Bimodal portable telephone
First Claim
1. A portable telephone handset comprising:
- circuit means for communicating with a first base station configured for operation in a frequency hopping system and for communicating with a second base station configured for operation in a cellular radio system, said circuit means including receive signal means for receiving radio-frequency signals from said first base station while configured for operation in said frequency hopping system and from said second base station while configured for operation in said cellular radio system;
control means for selectably configuring said circuit means for operation of the handset in either of said frequency hopping system or said cellular radio system, and;
standby circuit means for configuring said handset to a standby state, while in said standby state the receive signal means also being configured by the standby circuit means for monitoring both a selected radio frequency channel in said frequency hopping system for a first time period for detecting an incoming call directed to the handset from the first base station and a selected one from a group of radio frequency channels in said cellular radio system for a second time period for detecting an incoming call directed to the handset from the second base station, while in said standby state the receive signal means cycling between said first and second time period, and wherein said second time period is greater than said first time period.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A bimodal portable telephone provides cellular service and improved cordless service in a common handset. Operation of the bimodal portable telephone in a cellular telephone system provides telephone service over a wide geographical area of coverage through operation with multiple cellular bases and in a cordless telephone system provides telephone service over a localized geographical area of coverage through operation with an associated cordless base. The cordless service provides improved performance over convention cordless telephone service by advantageously employing a frequency hopping spread spectrum modulation technique for communications between the portable telephone and the cordless base unit. This improved performance achieves increased operating range of the cordless telephone system. This increased operating range is particular advantageous to the user of the portable telephone in that it permits this more economical system to be used over a much greater distance than is possible with convention cordless telephone service. Also commonality of circuitry within the portable telephone is facilitied through the selection of operating frequencies for the cordless telephone system to be in close proximity with those of the cellular telephone system.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A portable telephone handset comprising:
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circuit means for communicating with a first base station configured for operation in a frequency hopping system and for communicating with a second base station configured for operation in a cellular radio system, said circuit means including receive signal means for receiving radio-frequency signals from said first base station while configured for operation in said frequency hopping system and from said second base station while configured for operation in said cellular radio system; control means for selectably configuring said circuit means for operation of the handset in either of said frequency hopping system or said cellular radio system, and; standby circuit means for configuring said handset to a standby state, while in said standby state the receive signal means also being configured by the standby circuit means for monitoring both a selected radio frequency channel in said frequency hopping system for a first time period for detecting an incoming call directed to the handset from the first base station and a selected one from a group of radio frequency channels in said cellular radio system for a second time period for detecting an incoming call directed to the handset from the second base station, while in said standby state the receive signal means cycling between said first and second time period, and wherein said second time period is greater than said first time period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of selectively operating a portable telephone handset, the method comprising the steps of:
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communicating with a first base station configured for operation in a frequency hopping system; receiving radio-frequency signals from said first base station while said handset is configured for operation in said frequency hopping system; communicating with a second base station configured for operation in a cellular radio system; receiving radio-frequency signals from said second base station while said handset is configured for operation in said cellular radio system; configuring the handset selectably for operation in either of said frequency hopping system or said cellular radio system; configuring the handset to a standby state and monitoring while in said stand by state both a selected radio frequency channel in said frequency hopping system for a first time period for detecting an incoming call on said frequency hopping system directed to the handset and monitoring a selected radio frequency channel from a group of frequency channels in said cellular radio system for a second time period for detecting an incoming call on said cellular radio system directed to the handset, said second time period being greater than said first time period; and cycling between said first and second time period while the handset is in the standby state. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification