Adaptive omni-modal radio apparatus and methods Number:7,386,322 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) owispatent The present invention provides, among other things, a multi-modal device for facilitating wireless communication over any one of a plurality of wireless communication networks operating pursuant to differing transmission protocols and/or over differing radio frequencies.<H apparatus, Adaptive, Adaptive, omni, m, 7386322.html, Patent, pto, 7386322

Title: Adaptive omni-modal radio apparatus and methods

Abstract: The present invention provides, among other things, a multi-modal device for facilitating wireless communication over any one of a plurality of wireless communication networks operating pursuant to differing transmission protocols and/or over differing radio frequencies.

Patent Number: 7,386,322 Issued on 06/10/2008 to Sainton, et al.

Inventors: Sainton; Joseph B. (Newberg, OR), Leedom, Jr.; Charles M. (Falls Church, VA), Robinson; Eric J. (Ashburn, VA)
Assignee: MLR, LLC (Palm Beach Garden, FL)

Appl. No.: 11/047,665

Filed: February 2, 2005

Related U.S. Patent Documents


Application Number	Filing Date	Patent Number	Issue Date
09670696	Sep., 2000	6934558
09149292	Sep., 1998	6134453
08707262	Sep., 1996	5854985
08167003	Dec., 1993

Current U.S. Class: 455/552.1 ; 455/435.2; 455/550.1

Field of Search: 455/552.1,432.1,422.1,435.1,435.2,456.1,456.3,550.1,73,517,403,70,566,90.3,435.3 370/310,328,329,341

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Primary Examiner: Trinh; Sonny
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Rothwell, Figg, Ernst & Manbeck

Parent Case Text

This application is a divisional of patent application Ser. No. 09/670,696, filed Sep. 28, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,934,558, which is a divisional of patent application Ser. No. 09/149,292, filed Sep. 9, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,453, which is a divisional of patent application Ser. No. 08/707,262, filed Sep. 4, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,854,985, which is a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 08/167,003, filed Dec. 15, 1993, now abandoned.

Claims

We claim:

1. An advanced cellular telephone for facilitating voice and data communication over a plurality of wireless communication networks, at least one of which is a Personal Communication Services network operating in the PCS frequency band using a protocol for communication that is appropriate for the PCS network and at least one additional network operating either inside or outside of the PCS frequency band using a protocol for communication that is appropriate for the one additional network, comprising a housing small enough to form a portable handset; an antenna supported by the housing for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic energy; a display, supported by the housing, for displaying information that is visually perceptible to a user and that includes information procured, in response to a user request, from a remote computer with which the cellular telephone is linked wirelessly via one of the wireless communication networks; a touch-sensitive device for receiving user supplied commands and data including said user requests for information; and an omni-modal communication circuit for accessing the wireless communication networks using a communications protocol appropriate to the wireless communication network accessed to establish a communication link for voice or data communication over the accessed network, the omni-modal communication circuit including a transceiver, electrically connected to the antenna, for sending and receiving radio frequency voice signals and data signals, digital modulator circuitry for modulating digital voice signals and digital data signals onto a carrier for transmitting by the transceiver in accordance with a communications protocol compatible with the PCS communication network when accessed and in accordance with a communications protocol compatible with the one additional network when accessed, digital demodulator circuitry for demodulating digital voice signals and digital data signals from radio frequency signals received by the transmitter in accordance with the communications protocol compatible with the PCS communication network when accessed and in accordance with the communications protocol compatible with the one additional network when accessed, memory for storing an operating program and data including network information, telephone numbers and text messages, and a processor for setting up appropriate cross connections between the display, memory, touch-sensitive device, digital modulator circuitry and digital demodulator circuitry and transceiver to cause the transceiver to access the plurality of wireless communication networks, one or more at a time, including the PCS network and the one additional network, for sending and receiving both voice signals and data signals over the accessed network and to receive user commands, to provide information to the display, to carry out arithmetic calculations, to request information from remote computers and to retrieve data from memory; wherein the functions of information retrieval from remote computers, data processing and placing or receiving telephone calls may be carried out by selective access, under the control of the processor, to the plurality of wireless communication networks including the PCS network and the one additional network through operation of the omni-modal communication circuit.

2. An advanced cellular telephone as defined in claim 1, said touch sensitive device further includes an incrementing button and a decrementing button to cause the information displayed on said display to scroll up and scroll down, respectively, when actuated by the user.

3. An advanced cellular telephone as defined in claim 1, wherein said processor includes a microprocessor, operating under the operating program, to selectively set up the cross connections and a data processing circuit for formatting data as required for devices sending data to and receiving data from the omni-modal communication circuit.

4. An advanced cellular telephone as defined in claim 1, wherein said transceiver includes a local oscillator, a receive mixer connected to the local oscillator, an amplifier, a transmit mixer connected to the local oscillator and to the amplifier, and a diplexer connected to the amplifier, to the receive mixer and to the antenna.

5. A multi-modal device for facilitating wireless communication over any one of a plurality of wireless communication networks operating pursuant to differing transmission protocols and/or over differing radio frequencies, comprising: a frequency agile radio transceiver adapted to operate at a radio frequency appropriate for each of the plurality of wireless communication networks as determined by a frequency control signal; a digital interface circuit for interconnecting said frequency agile radio transceiver with external devices to allow information to be sent and received over said frequency agile radio transceiver; protocol agile operating circuit means for operating said frequency agile radio transceiver and said digital interface circuit in accordance with one of the transmission protocols as determined by a protocol control signal; and adaptive control means for accessing a selected wireless communication network and for generating the frequency control signal and the protocol control signal in response to a user defined criteria to cause the device to communicate with the selected wireless communication network using the frequency determined by the frequency control signal and the protocol determined by the protocol control signal.

6. The multi-modal device of claim 5, wherein said adaptive control means selects the wireless communication network based on the least cost.

7. The multi-modal device of claim 5, wherein said adaptive control means selects the wireless communication network based on the quality of the radio transmission link connecting said frequency agile transceiver and the selected wireless communication network.

8. The multi-modal device as defined in claim 5, wherein said adaptive control means selects the wireless communication network based on the probability of being dropped from the network.

9. The multi-modal device as defined in claim 5, wherein said adaptive control means selects the wireless communication network based on the security of the radio transmission link connecting said frequency agile transceiver and the selected wireless communication network.

10. The multi-modal device as defined in claim 5, wherein said adaptive control means selects the wireless communication network based on prior experience with specific wireless communication networks.

11. The multi-modal device as defined in claim 5, wherein said adaptive control means selects the wireless communication network based on the combined determination of two or more of the following: the cost of using the wireless communication network; the quality of the transmission link connecting said frequency agile transceiver and the selected wireless communication network; prior experience with specific wireless communication networks; the potential for being dropped by the network; and the security of the radio transmission link connecting said frequency agile transceiver and the selected wireless communication network.

12. The multi-modal device as defined in claim 5, wherein said adaptive control means is adapted to communicate in accordance with an electronic handshake with selected wireless communication networks to determine on a real time basis the cost for desired services and operating characteristics of the corresponding wireless communication network.

13. The multi-modal device as defined in claim 5, further including a modem means for modulating and/or demodulating a carrier signal with user data.

14. The multi-modal device as defined in claim 13, further including a data processor means for processing digital data sent and/or received over said frequency agile transceiver.

15. The multi-modal device as defined in claim 13, wherein said data processor means causes said protocol agile operating circuit means is adapted to cause said frequency agile transceiver to control telephone call placement and call answering functions over wireless communication networks having such telephone functions.

16. A method of using a frequency agile radio transceiver for facilitating wireless communication over any one of a plurality of wireless communication networks operating pursuant to differing transmission protocols and/or over differing radio frequencies, comprising the steps of: operating a frequency agile radio transceiver at a radio frequency appropriate for each of the plurality of wireless communication networks as determined by a frequency control signal; interconnecting said frequency agile radio transceiver with a device to allow information to be transferred between said device and a remote device over said frequency agile radio transceiver; operating said frequency agile radio transceiver and said interconnecting device in accordance with one of the transmission protocols as determined by a protocol control signal; accessing a selected wireless communication network by generating the frequency control signal and the protocol control signal in response to a user defined criteria to cause the device to communicate with the selected wireless communication network using the frequency determined by the frequency control signal and the protocol determined by the protocol control signal.

17. The method as defined in claim 16, wherein said step of selecting the wireless communication network is based on the least cost.

18. The method as defined in claim 16, wherein said step of selecting the wireless communication network is based on the quality of the radio transmission link connecting said frequency agile transceiver and the selected wireless communication network.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of selecting the wireless communication network is based on the potential for being dropped by the network.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of selecting the wireless communication network is based on the security of the radio transmission link connecting said frequency agile transceiver and the selected wireless communication network.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of selecting the wireless communication network is based on prior experience with specific wireless communication networks.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of selecting the wireless communication network is based on the combined determination of two or more of the following: the cost of using the wireless communication network; the quality of the transmission link connecting said frequency agile transceiver and the selected wireless communication network; prior experience with specific wireless communication networks; the potential for being dropped from the network; and the security of the radio transmission link connecting said frequency agile transceiver and the selected wireless communication network.

23. The method of claim 16 further including the step of engaging in an electronic handshake with selected wireless communication networks to determine on a real time basis the cost for desired services and the operating characteristics of the corresponding wireless communication network.

24. The method of claim 16, further including the step of causing said frequency agile transceiver to control telephone call placement and call answering functions over wireless communication networks having such telephone functions.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to frequency and protocol agile, wireless communication devices and systems adapted to enable voice and/or data transmission to occur using a variety of different radio frequencies, transmission protocols and radio infrastructures.

Many communication industry experts believe that a personal information revolution has begun that will have as dramatic an impact as did the rise of personal computers in the 1980's. Such experts are predicting that the personal computer will become truly "personal" by allowing virtually instant access to information anytime or anywhere. There exists no consensus, however, on the pace or form of this revolution.

For example, the wireless communication industry is being fragmented by the emergence of a substantial number of competing technologies and services including digital cellular technologies (e.g. TDMA, E-TDMA, narrow band CDMA, and broadband CDMA), geopositioning services, one way and two-way paging services, packet data services, enhanced specialized mobile radio, personal computing services, two-way satellite systems, cellular digital packet data (CDPD) and others. Fragmenting forces within the wireless communication industry have been further enhanced by regulatory actions of the U.S. government. In particular, the U.S. government is preparing to auction off portions of the radio spectrum for use in providing personal communication services (PCS) in a large number of relatively small contiguous regions of the country. The U.S. government is also proposing to adopt regulations which will encourage wide latitude among successful bidders for the new radio spectrum to adopt innovative wireless technologies.

Until the market for wireless communication has experienced an extended "shake-out" period it is unlikely that a clear winner or group of winners will become apparent. Any portable unit which is capable of interacting with more than one service provider or radio infrastructure would obviously have advantages over a portable unit which is capable of accessing only a single service provider. Still better would be a portable unit which could be reprogrammed to interact with a variety of different service providers. Previous attempts to provide such multi modal units have produced a variety of interesting, but less than ideal, product and method concepts.

Among the known multi-modal proposals is a portable telephone, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,042 to Gillig et al., which is adapted to operate with either a conventional cordless base station or cellular base station. U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,360 to Suzuki discloses a cellular telephone which is capable of switching between either an analog mode of operation or a digital mode of operation. Yet another approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,904 to Ogawara directed to an improved method and apparatus for switching from a failed main radio communication system to a backup communication system. Still another proposal is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,795 directed to a paging receiver which is capable of scanning the frequencies of a plurality of radio common carriers to detect the broadcast of a paging message over one of the carriers serving a given geographic region. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,239,701 to Ishii there is disclosed a radio receiver which is responsive to an RF signal containing a plurality of channel frequencies, each having broadcast information, and a circuit for producing a wide band version of the received RF signal and a circuit for producing a narrow band version of the received RF signal.

While multi-modal in some regard, each of the technologies disclosed in the above listed patents is highly specialized and limited to a specific application. The systems disclosed are clearly non-adaptive and are incapable of being easily reconfigured to adapt to different transmission protocols or different radio infrastructures. Recently, Motorola has announced beta testing of a system called "MoNet" which will allegedly allow users to operate on whatever wireless network happens to be available using protocol and frequency agile radio modems. The MoNet technology will be integrated in both networks and mobile devices and will permit first time users to fill out an electronic application, transmit it, and receive a personal ID to allow the user to operate on any of several mobile networks yet receive just one bill. Another provider of an open system is Racotek of Minneapolis, Minn. which offers client server architecture designed to be portable across different mobile devices, host platforms, and radio infrastructures.

While the limited attempts to deal with the fragmentation of the wireless communication industry have had some merits, no one has yet disclosed a truly self adaptive, omni-modal wireless product which enables an end user to access conveniently various wireless services in accordance with a selection process which is sufficiently under the control of the end user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A fundamental objective of the subject invention is to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art by providing a truly omni-modal wireless product and method which is adaptive to the selectively variable desires of the end user.

Another more specific object of the subject invention in the provision of a product which would be capable of utilizing any one of the wireless data services within a given geographic area based on a user determined criteria such as: (1) the cost of sending a data message, (2) the quality of transmission link (signal strength, interference actual or potential), (3) the potential for being dropped from the system (is service provider at near full capacity), (4) the security of transmission, (5) any special criteria which the user could variably program into his omni-modal wireless product based on the user's desires or (6) any one or more combinations of the above features that are preprogrammed, changed or overridden by the user.

Yet another object of the subject invention is to provide an omni-modal wireless product which would allow for enormous product differentiation. For example original equipment manufacturers (OEM's) could provide specialized interface features for the end user. Each OEM could provide specialized hardware controls appropriate for various user groups.

Another object of the subject invention is to provide an omni-modal wireless product which can allow for adaptive service provider selection based on user experience with specific service providers.

A more specific object of the subject invention is to provide an omni-modal wireless product which would have the effect of inducing intense competition for customers among various wireless data service providers based on quality of service and price by allowing the user to easily and conveniently identify the service providers that best meet the user's performance requirements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a network of omni-modal wireless products and service providers which is designed to provide the most business and profit making potential to the service providers who best meet the varying demands of the greatest number of omni-modal wireless product users.

Still another objective of the subject invention is to promote and encourage introduction of innovative technology which will satisfy the desires of end users to receive the best possible quality wireless service at the lowest possible cost by promoting real time-adaptive price and service competition among cell service providers.

Another objective of the subject invention is to allow wireless service providers to broadcast electronically as part of any "handshaking" procedure with a omni-modal wireless product information such as (1) rate information and (2) information regarding system operating characteristics such as percent of system capacity in use and/or likelihood of being dropped.

Still another objective of the subject invention is to create a user oriented source enrollment and billing service in the wireless data market by establishing uniform standard for "handshakes" to occur between cell service providers and omni-modal wireless products.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a standard chip or chipset including a radio transceiver specifically designed to be used in all types of omni-modal wireless products.

A still more specific object of the invention is to provide a standard radio chip or chipset adapted for use in all types of omni-modal wireless products including a variety of operational modes including operation on the U.S. public analog cellular telephone network (AMPS).

Still another object of the invention is to provide a standard radio chip or chipset for use in all types of omni-modal wireless products including circuitry for both voice and data communications over AMPS. Other supported communications protocols would include CDPD which is a packet data service based on the AMPS network.

These objects and others are achieved in the present invention by an omni-modal radio circuit implemented by a standard radio computing chip or chipset which can serve as a computer (special or general purpose), or as an interface to a general purpose personal computer. The chip preferably includes a modem and associated processing circuits. So that it can perform at least basic processing functions such as displaying data, accepting input, etc., the chip may also incorporate at least a basic microprocessor. The processor may provide only predetermined functions, accessible through a standard applications programming interface, or in more advanced designs the processor can run other software or firmware added by the product maker. Exemplary processor functions of the chip include radio network interface control (call placement, call answering), voice connection, data transmission, and data input/output. The chip can be used to implement a variety of omni-modal devices and can provde computing resources to operate fundamental communications programs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block schematic diagram of an omni-modal radio communications circuit according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block schematic diagram of an advanced cellular telephone implemented using an omni-modal radio communications circuit according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block schematic diagram of a personal communicator implemented using an omni-modal radio communications circuit according to the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a plan view of the front of a data transmission and display radiotelephone implemented using an omni-compatible radio communications circuit;

FIG. 4B is a plan view of the back of a data transmission and display radiotelephone implemented using an omni-compatible radio communications circuit;

FIG. 5 is a block schematic diagram of a telephone/pager implemented using the present omni-modal radio communications circuit;

FIG. 6A is a block schematic diagram of a dual mode cellular/cordless landline telephone implemented using the present omni-modal radio communications circuit;

FIG. 6B is a flowchart showing a method of operation of a dual mode cellular/cordless landline telephone according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a block schematic diagram of a personal computer incorporating an omni-modal radio communications circuit;

FIG. 8 is a block schematic diagram of a special purpose radio data transmitting device implemented using an omni-modal radio communications circuit;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a radio system selection method by which information carriers are selected according to varying specified criteria;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a method of broadcasting local carrier information to facilitate carrier selection by customers for a particular information transmission task;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a handshake sequence for arranging information transmission using the omni-modal device of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a modular implementation of the omni-modal radio communications circuit of the present invention installed in a cellular telephone;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a modular implementation of the omni-modal radio communications circuit of the present invention installed in a personal computer;

FIG. 14 is a block schematic diagram showing a system for relaying paging signals to the omni-modal device of the present invention using a cellular telephone system; and

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing a method of relaying paging signals to the omni-modal device of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A preferred embodiment of a standardized radio processing circuit 1 is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The standardized radio processing circuit 1, shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B taken together, may be implemented on a single VLSI chip or on a set of VLSI chips making up a chipset. As will be seen, this chip or chipset provides a standard building block which can be used to make a plurality of consumer products that provide data transmission capability. As will be seen later with reference to FIGS. 2 through 8, by adding minimal external components to the standardized circuit 1, a wide variety of products can be produced. Also, as will be seen, the standardized circuit 1 can be advantageously implemented on a removable card with a standardized interface connector or connectors, so that it can then be selectively inserted into and removed from a variety of devices to provide the devices with radio information transmission capability.

In terms of the preferred functional and operational characteristics of circuit 1, it is particularly significant that this circuit provides a multi-modal or omni-modal communications capability. That is, circuit 1 can be adjusted by the user, or automatically under stored program control, to transfer information over at least two different radio communications networks, and preferably all networks available in a particular area within the frequency range of the transceiver of circuit 1.

Examples of radio communications networks which circuit 1 may be designed to use include commercial paging networks; the U.S. cellular telephone network or Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS); alternative cellular telephone network standards such as the European standard; digitally modulated radiotelephone systems operating under various encoding techniques such as TDMA, CDMA, E-TDMA, and BCDMA; Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD); Enhanced Specialized Mobile Radio (ESMR); ARDIS; Personal Cellular Systems (PCS); RAM; global positioning systems; FM networks which transmit stock prices or other information on subcarriers; satellite-based networks; cordless landline telephones (such as 49 Mhz and particularly 900 Mhz systems); and wireless LAN systems. Preferably, circuit 1 is also designed to use the landline/public switched telephone network (PSTN).

As another feature, the omni-modal circuit 1 may perform local positioning calculations to accurately determine its location by monitoring precisely synchronized timing signals which may be broadcast by cell sites for this purpose. If such timing signals were provided, the omni-modal circuit 1 could receive the signals, determine the relative time delay in receiving at least three such signals from different transmitter locations, and triangulate to determine the distance of the omni-modal circuit to each of the transmitters. If the omni-modal circuit 1 is installed in a vehicle, this information may be used to determine the location of the vehicle.

As will be seen, for each system which can be accessed by circuit 1, appropriate cross connections are provided between the radio circuit or landline interface, as selected, and voice or data sources and destinations. The appropriate cross connections are established under program control and include conversions between digital and analog signal forms at appropriate points in cases where a signal in one form is to be transmitted using a method for which a different signal form is appropriate. The operating parameters of the transceiver may be optimized by a digital signal processor for either voice or data transmission.

In addition, a library of command, control and data transmission protocols appropriate for each supported system may be included in circuit 1, and the device can implement the correct protocols by consulting a lookup table during transmissions to obtain the data channel protocols appropriate to the system selected. In another embodiment, the library of command, control, and data transmission protocols may be replaced, or supplemented, by information transmitted over the radio frequencies to the device by the carrier, or information downloaded from a hardwired connection to another device. Flash memory, EEPROMs, or non-volatile RAM can be used to store program information, permitting replacement or updating of the operating instructions used by the device.

As examples, the library functions accessible by the device (and also by external devices which may call the library functions) may include the following: Select RF modulation frequency; select RF modulation protocol; select data formatting/conditioning protocol; transmit data in input stream using selected network and protocol; select output; select input; select data/voice mode; answer call; generate DTMF tones and transmit on selected network; scan for control channels/available systems; obtain cost information for current selected system; obtain cost information for all systems; obtain operating quality information for current system; obtain operating quality information for all systems; request transmission channel in system; obtain signal strength for current channel; obtain signal strength for all active systems; and initiate a transmission on the selected network.

FIG. 1A shows a block schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of an omni-modal radio communication radio frequency (RF) circuit. In the example shown, the RF circuit includes antenna 2, diplexer 4, amplifier 6, transmit mixer 8, receiver mixer 10, programmable local oscillator 12, modulation selector switches 14 and 16, analog detector-demodulator 18, digital demodulator 20, analog modulator 22, digital modulator 24, voice grade channel output 26, digital output 28, voice grade channel input 30, and digital input 32.

Voice grade channel output 26 is connected to analog detector-demodulator 18 and digital output 28 is connected to digital demodulator 20. Analog detector-demodulator 18 and digital demodulator 20 are selectively connected to receiver mixer 10 through switch 14. Receiver mixer 10 is connected to both local oscillator 12 and diplexer 4. Diplexer 4 is connected to antenna 2. These components provide radio frequency receive circuitry that allows selective reception and demodulation of both analog and digitally modulated radio signals.

Voice grade channel input 30 is co