Antenna booster system for automobile

• US 6,400,326 B1
• Filed: 08/03/1999
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Green, Donald R. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, THUY V
• Application Number:
  US09/368,052
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 343/713, 343/711, 343/712, 343/714, 343/702, 343/718, 343/793, 343/893, 343/895, 343/876, 343/872, 343/905, 343/906, 343/700.MS, 455/95, 455/99, 455/345, 455/351, 455/82, 455/575, 455/90
• US Class Current: 343/713
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/241 used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/325 characterised by the location of the antenna on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters

Abstract

An antenna system for an automobile uses an external antenna that is either connected to the cell phone directly, or connected to a passive antenna that communicates with the cell phone.

Claims

1. A system for a vehicle-mounted portable phone, comprising:

a first antenna, mounted external to the vehicle;

a second antenna mounted internal to the vehicle; and

a car-mounted part, having surfaces for accepting and allowing recharging of a portable phone;

an electrically operated switch selectively connecting said second antenna to said first antenna, said switch operating to sense current flow charging said portable phone, and to change a position of said switch based on whether said current is flowing.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein said second antenna is a dipole.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein said second antenna is one of a dipole antenna, a helix antenna, a patch antenna, or an inverted F-type antenna.

4. A vehicle kit for a portable telephone, comprising:

a housing, including at least two contacts therein, a first contact being an antenna contact which is located to connect to an antenna of the portable phone, and a second contact being a contact for connecting to some other feature of the portable phone, said housing also including a cradle area that is sized for receiving said portable phone therein;

a transmission line, connected between said housing and an external antenna;

a second antenna also connected to said housing; and

an electrically controllable switch, detecting whether said portable telephone is inserted in said housing by detecting current flow in said telephone, and based on said detecting, connecting said antenna contact on said cellular phone to said external antenna, and if not, connecting said second antenna to said external antenna.

5. A system as in claim 4, wherein said second antenna is a dipole antenna.

6. A method of operating a telephone, comprising:

first, determining if a portable telephone is attached to a car kit by detecting current flow to said portable telephone;

connecting said portable phone directly to an external antenna, if so connected; and

otherwise, connecting a passive internal antenna to said external antenna.

7. A method as in claim 6, wherein said determining comprises detecting power consumption.

8. A method as in claim 6, wherein said determining comprises detecting a physical position.