Combination cellular/satellite wireless communication devices

• US 6,549,788 B1
• Filed: 01/12/2000
• Issued: 04/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Ma, Yawei, Karabinis, Peter, OʼNeill, Gregory A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thanh Cong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chow, C.
• Application Number:
  US09/481,793
• Time in Patent Office: 1,189 Days
• Field of Search: 453/550, 453/13.3, 453/11.1, 453/90, 453/348, 453/83, 453/78, 453/347, 453/344, 453/121, 453/268, 453/129, 453/575, 343/702, 343/703, 343/727, 343/876, 343/882, 343/898, 343/908
• US Class Current: 455/575.7
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/088 Quick-releasable antenna elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/406 with more than one transmission mode, e.g. analog and digital modes

Abstract

A mobile phone including a handset having a transceiver adapted for selective communication in cellular and satellite modes. The handset includes a cellular antenna adapted to receive cellular wavelength signals, a connector for a satellite antenna, and a switch adapted to selectively connect either the cellular antenna or the connector to the transceiver. The satellite antenna is adapted for selective connection to the connector of the mobile phone handset, the satellite antenna being adapted to receive satellite wavelength signals. The satellite antenna includes a cavity in a first portion adapted to receive and frictionally secure to the cellular antenna, and a plunger is adapted to engage the switch to disconnect the cellular antenna from, and connect the satellite antenna to, the transceiver when the satellite antenna is secured to the handset connector.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device for transmitting and receiving signals in different modes, the mobile communication device comprising:

a portable handset adapted to communicate in both first and second wireless modes;

a transceiver contained within the portable handset adapted for selective communication in first and second wireless modes;

a first antenna mounted on the portable handset adapted to receive wireless signals having a wavelength in a first range;

a connector mounted on the portable handset;

a switch contained within the portable handset adapted to selectively connect either the first antenna or the connector to the transceiver; and

a second antenna adapted for selective connection to the connector and to receive signals having a wavelength in a second range that is different than the wavelength in the first range, wherein said second antenna is portable and includes a cavity adapted to receive said first antenna, said first antenna being frictionally secured to said second antenna when received in said second antenna cavity.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein said second antenna includes a pocket clip whereby the mobile communication device user may securely carry said second antenna in a user'"'"'s pocket when said second antenna is not connected to the portable handset connector.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein said connector comprises electrical contacts on the portable handset adapted to connect the second antenna to the transceiver when said second antenna is connected to the handset connector.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 1, further comprising a cavity in said second antenna adapted to receive said first antenna, said first antenna being frictionally secured to said second antenna when received in said second antenna cavity.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said second antenna cavity and said first antenna is elastically deformable.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the first antenna includes means to receive signals in both the first range and the second range.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 1, further comprising a plunger adapted to engage the switch to disconnect the first antenna from the transceiver and connect the second antenna to the transceiver when the second antenna is secured to the portable handset connector.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein said connector comprises axially spaced joining members.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein cellular signals have wavelengths in the first range and satellite signals have wavelengths in the second range, further comprising a mode switch for selectively switching the transceiver between cellular and satellite modes.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein said second antenna comprises:

a first portion adapted for selective connection to the connector of the portable handset, said second antenna first portion including a member adapted to connect to the switch when said second antenna is connected to the connector;

antenna radiating elements in a second portion of the second antenna; and

a pivotable connection between said second antenna first portion and said second antenna second portion, said pivotable connection adapted to allow said second antenna second portion to be positionally adjusted relative to the second antenna first portion.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 10, further comprising a coaxial cable extending from the first portion member to the antenna radiating elements, said coaxial cable connecting said antenna radiating elements to the switch when said second antenna is connected to said connector.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein said second antenna first and second portions are substantially longitudinal and said pivotal connection connects said second antenna first and second portions substantially end to end, whereby said positional adjustment is pivoting of one second antenna portion relative to the other second antenna portion about an axis substantially normal to the longitudinal direction of both the second antenna first and second portions.

13. A mobile communication device for transmitting and receiving signals in different modes, the mobile communication device comprising:

a portable handset adapted to communicate in both cellular and satellite modes;

a transceiver contained within the portable handset adapted for selective communication in cellular and satellite modes;

a first antenna mounted on the portable handset adapted to receive cellular wavelength signals;

a connector mounted on the portable handset;

a switch contained within the portable handset adapted to selectively connect either the first antenna or the connector to the transceiver; and

a second portable antenna adapted for selective connection to the connector and to receive satellite wavelength signals.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein said second portable antenna includes a pocket clip whereby the mobile communication device user may securely carry said second portable antenna in a user'"'"'s pocket when said second portable antenna is not connected to the mobile phone handset connector.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 13,

wherein said connector comprises electrical contacts on the portable handset adapted to connect the second portable antenna to the transceiver when said second portable antenna is connected to the connector, and

further comprising a cavity in said second portable antenna adapted to receive said first antenna, said first antenna being frictionally secured to said second portable antenna when received in said second portable antenna cavity.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the first antenna includes means to receive both cellular and satellite signals.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 13, further comprising a plunger adapted to engage the switch to disconnect the first antenna from the transceiver and connect the second portable antenna to the transceiver when the second portable antenna is secured to the portable handset connector.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein said connector comprises axially spaced joining members.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 13, further comprising a mode switch for selectively switching the transceiver between cellular and satellite modes.

20. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the second portable antenna comprises:

a first portion adapted for selective connection to the connector of the portable handset, said second portable antenna first portion including a member adapted to connect to the switch when said second portable antenna is connected to the connector;

antenna radiating elements in a second portion of the second portable antenna; and

a pivotable connection between said second portable antenna first portion and said second portable antenna second portion, said pivotable connection adapted to allow said second portable antenna second portion to be positionally adjusted relative to the second portable antenna first portion.

21. The mobile communication device of claim 20, further comprising a coaxial cable extending from the first portion member to the antenna radiating elements, said coaxial cable connecting said antenna radiating elements to the switch when said second portable antenna is connected to said connector.

22. The mobile communication device of claim 20, wherein said second portable antenna first and second portions are substantially longitudinal and said pivotal connection connects said second portable antenna first and second portions substantially end to end, whereby said positional adjustment is pivoting of one second portable antenna portion relative to the other second portable antenna portion about an axis substantially normal to the longitudinal direction of both the second portable antenna first and second portions.

23. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein said second portable antenna is substantially longitudinal.

24. A method of operating a mobile communication device, comprising the steps of:

receiving cellular telephone signals and control channel satellite signals with a first antenna connected to a portable handset transceiver of the mobile communication device;

selectively connecting a second portable antenna to the portable handset transceiver when choosing to receive and transmit traffic channel satellite signals, said connecting step automatically disconnecting the first antenna from the portable handset transceiver;

whereby said first antenna is tuned to cellular telephone signal wavelengths and said second portable antenna is tuned to satellite signal wavelengths.