Method and apparatus for transmission of and receiving signals having digital information using an air link

What is claimed is:

1. A method for transferring digital information over an air link relative to a plurality of peripheral devices communicating with a common bus, comprising:

receiving signals having digital information from an air link using circuitry contained in a housing;

obtaining said digital information from said signals, said signals also including control information related to identifying at least a first of a plurality of peripheral devices, said digital information to be received by said first of said plurality of peripheral devices, with said digital information to be received by said first peripheral device first being received by and outputted from a peripheral device controller having a processor, each of said plurality of peripheral devices having an address and each of said peripheral devices being communicable with each of all of the other of said plurality of peripheral devices and said peripheral device controller being addressable by each of said plurality of peripheral devices;

determining an identification of said first peripheral device that is to receive said digital information;

sending said digital information to said first peripheral device using a signal conducting common bus that each of said plurality of peripheral devices communicates with, said common bus being located externally of said circuitry housing;

making a determination automatically including without operator intervention that second digital information associated with a second peripheral device is to be transmitted using said circuitry;

transferring said second digital information from said second peripheral device to said peripheral device controller; and

transmitting said second digital information from said circuitry through the air link to a remote device after receiving said second digital information by said peripheral device controller.

2. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said receiving step includes receiving said RF signals using a cellular telephone.

3. A method, as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said receiving step includes outputting voiceband information while simultaneously receiving said digital information.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising the step of:

providing a means for outputting digital information from said cellular telephone.

5. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said obtaining step includes obtaining analog information from said signals.

6. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said determining step includes controlling transfer of said digital information based on a priority determination relative to said first peripheral device and said second peripheral device.

7. A methyl, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said making step includes sensing a first event using said second peripheral device.

8. A method, as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

said sensing step includes alerting a predetermined remote source that said first event was sensed.

9. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said sending step includes monitoring said second peripheral device and, when a first condition is detected, generating said second digital information using said second peripheral device.

10. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said inputting step includes prioritizing a transfer between said first and second digital information.

11. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of peripheral devices include at least a plurality of the following: a Compact Disc ROM, a navigational positioning device, a keypad, a personal digital assistant, a facsimile machine, a video display unit and a sensor for indicating that a predetermined event was detected.

12. A method, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

locating said circuitry and said peripheral device controller in a vehicle.

13. A method, as claimed in claim 12, further including:

disconnecting said circuitry from said peripheral device controller and removing said circuitry from the vehicle.

14. A method, as claimed in claim 13, further including:

electrically connecting said circuitry to another peripheral device controller located remote from the vehicle.

15. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sending step includes a plurality of the following steps:

performing a diagnostic check of a vehicle using a vehicle monitoring system;

requesting positioning information from a navigational positioning device;

communicating with a computer terminal;

obtaining data from a CD Read Only Memory;

sending said digital information to a facsimile machine;

outputting said digital information using a synthesized speech system;

printing said digital information received on said RF transceiver;

displaying said digital information on a display terminal.

16. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transferring step includes a plurality of the following steps:

sending positioning data from a navigational positioning device;

sending data from a computer terminal;

sending data stored in a CD ROM;

sending diagnostic data from a vehicle monitoring system;

sending data from a digital facsimile machine;

sending data translated by a speech recognition system;

sending data from a security system;

sending data from an accident and emergency notification alarm;

sending data from a personal digital assistant.

17. An apparatus for controlling the transfer of digital information carried through an air link, comprising:

circuitry contained in a housing for receiving and transmitting signals carried through an air link;

a plurality of peripheral devices, each of said peripheral devices for receiving and/or outputting information and at least some of said plurality of peripheral devices, including a first peripheral device, for inputting and/or outputting digital information;

a peripheral device controller communicating with each of said plurality of peripheral devices, said peripheral device controller receiving digital information from said circuitry and determining an identity of said first peripheral device for receiving said digital information, said peripheral device controller including processing means and in which said digital information to be received by said first peripheral device is first received by and outputted from said peripheral device controller;

first means for interconnecting said circuitry with said peripheral device controller; and

second means for interconnecting said peripheral device controller and each of said plurality of peripheral devices, said second means including a signal conducting common bus that each of said peripheral devices communicates with, said common bus being located externally of said circuitry housing, each of said plurality of peripheral devices having an address and each of said peripheral devices communicable with each of all of the other of said plurality of peripheral devices and said peripheral device controller being addressable by each of said plurality of peripheral devices, wherein digital information is able to be transferred, free of control by said peripheral device controller processor, between each of said plurality of peripheral devices including between said first peripheral device and a second peripheral device and is also able to be transferred from said peripheral device controller to each of said plurality of peripheral devices.

18. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said peripheral device controller is operable to transfer information from said plurality of peripheral devices to said circuitry.

19. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 18, wherein:

said peripheral device controller includes means for formatting information transferred from said circuitry to said peripheral devices and information transferred from said peripheral devices to said circuitry.

20. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

said formatting means includes means for packetizing digital information according to the type of circuitry used and the baud rates of said peripheral devices.

21. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 17, wherein: said circuitry includes a cellular telephone removably connectable to said peripheral device controller.

22. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said first means for interconnecting includes a coupler that allows communication between said peripheral device controller and a selected one of a plurality of RF transceivers, with each of said plurality of RF transceivers having an output connector different from all others of said plurality of RF transceivers.

23. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said peripheral device controller further includes battery power regulating means for regulating battery power to components of said peripheral device controller.

24. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said plurality of devices includes at least some of the following: a digital information storage device, a CD Read Only Memory, a video display unit, a facsimile machine, a detecting device, a synthesized speech system, an accident and emergency notification alarm, and a printer.

25. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said second means includes bus logic means separable from but communicating with said peripheral device controller and said common bus for controlling transfers of digital information relative to said peripheral devices.

26. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 25, wherein:

said bus logic means discontinues communication between said first peripheral device and said common bus when said common bus has been used by said first peripheral device for longer than a predetermined time interval.

27. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

each of said peripheral devices is able to initiate communication with said peripheral device controller, but subject to a predetermined peripheral device priority.

28. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

peripheral devices in addition to said plurality of peripheral devices and wherein all of said peripheral devices including said plurality of peripheral devices communicate with said common bus and communicate with each other when communication is requested but depending upon common bus priority and availability.

29. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

all of said digital information to be sent to one or more of said peripheral devices is received by said peripheral device controller.

Description Submit all comments and votes

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to wireless radio transmission of voice and data information.

2. Background of the Invention

Cellular telephone systems have gained widespread acceptance as an efficient means of mobile voice and data communications. While early mobile units were large and complex, miniaturization has made possible hand-held units with full functional capabilities allowing the user freedom to use the phone unit without connection to the vehicle. Unfortunately, this miniaturization has made portable and or hand-held units less practical for vehicular use. For example, battery charging, remote antenna connections, voice and data communications, and most importantly, what is known as "hands free" operation require physical connection to the phone unit.

To solve this problem cellular phone manufacturers have made available car kits to provide the required features. These kits include physical hardware to retain the phone in the vehicle including an attachment for establishing an electrical connection to the phone and various types of remote speakers, microphones and external antenna connections. The speakers and microphones provide "hands free" operation, and the external antenna connection improves reception of RF signals in the highly metallized automobile environment. These kits also include complex electronics modules to provide a variety of battery charging and audio amplification services to the phone unit.

There are a large number of models of cellular telephones in existence and each physical interconnection and electrical interface is unique to a manufacturer's specific model. There are many examples of presently used physical interconnections. As a result, car kits do not provide any form of universal connection and are neither physically nor electrically interchangeable. Further, because of the large variety and relatively low volume production of these kits, users are forced to pay prices comparable to the much more complex phone unit itself to obtain these kits.

This situation has caused a hardship on cellular telephone users and affected the marketplace for new equipment. Fleet users, for example, cannot provide a universal car kit connection for the variety of phones they may acquire. Users are forced to abandon their investment in the car kit when purchasing new models of telephones. These limitations have prevented businesses such as car rental agencies from providing users with means to use their car phones in rented vehicles. Further, the high cost of these car kits has caused many users to operate hand-held units while driving, an unsafe condition which is subject to increasing governmental concern and regulation.

In addition, recent advancements in the field of electronics has made it desirable to be able to transmit and receive digital data using a cellular phone. Modern communications networks, notably cellular radio telephone systems, have allowed the possibility of wide area networks for digital data transfer and control. At present, data communication is conventionally accomplished via analog channels with Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) type (FM) phones. In order to send digital information, modems are used to convert digital signals to analog tones which are sent through the phone via the normal wireless radio voice channel. AMPS type phones also include a digital channel for transceiving command and control signals to and from the phone circuitry. However, no output pin is currently provided for transferring digital information beyond the phone itself.

In recent years, progress in the field of wireless personal communications has been impeded by the limited amount of assigned radio spectrum. In response, the industry has recently developed digital wireless phones which can more easily share the available RF spectrum by packetizing data. Digital wireless phones such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) phones have the capability of passing digital information via a special digital data burst mode. However, both CDMA and TDMA require bandwidth compression of voice signals in order to make more efficient use of available RF spectrum. This is typically accomplished by some form of voice encoding/decoding module (often called a vocoder) which systematically reduces the number of bits per second required to be sent to represent voice signals based on a predetermined knowledge of the workings of the voice tract. By optimizing the coding process for voice signals, the transmitted bit rate can be reduced from several tens of kilobits per second to a few kilobits per second, thereby making more efficient use of the available RF spectrum.

Since the vocoders are designed specifically to work with voice signals, they cannot accommodate modem, facsimile, or other signals that do not exhibit voice characteristics. Data signals must be sent in a different fashion, ideally as digital signals. Neither the conventional AMPS cellular telephones nor the new analog/TDMA dual-mode cellular phones presently provide a digital data path into or out of the phone.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to provide a universal physical and electrical connection to a plurality of different kinds of hand-held cellular telephone units. A selectable adapter cable coding permits determination of the unique identity of the type of attached phone thereby allowing a data processing unit or the like to establish appropriate electrical interfacing support operations. A further purpose oil the invention is to provide means to interface with a large number of hand-held and portable phones to achieve low cost electrical adapters that are useful with many makes and models of phones.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a universal car kit which will adapt its operation to the needs of whatever cellular phone is attached to it. The universal car kit may be used with the selectable adapter cable to enable the operation of any hand-held portable cellular phone in a car kit environment.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for controlling a number of peripheral devices which may transmit and receive digital data via RF signals through a wireless radio unit. This embodiment may be used with the universal car kit to provide expanded communications capabilities in the automobile environment.

One embodiment of this invention provides a universal interface with a cable having on a first end a multiple contact connector of a predetermined number of contacts in a predetermined configuration and contact assignment discipline. At least one of the first end connectors are adapted for presenting a coded signal. That signal coding identifies at least the type of cellular phone attached to the connector on the opposite end of the cable. An arrangement is coupled to the coded signal connector for determining the type of cellular phone attached to the opposite end connector of the cable. Once the phone identification is determined, the system enables the cable first end connector contacts for performing functional operations with the cellular telephone attached to the cable.

The coded signal identifies a particular model of cellular telephone. Information for controlling the cable first end connector for functionally operating with a particular one of a plurality of cellular telephones is retrievably stored as a multiplicity of information groups. Each such group is selectable in accordance with the coded signal. This makes it possible to respond to a received coded signal for selecting the information group identified thereby from storage and for using that group to enable appropriate interfacing with the cellular telephone through the cable connectors.

A second embodiment of the present invention includes a car kit controlling means for controlling car kit operations which are dependent on the type of wireless telephone used. The car kit controller of this embodiment includes circuitry for connecting the car kit to the phone via the universal connector cable described above. Some of the car kit operations which are variable according to the specific model of wireless telephone employed include DC power level control, battery charging regulation, send and receive audio level control, external antenna coupling, and formatting of control data between the car kit and the phone.

A further embodiment of the present invention includes additional circuitry in the car kit controller for controlling peripheral devices attached to the car kit. A plurality of different peripheral devices may be attached to a bus which is connected to the car kit controller. The car kit controller of the present invention is able to transmit data to and from the peripheral devices on the bus over radio frequency signals using the wireless telephone. Any number of different peripheral devices may be attached to the bus including a navigational positioning device (e.g. GPS receiver), a display unit, a Compact Disc read only memory (CD-ROM), a security system, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a keypad, a vehicle monitoring system (VMS), etc. Thus, the applications of this embodiment are varied and many.

Those having normal skill in the art will recognize the foregoing and other objects, features, advantages and applications of the present invention from the following more detailed description of the preferred embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 1A show a contemporary cellular telephone and a typical car kit, respectively.

FIGS. 2A to 2F show examples of a variety of hand-held cellular telephone input/output physical interfaces.

FIG. 3 is a tabulation of the electrical functions associated with a typical input/output connector for a contemporary cellular telephone.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary embodiment of an adapter cable in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a typical hand-held cellular phone unit.

FIGS. 6A to 6D illustrate one method of embodying a coded adapter cable connector in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram of an embodiment in accordance with this invention for identifying the adapter interface connector.

FIG. 8 is a partially schematic diagram of another embodiment of this invention for identifying the adapter cable by selectable resistor means.

FIG. 9 is a tabulation of an exemplary connection assignment discipline for use in conjunction with the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows a configuration of a cable connector mounting suitable for attachment to a panel, dashboard, bulkhead or the like.

FIG. 11 is another configuration of a cable connector mounting suitable for a panel type attachment.

FIG. 12 is an arrangement for a cable connector mounting as a replacement for a vehicle cigarette lighter.

FIG. 13 is an illustration of a female connector for adapting the FIG. 4 cable as an extension.

FIG. 14 is an illustration of a universal car kit controller in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an illustration of a universal car kit controller including peripheral devices in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of one embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of another embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 15.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is described below for the detailed descriptions of the embodiment with emphasis upon the automotive applications and environments. However the invention is not restricted to the automobile environment but is well suited for use in any type of environment including all types of vehicles, tractors, trucks, boats or airplanes as well as in buildings and anywhere portable units are operational.

Further, though the present invention is described below with reference to a hand-held portable cellular telephone, it is recognized that the present invention may be used with any one-way or two-way radio designed to work on any type of wireless radio network. Such networks may include analog mobile cellular telephone networks (Advanced Mobile Phone Service, or AMPS), dual-mode analog/digital mobile cellular telephone networks, purely digital mobile cellular telephone networks, or any of a range of other types of networks using cellular and other technologies. Other cellular-like services may include personal communications networks (PCNs) and satellite-based mobile radio networks such as those proposed before the FCC as low-earth-orbit (LEO) systems. Other types of radio system that these inventions pertain to include, but are not limited to, geosynchronous satellite systems such as that planned by the American Mobile Satellite Corporation and Telestat Canada, as well as conventional terrestrial mobile radio systems, Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR) systems adapted for digital data transmission, Enhanced SMR systems, and carrier-provided mobile services such as paging services, the IBM/Motorola ARDIS network, RAM Mobile Data, and any other commercial radio service.

Hand-held cellular telephones, such as unit 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 1A, employ a wide variety of physical interfaces. There are a large number of models of cellular telephones in existence and each physical interconnection and electrical interface is unique to a manufacturers specific model.

Cellular phone 10 includes a typical array of features for such devices. Keypad 12 allows dialing and other data processing/generating functions. An earphone 14 is positioned at one end while a microphone/speaker 15 is located at the other end. Liquid crystal display (LCD) 16 provides a compact presentation of limited information to the user while switch 18 is for on/off control. A battery pack 20 is attached to the lower portion of phone 10 and requires periodic recharging when unit 10 is connected to the car kit 500. The phone is released for detachment from cradle 510 by manual button 21.

Interconnections with the car kit 500 are established by a plug 22 at one end of unit 10. The particular connector of F