Separable cellular telephone and method for operating the same

• US 6,216,017 B1
• Filed: 08/13/1998
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Katsumi, Masumoto, Lee, Ki-Tae
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thanh Cong
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, PABLO N
• Application Number:
  US09/132,789
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 455/89, 455/90, 455/128, 455/466, 455/550, 455/556, 455/557, 455/558, 455/566, 455/575, 455/567, 455/348, 455/349, 376/357, 376/433, 376/428
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A cellular telephone which is separable into a main device and a remote device having a call service function, and a method for controlling communication between the two devices. The main device of the cellular telephone includes a first radio circuit for communicating with a cell site and a second radio circuit for communicating with the remote device. The remote can be separated from the main device and includes a radio circuit for communicating with the second radio circuit of the main device. In one aspect, a separable cellular telephone comprises: a main device having a first radio circuit for communicating with a cell site and a second radio circuit; and a remote device having a radio circuit for communicating with the second radio circuit of the main device, wherein upon receipt of an incoming call from the cell cite, the main device transmits call receipt information to the remote device and the remote device processes the incoming call.

Claims

1. A cellular telephone, comprising:

a main device having a first radio circuit for communicating with a cell site, a second radio circuit, a first switch and a second switch; and

a remote device having a third radio circuit for communicating with said second radio circuit of said main device, wherein upon receipt of an incoming call from said cell cite, said main device transmits call receipt information to said remote device and said remote device processes said incoming call through said main device;

wherein said first switch and said second switch operate automatically under the control of the main device to block signal paths formed between the main device and the remote device when a call is placed using the main device.

2. The cellular telephone of claim 1, wherein said main device and said remote device are detachably coupled to each other.

3. The cellular telephone of claim 1, wherein said first radio circuit of said main device includes a first radio frequency (RF) receiver for receiving and processing RF signals transmitted from said cell site and a first RF transmitter for generating RF signals sent to said cell site, and wherein said second radio circuit of said main device includes a second RF receiver for receiving and processing RF signals transmitted from said third radio circuit of said remote device and a second RF transmitter for transmitting RF signals to said third radio circuit of said remote device.

4. The cellular telephone of claim 3, wherein said main device further includes a signal processor having a reception processor for processing signals received from said first RF receiver and a transmission processor for processing signals transmitted to said first RF transmitter, and a controller for controlling the operation of said first radio circuit, said reception processor, said transmission processor, said second RF receiver and said second RF transmitter, and wherein said third radio circuit includes a third RF receiver for receiving and processing RF signals transmitted from said second RF transmitter of said main device, and a third RF transmitter for processing transmission signals sent to said second RF receiver of said main device, whereby said controller controls the formation of a first radio link between said first RF receiver and said second RF transmitter, and controls the formation of a second radio link between said first RF transmitter and said second RF receiver.

5. The cellular telephone of claim 4, wherein said controller analyzes an output of said reception processor, generates a call control signal upon receiving call receipt information, forms said first radio link between said first RF receiver and the second RF transmitter and said second radio link between said first RF transmitter and said second RF receiver upon receipt of call answering data from said remote device, and generates a call end control signal and terminates said first and second radio links upon receipt of call end information.

6. The cellular telephone of claim 4, wherein:

the first switch is operatively connected between said reception processor and said second RF transmitter for coupling said reception processor to said second RF transmitter to form said first radio link under the control of said controller; and

the second switch is operatively connected between said transmission processor and said second RF receiver for coupling said transmission processor to said second RF receiver to form said second ratio link under the control of said controller.

7. The cellular telephone of claim 6, wherein said first switch is activated by a first call control signal, said first call control signal being generated by said controller in response to call receipt information received by said controller, wherein said second switch is activated by a second call control signal, said second call control signal being generated by said controller in response to call answering data received by said controller, and wherein said controller deactivates said first and second switch in response to call end information to terminate said first and second radio links.

8. The cellular telephone of claim 5, wherein said second RF transmitter generates call request data upon detection of said call control signal, and modulates and up-converts an audio signal output from the reception processor and said call request data to a first radio signal, and wherein said second RF receiver, operatively connected to said transmission processor, down-converts and demodulates a second radio signal received from said remote device and outputs said demodulated second radio signal to said transmission processor.

9. The cellular telephone of claim 8, wherein said remote device includes:

a third RF receiver for down-converting and demodulating said first radio signal from said main device to extract said call request data and said audio signal of said first radio signal;

a speaker for outputting said demodulated audio signal;

a discriminator, operatively connected to said third RF receiver, for analyzing said demodulated call request data output from said third RF receiver, displaying a call receipt state, generating a transmission power control signal upon detection of said call request data, outputting a call answering signal to generated said call answering data, and generating call end data in response to a call end signal; and

a third RF transmitter for up-converting and modulating said call answering data, said call end data, said audio signal output from a microphone and transmitting said modulated data to said main device.

10. The cellular telephone of claim 9, further comprising:

a power supply having a power switch for providing reception power supply voltage to said third RF receiver in response to said transmission power control signal, said power switch being activated to provide a transmission power supply voltage to said third RF transmitter when said call is answered, said power switch being deactivated to cut off the transmission power supply voltage to said third RF transmitter when said call is ended.

11. A cellular telephone comprising:

a main device including;

a first radio circuit for communicating with a cell site, said first radio circuit having a first RF receiver for receiving and processing signals transmitted from said cell site and a first RF transmitter for processing and transmitting encoded transmission data to said cell site;

a reception processor for decoding said processed signals from said first RF receiver;

a second RF transmitter, operatively connected to said reception processor, for modulating an audio signal output from said reception processor to a first radio signal;

a second RF receiver for demodulating a second radio signal;

a transmission processor, operatively connected to said second RF receiver, for providing encoded transmission data to said first RF transmitter; and

a first controller, for selectively coupling said first RF receiver to said second RF transmitter to form a first radio link and for selectively coupling said second RF receiver to said first RF transmitter to form a second radio link; and

a remote device including;

a third RF receiver for receiving and processing said first radio signal, said first radio signal being transmitted from said second RF transmitter when said first radio link is formed under control of said first controller;

a third RF transmitter for generating said second radio signal, said second radio signal including audio signals generated from said remote device, and transmitting said second radio signal when said second radio link is formed under control of said first controller;

a first switch, operatively connected between said reception processor and said second RF transmitter, for coupling said reception processor to said second RF transmitter to form said first radio link under the control of said controller; and

a second switch, operatively connected between said transmission processor and said second RF receiver, for coupling said transmission processor to said second RF receiver to form said second radio link under the control of said controller.

12. The cellular telephone of claim 11, wherein said first controller further analyzes said decoded data output from said reception processor, generates a first call control signal in response to one of call receipt information and call originating information to form said first radio link between said first RF receiver and said second RF transmitter, generates a second call control signal to form said second radio link between said first RF transmitter and said second RF receiver upon receipt of call answering data, and deactivates said first and second call control signals to cut-off said radio links upon receipt of call end information, and wherein said second RF transmitter generates call request data upon receipt of said first call control signal and generates call answering data upon receipt of call attempt data.

13. The cellular telephone of claim 12, wherein a second controller analyzes said demodulate data output from said third RF receiver, displays a call receipt state, generates a transmission power control signal upon detection of said call request data, outputs said call answering data when the call is answered, generates said transmission power control signal and said call attempt data when the call is attempted, and generates call end data when the call is ended, and wherein said third RF transmitter modulates said call answering data, said call attempt data and said call end data from said controller, said modulated data being included in said second radio signal.

14. The cellular telephone of claim 13, wherein said remote device further comprises a power supply having a power switch, for providing a reception power supply voltage to said third RF receiver, wherein when the call is one of answered and attempted, said power switch is activated to provide a transmission power supply voltage to said third RF transmitter, and wherein when the call is ended, said power switch deactivated to cut off said transmission power supply voltage to said third RF transmitter.

15. A method for operating a cellular telephone having a main device for providing radio communication with a cell site and a remote device for communication with said cell cite through said main device, said method comprising the steps of:

servicing an incoming call, said step of servicing an incoming call comprising the substeps of;

transmitting call information from said main device to said remote device upon receipt of an incoming call by said main device from said cell cite; and

displaying a call receipt state and processing said incoming call by said remote device upon receipt of said call information from said main device; and

servicing an outgoing call, said step of servicing an outgoing call comprising the substeps of;

transmitting call attempt information from said remote device to said main device when originating an outgoing call from said remote device; and

transmitting call answering information from said main device to said remote device so as to process an outgoing call from said remote device to said cell cite by communication through said main device;

wherein said main device includes switching means operable to automatically block signal paths formed between the main device and the remote device when a call is placed using the main device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said main device includes a first radio circuit for communicating with said cell cite and a second radio circuit for communicating with said remote device, said remote device having a third radio circuit for communicating with said second radio circuit, and wherein the substep of transmitting said call information for the step of servicing an incoming call, further includes the substeps of:

forming a first radio link between said first radio circuit of said main device and said cell cite;

forming a second radio link between said second radio circuit of said main device and said third radio circuit of said remote device;

transmitting call request data from said main device to said remote device through said second radio link;

transmitting call answering data from said remote device to said main device through said second radio link in response to said transmitted call request data; and

processing the incoming call between said main device and said remote device through said second radio link and said main device and said cell site through the first radio link.

17. The method of claim 16, further including the substep of terminating said first and second radio links in response to call end data and placing said cellular telephone in a call wait state.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of servicing an outgoing call, further comprises the substeps of;

forming a first radio link between said second radio circuit of said main device and said third radio circuit of said remote device in response to said call request data transmitted to said main device from said remote device;

forming a second radio link between said main device and said cell cite;

transmitting call answering data from said cell cite to said remote device through said main device in response to said call request data; and

processing the outgoing call via the first and second links.

19. The method of claim 18, further including the substep of terminating said first and second radio links upon detection of the call end data.