Radio communication apparatus having a function for displaying reception field strength and method of controlling the apparatus

• US 5,239,684 A
• Filed: 07/17/1990
• Issued: 08/24/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishikura, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): URBAN, EDWARD F
• Application Number:
  US07/553,453
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.1, 455/67.7, 455/140, 455/152.1, 455/157.2, 455/161.3, 455/226.2, 455/226.4, 455/345, 455/346
• US Class Current: 455/67.7
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/23 Indication means, e.g. displays, alarms, audible means
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength

Abstract

A radio communication apparatus such as an automobile telephone apparatus capable of accurately displaying a reception field strength. Also disclosed is a method of setting a threshold value for displaying a reception field strength of the radio communication apparatus. A storage device for storing correction data for the reception field strength corresponding to a mode of usage of the radio communication apparatus is provided. At the time when information on the reception field strength is supplied to a user, the reception field strength is corrected on the basis of correction data stored in the storage device to effect the notification. A radio signal of a predetermined strength corresponding to a reference value is generated from the outside, the radio signal generated is received, the reception field strength of the radio signal received is detected, and the value of the reception field strength detected is stored in a storage device as data on the threshold value.

Claims

1. A radio communication apparatus including a vehicle-mounted main body which is mounted in a vehicle and a portable radio device which performs the function of an automobile telephone by being installed on said vehicle-mounted main body and also performs the function of an independent radio telephone by being removed therefrom, said radio communication apparatus comprising:

installation determining means for determining whether or not said portable radio device is installed on said vehicle-mounted main body;

first detecting means for detecting a reception field strength of a reception signal received by said vehicle-mounted main body when it is determined by said installation determining means that said portable radio device is installed on said vehicle-mounted main body;

second detecting means for detecting a reception field strength of a reception signal received by said portable radio device when it is determined by said installation determining means that said portable radio device is not installed on said vehicle-mounted main body;

storage means for storing predetermined data for setting to identical values the reception field strength detected by said first detecting means and the reception field strength detected by said second detecting means when the reception signals received by said vehicle-mounted main body and said portable radio device have the same reception field strength;

correcting means for correcting the reception field strength detected by said first detecting means and/or the reception field strength detected by said second detecting means, on the basis of the predetermined data stored in said storage means; and

display means for displaying the reception field strength corrected by said correcting means.

2. A radio communication apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving a radio signal received through a radio communication channel;

detecting means for detecting a reception field strength of the radio signal received by said receiving means;

storage means for storing a plurality of threshold values set in accordance with levels of reception field strength;

comparing means for determining the level of the reception field strength detected by said detection means, through a comparison with the threshold values stored in said storing means;

display means for displaying the level of the reception field strength determined by said comparing means;

writing means for writing in said storage means a value based on the reception field strength detected by said detecting means; and

means for inputting a predetermined signal with a known reception field strength to said radio communication apparatus through said receiving means, and for rewriting the threshold values stored in said storage means by a value based on a reception field strength of said predetermined signal detected by said detection means.

3. A radio communication apparatus comprising:

a vehicle-mounted main body having a first antenna and being mounted in a vehicle;

a portable radio device having a second antenna and being detachably connected to said vehicle-mounted main body, which performs, in a first mode where said portable radio device is connected to said vehicle-mounted main body, the function of an automobile radio telephone through said first antenna and said vehicle-mounted main body and, in a second mode where said portable radio device is detached from said vehicle-mounted main body, performs the function of an independent radio telephone through said second antenna independently from said vehicle-mounted main body;

reception field strength detecting means, provided in said portable radio device, for detecting a reception field strength of a reception signal received through said first antenna and said vehicle-mounted main body in said first mode, and for detecting a reception field strength of a reception signal received through said second antenna in said second mode;

connection detecting means for detecting whether said radio communication apparatus is being used in said first mode or in said second mode;

reception field strength correcting means for correcting an output of said reception field strength detecting means in response to a detection output of said connection detecting means; and

display means for displaying the reception field strength corrected by said reception field strength correcting means.

4. The radio communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said reception field strength correcting means includes:

storage means for storing different correction data in correspondence with said first mode and said second mode; and

corrected field strength data generating means for correcting the reception field strength detected from the reception signal in accordance with the correction data stored in said storage means to generate corrected field strength data.

5. The radio communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said storage means stores a plurality of threshold values corresponding to reception field strengths, said corrected field strength data generating means generates data of incremental levels by comparing said plurality of threshold values stored in said storage means and the reception field strength detected by said reception field strength detecting means, and wherein said display means incrementally displays the reception field strength on the basis of the data of the incremental levels generated by said corrected field strength data generating means.

6. The radio communication apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising temperature detecting means for detecting an ambient temperature of said radio communication apparatus, wherein said reception field strength correcting means corrects the output of said reception field strength detecting means in accordance with the detection output of said connection detecting means and in accordance with the detection output of said temperature detecting means.

7. The radio communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said reception field strength correcting means corrects the output of said reception field strength detecting means in accordance with the detection output of said connection detecting means and in accordance with a frequency of a radio communication channel used in said portable radio device.

8. A radio communication apparatus comprising:

a vehicle-mounted main body having a first antenna and being mounted in a vehicle;

a portable radio device having a second antenna and being detachably connected to said vehicle-mounted main body, which performs, in a first mode where said portable radio device is connected to said vehicle-mounted main body, the function of an automobile radio telephone through said first antenna and said vehicle-mounted main body and, in a second mode where said portable radio device is detached from said vehicle-mounted main body, performs the function of an independent radio telephone through said second antenna independently from said vehicle-mounted main body;

reception field strength detecting means, provided in said portable radio device, for detecting a reception field strength of a reception signal received through said first antenna and said vehicle-mounted main body in said first mode, and for detecting a reception field strength of a reception signal received through said second antenna in said second mode;

first storage means for storing detection outputs of said reception field strength detecting means as a plurality of threshold values when in said first mode, said detection outputs being obtained when a signal having incrementally-changing field strength is applied from a signal source having a known field strength to said first antenna;

second storing means for storing detection outputs of said reception field strength detecting means as a plurality of threshold values when in said second mode, said detection outputs being obtained when said signal having the incrementally-changing field strengths is applied from said signal source having said known field strength to said second antenna;

connection detecting means for detecting whether said radio communication apparatus is being used in said first mode or in said second mode;

data generating means for generating, when said first mode is detected by said connection detecting means, data of incremental levels by comparing said plurality of threshold values stored in said first storage means and the reception field strength detected by said reception field strength detecting means and, when said second mode is detected by said connection detecting means, data of incremental levels by comparing said plurality of threshold values stored in said second storage means and the reception field strength detected by said reception field strength detecting means, respectively; and

display means for icrementally displaying the reception field strength by the data of the incremental levels generated by said data generating means.

9. The radio communication apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said first and second storage means comprise E² PROM.

10. A method of setting a threshold value for displaying a reception field strength of a reception signal received by a radio communication apparatus which includes:

a vehicle-mounted main body having a first antenna and being mounted in a vehicle;

a portable radio device having a second antenna and being detachably connected to said vehicle-mounted main body, which performs, in a first mode where said portable radio device is connected to said vehicle-mounted main body, the function of an automobile radio telephone through said first antenna and said vehicle-mounted main body and, in a second mode where said portable radio device is detached from said vehicle-mounted main body, performs the function of an independent radio telephone through said second antenna independently from said vehicle-mounted main body;

reception field strength detecting means, provided in said portable radio device, for detecting a reception field strength of a reception signal received through said first antenna and said vehicle-mounted main body in said first mode, and for detecting a reception field strength of a reception signal received through said second antenna in said second mode;

storage means for storing a plurality of first threshold values and a plurality of second threshold values in corresponding with said first and second modes, respectively;

connection detecting means for detecting whether said radio communication apparatus is being used in said first mode or in said second mode;

data generating means for generating, when said first mode is detected by said connection detecting means, data of incremental levels by comparing said plurality of the first threshold values and the reception field strength detected by said reception field strength detecting means and, when said second mode is detected by said connection detecting means data of incremental levels by comparing said plurality of the second threshold values and the reception field strength detected by said reception field strength-detecting means, respectively; and

display means for incrementally displaying the reception field strength by the data of the incremental levels generated by said data generating means,

said method comprising the steps of;

applying, in said first mode, a signal having incrementally-changing field strength from a signal source having a known field strength to said first antenna and writing detecting outputs of said reception field strength detecting means as said plurality of the first threshold values into said storage means; and

applying, in said second mode, said signal having the incrementally-changing field strengths from said signal source having said known field strength to said second antenna and writing detection outputs of said reception field strength-detecting means as the plurality of said second threshold values into said storage means.