Radioterminals including satellite/hands-free interlocks and related methods

• US 8,050,674 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2008
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Karabinis, Peter D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh; Tan
• Application Number:
  US12/266,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20090088151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 455/69, 455/522, 455/569, 455/12.1, 455/427, 455/512, 455/452, 455/13.1, 455/13.2, 455/13.4, 455/73, 455/98, 455/515, 455/500, 455/129, 455/95, 455/70, 455/127, 455/126, 455/557, 455/423, 455/425, 455/552, 455/553, 455/67.1, 455/552.1, 455/127.4
• US Class Current: 455/427
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18563 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18571 for satellites; for fixed or mobile stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A radioterminal may include a transceiver, a hands-free interface, and a satellite/hands-free interlock. The transceiver may be configured for space-based communications and for terrestrial wireless communications. The satellite/hands-free interlock may be configured to prevent the transceiver from transmitting space-based communications unless the hands-free interface is activated. Related methods are also discussed.

Claims

1. A radioterminal comprising:

a transceiver that is configured for space-based communications and for terrestrial wireless communications;

a hands-free interface; and

a satellite/hands-free interlock that is configured to prevent the transceiver from transmitting space-based communications unless the hands-free interface is activated.

2. A radioterminal according to claim 1 wherein the hands-free interface comprises a coupling for a remote earpiece and/or a speakerphone interface.

3. A radioterminal according to claim 1 further comprising:

a hand-held interface, wherein the interlock is further configured to prevent the transceiver from transmitting space-based communications when the hand-held interface is activated.

4. A radioterminal according to claim 3 wherein the hand-held interface comprises a built in speaker configured to provide audio output corresponding to wireless communications received by the transceiver and/or by another device that is coupled to the radioterminal.

5. A radioterminal according to claim 3 wherein the satellite/hands-free interlock is configured to provide a user notification to activate the hands-free interface in response to a request to transmit space-based communications when the hand-held interface is activated.

6. A radioterminal according to claim 5 wherein the satellite/hands-free interlock is further configured to enable the transceiver to transmit space-based communications for a period of time after the request to transmit space-based communications without activation of the hands-free interface.

7. A radioterminal according to claim 3 wherein the satellite/hands-free interlock is further configured to allow the transceiver to transmit terrestrial communications when the hand-held interface is activated.

8. A radioterminal according to claim 1 wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit high power communications at a power and/or EIRP that is greater than or equal to a high power threshold and to transmit low power communications at a power and/or EIRP that is less than or equal to a low power threshold.

9. A radioterminal according to claim 1 wherein the transceiver includes at least one amplifier configured to amplify low power communications for transmission at a power and/or EIRP that is less than or equal to a low power threshold and to amplify high power communications for transmission at a power and/or EIRP that is greater than or equal to a high power threshold.

10. A radioterminal according to claim 1 wherein the interlock is further configured to enable the transceiver to transmit high power communications at a power and/or EIRP that is greater than or equal to a high power threshold when the hands-free interface is activated.

11. A radioterminal according to claim 1 wherein the hands-free interface comprises a coupling for a remote earpiece and/or speaker.

12. A radioterminal according to claim 11 wherein the coupling for the remote earpiece and/or speaker comprises a tethered and/or an untethered coupling.

13. A radioterminal according to claim 11 wherein the coupling for the remote earpiece and/or speaker comprises an interface for a cradle configured to receive the radioterminal and/or to couple the radioterminal to a remote loudspeaker.

14. A radioterminal according to claim 1 wherein the hands-free interface comprises a speakerphone interface.

15. A radioterminal according to claim 1 further comprising:

an interface for a companion device, wherein the interface is configured to provide communications from the radioterminal to the companion device and/or to provide communications from the companion device to the radioterminal.

16. A radioterminal according to claim 15 wherein the interface comprises a wireless interface and/or a wired interface.

17. A radioterminal according to claim 15 further comprising:

a radioterminal antenna coupled to the transceiver, wherein the companion device includes a companion antenna, and wherein a gain of the companion antenna is greater than a gain of the radioterminal antenna.

18. A radioterminal according to claim 17 wherein the radioterminal antenna comprises a substantially linearly polarized and/or circularly polarized element and wherein the companion antenna comprises a substantially circularly polarized element.

19. A radioterminal according to claim 15 wherein the transceiver includes a transmission amplifier and a low noise amplifier inside the radioterminal, wherein the companion device includes a transmission amplifier and/or a low noise amplifier inside the companion device, and wherein a power output of the transmission amplifier inside the companion device is greater than a power output of the transmission amplifier inside the radioterminal and/or a noise figure of the low noise amplifier inside the companion device is less than or equal to a noise figure of the low noise amplifier inside the radioterminal.

20. A radioterminal according to claim 15 wherein responsive to a request to transmit high power communications at a power and/or EIRP that is greater than or equal to a high power threshold and/or to receive space-based communications, the interlock is configured to provide a user notification to activate the interface for the companion device.

21. A radioterminal according to claim 20 wherein the interlock is further configured to provide communications through the interface to the companion device and/or to provide communications through the interface to the radioterminal from the companion device responsive to activating the interface for the companion device.

22. A radioterminal according to claim 20 wherein the interlock is further configured to enable the transceiver for a period of time to transmit the high power communications after the user notification to activate the interface for the companion device and before activation of the interface for the companion device.

23. A radioterminal according to claim 1 further comprising a hand-held interface configured to provide communications received by the transceiver and/or by a device that is wirelessly and/or non-wirelessly coupled to the radioterminal.

24. A radioterminal according to claim 23 wherein responsive to a request to transmit high power communications at a power and/or EIRP that is greater than or equal to a high power threshold when the hand-held interface is active, the interlock is configured to provide a user notification to activate the hands-free interface.

25. A radioterminal according to claim 24 wherein the interlock is further configured to enable the transceiver to transmit the high power communications responsive to activation of the hands-free interface.

26. A radioterminal according to claim 24 wherein the interlock is further configured to enable the transceiver to transmit the high power communications for a period of time after the request to transmit the high power communications and before activation of the hands-free interface when the hand-held interface is activated.

27. A radioterminal according to claim 1 wherein the interlock is further configured to allow the transceiver to transmit low power communications at a power and/or EIRP that is less than or equal to the low power threshold when the hands-free interface is activated.

28. A method of operating a radioterminal including a transceiver configured for space-based communications and for terrestrial wireless communications, and a hands-free interface, the method comprising:

allowing the transceiver to transmit terrestrial wireless communications when the hands-free interface is not activated; and

preventing the transceiver from transmitting space-based communications unless the hands-free interface is activated.

29. A method according to claim 28 wherein the hands-free interface comprises a coupling for a remote earpiece and/or a speakerphone interface.

30. A method according to claim 28 further comprising:

preventing the transceiver from transmitting space-based communications when a hand-held interface is activated.

31. A method according to claim 30 wherein the hand-held interface comprises a built in speaker configured to provide audio output corresponding to wireless communications received by the transceiver and/or by another device that is coupled to the radioterminal when the hand-held interface is activated.

32. A method according to claim 30 further comprising:

providing a user notification to activate the hands-free interface in response to a request to transmit space-based communications when the hand-held interface is activated.

33. A method according to claim 32 further comprising:

enabling the transceiver to transmit the space-based communications for a period of time after the request to transmit the space-based communications without activation of the hands-free interface when the hand-held interface is activated.

34. A method according to claim 30 further comprising:

allowing the transceiver to transmit terrestrial communications when the hand-held interface is activated.

35. A method according to claim 28 wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the space-based communications at a power and/or EIRP that is greater than or equal to a high power threshold and to transmit terrestrial wireless communications at a power and/or EIRP that is less than or equal to a low power threshold.

36. A method according to claim 28 wherein the transceiver includes at least one amplifier configured to amplify the terrestrial wireless communications and to amplify the space-based communications, and wherein preventing the transceiver from transmitting the space-based communications unless the hands-free interface is activated comprises disabling and/or limiting at least one amplifier unless the hands-free interface is activated.

37. A method according to claim 28 wherein the hands-free interface is coupled to the transceiver, the method further comprising:

enabling the transceiver to transmit high power communications at a power and/or EIRP that is greater than or equal to a high power threshold when the hands-free interface is activated.

38. A method according to claim 28 wherein the hands-free interface comprises a coupling for a remote earpiece and/or speaker.

39. A method according to claim 28 wherein the hands-free interface comprises a speakerphone interface.

40. A method according to claim 28 wherein the radioterminal further includes an interface for a companion device, the method further comprising:

providing communications from the radioterminal through the interface to the companion device and/or providing communications from the companion device through the interface to the radioterminal.

41. A method according to claim 28 wherein the radioterminal further includes a hand-held interface comprising a built-in speaker configured to provide audio output corresponding to wireless communications received by the transceiver and/or by another device that is coupled to the radioterminal.

42. A method according to claim 28 wherein the hands-free interface is coupled to the transceiver, the method further comprising:

providing a user notification to activate the hands-free interface responsive to a request to transmit high power communications.

43. A method according to claim 42 further comprising:

enabling the transceiver to transmit the high power communications responsive to activation of the hands-free interface.

44. A method according to claim 42 further comprising:

after the request to transmit the high power communications and before activation of the hands-free interface, enabling the transceiver to transmit the high power communications for a period of time.

45. A method according to claim 28 wherein the radioterminal includes an interface for a companion device, the method further comprising:

providing a user notification to activate the interface for the companion device responsive to a request to transmit high power communications.

46. A method according to claim 45 further comprising:

providing communications from the radioterminal through the interface to the companion device and/or providing communications from the companion device through the interface to the radioterminal responsive to activating the interface for the companion device.

47. A method according to claim 45 further comprising:

enabling the transceiver to transmit the high power communications for a period of time after the request to transmit high power communications and before activation of the interface for the companion device.