Cellular Telephone, Personal Digital Assistant with Dual Lines for Simultaneous Uses
The present invention includes a method and apparatus for a handheld personal communications device capable of simultaneous wireless voice communications service and wireless data communications service. The invention includes providing wireless voice communications service to a first line of a handheld personal communications device and simultaneously providing wireless data communications service to a second line of the handheld personal communications device.
Continuation of Ser. No. 11/117,686 filed Apr. 27, 2005 which was a continuation of Ser. No. 09/886,526 filed Jun. 21, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,987,986. Applications Ser. Nos. 11/117,686 and 09/886,526 are incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to personal communications systems such as those that combine the functionality of a personal digital assistant with wireless voice communications, such as cellular phones or satellite phones.
Recently, numerous efforts and attempts have been made to combine cellular phones with personal digital assistants. Although the terms cellular phone and personal digital assistant are used throughout, it is to be understood that both terms should be construed broadly. Cellular phones include satellite phones and other technologies for providing wireless voice communications. PDA is used to refer to handheld computers which have become known as personal digital assistants, handheld devices with organizer functions, and similar type devices. For example, Smart phones, or other cellular phones that offer wireless web services are considered to have PDA functionality.
Numerous attempts have been made to combine wireless voice services with wireless data services such as wireless web access services. Advances in the field have provided for the creation of devices that contain the functionality of a PDA with wireless voice communications. Problems remain in such combinations.
Currently, such solutions that combine PDA functionality with cellular phones suffer from a number of problems that do not occur when separate devices are used. One of the greatest problems recognized by the Applicant is that these prior art solutions do not provide for wireless data services to be used simultaneously with wireless voice services. This is problematic, as an operator of the device may want to talk to someone over the wireless phone while simultaneously accessing wireless data services such as the web. Because a shared line is used, both the wireless voice services and the wireless data services are not simultaneously accessible.
Furthermore, this inability to simultaneously access wireless voice and wireless data services may negatively effect service providers in that only one such service is being used although a user may desire to use both services simultaneously. Therefore, problems in the art remain.
As a primary object, feature, or advantage of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for a handheld personal communication device that improves upon the state of the art.
A further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for a handheld personal communications device capable of simultaneous wireless voice communications and wireless data communications.
It is a further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for a handheld personal communications device that permits service carriers to simultaneously generate wireless voice communications service charges and wireless data communications service charges.
A further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for a handheld personal communications device that permits a user to talk on a cellular phone while simultaneously viewing the wireless web.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention are disclosed in the specification and claims.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe invention is an apparatus and method that provides for a handheld wireless communications device capable of simultaneous wireless voice communications and wireless data communications. One aspect of the device provides for a device containing both cellular phone functionality and PDA functionality with dual lines. This provides for a user to simultaneously talk on a cellular phone while accessing data such as the web over a wireless data communication service.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:
The present invention will now be described as it applies to an exemplary embodiment. It is not intended that the present invention be limited to the described embodiment. It is intended that the invention cover all modifications and alternatives which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention.
The present invention provides for a handheld personal communications device and method that permit simultaneous wireless voice communications and wireless data communications. One such device of the present invention is shown in
The present invention may also include an optional second display 15. The second display 15 may be used to display information generally associated with a phone or cellular phone. The optional second display 15 may be a multi-line display such as an LCD. One advantage of having the second display in the embodiment shown in
The personal communications device 10 also includes a sensor used to sense voice sound information. For example, the sensor can be an air conduction sensor such as a microphone used to transduce voice sound information. Alternatively, the sensor can be a bone conduction sensor, or other sensor used to transduce voice sound information for communication over the voice communications line.
In addition, the handheld device is in operative connection with a speaker capable of producing sound information.
In addition, a second antenna 14 is used for line two. A data communications signal is received through the antenna 14 and sent to the data transceiver for line two 18. The data transceiver is then electrically connected to a modem 20. The modem 20 may be optional, depending upon the type of communication channel and the functionality of the intelligent control 22. For example, the functionality of modem 20 can be incorporated into the intelligent control 22.
In this manner, a device is disclosed that is capable of receiving information simultaneously from both a wireless voice communication line as well as a wireless data communication line.
The present invention further contemplates that a single communication line can be used if that line can be broken into channels accordingly. For example, a digital line may be broken into one or more channels such as a voice channel and a data channel. The present invention contemplates that one or both channels may be digital. For example, voice over IP (VoP) applications may be used when a digital channel is used.
As shown in
The service provider can provide wireless voice communications service to the first line of the handheld personal communications device while simultaneously providing wireless data communications service to the second line of the handheld personal communications device. The service provider can then charge for the voice communications service, as well as charge for the data communications service.
The present invention contemplates any number of wireless voice communications service and wireless data communications service. For example the wireless voice communications service can include PCS, CDPD, AMPS, GSM, as well as any number of other wireless voice communications services. Similarly, the present invention contemplates that any number of wireless data communications service may be provided. For example TCP/IP services may be provided as well as WAP services. The present invention is in no way limited to the particular protocol or type of voice communications service or data communications service used.
Thus, a method and device for a handheld personal communications device capable of simultaneous wireless voice communications and wireless data communications service has been disclosed. The present invention contemplates numerous variations in the types of voice communications service, the types of data communications service, the placement and use of antennas, the placement and use of sound sensors, the type of display, the type of intelligent control, the type of transceivers, and other variations such as may be known or become known in the art.
Claims
1. A cellular telephone, comprising:
- a cellular phone housing;
- a first wireless radio transceiver disposed within the cellular phone housing providing cellular voice communications over a cellular wireless network;
- a second wireless radio transceiver disposed within the cellular phone housing providing data communications over a local wireless network;
- a PDA processor providing personal digital assistant services, said PDA processor receiving and sending data through said second wireless radio transceiver;
- a first antenna electrically coupled to said first wireless radio transceiver;
- a second antenna electrically coupled to said second wireless radio transceiver; wherein said first and second antennas are both located within said cellular phone housing;
- a modem operationally coupled between said second wireless radio transceiver and said PDA processor;
- a sensor operatively connected to the first wireless radio transceiver sensing sound;
- a speaker operatively connected to the first wireless radio;
- a touch sensitive first display operatively connected to the PDA processor, wherein the touch sensitive display is adapted to provide a visual representation of a keypad for receiving input from a user;
- a second display, displaying information relating to a cellular telephone call;
- wherein simultaneously, said second wireless radio transceiver provides wireless web access, while said first wireless radio transceiver provides cellular voice service, said first and said second wireless radio transceivers each operating on different radio channels at the same time.
2. A handheld personal communications device comprising:
- a housing;
- a first wireless radio transceiver disposed in said housing providing digital communications over a first radio channel;
- a second wireless radio transceiver disposed in said housing providing digital wireless communications over a second radio channel;
- a single antenna disposed in said housing operationally coupled to both said first and second wireless radio transceivers;
- a sensor operatively coupled to said first wireless radio transceiver, said sensor sensing sound;
- a speaker operatively coupled to said first wireless radio transceiver, said speaker producing sound;
- a touch sensitive display operatively coupled to said second wireless radio transceiver;
- a PDA processor contained in said housing controlling said touch sensitive display, wherein said touch sensitive display displays a virtual keyboard;
- an intelligent control controlling said first and second wireless radio transceivers so that simultaneously said first wireless radio transceiver handles voice transmission, and said second wireless radio transceiver handles a wireless web connection, said first and said second wireless radio transceivers each operating on different radio channels at the same time;
- a second display displaying information relating to a cellular telephone call, said second display viewable when said housing is in a closed position.
3. The handheld personal communications device of claim 2 further comprising a GPS receiver.
4. The handheld personal communications device of claim 3 wherein, said intelligent control is adapted to display GPS data on said touch sensitive display.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 9, 2011
Publication Date: Jun 14, 2012
Inventor: Peter V. Boesen (Des Moines, IA)
Application Number: 13/292,421
International Classification: H04W 88/02 (20090101); H04W 4/02 (20090101); H04M 1/02 (20060101);