Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at same station – Radiotelephone equipment detail
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-03
2002-09-10
Hunter, Daniel (Department: 2684)
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at same station
Radiotelephone equipment detail
C455S553100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06449499
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a dual-mode radio communication apparatus capable of communications by selectively using one of analog and digital communication modes, a vehicle-mount kit for supplying electric power to the radio communication apparatus from a battery of a vehicle, and a booster unit for power-amplifying transmission/reception signals of the radio communication apparatus.
As is well known, when one wants to stably use a radio communication apparatus such as a portable telephone in a mobile station such as a vehicle, it is a common practice to use it by connecting a power supply device (so-called vehicle-mount kit)
200
, RF signal amplifier (so-called booster unit)
300
, and external antenna
400
to a radio communication apparatus
100
, as shown in FIG.
1
.
The vehicle-mount kit
200
is connected to the radio communication apparatus
100
via a connector to supply electric power thereto from a vehicle-mount battery, and has a hand-free function that allows the user to talk even as he or she does not hold the radio communication apparatus
100
. The booster unit
300
amplifies the signal strength of a transmission signal from the radio communication apparatus
100
, and that of a reception signal received by the external antenna
400
.
In recent years, as a new radio communication terminal apparatus, a dual-mode radio communication apparatus which allows the user to select one of an analog communication mode and a digital communication mode such as CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) as needed upon communications is available.
When this dual-mode radio communication apparatus is connected to a booster unit which can be used in the analog mode, and is used in the CDMA (digital) mode, since the control lower limit of the transmission output level in the CDMA mode is much lower than that in the analog mode, it is hard to detect the input signal. Also, upon burst transmission, since the start timing of an amplifier unit is delayed, the booster unit does not normally operate, thus disturbing transmission/reception.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made to solve the aforementioned problems, and has as its object to provide a dual-mode radio communication apparatus which allow communications via connected equipment when the dual-mode radio communication apparatus is set in an analog mode, and also allow communications even upon connection when the dual-mode radio communication apparatus is set in a digital mode, power supply device, and RF signal amplifier.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dual-mode radio communication apparatus capable of communicating with a base station which can be connected to a public network, by selectively using one of communication modes including an analog mode and digital mode, comprising: communication means upon connected to an external apparatus, for communicating an RF signal directly to the base station in the digital mode, and for communicating the RF signal to the base station via the external apparatus in the analog mode.
In the dual-mode radio communication apparatus with the above arrangement, upon connected to an external apparatus, when a communication is made in the digital mode, an RF signal is directly communicated to the base station; when a communication is made in the analog mode, an RF signal is communicated to the base station via the external apparatus.
Therefore, according to the dual-mode radio communication apparatus with the above arrangement, even when the apparatus is used by being connected to a booster unit, since a communication is made in the digital mode without the intervention of the booster unit, the communication can be made even if the booster unit is not compatible with the digital mode.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dual-mode radio communication apparatus capable of communicating with a base station, which can be connected to a public network, by selectively using one of communication modes including an analog mode and digital mode, comprising: a portable unit having an input/output terminal of an RF signal to be communicated with the base station; an antenna for transmitting/receiving the RF signal; an interface unit for inputting/outputting the RF signal; and connection switching means upon connecting an external apparatus to the interface unit for connecting the RF signal input/output terminal of the portable unit directly to the antenna in the digital mode, and connecting the RF signal input/output terminal of the portable unit to the antenna via the interface unit in the analog mode.
In the dual-mode radio communication apparatus with the above arrangement, upon connecting an external apparatus to the interface unit, a communication in the digital mode is made directly using the antenna without the intervention of the interface unit, while a communication in the analog mode is made using the antenna via the interface unit.
Therefore, according to the dual-mode radio communication apparatus with the above arrangement, even when the apparatus is used by connecting a booster unit to the interface, since the communication in digital mode is made directly using the antenna without the intervention of the interface, the communication can be made even if the booster unit is not compatible with the digital mode.
Also, according to the dual-mode radio communication apparatus with the above arrangement, since the digital and analog modes use an identical antenna, only one antenna is used.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dual-mode radio communication apparatus capable of communicating with a base station, which can be connected to a public network, by selectively using one of communication modes including an analog mode and digital mode, comprising: a portable unit having an input/output terminal of an RF signal to be communicated with the base station; a first antenna for transmitting/receiving the RF signal; a second antenna for transmitting/receiving the RF signal; an interface unit which is connected to the second antenna and inputs/outputs the RF signal via the second antenna; and connection switching means upon connecting an external apparatus to the interface unit for connecting the RF signal input/output terminal of the portable unit to the first antenna in the digital mode, and connecting the RF signal input/output terminal of the portable unit to the interface unit in the analog mode.
With the dual-mode radio communication apparatus with the above arrangement, upon connecting an external apparatus to the interface unit, a communication in the digital mode is made directly using the first antenna without the intervention of the interface unit, while a communication in the analog mode is made using the second antenna via the interface.
Hence, according to the dual-mode radio communication apparatus with the above arrangement, even when the apparatus is used by connecting a booster unit to the interface, since the communication is made directly using the first antenna without the intervention of the interface, the communication in digital mode can be made even if the booster unit is not compatible with the digital mode.
Also, according to the dual-mode radio communication apparatus with the above arrangement, since the digital and analog modes use independent antennas, the arrangement of the connection switching means can be simplified.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dual-mode radio. communication apparatus capable of communicating with a base station which can be connected to a public network, by selectively using one of communication modes including an analog mode and digital mode, comprising: a portable unit which comprises a first antenna for transmitting/receiving an RF signal to be communicated with the base station, and has an input/output terminal of the RF signal; an interface unit which is connected to a second antenna for transmitting/receiving the RF
Hyodo Masakuni
Ishikura Akira
Kurokawa Osamu
Nakamura Ken
Nomura Yoshihiro
Corsaro Nick
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Hunter Daniel
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
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