DE29603743U1 - Communication terminal with expansion unit connected via a voltage adjustment device - Google Patents

Description

GR 96 G 1185

Description

Communication terminal with expansion unit connected via a voltage adjustment device

The invention relates to a communication arrangement with a wireless communication terminal to which expansion units can be connected and between which signals are exchanged, wherein the communication terminal and the respective expansion unit are each equipped with an interface and are operated with a power supply with a predetermined voltage potential.

The functions of a wireless communication terminal can be expanded by connecting accessory components to a corresponding interface via a connection cable. Currently, wireless communication terminals and their function-expanding expansion units (e.g. fax machines, modems or interface cards that can be connected to personal computers) are mainly operated by power supplies with a uniform supply potential due to standardized circuit technologies - in particular TTL circuit technology - which means that they can be connected to one another via commercially available connection cables.

For energy-related reasons, 3V circuit technology is used in newly developed circuit systems, in particular mobile, network-independent communication terminals. The circuit components or modules are operated with a lower supply voltage of 3V. As a result of this reduction in the supply voltage potential in communication terminals of the new generation, existing expansion units that are designed for conventional circuit technology can no longer be operated together due to the existing potential difference. A solution to this compatibility problem would be to convert the expansion units

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units to the new SV circuit technology, in order to enable a common data exchange between a communication terminal and an expansion unit via a connecting cable. The switch to the 3V circuit technology would mean a new development of mature and established products, which would cause a great deal of implementation and time expenditure as well as logistical problems and would reduce the acceptance of the newly developed communication terminals by users.

The invention is based on the object of designing a previously described communication arrangement in such a way that data exchange between a wireless communication terminal and a connected expansion unit is possible. The object is achieved on the basis of a communication arrangement according to the features of the preamble of patent claim 1 by its characterizing features.

The essential aspect of the invention is based on the fact that an adaptation device (APE) is provided for the signals transmitted via an interface (KS or ES) of a unit (KE, EE) of a communication arrangement (KA), with the aid of which the voltage potential of these transmitted signals is adapted to the respective voltage potential of the corresponding unit connected via a connecting cable (VK) so that both units (KE and EE) can communicate with each other.

The main advantage of the invention is that there is no need to develop new extension units (EE) that are designed for conventional 5V technology, since the adaptation device (APE), which enables compatibility with new types of communication terminals (KE) with integrated 3V circuit technology, is integrated into the connection cable (VK) that connects the communication terminal (KE) with the associated extension unit (EE) - claim 2 -. Since only the functionality of the

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If the connection cable (VK) has to be expanded, development costs and time can be saved. Furthermore, the supply lines required to supply power to the adaptation device (APE) can be integrated into the connection cable (VK) and a separate power supply can therefore be dispensed with - claim 5.

Advantageously, i.e. particularly simply and economically, the adaptation device (APE) can be inserted into a connection element (SE) of the connecting cable (VK) - preferably on the connection side that is connected to the 5V circuit technology - claim 3.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention can be found in the further claims.

In the following, an embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention is explained in more detail with reference to a drawing.

0 A PCMCIA card, which is designed for conventional 5V circuit technology, is connected to a mobile phone (KE) that is operated using energy-saving SV circuit technology for the purpose of data transmission via a connecting cable (VK). A PCMCIA card represents the connecting element from a communication terminal (KE) to a personal computer. An adapter (APE) for adapting signals with different voltage potentials is connected in this connecting cable (VK). With the help of a driver stage, for example - not shown 0, the adapter (APE) converts the signals with a voltage level of 3V coming from an interface (KS) of the mobile phone (KE) into signals with a voltage level of 5V, which are then fed to the interface (ES) of the PCMCIA card. At the same time, in the opposite direction, the 5V signals coming from the interface (ES) of the expansion unit (EE) are fed through a

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Voltage divider adapted to the 3V supply potential of the mobile phone (KE).

The adaptation device (APE) contains both active components, such as driver stages, and passive components such as resistors, with which, for example, voltage dividers are realized.

Claims (7)

1. Communication arrangement (KA) with a wireless communication terminal (KE) to which expansion units (EE) can be connected and between which signals are exchanged wherein the communication terminal (KE) and the respective expansion unit (EE) are each equipped with an interface (ES, KS) and are operated with a power supply with a predetermined voltage potential, characterized in that, in the case of different voltage potentials, an adaptation device (APE) is provided for adapting the signals having different voltage potentials. 2. Communication arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the adaptation device (APE) is integrated in a connecting cable (VK) connecting the communication terminal (KE) and the expansion unit (EE). 3. Communication arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the adaptation device (APE) is integrated in one of the connection elements (SE) of the connection cable (VK) provided for the connection of the communication terminal (KE) and the expansion unit (EE). 4. Communication arrangement according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the active and passive circuit elements used in the adaptation device (APE) are supplied with energy by the unit (EE) with the higher voltage potential via supply lines which are integrated in the connecting cable (VK). GR 96 G 1185 5. Communication arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that voltage dividers are provided in the adaptation device (APE) for adapting signals with a high voltage level to the other, lower voltage potential. 6. Communication arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that line driver components are provided in the adaptation device (APE) for adapting signals with a low voltage level to the other, higher voltage potential. 7. Communication arrangement according to one of the preceding Expectations, characterized in that the voltage potential for the communication terminal (KE) is determined according to 3V circuit technology and for the expansion unit (EE) according to TTL technology or CMOS technology, and that the adaptation device (APE) adapts the signals to be transmitted via the respective interfaces (ES, KS) to the other voltage potential.