Mobile phone station
A mobile phone stations is disclosed. In general, in one aspect, the mobile phone station connects to a smartphone for sending and receiving data therebetween. Further, the mobile phone station includes a dial pad for placing outgoing calls via the smartphone and answering incoming calls received at the smartphone. Also, the mobile phone station includes a charging mechanism for charging the smartphone. In use during an active call at the smartphone, the mobile phone station allows a user to seamlessly switch between two or more of a handset, a speakerphone, and a headset without requiring any user interaction with the smartphone.
1. A mobile phone station, comprising:
a hardware processor;
a memory, a display, user-operable controls, and a Universal Serial Bus (USB) hub communicatively coupled to the hardware processor;
a wireless audio system, and accompanying antenna, communicatively coupled to the USB hub, the wireless audio system configured to form a wireless communications link with a smartphone;
a speakerphone, the speakerphone including a loudspeaker and a microphone located on a bottom of the mobile phone station, and wherein a foot disposed on the bottom of the mobile phone station is configured to isolate, at least in part, the microphone from direct sound output of the loudspeaker;
a charger communicatively coupled to the USB hub; and
an inductive coil configured to receive a charging voltage from the charger for wirelessly charging the smartphone.
2. The mobile phone station of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless transceiver configured to form another wireless communications link with a wireless headset.
3. The mobile phone station of claim 1 , further comprising an externally-accessible USB port configured for receiving a USB headset.
4. The mobile phone station of claim 1 , wherein the user-operable controls include a dial pad.
5. The mobile phone station of claim 1 , wherein the user-operable controls include an application-specific invocation button.
6. The mobile phone station of claim 1 , further comprising a headset cradle.
7. The mobile phone station of claim 6 , wherein the headset cradle includes one or more electrical contacts configured to charge a battery of a wireless headset.
8. The mobile phone station of claim 1 , wherein the memory includes software operable to cause the smartphone to make and receive calls responsive to operation of the user-operable controls.
9. The mobile phone station of claim 1 , further comprising a pivoting platform, wherein the inductive coil is installed within the pivoting platform.
10. The mobile phone station of claim 1 , wherein the user-operable controls include a button for selectively toggling between outgoing call methods at the smartphone.
11. A mobile phone station, comprising:
a hardware processor;
a charger configured to provide a charging voltage to one or more secondary charging devices;
user-operable controls;
a speakerphone, the speakerphone including a loudspeaker and a microphone located on a bottom of the mobile phone station, and wherein a foot disposed on the bottom of the mobile phone station is configured to isolate, at least in part, the microphone from direct sound output of the loudspeaker;
an audio system communicatively coupled to the speakerphone and a headset, the audio system configured to form a wireless communications link with a smartphone;
a display configured to indicate a charge state of the smartphone when the smartphone is receiving power from the one or more secondary charging devices;
a headset cradle configured to receive and support the headset; and
a memory storing instructions for execution by the hardware processor, the instructions including:
software for communicating with the smartphone,
software for performing call audio endpoint switching between the speakerphone and the headset responsive to user manipulation of the user-operable controls, and
software for writing settings to the headset.
12. The mobile phone station of claim 11 , wherein the user operable controls include a speakerphone button and a headset button.
13. The mobile phone station of claim 11 , wherein the software for writing settings to the headset includes software for performing a firmware update of the headset.
14. The mobile phone station of claim 11 , comprising a pivoting platform configured to support the smartphone.
15. The mobile phone station of claim 14 , wherein the one or more secondary charging devices includes an inductive coil for wirelessly charging the smartphone.
16. The mobile phone station of claim 11 , wherein the one or more secondary charging devices includes the headset cradle.
17. The mobile phone station of claim 11 , wherein the one or more secondary charging devices includes a USB port.