Two piece radio telephone

• US 5,170,494 A
• Filed: 05/13/1991
• Issued: 12/08/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Spyder Navigations LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Levanto, Lauri
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAROUEL, LISA
• Application Number:
  US07/701,372
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 455/89, 455/90, 455/95, 455/126, 455/127, 455/343, 455/349, 379/61, 379/58
• US Class Current: 455/575.9
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters

Abstract

According to the invention, the power and weight of a radio telephone can be modified by connecting the same basic unit (1) a desired power unit (2 or 4). The signals received and transmitted between the units (1 and 2 or 4) pass apart from each other.

Claims

1. A multi-piece radio telephone, comprising a basic unit, first unit and second unit, said basic, first and second units being entirely separable from each other,

the basic unit having low power circuit elements therein including a radio receiver, a signal portion of a radio transmitter including signal generation circuits for producing a low power modulated radio frequency signal for subsequent transmission by a power portion, and logical functions of a telephone,

the first unit including a first power supply capable of operating from at least one of an accumulator, battery and an external power supply, a first power portion of said radio transmitter comprising a first transmitter power stage, first separation means for separating received radio frequency signals from said low power modulated radio frequency signals for subsequent radio transmission, the separated signals moving between said basic unit and said first unit by separate conductive paths when said basic unit is physically connected to said first unit,

said second unit being operable independently of said first unit, said second unit including a second power supply capable of operating from at least one of an accumulator, battery and an external power supply, a second power portion of said radio transmitter comprising a second transmitter power stage, and second separation means for separating received radio frequency signals from said low power modulated radio frequency signals for subsequent radio transmission,

said second transmitter power stage of said second unit having a higher power output than said first transmitter power stage of said first unit, said first unit and said second unit being subject to interchangeable independent connection with said basic unit, and said first and second power supplies, transmitter power stages and separation means being absent from said basic unit.

2. A multi-piece radio telephone as in claim 1, wherein said first transmitter power stage of said first unit is a low power stage, said first unit being subject to connection directly to said basic unit, and further comprising interconnection means on said basic unit and said first unit, said interconnection means being interengaged to complete at least said conductive paths when said basic unit and said first unit are brought into physical contact with each other to permit operation as a radio telephone.

3. A multi-piece radio telephone as in claim 1, wherein said second transmitter power stage of said second unit is a high power stage, and further comprising a connecting cable for physically and electrically connecting said basic unit to said second unit, said low power modulated radio frequency signal for subsequent transmission and said received radio frequency signal travelling through said cable on separate conductors when said cable connects said basic unit and said second unit.

4. A multi-piece radio telephone as in claim 1, wherein said first unit further includes a first antenna for receiving and transmitting the radio frequency signals, said first antenna being connected to said first separation means.

5. A multi-piece radio telephone as in claim 3, wherein said second unit further includes a second antenna for receiving and transmitting the radio frequency signals, said second antenna being connected to said second separation means.

6. A multi-piece radio telephone as in claim 5, wherein each of said first unit and said second unit further includes an antenna for receiving and transmitting the radio frequency signals, each of the antennas being connected to a respective one of said first and second separation means.