Power adapter with integral radio frequency port

• US 6,212,415 B1
• Filed: 07/25/2000
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Patino, Joseph, Ford, Robert, Demuro, David M., Kalenowsky, John A., Albert, Mike M.
• Primary Examiner(s): MAUNG, NAY AUNG
• Application Number:
  US09/625,719
• Time in Patent Office: 252 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550, 455/571, 455/570, 455/574, 455/575, 455/90, 379/428, 379/429, 379/431, 379/433
• US Class Current: 455/575.7
• 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: H04L 63/0869 for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0869 involving random numbers or seeds
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72505 Radio link set-up procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/727 Identification code transfer arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/041 Key generation or derivation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/122 Counter-measures against attacks; Protection against rogue devices

Abstract

The present invention provides a power adapter (10) adapted to couple an external antenna (17) to a communication device (30) by way of a cable (12) which is typically plugged into a cigarette lighter of a vehicle or some other power source at one end, and an input connector of the communication device (30) at the other. In particular, the present invention provides a simple one-piece vehicle power adapter which also provides RF input/output capability for connection to an external vehicle antenna. According to certain aspects of the invention, the adapter can be configured to have a variety of selection mechanisms. For example, the communication device could include an RF switch (34) and control circuitry for selecting either the internal or external antenna for optimum reception. Alternatively, the cable could include an external switch (70) for allowing the user to select the desired antenna. Finally, the cable could include a component which automatically actuates the switch to select the external antenna when the external antenna is connected to the communication device.

Claims

1. A communication device for transmitting and receiving communication signals, said communication device comprising:

a transceiver circuit operative to transmit and receive communication signals;

an integral antenna integrally associated with said communication device;

a switching circuit coupled between said transceiver circuit and said integral antenna for decoupling said integral antenna from said transceiver circuit in response to a decoupling signal; and

an adapter selectively couplable to said transceiver circuit and said switching circuit, said adapter having a radio frequency port operative to receive an external antenna for coupling radio frequency signals to said transceiver circuit, and wherein said adapter further comprises a user selectable switch integrally associated with said adapter, and capable of being open or closed, wherein said adapter generates said decoupling signal and couples said external antenna to said transceiver circuit when said user selectable switch is closed.

2. The communication device of claim 1 wherein said adapter comprises a plug operative for insertion into a vehicle cigarette lighter.

3. A method for switching a radio frequency signal input comprising the steps of:

connecting a power connector attached to a power adapter to a DC power source;

connecting the power adapter to a portable communication device having an integral antenna, said power adapter including a user selectable switch for operatively switching between open and closed;

coupling an external antenna to a radio frequency port of the power connector;

generating a signal in response to said user selectable switch being closed; and

switching a radio frequency signal input from the integral antenna to the external antenna in response to the signal.