Wireless terminal adapted for detachably connecting with a radio

• US 7,463,863 B1
• Filed: 08/08/1997
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.), Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Agere Systems Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vermeer, Fulps Vincentinus
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Pablo N
• Application Number:
  US08/909,001
• Time in Patent Office: 4,141 Days
• Field of Search: 455/66, 455/90, 455/95, 455/550, 455/556, 455/575, 455/190.1, 455/188.1, 455/131, 455/180.1, 455/188.2, 455/566.5, 455/571, 455/572, 455/451, 455/11.1, 455/13.3, 455/19, 455/67.7, 455 82- 83, 455/550.1, 4555561-559, 455/562.1, 455566-567, 455/575.1, 455/575.7, 455/90.3, 455344-349, 455127-129, 455/557, 455/67.11, 455/115.4, 455/421, 455/457, 364/701.05, 364/701.07, 364/400, 379454-455, 379425-432, 379/446, 379/449, 343702-703, 343/721, 361681-689, 361/737, 359/172, 359/145, 359/155, 359/163
• US Class Current: 455/67.7
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/04 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/18 Input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line coupling networks between antennas or lines and receivers independent of the nature of the receiver H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/23 Indication means, e.g. displays, alarms, audible means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60

Abstract

A wireless terminal is disclosed that interfaces a radio on a radio card to a wireless terminal with a single two-lead cable that is capable of carrying both: (1) RF signals from the radio card to an antenna on a wireless terminal, and (2) radio status signaling from the radio card to a display on the wireless terminal. The wireless terminal comprises (1) an antenna, (2) a first visual indicator that indicates to a user of the wireless terminal when a radio is transmitting, and (3) a signal lead for carrying an RF signal from the radio to the antenna and for carrying a first baseband signal from the radio to the first visual indicator.

Claims

1. A wireless terminal comprising:

an antenna;

a first visual indicator that provides a visual indication to a user of said wireless terminal when a radio is transmitting and stops providing said visual indication when said radio is receiving; and

a signal lead for carrying an RF signal from said radio to said antenna and from said antenna to said radio and for carrying a first baseband signal from said radio to said first visual indicator for activating said first visual indicator,

wherein said first baseband signal is multiplexed with said RF signal and is a series of direct current pulses indicating radio status, said first baseband signal multiplexed with said RF signal applied to said first visual indicator.

2. The wireless terminal of claim 1 further comprising said radio.

3. The wireless terminal of claim 2 wherein said radio is integral to a PC radio card.

4. The wireless terminal of claim 1 wherein said signal lead is connected to said radio by a detachable connector.

5. The wireless terminal of claim 1 further comprising a second visual indicator that indicates when said radio is receiving and wherein said signal lead also carries a second baseband signal from said radio to said second visual indicator wherein said second baseband signal is multiplexed with said RF signal and said second baseband signal multiplexed with said RF signal applied to said second visual indicator.

6. A wireless terminal comprising:

an antenna;

a first visual indicator that provides a visual indication to a user of said wireless terminal when a radio is receiving and stops providing said visual indication when said radio is transmitting; and

a signal lead for carrying an RF signal from said radio to said antenna and from said antenna to said radio and for carrying a first baseband signal from said radio to said first visual indicator for activating said first visual indicator wherein said first baseband is multiplexed with said RF signal and is a series of direct pulses indicating radio status, said first baseband signal multiplexed with said RF signal applied to said first visual indicator.

7. The wireless terminal of claim 6 further comprising said radio.

8. The wireless terminal of claim 7 wherein said radio is integral to a PC radio card.

9. The wireless terminal of claim 6 wherein said signal lead is connected to said radio by a detachable connector.

10. The wireless terminal of claim 6 further comprising a second visual indicator that indicates when said radio is transmitting and wherein said signal lead also carries a second baseband signal from said radio to said second visual indicator wherein said second baseband signal is multiplexed with said RF signal and said second baseband signal multiplexed with said RF signal applied to said second visual indicator.

11. A wireless terminal comprising:

a radio;

an antenna;

a first visual indicator that indicates to a user of said wireless terminal when said radio is operating; and

a cable that is detachably connected to said radio and that is also connected to said antenna for carrying an RF signal and for carrying a first baseband signal from said radio to said first visual indicator wherein said first baseband signal is a series of direct current pulses indicating radio status;

wherein said first visual indicator indicates when said radio is receiving and further comprising a second visual indicator that indicates when said radio is transmitting and wherein said cable also carries a second baseband signal from said radio to said second visual indicator, wherein each of said first and second baseband signals is multiplexed with said RF signal, each of said first and second baseband signals multiplexed with said RF signal and applied to said first and second visual indicators respectively.