Audio-output for a portable radio telephone utilizing a vehicle's AM/FM radio

• US 5,867,794 A
• Filed: 09/20/1996
• Issued: 02/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Rasmusson, Jim A. J., Hayes, John J., Ericsson, Ted G., Irvin, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Application Number:
  US08/717,102
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556, 455/553, 455/569, 455/575, 455/90, 455/102, 455/103, 455/118, 455/345
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• 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 1/6091 including a wireless interface

Abstract

A wireless telephone communication device is operated in a hands-free mode with detected received audio being relayed for output on the speakers of a radio. A single two-frequency FM transmitter or a multi-frequency transmitter that transmits simultaneously on a plurality of channels relays the audio to the FM radio.

Claims

1. An accessory connectable to a portable radiotelephone, comprising:

an input connection terminal for connecting to the portable radiotelephone;

a radio transmitter, adapted to receive audio signals produced in a receiving section of the portable radiotelephone, for modulating a radio frequency (RF) signal using the received audio signals and transmitting the modulated RF signal at low power in a commercial radio broadcast band for radios; and

a call activity detector detecting call activity at the portable radiotelephone.

2. An accessory for a portable radiotelephone as in claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna coupled to the radio transmitter for wireless transmission of said RF signals to a radio.

3. An accessory for a portable radiotelephone as in claim 1, wherein the call activity detector actuates a first switch to connect the RF output of the transmitter to an RF input of a radio within the vicinity of the accessory.

4. An accessory for a portable radiotelephone as in claim 3, further comprising:

a shielded cable connecting the RF output of the transmitter to an input terminal of said first switch.

5. An accessory as in claim 3, further comprising:

a shielded cable connecting an output of said first switch to the RF input of said radio.

6. An accessory as in claim 3, wherein said call activity detector comprises a decoder for detecting and decoding commands on a system bus of a portable cellular telephone.

7. An accessory for a radiotelephone as in claim 3, wherein said call activity detector further actuates a second switch to turn on the radio, and a third switch to cause the radio to be in the FM mode.

8. An accessory for a radiotelephone as in claim 7, wherein said call activity detector further actuates a fourth switch to provide power to the FM transmitter.

9. An accessory for a portable radiotelephone as in claim 1, further comprising:

control means for selectively operating said transmitter at one of two frequencies of adjacent channels in the commercial FM broadcast band.

10. An accessory for a portable radiotelephone, comprising:

an input connection terminal for connecting to the portable radiotelephone;

a radio transmitter, adapted to receive audio signals produced in a receiving section of the portable radiotelephone, modulating a radio frequency (RF) signal using the received audio signals and transmitting the modulated RF signal in a commercial broadcast band for radios, and

a call activity detector detecting call activity at the portable radiotelephone,

wherein said radio transmitter transmits simultaneously on a plurality of channels in the FM broadcast band.

11. An accessory for a portable radiotelephone as in claim 10, wherein said radio transmitter comprises:

a phase lock loop modulated synthesizer for receiving said audio signals and outputting an audio modulated FM signal,

a harmonic generator for providing harmonics of a reference signal, and

a mixer for mixing the audio modulated FM signal and the harmonics to produce simultaneously a plurality of FM signals.

12. A communications system for use in an automobile, comprising:

a mobile radio telephone unit including;

a radio transceiver transceiving in a mobile radio frequency band, and

a radio transmitter wirelessly transmitting at low power in a commercial radio broadcast band signals received from the radio transceiver, and

a radio including;

a first speaker, and

a receiver for receiving wireless transmissions in the commercial radio broadcast band, processing the received transmissions, and providing the processed transmissions to the first speaker,

wherein when a call is received by the mobile radio telephone unit, the radio transceiver provides an audio signal corresponding the call to the radio transmitter, the radio transmitter wirelessly transmits the audio signal in the commercial radio broadcast band, and the receiver receives the transmitted signal and provides the audio signal to the first speaker.

13. A communication system as in claim 12, wherein the transmitter is an FM transmitter including a selector for setting said FM transmitter to transmit the RF signals at the frequency of one of two adjacent channels in the FM commercial broadcast band.

14. A communication system as in claim 12, wherein the communications unit may be operated in a hand-held mode of use and a hands-free mode of use with mobile radio further including:

a second speaker,

a switch connecting a power source to drive the second speaker or to drive the transmitter; and

a switch actuator,

wherein the switch actuator is operated so that in the hands-free mode,

the switch removes power to the second speaker and provides power to the transmitter, and in the hand-held mode, the switch provides power to the second speaker.

15. A communication system as in claim 12, further comprising:

a first antenna coupled to the radio transceiver,

a second antenna coupled to the transmitter, and

a third antenna coupled to the receiver.

16. A communication system as in claim 15, wherein the transmitter is located within a casing of the mobile radio telephone unit and the first and second antennas are carried by the casing.

17. A method of radio communications of a voice signal modulated onto a radio frequency (RF) signal in a portable radiotelephone frequency band, comprising the steps of:

receiving the voice-modulated, RF signal in a portable radiotelephone;

converting the received, voice-modulated RF signal into a voice-modulated RF signal in a commercial radio broadcast frequency band different from the portable radiotelephone frequency band;

wirelessly transmitting the voice-modulated RF signal in the commercial radio broadcast frequency band at low power;

receiving in a radio receiver the wirelessly-transmitted, voice-modulated RF signal in the commercial radio broadcast frequency band; and

extracting the voice signal from the wirelessly transmitted voice-modulated RF signal in the commercial radio broadcast frequency band and providing the extracted voice signal to a speaker coupled to the radio receiver.

18. A method as in claim 17, wherein said wirelessly transmitting step is over a clear channel in the frequency band of an FM radio.

19. A method as in claim 17, wherein said transmitting is at simultaneous multiple frequencies in the commercial frequency band of an FM radio.