Satellite/hands-free interlock systems and/or companion devices for radioterminals and related methods
AssigneeATC Technologies, LLC
InventorPeter D. Karabinis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A radioterminal may include a transceiver, a hand-held interface coupled to the transceiver, and an interlock coupled to the transceiver. The transceiver may be configured to transmit and receive wireless communications, and the transceiver may be further configured to transmit high power communications at a high maximum power and/or EIRP and to transmit low power communications at a low maximum power and/or EIRP. The interlock may be configured to prevent the transceiver from transmitting high power communications at a power and/or EIRP that exceeds a threshold when the hand-held interface is activated. Related methods are also discussed.
Claims80
A radioterminal comprising:
- a transceiver that is configured to transmit and receive wireless communications, wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit high power communications at a power and/or Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) that is greater than or equal to a high power threshold and to transmit low power communications at a power and/or EIRP that is less than or equal to a low power threshold;
- a hand-held interface coupled to the transceiver;
- and
- an interlock coupled to the transceiver, wherein the interlock is configured to allow the transceiver to transmit low power communications at the power and/or EIRP that is less than or equal to the low power threshold and to prevent the transceiver from transmitting high power communications at the power and/or EIRP that is greater than or equal to the high power threshold responsive to the hand-held interface being activated;
- wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the high power communications for space-based communications and to transmit the low power communications for terrestrial communications.
A method of operating a radioterminal including a transceiver configured to transmit high power communications at a power and/or Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) that is greater than or equal to a high power threshold and to transmit low power communications at a power and/or EIRP that is less than or equal to a low power threshold, and a hand-held interface, the method comprising:
- allowing the transceiver to transmit the low power communications at the power and/or EIRP that is less than or equal to the low power threshold when the hand-held interface is activated;
- and
- preventing the transceiver from transmitting the high power communications at the power and/or EIRP that is greater than or equal to the high power threshold responsive to the hand-held interface being activated;
- wherein the transceiver is configured to provide space-based communications and wireless terrestrial communications and wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the high power communications for space-based communications and to transmit the low power communications for wireless terrestrial communications.
A radioterminal comprising:
- a transceiver that is configured to transmit and receive wireless communications, wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit high power communications greater than a power threshold and to transmit low power communications less than the power threshold;
- a hand-held interface coupled to the transceiver;
- and
- an interlock coupled to the transceiver, wherein the interlock is configured to allow the transceiver to transmit the low power communications less than the power threshold and to prevent the transceiver from transmitting the high power communications greater than the power threshold responsive to the hand-held interface being activated;
- wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the high power communications for space-based communications and to transmit the low power communications for terrestrial communications.
A method of operating a radioterminal including a transceiver configured to provide space-based communications by transmitting high power communications greater than a power threshold and to provide wireless terrestrial communications by transmitting low power communications less than the power threshold, a hand-held interface, and a hands-free interface coupled to the transceiver, the method comprising:
- allowing wireless terrestrial communications by allowing the transceiver to transmit the low power communications less than the power threshold when the hand-held interface is activated wherein the wireless terrestrial communications are provided over a wireless link between the radioterminal and a terrestrial base station without transmitting through a space-based component between the radioterminal and the terrestrial base station;
- preventing space-based communications by preventing the transceiver from transmitting the high power communications greater than the power threshold responsive to the hand-held interface being activated;
- and
- allowing space-based communications by allowing the transceiver to transmit the high power communications responsive to the hands-free interface being activated wherein the space-based communications are provided over a wireless link between the radioterminal and a space-based component without transmitting though a terrestrial base station between the radioterminal and the space-based component.
A method of operating a radioterminal including a transceiver configured to transmit high power communications greater than a power threshold and to transmit low power communications less than the power threshold, and a hand-held interface, wherein the radioterminal includes a hands-free interface coupled to the transceiver, the method comprising:
- allowing the transceiver to transmit the low power communications less than the power threshold when the hand-held interface is activated;
- preventing the transceiver from transmitting the high power communications greater than the power threshold responsive to the hand-held interface being activated;
- and
- providing a user notification to activate the hands-free interface responsive to a request to transmit high power communications when the hand-held interface is active.
A method of operating a radioterminal including a transceiver configured to transmit high power communications greater than a power threshold and to transmit low power communications less than the power threshold, and a hand-held interface, wherein the radioterminal includes an interface for a companion device, the method comprising:
- allowing the transceiver to transmit the low power communications less than the power threshold when the hand-held interface is activated;
- preventing the transceiver from transmitting the high power communications greater than the power threshold responsive to the hand-held interface being activated;
- and
- providing user notification to activate the interface for the companion device responsive to a request to transmit high power communications when the hand-held interface is active.
A radioterminal comprising:
- a transceiver that is configured to transmit and receive wireless communications, wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit high power communications at a power and/or Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) that is greater than or equal to a high power threshold and to transmit low power communications at a power and/or EIRP that is less than or equal to a low power threshold;
- a hand-held interface coupled to the transceiver;
- an interlock coupled to the transceiver, wherein the interlock is configured to allow the transceiver to transmit low power communications at the power and/or EIRP that is less than or equal to the low power threshold and to prevent the transceiver from transmitting high power communications at the power and/or EIRP that is greater than or equal to the high power threshold responsive to the hand-held interface being activated;
- and
- a hands-free interface coupled to the transceiver, wherein responsive to a request to transmit high power communications when the hand-held interface is active, the interlock is configured to provide a user notification to activate the hands-free interface.
A radioterminal comprising:
- a transceiver that is configured to transmit and receive wireless communications, wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit high power communications at a power and/or Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) that is greater than or equal to a high power threshold and to transmit low power communications at a power and/or EIRP that is less than or equal to a low power threshold;
- a hand-held interface coupled to the transceiver;
- an interlock coupled to the transceiver, wherein the interlock is configured to allow the transceiver to transmit low power communications at the power and/or EIRP that is less than or equal to the low power threshold and to prevent the transceiver from transmitting high power communications at the power and/or EIRP that is greater than or equal to the high power threshold responsive to the hand-held interface being activated;
- and
- an interface for a companion device, wherein responsive to a request to transmit the high power communications, the interlock is configured to provide a user notification to activate the interface for the companion device.
A method of operating a radioterminal including a transceiver configured to transmit high power communications at a power and/or Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) that is greater than or equal to a high power threshold and to transmit low power communications at a power and/or EIRP that is less than or equal to a low power threshold, and a hand-held interface, wherein the radioterminal includes a hands-free interface coupled to the transceiver, the method comprising:
- allowing the transceiver to transmit the low power communications at the power and/or EIRP that is less than or equal to the low power threshold when the hand-held interface is activated;
- preventing the transceiver from transmitting the high power communications at a the power and/or EIRP that is greater than or equal to the high power threshold responsive to the hand-held interface being activated;
- and
- providing a user notification to activate the hands-free interface responsive to a request to transmit the high power communications when the hand-held interface is active.
A method of operating a radioterminal including a transceiver configured to transmit high power communications at a power and/or Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) that is greater than or equal to a high power threshold and to transmit low power communications at a power and/or EIRP that is less than or equal to a low power threshold, and a hand-held interface, wherein the radioterminal includes an interface for a companion device, the method comprising:
- allowing the transceiver to transmit the low power communications at the power and/or EIRP that is less than or equal to the low power threshold when the hand-held interface is activated;
- preventing the transceiver from transmitting the high power communications at the power and/or EIRP that is greater than or equal to the high power threshold responsive to the hand-held interface being activated;
- and
- providing a user notification to activate the interface for the companion device responsive to a request to transmit the high power communications when the hand-held interface is active.
A radioterminal comprising:
- a transceiver that is configured to transmit and receive wireless communications, wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit high power communications greater than a power threshold and to transmit low power communications less than the power threshold;
- a hand-held interface coupled to the transceiver;
- an interlock coupled to the transceiver, wherein the interlock is configured to allow the transceiver to transmit the low power communications less than the power threshold and to prevent the transceiver from transmitting the high power communications greater than the power threshold responsive to the hand-held interface being activated;
- and
- a hands-free interface coupled to the transceiver, wherein responsive to a request to transmit high power communications when the hand-held interface is active, the interlock is configured to provide a user notification to activate the hands-free interface;
- wherein the interlock is further configured to enable the transceiver to transmit the high power communications responsive to activation of the hands-free interface;
- and
- wherein the interlock is further configured to enable the transceiver to transmit the high power communications for a period of time after the request to transmit the high power communications and before activation of the hands-free interface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.