Interoperable AM/FM headset and wireless telephone device

Abstract

An AM/FM radio receiver is integrated with a wireless phone unit. Preferably, a wireless headset communicates with the integrated unit to selectively provide both commercial radio audio and wireless telephony. A microphone unit allows the user to conduct a wireless telephone call from the headset.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An integrated commercial radio receiver and wireless telephone device comprising a phone unit including: 
 a broadband AM/FM radio signal receiver;    a wireless telephone transceiver for communicating with a wireless telephone system; and    a transmitter for selectively transmitting a commercial radio signal from said radio signal receiver or an incoming audio signal of a wireless telephone call to a headset unit.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said transmitter is a wireless transmitter.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said transmitter is an FM radio transmitter.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein said headset unit comprises an FM demodulator for demodulating an FM signal transmitted from said transmitter of said phone unit.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said headset unit comprises: 
 a microphone for transducing spoken utterances of a user as an outgoing audio signal of said wireless telephone call; and    a transceiver for transmitting said outgoing audio signal to said wireless telephone transceiver for transmission to said wireless telephone system.    
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said headset unit comprises a stereo decoder for decoding said commercial radio signal transmitted by said phone unit, when said commercial radio signal is in stereo.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said phone unit further comprises a user input device for selecting a commercial radio station that is tuned by said radio receiver.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein said user input device further controls a frequency at which said transmitter communicates with said headset unit.  
     
     
         9 . A method of integrating a commercial radio receiver and a wireless telephone device into a common unit including providing a broadband AM/FM radio signal receiver and a wireless telephone transceiver for communicating with a wireless telephone system within a single unit.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising selectively transmitting a commercial radio signal from said radio signal receiver or an incoming audio signal of a wireless telephone call to a headset unit.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said transmitting is performed wirelessly.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein transmitting is performed with an FM radio transmitter.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising demodulating an FM signal transmitted from said FM radio transmitter with an FM demodulator of said headset unit.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 transducing spoken utterances of a user as an outgoing audio signal of said wireless telephone call with a microphone unit; and    transmitting said outgoing audio signal to said wireless telephone transceiver for transmission to said wireless telephone system.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising stereo decoding said commercial radio signal transmitted by said phone unit, when said commercial radio signal is in stereo, with a stereo decoder in said headset unit.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising selecting a frequency at which said transmitter communicates with said headset unit.  
     
     
         17 . An integrated device having a commercial radio receiver and a wireless telephone device comprising: 
 broadband receiving means for receiving commercial AM/FM radio signals; and    wireless telephone transceiver means for communicating with a wireless telephone system;    wherein said broadband receiving means and said wireless telephone transceiver means are integrated into a common unit.    
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , further comprising means for selectively transmitting a commercial radio signal from said broadband receiving means or an incoming audio signal of a wireless telephone call from said wireless telephone transceiver means to a headset unit.  
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 means for transducing spoken utterances of a user as an outgoing audio signal of said wireless telephone call; and    means for transmitting said outgoing audio signal to said wireless telephone transceiver means for transmission to said wireless telephone system.    
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein said means for selectively transmitting comprise a radio transmitter, said device further comprising means for selecting a frequency at which said radio transmitter communicates with said headset unit.