Mobile communications system and method utilizing impulse radio

• US 6,351,652 B1
• Filed: 11/09/1999
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alereon Incorporated (PNG Telecommunications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Time Domain Corporation (Humatics Corporation)
• Inventors: Finn, James S., Petroff, Ralph Gregory, Hilliard, David Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vuong, Quochien B.
• Application Number:
  US09/436,235
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 455/552, 455/553, 455/422, 455/462, 455/575, 375/200, 375/208
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7163 using impulse radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/71632 Signal aspects H04B1/7172 and H04B1/7176 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/719 Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/6908 using time hopping
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724

Abstract

A method and apparatus for wireless communication and more particularly, a method and apparatus for wireless communication utilizing impulse radio wherein an impulse radio communication system integrates with existing cellular/PCS wireless communication systems and/or current land line communication systems.

Claims

1. An impulse radio mobile communications system, comprising:

a first impulse radio transmitter means interfaced with a voice or data communication network;

a first impulse radio receiver receiving voice or data information from said first impulse radio transmitter means.

a second impulse radio transmitter in communication with a second impulse radio receiver;

said second impulse radio receiver in communication with said first impulse radio transmitter; and

at least one non-impulse radio wireless communication means interfaced with said second impulse radio transmitter and said first impulse radio receiver by an interface, said interface provides for the switching between said at least one non-impulse radio wireless communication means and said second impulse radio transmitter and said first impulse radio receiver.

2. The impulse radio mobile communication system of claim 1, wherein said switching between said at least one non-impulse radio wireless communication means and said second impulse radio transmitter and said first impulse radio receiver occurs automatically based on the signal strength of said non-impulse radio wireless communication means and the signal strength of said impulse radio communications.

3. The impulse radio mobile communication system of claim 1, wherein said switching between said at least one non-impulse radio wireless communication means and said second impulse radio transmitter and said first impulse radio receiver is manually selected by a user.

4. The impulse radio mobile communication system of claim 3, wherein said first impulse radio transmitter and said second impulse radio receiver are contained in a base station networked within a plurality of impulse radio base stations, said plurality of impulse radio base stations providing communication coverage for a given area.

5. The impulse radio mobile communication system of claim 3, further comprising a signal strength detection means, said signal strength detection means detecting the strength of cellular/PCS wireless communication signals as well as impulse radio communication signals.

6. The impulse radio mobile communication system of claim 3, further comprising a microprocessor for controlling communication functions, said microprocessor controlling audio circuitry associated with said second impulse radio transmitter and said first impulse radio receiver and audio circuitry associated with a Cellular/PCS transmitter and a CellularPCS receiver, wherein when said signal detection means detects a weak signal in an impulse radio transmission, the microprocessor directs said audio circuitry of said cellular PCS transceiver to be activated by way of an audio switch.

7. The impulse radio mobile communication system of claim 3, further comprising a microprocessor for controlling communication functions, said microprocessor controlling audio circuitry associated with said second impulse radio transmitter and said first impulse radio receiver and audio circuitry associated with a Cellular/PCS transmitter and a CellularPCS receiver, wherein when said signal detection means detects a signal of sufficient strength to communicate via an impulse radio communication means, ongoing Cellular/PCS communications are automatically switched to impulse radio communications.

8. The impulse radio mobile communication system of claim 1, wherein said voice or data communication network is a land line network.

9. The impulse radio mobile communication system of claim 1, wherein said voice or data communications network is a cellular wireless network.

10. The impulse radio mobile communication system of claim 1, wherein said voice or data communication system is a PCS wireless network.

11. The impulse radio mobile communication system of claim 1, wherein said first impulse radio receiver is contained in a plug in accessory to a cellular or PCS telephone.

12. The impulse radio mobile communication system of claim 1, wherein said impulse radio transceiver is operably integrated into a handset capable of cellular, PCS or impulse radio communications.

13. The impulse radio mobile communication system of claim 1, wherein said switching between said at least one non-impulse radio wireless communication means and said second impulse radio transmitter and said first impulse radio receiver occurs automatically based on a predetermined distance from said first impulse radio transmitter to said second impulse radio transmitter as determined utilizing impulse radio distance determination techniques.