Wireless telephone with voice data interface mode

Abstract

A wireless telephone is additionally operable in a voice data interface mode in which voice (sound) data is output from the wireless telephone for communication over a data network, such as, for example, the Internet. In the voice data interface mode, voice audio signals detected through a wireless telephone microphone are converted into data for transmission through the data network, and, likewise, voice data received by the wireless telephone from the data network, or sound data simply generated by a connected PC, is converted into audio signals and output through a wireless telephone speaker. In one embodiment, a wireless telephone with voice data interface functionality is serially connected as a peripheral device to a local PC which is also connected to an Internet service provider (ISP) through land lines, and in another embodiment, through the wireless telephone itself. Other embodiments include the wireless telephone connecting to the PC through a wireless link, and in others, connecting directly to an ISP. Storage of compressed digitized audio is also included for when communication of the voice data is not possible.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.