Communication method and apparatus for multi-standby mode in a communication terminal

• US 8,862,078 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2011
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yu, Ga Ram
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Jinsong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hong, Dung
• Application Number:
  US13/272,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20120157072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 455416-417, 455/443, 455/450, 455/451, 455/452.1, 455/558, 455/553, 455/127.4, 370/280, 370/294, 370/321
• US Class Current: 455/127.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method for communication in a communication terminal having a single communication module and at least two Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards is provided. The method includes performing a first call mode when a call is connected through a first base station in a standby mode by using the communication module and a first SIM card through a first time slot in each frame allocated by the first base station, and performing, when a second call is connected through a second base station while performing the first call mode, a second call mode using the communication module and a second SIM card through a second time slot in each frame allocated by the second base station, the second time slot being spaced apart from the first time slot.

Claims

1. A communication method in a communication terminal having a single communication module and at least two Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards, the method comprising:

performing a first call mode when a first call is connected through a first base station in a standby mode using the communication module and a first SIM card through a first time slot in each frame allocated by the first base station;

detecting, when a second call is received through a second base station while performing the first call mode, a user input for determining whether to perform a second call mode;

performing, when a user input corresponding to a request to perform the second call mode is detected, the second call mode using the communication module and a second SIM card through a second time slot in the each frame allocated by the second base station, the second time slot being spaced apart from the first time slot;

estimating an echo component from the first call and the second call;

calculating a function to reduce the echo component based on the estimated echo component; and

modifying an audio signal corresponding to at least one of the first call and the second call based on the calculated function to reduce the echo component.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein performing the first call mode comprises:

transmitting, when performing the first call mode, a paging signal to the second base station through the second time slot.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein detecting of the user input comprises:

displaying a user interface including a message for asking whether to perform the second call mode; and

detecting the user input for determining whether to perform the second call mode through the user interface.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein performing the second call mode comprises:

determining whether to terminate the first call mode;

terminating the first call mode when it is determined to terminate the first call mode; and

maintaining the first call mode when it is determined not to terminate the first call mode.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, when a user input corresponding to request not to perform the second call mode is detected, a notification message to the second base station to notify that the first call mode is being performed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing a multi-standby mode when neither the first call nor the second call is connected.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, when the multi-standby mode is performed, the single mobile device receives at least one of a preamble and a pilot signal from the first base station and receives at least one of a preamble and a pilot signal from the second base station.

8. A communication apparatus in a communication terminal, the apparatus comprising:

an input unit for detecting a user input;

a single communication module for connecting to at least two base stations;

at least two Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards, each storing SIM information corresponding to one of the at least two base stations; and

a control unit for performing, when a first call is connected through a first base station in a standby mode, a first call mode using the communication module and a first SIM card through a first time slot in each frame allocated by the first base station, for controlling, when a second call is received through a second base station while performing the first call mode, the input unit to detect a user input for determining whether to perform a second call mode, for performing, when a user input corresponding to request to perform the second call mode is detected, the second call mode using the communication module and a second SIM card through a second time slot in the each frame allocated by the second base station, for estimating an echo component from the first call and the second call, for calculating a function to reduce the echo component based on the estimated echo component, and for modifying an audio signal corresponding to at least one of the first call and the second call based on the calculated function to reduce the echo component,

wherein the second time slot is spaced apart from the first time slot.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control unit controls, when performing the first call mode, the transmission to transmit a paging signal to the second base station through the second time slot.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a display unit to display a user interface including a message for asking whether to perform the second call mode,

wherein the input unit detects the user input for determining whether to perform the second call mode through the user interface.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control unit determines whether to terminate the first call mode, terminates the first call mode when it is determined to terminate the first call mode, and maintains the first call mode when it is determined not to terminate the first call mode.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control unit controls the communication module, when a user input corresponding to a request not to perform the second call mode is detected, to transmit a notification message to the second base station to notify that the first call mode is being performed and maintains the first call mode.

13. The communication apparatus of claim 8, wherein the control unit is further configured to perform a multi-standby mode when neither the first call nor the second call is connected.

14. A method of communicating with at least two different communication networks via a single mobile device, the method comprising:

performing a first call mode via a first time slot of a frame when a first call is connected through a first base station of a first communication network;

detecting, when a second call is received through a second base station while performing the first call mode, a user input for determining whether to perform a second call mode;

estimating an echo component from the first call and the second call;

calculating a function to reduce the echo component based on the estimated echo component;

modifying an audio signal corresponding to at least one of the first call and the second call based on the calculated function to reduce the echo component; and

when a user input corresponding to a request to perform the second call mode is detected, performing a second call mode via a second time slot of the frame,

wherein the first time slot and the second time slots are both time slots of a frame.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first time slot and the second time slot are separated by at least one intervening time slot of the frame.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

performing a multi-standby mode when neither the first call nor the second call is connected.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein, when the multi-standby mode is performed, the single mobile device receives at least one of a preamble and a pilot signal from the first communication network and receives at least one of a preamble and a pilot signal from the second communication network.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the single mobile device communicates with the first communication network and the second communication network using a common communication module.