Patent EA-001192-B1 (EA)
Title: Dual-mode satellite/terrestial mobile communication unit
Inventor: KUICHI KAZUYA
IPC: H04M1/725
Filed: 1998-02-25
Abstract: 1. A dual mode mobile satellite communication unit providing a mobile terrestrial communication unit function in addition to a mobile satellite communication unit function, comprising:  a base unit capable of providing the mobile satellite communication unit function; and  a terrestrial communication portable including a key operating section, a display section and a speech transducer section having a microphone and a loudspeaker and providing a pertinent mobile terrestrial communication unit function; wherein recesses and protections are provided as mechanical couplers on the two units for mechanically coupling the two units to each other, and electric connectors are provided on the two units for electrically connecting the key operation section, the display section and the speech transducer section having the microphone and the loudspeaker on the side of the terrestrial communication portable unit and a mobile satellite communication unit function section on the side of the base unit to one another when the two units are mechanically coupled to one another.  2. The dual mode mobile satellite communication unit according to claim 1, wherein a single electric connector is provided for making the electric connection, and a plural mechanical couplers capable of being held spaced apart by different distances are provided for the mechanical coupling of the two units. 3. The dual mode mobile satellite communication unit according to claim 1, wherein a rail-like mechanical coupler movable in a predetermined axial direction is provided for the mechanical coupling, and an electric connector for the electric connection is disposed at the end of movement axial direction of the mechanical coupler and in a fixed plane containing the path of movement axis of the mechanical coupler. 4. A mobile satellite communication unit not including at least a key operating section, a display section and a speech transducer section having a microphone and a loudspeaker, is capable of providing the mobile satellite communication unit function and including signal transceiver section for transmitting and receiving converted wave of transmission and reception signals, preferably PCM data, to and from the separate terrestrial communication unit. 5. A dual mode satellite communication unit comprising:  a mobile satellite communication capable of providing the mobile satellite communication unit function and including a first converted wave transceiver section for transmitting and receiving converted waves of transmission and reception signals to and from a signal tranceiver section of a separate terrestrial communication portable unit; the terrestrial communication unit provided as a portable unit, including a key operating section, a display section and a speech transducer section having a microphone and a loudspeaker, providing a pertinent terrestrial communication unit function and including the second converted wave transceiver section for transmitting and receiving converted waves of transmission and reception signals to and from the signal transceiver section of the mobile satellite communication base unit; wherein: the portable unit is used for terrestrial communication; and  the mobile satellite communication unit can be used as base unit for transmission and reception via the first and second converted wave transceiver sections by utilizing the key operating section and the speech transducer section having the microphone and the loudspeaker of the portable unit during mobile satellite communication. 6. The dual mode mobile satellite communication unit according to claim 5, wherein when the user is carrying the terrestrial communication portable unit alone, going by increasing distance between the two units and gets out of the range permitting transmission between the first and second converted wave transceiver sections, a stand-by state of the mobile satellite communication base unit is turned off. 7. A mobile satellite communication unit utilizing satellites orbiting around the earth as network switching nodes or a dual mode mobile satellite communication unit providing a mobile terrestrial communication unit function in addition to a mobile satellite communication unit function, wherein: the unit comprises an antenna section including a microstrip planar antenna formed at an end, the antenna section having a hollow cylindrical shape defining a battery insertion space as its hollow cylindrical space underneath the microstrip antenna. 8. The mobile satellite communication unit according to claim 1, wherein the unit has a vertically elongate frame having a large thickness portion formed on one side, the hollow cylindrical antenna being inserted in the large thickness portion. 9. The mobile satellite communication unit according to claim 7, wherein the antenna section is capable of elongation and contraction, tilting or rotation relative to the unit frame or secured to the unit frame. 10. The mobile satellite communication unit according to claim 7, wherein the antenna section is a composite antenna including a microstrip planar antenna and a helical antenna in coaxial arrangement. 11. A mobile satellite communication unit utilizing satellites orbiting around the earth as network switching nodes or a dual mode mobile satellite communication unit providing a mobile terrestrial communication unit function in addition to the function of the mobile satellite communication unit, wherein: the unit frame has an asymmetric transversal sectional profile with respect to a front face having a key operating section and a display section, such that a large thickness portion is formed on one side and a small thickness portion on the other side behind the front face, a hollow cylindrical antenna being inserted in the large thickness portion, the inner cylindrical space of the antenna being a battery insertion space. 12. A mobile satellite communication unit utilizing satellites orbiting around the earth as network switching nodes or a dual mode mobile satellite communication unit providing a mobile terrestrial communication unit function in addition to the function of the mobile satellite communication unit, wherein: the unit has a front mounting section for mounting a separate mobile terrestrial communication unit and also a large thickness portion formed on one side behind the mounting section, a hollow cylindrical antenna being inserted in the large thickness portion, the inner cylindrical space of the antenna being a battery insertion space. 13. The mobile satellite communication unit according to claim 12, which does not include at least a key operating section, a display section and a speech transducer section having a microphone and a loudspeaker and is capable of keying operation and also transmission and reception by utilizing a key operating section and a speech transducer section of a mobile terrestrial communication unit which is detachably mounted in the mounting section.