Portable radiotelephone vehicular converter and remote handset

• US 4,680,787 A
• Filed: 09/12/1986
• Issued: 07/14/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Marry, Patrick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/907,125
• Time in Patent Office: 305 Days
• Field of Search: 179/2 E, 179/2 EA, 179/2 EB, 179/2 EC, 340/365 R, 340/365 S, 340/365 VL, 455/33, 455/54, 455/89, 455/349
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A portable radiotelephone is disclosed in which an associated logic unit communicates via a data bus with an internal keypad and display and a detachable external keypad and display. Capability is provided for detecting the presence of the external keypad on the data bus and, in response to the detection, the information which would normally be communicated between the logic unit and the internal keypad and display is diverted to the external keypad and display. When the external keypad is detached from the data bus, communications between the logic unit and the internal keypad and display is reestablished.

Claims

1. A portable radiotelephone having a logic unit, which communicates information with a first internal data device via a data bus and adapted to accept a detachable second external data device on the data bus comprising:

means for detecting the presence of the second data device on the data bus;

means, responsive to said detection of the presence of the second data device, for excluding the first data device and including the second data device in the logic unit information communication; and

means for detecting a subsequent absence of the second data device from the data bus and for including the first data device while excluding the second data unit from the logic unit information communications.

2. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first and secono data devices each further comprise a keypad and an information display.

3. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 1, wherein the portable radiotelephone further comprises means for storing information.

4. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 3, wherein additional means for storing information is associated with the second data device.

5. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 1, wherein the data bus is a serial bidirectional three conductor data bus.

6. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first data device has a first address for information to be communicated on the data bus and the second data device has a second address for information to be communicated on the data bus.

7. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 6, wherein said means for excluding the first data device and including the second data device further comprises means for converting information addressed to said first address to information addressed to said second address.

8. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 6, wherein said second address is a logic complement of said first address.

9. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 6 wherein said second data device presence detector further comprises:

means for sending a message addressed to the second data device;

means for receiving a reply from the second data device; and

means for setting a flag indicating that the second data device is present on the data bus.

10. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 9 wherein said second data device subsequent absence detector further comprises:

means for determining that said second data device presence flag is set;

means for testing the status of the second data device if said flag is set; and

means for resetting said second data device presence flag if said status test indicates the second data device is not on the data bus.

11. A portable radiotelephone having a logic unit, communicating with a first internal keypad at a first address via a data bus, and being adapted to accept a second external keypad at a second address, comprising:

means for detecting the presence of the second keypad on the data bus;

means, responsive to said detection of the presence of the second keypad, for directing communications away from the first address to the second address; and

means for detecting a subsequent absence of the second keypad from the data bus and for redirecting communications to the first address of the first keypad.

12. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 11, wherein the portable radiotelephone further comprises means for storing communications.

13. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 11, wherein additional means for storing communications is associated with the second keypad.

14. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 11, wherein the data bus is a serial bidirectional three conductor data bus.

15. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 11, wherein the second address is a logic complement of the first address.

16. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 11, wherein said means for detecting presence of the second keypad further comprises:

means for sending a message addressed to the second keypad;

means for receiving a message reply from the second keypad; and

means for setting a flag indicating that the second keypad is present on the data bus.

17. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 16, wherein said second keypad subsequent absence detector further comprises:

means for determining that said second keypad presence flag is set;

means for testing the status of the second keypad if the second keypad presence flag is set; and

means for resetting the second keypad presence flag if said status test indicates said second keypad is not on the data bus.

18. A portable radiotelephone for use in a cellular radiotelephone system and adapted for handheld and mobile service comprising:

a logic unit with a data bus;

a keypad, integral to the portable radiotelephone, having a first data bus address;

a mobile converter having a remote keypad with a second data bus address;

means for detachably coupling said mobile converter and remote keypad to the data bus of the portable radiotelephone;

means for detecting the presence of said remote keypad on the data bus;

means, responsive to said detection of said remote keypad on the data bus, for changing the keypad data bus address used by said logic unit in communications with a keypad from said first data bus address to said second data bus address; and

means for detecting a subsequent absence of said remote keypad from the data bus and for changing the data bus address used by said logic unit in communications with a keypad from said second data bus address to said first data bus address.

19. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 18. wherein said mobile converter further comprises means for storing telephone numbers.

20. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 19, wherein the logic unit further comprises means for placing telephone numbers into said mobile converter storage means and for recalling telephone numbers from said mobile converter storage means if said remote data receiver presence has been detected.

21. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 18, wherein the data bus is a bidirectional three conductor serial data bus.

22. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 18, wherein said second address is a logic complement of said first address.

23. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 18 wherein said remote keypad presence detector further comprises:

means for sending a message addressed to said remote keypad via the data bus;

means for receiving a reply from said remote keypad; and

means for setting a flag indicating that said remote keypad is present on the data bus.

24. A portable radiotelephone in accordance with claim 23 wherein said remote keypad subsequent absence detector further comprises:

means for determining that said remote keypad presence flag is set;

means for testing the status of the remote keypad if said flag is set; and

means for resetting said remote keypad presence flag if said status test indicates said remote keypad is not on the data bus.

25. A method of selectively communicating information via a data bus between a logic unit of a portable radiotelephone and a first data device and adapting to a detachable second data device on the data bus comprising the steps of:

detecting the presence of the second data device on the data bus;

diverting information communications from between the first data device and the logic unit to between the second data device and the logic unit if the second data device presence has been detected;

detecting a subsequent absence of the second data device from the data bus; and

redirecting information communications to between the first data device and the logic unit if the second data device absence is detected.

26. A method in accordance with the method of claim 25, wherein the step of diverting information communications further comprises the step of converting information addressed to the first data device to information addressed to the second data device.

27. A method in accordance with the method of claim 25, wherein the step of detecting the presence of the second data device further comprises the steps of:

sending a message addressed to the second data device;

receiving a reply from the second data device; and

setting a flag indicating that the second data device is present on the data bus.

28. A method in accordance with the method of claim 27, wherein the step of detecting a subsequent absence of the second data device further comprises the steps of:

determining that said second data device presence flag is set;

testing the status of the second data device if said flag is set; and

resetting the second data device presence flag if said status test indicates the second data device is not on the data bus.

29. A method of communicating telephone numbers via a serial data bus between a logic unit of a portable radiotelephone and at least two data devices having first and second addresses, comprising the steps of:

coupling a detachable mobile converter and the second address data device to the data bus of the portable radiotelephone;

detecting the presence of the second address data device on the data bus;

directing communications for the first address data device to the second address data device if the presence of the second address data device has been detected;

detecting a subsequent absence of the second address data device from the serial data bus and responsively redirecting communications for the first address data device to the first address data device.

30. A method in accordance with the method of claim 29, wherein the step of detecting the presence of the second address data device further comprises the steps of:

sending a message addressed to the second address data device;

receiving a reply from the second address data device; and

setting a flag indicating that the second address data device is present on the data bus.

31. A method in accordance with the method of claim 30, wherein the step of detecting a subsequent absence of the second address data device further comprises the steps of:

determining that the second address data device presence flag is set;

testing the status of the second address data device; and

resetting the second address data device presence flag if said status test indicates the second address data device is not on the data bus.

32. A portable radio transceiver having a logic unit which communicates information with a first data device via at least two of plurality of data signal lines and adapted to communicate information with a detachable second data device via at least two of the plurality of data signal lines, comprising:

means for detecting the presence of the second data device via at least one of the plurality of data signal lines;

means, responsive to said detection of the second data device, for inactivating the first data device and including the second data device in the logic unit information communication; and

means for detecting a subsequent absence of the second data device via at least one of the plurality of data signal lines and for reactivating said first data device.

33. A portable radio transceiver in accordance with claim 32 wherein said first and second data devices each further comprise means for storing communicated information.

34. A portable radio transceiver in accordance with claim 32 wherein said means for detecting the presence of the second data device further comprises:

means for sending a message to the second data device;

means for receiving a reply from the second data device; and

means for storing an indication that the second data device is present on said at least one of the plurality of data signal lines.

35. A portable radio transceiver in accordance with claim 34 wherein said means for detecting a subsequent absence of the second data device further comprises:

means for detecting said stored indication;

means for testing the status of the second data device via said at least one of the plurality of data signal lines; and

means for removing said stored indication if said status test indicates the second data device is not present on said at least one of the of the plurality of data signal lines.

36. A method of selectively communicating information via at least two of a plurality of data signal lines from a portable radio transceiver logic unit to a first data device and of adapting to a detachable second data device communicating information via at least two of the plurality of data signal lines, comprising the steps of:

detecting the presence of the second data device via at least one of the plurality of data signal lines;

diverting logic unit information communications from the first data device to the second data device if the second data device presence has been detected;

detecting a subsequent absence of the second data device via said at least one of the plurality of data signal lines; and

redirecting logic unit information communications to the first data device.

37. A method in accordance with the method of claim 36 wherein the step of detecting the presence of the second data device further comprises the steps of:

sending a message to the second data device via said at least one of the plurality of data signal lines;

receiving a reply from the second data device; and

storing an indication that the second data device is present on said at least one of the plurality of data signal lines.

38. A method in accordance with the method of claim 37 wherein the step of detecting a subsequent absence of the second data device further comprises the steps of:

detecting said indication;

testing the status of the second data device via said at least one of a plurality of data signal lines in response to said indication detection; and

deleting said stored indication if said status test indicates that the second data device is not present on said at least one of a plurality of data signal lines.