Wireless communication system

• US 6,185,436 B1
• Filed: 03/27/1997
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens Stromberg-Carlson
• Original Assignee: Siemens Information And Communication Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Vu, Trinh D.
• Primary Examiner(s): MAUNG, NAY AUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/826,114
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90, 455/422, 455/425, 455/550, 455/551, 455/553, 455/556, 455/558, 455/565, 455/575, 379/357, 235/380, 235/472, 235/486, 235/382
• US Class Current: 455/558
• 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 1/401 for selecting or indicating operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/14 including a card reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

A personal communication system handset having a plurality of slots provided therein. Each one of the slots is adapted to store a corresponding one of a plurality of removable/insertable subscriber identity modules. The subscriber identity modules have stored therein different subscriber information. A user is thereby able to subscribe to two, or more, different providers and is able to remove at least one of the modules for use in another handset. Further, the modules are credit card size and are therefore less likely to be lost, or misplaced, than a chip sized module. An electronic switch is disposed in the handset for electrically coupling one of the modules to a transceiver in the handset selectively in accordance with a program stored in the handset based on a signal received by the transceiver from a base station cell. The selected module provides the base station cell with the stored subscriber information. Thus, the handset can automatically select the proper module based on the stored program. An automatic subscriber identification module control system is also provided. The system includes a handset having a plurality of subscriber identity modules. A transceiver is disposed in the handset for receiving and transmitting signals from and to a plurality of base station cells. A memory is also disposed in the handset, such memory storing an executable program. A processor in the handset is responsive to the signals received by the transceiver, or solely from information stored in the memory, and is adapted to execute the stored program to producing a control signal in accordance with the received signals and/or the executed program.

Claims

1. A personal communication handset, comprising:

a plurality of subscriber identity modules disposed in the handset;

a transceiver for receiving and transmitting signals from and to a base station cell;

an electronic switch having a plurality of input ports, each one of the ports being electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of subscriber identity modules, such switch coupling one of the input ports to an output port selectively in response to a control signal, such output port being electrically connected to the transceiver;

a memory storing a executable program, such memory including a calendar table;

a processor adapted to execute the stored program to produce the control signal in accordance with the executed program including information in the calendar table.

2. The handset recited in claim 1 wherein the processor is adapted to automatically execute the stored program to produce the control signal independent of the signals received by the transceiver from the base station.

3. The personal communication handset recited in claim 1 wherein the handset includes a plurality of slots adapted to store a corresponding one of the subscriber identity modules, each one of the plurality of subscriber identity modules being adapted for removable insertion into and from the corresponding one of the slots.

4. The personal communication handset recited in claim 2 wherein the handset includes a plurality of slots adapted to store a corresponding one of the subscriber identity modules, each one of the plurality of subscriber identity modules being adapted for removable insertion into and from the corresponding one of the slots.

5. A personal communication handset, comprising:

a plurality of subscriber identity modules disposed in the handset;

a transceiver for receiving and transmitting signals from and to a base station cell;

an electronic switch having a plurality of input ports, each one of the ports being electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of subscriber identity modules, such electronic switch coupling one of the input ports to an output port selectively in response to a control signal, such output port being electrically connected to the transceiver;

a memory storing a executable program, such memory including a calendar table;

a processor for automatically executing the stored program to produce the control signal in accordance with the executed program including information in the calendar table and independent of the signals received from the base station cell;

wherein each one of the subscriber identity modules stores therein subscriber identification information and;

wherein the one of the modules selected by the control signal provides the base station with the subscriber identification information stored therein.