MXPA00005719A - Battery-backup mechanism for base unit of wireless telephone system - Google Patents

Abstract

A wireless telephone system comprises one or more wireless handsets and a base unit. Each handset has a handset transceiver and a rechargeable handset battery for powering the handset. The base unit has a base transceiver for communicating over an RF channel with each handset via its handset transceiver;a recharge cradle for physically docking a docked handset battery comprising one of a detached handset battery and a handset;and a recharge unit for recharging the docked handset battery. The base unit is coupled to an AC power supply and utilizes the docked handset battery as a backup power supply if AC power from the AC power supply is lost or irregular to prevent communication between the base unit and the handsets from being disrupted.

Description

BATTERY RESERVE MECHANISM FOR A BASE UNIT OF A WIRELESS TELEPHONE SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to multi-line wireless telephone systems and, in particular, to techniques to ensure communications despite losses and power irregularities.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED TECHNIQUE The use of telephones and telephone systems, including wireless telephone systems, is well disseminated. In wireless telephone systems, one or more wireless or cordless telephone handset units communicate via analog or digital radio signals with a base unit, which is typically connected through a standard telephone line to a telephone network external In this way, a user can use the wireless headset to connect a telephone call with another user through the base unit and the telephone network. Multi-line wireless telephone systems are also used in various situations, such as businesses with many telephone users. Such systems employ a headset that communicates with up to N handsets, simultaneously, typically with digital communication schemes, such as broad-spectrum time division multiple access (TDMA). In a TDMA system, an individual RF channel is used, and each handset transmits and receives data for a dedicated fraction of time or slot within a cycle or full epoch. Efficient energy use is important for a wireless system, since headphones are typically powered by a battery. The base unit typically requires more power to operate than the headset, and in this way, it is usually activated by an external AC power supply. Irregularities in the AC power may occur, such as a loss of energy or momentary deformed energy spikes or signals, which can cause communications to be interrupted, for example, a bad power signal may cause a loss of TDMA synchronization. The British patent application No. GB 2 279 827, published on the 1st. November 1995, describes a base unit that recharges a battery in a portable battery-powered unit (such as a wireless telephone headset) through a first power source and a first port, simultaneously recharges an empty battery pack For the portable unit through a second power source and a second port, and a power supply switch can connect the empty battery to provide power to the base unit in the failure of an external power source which normally provides the power to the base unit and to charge the batteries.

COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION A wireless telephone system comprising one or more wireless headsets and a base unit. Each headset has a headset transceiver and a rechargeable headset battery to operate the headset. The base unit has a base transceiver to communicate over an RF channel with each handset through its headset transceiver; a recharging support for physically suppressing a suppressed headset battery comprising one of a separate headset battery and a handset; and a recharge unit to recharge the suppressed headset battery. The base unit is coupled to an AC power supply and uses the suppressed headset battery as a backup power supply if the AC power of the AC power supply is lost or is irregular to prevent communication between the base unit and the headphones that are interrupted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a block diagram of the TDMA multi-line wireless telephone system, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITY Referring now to Figure 1, a block diagram of the TDMA 100 digital wireless multi-line telephone system is shown, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The TDMA system 100 comprises a base unit 110, which has receiver and transmitter units 112 and 111, respectively, and is coupled to the external telephone network 116 through the telephone line 115. The base unit 110 is usually powered by an AC power supply 130. The base unit 110 also comprises a recharging unit 117 and a recharging support 118, which is a suppression port or station for receiving either a cordless handset having a battery 119 or a separate headset battery 119. The recharge unit 117 is powered by AC power and provides DC power to drive the base unit 110 and / or to recharge any battery 119 placed in the holder 118 through the contact provided with the holder 118, which electrically is coupled with contacts either in the suppressed earpiece or in the suppressed battery 119. The system 100 also comprises N wireless headphones 120 ^ 1202, ... 120N-. Each has a transmitter and receiver unit (transceiver), d such as transmitter 121 and receiver 122 of headset 120 ^ Each headset also comprises a rechargeable battery 123. In one embodiment, receiver unit 112 comprises N logical receivers and the transmitter unit 111 comprises N logical transmitters, so that the receiver and transmitter units 112 and 111 provide N logical transceiver units, one for each of N wireless handsets. At any given time, the headphones M (0 <_ M <_ N) are operating or active (i.e., in the process of conducting a telephone call). The telephone system provided by the system 100 preferably operates in the unlicensed 900 MHz band, and preferably provides aspects such as those of a small PBX, together with PC 140. In one embodiment, the system 100 employs a combination of division multiplexing. time (TDM), such as TDMA, and frequency band selection to overcome sources of interference and maintain reliable links between the base station and the headphones. In a digital TDMA scheme, each handset only transmits or receives data during its own "fraction of time" or slot. The system 100 in this manner provides a wireless network between the base station 110 and each handset 120 i (1 <i> _ <N). In one embodiment, N = 4, so that the system 100 comprises a maximum of 4 wireless headphones, each having unique time slots in the TDMA epoch dedicated to the same. As explained above, it is not desirable that communications be interrupted if the power provided to the base unit 110 by the AC 130 power supply is lost or has momentary faults or other irregularities. In the present invention, therefore, the base unit 110 is configured to draw power from the DC supply 119 as a reserve supply in the event that the AC power is irregular or is lost. Generally, there is a battery 119 physically suppressed in support 118, which is either fully recharged or is in the process of being recharged. For example, a single battery or a separate battery can be placed in the holder 118 previously by a user to charge an extra headset battery. The separate battery can be used by recharging the battery, and then ejecting the spent battery in a given handset and replacing it with a recharged earphone battery; At this point, the spent separate headset battery can be recharged. Alternatively, one of the headphones 120 may not be in use and may have been placed in the holder 118. If a separate headset battery is directly suppressed in the holder 118 or an earphone having a battery is suppressed in the holder 118, the holder 118 contains a suppressed earphone battery 119. For this reason, at any given time, there may be a battery 119 suppressed in the holder 118 having a sufficient charge to activate the base unit 110 for some time. Therefore, in a base mode 110 it is configured to extract energy from a battery 119 in its recharge holder 118, if the battery is present and has a minimum charge, and if there is only a loss or irregularity in the AC power provided. to the base unit 110. For example, the headset 12Ü! it can be suppressed with a fully charged battery 123 (also battery 119) in support 118, and not in use. The headphones 1202 and 1203 may be coupled in TDMA communication with the base unit 110. If an AC power failure or power loss is detected by the base unit 110, the base unit 110 extracts the DC power from the base unit 110. 119 battery (ie, 123 battery of the deleted earpiece 120?). This allows communications with headphones 1202 and 1203 so that they continue without interruption and follow the momentary AC power failures or losses, unless the loss of AC power is not restored before the battery 119 is drained by the use of power relatively heavy of the base unit 110. In addition, the backup battery power provided in this manner is "free", since no separate dedicated battery is needed to charge only the base unit, and the base unit 110 has the advantage of an available rechargeable battery that is not actually being used by a handset and that could otherwise be wasted without the energy reserve technique of the present invention. As will be appreciated, if there is no battery 119 suppressed in the holder 118 (or if any battery suppressed therein is not sufficiently charged to activate the base unit 110), then communications may be interrupted if the AC power is lost or It is irregular. In this manner, the energy reserve aspect of the base unit of the present invention is preferably optional and is operated only when a sufficiently charged battery 119 is detected in the holder 118.

In one embodiment, whenever the base unit 110 detects that the AC power is lost and begins to eject AC power from the battery 119, a signal is sent to all the headphones (or all the headphones off-hook) to notify them that the unit The base has experienced an AC power failure and is in a reserve period. This can alert any user to investigate AC power failure and to restore it if possible, and also to alert users that communication may be lost quickly if backup power is drained before restoring AC power. In another embodiment, the base unit 110 comprises a locking mechanism designed to make the removal of the battery 119 more difficult or impossible each time the base unit 110 is in a standby mode. This will prevent a user from accidentally removing the battery 119 and thereby depriving the base unit 110 of operating with power, when the AC power has failed. For example, in normal operation, a user is free to manually insert or remove a battery 119 or earphone having a battery 119 or outside the holder 118. In one embodiment, the holder 118 comprises a closing mechanism actuated by a solenoid that is activated only when the base unit 110 enters reserve mode, which prevents manual removal of the battery 119 unless the user presses a non-closing switch. This allows a user to remove a battery 119 if necessary, but makes the user consider whether to do this since the user must first compress the non-closing switch. In a system that has only an individual handset, if the same handset is suppressed in support 118, then there is no need to use your battery as a backup, since there is no communication in progress while the handset is recharging. Conversely, when the headset is coupled in communication with the base unit, it is not suppressed in the recharge stand 118, so that the battery can not be used for backup purposes. However, in the case where a single battery 119 is being recharged in the recharge holder 118 (e.g., an extra battery for the handset), then the base unit can call the battery backup to avoid interruption of the battery. the communication with the individual headset.

In an alternative embodiment, the battery 119 is not one of the headset batteries, but rather a rechargeable base unit battery dedicated solely to providing standby battery power to the base unit 110. In this embodiment, the battery 119 it can be recharged as long as there is AC power by the same recharge unit 117 that recharges the earphone batteries when the headphones are suppressed in the holder 118. In this case, the battery 119 may be larger in energy storage capacity than the batteries. typical batteries used in headphones 120, which represent the fact that the base unit 110 has a much higher power consumption than headphones. In an alternative embodiment, the base unit 110 comprises multiple supports identical to the support 118, so that more than one single headset or battery can be recharged at a time. It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangements of the parts that have been described and illustrated above for the purpose of explaining the nature of this invention can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the principle and scope of the invention. as set forth in the following claims.

Claims (21)

1. - A wireless telephone system (100) comprising: a) one or more wireless headphones (120), each headset (120 having a rechargeable headset battery (123) to operate the headset, and b) a base unit (110) for communicating on an RF channel with each handset, the base unit further coupling to an AC power supply source (130) and comprising a charging cradle (118) for physically suppressing a suppressed headset battery (119, 123), for recharging (117) the suppressed headset battery, and for providing power from the suppressed headset battery to the base unit in response to a regularity in AC power, wherein the base unit further comprises means for transmitting a notification signal to one or more wireless headsets, if the base unit uses the suppressed headset battery as a backup power supply, to notify one or more wireless headsets that has been det ect an irregularity in AC power.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein one or more wireless headphones comprises a plurality of wireless headphones (1201-N).

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein each headset comprises a headset transceiver (121, 122); the base unit comprises a base transceiver (111, 112) for communicating with each handset via its headset transceiver; and the base transceiver comprises means for establishing a time division multiple access (TDMA) link on a shared RF channel with each handset via the headset transceiver according to a time of TDMA to distribute time slots in packet of exclusive audio to each headset.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the recharging support (118) is for physically suppressing an earphone (120¡) of the plurality of wireless headphones (1201-N) and a rechargeable earphone battery (123). ) of the suppressed earphone (120¡), wherein the suppressed earphone battery (119) comprises the rechargeable earphone battery (123) of the suppressed earphone (120¡).

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein one or more wireless headphones (120) comprises a single headset (120t) and the suppressed headset battery (119) comprises a separate headset battery (119).

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the base unit comprises a plurality of recharging supports.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the base unit comprises means for activating a closing mechanism in the recharging support, if the base unit uses the suppressed headset battery as a backup power supply. , to prevent removal of the suppressed headset battery from the charging stand unless a user activates a non-close switch.

8. A method for maintaining the power of a base unit (119) of a wireless telephone system (100), the wireless telephone system further comprising one or more wireless headphones (120), the base unit comprising a base transceiver (111, 112), a recharging support (118) and a recharging unit (117), each headset comprising an atrial transceiver (121, 122) and a rechargeable headset battery (123) for operating the handset, the method comprises the steps of: a) communicating with each handset through the base transceiver and the handset transceiver; b) physically suppressing with the recharge stand a suppressed headset battery (119, 123), comprising one of a separate headset battery (127) and a rechargeable headset battery (123); c) recharging the suppressed headset battery with the recharging unit, wherein the base unit can be coupled to an AC power source (130); d) detect, with the base unit, an irregularity in the energy AC; e) using the suppressed headset battery as a reserve power supply for the base unit in response to the detection of the irregularity in the AC power; in the method further comprises the steps of: f) transmitting a notification signal to one or more wireless headsets, if the base unit uses the suppressed headset battery as a reserve power supply in step (e) to notify one or more wireless headsets that an irregularity in AC power has been detected.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein one or more wireless headphones comprises a plurality of wireless headphones (1201-N).

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the base transceiver establishes a time division multiple access (TDMA) link on a shared RF channel with each handset through the headset transceiver according to a time period. of TDMA distributing exclusive audio packet time slots to each handset.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the recharging support (118) physically suppresses an earphone (120,) of the plurality of wireless headphones (1201-N) and a rechargeable earphone battery (123) of the suppressed headset (120,), wherein the suppressed headset battery (119) comprises the rechargeable headset battery (123) of the suppressed headset (120,).

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein one or more wireless headsets comprise an individual headset (120 and a suppressed headset battery (119) comprises the separate headset battery (119). according to claim 9, wherein the base unit comprises a plurality of recharging supports 14. The method according to claim 8, wherein, if the base unit uses the suppressed headset battery (119, 123). ), as a reserve power supply, then the base unit activates a locking mechanism in the recharging holder that prevents removal of the suppressed headset battery from the recharging cradle (118) unless a user activates a switch of non-closure 15.- A base unit (110) for communicating with one or more wireless headphones (120), each headset (120) comprising an earphone transceiver (121, 122) and a rechargeable headset battery (123) for to When the headset is connected, the base unit comprises: a) a base transceiver (111, 112) to communicate over an RF channel with each handset through its headset transceiver; b) a recharge holder (118) for physically suppressing a suppressed headset battery (119, 123), comprising one of a separate headset battery (119) and a rechargeable headset battery (123); c) a recharging unit (117) for recharging the suppressed headset battery, wherein the base unit can be coupled to an AC power supply (130) and uses the suppressed headset battery (119, 123) as a supply of reserve power if the AC power of the power supply (AC) is irregular, wherein the base unit further comprises: d) means for transmitting a notification signal to one or more wireless headsets, if the base unit uses the Suppressed headset battery as a backup power supply, to notify one or more wireless headsets that an AC power irregularity has been detected. 16. The base unit according to claim 15, wherein one or more wireless headphones comprises a plurality of wireless headphones (1201-N). 17. The base unit according to claim 16, wherein the base transceiver comprises means for establishing a time division multiple access (TDMA) link on a shared RF channel with each handset through the atrial transceiver of according to a time of TDMA to distribute exclusive audio packet time slots to each handset. 18. The base unit according to claim 16, wherein the load support (118) is for physically suppressing a headset (120,) of the plurality of wireless headphones (1201-N) and a rechargeable headset battery. (123) of the suppressed earphone (120,), wherein the suppressed earphone battery (119) comprises the rechargeable earphone battery 123 of the suppressed earphone (120,). 19. The base unit according to claim 15, wherein one or more wireless headsets comprises a single headset (1200 Y 'to suppressed headset battery (119) comprises a separate headset battery (119). The base unit according to claim 15, further comprising a plurality of refill carriers 21. The base unit according to claim 15, wherein the base unit comprises means for activating a closing mechanism in the recharging support, if the base unit uses the suppressed headset battery as a stand-by power supply, to prevent removal of the suppressed headset battery from the recharging stand unless a user activates a non-closing switch.