commands issued by the remote device, for example. An action signal generated by the action signal generator 22, may represent key presses, switch actuations or changes in conditions, for example, at the adjunct apparatus 10. An action signal received from the WCA may include information about the status of a call currently in progress on the WCA, where the WCA is a telephone, for example.

The adjunct functional block 14 serves to perform a function indicated by the payload portion 20 of the message signal when the address portion 18 thereof satisfies a condition. For example, the address portion 18 may represent a home address or an away address and when it represents a home address, the adjunct functional block 14 is rendered operational to perform the function specified by the payload portion 20, at the adjunct apparatus 10. The specified function may be to connect a handset 28 to a voice path (not shown) of the WCA, or it may be to actuate an indicator 30 with information supplied by the WCA or it may be to actuate a display 32 with information from the WCA or it may be to actuate a speaker 34 with information from the WCA, for example.

When the address portion 18 does not satisfy the condition, the message signal is supplied to the transmitter 16, which transmits the message signal to the WCA. While the above description has referred to a message signal, it will be appreciated that more than one message signal may be produced. For example, the message signal may include a separate address signal operable to control whether or not separate payload signals representing the payload portion of the message are provided to the adjunct functional block or the transmitter 16. The address signal may be used to control a demultiplexer, for example, for directing the payload signals to either the adjunct functional block or the transmitter. Generally, the address signal acts to control a selector for selecting the recipient of the payload signals.

Effectively, the adjunct apparatus 10 permits action signals from any of a variety of different sources to cause the message signal generator 12 to produce a message signal in a common format recognizable by the adjunct functional block 14 or by the WCA. For example, when the address portion

18 satisfies the condition, the payload portion 20 may represent commands for controlling different functions operable to be performed by the adjunct functional block 14. Similarly, when the address portion 18 is set to fail to satisfy the condition, the payload portion 20 may represent commands recognizable by the WCA.

The message signal generator 12, may have access to a look-up table shown generally at 36, or a plurality of look-up tables, where each table provides a listing of commands available for use with different WCAs thereby allowing the adjunct apparatus 10 to be used with any of a plurality of different WCAs of the same manufacturer or different manufacturers.

Referring to Figure 2, in one embodiment, the adjunct apparatus may be implemented in a processor circuit 50 housed in a base 52 having the appearance of a landline telephone base. The processor circuit 50 may be incorporated into a single chip microprocessor circuit, it may include a plurality of microprocessors or microcontrollers, it may be implemented in a collection of integrated circuits or it may be implemented in discrete components, for example. The base 52 may have a receptacle such as shown generally at 54 for engaging a WCA 56 which, in this embodiment, is shown as a cellular telephone having a built-in handset. Alternatively, the receptacle may be omitted and the base 52 may have a wire extending therefrom for direct connection to the WCA. Or, the WCA may be placed in communication with the processor circuit 50 by any Radio Frequency (RF) communications link, such as a Bluetooth™ communications link, for example. (Bluetooth is a trade-mark of Bluetooth SIG Inc.) The indicator 30, the display 32 and the speaker 34 shown in Figure 1 may be mounted on the base 52, for example, and may be in communication with the processor circuit 50. A keypad shown generally at 58 may be mounted on the base 52 and may co-operate with the action signal generator 22 shown in Figure 1 which may also be implemented within the processor circuit 50.

The base 52 may further have a handset receptacle shown generally at 60 for receiving and holding an adjunct handset 62 having a shape and appearance of a conventional landline based telephone handset such as a Norstar® telephone provided by Nortel Networks Limited of Montreal, Canada. Alternatively, the adjunct handset 62 may include a headset.

In this embodiment, the adjunct handset 62 is of the hand-held type and may be large enough to fully extend between an adult user's ear and mouth, as opposed to the relatively short distance between the transmitter and receiver on a conventional cellular telephone. The adjunct handset 62 is in communication with the processor circuit 50 to interface with a voice path of the WCA 56 to permit the adjunct handset to be used as an alternative to the built-in handset in the WCA. An adjunct handset detector 63 such as a mechanically actuated switch may be incorporated into the handset receptacle 60 to produce a signal indicative of whether or not the adjunct handset 62 is in the handset receptacle 60, much like a hook switch of a conventional landline telephone base. Alternatively, the adjunct handset 62 may be placed in communication with the processor circuit 50 by any Radio Frequency (RF) communications link, such as a Bluetooth™ communications link like the one mentioned above, for example. Components implementing the RF wireless communications link may act as the adjunct handset detector 63 to produce a signal indicative of whether or not the adjunct handset 62 is in operation or not, instead of indicating whether or not the adjunct handset is in the receptacle 60.

Referring to Figure 3, the receptacle 54 for receiving the WCA is shown in greater detail. In this embodiment, the receptacle has a pivotal flap 70 to which is mounted a plurality of contacts 72 for engaging contacts of a control interface 74 of the WCA 56 as shown best in Figure 4. The contacts on the control interface 74 mate with corresponding respective contacts 72 on the pivotal flap 70 shown in Figure 3 when the WCA 56 is in the receptacle 54.

The pivotal flap 70 is operable to pivot in a clockwise direction as shown by arrow 76 in Figure 3 to actuate a WCA detector which in this embodiment includes an actuator 78 of a micro switch 80 connected to the processor circuit 50 shown in Figure 2. In effect, the flap 70 and the micro switch 80 together act as a detector operable to detect engagement of the WCA with the receptacle 54. Detection of the WCA 56 in the receptacle 54 is achieved by the weight of the WCA causing the flap 70 to rotate in the direction of arrow 76 to actuate the micro switch 80 thereby causing the micro switch 80 to produce an action signal which is received by the message signal generator 12 of Figure 1 implemented within the processor circuit 50 shown in Figure 2.

Referring to Figure 5 as mentioned above, alternatively the base may be provided with a Radio Frequency Communications link including a wireless communication transceiver 57 in the base and a wireless communication transceiver 59 in the WCA to permit a separate wireless communication link

61 to be established between the WCA and the base 52. This separate link 61 is separate from the link 65 established between the WCA and a public network bay station (not shown). The separate link 61 may be provided by transceivers 57 and 59 operating in accordance with the Bluetooth™ specification mentioned above. This link effectively replaces the contacts 72 and 74 and permits the same information to be communicated between the WCA 56 and the base 52.

Referring to Figure 6, the processor circuit 50 is shown in greater detail. In this embodiment, the processor circuit 50 includes a main processor 100, input and output interfaces 102 and 104 respectively, program memory 106, random access memory 108 and lookup table memory 109 and may include a computer readable media interface 110 and/or a modem shown in broken outline at 112. The processor circuit 50 may further include a voice path interface 114 controlled by the main processor 100 for connecting the adjunct handset 62 to the voice path (not shown) of the WCA 56 through the contacts 72 shown in Figure 3.

Still referring to Figure 6, the input interface 102 is operable to receive action signals from a plurality of different devices. Consequently, the input interface 102 has a first input 116 for receiving signals from a remote device such as a computer, for example. To facilitate receipt of such signals, the program memory 106 may be configured with a computer interface driver 118 which causes the processor circuit 50 to act as the action signal receiver 26 shown in Figure 1 to produce an action signal. In addition, the input interface 102 includes an input 120 for receiving signals from the keypad 58 shown in Figure 2, from the handset detector 63 and from the micro switch 80 shown in

Figure 3. Consequently, the program memory 106 includes a keypad interface 122, an adjunct handset detector interface 123 and a WCA detector interface 124 each of which acts as an action signal generator of the type shown at 22 in Figure 1. The input inter ace 102 may further include an input 126 for receiving signals directly from the contacts 72 shown in Figure 3 to receive signals and information from the WCA 56 and thus the program memory may include a wireless communications input interface 128 which causes the processor circuit 50 to act as the receiver 24 shown in Figure 1 to produce action signals representing signals received from the WCA.

The output interface 104 is operable to supply signals to the indicator 30, the display 32 and the speaker 34 and thus, the program memory 106 includes an indicator driver, a display driver and an audio driver 130, 132 and 134 respectively. The program memory 106 is also loaded with a main routine 136 a plurality of message signal producing routines 138 and a plurality of adjunct function routines 140. The message signal producing routines 138 map action signals including incoming signals from the remote device, locally produced action signals and signals from the WCA 56 into message signals recognizable by the adjunct function routines 140 or the WCA 56. The mapping of action signals to message signals may be done in conjunction with reference to any of the WCA lookup tables 36 shown in Figure 1 , to map certain action signals to certain message signals understandable by the WCA

56 with which the base 52 is to be used.

The above indicated interfaces, drivers and routines stored in the program memory 106 may be different blocks of computer readable code representing instructions for directing the processor circuit 50 to carry out the intended functionality of the interfaces, drivers and/or routines. These codes may be supplied to the microprocessor circuit 50 by way of the media interface 110 which may be operable to read the codes from a compact disk (read only memory) CD-ROM 142, for example. Alternatively, the codes may be received in a computer data signal 111 received by the modem 112, from the voice path of the WCA 56 or from a data output on the WCA. Alternatively, the codes may be supplied in a pre-programmed or electrically programmable read-only memory which acts as the program memory 106 of Figure 6, for example.

The program memory 106 may include a boot portion (not shown), that automatically "boots up" the main processor 100 when power is applied to the processor circuit 50 and this may cause the processor to invoke a reprogramming routine (not shown) which directs the processor to enable the voice path interface 114 to permit signals to be received from the voice path of the WCA. At the same time, the reprogramming routine may cause the modem 112 to be enabled to receive data signals from the voice path of the

WCA, through the voice path interface 114. If such signals are received, the reprogramming routine may direct the main processor 100 to decode the incoming signals to determine whether or not they relate to data packages containing codes for any of the above indicated interfaces, drivers or routines. In this manner, replacement interfaces, drivers or routines replacing the interfaces, drivers and/or routines described above may be received from the WCA which itself receives such routines as data signals from a central computer (not shown) connected to a public wireless network, for example. Thus, a user of the base 52 may make a request to a service provider which is able to supply such replacement routines, and the service provider simply dials up or otherwise establishes a connection with the WCA 56. Or a user may use the WCA 56 to dial up a server to establish a connection, to permit a standard data transfer to occur between the service provider and the WCA, the data transfer including data packages containing the requested replacement interfaces, drivers or routines as the case may be. The data package could even contain all of the interfaces, drivers or routines or any subset thereof to permit the functionality of the base 52 to be updated, changed or configured at any time.

Operation

Referring to Figures 1 and 6, action signals may be produced in a variety of ways. When a signal is received at any of the inputs 116, 120 or 126, the appropriate interface, driver or routine 118, 122, 124 or 128 is executed by the main processor 100 to format the received signal into an action signal. For example, the computer interface driver 118 may exchange handshaking signals with the remote computer and ultimately produce a file, word, byte, or bit, for example, as the action signal. These entities may be stored in the random access memory 108, as the action signal, for example. Receiving a communication from a remote computer may be regarded as an event.

Alternatively, an action signal may be generated by other routines running on the main processor 100, in response to the occurrence of certain other events at the adjunct apparatus 10, such as the actuation of the keypad 58, actuation of the adjunct handset detector 63 or detection of the establishment of communications between the WCA 56 and the adjunct apparatus 10, by the micro switch 80 or via the Bluetooth™ link.

If the received signal is from the keypad 58 shown in Figure 2, the keypad interface 122 may provide keypad scanning features which ultimately cause a file, word, byte or bit representing a key press, to be stored in the random access memory 108 as being representative of an action signal. The adjunct handset detector interface 123 and WCA detector interface 124, may include de-bounce functions which may remove the bounce effect of the micro switch 80 and produce a file, word, byte or bit representing whether or not the corresponding detector has been actuated. The WCA input interface 128 may act to strip off any extraneous bits from data received from the WCA 56 and deposit only the necessary components of received data from the WCA into the random access memory 108 as an action signal.

Referring to Figures 2 and 6, to facilitate detecting the engagement of the WCA 56 with the receptacle 54 or with an alternate cable, the input 126 on the input interface 102 may be connected to a pulldown resistor 240 by a signal line 242 that is ultimately connected to a receive contact of the interface 74 of the WCA 56. Normally, the pulldown resistor 240 pulls the input 126 to a logic low voltage value and when the WCA 56 is connected to the contacts 72, the receive data line will be pulled to a logic high level by the WCA and this logic high level can be detected by the processor circuit 50, by monitoring the status of the input 126 through the input interface 102. ln this embodiment, the WCA detector interface 124 functions as shown in Figure 7. In particular, the WCA detector interface 124 includes a first block 244 that directs the processor circuit 50 to read the input interface 102, specifically the status of input 126 to determine whether or not the receive line 242 from the WCA 56 is at a logic high voltage level. If it is not, the processor circuit 50 is directed to check again. When a logic high level is detected, block 246 directs the processor circuit 50 to send an attention command to the WCA 56 by writing to an appropriate location in the output interface 104 operable to cause the attention command to appear on the WCA command bus 248 for receipt by the WCA.

Referring back to Figure 7, if no response is subsequently received from the WCA 56, the attention command is continually sent until a response is received. This is shown by block 250. When a response is properly received, the processor circuit 50 is directed to block 252 which causes it to produce an action signal indicating communications have been established with the WCA 56.

Where the adjunct apparatus 10 employs a Bluetooth™ RF communication link with the WCA 56, the WCA detection interface 124, shown in Figure 6, includes blocks of code as shown at 260 in Figure 8 that cause the processor circuit 50 to determine whether communications with the WCA have been established. In this embodiment, the WCA detection interface 124 begins with a first block 262 that directs the processor circuit 50 to wait for an address to be received from the wireless transceiver 57 shown in Figure 5. Block 264 directs the processor circuit 50 to determine whether or not the received address is on a list of known addresses and, if so, block 266 directs the processor circuit 50 to determine whether or not the WCA transceiver 59 is already paired with the adjunct apparatus transceiver 57. If so, block 268 directs the processor circuit 50 to attempt to cause the adjunct apparatus 10 to be considered the master in communications between it and the WCA 56.

Block 270 directs the processor circuit 50 to determine whether the attempt to connect as master was successful and, if so, block 272 directs the processor circuit 50 to enable the transceiver 57 to establish a data stream with the WCA transceiver 59. Then, block 274 directs the processor circuit 50 to produce an action signal indicating that communications between the WCA 56 and the adjunct apparatus 10 have been established.

If, at block 270, the processor circuit 50 is not successful in establishing itself as the master, block 276 directs the processor circuit to attempt to be considered a slave in communications with the WCA 56 and block 278 directs the processor circuit 50 to determine whether or not the attempt to act as a slave has been successful. If so, the processor circuit 50 is directed to block 272 and, if not, it is directed back to block 268 to attempt to connect as a master again. If, at block 266, the processor circuit 50 determines that the adjunct apparatus 10 and the WCA 56 are not paired, block 280 directs the processor circuit to attempt to establish pairing and block 282 directs it to determine whether or not the attempt to establish pairing has been successful. If it has been successful, the processor circuit 50 is directed to block 268 to attempt to be considered a master, etc. If the attempt to establish pairing is not successful, the processor circuit 50 is directed to continue to try to establish pairing.

If, at block 264, the address received from the transceiver 57 is not a known address, block 284 directs the processor circuit 50 to make other enquiries to establish other criteria for determining whether or not the received address from the transceiver 57 is a valid address. Block 286 then directs the processor circuit 50 to use the established criteria to determine whether or not the received address is in fact a valid address and, if so, the processor circuit 50 is directed to block 280 to attempt to establish pairing. If the received address is deemed not to be a valid address, the processor circuit 50 is directed back to block 284 to establish other criteria for validating the address received from the transceiver 57. ln the above manner, the WCA detector interface 124 effectively produces an action signal in response to receipt of a base address from the transceiver 57 which receives same from the WCA 56 using the Bluetooth™ RF communication link 61 , shown in Figure 5.

Whenever any of the indicated interfaces provides a representation of an action signal, an action signal interrupt signal is produced in response thereto, and is provided to the processor 100 to invoke operation of the main routine 136.

Referring to Figure 9, the main routine 136 is shown generally at 130 and includes a message signal generation portion 150 a functional block implementation portion 152 and a transmitter portion shown generally at 154. These portions correspond to the message signal generator 12, the adjunct functional block 14 and the transmitter 16, respectively shown in Figure 1.

Referring to Figures 1 , 6 and 9, the message signal generation portion 150 includes blocks 156, 158 and 160 that determine the source of the action signal. This portion 150 also includes message signal producing blocks 162, 164 and 166 that produce message signals having the address portion 18 and the payload portion 20, of the message signals described herein, depending upon the source of the action signal. Thus, blocks 162, 164 and 166 may be implemented by further blocks of codes (not shown) stored in the program memory 106, which act as subroutines called by the main routine 136. In effect, the message signal generation portion 150 causes a message signal to be produced in response to a corresponding action signal.

Whenever a message signal is produced, block 168 directs the processor circuit 50 to determine whether or not the address portion 18 of the message signal satisfies a predefined condition. The predefined condition may be a predefined bit sequence or bit, for example, and satisfying the condition may be deemed to have occurred when the bit sequence or designated bit in the address portion of the message signal matches the bit sequence of a reference bit sequence or matches a predefined bit. Thus, when the condition is satisfied, block 170 directs the processor circuit 50 to execute a function call for a function defined in the payload portion 20 of the message signal. Thus, the payload portion 20 includes a bit sequence or code identifying a particular function to be executed by the adjunct apparatus 10. This function may be implemented by blocks of code stored as a function routine in the plurality of function routines 140 in the program memory 106.

As indicated earlier, exemplary functions may include actuating the indicator

30, the display 32, or the speaker 34, shown in Figure 6, or to connect the handset to the voice path through the voice path interface 114, for example.

If at block 168 the address portion 18 of the message signal does not satisfy the condition, block 172 directs the processor circuit 50 to cause the message signal to be converted into a formatted message signal having voltage levels, timing and a format readable by the WCA 56. Such conversion may be facilitated by accessing the lookup tables 36 stored in the lookup table memory 109 shown in Figure 6.

After converting the message signal into the appropriate format, block 174 directs the processor circuit 50 to transmit the formatted message signal to the WCA 56 and the main routine 136 is then ended.

The effect of the main routine 136 is that a user, for example, may lift the adjunct handset 62 shown in Figure 2 and actuate a button on the keypad 58, or a sequence of keypad buttons to cause the keypad interface 122 shown in Figure 6 to be invoked to cause the processor circuit 50 to act as an action signal generator 22 to produce an action signal. The main routine 130 would then direct the processor circuit 50 to interpret this action signal as being from an action signal generator 22 and cause the processor circuit to produce a message signal having an address portion 18 which does not satisfy the condition and which has a payload portion 20 specifying a command recognizable by the WCA 56 shown in Figure 2. The command may be of a type that causes the WCA to place an outgoing call over a wireless communication network to which it subscribes, for example. The processor circuit 50 may also produce a message signal having an address portion 18 that does satisfy the condition and that has a payload portion 20 specifying an adjunct function that actuates the voice path interface 114 to connect the adjunct handset 62 to the voice path of the WCA 56. Thereafter, to the user, the apparatus shown in Figure 2 appears to function like a normal landline telephone.

Similarly, if an incoming call is received by the WCA 56, the WCA may present signals at the contacts 74 shown in Figure 4, which are ultimately received at input 126 of the input interface 102 shown in Figure 6 to cause an action signal to be produced and stored in the random access memory 108.

In this instance, block 160 of the main routine may detect that the action signal is from the WCA 56 and invoke block 166 to produce a message signal having an address portion 18 satisfying the condition and having a payload portion 20 identifying a function that causes the output interface 104 to cause the speaker 34 to emit an audible tone to indicate ringing, similar to a landline based telephone. Then, should the user lift the adjunct handset 62, the removal of the handset from the handset receptacle 60 may be detected by the adjunct handset detector 63 to produce an action signal received at the action signal input 120 of the input interface 102 shown in Figure 6. Such action signal may be stored in the random access memory 108 and block 156 of the main routine 136 may detect that the signal is from an action signal generator 22 and thereby invoke block 162 to cause a message signal having an address portion 18 satisfying the condition and having a payload portion 20 identifying a function that causes the output interface 104 to actuate the voice path interface 114 shown in Figure 6 to connect the adjunct handset 62 to the voice path of the WCA 56 through the contacts 72 shown in Figure 3 and the contacts 74 shown in Figure 4. To the user, the apparatus appears to operate similar to the way a landline based telephone operates.

A similar procedure may be invoked whereby when the WCA receives a short messaging service (SMS) or text message, the WCA causes signals to be presented at the contacts 74 ultimately causing the processor circuit 50 to display the SMS or text message on the display 32.

In addition, certain keys of the keypad 58 shown in Figure 2, or key sequences, may be used and interpreted to invoke certain functions of the

WCA 56. For example, the actuation of a particular key of the keypad 58 may be associated with access to a user contact directory stored in the WCA 56, which would normally be accessed by pressing a similar key on the WCA. Thus, a key press on the keypad 58 of the base 52 may invoke a function of the WCA 56 that can already be invoked by actuation of an actuator on the

WCA. Furthermore, the base 52 may be used to set the WCA 56 into a mode in which retrieved directory entries are encoded in signals presented at the contacts 74 and these signals may be detected at the input 126 of the input interface 102 which are interpreted by the WCA input interface 128 to produce an action signal which may be interpreted by the main routine 136 shown in

Figure 9 to produce a message signal to invoke an adjunct function that causes the information contained in such signals to be displayed on the display 32 shown in Figures 2 and 6.

In addition, the base 52 may be used advantageously with WCAs having predictive text features. For example, actuation of a particular key or key sequence on the base 52 may cause the action signal generator 22 to produce an action signal representing a request for use of a predictive text engine in the WCA 56. In this case, block 162 causes message signals to be produced in which the address portion 18 is set to cause the message signals to be transmitted to the WCA 56 and the payload portion 20 contains a command recognizable by the WCA as a request to use the predictive text engine in the WCA.

In response to a subsequent key press on the keypad 58, for example, message signals having a payload portion representing the key press may be passed in a similar manner to the predictive text engine in the WCA 56, which may respond by producing signals that are received at the input 126 and interpreted by the WCA interface 128 to cause it to produce action signals that cause the message signal producing block 166 to produce a message signal for receipt by the function call block 170 to cause invocation of a function that causes a selection of words or symbols offered by the predictive text engine of the WCA to be displayed on the display 32. This process may be repeated as more and more letters or symbols are entered by the user to allow the user to use the predictive text engine in the WCA 56 without actually pressing buttons on the WCA, but rather pressing keys on the keypad 58 on the base

52, while observing the results of the predictive text engine in the WCA on the display 32. Thus, the apparatus has the appearance of a landline telephone having the predictive text feature of the WCA.

Once a desired sequence of predictive words has been obtained, the user may actuate another key or key sequence on the keypad 58 to cause a short messaging service (SMS) message or text message to be produced, the SMS or text message including the sequence of predicted words selected by the user. The actuation of key presses invoking the production of the SMS or text message may be interpreted by the message signal producing block 162 as a request to produce an SMS or text message and the message signal producing block 162 may refer to the lookup tables 36 to find conversion parameters to convert the SMS or text message into a message in accordance with a mobile wireless standard such as the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) standard and use this information to produce a message signal having an address portion that causes it to be transmitted to the WCA 56 and having a payload portion bearing a command directing the WCA to send a GSM message in accordance with the GSM standard, over the wireless communication link to which it subscribes.

Referring back to Figure 2, the keypad 58 on the base 52 may act as a remote control keypad or adjunct to a keypad of the WCA 56 and the display

32 may act as an adjunct display to a display of the WCA. Similarly, it will be appreciated from the foregoing, that the apparatus facilitates the use of the adjunct handset 62 as an adjunct to the handset incorporated within the WCA 56, thereby permitting users to employ all of the features of the WCA while appearing to use a landline-type handset, and while permitting control of the

WCA with a keypad of the size and feel of a typical landline telephone base. In general, the base 52 and adjunct handset 62 provide the look and feel of a landline telephone while providing wireless service and features. Different WCAs may be used with the same base 52, at different times since the base only acts as an adjunct to whatever WCA is received in the receptacle 54 or, more generally, is connected to the contacts 72 or, even more generally, in communication with the processor circuit 50.

The above-described example is provided on the assumption that the WCA 56 is a cellular telephone. Where the WCA 56 is a personal data organizer, for example, the adjunct apparatus 10 may not need the handset receptacle 60 or the adjunct handset 62 and may provide merely the remote control and display functions described above.

The apparatus may also facilitate network signaling. For example, the message signal producing block 164 shown in Figure 9 may act to cause a "home" message to be produced in response to receipt of the WCA 56 in the receptacle 54 in response to an action signal produced by the WCA detector interface in response to actuation of the micro switch 80 shown in Figure 3. In the case of the embodiment shown in Figure 5, wherein the apparatus employs a radio frequency communication link such as BLUETOOTH™ between the adjunct apparatus 10 and the WCA 56, the wireless communication transceiver 57 interfaces with the WCA detector interface 124 in Figure 6 as though it were the micro switch 80 to produce an action signal that causes the message producing block 162, shown in Figure 9, to produce the same or a similar home message signal to that produced when the WCA 56 is received in the receptacle 54.

The home message signal may include an address portion causing it to be directed to the WCA 56, and a payload portion containing a command causing the WCA to transmit an adjunct zone signal to a base station of the wireless network, to inform equipment in communication with the base station that the

WCA 56 has been received in the receptacle 54, or more generally that communications have been established between the WCA and the adjunct apparatus 10. Detection of this adjunct zone signal by equipment in communication with the wireless network base station may be used to signal a change in available subscriber features or a change in billing rates, for example. Alternatively, it may be used to prompt other service providers to send messages to the WCA 56 in such a manner that the processor circuit 50 causes information to be displayed on a display 32 thereof. The display 32 on the base 52 may be a relatively large display compared to the display on the WCA, in which case advertising messages can be conveniently displayed on the display 32 of the base 52 in response to detection that the WCA 56 is in communication with the adjunct apparatus 10.

In general, the WCA detector interface 124, in conjunction with the micro switch 80 and/or the wireless communication transceiver 57 shown in Figure 5 acts as a detector operable to detect the establishment of communications between the WCA 56 and the adjunct apparatus 10. The processor circuit 50 is in communication with the detector and is operable to cause an adjunct zone signal to be transmitted to a wireless communication service provider to indicate that communications have been established between the WCA 56 and the adjunct apparatus 10. ln one embodiment, a signal may be provided by the voice path interface 114 to the WCA detector interface 124 to indicate the establishment of a voice path between the WCA 56 and the adjunct apparatus 10. This signal from the voice path interface may be used to indicate the establishment of communications between the WCA and the adjunct apparatus.

In another embodiment, a signal may be provided by the input interface 102 to the WCA detector interface 124 to indicate the establishment of communications between the WCA 56 and the adjunct apparatus 10.

The processor circuit 50 may produce messages that cause the WCA 56 to produce an adjunct zone signal that includes an SMS message or other type of message according to a short message service (SMS) protocol and/or the adjunct zone signal to be produced according to an SMS signaling format.

The processor circuit 50, in producing the home message signal at the message signal producing block 162, may include, in the payload portion of the home message signal, an identification of the wireless communication appliance 56, identification of the adjunct apparatus 10, a time stamp, identification of a base station that is communicating with the wireless communication appliance, a message type identifier, phone book entries and call log entries, for example. This information may be communicated to the communication service provider in an SMS message or other message type, in the adjunct zone signal. Information such as the identification of the WCA 56 and identification of the base station may be based on pre-stored information, stored at the adjunct apparatus 10 and previously obtained through communications with the WCA, for example.

The processor circuit 50 may be configured to send a plurality of home message signals to the WCA 56, each one causing a respective adjunct zone signal to be transmitted by the WCA to the communication services provider to indicate that communications have been or are established with the adjunct apparatus 10, while the WCA is in communication with the adjunct. Consequently, a plurality of adjunct zone signals may be transmitted to the communication services provider. These adjunct zone signals may be transmitted at periodic intervals which may be fixed or user programmable or network programmable, for example. Programming may be achieved by simply storing a number representing the desired interval in memory at the adjunct and using it in conjunction with a timer to wait for the desired time interval between successive transmissions of the adjunct zone signal. The adjunct zone signal may be transmitted every approximately 5 minutes, for example.

Alternatively, the processor circuit 50 may be operable to produce a home message signal including instructions for causing the wireless communication appliance 56 to autonomously send adjunct zone signals at time intervals. The wireless communication appliance 56, of course, would be programmed with the ability to receive such a specific home message signal and respond by autonomously sending the adjunct zone signal at the indicated time intervals.

The processor circuit 50 may be programmed to further produce a reprogramming message signal, in addition to the home message signal for reception by itself via blocks 168 and 170 in Figure 9, to cause it to reprogram certain operating parameters controlling the operation of the adjunct apparatus 10 when the establishment of communications between the WCA 56 and the adjunct apparatus is detected. For example, the processor circuit

50 may respond to a reprogramming message by writing to the audio path interface to change audio signal path levels, on/off status of an internal ringer (not shown), ringer volume, display 32 brightness or other operating parameters, for example.

In addition, the processor circuit 50 may further produce a call forward message signal, in addition to the home message signal for transmission to the WCA 56 to cause the WCA to transmit a system-recognizable call forward message to the wireless communication service provider to cause the wireless communication service provider to place the WCA in a call forward mode in which any call intended to be received by the WCA is forwarded to a specific location. Such location may include a landline telephone number, or an internet protocol address, for example.

The WCA 56 itself may be programmed to detect when communications between the WCA and the adjunct apparatus 10 are no longer established and may be programmed to transmit a roam signal to the communication service provider indicating that communications are no longer established between the WCA and the adjunct apparatus. The roam signal may include an SMS message according to a short message service format and may be transmitted according to an SMS signaling protocol, for example. This SMS message may include instructions to cancel a system-implemented call forward mode, for example

Also, the WCA detector interface 124 in the adjunct apparatus 10, may cause the processor circuit 50 to produce an action signal indicating that communications between the WCA and the adjunct are no longer established and this may be used to cause the message producing block 162 to produce an "away" message that invokes functions at the function call block 170 that cause the processor circuit to restore certain programmable operating parameters to their default states or original states or states they were in prior to being programmed when communications between the WCA and the adjunct were established. In addition, the message producing block 162 may produce message signals that cause function calls at block 170 that cause a call forward mode to be cancelled by transmitting an appropriate message to a communications services provider via a landline (not shown) operable to be used by the adjunct apparatus 10. Referhng to Figure 5, by providing a communication service provider 210 with the capability of receiving a signal such as the adjunct zone signal and/or the roam signal from a wireless communication appliance, a billing service 212 associated with the communication service provider may receive a message 214 indicating whether or not the received signal is an adjunct zone signal or a roam signal, and the billing service may adjust a billing rate for the communication service associated with the WCA 56, in response to the message. The billing service 212 may adjust the billing rate in real time or may store information contained in the message, indicating whether or not the signal was an adjunct zone signal or a roam signal and may use such information at a later time for adjusting the billing rate. Thus, billing rates may be changed based on proximity of the wireless communication appliance to the adjunct.

Referring to Figure 10, it will be appreciated that in the description of the apparatus thus far it is contemplated that the adjunct apparatus 10 and WCA 56 together form a communications device wherein the adjunct apparatus 10 acts as an adjunct to the WCA 56.

Referring to Figure 11 , it was mentioned above that the base 52 may receive signals from a remote computer 200. Such a configuration is shown in Figure 11. As described above, data may be transferred from the remote computer 200 to the adjunct apparatus 10 using the action signal receiver 26 shown in Figure 1, and the adjunct apparatus 10 may send message signals containing such data to the WCA 56 in the manner described above. However, alternatively, a direct data connection shown generally at 202 in Figure 11 may be provided between the remote computer 200 and the WCA 56 while at the same time maintaining the connection between the remote computer 200, the adjunct apparatus 10 and the WCA 56. In effect, the maintained connection may be used to control the WCA, whereas the direct data connection 202 may be used simply to transfer data. Thus, in this embodiment there are separate data and control paths. The main routine 136 may be incorporated into the remote computer 200 and the remote computer 200 may have action signal generator modules to produce action signals interpretable by the main routine 136. Then, the main routine 136 at the remote computer may produce message signals with address portions 18 and payload portions 20 as described above. If, as a result of running the main routine 136, an action signal is transmitted toward the WCA 56 as indicated at block 174 in Figure 9, this action signal may be received at input 116 of the input interface 102 of the processor circuit 50 shown in Figure 2. This may cause the main routine 136 being executed by the processor circuit 50 at the adjunct apparatus 10 to simply pass the action signal through at block 164, without modifications, assuming the action signal is already in the address/payload format of a message of the type described herein. Thus, the signal produced by the remote computer 200 may be relayed by the adjunct apparatus 10 to the WCA 56. Similarly, signals produced by the WCA 56 may be relayed by the adjunct apparatus 10 to the remote computer 200. Thus, the adjunct apparatus 10 may act as both a desktop interface and a computer interface to a WCA 56. More generally, the method described herein may be incorporated into other adjunct devices and such devices may be daisy-chained together so that messages can ripple from the furthest downstream device to an upstream WCA 56 through intermediate adjunct apparatuses of the types described herein.

Referring to Figure 12, the adjunct apparatus 10 and the remote computer 200 of Figure 11 may be swapped, and if the computer is provided with the main routine 136 shown in Figure 9, the remote computer may be used to relay control and data signals between the base 52 and the WCA 56 while at the same time itself having the ability to control the WCA. It will also be appreciated that the adjunct apparatus 10 may also be programmed with routines that enable it to produce commands recognizable by the remote computer 200, thereby enabling the base to control the remote computer as well as the WCA 56. Referring to Figure 11 a system for transferring contact information from a WCA to a remote device is shown generally at 220. The system includes a primary wireless communication appliance 222 operable to transmit on a wireless network a first message 224 containing the contact information. The contact information may be stored in a file in a local directory 226 of the WCA, for example. The local directory 226 may include telephone numbers and names of contacts, for example, or may include more extensive lists of information such as addresses and email addresses, for example.

The system 220 further includes a communication service provider 228 operable to receive the first message 224, via the wireless communication network, from the wireless communication appliance 222 and a message server 230 in communication with the communication service provider, and operable to receive at least some of the contact information from the communication service provider. The message server 230 may be an email server, for example and the service provider 228 may be programmed to parse the first message 224 to extract at least some of the contact information to produce an email message that is sent to the message server 230. The system further includes a remote device 232 operable to receive from the message server 230 a second message 234 containing at least some of the contact information. The second message 234 may be an email message retrieved from the message server 230 for example, or it may be an SMS message, for example.

The remote device 232 may be a secondary wireless PDA, for example and the above system may facilitate transfer of contact information from the primary WCA 222 such as a cellular telephone or primary PDA, to the secondary wireless PDA acting as the remote device 232.

Alternatively, the remote device 232 may be a computer with a wireless modem and the above system may facilitate transfer of contact information from a cellular telephone to the computer, for example. The computer need not have a wireless modem, but rather may have a standard modem that allows email messages to be received via a landline, for example.

The second message may be transmitted using any communications medium such as a landline-based internet implemented on the public switched telephone network as shown at 236, an internet implemented at least partially on a wireless network, or any other communications medium.

In the above manner, users can transfer information from a WCA to a remote device, allowing the user to synchronize all of his communication appliances and remote devices.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, such embodiments should be considered illustrative of the invention only and not as limiting the invention as construed in accordance with the accompanying claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a wireless communication appliance, the method comprising:

producing a message signal comprising an address portion and a payload portion, in response to an action signal received at an adjunct apparatus;

causing said adjunct apparatus to perform a function identified in said payload portion when said address portion satisfies a condition; and

transmitting said message signal to said wireless communication appliance when said address portion fails to satisfy said condition.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving said action signal at said adjunct apparatus.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein receiving comprises receiving said action signal from a remote device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein receiving said action signal from a remote device comprises receiving said action signal from a remote computer.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising producing said action signal at said adjunct apparatus.

The method of claim 5 wherein producing said action signal comprises detecting actuation of a switch at said adjunct apparatus.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein producing said action signal comprises detecting engagement of the wireless communication appliance with a receptacle on said adjunct apparatus.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein producing a message signal comprises producing a message signal having an address portion that does not meet said condition and having a payload portion representing a command operable to cause the wireless communication appliance to transmit a home signal to indicate that the wireless communication appliance is engaged with said receptacle.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein producing a message signal comprises including in said payload portion a command operable to control said wireless communication appliance.

10. The method of claim 1 further including causing said payload portion to include a command operable to cause said wireless communication appliance to perform a function operable to be invoked by an actuator on said wireless communication appliance.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting said message signal comprises causing electrical signals to be produced at a control interface of said wireless communication appliance.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting said message signal comprises causing electromagnetic energy to be radiated for reception by said wireless communication appliance.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein producing a message signal comprises producing a message signal such that said address portion does not satisfy said condition and such that said message signal has a payload portion identifying a function that causes the wireless communication appliance to employ a predictive text engine thereof.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving said action signal from said wireless communication appliance.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein receiving said action signal comprises receiving an indicator signal from said wireless communication appliance.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein producing comprises producing a message signal such that said address portion satisfies said condition and wherein said message signal has a payload portion identifying a function that causes said adjunct apparatus to actuate an indicator on said adjunct apparatus to indicate information received from said wireless communication appliance.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising actuating said indicator at said adjunct apparatus.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein actuating an indicator comprises actuating a light emitting device on said adjunct apparatus.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein actuating an actuator comprises actuating a display on said adjunct apparatus.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein actuating an indicator comprises actuating a sound producing device on said adjunct apparatus.

21. An adjunct apparatus for a wireless communication appliance, the apparatus comprising: a message signal generator operable to produce a message signal comprising an address portion and a payload portion, in response to an action signal received at said adjunct apparatus;

a functional block operable to perform a function indicated by said payload portion when said address portion satisfies a condition; and

a transmitter operable to transmit said message signal to said wireless communication appliance when said address portion fails to satisfy said condition.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising a receiver operable to receive said action signal at said adjunct apparatus.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said receiver is operable to receive said action signal from a remote device.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said receiver is operable to receive said action signal from a remote computer.

25. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising a signal generator operable to produce said action signal at said adjunct apparatus.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said signal generator comprises a switch.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said apparatus comprises a base having receptacle for engaging the wireless communication appliance.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said base has an appearance of a landline telephone base.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising an adjunct handset operable to interface with a voice path in the wireless communication appliance to permit said handset to be used as an alternative to a handset in the wireless communication appliance.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said base has a handset receptacle for receiving and holding said adjunct handset.

31. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said signal generator comprises a detector operable to detect engagement of the wireless communication appliance with said receptacle.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said message signal generator is operable to produce a message signal having an address portion that does not meet said condition and having a payload portion representing a command operable to cause the wireless communication appliance to transmit a home signal to indicate that the wireless communication appliance is engaged with said receptacle.

33. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said message signal generator is operable to include in said payload portion a command operable to control the wireless communication appliance.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said message signal generator is operable to include in said payload portion a representation of command operable to cause the wireless communication appliance to perform a function operable to be invoked by an actuator on the wireless communication appliance.

35. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising an interface in communication with said transmitter and operable to engage with a control interface of the wireless communication appliance to cause electrical signals representing said message signal to be produced at said control interface.

36. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said transmitter comprises an electromagnetic transmitter operable to radiate electromagnetic energy representing said message signal, for reception by the wireless communication appliance.

37. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said message signal generator is operable to produce a message signal such that said address portion fails to satisfy said condition and such that said payload portion includes a command operable to invoke a predictive text engine in the wireless communication appliance.

38. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising a receiver operable to receive said action signal from the wireless communication appliance.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said receiver is operable to receive an indicator signal from the wireless communication appliance.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein said message signal generator is operable to produce a message signal such that said address portion satisfies said condition and such that said payload portion identifies a function that causes said adjunct apparatus to actuate an indicator at said adjunct apparatus to indicate information received from the wireless communication appliance.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 further comprising an indicator operable to indicate information received from the wireless communication appliance.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein said indicator comprises a light emitting device on said adjunct apparatus.

43. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein said indicator comprises a display on said adjunct apparatus.

44. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein said indicator comprises a sound producing device on said adjunct apparatus.

45. An adjunct apparatus for controlling a wireless communication appliance, the apparatus comprising:

means for producing a message signal comprising an address portion and a payload portion, in response to an action signal received at an adjunct apparatus;

means for causing said adjunct apparatus to perform a function identified in said payload portion when said address portion satisfies a condition; and

means for transmitting said message signal to the wireless communication appliance when said address portion fails to satisfy said condition.

46. A computer readable medium for providing codes operable to direct a processor circuit to control a wireless communication appliance, by:

producing a message signal comprising an address portion and a payload portion, in response to an action signal received at an adjunct apparatus; performing a function identified in said payload portion when said address portion satisfies a condition; and

transmitting said message signal to the wireless communication appliance when said address portion fails to satisfy said condition.

47. A signal representing codes for directing a processor circuit to control a wireless communication appliance, the signal comprising:

a first segment for directing the processor circuit to produce a message signal comprising an address portion and a payload portion, in response to an action signal received at an adjunct apparatus;

a second segment for directing the processor circuit to perform a function identified in said payload portion when said address portion satisfies a condition; and

a third segment for directing the processor circuit to transmit said message signal to the wireless communication appliance when said address portion fails to satisfy said condition.

48. A method of signaling the location of a wireless communications appliance, the method comprising:

detecting the establishment of communications between a wireless communication appliance and an adjunct apparatus; and

causing an adjunct zone signal indicating said communications have been established with said adjunct to be transmitted to a wireless communication service provider associated with said wireless communications appliance.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein detecting is done at the adjunct apparatus.

50. The method of claim 48 wherein transmitting is initiated by the adjunct apparatus.

51. The method of claim 48 further comprising transmitting said adjunct zone signal according to a short message sen/ice (SMS) protocol.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein transmitting comprises transmitting a message according to an SMS signaling format.

53. The method of claim 51 further comprising producing a home message signal at said adjunct apparatus and communicating said home message signal to said wireless communication appliance to initiate transmission of said adjunct zone signal from the wireless communication appliance to the wireless communication service provider.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein producing said home message signal comprises producing a message signal including at least one of: an identification of the wireless communication appliance, identification of the adjunct, a time stamp, identification of a base station that is communicating with the wireless communication appliance, a message type identifier, phone book entries and call log entries .

55. The method of claim 48 wherein causing comprises causing a plurality of adjunct zone signals indicating said communications have been established with said adjunct apparatus to be transmitted to the wireless communication service provider while said wireless communication appliance is in communication with said adjunct apparatus.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein causing comprises causing a plurality of adjunct zone signals to be transmitted at periodic intervals.

57. The method of claim 56 further comprising varying said periodic intervals.

58. The method of claim 56 wherein causing comprises causing an adjunct zone signal to be transmitted every approximately 5 minutes.

59. The method of claim 55 wherein causing comprises producing a home message signal at the adjunct apparatus and communicating said home message signal to said wireless communications appliance, said home message signal including instructions for causing the wireless communication appliance to autonomously send said adjunct zone signal at time intervals.

60. The method of claim 48 wherein detecting the establishment of communications comprises detecting the establishment of an audio path between said wireless communication appliance and said adjunct apparatus.

61. The method of claim 60 wherein detecting is performed at the adjunct apparatus.

62. The method of claim 48 wherein detecting the establishment of communications further comprises detecting the establishment of communication between the wireless communication appliance and a remote device.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein detecting the establishment of communication between the wireless communication appliance and a remote device is performed at the adjunct apparatus.

64. The method of claim 48 further comprising detecting when communications between said wireless communication appliance and said adjunct apparatus are no longer established.

65. The method of claim 64 wherein detecting is performed at the wireless communication appliance.

66. The method of claim 48 further comprising causing a roam signal indicating said communications are no longer established to be transmitted to the wireless communication service provider.

67. The method of claim 66 further comprising transmitting said roam signal comprises transmitting a message according to a short message service (SMS) protocol.

68. The method of claim 48 further comprising reprogramming at least one operating parameter of said wireless communication appliance in response to said home signal.

69. The method of claim 48 further comprising producing at the adjunct apparatus a reprogramming message in response to detecting the establishment of communications between the wireless communication appliance and the adjunct and adjunct to modify its own operating parameters in response thereto.

70. The method of claim 48 further comprising causing said wireless communications appliance to be placed in a call forward mode in which any call intended to be received by the wireless communication appliance is forwarded to a specified location, in response to detecting the establishment of communications between the wireless communication appliance and the adjunct.

71. The method of claim 70 further comprising detecting, at the wireless communication appliance, when communications between said wireless communication appliance and said adjunct apparatus are no longer established and causing said call forward mode to be cancelled in response thereto.

72. The method of claim 48 further comprising causing a signal to be sent to a landline service provider to indicate that any call intended to be received at a landline to the adjunct apparatus is to be forwarded to the wireless communication appliance instead of to the adjunct.

73. An adjunct apparatus operable to communicate with a wireless communications appliance, the apparatus comprising:

a detector operable to detect the establishment of communications with the wireless communication appliance; and

a processor circuit in communication with the detector and operable to cause an adjunct zone signal to be transmitted to a wireless communication service provider to indicate said communications have been established with said adjunct apparatus, when said detector detects the establishment of communications between the wireless communication appliance and the adjunct apparatus.

74. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein said processor circuit is operable to cause said adjunct zone signal to include a message according to a short message service (SMS) protocol.

75. The apparatus of claim 74 wherein said processor circuit is operable to cause said adjunct zone signal to be produced according to an SMS signaling format.

76. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein said processor circuit is operable to cause said adjunct zone signal to include at least one of: an identification of the wireless communication appliance, identification of the adjunct, a time stamp, identification of a base station that is communicating with the wireless communication appliance, a message type identifier, phone book entries and call log entries .

77. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein said processor circuit is configured to cause a plurality of adjunct zone signals to be transmitted to the communication services provider to indicate said communications have been established with said adjunct, while said wireless communication appliance is in communication with said adjunct.

78. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein said processor circuit is configured to cause said plurality of adjunct zone signals to be transmitted at periodic intervals.

79. The apparatus of claim 78 wherein said processor circuit is programmable to provide for said periodic intervals to be variable.

80. The apparatus of claim 78 wherein said processor circuit is operable to cause said plurality of adjunct zone signals to be transmitted every approximately 5 minutes.

81. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein said processor circuit is operable to cause the wireless communication appliance to autonomously send said adjunct zone signal at time intervals.

82. The apparatus of claim 73 further comprising means for establishing an audio path between the wireless communication appliance and the adjunct apparatus, said means for establishing an audio path being operable to communicate with said detector to detect the establishment of said audio path.

83. The apparatus of claim 73 further including means for establishing communications between the wireless communication appliance and a remote device and wherein said detector is operable to communicate with said means for establishing communications, to detect the establishment of communications between the wireless communication appliance and a remote device.

84. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein said detector is operable to detect when communications between said wireless communication appliance and said adjunct apparatus are no longer established.

85. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein said processor circuit is operable to control the operation of said adjunct apparatus according to programmable parameters, said processor circuit being operable to reprogram at least some of said programmable parameters when the establishment of communications between the wireless communication appliance and the adjunct is detected.

86. The apparatus of claim 73 wherein said processor circuit is operable to cause a call forward message to be transmitted to the wireless communication service provider to cause said wireless communication service provider to place said wireless communication appliance in a call forward mode in which any call intended to be received by the wireless communication appliance is forwarded to a specified location.

87. The apparatus of claim 86 wherein said processor circuit is operable to produce and cause to be sent to the communication service provider a call forward message that causes said service provider to forward calls intended for the wireless communication appliance to a landline.

88. An adjunct apparatus operable to communicate with a wireless communications appliance, the apparatus comprising:

means for detecting the establishment of communications between the wireless communication appliance and the adjunct apparatus;

means for causing an adjunct zone signal to be transmitted to a wireless communication service provider to indicate said communications have been established with said adjunct apparatus.

89. A computer readable medium on which is stored computer readable instructions for directing a processor circuit to cause the location of a wireless communications appliance to be signaled to a communication service provider by:

detecting the establishment of communications between a wireless communication appliance and an adjunct apparatus;

causing an adjunct zone signal indicating said communications have been established with said adjunct apparatus to be transmitted to a wireless communication service provider associated with said wireless communications appliance.

90. A computer readable signal encoded with computer readable instructions for directing a processor circuit to signal the location of a wireless communications appliance by:

91. A method of billing a communication service subscriber based on location, the method comprising:

receiving at a wireless communication service provider a message initiated from a wireless communication appliance, the message indicating at least one of:

said wireless communication appliance is in communication with an adjunct; and

said wireless communication appliance is no longer in communication with said adjunct; and

causing a billing service associated with said communication service provider to adjusting a billing rate for said communication service in response to said message.

92. The method of claim 91 wherein adjusting said billing rate comprises adjusting said billing rate in real time.

93. The method of claim 91 further comprising storing information contained in said message for later use in adjusting said billing rate.

94. A system for billing a communication service subscriber based on location, the system comprising:

a communication service provider operable to receive a signal initiated from a wireless communication appliance, indicating at least one of:

said wireless communication appliance is in communication with an adjunct apparatus; and

said wireless communication appliance is no longer in communication with said adjunct apparatus; and

a billing service associated with the communication service provider operable to receive a message from said communication service provider indicating whether said wireless communication appliance is or is not in communication with the adjunct apparatus and operable to adjust a billing rate for said communication service in response to said message.

95. The system of claim 94 wherein said billing service is operable to adjust a billing rate in real time.

96. The system of claim 94 wherein at least one of said communication service provider and said billing service is operable to cause information contained in said message to be stored for later use in adjusting a billing rate.

97. A method for transferring contact information, the method comprising:

transmitting from a wireless communication appliance, on a wireless network a first message containing the contact information;

receiving said first message at a communication service provider;

receiving at least some of the contact information from the communication service provider at a message server in communication with the communication service provider; and

receiving from the message server a second message containing the at least some of the contact information at a remote device.

98. The method of claim 97 wherein said contact information is transmitted from said message server to said remote device using an internet protocol.

99. A system for transferring contact information, the system comprising:

a wireless communication appliance operable to transmit on a wireless network a first message containing said contact information;

a communication service provider operable to receive said first message, via said wireless communication network, from said wireless communication device; a message server in communication with said communication service provider, operable to receive at least some of said contact information from said communication service provider; and

a remote device operable to receive from said message server a second message containing said at least some of said contact information.