Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Including private cordless extension system
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-30
2004-08-03
Trost, William (Department: 2683)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Including private cordless extension system
C455S410000, C455S411000, C455S435100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06771973
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for setting main-sub (parent-child) relation of electronic appliances such as a cordless telephone system including a main (parent) unit and a sub (child) unit wireless-connected to the main unit. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for setting main-sub relation enabling easy expansion (addition) of a sub unit.
2. Description of the Background Art
Recently, a cordless telephone system allowing use of a plurality of sub units has come to be widely used. When the cordless telephone systems are sold, cases that the systems including one main unit and two or more sub units, sold as a set are few. In most cases, a user purchases one main unit and one sub unit and, additionally buys another sub unit when it becomes necessary afterward. In such a case, it is necessary to register in the additional sub unit purchased afterward, the same call identification (hereinafter referred to as ID) as the main unit, or the information that the number of sub units is increased by one, in the main unit.
For this purpose, generally, the main unit and the sub unit of the cordless telephone system has a special operational mode, referred to as an expansion mode, different from a normal mode. When a sub unit is to be added, the operational mode of the main unit and the new sub unit to be added is changed from the normal mode to the expansion mode by a special operation. When a sub unit No. of the sub unit to be added is input to the main unit in the expansion mode, the main unit transmits, by wireless communication, the sub unit No. and a signal instructing addition, to the sub unit. The sub unit receives these, and writes the ID and the sub unit No. in a memory.
Thereafter, the sub unit transmits a signal acknowledging reception of the signal instructing addition, to the main unit. Upon reception of this acknowledgement signal, the main unit determines that expansion (addition) has successfully completed, and writes information that a sub unit is added, in a memory. Thus, the new sub unit that has stored the same sub unit No. and the ID as the main unit is now capable of wireless connection with the main unit.
When an added sub unit fails or becomes unnecessary, it becomes necessary to cancel information of the sub unit that is not used, stored in the main unit. Therefore, a process is necessary in which the operational mode of the main unit is changed from the normal mode to a cancellation mode and the information of the sub unit that is not used is canceled.
In this manner, special operations are necessary for adding or removing a sub unit. In order to prevent erroneous expansion or cancellation, generally, the operation for switching the operational mode from the normal mode to the expansion mode or to the cancellation mode is often intentionally made complicated. Thus, the method of expansion is not easily comprehensible to many users. For example, in order to change the operational mode from the normal mode to the expansion mode, an exemplary necessary procedure is “to turn the power on while continuously pressing a prescribed key.” As recent telephone systems, come to have various and many convenient functions, method of operation has come to be more complicated accordingly, confusing the users. Therefore, manufacturers of cordless telephone systems set up inquiry call numbers at retail outlets and customer service centers, to answer inquiries and questions from the users.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 8-223282 discloses a technique that makes easier an operation for the user to add a sub unit to a system. Referring to
FIG. 12
, the invention described in this laid-open application includes a cordless telephone system including a main unit
1000
connected to a telephone circuit, an existing sub unit
1200
and a new sub unit
1500
to be wireless-connected to main unit
1000
, wherein the main unit
1000
includes a first memory storing sub unit information for identifying existing sub unit
1200
and new sub unit
1500
to be connected, and a first memory control circuit for controlling the first memory to store the sub unit information. Each of the existing sub unit
1200
and the new sub unit
1500
includes a second memory storing sub unit information specifying itself, and a second memory control circuit for controlling the second memory to store the sub unit information identifying itself. Main unit
1000
includes a control apparatus enabling the first and second memories to store sub unit information identifying the new sub unit
1500
to be added, while keeping telephone communication with the telephone system
1600
installed at a retail outlet through the telephone circuit.
The control apparatus is capable of letting the first and second memories of main unit
1000
and new sub unit
1500
to be added store the sub unit information identifying the new sub unit
1500
to be added, while the main unit
1000
starts and keeps a telephone call to telephone system
1600
installed in the retail outlet. Thus, it is possible for a user who is not familiar with the process of expansion, to add the new sub unit while making reference to the service person at the retail outlet or the customer service center of the manufacturer of the cordless telephone system, over the connected telephone line.
In accordance with the invention described in the aforementioned laid-open application, however, it is necessary for the user to purchase the new sub unit
1500
at a retail outlet, and to perform the process for adding the new sub unit
1500
by himself at his home, in accordance with an instruction from a salesperson, for example. Therefore, the user's burden, which is considerably increased as the method of setting varies widely and the number of items to be set increases, is still considerably heavy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for setting main-sub relation, enabling setting of a sub unit newly added to a main unit in a simple manner.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method of setting main-sub relation enabling setting of a sub unit newly added to a main unit at a retail outlet, even when the main unit is placed at a user's home.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method of setting main-sub relation enabling a user to purchase a sub unit of which setting for expansion is already completed.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method of setting main-sub relation enabling a user to visit a retail outlet and to purchase a sub unit of which setting for expansion is already completed.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method of setting main-sub relation that enables comprehension of the state of setting for expansion.
The apparatus for setting main-sub relation in accordance with the present invention is for setting a main-sub relation of electric appliances including one main unit and one or more sub units connected to the main unit. The main unit includes a first storage circuit for storing information identifying itself. The sub unit includes a second storage circuit storing information identifying a main unit to which it is connected. The main-sub relation setting apparatus is capable of communicating with an arbitrary main unit through a first communication medium, and capable of communicating with a sub unit through a second communication medium. The main-sub relation setting apparatus includes a first communication circuit connected to the first communication medium and reading information stored in the first storage circuit of the main unit connected to the main-sub relation setting apparatus through the first communication medium, and a second communication circuit connected to the second communication medium and the first communication circuit and writing information for identifying the main unit to
Seo Masayoshi
Toda Manabu
D'Agosta Stephen
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
Trost William
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