Communication device enclosure

Abstract

An enclosure for communication devices is described comprising a rear housing and a faceplate. Various faceplates may be provided for different communication devices. The rear housing mounts to existing phone backboards. The rear housing may remain mounted and the faceplate exchanged for a different faceplate with a different communication device. The enclosure provides a simple, ubiquitous, an inexpensive enclosure that can support various communication devices that provide a variety of communication services to users such as email, VOIP, video calls, or other advanced telecommunications.

1 . A communication device, comprising:
 one or more processors and/or circuits;   a housing that encloses the one or more processors and/or circuits;   a handset disposed outside the housing and electrically connected to the one or more processors and/or circuits;   a touch-screen display disposed at an exposed face of the housing and electrically connected to the one or more processors and/or circuits; and   a handset hook switch attached to an outer surface of the housing and electrically connected to the one or more processors and/or circuits, the handset hook switch configured to selectively activate the touch-screen display.   
     
     
         2 . The communication device of  claim 1 , further comprising Power over Ethernet (PoE) circuitry disposed within the housing, the PoE circuitry being configured to provide power to at least one of the touch-screen display or the handset. 
     
     
         3 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the communication device enters a voice communication mode in response to the touch-screen display being activated. 
     
     
         4 . The communication device of  claim 3 , wherein the touch-screen display displays a graphical user interface that portrays a number pad in response to the communication device enters the voice communication mode. 
     
     
         5 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the communication device enters a video communication mode in response to the touch-screen display being activated. 
     
     
         6 . The communication device of  claim 5 , further comprising a camera, wherein the communication device further activates the camera in response to the communication device entering the video communication mode. 
     
     
         7 . A communication device, comprising:
 a housing including a first side having a faceplate;   a touch-screen display enclosed within the faceplate such that only a portion of a display surface of the touch-screen display is exposed by the faceplate;   a handset disposed outside the housing, the handset including a speaker and a microphone; and   power-over-Ethernet (PoE) circuitry disposed within the housing and configured to receive PoE and to provide power to at least one of the touch-screen display or the handset.   
     
     
         8 . The communication device of  claim 7 , wherein the PoE circuitry further provides network connectivity to the communication device. 
     
     
         9 . The communication device of  claim 7 , wherein the communication device is configured to enter a voice communication mode based on input from the touch-screen display. 
     
     
         10 . The communication device of  claim 7 , wherein the communication device is configured to enter a video communication mode based on input from the touch-screen display. 
     
     
         11 . The communication device of  claim 10 , further comprising a camera, wherein the communication device is further configured to activate the camera in response to the video communication mode being entered. 
     
     
         12 . The communication device of  claim 11 , wherein the PoE circuitry is further configured to provide power to at least one of the touch-screen display, the handset, or the camera. 
     
     
         13 . The communication device of  claim 9 , wherein the communication device is configured to enter the audio communication mode based on input from the touch-screen display and in response to the handset being activated. 
     
     
         14 . The communication device of  claim 7 , wherein PoE circuitry provides power by way of a single Ethernet wire. 
     
     
         15 . The communication device of  claim 7 , wherein the housing further including a second side that is adapted to mount to a phone backboard. 
     
     
         16 . The communication device of  claim 7 , wherein the touch-screen display displays a graphical user interface having icons to active a voice communication or a video communication. 
     
     
         17 . The communication device of  claim 16 , wherein the icons are a number pad. 
     
     
         18 . A communication device, comprising:
 one or more processors and/or circuits;   a housing that encloses the one or more processors and/or circuits;   a handset disposed outside the housing and electrically connected to the one or more processors and/or circuits;   a touch-screen display disposed at an exposed face of the housing and electrically connected to the one or more processors and/or circuits;   power-over-Ethernet (PoE) circuitry configured to provide power or network connection to at least one of the one or more processors and/or circuits, the handset, or the touch-screen display; and   a handset hook switch attached to an outer surface of the housing and electrically connected to the one or more processors and/or circuits, the handset hook switch configured to selectively activate the touch-screen display.   
     
     
         19 . The communication device of  claim 18 , wherein the communication device is configured to enter a voice communication mode based on input from the touch-screen display. 
     
     
         20 . The communication device of  claim 18 , further comprising a camera, wherein the communication device is configured to enter a video communication mode based on input from the touch-screen display, and wherein the communication device is configured to activate the camera in response to the video communication mode being entered.