Wireless personal mobile data terminal receiving a wide-area broadcast and capable of two-way communication in a local area

• US 6,711,418 B1
• Filed: 10/13/1995
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Wireless Communications Incorporated
• Original Assignee: General Wireless Communications Incorporated
• Inventors: Wang, Weijia, Nguyen, Nhan Tri
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G.
• Application Number:
  US08/543,101
• Time in Patent Office: 3,084 Days
• Field of Search: 455/33.1, 455/38.1, 455/56.1, 455/62, 455/89, 455/90, 455/73, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/466, 379/57, 379/59
• US Class Current: 455/553.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless personal mobile terminal in a cellular data network includes a packet radio transceiver for communicating with cellular base stations and a paging receiver for receiving paging signals from a paging transmitter serving a large geographical area. The wireless personal mobile message unit has power-saving features built into the signal format. This personal mobile message unit accommodates many communication applications due to the high bandwidth and the low latency achieved in the cellular data network. Low-power operation and wide coverage is achieved using existing one-way paging infrastructure. The wireless personal mobile unit can be achieved inexpensively by modifying a conventional one-way pager.

Claims

1. A personal mobile terminal comprising:

a receiver for receiving a first data signal modulated by a first carrier frequency;

a transceiver for transmitting a second data signal modulated by a second carrier frequency and for receiving a third data signal modulated by said second carrier frequency;

a central processing unit for controlling operations of said personal mobile terminal in accordance with a predetermined protocol, in which said personal mobile terminal receives a notification message at said receiver and, upon receiving said notification messages, initiates two-way data communication using said transceiver.

2. A personal mobile terminal as in claim 1, wherein said receiver is adapted to receive said fist data signal from a transmitter of a paging service.

3. A personal mobile terminal as in claim 1, wherein said transceiver is adapted to transmit said second data signal to a local cellularized base station.

4. A personal mobile terminal as in claim 1, further comprising:

a keyboard;

a display; and

a user interface program running on said central processing unit, said user interface receiving from said keyboard user input for composing messages to be transmitted in said second data signal and displaying on said display messages received in said first data signal.

5. The personal mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein said transceiver further comprises:

an antenna adapted for both transmitting said second data signal and receiving said third data signal; and

a transmit-receive switch circuit coupling said antenna alternatively for receiving said third data signal and transmitting said second data signal.

6. The personal mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein said personal mobile terminal further comprises:

a display;

a keyboard including a key for a user to indicate execution of a transmission command; and

a housing for enclosing said receiver and said transceiver, said housing including a movable member on which said antenna is attached, said movable member having a window and capable of being disposed at a first position and at a second position, such that when said movable member is disposed in said first position, said movable member covering said key and allowing said display to be read through said window, and when said moveable member is in said second position, said key is exposed and said antenna being positioned for transmitting said data signal.

7. The personal mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein said receiver comprises a frequency shift-keying receiver.

8. The personal mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein said receiver comprises a Gaussian minimum shift-keying receiver.

9. The personal mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising an external frequency synthesizer for providing said first and second carrier frequency to said receiver and said transceiver.

10. The personal mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein said transceiver includes a second receiver comprising:

a downconverting circuit coupled to receive said third data signal;

an input terminal coupled to receive a reference signal of a reference frequency;

an amplifier circuit coupled to receive and amplify said third data signal; and

a mixer for mixing said amplified third data signal with said reference signal to provide an output signal of an intermediate frequency.

11. The personal mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein said amplifier comprises an automatic gain control circuit.

12. The personal mobile terminal of claim 10, further comprising a dual-frequency synthesizer for providing said reference frequency.

13. The personal mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein said dual frequency synthesizer provides said transmitter a signal of said second carrier frequency.

14. The personal mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein said transceiver further comprises an automatic level control circuit for maintaining a signal level of said second data signal.

15. A personal mobile terminal as in claim 1, further comprising a wired data interface for access by an external computer to said personal mobile terminal.

16. A personal mobile terminal comprising:

a first antenna;

a first receiver, coupled to said first antenna, for receiving a first modulated signal of a first carrier frequency;

a second antenna;

a second receiver, coupled to said second antenna, for receiving a second modulated signal of a second carrier frequency;

a transmitter, coupled to said second antenna, for transmitting a third modulated signal of said second carrier frequency; and

a central processing unit for controlling operations of said personal mobile terminal in accordance with a predetermined protocol, in which said personal mobile terminal receives a notification message at said first receiver and, upon receiving said notification messages, initiates two-way data communication using said second receiver and said transmitter.

17. A personal mobile terminal as in claim 16, wherein said personal mobile terminal further comprises:

a keypad for receiving user input data; and

a display for displaying output data;

wherein said central processing unit, in accordance with said user input data, controls the operations of said first and second receivers and for displaying messages decoded from said first and radio signal.

18. A personal mobile terminal as in claim 17, wherein said first receiver demodulates said first modulated signal to achieve a first demodulated signal, said first receiver further comprises a digital filter coupled to said first receiver to process said first demodulated signal.

19. A personal mobile terminal as in claim 16, further comprising a frequency synthesizer, coupled to said first receiver, for providing a reference signal to said first receiver.

20. A personal mobile terminal as in claim 16, further comprising a wired data interface for access by an external computer to said personal mobile terminal.