Local communications device

• US 6,754,468 B1
• Filed: 04/30/1999
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Micronas Intermetall GmbH (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Micronas Intermetall GmbH (TDK Corporation)
• Inventors: Sieben, Ulrich, Temerinac, Miodrag
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US09/302,391
• Time in Patent Office: 1,880 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.06, 455/66, 455/556, 455/557, 455/425, 455/422, 455/517, 455/66.1, 455/3.05, 455/74, 455/41-- 4, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 379/55.1, 348/723, 725/62
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

A Portable communications device (1), particularly as an additional functional unit in a radiotelephone (100), comprising an input, output radio interface (2) for local data exchange between two adjacent communications devices (1; 100) or between a communications device (1; 100) and a data processing device (12) adapted to the,local data exchange, or a data-reproducing device (13), or an adapted data source (50). The range (r) of the input/output radio interface (2) is short compared with the range of a conventional radio interface for data :transfer, and corresponds essentially to a talking distance. The communications device (1, 100) further includes a memory device (6) and a data processing device (5). Different data sequences are identified and selectively retrievable in the memory device (6). The activation of the input/output radio interface (2) can be initiated manually.

Claims

1. A portable communication device operable as a functional unit in a radiotelephone for local data exchange, wherein,

the local data exchange operating in a frequency range of 25-50 MHz takes place between two adjacent communications devices or between a communications device and a data processing device adapted to the local data exchange, or a data-reproducing device or an adapted data source over a range (r) within approximately 4 meters, and determined based on a maximum permissible bit error rate serving as a determination criterion, comprising;

an input/output radio interface;

coupled to the input/output radio interface are a memory device and a data processing device which serve to both control and temporarily store and/or process the data to be exchanged, wherein different data sequences of the local data exchange are identified and selectively retrievable in the memory device; and

the activation of the input/output radio interface for sending or receiving data to be exchanged can be initiated manually.

2. The communications device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein by means of the local data exchange, audio data, text data, video data, computer programs, computer or other files are exchanged.

3. A communications device as claimed in claim 1, wherein contents of the exchanged data are reproduced at least partly in visual and/or audible form by means of a reproducing device incorporated in the communications device.

4. A communications device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the exchanged data are encrypted at the sending end and decrypted at the receiving end by means of the data processing device.

5. A communications device as claimed in claim 4, wherein a key can be entered manually at the sending and receiving ends.

6. A communications device as claimed in claim 1, wherein if the communications device is combined with the radiotelephone, some functional units of the radiotelephone are also use for local data exchange.

7. A communications device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input/output radio interface, is coupled to an error-detection facility and/or an error-correction facility in the, data processing device.

8. A portable communications device comprising:

a radio interface adapted to transmit and receive data over a distance within approximately 4 meters determined based on a maximum permissible bit error rate serving as a determination criterion, operable in a frequency range between 25 MHZ and 50 MHZ;

a data processing device coupled to said radio interface and being adapted to process data to be transmitted or received;

a memory device coupled to said data processing device and being adapted to temporarily store data to be transmitted and data which has been received; and

means for manually activating the radio interface to transmit or receive data;

wherein, when said radio interface transmits or receives data, a local data exchange takes place between said radio interface and a second device selected from the group consisting of;

a second like communications device, a data processing device adapted to the local data exchange, a data-reproducing device and an adapted data source; and

different data sequences associated with a local data exchange are individually identifiable and selectively retrievable in the memory device.

9. The communications device of claim 8, wherein data to be exchanged by a local data exchange is selected from the group consisting of:

audio data, text data, video data, computer programs and computer files.

10. The communications device of claim 8, further

comprising means for visually reproducing data and means for audibly reproducing data, wherein contents of locally exchanged data are reproduced at least partly in visual or audible form by said visual reproduction means or said audible reproduction means, respectively.

11. The communications device of claim 8, wherein said data processing device is further adapted to encrypt or decrypt data associated with a local data exchange.

12. The communications device of claim, 11, wherein an encryption/decryption key can be entered manually.

13. The communications device of claim 8, wherein said communications device is integrated with the radiotelephone, and at least one functional portion of the radiotelephone is utilized for local data exchange.

14. The communications device of claim 8, further comprising means for error-detection and error-connection.

15. A portable wireless telephone comprising:

a radio interface adapted to transmit and receive data over a predetermined range being equal to or less than approximately 4 meters determined based on a maximum permissible bit error rate serving as a determination criterion;

a data processing device coupled to said radio interface and being adapted to process data to be transmitted and data received;

a memory device coupled to said data processing device and being adapted to temporarily store data to be transmitted and data received; and

means for manually activating the radio interface to send or receive data;

wherein, when said radio interface, operating in a frequency range of 25-50 MHz transmits or receives data, a local data exchange takes place between said radio interface and a second device selected from the group consisting of;

a second like communications device, a data processing device adapted to the local data exchange, a data-reproducing device, and a data source; and

different data sequences associated with said local data exchange are individually identifiable and selectively retrievable from the memory device.

16. A portable wireless telephone comprising:

a radio interface operable in a frequency range between 25 MHZ and 50 MHZ to transmit and receive data over a range within substantially 4 meters determined based on a maximum permissible bit error rate serving as a determination criterion;

a data processing device coupled to said radio interface and to process data to be transmitted and data received;

a memory device coupled to said data processing device and to temporarily store data to be transmitted and data received; and

wherein, when said radio interface transmits or receives data, a data exchange takes place between said radio interface and a second device using a data sequence associated with said data exchange, individually identifiable and selectively retrievable from the memory device selected from the group consisting of;

a second like communications device, a data processing device adapted to said data exchange, a data-reproducing device, and a data source.