Abstract: An apparatus for use with a cellular telephone to indicate an incoming telephone call to a user includes a cellular telephone battery pack has a circuit that generates a voltage signal with a value representative of the current being drawn from the battery by the operation of the cellular telephone. A status determination circuit monitors the voltage signal and generates a waiting for call state signal whenever the value of the voltage signal decreases from a first selected higher value to a first selected lower value for a first preselected period of time.

Abstract: A system and method for the automatic remote activation of the cellular telephone with the carrier, includes a central processing unit containing and operating in accord with a control program. The central processing unit has, in a memory, a plurality of hardware and firmware drivers having, respectively, the operating circuitry and commands necessary for controlling a selected cellular telephone. The control program operates to select a desired one pair of hardware and firmware drivers for activation programming of the cellular telephone. An input device is connected to the central processing unit, for manually entering data thereinto. A cable connects the central processing unit to the Input/Output data interface bus port of the cellular telephone unit for transferring data therebetween. A modem connects the central processing unit with the authorizing computer of the selected carrier for transferring data therebetween.

Abstract: A vehicle antenna for a cellular telephone has a balanced-unbalanced (BALUN) transformer that is connected to the telephone and is coupled to a horizontally polarized antenna on the interior of the vehicle and to a vertically polarized antenna that is located on the exterior of the vehicle. The vertically polarized component of a received signal is combined with the horizontally polarized component of the same signal in the transformer element and is applied to the cellular telephone. Signals to be transmitted are applied to the the transformer element and are divided into two portions, one of which is applied to the vertically polarized antenna and the other of which is applied to the horizontally polarized antenna. Because signals from a remote cellular transmitter cell arrive with both a vertical and a horizontal component, the antenna of the present invention retrieves the horizontal component which would otherwise be lost and combines it with the vertical component for more reliable signal reception.

Abstract: A mast radiator is affixed to a glass or other non conductive exterior panel of a vehicle and is provided with a dipole element and one or more parasitic elements to exchange signals, with gain, between the mast and the antenna of a portable cellular telephone unit within the vehicle. In the preferred embodiment, a separate base unit with parasitic elements is mounted on the same glass panel on the opposite surface and opposite the base of the mast radiator.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly has base and pedestal members designed to connect an electronic device and accessory, and includes spring-loaded pins cooperating with recesses to maintain a selected rotational position therebetween, while permitting manual rotation of the pedestal member relative to the base member.