Multi-frequency wireless communication device

• US 6,035,212 A
• Filed: 08/02/1996
• Issued: 03/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rostoker, Michael D., Jaggi, Sandeep, Daane, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOBUTKA, PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US08/691,554
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422, 455/462.62, 455/517, 455/550, 455/552, 455/553, 455/575, 455/351, 455/434
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• 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 wireless communication device may take the form of a cellular telephone, of a portable personal communication device, or even of a desk top personal computer which is equipped to communicate over the wireless cellular communication system in effect in a particular area. The wireless communication device is configured to self-adapt to various operating frequencies and communication protocols which may be present in the cellular communication environment so that the device is able to provide communications in several service areas even though the frequencies of operation and the communication protocols in use in the service areas may be incompatible with one another.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device for allowing two-way voice communication in a cellular telephone communication system having at least one operating frequency band which at least one operating frequency band is one of several possible cellular telephone operating frequency bands, said device comprising:

operator voice input means and audio output means, respectively allowing an operator of said device to input voice communications and to hear voice communications from said cellular telephone communication system;

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver portion for sending and receiving RF signals carrying said two-way voice communications in said cellular communication system;

said RF transceiver portion having a first RF transceiver part having a respective first operating frequency band, and a second RF transceiver part having a respective second operating frequency band which is different than said first operating frequency band, one of said first and second operating frequency bands being compatible with said at least one operating frequency band of said cellular communication system;

a micro-controller interfacing with said RF transceiver portion of said device to alternatingly actuate said first transceiver part and said second transceiver part in order to detect when a signal is received from said cellular communication system in response to activation of one of said first and second RF transceiver parts, said micro-controller thereafter maintaining activation of said one transceiver part to adapt said wireless communication device for voice communication in said cellular telephone communication system;

said cellular communication system provides communication in a particular protocol, said device further including an adaptation tree circuit conveying communication signals in said device between said RF transceiver portion and said operator voice input means and audio output means, said adaptation tree circuit including at least two adaptation branches a first of which is adapted to process communication signals of a first protocol, and a second of which is adapted to process communication signals of a second protocol, said micro-controller interfacing also with said adaptation branches to detect when a communication signal is received from said cellular communication system and processed according to one of said first and second protocols in response to activation of one of said adaptation branches, said micro-controller thereafter maintaining activation of said one adaptation branch to adapt said wireless communication device for voice communication in said cellular telephone communication system; and

said micro-controller further includes programming for performing a sorting-and-selection process including;

selection of a first protocol for said adaptation tree, subsequently cycling said RF transceiver portion of said device through the available frequencies, and for responding to an intelligible signal;

whereby a second and successive protocols are selected with the RF transceiver part each time being cycled through the available frequencies until the combination of communication protocol and operating frequency band provides said intelligible signal whereupon the particular combination of communication protocol and operating frequency band is maintained.

2. A wireless communication device for allowing two-way voice communication in a cellular telephone communication system operating in a plurality of predetermined operating frequency bands, said device comprising:

operator voice input means and audio output means, respectively allowing an operator of said device to input voice communications and to hear voice communications from said cellular telephone communications system;

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver portion for sending and receiving RF signals carrying said two-way voice communications in said cellular communication system;

said RF transceiver portion having a plurality of RF transceiver portions, comprising, a first RF transceiver portion having a predetermined first operating frequency band and operating under a first communication protocol, and a second RF transceiver portion having a predetermined second operating frequency band and operating under a second communication protocol, said first frequency different than said second frequency and said first communication protocol different than said second communication protocol;

said first and second RF transceiver portions formed of separate circuits, each forming first and second adaptation tree branches, said RF transceiver portion forming an adaptation tree circuit;

a controller portion operatively connected to said adaptation tree circuit, said controller cycling through said adaptation tree circuit until said controller portion arrives at a particular combination of frequency band and communication protocol such that said cellular communication device is operable for two-way communication;

a base station in said cellular telephone communication system, said base station able to transmit signals to said cellular communication device by transmission at a downlink frequency;

said base station having set up instructions for transmission at said downlink frequency to said cellular telecommunication device, to enable said cellular communication device to be operable with said base station;

said cellular communication device, when arriving at said particular combination of frequency band and communication protocol, is able to detect said set up instructions being transmitted by said base station on said downlink frequency;

a third RF transceiver portion having a predetermined third operating frequency band and operating under a third communication protocol, and a fourth RF transceiver portion having a predetermined fourth operating frequency band and operating under a fourth communication protocol, said third frequency different than said first, second and fourth frequencies;

said third and fourth RF transceiver portions formed of separate circuits, each forming third and fourth adaptation tree branches of said RF transceiver portion adaptation tree circuit; and

said controller portion being operatively connected to said adaptation tree circuit, said controller cycling through said adaptation tree circuit until said controller portion arrives at a particular combination of frequency band and communication protocol such that said cellular communication device is operable for two-way communication.

3. The wireless communication device according to claim 2, wherein:

each of said RF transceiver portion tree branches of said RF transceiver portion adaptation tree circuit operates under a communication protocol that is a protocol selected from the group consisting of GSM, CDMA, IS-95, or TDMA.

4. The wireless communication device according to claim 2, wherein:

said first, second, third and fourth operating frequency bands are RF bands operating on a frequency band selected from the group of consisting of a 800 MHz band, a 900 MHz band, a 1800 MHz band or a 1900 MHz band.