Combination cordless-cellular telephone system

Abstract

A special telephone instrument has a cordless hand-piece and one or more base-stations. Each base-station is hard-wire-connected with the ordinary telephone utility system and may include a built-in cellular transceiver. The hand-piece, which is powered by a built-in rechargeable battery, is--within its maximum cordless range (e.g., 500 feet)--connected with its nearest base-station via two-way radio transmission. When not in use, the hand-piece is at times resting in a cradle at its nearest base-station, thereby getting its battery recharged. When in use, the hand-piece is removed from its cradle. When so removed, the hand-piece may--while located within cordless range--be used for receiving and/or placing phone-calls via any one of the base-stations. When moved outside of cordless range, the hand-piece automatically converts to a cellular telephone, thereby permitting--not only the continuation of an ongoing conversation--but also the receiving and/or placing of telephone calls in any location served by a cellular telephone system. Thus, a person may have a base-station in his office whereat his cordless hand-piece is cradled most of the time during office hours, thereby maintaining the built-in battery fully charged. When he leaves his office, he would bring his cordless hand-piece (and his conversation) along; which hand-piece, after being removed outside of its cordless range, will automatically convert to a cellular telephone. Then, when he gets home after work, he would place his hand-piece into the cradle of another base-station; which hand-piece would automatically convert back to a regular cordless mode after having come within the cordless range of this other base-station.