System and method for supporting multimode communication in a mobile network

• US 20050079890A1
• Filed: 10/08/2004
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Yu, Jae-Wook
• Granted Patent: US 7,272,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A mobile communication terminal for supporting a plurality of communication protocols comprises a first software module for managing at least a first operation associated with at least one of the plurality of communication protocols, wherein the first operation is independent of other operations performed by remaining plurality of the communication protocols; and a second hardware module for managing at least a second operation common to at least two of the plurality of communication protocols.

Claims

1. A mobile communication terminal for supporting a multimode comprising:

a first module for performing functions independently operated in each protocol of a plurality of communication methods; and

a second module for performing functions commonly operated in each protocol of the plurality of communication methods.

2. The terminal of claim 1 further comprising an application programming interface (API) unit for interfacing the first and second modules by the plurality of communication methods.

3. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the communication methods comprise at least one of global system for mobile communications (GSM)/general packet radio service (GPRS), wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), and time division-synchronous code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA).

4. The terminal of claim 3, wherein the independently operated functions comprise at least one of a gaussian-filtered minimum shift keying (GMSK), a unique function of the GSM/GPRS method.

5. The terminal of claim 3, wherein the independently operated functions comprise at least one of a frequency division duplex (FDD), a unique function of the WCDMA method.

6. The terminal of claim 3, wherein the independently operated functions comprise at least one of a hard handover, a smart antenna and a joint detection, unique functions of the TD-SCDMA method.

7. The terminal of claim 3, wherein the independently operated functions comprise a soft handover that is common with the GSM/GPRS and the WCDMA and is not common with the TD-SCDMA.

8. The terminal of claim 3, wherein the independently operated functions comprise a quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) that is common with the WCDMA and TD-SCDMA and is not common with the GSM/GPRS.

9. The terminal of claim 3, wherein the independently operated functions comprise a time division multiple access (TDMA) that is common with the TD-SCDMA and the GSM/GPRS and is not common with the WCDMA.

10. The terminal of claim 3, wherein the commonly operated functions comprise a cyclic redundancy check (CRC), a turbo decoder and a rake receiver that are common with the GSM/GPRS, the WCDMA, and the TD-SCDMA.

11. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the first module is implemented in software.

12. The terminal of claim 11, wherein the first module is implemented in software defined radio (SDR) technique.

13. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the second module is implemented in hardware.

14. The terminal of claim 2 further comprising a first API unit and a second API unit for interfacing communication entities for providing the independently operated functions with the first module.

15. The terminal of claim 14, wherein the communication entities comprise at least one of a wireless network, a personal computer, and a memory card.

16. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the first API unit downloads independently operated protocols received through a wireless network to the first module.

17. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the second API unit downloads independently operated protocols stored in a personal computer to the first module.

18. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the API unit downloads independently operated protocols stored in the memory card to the first module.

19. The terminal of claim 18, wherein the memory card is one of a memory stick, a smart media, and a compact flash.

20. A method of supporting a plurality of communication protocols for a mobile communication terminal, the method comprising:

managing at least a first operation associated with at least one of the plurality, of communication protocols using a first module of a mobile terminal, wherein the first operation is independent of other operations performed by remaining plurality of the communication protocols; and

managing at least a second operation common to at least two of the plurality of communication protocols using a second module of the mobile terminal.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising providing an interface between the first and second modules using a first application programming interface (API) unit of the mobile terminal.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the first module is implemented in software.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the second module is implemented in hardware.