Selective reconfiguration method and apparatus in a multiple application personal communications device

US5568536A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Byron K. Tiller · Boca Raton, US
• David J. Allard · Boynton Beach, US
• Connie Yudip Au · Coral Springs, US
• Francis J. Canova, Jr. · Fremont, US
• Daniel Ming-Te Hsieh · Austin, US
• Julie Goodwin · Boca Raton, US
• Debra A. G. Johnson · Fort Lauderdale, US
• Charles S. Lanier · Delray Beach, US
• James R. Lewis · Delray Beach, US
• Jean Luter Stout · Boca Raton, US
• William Villafana · Pembroke Pines, US
• Raymond L. Yee · Pompano Beach, US
• Russell S. Padgett · Ridgeland, US
• Robert Bedford Ferrier · Boca Raton, US
• Anthony F. Corkell · Boca Raton, US
• Thomas T. Murakami · Deerfield Beach, US
• Bradley J. DeBauche · Delray Beach, US
• Wayne P. Whitley · Boca Raton, US
• Neal A. Osborn · Milpitas, US
• Brent A. Beatty · Louisville, US
• Roger L. Cox · Sunrise, US
• James C. Wulf · Boca Raton, US
• Jose L. Rivero · Boca Raton, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 25, 1994
• Grant date: Oct 22, 1996
• Expiry date: Jul 25, 2014

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04W88/06
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An option attach connector has a first indicator bit combination that alerts the device that a public switched telephone network connection has been made to it. The presence of the first indicator bit combination is a signal to the device that telephone, FAX, and E-MAIL communications applications are to be conducted over a PSTN link. The presence of the first indicator bit combination invokes a stored computer program to provide appropriate connections between the PSTN link and the telephone, FAX, and modem hardware in the device. The connections are made by an audio multiplexer that receives control signals from the system CPU, while executing the stored computer program. The program determines the communications application selected by the user and selectively configures the PSTN link to be connected to the either the ear piece and microphone for voice communications, or to the FAX/modem for FAX communications, or to the modem alone for E-MAIL communications. The absence of the option attach connector invokes a default indicator bit combination that alerts the device that a cellular telephone network connection is desired by the user. The presence of the default indicator bit co…