Wireless multi-unit conference phone

1. A conference phone system with multiple wireless conference phone units, comprising:

a base station unit comprising a base station processor, a wireless conference phone unit interface that includes RF interface circuitry, and telephone network circuitry;

a plurality of wireless conference phone units (PODs) that wirelessly couple to said base station unit, each individual POD further comprises:

a plurality of microphones, a loudspeaker, a POD processor, a DSP, analog to digital conversion circuitry, digital to analog conversion circuitry, a base station interface that includes RF interface circuitry, circuitry for user input and output, all of which are electrically coupled together; and

echo-cancelling circuitry configured to perform its own echo-cancellation by analyzing a received signal and subtracting the received signal from a signal generated by the microphones, and communicate audio information with said base station unit;

wherein said base station unit:

does not include microphones, loudspeakers, or user input circuitry;

communicates audio information with said plurality of PODs;

receives and sums the audio information via a summer from said PODs before transmitting the audio information to far end conference participants; and

does not transmit the received audio information from one said POD to another said POD.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said individual POD comprises three microphones.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said telephone network circuitry couples said base station unit to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or a digital telephone network such as a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) network.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said telephone network circuitry couples said base station unit to the digital telephone network such as a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) network.

5. A method to manufacture a conference phone system with multiple wireless conference phone units, comprising:

providing a base station unit comprising a base station processor, a wireless conference phone unit interface that includes RF interface circuitry, a telephone line interface;

providing a plurality of wireless conference phone units (PODs) that wirelessly couple to said base station unit, each individual POD further comprises: a plurality of microphones, a loudspeaker, a POD processor, a DSP, analog to digital conversion circuitry, digital to analog conversion circuitry, a base station interface that includes RF interface circuitry, circuitry for user input and output, all of which are electrically coupled together, each said POD including echo-cancelling circuitry configured to perform its own echo-cancellation by analyzing a received signal and subtracting he received signal from a signal generated by the microphones, and communicate audio information with said base station unit;

wherein said base station unit:

does not include microphones, loudspeakers, or user input circuitry; and

communicates audio information with said plurality of PODs;

receives and sums the audio information via a summer from said PODs before transmitting the audio information to far end conference participants; and

does not transmit the received audio information from one said POD to another said POD.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said individual POD comprises three microphones.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said telephone network circuitry couples said base station unit to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or a digital telephone network such as a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) network.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein said telephone network circuitry couples said base station unit to the digital telephone network such as a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) network.

9. A method to use a conference phone system with multiple wireless conference phone units, comprising:

wirelessly communicating between a base station and a plurality of wireless conference phone units (PODs);

said base station unit further comprises a base station processor, a wireless conference phone unit interface that includes RF interface circuitry, a telephone line interface;

said plurality of wireless conference phone units (PODs) wirelessly couple to said base station unit, each individual POD further comprises:

a plurality of microphones, a loudspeaker, a POD processor, a DSP, analog to digital conversion circuitry, digital to analog conversion circuitry, a base station interface that includes RF interface circuitry, circuitry for user input and output, all of which are electrically coupled together; and

echo-cancelling circuitry configured to perform its own echo-cancellation by analyzing a received signal and subtracting the received signal from a signal generated by the microphones, and communicate audio information with said base station unit;

wherein said base station unit:

does not include microphones, loudspeakers, or user input circuitry;

communicates audio information with said plurality of PODs;

receives and sums the audio information via a summer from said PODs before transmitting the audio information to far end conference participants; and

does not transmit the received audio information from one said POD to another said POD.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said individual POD comprises three microphones.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said telephone network circuitry couples said base station unit to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or a digital telephone network such as a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) network.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said telephone network circuitry couples said base station unit to the digital telephone network such as a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) network.