WO2000056045A1

WO2000056045A1 - Comfort telephone set

Info

Publication number: WO2000056045A1
Application number: PCT/DE2000/000634
Authority: WO
Inventors: Klaus Wille
Original assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 1999-03-17
Filing date: 2000-03-01
Publication date: 2000-09-21

Abstract

The invention relates to a comfort telephone set, comprising a handset configured as a DECT cordless mobile telephone set, thereby enabling the utilization of all performance features of comfort telephone sets and their keypads at the work place. Means are provided to detect whether the hand set is hanged up. Whenever the cordless telephone set serving as a handset is hanged up or picked up for the purpose of answering a call and whenever the cordless handset is picked up to place an outgoing call during incoming calls, the corresponding switching center sets up the receive and voice path to the cordless handset as a wireless connection. Whenever the switching center detects via the signaling channel of the wireless telephone that the control elements (keys) of the cordless telephone are actuated in order to set up a connection or whenever the switching center detects, via the signaling channel of the stationary telephone, an incoming call for the common call number of the cordless telephone and stationary telephone that the cordless telephone is not hanged up as receiver in the stationary telephone, communication with the cordless telephone is effected in a mobile and wireless manner throughout the network by means of base stations that are also connected to the communication network.

Description

description

Comfort phone

A stationary telephone in a common form on a modern PABX (Private Access Branch Exchange) offers the user a high level at his work place thanks to numerous telephone features and their supporting user interface thanks to numerous function keys, name keys, display indicators, LEDs, audio signals, hands-free calling, etc. Level of functionality and ease of use. A cordless telephone or mobile phone supports the mobility of the user, but due to the limited controls, it cannot offer the same comfort and functionality as a stationary telephone.

At present, a subscriber who wants to use numerous telephone features and telephone comfort at his work place needs a stationary telephone. If this subscriber also wants to make mobile phone calls from time to time, he must have a second cordless phone or mobile phone. This has the following disadvantage for the user: the stationary telephone and the cordless telephone or mobile telephone are set up under two different call numbers.

For technical reasons, these two telephone numbers are managed by the switching center as if they were assigned to completely different subscribers.

Because a landline connection can be assigned to a single switching device, but a mobile device may have to be reachable from several switching devices because of the cellular structure of a mobile radio network if a mobile radio subscriber moves across a cell boundary in the cellularly structured network, the network consists of and mediation view differences in administration and in Signaling of mobile and landline connections. This issue is taken into account by assigning different telephone numbers for the different networks.

Therefore, callers either have to try both numbers or the subscriber must activate call forwarding from the phone on which they are currently unavailable or do not want to be reached to the phone on which they can or will be reached. This problem also arises for combinations of comfort telephones with an integrated base station and handsets registered there that are already available on the market. Although the subscriber can be reached from outside via a telephone number, it is not possible to be reachable across the network beyond the range of the radio cells of this combination of connections.

The reason for this mobility restriction is that the mobile radio subscriber is known as such only to a DECT base station assigned to him, to which his mobile part is registered and, consequently, only in those

Radio cells that can be operated from this base station are mobile. However, from the point of view of the switching device to which this DECT base station is connected, the connection and the telephone number of the base station count as a landline connection and not as a mobile connection. For this reason, despite the existing handset, the subscriber cannot be reached across cells in a larger DECT area, also called roamen in technical jargon, although both the DECT network and the fixed network of the base station may be served by the same switching center become.

The object of the invention is to avoid these disadvantages of existing systems and to provide a multifunctional comfort telephone and an associated communication system with mobile communication that is possible throughout the network. This object is achieved for the comfort telephone according to the features of claim 1 and for the communication system according to the features of claim 7. Further developments of the invention result from the dependent claims

According to the stationary telephone and the cordless telephone or mobile phone of a subscriber have only one common number. When the subscriber is at his work place, he wants to use his stationary telephone. The device of the cordless telephone only serves as a cordless handset, i.e. the stationary telephone is operated via the controls of the stationary telephone. He uses e.g. Function keys, name keys, display indicators, LEDs, call signal, hands-free calling, etc.

In this case, there is therefore a bidirectional signaling connection from the stationary telephone, the basic convenience device with a landline connection, to the associated switching device. However, the communication link of the hearing and speech path is via the handset. A wide variety of transmission paths are conceivable and possible for this connection:

- Cordless connection via radio, infrared / ultrasound transmission link to the basic comfort device. Cordless connection to a base station in the building of a cellular structured DECT area, whereby this base station can also be located in the basic comfort device.

The handset can be located, for example, by determining with which base station there is a radio connection to the handset. If the handset is in the same radio cell as the basic comfort device, it can be assumed that the subscriber is in his / her office and the features of the basic comfort wants to use the device, which means that the signaling connection of his telephone number is to be switched by the switching center via the fixed network.

This location can also be performed by a sensor that detects whether the handset is placed on the basic comfort device or not. Such sensors can be designed as proximity switches, pressure contacts or also as detectors, which indicate the existence of a wireless connection to the handset.

In this case, the cordless telephone or handset replaces the handset in the form of a loudspeaker and a microphone on the stationary telephone, the basic comfort device. Lifting and hanging up on the stationary telephone is done by lifting and hanging up the cordless telephone. The cordless telephone acts as a cordless handset.

If the subscriber wants to make mobile phone calls from his work place, he operates his cordless phone or cell phone using the controls on this cell phone. Switching the function of the cordless telephone between the function as a cordless handset of the stationary telephone or as an independent cordless telephone / mobile phone can take place automatically: if the cordless telephone device is on the stationary telephone as a handset or in connection with an incoming call or an outgoing assignment is lifted from the stationary telephone, the device of the cordless telephone serves as handset. If the cordless phone is operated remotely from the stationary phone via the own controls of the cordless phone, it serves as a cordless phone or mobile phone. If the subscriber connection is free and the device of the cordless telephone is not on the stationary telephone as a cordless handset, an incoming call is made to the cordless telephone or cell phone. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to figures

As known, as Figure 1 shows, a PABX with a variety of telephone features such. B. the type Hicom 300 from the manufacturer Siemens AG required. Also known is a cordless telephone switching device as shown in FIG. B. Hicom Cordless E 300 from Siemens AG required. FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the invention with the implementation of the optional use of a cordless telephone as the receiver of a stationary telephone.

Figure 1 shows communication terminals K1, ..., K4, which are connected to a switching device PAB1 via connecting lines KV1 to KV4. The switching device PAB1 has a control ST, with which, inter alia, Signaling connections can be established. Two such compounds are shown in the form of SV1 and SV2. They are preferably used to transmit control data for display on a terminal, to establish a connection, to transmit the ring signal, to transmit keyboard commands, or to control signal lights or LEDs (light-emitting diodes). The voice channels are switched by a switching network (not shown) of the switching device PAB1. A digital communication terminal KE5 is also connected to the switching center PAB1 via a subscriber line module SLMD.

As FIG. 2 shows, mobile parts MT1, MT2 and MT3 of a cordless communication network can also be controlled within the switching area of a switching device PAB1. Depending on the capacity of PAB1, any number of hard-wired devices and handsets can be connected to each other. A KE6 communication terminal is shown to represent the fixed network devices. The mobile parts can be connected via base stations BS1, BS2 and BS3 of a DECT area, which cover radio area cells I, II and III, respectively. Together they form a local, cellularly structured DECT network. In the case of a communication connection, there are radio connections FS1, FS2 and FS3 between the base stations and the handsets. Both the respective voice and signaling information are transmitted via these radio links. The base stations are connected to the switching device via special cordless connection modules SLMC1, SLMC2 and SLMC3. As indicated by the staggered representation, the module SLMC3 is located in another switching center PAB2. Furthermore, FIG. 2 shows the special nature of the construction of cordless connections. A mobile part MT2, which can normally be reached in radio area I of base station BS1 on connection module SLMC1, is located in radio cell II of base station BS2 on connection module SLMC2. Through system-internal signaling, the wireless connection modules inform each other about the location of the handsets in the local DECT area. In this way, an incoming call from the fixed line terminal KE6, which arrives via the line KV6, SV6, for communication and signaling, for the number of MT2 at the base station BS1, is automatically forwarded in the switching center to SLMC2, where the handset MT2 currently located. The whereabouts of the mobile parts in the respective radio cells I, II, III is preferably signaled by specifying the unique DECT identification code of a respective mobile part MT1, MT2, MT3. This form of internal signaling of mobile subscribers requires a different treatment of fixed network numbers and of mobile network numbers.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the control of the switching system PAB1 controls the stationary telephone and the cordless telephone in call processing as a pair of connections, here designated KT, which belongs to a single subscriber. This includes the keeping of a phone number, the display of only a free / busy status, uniform authorizations of a participant, as well as charge allocation and performance features of a participant, etc.

For the alternative use of the cordless telephone as a cordless handset of the stationary telephone or as an independent handset, the switching system PAB1 alternatively controls the hearing and speaking path of the stationary telephone, or the hearing and speaking path of the cordless telephone. In hands-free mode, the basic comfort device with fixed connection BG8, or the listening and speaking path of the cordless MT8 telephone, both as a handset and as an independent mobile phone. A communication system KS consists, for example, of a combination of terminals which are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and whose communication and signaling connections are established and established by the switching device PAB1.

For the alternative use of the cordless telephone as a cordless handset or as an independent handset, the switching system controls both the signaling channel of the stationary telephone and the signaling channel of the cordless telephone. The operator guidance is preferably signaled by display indicators, the display of LEDs, the ringing tone, etc .; Operator input using buttons on the stationary and cordless telephone, lifting the hook, etc. of the MT8 handset from the BG8 basic comfort device. Once the signaling connection SVM8 runs via the base station BS8 and the cordless connection module SLMC5 via radio link FS8. The other time over the landline as SVB8 to the basic comfort device BG8. The respective voice channels for the corresponding connections are designated KVB8 and KVM8. The alternative control of the cordless telephone as a cordless handset or as an independent MT8 handset is based on the following criteria:

The control ST of the switching system PAB1 recognizes, via the signaling channel SVB8 of the stationary telephone BG8, the actuation of operating elements of the stationary telephone as well as the presence of the cordless telephone MT8 as a receiver via corresponding means, which are designed, for example, as pressure switches, proximity switches, or in the form of the telephone input keyboard could be. Depending on the change in the state of the hearing-speaking device, signals are emitted from these devices to the switching device PAB1, preferably when the change occurs and when operating elements of the stationary or mobile telephone are actuated.

In the case of an incoming call, in the event that the cordless telephone MT8 is on the receiver and is lifted for the purpose of reporting, and when the connection is set up by lifting the cordless receiver, the listening and speaking path from the switching device PAB1 is not like that of a normal telephone the same line as the signaling channel to the stationary wired BG8 telephone, but via a radio connection via the base station to the cordless telephone. Switching a speech path from / to the handset of a normal telephone is replaced by a radio connection FS8.

The connection-accompanying signaling of the operator guidance continues to take place via the stationary telephone. When the operator over the signaling channel of the MT8 cordless telephone recognizes that the operating elements, buttons of the cordless telephone are actuated, the cordless telephone initiates an established connection as an independent telephone without signaling on the stationary telephone.

If the operator answers an incoming call to the call number common to cordless and stationary he recognizes via the signaling channel of the stationary telephone SVB8 that the cordless telephone MT8 is not on the stationary telephone BG8 as the receiver, then the cordless telephone MT8 is called as an independent telephone. Then the cordless telephone has the full mobility functionality, as available in the corresponding radio switching networks, such as the Hicom Cordless E 300 or in corresponding DECT systems. Further details can be found in the description of FIG. 2.

As an additional function, during a connection in which the cordless telephone MT8 serves as the cordless handset of the stationary telephone BG8, an active switching of use can take place by means of a subscriber procedure in such a way that the cordless telephone serves as an independent cell phone. The stationary telephone is automatically put into the idle state by signaling or operator input.

Likewise, during a connection in which the cordless telephone serves as an independent mobile phone MT8, a user procedure can be used to switch the use in such a way that the cordless telephone MT8 serves as a cordless handset for the stationary telephone BG8.

Claims

claims

1. Comfort phone, a) in which at least one base unit (BG8) with keyboard and storage for a hearing-speaking device (MT8) is available, which is connected to a first wired telecommunications network (KVl, ..., KV4), b) to which there is a hearing / speaking device (MT8) which can be connected via a wireless communication link to an at least partially wireless working second communication network (FS8), c) and which are provided for determining whether the hearing / speaking device (MT8) rests in the shelf.

2. Comfort telephone (KT) according to claim 1, wherein the means in the hearing-speaking device (MT8) are arranged

3. Comfort telephone according to claim 1, in which the means are arranged in the base unit (BG8)

4. Comfort telephone (KT) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the means are designed as a telephone dialing keypad.

5. Comfort telephone (KT) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the means emit a signal as a function of a changing storage state of the hearing-speaking device (MT8).

6. Comfort telephone according to claim 4, in which the signal is delivered to the wireless and / or wired operating communication network.

7. Communication system with a comfort telephone (KT) according to one of the preceding claims, in which a switching device (PAB1) in one of the communication networks the sig- nal records and depending on the signal controls a connection-related signaling to the comfort telephone (KT) via the wired (SVB8) or the partially wireless communication network (SVM8).

8. Communication system (KS) according to claim 7, wherein the switching device (PABl) performs both switching tasks in the first and in the second communication network, the base unit (BG8) and the hearing / speaking device (MT8) as a connection pair of the switching device with one Phone number are executed.

9. Communication system (KS) according to one of claims 7 or 8, in which the base device (BG8) with keyboard and storage is designed as a DECT base station.

10. Communication system (KS) according to claim 7 to 9, in which the hearing / speaking device (MT8) is designed as a DECT handset.