NL1004884C2 - Mobile phone with main base unit and cordless handset - Google Patents

Abstract

Radio communications (4) between the base station (1) and the mobile phone network are via an antenna (1.2) on the base station. Communications (3) between the base station (1) and the handset (2) are via small antennas (1.1, 2.1). The handset (2) has normal ear and mouthpieces and a number keypad (2.2) The radio signals (3) over the short range, e.g. less than five metres, between the handset and base unit require only a small power level, e.g. 0.1 Watts. The drain on the battery in the handset is thus very low.

Description

Stand-alone, portable radiotelephone.

The invention relates to a self-contained, portable radiotelephone.

Such a telephone is described in US-5,265,158.

The known radiotelephones have batteries as a power source, are lightweight and small in size, so that the telephones can, for example, be easily carried in the pocket of a garment, or in a handbag or a suitcase. The self-contained, portable radiotelephone is also referred to as a handset.

The telephones can connect wirelessly to a 10 telephone exchange, via transmitter / receivers specially provided for the telephones and connected to the central (henceforth referred to as central transmitter / receiver), so that at any desired location, provided that it is within reach of a central transmitter / receiver a telephone conversation can be made.

An independent, portable radiotelephone contains all components necessary for a mobile telephone station, such as, for example, an antenna, a transmitter / receiver (henceforth referred to as a telephone transmitter / receiver) and telephone components, such as a handset and a number dialing component.

Because it is important that the telephones can be used to make 20 telephone calls in as many places as possible, it is necessary to equip the radiotelephone with a relatively powerful transmitter / receiver. As a result, the distance between the central transmitter / receivers can also have an economically acceptable value, because with a weaker telephone transmitter / receiver a considerably closer together, and thus a larger number, of central transmitter / receivers is required in order to achieve a general accessibility of the self-contained, portable radiotelephone.

A drawback of such a telephone with a strong telephone transmitter / receiver, however, is that it may endanger the health of the user. While on the phone, the phone is placed against the 1004884 2 head, and the radio waves from the phone transmitter / receiver, which is inside the phone, affect the human brain, causing adverse effects. Thus, it is thought possible that tumors may develop in the user's brain under the influence of the radio waves. This has been explained in detail in the report 'Possible health effects related to the use of radiotelephones; Proposels for a research program by a European Commission Expert Group 'prepared by the European Commission Expert Group in September 1996.

The use of the known radio telephone is adversely affected by the uncertainty that has arisen about the possible harmful health effects.

Therefore, there is a need for a radiotelephone which does not have said drawback.

The object of the invention is to provide an independent, portable radiotelephone which has no or at least a greatly reduced adverse effect on the health of the user.

This is achieved in that the telephone according to the invention contains at least two separate parts, the first part containing the telephone transmitter / receiver 20, the second part containing the handset and the first and second part each containing a connection transmitter / receiver for a wireless connection between the first and second parts.

It is now possible for a user to store the first part, henceforth called base station, away from the head, for example in the pocket of a piece of clothing, in a bag or suitcase, etc. during the telephone conversation, and only the second part, now referred to as home part , against the head. Because the base station, which contains the strong telephone transmitter / receiver, is far from the head, and because the connection transmitter / receiver, which contains the homeland part, can be designed in such a way that there is no or at least considerably less danger to the health of the 1004884 3, the the chance that tumors in the brain arise under the influence of the use of the telephone according to the invention is considerably smaller or even absent,

A further advantage of the radiotelephone according to the invention is that the chance that both parts of the telephone are lost or stolen simultaneously is smaller than the chance that the known radiotelephone is stolen as such. As a result, the chance that the telephone according to the invention can be used by a third party against the will of the owner is considerably smaller, because for the use of the telephone both parts must be in the possession of the third party.

For example, the signal used by the link transmitter / receivers for the link between the base station and the horn part may consist of radio waves, infrared light waves, ultra-sonic sound waves, etc.

Preferably, the signal consists of radio waves, because this achieves the greatest flexibility in use. For example, it is possible to store the base station in a closed suitcase or in a pocket of a piece of clothing or in the glove compartment of a car and still make telephone calls, whereby a good connection is established between the base station and the handset part of the telephone according to the invention.

Preferably, the horn part connection transmitter / receiver has a power sufficient to establish a connection between the horn part and the base station over a distance of up to 50 meters, even more preferably over a distance of up to 5 meters. The connecting transmitter / receiver of the horn part preferably has a power of at most 1 Watt, preferably of at most 0.1 Watt. This power is sufficient to establish a good connection between the base station and the handset, without creating a risk to the health of the user.

1004884 4

Since the signal between the base station and the home part of the telephone according to the invention is wireless, the base station and the handset part of the telephone contain batteries, preferably rechargeable batteries.

Preferably, the base station contains batteries with a higher energy content than the batteries of the home part.

Preferably, the home part of the radiotelephone according to the invention also contains the dialing component. This facilitates use, since the handset can be used to perform all the operations required to make a call, while the base station is stored in a location determined by the user.

Furthermore, the telephone according to the invention may comprise the components which are usual for self-contained, portable radiotelephones, such as, for example, a number memory, a component for redialing the last number dialed (re-dial), which are preferably placed in the handset part and a connection option for a modem, which is preferably housed in the base station.

It is possible to design the base station and the hornel in such a way that a releasable mechanical connection can be formed between them, for example by means of a known click system. As a result, both parts of the radiotelephone according to the invention can be easily transported and stored.

The radiotelephone according to the invention preferably has a weight of at most 400 grams, even more preferably 250 grams.

Hereby a very handy and highly portable radiotelephone 25 is obtained.

In a further preferred embodiment the telephone according to the invention comprises a base station, an intermediate station and a home part, which contain connection transmitters / receivers to provide a connection between the handset part and the intermediate station and between the intermediate station and the base station.

1004884 5

This creates an even further improved phone with even greater ease of use. By choosing the strength of the link transmitters so that a connection can be obtained between the base station and the intermediate station over a greater distance than between the handset part and the intermediate station, while the telephone transmitter / receiver still has a greater power than the link transmitter / receivers it now becomes possible to store the base station in a fixed place and to make telephone calls with the intermediate station and the handset part, the base station being very far away from the user's body.

10

The invention is further elucidated with reference to the drawing, without being limited thereto.

Fig. 1 shows a base station (1) and a horn part (2) of a radiotelephone according to the invention. Shown are, inter alia, an antenna (2.1) for the link transmitter / receiver of the horn part and the number dialing component (2.2), which contains push buttons.

The base station shows the antenna (1.1) for the connection transmitter / receiver and the antenna (1.2) for the telephone transmitter / receiver. Furthermore, the 20 radio waves (3) of the connection transmitter / receivers and the radio waves (4) of the telephone transmitter / receiver are schematically shown.

1004884

Claims (6)

Self-contained portable radio telephone, characterized in that the telephone contains at least two separate parts, the first part, the base station (1), containing the telephone transmitter / receiver, the second part, the handset part (2), 5 the handset and the base station and the horn part each contain a link transmitter / receiver for wireless connection between the base station and the horn part. Telephone according to claim 1, characterized in that the signal used by the connection transmitter / receivers consists of 10 radio waves. Telephone according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the connection transmitter / receiver containing the handset part has a power of at most 1 Watt. Telephone according to claim 3, characterized in that the power is at most 0.1 Watt. Telephone as claimed in any of the claims 1-4, characterized in that the weight of the telephone is at most 400 grams. 6. Telephone according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that the telephone comprises a base station, an intermediate station and a handset part, which contain connection transmitters / receivers to provide a connection between the handset part and the intermediate station and between the intermediate station and the base station. 1004884