Radio telephone apparatus

• US 5,054,115 A
• Filed: 09/27/1988
• Issued: 10/01/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Koike, Noboru, Sawa, Buntaro
• Primary Examiner(s): KUNTZ, CURTIS A
• Application Number:
  US07/249,817
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 455/89, 455/90, 455/343, 455/347, 455/349, 455/127-129, 455/11, 379/60, 379/63, 379/59, 379/61, 307/139, 307/140
• US Class Current: 455/571
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters

Abstract

A radio telephone apparatus including a portable radio device capable of being mounted on and carried out from a vehicle such as an automobile in use. The portable radio device has a transmission-reception antenna accommodatable therein and is connected via a removable coaxial cable with an additional unit mounted on the vehicle. When the radio device is connected to the additional unit via the coaxial cable, a transmission-reception antenna fixed to the vehicle is connected to the radio unit of the portable radio device via the coaxial cable whereas when the portable radio device is removed from the additional unit, the accommodatable transmission-reception antenna is connected to the radio unit of the radio device.

Claims

1. A radio telephone apparatus comprising:

a portable radio device accommodating a transmission-reception antenna therein;

an additional unit mounted on a vehicle;

a transmission and reception antenna fixed to the vehicle; and

a coaxial cable removably connecting the radio device and the additional unit;

the radio device including;

a control panel operated for the transmission and reception of calls;

a telephone transmitter-receiver and a voice circuit for making telephone communication;

a connector for transmitting telephone signals between the voice circuit and the additional unit;

a battery for supplying power of the above-mentioned elements of the apparatus;

a transmitter-receiver for transmitting and receiving telephone communication signals by radio between the telephone transmitter-receiver and another radio apparatus;

an antenna changer for detecting whether the transmission-reception antenna accommodated in the radio device is in a transmission-reception enable state, connecting that transmission-reception antenna to the transmitter-receiver when the transmission-reception antenna is in the transmission-reception enable state, and for connecting the transmission-reception antenna fixed to the vehicle to the transmitter-receiver via the coaxial cable when the accommodated transmission-reception antenna is in a transmission-reception disable state; and

the additional unit including;

a rest mechanism for receiving the radio device removably thereon;

a voice amplifying telephone transmitter-receiver; and

a connector connected to the connector of the radio device to connect the voice amplifying transmitter-receiver to the voice circuit when the radio device is mounted on the rest mechanism.

2. A radio telephone apparatus comprising a portable radio device, an additional unit mounted in a vehicle and connectable to the portable radio device through a cable, and a vehicle antenna provided on the vehicle, wherein:

the portable radio device includes;

a portable antenna for receiving or transmitting radio frequency signals;

a first terminal connected to the portable antenna;

a second terminal connected to a connector of the portable radio device;

a third terminal;

first duplexer means, connected to the third terminal, for applying transmission signals to the third terminal and extracting reception signals out of the signals from the third terminal;

transmitter means, coupled to a transmission terminal of the first duplexer means, for providing transmission signals to the first duplexer means;

receiver means, coupled to a reception terminal of the first duplexer means, for receiving reception signals from the first duplexer means; and

switching means for selectively connecting the third terminal to either one of the first terminal or the second terminal;

the additional unit includes;

second duplexer means, coupled to the vehicle antenna, for applying transmission signals to the vehicle antenna and extracting reception signals out of the signals from the vehicle antenna; and

third duplexer means, coupled to the second duplexer means, for applying the reception signals from the second duplexer to a connector of the additional unit and extracting transmission signals, which are to be applied to the second duplexer means, out of the signals from the connector of the additional unit; and

the cable includes;

a unique signal line coupled to the connectors of both of the portable device and the additional unit for transmitting the transmission and reception signals.

3. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 2 wherein the portable radio device comprises an earpiece and a mouthpiece and the additional unit comprises a speaker and a microphone and wherein the reception signals from the receiver means are selectively applied to either one of the earpiece or the speaker and audio signals from either one of the mouthpiece or the microphone are selectively applied to the transmitter means as transmission signals.

4. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 2 wherein the portable radio device comprises a first battery and the portable radio device is supplied with power from the first battery when the portable radio device is not connected with the additional unit and wherein the portable radio device and the additional unit are supplied with power from a second battery mounted in the vehicle when the portable radio device is connected to the additional unit through a power supply line included in the cable.

5. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 4 wherein the first battery is a rechargeable battery that is charged by the second battery when the portable radio device is connected to the additional unit through the power supply line.

6. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 2 wherein the additional unit includes a rest mechanism for receiving the portable radio device removably thereon.

7. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 2 wherein the unique signal line is a coaxial cable.

8. A radio telephone apparatus comprising a portable radio device, an additional unit connectable to the portable radio device through a cable, and a first antenna associated with the additional unit, wherein:

the portable radio device includes;

a portable antenna for receiving or transmitting radio frequency signals;

a first terminal connected to the portable antenna;

a second terminal connected to a connector of the portable radio device;

a third terminal;

first duplexer means, connected to the third terminal, for applying transmission signals to the third terminal and extracting reception signals out of the signals from the third terminal;

transmitter means, coupled to a transmission terminal of the first duplexer means, for providing transmission signals to the first duplexer means;

receiver means, coupled to a reception terminal of the first duplexer means, for receiving reception signals from the first duplexer means; and

switching means for selectively connecting the third terminal to either one of the first terminal or the second terminal;

the additional unit includes;

second duplexer means, coupled to the first antenna, for applying transmission signals to the first antenna and extracting reception signals out of the signals from the first antenna; and

third duplexer means, coupled to the second duplexer means, for applying the reception signals from the second duplexer means to a connector of the additional unit and extracting transmission signals, which are to be applied to the second duplexer means, out of the signals from the connector of the additional unit; and

the cable includes;

a unique signal line coupled to the connectors of both of the portable device and the additional unit for transmitting the transmission and reception signals.

9. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 8 wherein the portable radio device comprises an earpiece and a mouthpiece and the additional unit comprises a speaker and a microphone and wherein the reception signals from the receiver means are selectively applied to either one of the earpiece or the speaker and audio signals from either one of the mouthpiece or the microphone are selectively applied to the transmitter means.

10. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 8 wherein the portable radio device comprises a first battery and the portable radio device is supplied with power from the first battery when the portable radio device is not connected to the additional unit and wherein the portable radio device and the additional unit are supplied with power from a second battery associated with the additional unit when the portable radio device is connected to the additional unit through a power supply line included in the cable.

11. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first battery is a rechargeable battery that is charged by the second battery when the portable radio device is connected to the additional unit through the power supply line.

12. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 8 wherein the additional unit includes a rest mechanism for receiving the portable radio device removably thereon.

13. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 8 wherein the unique signal line is a coaxial cable.

14. A radio telephone apparatus comprising a portable radio device, an additional unit connectable to the portable radio device through a cable, and a first antenna associated with the additional unit, wherein:

the additional unit includes;

a speaker;

a microphone; and

first duplexer means, coupled to the first antenna, for applying transmission signals to the first antenna and extracting reception signals out of the signals from the first antenna;

the portable radio device includes;

an earpiece;

a mouthpiece;

a portable antenna for receiving or transmitting radio frequency signals;

second duplexer means, coupled to the portable antenna, for applying transmission signals to the portable antenna and extracting reception signals out of the signals from the portable antenna;

transmitter means, selectively supplied with transmission signals from either one of the mouthpiece or the microphone, for selectively providing the transmission signals to either one of the first duplexer means or the second duplexer means;

receiver means, selectively supplied with reception signals from either one of the first duplexer means or the second duplexer means, for selectively providing the reception signals to either one of the earpiece or the speaker;

the cable includes;

at least a high-frequency signal line for coupling the first duplexer means to the transmitter means and the receiver means; and

at least two audio signal lines for connecting the receiver means to the speaker and for connecting the microphone to the transmitting means.

15. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 14 wherein the portable radio device comprises a first battery and the portable radio device is supplied with power from the first battery when the portable radio device is not connected to the additional unit and wherein the portable radio device and the additional unit are supplied with power from a second battery provided with the additional unit when the portable radio device is connected to the additional unit through a power supply line included in the cable.

16. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first battery is a rechargeable battery that is charged by the second battery when the portable radio device is connected to the additional unit through the power supply line.

17. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 14 wherein the additional unit includes a rest mechanism for receiving the portable radio device removably thereon.

18. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 14 wherein the high-frequency signal line is a coaxial cable.

19. A radio telephone apparatus comprising a portable radio device, an additional unit supplied with power from a first battery and connectable to the portable radio device through a cable, and a first antenna associated with the additional unit, wherein:

the additional unit includes;

first duplexer means, coupled to the first antenna, for applying transmission signals to the first antenna and extracting reception signals out of the signals from the first antenna;

the portable radio device includes;

an earpiece;

a mouthpiece;

a second portable antenna for receiving or transmitting radio frequency signals;

second duplexer means, coupled to the second portable antenna, for applying transmission signals to the second portable antenna and extracting reception signals out of the signals from the second portable antenna;

transmitter means, supplied with transmission signals from the mouthpiece, for selectively providing the transmission signals to either one of the first duplexer means or the second duplexer means;

receiver means, selectively supplied with reception signals from either one of the first duplexer means or the second duplexer means, for providing the reception signals to the earpiece;

a rechargeable second battery supplied with power from the first battery when the portable radio device is connected to the additional unit for supplying power to the portable radio device when the portable radio device is connected to the additional unit; and

the cable includes;

at least a high-frequency signal line for coupling the first duplexer means to the transmitter means and the receiver means; and

a power supply line for transmitting power from the additional unit to the portable radio device.

20. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 19 wherein the additional unit includes a rest mechanism for receiving the portable radio device removably thereon.

21. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a speaker and a microphone and wherein the reception signals from the receiver means are selectively applied to the speaker through a reception audio signal line included in the cable and the transmission signals from the microphone are selectively applied to the transmitter means through a transmission audio signal line included in the cable.

22. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 19 wherein the high-frequency signal line is a coaxial cable.

23. A radio telephone apparatus comprising a portable radio device, an additional unit connectable to the portable radio device through a cable, and a first antenna associated with the additional unit, wherein:

the additional unit includes;

a rest mechanism for receiving the portable radio device removably thereon;

first duplexer means, coupled to the first antenna, for applying transmission signals to the first antenna and extracting reception signals out of the signals from the first antenna;

the portable radio device includes;

an earpiece and a mouthpiece confronting the rest mechanism and facing downwardly when the portable radio device is received by the rest mechanism;

a control panel provided at a top surface opposite the location of the earpiece and the mouthpiece for inputting various commands to the radio telephone apparatus;

a second antenna for receiving or transmitting radio frequency signals;

second duplexer means, coupled to the second antenna, for applying transmission signals to the second antenna and extracting reception signals out of the signals from the second antenna;

transmitter means for providing transmission signals applied from the mouthpiece to the second duplexer means when the portable radio device is not connected to the additional device and for providing transmission signals applied from the microphone to the first duplexer means when the portable radio device is connected to the additional unit;

receiver means for providing reception signals applied from the second duplexer means to the earpiece when the portable radio device is not connected to the additional device and for providing reception signals applied from the first duplexer means to the earpiece when the portable radio device is connected to the additional unit; and

the cable includes;

at least a high-frequency signal line for coupling the first duplexer means to the transmitter means and the receiver means.

24. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 23 wherein the rest mechanism comprises pawl means for engaging the portable radio device on a first surface and disengaging means for releasing the engagement with the portable radio device.

25. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 23 wherein the additional unit comprises a speaker and a microphone and wherein, in the event the portable radio device is connected to the additional unit, an output signal from the receiver means is applied to the speaker instead of the earpiece through a reception audio signal line included in the cable when the portable radio device is received by the rest mechanism and an audio signal from the microphone instead of the mouthpiece is applied to the transmitter means through a transmission audio signal line included in the cable when the portable radio device is received by the rest mechanism.

26. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 23 wherein the portable radio device comprises a first battery and the portable radio device is supplied with power from the first battery when the portable device is not connected to the additional unit and wherein the portable radio device and the additional unit are supplied with power from a second battery connected to the additional unit when the portable device is connected to the additional unit.

27. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 26 wherein the first battery is a rechargeable battery and is charged by the second battery when the portable device is connected to the additional unit.

28. The radio telephone apparatus of claim 23 wherein the high-frequency signal line is a coaxial cable.