Dual-mode satellite/terrestrial mobile communication unit

• US 6,324,380 B1
• Filed: 08/26/1999
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Masuda, Yuzuru, Nagamachi, Kazuo, Kiuchi, Kazuya, Sasaki, Yoshio, Ookita, Hideto
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thuan T.
• Application Number:
  US09/171,903
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 455/11.1, 455/12.1, 455/13.3, 455/98, 455/414, 455/575
• US Class Current: 455/12.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/244 extendable from a housing along a given path
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/288 Satellite antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• 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 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724

Abstract

The present invention seeks to provide a dual mode mobile satellite communication unit, which requires low communication cost and very little battery power, does not require always carrying a large unit frame and does not always provide great weight burden on the user. A terrestrial communication portable unit is detachably mounted in the mobile satellite communication unit. The mobile satellite communication unit as base unit does not include a key operating section, a display section and a speech transducer section having a microphone and a loudspeaker, and utilizes those mechanically assembled on the portable unit side for keying and other operations.

In an interlocked relation to the removal of the portable unit, the stand-by state of the base unit is turned off. It is thus possible to avoid wasteful battery power consumption on the base unit side. Using a hollow cylindrical antenna, the inner cylindrical space thereof is used as a battery insertion space, thus dispensing with an independent battery mounting space. Very great space saving is thus attainable particularly in a mobile satellite communication unit, which requires high power and large size battery power supply.

Claims

1. A dual mobile satellite communication unit providing a mobile terrestrial communication unit function in addition to a mobile satellite communication unit function, comprising:

a base unit not including at least a key operating section, a display section and a speech transducer section having a microphone and a loudspeaker and capable of providing the mobile satellite communication unit function; and

a terrestrial communication portable unit including a key operating section, a display section and a speech transducer section having a microphone a loudspeaker and providing a pertinent mobile terrestrial communication unit function;

wherein recesses and projections are provided as mechanical couplers on the base unit and the portable unit for mechanically coupling the base unit and the portable unit to each other, and electric connectors are provided on the base unit and the portable unit for electrically connecting the key operation section, the display section and the speech transducer section having the microphone and the loudspeaker on the side of the terrestrial communication portable unit and a mobile satellite communication unit function section on the side of the base unit to one another when the base unit and the portable unit are mechanically coupled to one another.

2. The dual mode mobile satellite communication unit according to claim 1, wherein a single electric connector is provided for making the electric connection, and plural mechanical couplers capable of being held spaced apart by different distances are provided for the mechanical coupling of the base unit and the portable unit.

3. The dual mode mobile satellite communication unit according to claim 1, wherein a rail-like mechanical coupler movable in a predetermined axial direction is provided for the mechanical coupling, and an electric connector for the electric connection is disposed at the end of movement in the axial direction of the mechanical coupler and in a fixed plane containing the path of movement axis of the mechanical coupler.

4. A mobile satellite communication base unit not including at least a key operating section, a display section and a speech transducer section having a microphone and a loudspeaker, capable of providing a mobile satellite communication unit function and including a signal transceiver section for transmitting and receiving converted waves of transmission and reception signals to and from a separate terrestrial communication portable unit, said base unit utilizing a key operating section and speech transducer section of the portable unit via the signal transceiver section during mobile satellite communication.

5. A dual mode satellite communication unit comprising:

a mobile satellite communication unit not including at least a key operating section, a display section and a speech transducer section having a microphone and a loudspeaker, capable of providing the mobile satellite communication unit function and including a first converted wave transceiver section for transmitting and receiving converted waves of transmission and reception signals to and from a second converted wave transceiver section of a separate terrestrial communication portable unit;

the terrestrial communication portable unit including a key operating section, a display section and a speech transducer section having a microphone and a loudspeaker, providing a pertinent terrestrial communication unit function and including the second converted wave transceiver section for transmitting and receiving converted waves of transmission and reception signals to and from the first transceiver section of the mobile satellite communication unit,

wherein the terrestrial communication portable unit is used for terrestrial communication; and

the mobile satellite communication unit can be used as a base unit for transmission and reception via the first and second converted wave transceiver sections by utilizing the key operating section and the speech transducer section having the microphone and the loudspeaker of the portable unit during mobile satellite communication.

6. The dual mode mobile satellite communication unit according to claim 5, wherein when the terrestrial communication portable unit is carried alone, and moves beyond a range permitting transmission between the first and second converted wave transceiver sections, a stand-by state of the mobile satellite communication base unit is turned off.

7. A mobile satellite communication unit utilizing satellites orbiting around the earth as network switching nodes or a dual mode mobile satellite communication unit providing a mobile terrestrial communication unit function in addition to a mobile satellite communication unit function, wherein the unit comprises an antenna section including a microstrip planar antenna formed at an end, the antenna section having a hollow cylindrical shape defining a battery insertion space underneath the microstrip antenna.

8. The mobile satellite communication unit according to claim 7, wherein the unit has a vertically elongated frame having a large thickness portion formed on one side, the hollow cylindrical antenna being inserted in the large thickness portion.

9. The mobile satellite communication unit according to claim 7, wherein the antenna section is capable of elongation and contraction, tilting or rotation relative to the unit frame or secured to the unit frame.

10. The mobile satellite communication unit according to claim 7, wherein the antenna section is a composite antenna including a microstrip planar antenna and a helical antenna in coaxial arrangement.

11. A mobile satellite communication unit utilizing satellites orbiting around the earth as network switching nodes or a dual mode mobile satellite communication unit providing a mobile terrestrial communication unit function in addition to a mobile satellite communication unit function;

wherein a frame of the unit has an asymmetric transversal sectional profile with respect to a front face having a key operating section and a display section, such that a large thickness portion is formed on one side and a small thickness portion on the other side behind the front face, a hollow cylindrical antenna being inserted in the large thickness portion, and an inner cylindrical space of the antenna being a battery insertion space.

12. A mobile satellite communication unit utilizing satellites orbiting around the earth as network switching nodes or a dual mode mobile satellite communication unit providing a mobile terrestrial communication unit function in addition to a mobile satellite communication unit function, wherein the unit has a front mounting section for mounting a separate mobile terrestrial communication unit and a large thickness portion formed on one side behind the mounting section, a hollow cylindrical antenna being inserted in the large thickness portion, an inner cylindrical space of the antenna being a battery insertion space.

13. The mobile satellite communication unit according to claim 12, which does not include at least a key operating section, a display section and a speech transducer section having a microphone and a loudspeaker and is capable of keying operation and transmission and reception by utilizing a key operating section and a speech transducer section of a mobile terrestrial communication unit which is detachably mounted in the mounting section.

14. A mobile satellite communication base unit not including at least a key operating section, a display section and a speech transducer section having a microphone and a loudspeaker, capable of providing a mobile satellite communication unit function, wherein a recess and a projection are provided as mechanical couplers on the base unit for mechanical coupling, and electric connectors are provided on the base unit for electrically connecting a key operation section, a display section and a speech transducer section on a side of a separate terrestrial communication portable unit and a mobile satellite communication unit function section on the side of the base unit to one another when the base unit and the terrestrial communication portable unit are mechanically coupled to one another.