Radio communication system for a selected one of a plurality of terminal units of different kinds

• US 5,349,698 A
• Filed: 12/02/1992
• Issued: 09/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Maru, Tsuguo
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, CHI H
• Application Number:
  US07/985,510
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 455/89, 455/40, 455/349, 455/343, 455/127, 455/234.1-234.2, 455/33.1, 455/79, 455/200.1, 379/61, 379/58, 379/63, 379/420, 379/424
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

In a radio communication apparatus which is capable of using a selected terminal unit selected from a plurality of terminal units, a logic part detects the kind of the selected terminal unit to produce a type signal representative of the selected kind. Responsive to the type signal, the logic part controls an adjusting part which produces an adjusted signal. As a result, the adjusted signal has a selected level which is selected for the selected terminal unit in accordance with the type signal. Responsive to the adjusted signal, the selected terminal unit generates an audible signal having a volume which is adjusted in accordance with the selected level. Additionally, the volume can be manually adjusted by an operator.

Claims

1. A radio communication apparatus for use in combination with a selected terminal unit, the selected terminal unit being selected from a plurality of terminal units of different kinds, the selected terminal unit being a selected kind, said radio communication apparatus including receiving means for receiving a radio signal to produce a received signal and adjusting means for adjusting said received signal to produce an adjusted signal, said radio communication apparatus comprising:

detecting means for detecting the kind of said selected terminal unit from among the different kinds and for producing a type signal representative of the selected kind; and

control means coupled to said adjusting means and said detecting means for controlling said adjusting means to make said adjusted signal have a selected level which is appropriate for said selected terminal unit in accordance with said type signal, said selected terminal unit comprising one of a hands-free terminal unit, a terminal unit having a control unit responsive to said control means and further being responsive to a manually operated volume control and a terminal unit which is not responsive to said control means and having an adjustable volume control for adjusting the volume of an output audio signal independently of said control means.

2. A radio communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a selected terminal unit, said selected terminal unit comprising manually adjusting means for manually adjusting said adjusted signal to produce a manually adjusted signal and announcing means coupled to said manually adjusting means for providing an audio signal in accordance with said manually adjusted signal, and further wherein said control means of the apparatus comprises control means coupled to said detecting means and the first-mentioned adjusting means for controlling said adjusting means to make said selected level of the adjusted signal be constant.

3. A radio communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the selected terminal unit, said selected terminal unit comprising manually operating means for controlling the level of said audio signal, and further wherein said control means of said apparatus is coupled further to said manually operating means for controlling said adjusting means to adjust said selected level of the adjusted signal in accordance with said type signal and said audio signal.

5. A radio communication apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a main and a subsidiary antenna, wherein said receiving means is coupled to said subsidiary antenna, said second unit being removably coupled to said main antenna.

4. A radio communication apparatus, for use in combination with a selected terminal unit, the selected terminal unit being selected from a plurality of terminal units of different kinds, the selected terminal unit being a selected kind, said radio communication apparatus including receiving means for receiving a radio signal to produce a received signal and adjusting means for adjusting said received signal to produce an adjusted signal, said radio communication apparatus comprising:

detecting means for detecting the kind of said selected terminal unit from among the different kinds and for producing a type signal representative of the selected kind; and

control means coupled to said adjusting means and said detecting means for controlling said adjusting means to make said adjusted signal have a selected level which is appropriate for said selected terminal unit in accordance with said type signal, said selected terminal unit comprising one of a hands-free terminal unit, a terminal unit having a control unit responsive to said control means and further being responsive to a manually operated volume control and a terminal unit which is not responsive to said control means and having an adjustable volume control for adjusting the volume of an output audio signal independently of said control means;

said radio communication apparatus comprising a first and a second unit;

said first unit comprising said receiving means, said adjusting means, said detecting means, said control means, and announcing means coupled to said adjusting means for providing an audio signal in response to said adjusted signal;

said second unit being removably coupled to said first unit and being provided for coupling said selected terminal unit to said first unit.

6. A radio communication apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said second unit is removably coupled to at least said adjusting means, said detecting means and said control means of said first unit.

7. A radio communication apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said second unit is removably further coupled to said receiving means, said first unit comprising an antenna selecting switch coupled to said receiving means for selecting one of said main and said subsidiary antennae as a selected antenna and for coupling said selected antenna to said receiving means.

8. A radio communication apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising additional detecting means for detecting connection between said first and said second units to produce a connection detection signal, and wherein:

said second unit comprises;

coupling means for coupling said selected terminal unit to said receiving means; and

main talk signal producing means coupled to said coupling means for producing a main talk signal;

said first unit further comprising;

subsidiary talk signal producing means coupled to said receiving means for producing a subsidiary talk signal; and

selecting means coupled to said additional detecting means for selecting one of said main and said subsidiary producing means in accordance with said connection detection signal.

9. A radio communication apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said additional detecting means comprises:

generating means in said second unit for generating a magnetic field;

local producing means in said first unit for producing a local signal when said local producing means is placed in said magnetic field; and

processing means coupled to said local producing and said selecting means for processing said local signal into said connection detection signal.

10. A radio communication apparatus comprising:

at least one terminal unit selected from a plurality of terminal units of different types, said selected terminal unit being of a selected type;

receiving means for receiving a radio signal and for producing a received signal;

adjusting means for adjusting the level of the received signal to produce an adjusted signal;

means coupled to said selected terminal unit for determining the type of said selected terminal unit from among the different types and for producing a type signal representative of the type of said selected terminal unit; and

control means coupled to said adjusting means and said determining means for controlling said adjusting means such that said adjusted signal has a level selected in accordance with said type signal, the selected terminal unit comprising one of a hands-free terminal unit, a terminal unit having a control unit responsive to said control means and further being responsive to a manually operated volume control and a terminal unit which is not responsive to said control means and having an adjustable volume control for adjusting the volume of an output audio signal independently of said control means.

11. A radio communication apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the selected terminal unit, said selected terminal unit comprising manually adjusting means for manually adjusting said adjusted signal to produce a manually adjusted signal and announcing means coupled to said manually adjusting means for providing an audio signal in accordance with said manually adjusted signal, and further wherein said control means comprises means coupled to said means for determining and the first-mentioned adjusting means for controlling said first-mentioned adjusting means to make said selected level of the adjusted signal be constant.

12. A radio communication apparatus, comprising:

at least one terminal unit selected from a plurality of terminal units of different types, said selected terminal unit being of a selected type;

receiving means for receiving a radio signal and for producing a received signal;

adjusting means for adjusting the level of the received signal to produce an adjusted signal;

means coupled to said selected terminal unit for determining the type of said selected terminal unit from among the different types and for producing a type signal representative of the type of said selected terminal unit; and

control means coupled to said adjusting means and said determining means for controlling said adjusting means such that said adjusted signal has a level selected in accordance with said type signal, the selected terminal unit comprising one of a hands-free terminal unit, a terminal unit having a control unit responsive to said control means and further being responsive to a manually operated volume control and a terminal unit which is not responsive to said control means and having an adjustable volume control for adjusting the volume of an output audio signal independently of said control means; and

further wherein the apparatus comprises first and second units, and wherein;

said receiving means, said adjusting means, said determining means and said control means are provided in the first unit, and further comprising audio signal producing means in the first unit coupled to said adjusting means for providing said audio signal in response to said adjusted signal; and

said second unit comprising a unit removably coupled to said first unit, said second unit comprising means for coupling the selected terminal unit to said first unit.

13. A radio communication apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a main and a subsidiary antenna, and wherein the receiving means is coupled to the subsidiary antenna, the second unit being removably coupled to the main antenna.

14. A radio communication apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said second unit is further removably coupled to said receiving means, said first unit comprising an antenna selecting switch coupled to said receiving means for selecting one of said main and said subsidiary antennae as a selected antenna and for coupling said selected antenna to said receiving means.

15. A radio communication apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising detecting means for detecting connection between said first and said second units to produce a connection detection signal, and wherein:

said second unit comprises;

coupling means for coupling said selected terminal unit to said receiving means; and

main talk signal producing means coupled to said coupling means for producing a main talk signal;

said first unit further comprising;

subsidiary talk signal producing means coupled to said receiving means for producing a subsidiary talk signal; and

selecting means coupled to additional detecting means for selecting one of said main and said subsidiary producing means in accordance with said connection detection signal.

16. A radio communication apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said detecting means comprises:

generating means in said second unit for generating a magnetic field;

local producing means in said first unit for producing a local signal when said local producing means is placed in said magnetic field; and

processing means coupled to said local producing and said selecting means for processing said local signal into said connection detection signal.

17. A radio communication apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the selected terminal unit, said selected terminal unit comprising manually operating means for controlling the level of said audio signal, and further wherein said control means is coupled further to said manually operating means for controlling said adjusting means to adjust said selected level of the adjusted signal in accordance with said type signal and said audio signal.

18. A method for controlling a radio communication apparatus coupled to at least one terminal unit selected from a plurality of terminal units of different types, said terminal unit being of a selected type, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a radio signal and producing a received signal;

adjusting the level of the received signal to produce an adjusted signal;

determining the type of said terminal unit from among the different types and producing a type signal representative of the type of said terminal unit; and

controlling said adjusting signal with a control means such that said adjusted signal has a level selected in accordance with said type signal, said step of determining comprising determining the type of said terminal unit from among a hands-free terminal unit, a terminal unit having a control unit responsive to the control means and further being responsive to a manually operated volume control, and a terminal unit which is not responsive to a control means and having an adjustable volume control for adjusting the volume of an output audio signal independently of said control means.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

generating in said second unit a magnetic field;

producing a local signal when said first unit is placed in said magnetic field adjacent said second unit; and

processing said local signal into said connection detection signal.

20. A method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising manually adjusting said adjusted signal in said terminal unit to produce a manually adjusted signal and providing said audio signal in accordance with said manually adjusted signal, and further comprising making the selected level of the adjusted signal constant.

21. A method for controlling a radio communication apparatus coupled to at least one terminal unit selected from a plurality of terminal units of different types, said terminal unit being of a selected type, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a radio signal and producing a received signal;

adjusting the level of the received signal to produce an adjusted signal;

determining the type of said terminal unit from among the different types and producing a type signal respective of the type of said terminal unit; and

controlling said adjusting signal with a control means such that said adjusted signal has a level selected in accordance with said type signal, said step of determining comprising determining the type of said terminal unit from among a hands-free terminal unit, a terminal unit having a control unit responsive to the control means and further being responsive to a manually operated volume control, and a terminal unit which is not responsive to a control means and having an adjustable volume control for adjusting the volume of an output audio signal independently of said control means;

further comprising providing first and second units, and wherein;

said steps of receiving, adjusting, determining and controlling are performed in the first unit, and further comprising the step of providing in the first unit the audio signal in response to said adjusted signal; and

further comprising providing the second unit removably coupled to said first unit, said second unit coupling the terminal unit to said first unit.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising detecting connection between said first and second units to produce a connection detection signal, and further comprising:

coupling said selected terminal unit through said second unit to a receiving means in said first unit;

producing a main talk signal;

producing a subsidiary talk signal in said first unit; and

selecting one of said main and said subsidiary talk signals in accordance with said connection detection signal.