COMMUNICATION METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MULTI-STANDBY MODE IN A COMMUNICATION TERMINAL

• US 20120157072A1
• Filed: 10/13/2011
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: YU, Ga Ram
• Granted Patent: US 8,862,078 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• 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 method for communication in a communication terminal having a single communication module and at least two Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards is provided. The method includes performing a first call mode when a call is connected through a first base station in a standby mode by using the communication module and a first SIM card through a first time slot in each frame allocated by the first base station, and performing, when a second call is connected through a second base station while performing the first call mode, a second call mode using the communication module and a second SIM card through a second time slot in each frame allocated by the second base station, the second time slot being spaced apart from the first time slot.

Claims

1. A communication method in a communication terminal having a single communication module and at least two Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards, the method comprising:

performing a first call mode when a call is connected through a first base station in a standby mode using the communication module and a first SIM card through a first time slot in each frame allocated by the first base station; and

performing, when a second call is connected through a second base station while performing the first call mode, a second call mode using the communication module and a second SIM card through a second time slot in the each frame allocated by the second base station, the second time slot being spaced apart from the first time slot.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, when performing the first call mode, a paging signal from the second time slot.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the performing of the second call mode comprises:

determining whether to perform the second call mode when the second call is connected; and

performing the second call mode when it is determined to perform second call mode.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the performing of the second call mode further comprises:

determining, when it is determined to perform the second call mode, whether to terminate the first call mode;

terminating the first call mode when it is determined to terminate the first call mode; and

maintaining the first call mode when it is determined not to terminate the first call mode.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

when it is determined not to perform the second call mode, transmitting a notification message to the second base station to notify that the first call mode is being performed.

6. A communication apparatus in a communication terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a single communication module for connecting to at least two base stations;

at least two Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards, each storing SIM information corresponding to one of the at least two base stations; and

a control unit for performing, when a first call is connected through a first base station in a standby mode, a first call mode using the communication module and a first SIM card through a first time slot in each frame allocated by the first base station, and for performing, when a second call is connected through a second base station while performing the first call mode, a second call mode using the communication module and a second SIM card through a second time slot in the each frame allocated by the second base station,

wherein the second time slot is spaced apart from the first time slot.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control unit controls, when performing the first call mode, the transmission of a paging signal from the second time slot.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control unit determines whether to perform the second call mode when the second call is connected during performing the first call mode, and performs the second call mode when it is determined to perform the second call mode.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, when it is determined to perform that the second call mode, the control unit determines whether to terminate the first call mode, terminates the first call mode when it is determined to terminate the first call mode, and maintains the first call mode when it is determined not to terminate the first call mode.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, when it is determined not to perform the second call mode, the control unit transmits a notification message to the second base station to notify that the first call mode is being performed and maintains the first call mode.

11. A method of communicating with at least two different communication networks via a single mobile device, the method comprising:

performing a first call mode via a first time slot of a frame when a call is connected through a first base station of a first communication network; and

when a second call is connected through a second base station of a second communication network while performing the first call mode, performing a second call mode via a second time slot of the frame,

wherein the first time slot and the second time slots are both time slots of a frame.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first time slot and the second time slot are separated by at least one intervening time slot of the frame.