Satellite communications adapter for a cellular handset

(54) SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS ADAPTER FOR A CELLULAR HANDSET

(75) Inventor: Paul W. Dent, Stehags (SE)

(73) Assignee: Ericsson Inc., Research Triangle Park, NC (US)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

(21) Appl. No.: 08/974,233

(22) Filed: Nov. 19, 1997

Related U.S. Application Data

(63) Continuation of application No. 08/756,709, filed on Nov. 26, 1996, now abandoned, which is a continuation of application No. 08/305,703, filed on Sep. 14, 1994, now abandoned.

(51) Int. CI.7 H04B 7/15; H04B 7/185;

H04B 1/40; H04M 1/68

(52) U.S. CI 455/11.1; 455/12.1; 455/77;

455/410; 455/427; 331/2

(58) Field of Search 455/12.1, 410,

455/427

(56) References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

3,517,312 A 6/1970 Yamato et al.

3,745,571 A * 7/1973 Chwastyk et al 343/7.7

4,353,119 A * 10/1982 Daniel et al 364/517

4,672,655 A 6/1987 Koch 379/57

4,931,977 A * 6/1990 Klemes 364/581

4,972,457 A * 11/1990 O'Sullivan 379/59

4,979,170 A 12/1990 Gilhousen et al 370/104.1

4,991,197 A * 2/1991 Morris 379/58

5,048,059 A * 9/1991 Dent 375/94

5,073,972 A 12/1991 Tendler et al.

5,084,669 A 1/1992 Dent

5,117,450 A 5/1992 Joglekar et al 379/58

5,180,993 A 1/1993 Dent 331/16

5,220,275 A 6/1993 Holmqvist

5,303,286 A * 4/1994 Wiedeman 379/59

5,347,286 A 9/1994 Babitch 342/359

5,410,728 A 4/1995 Bertiger et al 455/13.1

(List continued on next page.)

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

WO WO89/04569 5/1989

WO WO91/15071 10/1991

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

America On-Line, "Odyssey Satellite Based Worldwide
Wireless Telephone System", May 1995.*
America On-Line "Portable, Global Two-Way Telephone,
Fax and Data Communications", Jun. 1995.*

(List continued on next page.)

Primary Examiner—William Cumming

(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Myers Bigel Sibley &

Sajovec

(57) ABSTRACT

A dual-mode telephone with a satellite communication adapter is disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a cellular-type handportable phone is equipped with a connector for the attachment of accessories. This connector provide a satellite communications adapter accessory access to the handset's signal processing resources which may operate in an alternative mode to process signals received from the satellite and converted by the adapter into a suitable form for processing. The processing translates the satellite signals into voice or data, and vice-versa.

20 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

5,412,660 A 5/1995 Chen et al 370/110.1

5,428,668 A 6/1995 Dent et al 379/59

5.448.623 A 9/1995 Weidman 379/59

5,490,284 A * 2/1996 Itoh et al 455/11.1

5,526,402 A * 6/1996 Dent et al 379/59

5,530,722 A 6/1996 Dent 375/298

5,533,097 A * 7/1996 Crane et al 379/58

5,535,430 A * 7/1996 Aoki et al 455/54.1

5,535,432 A * 7/1996 Dent 455/77

5,539,730 A 7/1996 Dent 370/29

5,544,223 A 8/1996 Robbins et al 379/58

5,544,226 A 8/1996 Weis et al 379/61

5.551.624 A 9/1996 Horstein et al 244/158 R

5,586,165 A * 12/1996 Wiedeman

5,598,575 A 1/1997 Dent et al 395/800

5,610,559 A * 3/1997 Dent 331/2

5,628,049 A * 5/1997 Suemitsu 455/11.1

5,742,908 A 4/1998 Dent 455/517

5,745,523 A 4/1998 Dent et al 375/216

5,760,739 A 6/1998 Pauli 342/359

5,884,140 A * 3/1999 Ishizaki et al 455/12.1

5,903,835 A * 5/1999 Dent 455/427

6,134,437 A 10/2000 Karabinis et al 455/427

6,148,193 A * 11/2000 Miska et al 455/410

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

America On-Line, "Satellite-Based Cellular Telephone System", Nov. 1995.*

Drucker, E.H. et al., "Integration of Mobile Satellite and Cellular Systems," International Mobile Satellite Conference IMSC '93, pp. 119-124, Jun. 16-18, 1993, Pasadena, CA.

* cited by examiner