Communications unit, system and methods for providing multiple access to a wireless transceiver

Abstract

The present invention addresses the above need by providing a communications unit comprising a first wireless transceiver port operable to communicate with a first wireless transceiver operable to conduct wireless communications with a wireless base station; and a first expansion interface in communication with the first wireless transceiver port and operable to communicate with a second communications unit on a plurality of communications channels, to permit the second communications unit to access the first wireless transceiver. Effectively, a plurality of communications units of the type described above may be connected together to create a system for providing multiple access to a wireless transceiver, where the wireless transceiver may be a wireless transceiver on any of the so connected communications units. Using a system of this type, users may add the ability to add additional communications appliances and/or additional wireless communications paths to the system. Thus, the system is expandable and contractible and completely eliminates the need to connect communications appliances to land lines. In one embodiment the first expansion interface is operable to conduct communications with the second communications unit on time multiplex channels. Alteratively, such communications may be conducted on frequency multiplex channels.