Mobile communication terminal equipment usable for both satellite and terrestrial communications

• US 5,535,430 A
• Filed: 03/11/1994
• Issued: 07/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1993
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Inoue, Seiya, Aoki, Katsuhiko, Tsuchiya, Makio
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Application Number:
  US08/208,707
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 455/12.1, 455/33.1, 455/54.1, 455/56.1, 455/62, 455/89, 455/93, 455/84, 455/13.1, 379/58, 379/59
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/50 using different frequencies for the two directions of communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/52 Hybrid arrangements, i.e. arrangements for transition from single-path two-direction transmission to single-direction transmission on each of two paths or vice versa
• 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: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A mobile communication terminal equipment is mounted in a vehicle and can utilize both the satellite and terrestrial communication systems. The mobile communication terminal equipment includes a satellite transceiver and a portable set. The satellite transceiver has a satellite transmission/reception circuit. As required, the portable set is disconnected from the satellite transceiver to be carried by the user. The portable set includes a terrestrial transmission/reception circuit, a signal input/output circuit and a connection selecting switch. The connection selecting switch is automatically controlled to connect the signal input/output circuit selectively to one of the satellite and terrestrial transmission/reception circuits. When the satellite transmission/reception circuit is in connection with the signal input/output circuit, the communication through the satellite wireless communication system can be carried out. When the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit is connected to the signal input/output circuit, the communication through the terrestrial wireless communication system can be carried out.

Claims

1. A mobile communication terminal equipment mountable in a vehicle comprising:

a satellite transceiver mountable in said vehicle and including a satellite transmission/reception circuit for transmitting and receiving signals through a satellite wireless communication system; and

a portable set disconnectable from the satellite transceiver so that the set can be carried by a user, said portable set comprising;

a terrestrial transmission/reception circuit for transmitting and receiving signals through a terrestrial wireless communication system;

a signal input/output circuit for inputting signals from the user and for outputting signals to the user; and

a connection controller and switching means for selectively connecting the signal input/output circuit to one of the satellite transceiver and terrestrial transmission/reception circuits when said portable set is connected to said satellite transceiver and for connecting said signal input/output circuit to said terrestrial transmission/reception circuit when said portable set is disconnected from said satellite transceiver.

2. A mobile communication terminal equipment as defined in claim 1 wherein the satellite transceiver further includes:

a satellite communication antenna fixedly mounted in the vehicle to perform a wireless transmission/reception of signal between the mobile communication terminal equipment and an artificial satellite, said satellite transmission/reception circuit supplying a signal to be transmitted to said satellite communication antenna and receiving a signal from said satellite communication antenna; and

a satellite control means for causing a signal from said signal input/output circuit to be transmitted from said satellite communication antenna to the artificial satellite through the satellite transmission/reception circuit and for causing the satellite transmission/reception circuit to output a signal received by the satellite communication antenna from the artificial satellite to the signal input/output circuit as a signal to be outputted, when the satellite transmission/reception circuit is in connection with the signal input/output circuit.

3. A mobile communication terminal equipment as defined in claim 2 wherein said satellite transmission/reception circuit comprises:

transmission means for transmitting the signal from the signal input/output circuit by coding the input signal, by digitally modulating a transmission signal using the coded signal as a modulation signal and by supplying the transmission signal to the satellite communication antenna; and

reception means for digitally demodulating and decoding the signal received by the satellite communication antenna,

wherein when the satellite transmission/reception circuit is in connection with the signal input/output circuit, said satellite control means causes the signal from the signal input/output circuit to be sent to the transmission means and also causes the reception means to send the signal decoded by the reception means to the signal input/output circuit as the signal to be outputted.

4. A mobile communication terminal equipment as defined in claim 1 wherein said portable set further includes:

a portable terrestrial communication antenna fixedly mounted in the portable set to perform a wireless signal transmission/reception between the mobile communication terminal equipment and a base station of the terrestrial wireless communication system, said terrestrial transmission/reception circuit supplying a signal to be transmitted to the portable terrestrial communication antenna and also receiving a signal from the portable communication antenna; and

a terrestrial control means responsive to the connection of the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit with the signal input/output circuit for causing a signal from the signal input/output circuit to be transmitted from the portable terrestrial communication antenna to the base station through the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit and for causing the signal received by the portable terrestrial communication antenna to be supplied to the signal input/output circuit through the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit as a signal to be outputted.

5. A mobile communication terminal equipment as defined in claim 4 wherein said terrestrial transmission/reception circuit comprises:

transmission means for transmitting the signal from the signal input/output circuit by coding the signal, by digitally modulating a transmission signal using the coded signal as a modulation signal and by supplying the transmission signal to the portable terrestrial communication antenna; and

reception means for digitally demodulating and decoding the signal received by the portable terrestrial communication antenna,

wherein when the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit is in connection with the signal input/output circuit, said terrestrial control means causes the signal from the signal input/output circuit to be sent to the transmission means and also causes the reception means to send the decoded signal to the signal input/output circuit as the signal to be outputted.

6. A mobile communication terminal equipment as defined in claim 4 wherein said terrestrial transmission/reception circuit comprises:

transmission means for transmitting the signal from the signal input/output circuit by analog modulating a transmission signal using the signal from the signal input/output circuit as a modulation signal and by supplying the transmission signal to the portable terrestrial communication antenna; and

reception means for analog demodulating the signal received by the portable terrestrial communication antenna,

wherein when the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit is in connection with the signal input/output circuit, said terrestrial control means causes the signal from the signal input/output circuit to be sent to the transmission means and also cause the reception means to send the demodulated signal to the signal input/output circuit as the signal to be outputted.

7. A mobile communication terminal equipment as defined in claim 1;

wherein the satellite transceiver further includes a stationary terrestrial communication antenna fixedly mounted in the vehicle to perform a wireless signal transmission/reception between the mobile communication terminal equipment and a base station of the terrestrial wireless communication system; and

wherein said portable set further includes;

a portable terrestrial communication antenna fixedly mounted in the portable machine to perform a wireless signal transmission/reception between the mobile communication terminal equipment and the base station of the terrestrial wireless communication system;

an antenna connection switching means for selectively connecting one of the stationary and portable terrestrial communication antennas to the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit, the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit supplying a signal to be transmitted to the selected one of the stationary and portable terrestrial communication antennas and receiving a signal from the selected one of the stationary and portable terrestrial communication antennas; and

terrestrial control means responsive to the connection of said terrestrial transmission/reception circuit with the signal input/output circuit and stationary terrestrial communication antenna for causing a signal from the signal input/output circuit to be transmitted from the stationary terrestrial communication antenna to the base station through the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit and for causing a signal received by the stationary terrestrial communication antenna to be supplied to the signal input/output circuit through the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit as a signal to be outputted, said terrestrial control means responsive to the connection of the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit with the signal input/output circuit and portable terrestrial communication antenna for causing the signal from the signal input/output circuit to be transmitted from the portable terrestrial communication antenna to the base station through the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit and for causing a signal received by the portable terrestrial communication antenna to be sent to the signal input/output circuit through the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit as the signal to be outputted.

8. A mobile communication terminal equipment as defined in claim 7 wherein said antenna connection switching means includes an antenna selection switch responsive to a command from the terrestrial control means for selectively connecting one of said stationary and portable terrestrial communication antennas with the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit.

9. A mobile communication terminal equipment as defined in claim 7 wherein said terrestrial transmission/reception circuit comprises:

transmission means for transmitting the signal from the signal input/output circuit by coding the supplied signal, by digitally modulating a transmission signal using the coded signal as a modulation signal and by supplying the transmission signal to the selected one of the stationary and portable terrestrial communication antennas; and

reception means for digitally demodulating and decoding the signal received by the selected one of the stationary and portable terrestrial communication antennas,

wherein when the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit is in connection with the signal input/output circuit, said terrestrial control means causes the signal from the signal input/output circuit to be sent to the transmission means and also causes the reception means to send the decoded signal to the signal input/output circuit as the signal to be outputted.

10. A mobile communication terminal equipment as defined in claim 7 wherein said terrestrial transmission/reception circuit comprises:

transmission means for transmitting the signal from the signal input/output circuit by analog modulating a transmission signal using the signal from the signal input/output circuit as a modulation signal and by supplying the transmission signal to the selected one of the stationary and portable terrestrial communication antennas; and

reception means for demodulating the signal received by the selected one of the stationary and portable terrestrial communication antennas into an analog signal,

wherein when the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit is in connection with the signal input/output circuit, said terrestrial control means causes the signal from the signal input/output circuit to be sent to the transmission means and also causes the reception means to send the demodulated signal to the signal input/output circuit as the signal to be outputted.

11. A mobile communication terminal equipment as defined in claim 7 wherein said satellite transceiver further includes:

a satellite communication antenna fixedly mounted on the vehicle to perform a wireless signal transmission/reception between the mobile communication terminal equipment and an artificial satellite, the satellite transmission/reception circuit supplying the signal to be transmitted to the satellite communication antenna and receiving a signal from the satellite communication antenna; and

satellite control means responsive to the connection of the satellite transmission/reception circuit with the signal input/output circuit for causing the signal from the signal input/output circuit to be transmitted from the satellite communication antenna to the artificial satellite through the satellite transmission/reception circuit and for causing a signal received by the satellite communication antenna from the artificial satellite to be sent to the signal input/output circuit through the satellite transmission/reception circuit as the signal to be outputted, said satellite control means providing a signal indicative of the connection between the satellite transceiver and the portable set to the satellite control means,

wherein said terrestrial control means responsive to the absence of the signal from the satellite control means indicative of the connection between the satellite transceiver and the portable machine for controlling the antenna connection switching means to connect the portable terrestrial communication antenna with the signal input/output circuit, said terrestrial control means further responsive to both the connections between the signal input/output circuit and the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit and between the satellite transceiver and the portable set for controlling the antenna connection switching means to connect the stationary terrestrial communication antenna with the signal input/output circuit.

12. A mobile communication terminal equipment as defined in claim 1;

wherein the satellite transceiver includes a satellite control means for monitoring the signal reception state at the satellite transmission/reception circuit;

wherein the portable set further includes a terrestrial control means for monitoring the signal reception state at the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit and for reporting, to the satellite control means, when the portable set is in connection with the satellite transceiver; and

wherein said satellite control means judges the signal reception state of the satellite transmission/reception circuit and the signal reception state of the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit reported from the terrestrial control means by comparing with a predetermined reference condition, the satellite control means controls the connection switching means solely or in cooperation with the terrestrial control means to connect the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit with the signal input/output circuit when said satellite control means judges that the signal reception state of the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit is sufficient to continue a signal reception at the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit, said satellite control means further controls the connection switching means solely or in cooperation with the terrestrial control means to connect the satellite transmission/reception circuit with the signal input/output circuit when the signal reception state of the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit is not sufficient to continue the signal reception at the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit and a relatively good communication can be attained by executing a signal reception at the satellite transmission/reception circuit.

13. A mobile communication terminal equipment as defined in claim 12 wherein said predetermined reference conditions are reference reception levels set for respective ones of the signal reception states at the satellite and terrestrial transmission/reception circuits or reference error rates set for respective ones of the signal reception states at the satellite and terrestrial transmission/reception circuits.

14. A mobile communication terminal equipment as defined in claim 1 wherein said signal input/output circuit includes a microphone for receiving voice signals from the user with voice and a loudspeaker for outputting signals from the user as sound.

15. A mobile communication terminal equipment as defined in claim 1;

wherein said satellite transceiver includes satellite control means for controlling the signal transmission/reception at the satellite transmission/reception circuit,

wherein said terrestrial transmission/reception circuit includes terrestrial control means for controlling the signal transmission/reception at the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit,

wherein said signal input/output circuit further includes command input means for inputting a user'"'"'s command relating the operation of at least one of said satellite transmission/reception circuit, said terrestrial transmission/reception circuit and said connection switching means, and display control means for displaying at least one of the operational state of said terrestrial transmission/reception circuit, the signal transmission/reception state of said satellite transmission/reception circuit, the operational state of said terrestrial transmission/reception circuit, the signal transmission/reception state of said terrestrial the signal transmission/reception circuit, the operational state of said connection switching means and the signal input/output state of said signal input/output circuit;

wherein said signal input/output circuit is controlled by the satellite control means when the satellite transmission/reception circuit is connected to the signal input/output circuit and by the terrestrial control means when the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit is connected to the signal input/output circuit; and

wherein control signals are transmitted and received between the satellite control means, the terrestrial control means and the signal input/output circuit, said control signals including information which is indicative at least one of the signal reception state of the satellite transmission/reception circuit, the signal reception state of the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit, the operational state of the connection switching means and a command from the command input means.

16. A mobile communication terminal equipment as defined in claim 15 wherein said command input means inputs the command from operating key means operable by the user.

17. A mobile communication terminal equipment as defined in claim 15;

wherein said connection switching means includes a first switch for selectively supplying a signal from the signal input/output circuit to one of said satellite and terrestrial transmission/reception circuits and for selectively supplying a signal from one of said satellite and terrestrial transmission/reception circuits to the signal input/output circuit as a signal to be outputted and a second switch for switching a control signal path between a first channel for connecting the satellite control means to the signal input/output circuit and a second channel for connecting the terrestrial control means to the signal input/output circuit;

wherein the user'"'"'s commands through the command input means includes a switching command indicative of which one of said satellite and terrestrial transmission/reception circuits should be connected with the signal input/output circuit, the terrestrial control means for controlling the first and second switches to connect the satellite transmission/reception circuit with the signal input/output circuit when the switching command indicates that the satellite transmission/reception circuit should be connected to the signal input/output circuit and also for controlling the first and second switches to connect the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit with the signal input/output circuit when the switching command indicates that the terrestrial transmission/reception circuit should be connected to the signal input/output circuit.

18. A mobile communication terminal equipment as defined in claim 17;

wherein the satellite transceiver and portable set include connectors electrically connectable/disconnectable with each other; and

wherein when the connector in the satellite transceiver is electrically connected to the connector in the portable set, the mobile communication terminal equipment selectively executes one of the communications through the satellite and terrestrial wireless communication systems, and when the connector in the satellite transceiver is electrically disconnected from the connector in the portable machine, the mobile communication terminal equipment executes the communication through the terrestrial wireless communication system.