Method and apparatus for transmission of and receiving signals having digital information using an air link

• US 5,479,479 A
• Filed: 04/20/1993
• Issued: 12/26/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cellport Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cell Port Labs Inc.
• Inventors: Chandler, Richard A., Kennedy, Patrick J., Braitberg, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Application Number:
  US08/050,910
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 379/58, 379/59, 379/63, 455/33.1, 455/84, 455/89, 455/90, 370/85.1, 370/85.2, 370/85.7, 370/85.13, 370/95.1, 370/95.3
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/04 Monitoring the functioning of the control system
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/06 Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94
• 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 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• 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: 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 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• 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. In addition, the control unit may include circuitry for controlling a number of peripheral devices which are operable to send and receive digital data through the cellular phone unit to and from remote devices via radio frequency signals.

Claims

1. A method for transferring digital information over an air link relative to a plurality of peripheral devices communicating with a common bus, comprising:

receiving signals having digital information from an air link using circuitry contained in a housing;

obtaining said digital information from said signals, said signals also including control information related to identifying at least a first of a plurality of peripheral devices, said digital information to be received by said first of said plurality of peripheral devices, with said digital information to be received by said first peripheral device first being received by and outputted from a peripheral device controller having a processor, each of said plurality of peripheral devices having an address and each of said peripheral devices being communicable with each of all of the other of said plurality of peripheral devices and said peripheral device controller being addressable by each of said plurality of peripheral devices;

determining an identification of said first peripheral device that is to receive said digital information;

sending said digital information to said first peripheral device using a signal conducting common bus that each of said plurality of peripheral devices communicates with, said common bus being located externally of said circuitry housing;

making a determination automatically including without operator intervention that second digital information associated with a second peripheral device is to be transmitted using said circuitry;

transferring said second digital information from said second peripheral device to said peripheral device controller; and

transmitting said second digital information from said circuitry through the air link to a remote device after receiving said second digital information by said peripheral device controller.

2. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said receiving step includes receiving said RF signals using a cellular telephone.

3. A method, as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said receiving step includes outputting voiceband information while simultaneously receiving said digital information.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising the step of:

providing a means for outputting digital information from said cellular telephone.

5. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said obtaining step includes obtaining analog information from said signals.

6. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said determining step includes controlling transfer of said digital information based on a priority determination relative to said first peripheral device and said second peripheral device.

7. A methyl, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said making step includes sensing a first event using said second peripheral device.

8. A method, as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

said sensing step includes alerting a predetermined remote source that said first event was sensed.

9. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said sending step includes monitoring said second peripheral device and, when a first condition is detected, generating said second digital information using said second peripheral device.

10. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said inputting step includes prioritizing a transfer between said first and second digital information.

11. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of peripheral devices include at least a plurality of the following;

a Compact Disc ROM, a navigational positioning device, a keypad, a personal digital assistant, a facsimile machine, a video display unit and a sensor for indicating that a predetermined event was detected.

12. A method, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

locating said circuitry and said peripheral device controller in a vehicle.

13. A method, as claimed in claim 12, further including:

disconnecting said circuitry from said peripheral device controller and removing said circuitry from the vehicle.

14. A method, as claimed in claim 13, further including:

electrically connecting said circuitry to another peripheral device controller located remote from the vehicle.

15. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sending step includes a plurality of the following steps:

performing a diagnostic check of a vehicle using a vehicle monitoring system;

requesting positioning information from a navigational positioning device;

communicating with a computer terminal;

obtaining data from a CD Read Only Memory;

sending said digital information to a facsimile machine;

outputting said digital information using a synthesized speech system;

printing said digital information received on said RF transceiver;

displaying said digital information on a display terminal.

16. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transferring step includes a plurality of the following steps:

sending positioning data from a navigational positioning device;

sending data from a computer terminal;

sending data stored in a CD ROM;

sending diagnostic data from a vehicle monitoring system;

sending data from a digital facsimile machine;

sending data translated by a speech recognition system;

sending data from a security system;

sending data from an accident and emergency notification alarm;

sending data from a personal digital assistant.

17. An apparatus for controlling the transfer of digital information carried through an air link, comprising:

circuitry contained in a housing for receiving and transmitting signals carried through an air link;

a plurality of peripheral devices, each of said peripheral devices for receiving and/or outputting information and at least some of said plurality of peripheral devices, including a first peripheral device, for inputting and/or outputting digital information;

a peripheral device controller communicating with each of said plurality of peripheral devices, said peripheral device controller receiving digital information from said circuitry and determining an identity of said first peripheral device for receiving said digital information, said peripheral device controller including processing means and in which said digital information to be received by said first peripheral device is first received by and outputted from said peripheral device controller;

first means for interconnecting said circuitry with said peripheral device controller; and

second means for interconnecting said peripheral device controller and each of said plurality of peripheral devices, said second means including a signal conducting common bus that each of said peripheral devices communicates with, said common bus being located externally of said circuitry housing, each of said plurality of peripheral devices having an address and each of said peripheral devices communicable with each of all of the other of said plurality of peripheral devices and said peripheral device controller being addressable by each of said plurality of peripheral devices, wherein digital information is able to be transferred, free of control by said peripheral device controller processor, between each of said plurality of peripheral devices including between said first peripheral device and a second peripheral device and is also able to be transferred from said peripheral device controller to each of said plurality of peripheral devices.

18. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said peripheral device controller is operable to transfer information from said plurality of peripheral devices to said circuitry.

19. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 18, wherein:

said peripheral device controller includes means for formatting information transferred from said circuitry to said peripheral devices and information transferred from said peripheral devices to said circuitry.

20. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

said formatting means includes means for packetizing digital information according to the type of circuitry used and the baud rates of said peripheral devices.

21. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said circuitry includes a cellular telephone removably connectable to said peripheral device controller.

22. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said first means for interconnecting includes a coupler that allows communication between said peripheral device controller and a selected one of a plurality of RF transceivers, with each of said plurality of RF transceivers having an output connector different from all others of said plurality of RF transceivers.

23. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said peripheral device controller further includes battery power regulating means for regulating battery power to components of said peripheral device controller.

24. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said plurality of devices includes at least some of the following;

a digital information storage device, a CD Read Only Memory, a video display unit, a facsimile machine, a detecting device, a synthesized speech system, an accident and emergency notification alarm, and a printer.

25. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said second means includes bus logic means separable from but communicating with said peripheral device controller and said common bus for controlling transfers of digital information relative to said peripheral devices.

26. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 25, wherein:

said bus logic means discontinues communication between said first peripheral device and said common bus when said common bus has been used by said first peripheral device for longer than a predetermined time interval.

27. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

each of said peripheral devices is able to initiate communication with said peripheral device controller, but subject to a predetermined peripheral device priority.

28. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

peripheral devices in addition to said plurality of peripheral devices and wherein all of said peripheral devices including said plurality of peripheral devices communicate with said common bus and communicate with each other when communication is requested but depending upon common bus priority and availability.

29. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

all of said digital information to be sent to one or more of said peripheral devices is received by said peripheral device controller.