Adaptive paging signal in cordless telephone

Abstract

In one embodiment, a cordless telephone according to the invention includes a base unit, including a paging mechanism, and a handset, including an alerting mechanism responsive to the paging mechanism. At least one of the base unit and the handset includes a page adjusting mechanism to affect an alerting signal output from the alerting mechanism based on a condition. Thus, the paging signal is adaptive to increase the opportunity for a user to determine the location of a misplaced handset. In another embodiment, a cordless telephone is equipped so that the base unit can provide an indication related to a distance between the base unit and the handset. In yet another embodiment, a cordless telephone is equipped so that the paging mechanism is adjusted based on user control. In a further embodiment according to the invention, a method is provided for affecting an alerting signal output by an alerting mechanism of a cordless telephone handset. The method includes the steps of sensing a condition, and affecting the alerting signal based on the sensed condition.

1 . A cordless telephone, comprising: 
 a base unit, including a paging mechanism; and    a handset, including an alerting mechanism responsive to the paging mechanism,    wherein at least one of the base unit and the handset includes a page adjusting mechanism to affect an alerting signal output from the alerting mechanism based on a condition.    
     
     
         2 . A cordless telephone as recited in    claim 1   , wherein the adjusting mechanism affects the alerting signal based on a received signal strength indication.  
     
     
         3 . A cordless telephone as recited in    claim 1   , wherein the adjusting mechanism affects the alerting signal based on a signal delay measurement  
     
     
         4 . A cordless telephone as recited in    claim 1   , wherein the adjusting mechanism affects the alerting signal based on an error correction measurement.  
     
     
         5 . A cordless telephone as recited in    claim 1   , wherein the adjusting mechanism affects the alerting signal to have a duration based on an estimate of the distance between the base unit and the handset.  
     
     
         6 . A cordless telephone as recited in    claim 1   , wherein the adjusting mechanism affects the alerting signal to have a volume based on an estimate of the distance between the base unit and the handset.  
     
     
         7 . A cordless telephone as recited in    claim 1   , wherein the adjusting mechanism affects the alerting signal to have a particular tonal quality based on an estimate of the distance between the base unit and the handset.  
     
     
         8 . A cordless telephone as recited in    claim 1   , wherein the adjusting mechanism affects the alerting signal based on an estimate of the distance between the base unit and the handset, and wherein the estimate is based on at least one measure related to a signal from the base unit to the handset, and at least one measure related to a signal from the handset to the base unit.  
     
     
         9 . A cordless telephone as recited in    claim 1   , wherein the adjusting mechanism affects the alerting signal based on an estimate of the distance between the base unit and the handset, and wherein the estimate is based on a plurality of signals between the base unit and the handset.  
     
     
         10 . A cordless telephone as recited in    claim 1   , wherein the adjusting mechanism affects the alerting signal based on an ambient noise measurement.  
     
     
         11 . A cordless telephone as recited in    claim 10   , wherein at least a portion of the adjusting mechanism is in the handset, and wherein the handset further comprises: 
 a microphone; and    a receiver,    and wherein the adjusting mechanism is adapted to receive a measure of the ambient noise incident on the microphone from the receiver and to affect the alerting signal based on the measure.    
     
     
         12 . A cordless telephone as recited in    claim 11   , wherein the adjusting mechanism affects the alerting signal to have a volume a predetermined amount higher than the ambient noise.  
     
     
         13 . A cordless telephone as recited in    claim 11   , wherein the adjusting mechanism affects the alerting signal to have a tonal quality different from the ambient noise.  
     
     
         14 . A cordless telephone as recited in    claim 1   , wherein the alerting signal includes a visual signal that is output based on an estimate of the distance between the base unit and the handset.  
     
     
         15 . A cordless telephone, comprising: 
 a base unit, including a paging mechanism; and    a handset, including an alerting mechanism responsive to the paging mechanism,    wherein the base unit provides an indication related to a distance between the base unit and the handset.    
     
     
         16 . A cordless telephone as recited in    claim 15   , wherein the indication is a visual indication provided when the handset is estimated to be more than a threshold distance from the base unit.  
     
     
         17 . A cordless telephone, comprising: 
 a base unit, including a paging mechanism; and    a handset, including an alerting mechanism responsive to the paging mechanism,    wherein the paging mechanism is adapted for user control.    
     
     
         18 . A cordless telephone as recited in    claim 17   , wherein the user control enables a user to adjust the signal output by the alerting mechanism.  
     
     
         19 . A cordless telephone as recited in    claim 18   , wherein the user control enables a user to adjust the signal output by the alerting mechanism to progressively increase in volume.  
     
     
         20 . A cordless telephone as recited in    claim 19   , wherein the handset enables the user to activate a user input unit to terminate the signal output by the alerting mechanism.  
     
     
         21 . A method of affecting an alerting signal output by an alerting mechanism of a cordless telephone handset, comprising the steps of: 
 sensing a condition; and    affecting the alerting signal based on the sensed condition.    
     
     
         22 . A method as recited in    claim 21   , wherein the sensed condition is a received signal strength indication.  
     
     
         23 . A method as recited in    claim 21   , wherein the sensed condition is a signal delay measurement.  
     
     
         24 . A method as recited in    claim 21   , wherein the sensed condition is an error correction measurement.  
     
     
         25 . A method as recited in    claim 21   , wherein the sensed condition is an ambient noise measurement.  
     
     
         26 . A method as recited in    claim 21   , wherein the sensed condition is an estimate of the distance between a base unit and the handset, and wherein the step of affecting the alerting signal comprises affecting the duration of the alerting signal based on an estimate of the distance between the base unit and the handset.  
     
     
         27 . A method as recited in    claim 21   , wherein the sensed condition is an estimate of the distance between a base unit and the handset, and wherein the step of affecting the alerting signal comprises affecting the volume of the alerting signal based on an estimate of the distance between the base unit and the handset.  
     
     
         28 . A method as recited in    claim 21   , wherein the sensed condition is an estimate of the distance between a base unit and the handset, and wherein the step of affecting the alerting signal comprises affecting the tonal quality of the alerting signal based on an estimate of the distance between the base unit and the handset.