In one embodiment, a communication device according to the invention
includes an accelerometer, and an operational aspect of the communication
device is adapted to be influenced by an output of the accelerometer. The
communication device may be a telephone, such as a wireless telephone, and
the accelerometer may influence the operational aspect of the wireless
telephone to advantageously make the wireless telephone operate more like
a wired telephone. An exemplary wireless handset according to the
invention may include a wireless transceiver, a controller, and an
accelerometer, wherein the controller is adapted to receive an output from
the accelerometer and affect a state of the wireless transceiver based
thereon. In another embodiment according to the invention, a method of
operating a communication device includes the steps of determining a
motion characteristic of the communication device, and affecting an
operational aspect of the communication device based on the motion
characteristic. An exemplary method of operating a wireless telephone
handset according to the invention includes the steps of receiving a ring
signal, sensing a movement of the handset, and transitioning to an
off-hook state from an on-hook state based on the sensed movement. An
alternative method of operating a wireless telephone handset includes the
steps of determining an absence of voice activity, determining an absence
of motion, and transitioning to an on-hook state based on the absence of
voice activity and absence of motion.