Universal connection for cellular telephone interface

• US 5,333,177 A
• Filed: 10/19/1991
• Issued: 07/26/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cellport Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cell Port Labs Inc.
• Inventors: Kennedy, Patrick J., Sakurai, Hiroshi, Braitberg, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Application Number:
  US07/773,840
• Time in Patent Office: 1,011 Days
• Field of Search: 379/58, 379/59, 379/63, 379/397, 379/441, 379/442, 455/89, 455/90
• US Class Current: 455/559
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0256 wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A cellular telephone is interconnected to a control unit via a cable. The cable contains both appropriate interdisciplinary connections for attachment to the telephone at one end and to the control unit at the other end via a universal connector. At least one contact of the universal connector is capable of producing a signal coded to identify the type of cellular telephone attached to the connector at the other end. A decoder at the control unit identifies the type of phone as by table look-up and establishes appropriate interfacing operational functions at its universal connector to properly operate with the telephone. Accordingly the control unit can function with any of a wide variety of cellular telephones having differently configured cable connections and cable connector disciplines of contact assignments.

Claims

1. Apparatus for providing universal interfacing with a cable having on a first end a multiple contact connector of a predetermined number of contacts in a predetermined configuration with at least one of the first end contacts for presenting a binary coded signal wherein the binary coded signal correlates to the identity of a particular type of cellular telephone and with a connector on the opposite end of the cable for attachment to a particular type of cellular telephone amongst a plurality of different types of cellular telephones comprising:

means connected to the binary coded signal connector contact for determining the type of cellular phone attached to the opposite end connector of the cable, said determining means including means retrievably storing a multiplicity of information groups with each said group selectable in accordance with said binary coded signal, each said information group containing information for controlling the cable first end connector for functionally operating with a particular one of a plurality of cellular phones, the first end cable connector including a plurality of contacts for use in establishing a connection with said determining means, said determining means including means for sampling said first end connector contacts for producing a binary signal identifying said group of information for selection; and

means responsive to said determining means for enabling the cable first end connector contacts for performing functional operations with the cellular telephone attached to the cable, said determining means further including means responsive to a received coded signal for selecting said information group identified thereby from said storing means and for introducing said group to said enabling means.

2. A cable for use in conjunction with a control unit having a connector input arrayed in accordance with a first discipline with a control unit designed to interface with a cellular telephone which has a connector having a plurality of electrical contacts arrayed in a second discipline for operative connection of the control unit to a particular type of cellular telephone having a connector of the second discipline comprising:

a connector on one end of said cable having a plurality of electrical contacts thereon arrayed in accordance with said first discipline;

a second connector attached to the opposite end of the cable with a plurality of electrical conductors interconnecting respective contacts of said first connector with corresponding contacts in accordance with common functions between said first and second discipline; and

means for establishing a connection at at least one contact of said first discipline connector, said means for establishing used in creating a signal, with said signal coded to identify the type of cellular telephone attached to said second discipline connector, said coded signal establishing means includes a predetermined group of said first discipline connector contacts and said predetermined group contacts are used in establishing said coded signal in a binary arrangement corresponding to the identity of the type of cellular phone attached to the cable.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said predetermined group of contacts are arranged for selective interrupting of the electrical conductivity of contacts within said group for establishing said binary code to identify the type of cellular telephone attached to said second discipline connector.

4. Apparatus for providing a universal interface with a hand held cellular telephone which has a battery that requires periodic recharging comprising:

cable means;

first connector means attached to one end of said cable means and including contact means for delivery battery charging power and for exchanging information bearing signals, and means to identify the make and model of the cellular telephone independently of the telephone, said means to identify connected to said contact means, said means to identify including means for producing a digital signal, said means for producing communicating with at least one contact of said first connector and, when said apparatus is connected to the cellular telephone, said means for producing produces a digital signal with a magnitude correlated to the identity of the cellular telephone and wherein said information exchanging contact means includes means for exchanging radio frequency, audio and digital signals;

second connector means attached to the opposite end of said cable and including contact means for allowing attachment to a predetermined one of a plurality of cellular telephone units; and

a plurality of conductors interconnecting said first and second connector contact means having common functions;

whereby universal interface is establishable between a host assembly which provides signal processing features suitable for operating with a predetermined cellular telephone.

5. An apparatus for providing an interface between each one of a plurality of hand-held, battery powered cellular telephone and a host assembly in which each of the plurality of cellular telephones requires a different battery charging signal for charging the battery in each of the cellular telephones is a different arrangement of electrical connectors accessible on the exterior of each of the cellular telephones, comprising:

a plurality of cables including a first cable and a second cable, each of said plurality of cables including a plurality of conductors, a majority of said plurality of second cable conductors carrying signals between a second cellular telephone and a host assembly that are functionally equivalent to signals carried by said plurality of first cable conductors between a first cellular telephone and a host assembly, said first cable including a first conductor for carrying a first signal for charging a battery of the first cellular telephone, said second cable including a first conductor for carrying a second signal for charging a battery of the second cellular telephone and in which said second signal is different from said first signal;

a plurality of common connectors, including a first common connector and second common connector, each of said plurality of common connectors connected to one of said plurality of cables adjacent a first end thereof, said first common connector receiving said plurality of conductors of said first cable and said second common connector receiving said plurality of conductors of said second cable, said second common connector receiving said second cable conductors in the same physical position as said first common connector receives said first cable conductors, wherein each of said first and second cables is connected to equivalent host assemblies;

a plurality of cellular telephone connectors including a first cellular telephone connector and a second cellular telephone connector, each of said plurality of cellular telephone connectors connected to one of said plurality of cables adjacent a second end thereof, said first cellular telephone connector receiving said plurality of conductors of said first cable in a first physical position and said second cellular telephone connector receiving said plurality of conductors of said second cable in a second physical position different from said first physical position wherein said first cellular telephone connector is able to communicate with the first cellular telephone but not the second cellular telephone and said second cellular telephone connector is able to communicate with the second cellular telephone but not the first cellular telephone, and wherein at least one of said second cable conductors is transposed relative to a corresponding conductor of said first cable and in which said corresponding conductor of said first cable is carrying a signal functionally equivalent to said at least one conductor of said second cable; and

means for identifying a cellular telephone that is connected to said first cellular telephone connector.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein said means for identifying includes an analog signal having a magnitude corresponding to a predetermined type of cellular telephone,

said means for identifying including means for converting the analog signal to a digital signal.

7. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

said second signal has a voltage level different from said first signal.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

said means for identifying being located remote from said first cellular telephone connector and more adjacent to said first common connector.

9. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

said plurality of conductors of said first cable at said first cellular telephone connector are physically positioned in one of the following arrangements;

cylindrical, rectangular, spring contact and pad type and said plurality of conductors of said second cable at said second cellular telephone connector are physically positioned in a different one of the following arrangements;

cylindrical, rectangular, spring contact and pad type.