WO2001037367A1

WO2001037367A1 - Mobile satellite communication terminal

Info

Publication number: WO2001037367A1
Application number: PCT/JP2000/007993
Authority: WO
Inventors: Takuji Mochizuki
Original assignee: Nec Corporation
Priority date: 1999-11-15
Filing date: 2000-11-13
Publication date: 2001-05-25
Also published as: AU1308901A

Abstract

A mobile satellite communication terminal which has a ground terminal function for communication through a ground base station (9), and a satellite terminal function for communication through a satellite (10), wherein the mobile satellite communication terminal includes a common section (101) provided with a microphone (104) and a speaker (105), a satellite communication RF/IF section (102) provided with a ground communication antenna (107) and a satellite communication antenna (108), and a hinge (111) for rotatably joining the common section (101) and the satellite communication RF/IF section (102). By adjusting the hinge angle, the common section (101) and the satellite communication RF/IF section (102) are integrated during carrying and ground communication. Further, by adjusting the hinge angle, during satellite communication, the common section (101) and the satellite communication RF/IF section (102) assume a positional relation in which they are rotated through a predetermined angle, and the distance between the head of the user and the satellite communication antenna (108) becomes longer, so that a stabilized radiation pattern is produced.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a mobile satellite communication terminal, and more particularly to a mobile satellite communication terminal suitable for a satellite communication antenna to prepare a nearby environment that does not affect an antenna radiation pattern.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a dual mode mobile satellite communication terminal (mobile terminal) having a mobile satellite terminal function using a satellite in orbit and a terrestrial mobile terminal function, particularly in a satellite communication mode, a mobile terminal antenna is used. The transmitted output power tends to increase compared to the terrestrial communication mode because the distance between the mobile terminal and the satellite is large, and the reception requires higher sensitivity reception than the terrestrial mode. Become.

In particular, in the case of a mobile satellite communication system using low orbit, depending on the number of satellites, the elevation angle and azimuth from the terminal to the satellite can be very wide, and the gain and radiation pattern of the antenna Similarly, it is necessary to secure characteristics with a wide elevation angle and azimuth angle for stable communication. Therefore, designing the radiation pattern of the satellite communication antenna so as to have a wide range of coverage from the beginning is a disaster, and the radiation pattern from the satellite communication antenna from the mobile terminal to the satellite is generally However, the antenna is easily affected by conductors and non-conductors near the antenna, making it impossible for satellites to receive signals stably due to changes in the radiation pattern for transmission, and changes in antenna gain due to changes in the radiation pattern for reception. There was a problem that the reception electric field strength deteriorated and fluctuated, and it was difficult to obtain stable reception.

In general, much research has been done and various evaluation methods are being formulated. You. Normally, the human body becomes a conductor, non-conductor, or changes drastically depending on the conditions.However, as a mobile terminal is often used as a portable device, it can be held in a hand. For the radiation pattern of the antenna for satellite communication, it is desirable to keep the antenna as far away from the human body as possible.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of use of a conventional dual mode mobile terminal. The conventional portable terminal 11 (integrated terminal or dividable terminal) is provided with a terrestrial communication antenna 12 and a satellite communication antenna 13 used for radiating a transmission wave to the satellite 10 at the upper part of the housing. Since the conventional mobile terminal 11 has a structure in which a microphone, a speaker, and an antenna are provided in a small housing, the user and the satellite communication antenna 13 are in close proximity during communication.

Conventional examples of the above-mentioned dual mode mobile satellite communication terminal include JP-A-10-233609, JP-A-10-243453, JP-A-10-256939, JP-A-10-294608, GB 2314483A, JP-A-5-153026 (EP 0521609A2) and the like have been proposed. The technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-233609 is intended to prevent reduction of radiation by a user. A mobile communication portable mechanism is disclosed, comprising a possible antenna module, wherein the antenna module is held by itself independently of the portable device.

Further, the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-243453 is intended to reduce the weight, and this publication discloses that a mechanical connection between a main body terminal and a terrestrial portable terminal is made. An engaging concave portion and an engaging convex portion to be connected are provided on each terminal portion, and at the time of connection, a key operating portion on the terrestrial portable terminal side, a display portion, a voice converting portion including a microphone and a speaker, and a main body terminal portion A dual-mode mobile radio terminal characterized in that a connection section electrically connected to a mobile satellite communication terminal function section on the side is provided in each terminal section.

The technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-256939 is aimed at reducing the weight. This publication includes at least a key operation unit, a display unit, a microphone, and a sound conversion unit including speed. Excluding mobile satellite communication terminal function, separate ground A dual-mode mobile radio terminal comprising a signal transmitting / receiving unit for transmitting and receiving signals for transmitting and receiving signals, preferably converted waves of PCM data, to and from a wave mobile terminal is disclosed.

Also, as a conventional example for preventing deterioration of the gain and axial ratio of an antenna when used near a human body, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-224341 has been proposed. The technology described in this publication is intended to provide an antenna structure with reduced influence from the human body. This publication discloses that the antenna structure is always stored on the back of the mobile phone housing, and is used at the time of use. There is disclosed a handheld mobile phone for satellite communication, characterized in that an antenna deploying member having a small antenna attached near its tip is provided so as to extend substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the back of the body.

As another conventional example related to the portable terminal, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-183330 is proposed. The technology described in the publication is intended to make the antenna foldable during standby reception or when not in use. This publication discloses that a directional antenna section is provided in the main body of the portable wireless device. The antenna unit is movably mounted between a position and a second position, and the antenna unit is fixed at the first position so as to mainly emit radio waves in a first direction, and the antenna unit is opposite to the first position. A portable wireless device is disclosed which is fixed so as to mainly emit radio waves in a second direction at a second position.

As another conventional example of the portable terminal, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 7-115380 has been proposed. The technique described in the publication is intended to enable the antenna to be folded when not in use. In this publication, the extension attached to the upper portion of the housing via a hinge at the time of use is described as follows. A portable terminal or telephone is disclosed, wherein the portable terminal or the telephone is rotated so as to expand above the upper part, and the plane radiating antenna is turned upward and away from the user. As another conventional example of the portable terminal, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-288880 has been proposed. The technique described in the publication is intended to improve operability. This publication discloses a first housing provided with a receiver and a display, and a second housing provided with a dial and a transmitter. A portable wireless telephone connected by a first hinge shaft, and rotating about the first hinge shaft. Is disclosed. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION However, the above-described conventional example has the following problems.

FIG. 1 and a conventional portable terminal having a structure as shown in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. Sometimes, the user holds the phone and talks, especially when using satellite mode, because the antenna for satellite communication forms a radiation pattern from a low elevation angle to a wide range, so the influence of nearby conductors (human body) is affected. There has been a problem that the condition may significantly affect the characteristics of the antenna for satellite communication. In other words, in the case of a dual-mode mobile terminal that has a mobile satellite terminal function and a terrestrial mobile terminal function, it is necessary to hold the satellite communication while holding it so that radio waves can reach from a satellite communication antenna to a distant satellite. If the human body, which is the ground potential of the antenna for communication, is still a conductor, the human body may be in a semi-insulated state, the radiation from the satellite communication antenna will be disturbed, and the radiated electric field will also change easily. It must be as far away from the human body as possible.

Also, the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-230336 has a problem that it is characterized in that the high-output portion is simply completely separated and is not considered for use in a portable device. There was a problem with the publication that the terminal configuration was not characterized due to the effects of radiation patterns from the human body.

An object of the present invention is to increase the distance between a satellite communication antenna and a housing of a mobile terminal in particular, and to prevent a decrease in effective transmission power due to shadowing by a human body as described above according to the distance. It forms a stable radiation pattern of a satellite communication antenna to transmit stable radio waves to orbiting satellites or geostationary satellites, and to prevent deterioration of reception sensitivity, as well as to improve reliability, reduce costs, and improve terminal shape. It provides dual-mode mobile terminals and mobile satellite communication terminals that have been downsized.

A communication terminal according to the present invention includes: a first housing that contacts a user's head during use; a second housing; a first antenna attached to the second housing; The first housing and the first antenna so that one antenna can be separated from the head. A second hinge rotatably coupled to the first housing, an end of a shaft being attached to the first housing, and a first hinge enclosing the shaft in the second housing. And In the communication terminal according to the present invention, the first antenna may be a satellite communication antenna.

In the communication terminal according to the present invention, the first casing may include a baseband signal processing circuit.

In the communication terminal according to the present invention, the second housing may be provided with an RFZIF signal processing circuit.

In the communication terminal according to the present invention, the first antenna may be telescopic. The communication terminal according to the present invention may include a second antenna having a common axis with the first hinge.

In the communication terminal according to the present invention, the second antenna may be a ground communication antenna.

In the communication terminal according to the present invention, at least one of a microphone, a speaker, and a keyboard may be attached to the first housing.

In the communication terminal according to the present invention, the first housing and the second housing may be integrated at a predetermined angle of the first hinge.

In the communication terminal according to the present invention, the second housing may include at least a first part and a second part, and the first part and the second part may be connected by a second hinge. Good.

The communication terminal according to the present invention may include a second antenna having a common axis with the second hinge.

In the communication terminal according to the present invention, the second housing further includes a third part and a fourth part, wherein the first part and the third part are connected by the first hinge, The third portion and the fourth portion may be connected by a third hinge, and the second portion and the fourth portion may be connected by a fourth hinge.

In the communication terminal according to the present invention, the first housing and the second housing are detachable. It may be.

In the communication terminal according to the present invention, the second housing may have a shape such that the second housing can be placed on an object at an angle when the first antenna is set up, while being separated from the first housing. .

According to the mobile satellite communication terminal of the present invention, the distance between the satellite communication antenna and the user in normal use is increased as compared with the conventional case, and the antenna radiation pattern in the satellite direction by the satellite communication antenna is stabilized. It can be used as it is, while improving reliability, lowering costs, and reducing the size of the terminal.

To supplement the difference between the present invention and the conventional example, among the conventional examples described in the above publications, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-233690 discloses that a completely high output section is simply provided. The present invention is characterized by the fact that it is characterized by the form of separation and is not considered for use in a mobile phone, and that other public announcements do not characterize the terminal configuration due to the radiation pattern suffering from the human body. It is different from the feature of

In general, antennas for terrestrial terminals are omni-directional with linear polarization transmission / reception and are mainly radiation patterns with horizontal beams, but antennas for satellite terminals are assumed to be low-orbit satellites. Therefore, it is omnidirectional with circularly polarized transmission and reception, and its radiation pattern is a beam with a wide elevation angle over almost the entire circumference of the upper hemisphere with respect to the vertical plane with the antenna. Therefore, separating the satellite terminal antenna from the terrestrial terminal antenna can reduce the influence of the outside world and increase the electric field strength reaching the satellite due to the omnidirectionality of the circularly polarized wave transmission / reception of the satellite terminal antenna. The above is also valid.

According to the present invention, the same terminal can perform dual mode communication in a satellite system and a terrestrial system, and when the terminal is used as a satellite terminal, that is, when the satellite is used as a satellite terminal, in particular, by folding and elasticity of a satellite communication antenna, that is, when the satellite is used, When transmitting and receiving, the terminal configuration naturally increases the distance between the satellite communication antenna installed at the terminal and the common part, and the satellite communication antenna and the human body that easily disturbs its radiation pattern are connected to the common part. The distance can be secured. As a result, a radiation pattern that can achieve high-quality satellite communications is obtained, and the terminal-side transmission power and radiation conditions are secured in accordance with the radio wave reach distance to the satellite, and dual-accuracy that achieves high-sensitivity reception from the satellite with high accuracy This has the effect of providing a mode-type mobile satellite communication terminal. In addition, since the distance between the satellite communication antenna and the common part and the distance between the terrestrial communication antenna with little effect and the common part can be set separately from the conventional example, the arrangement of base stations etc. As with the excellent ground mode communication stations, the satellite communication call can be set up stably with a stable radiation pattern and the reception pattern of the satellite communication antenna in the reception state. The stability of the call of the satellite portable terminal used in the seized usage mode can be greatly guaranteed. Also, even if the adverse effects caused by the complexity of the antenna mechanism are caused, the present invention, which basically seeks the stability of communication, contributes to the improvement of communication reliability without disturbing the antenna radiation pattern at the time of transmission. From the viewpoint, the effect is great, and it is possible to reduce the size of the terminal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship of a conventional portable terminal.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of use of the dual mode mobile satellite communication terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a positional relationship between a dual-mode mobile satellite communication terminal and a common unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a dual mode mobile satellite communication terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a use example of the dual mode mobile satellite communication terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a use example of the dual mode mobile satellite communication terminal according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a positional relationship between a dual-mode mobile satellite communication terminal and a common unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a dual mode mobile satellite communication terminal according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows the use of the dual mode mobile satellite communication terminal according to the second embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view showing an example of use. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]

(1) Description of configuration

As shown in FIG. 2, the dual mode mobile satellite communication terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a common unit 101 forming a lower housing and a terrestrial communication-satellite communication forming an upper housing. RF / IF section 102. In addition, the common section 101 is equipped with a display 103, a microphone 104, a speaker 105, and a keyboard 106, and a terrestrial communication / satellite communication RF (radio frequency) ZIF. (Intermediate Frequency) The unit 102 is equipped with a ground communication antenna 107 and a satellite communication antenna 108. 9 indicates a base station, and 10 indicates a satellite.

To explain the above configuration in detail, the common unit 101 constitutes a lower housing of the mobile satellite communication terminal, and includes a display 103, a microphone 104, a speaker 105, a keyboard 1 06, etc., and has a circuit configuration shown in FIG. 4 described later. In the common unit 101, the display 103 displays a date, a time, a telephone number, a message, a received electric field strength, a still image with a future effect, a moving image, and the like. The microphone 104 inputs a user's voice when communicating (transmitting) with the other party via the terrestrial communication antenna 107 or the satellite communication antenna 108. The speaker 105 outputs the voice of the other party when communicating (receiving) with the other party via the terrestrial communication antenna 107 or the satellite communication antenna 108. The keyboard 106 is used for inputting the telephone number of the other party and various settings.

The RFZIF section 102 for terrestrial communication and satellite communication constitutes the upper housing of the mobile satellite communication terminal, and includes a terrestrial communication antenna 107, a satellite communication antenna 108, etc. A state where the antenna is housed above the common part 101 via one hinge 111 whose end is supported by the common part 101 coaxially with the ground communication antenna 107 (Fig. 2 (a)) , Or expanded to the side of the common part 101 (Fig. 2 (b) to (d)) It has a circuit configuration shown in FIG. 4 to be described later. The ground communication antenna 107 transmits and receives radio waves via the base station 9 when used as a ground terminal. Here, the ground communication antenna 107 and the coaxial hinge 111 are used as a main axis, and the satellite communication antenna 108 is used as a sub-axis.

The satellite communication antenna 108 transmits and receives radio waves via the satellite 10 when used as a satellite terminal, and is configured as a vertically movable type that can be vertically extended and contracted by manual operation. When used as a terminal, the RFZIF unit 102 for terrestrial communication and satellite communication is extended to the side of the common unit 101 via the hinges 111 so that it is mounted coaxially with the sub shaft. The satellite communication antenna 108 is used in a state where it is farthest from the hinge 111 serving as the main shaft.

That is, the dual-mode mobile satellite communication terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention has a lower part as shown in FIG. 2 in order to optimize the radiation energy to the satellite 10 and to stably reach the received wave. And an RFZIF unit 102 for terrestrial communication and satellite communication including a terrestrial communication antenna 107 and a satellite communication antenna 108 located at the top.

When the dual-mode mobile satellite communication terminal is used as a ground terminal or is carried, as shown in Fig. 2 (a), the RFZIF unit 102 for the terrestrial communication and satellite communication in the upper part is the common part in the lower part. The RFZIF unit 102 for terrestrial communication and satellite communication and the common unit 101 are used in a thin form so as to fit on the top of the unit. The terrestrial communication antenna 107 may be extendable and contractable along the side of the common part 101.

On the other hand, when the dual-mode mobile satellite communication terminal is used as a satellite terminal, one hinge and one RF / IF section component (for terrestrial communication) must be extended by the expansion method indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 (b). · The upper part for ground communication with the RFZIF 咅 02 for satellite communication) · The RF / IF unit 102 for satellite communication is rotated via the hinge 111 to provide the ground communication. · The RFZIF section 102 for satellite communication is extended and used at the back of the paper as shown in Fig. 2 (b). Then, when used as a satellite terminal, finally, the satellite communication antenna 108 is pulled out and used as shown in FIG. 2 (d). FIG. 2 (c) shows a state in which the common unit 101 and the satellite communication antenna 108 are further separated from the state of the upper housing shown in FIG. 2 (b). That is, the terrestrial communication / satellite communication RFZIF unit 102 is arranged so that the hinge 111 arranged coaxially with the terrestrial communication antenna 107 and the satellite communication antenna 108 are in the most distant state. Is extended by rotating it approximately 90 degrees via the hinge 111, which is the state in which the most stable communication with the satellite is possible for the satellite communication antenna 108. In this case, it is the most distant from the hand holding the common part 101, and it can be said that the state is excellent in stable communication. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2 (d), by expanding and contracting the satellite communication antenna 108 in the axial direction, it is possible to obtain more stable and optimum antenna radiation characteristics.

At this time, in this dual-mode mobile satellite communication terminal, as shown in Fig. 3, the user holds the common part 101 of the housing by hand, puts it on his ear and puts it through the satellite 10 Since a call is made with the other party connected to the base station 9, the satellite communication antenna 108 and the common unit 101 having a voice input / output unit are used in a state where they are separated via the hinge 111. . Therefore, compared to the conventional example shown in FIG. 1, the satellite communication antenna 108 apart from the common unit 101 has a radiation pattern of the antenna that is higher than that of the satellite 10 in the sky. Since the rate of disturbance is small and it is separated from the human hand holding the common part 101, it moves away from a human body that easily becomes a conductor or non-conductor, and the radiated radio wave reaches the satellite 10 with a stable radiation pattern, The radio wave from the satellite 10 can stably reach the satellite communication antenna 108 and be received.

In addition, when the dual-mode mobile satellite communication terminal is used as a satellite terminal, that is, when it is transmitted to satellite 10, the radiation pattern is naturally changed to the satellite communication antenna 108 of the mobile satellite communication terminal. In other words, it can be said that the human body which is easily affected can be separated.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the dual mode mobile satellite communication terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a terrestrial communication antenna 107, a satellite communication antenna 108, a terrestrial communication RFZIF circuit 131, Common baseband unit 13 2, IF (interface) circuit 13 3, RFZIF circuit 13 4 for satellite communication, I / F (internal interface) circuit 13 5, signal processing control unit ZC odec (Coder-decoder ) Part 1 3 6, display 103, a microphone 104, a speaker 105, and a keyboard 106. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 137 surrounded by a dashed line indicates the whole including the members of the RFZ IF section 102 for terrestrial communication and the RF / IF circuit for terrestrial communication shown in FIG. 138 surrounded by a two-dot chain line indicates the entire structure including the components of the RFZ IF section 102 for terrestrial communication and the satellite communication RF FIF IF circuit shown in Fig. 2, and the two-dot chain line. Reference numeral 139 surrounded by indicates the whole including the members and the circuit configuration of the common part 101 shown in FIG.

The above configuration is described in detail.The ground communication RFZ IF circuit 131 performs transmission / reception radio communication via a base station and frequency conversion between a radio band and an IF band when used as a terrestrial terminal. It has an amplifier, filter, mixer, etc. The common baseband section 132 performs error correction coding Z-frame formation / modulation of a transmission signal, demodulation / error correction decoding of a received signal Z-frame decomposition, etc., and includes an AZD converter, a D / A converter, It is equipped with a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), etc. The I / F circuit 133 is composed of a radio transceiver (RFZIF circuit 131 for ground communication, common baseband unit 132, RF / IF circuit 134 for satellite communication) in the upper case and a lower common unit (signal processing control unit). It is responsible for the interface with the Codec department136). The RFZIF circuit for satellite communication 134 performs transmission / reception wireless communication via satellite and frequency conversion between the radio band and the IF band when used as a satellite terminal, and includes an amplifier, filter, mixer, etc. Have.

The I ZF circuit 135 is, like the upper I ZF circuit 133, the lower common part (signal processing controller ZCodec part 136) and the upper transceiver wireless transceiver (ground communication RFZ IF circuit 131, common It controls the interface between the baseband unit 132 and the RFZ IF circuit 134) for satellite communication. The signal processing control unit (Co dec unit) 136 performs processing Z control for signal transmission / reception to / from the wireless transceiver in the upper housing via the I / F circuit 135, display processing Z control for the display 103, and a microphone 104 It performs Z-control of baseband processing of audio input from the PC, baseband processing / control of audio output to the speaker 105, and Z-control of key input signal input from the keyboard 106. Yes, it has a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory, a display control unit, an audio input / output control unit, a keyboard control unit, and the like. That is, in the embodiment of the present invention, the upper block in FIG. 4 includes the RF / IF circuit 131 for terrestrial communication, the RFZ IF circuit 134 for satellite communication, and the IZF circuit 133 between the common baseband unit 132 and the lower common unit. These are stored in the upper RF / IF unit in quadrant form. In addition, a ground communication antenna 107 and a vertically movable satellite communication antenna 108 are connected to the upper RF / IF unit, respectively. The lower block in Fig. 4 shows the internal circuit configuration of the common part, including an I / F circuit 135 that interfaces with the upper block, a signal processing controller / Codec 136, a display 103, a microphone 104, and a speaker. It has a power of 105 and a keyboard. As shown in the figure, a low-rate data is transmitted and received between the upper block and the lower common part.

In FIG. 4, the upper surface of the upper block section 102 is distinguished by a broken line because the RFZIF section of the radio section for satellite communication is half equipped as a functional section, and the other half is the radio section for terrestrial communication. This is a conceptual diagram when the common baseband section and the IF section are stored.These sections may be installed in such a manner, or the gap may be reduced as much as possible to reduce the size, and may be arranged so as to enter each other. .

(2) Description of operation

Next, the operation of the dual mode mobile satellite communication terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 2, the present dual-mode mobile satellite communication terminal has a common unit 101 located at a lower part, and an upper block part including a terrestrial communication antenna 107 and a satellite communication antenna 108 located at an upper part ( The terrestrial communication / satellite communication RF interface section 102, etc.) is used, and when used as a terrestrial terminal, or when in both modes, and when carrying, as shown in Fig. 2 (a), the upper block is It is used in an integrated state so that it fits on the common part.

On the other hand, when actual communication is used as a satellite terminal, one hinge and one RFZIF part (such as a terrestrial communication satellite) are moved by the arrow force in the figure as shown in Fig. 2 (b). The upper block is rotated via the hinges 111 with the member constituting the communication RFZIF section 102, and the upper block is extended to the side of the common section 101 for use. Finally, when used as a satellite terminal, The trust antenna 108 is pulled out and used as shown in FIG. 2 (d). At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the positional relationship between the common unit 101 and the satellite communication antenna 108 used for radiating the transmitted wave to the satellite 10 in the first embodiment of the present invention is shown in the above-described conventional example. It is possible to secure a sufficiently large interval as shown in FIG. However, a radiation pattern sufficient for mobile satellite communication can be formed around the satellite communication antenna 108, and stable transmission and reception communication can be performed.

As described above, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to perform satellite-mode and terrestrial-system dual-mode communication with the same terminal, and to change the terminal configuration to the radiation when the satellite communication antenna 108 is used in actual communication. When using as a satellite terminal, that is, during actual transmission / reception to the satellite, a configuration is adopted that minimizes the effect on the pattern, and a terminal form that naturally increases the distance between the satellite communication antenna 108 installed at the terminal and the common unit 101 is provided. This has the effect of realizing a simple dual mode mobile satellite communication terminal.

The mobile satellite receiver normally has the ability to operate the terrestrial communication terminal function and set it to the reception state during normal standby mode, and it is not limited to this, and it is possible to switch both functions at predetermined time intervals. Good.

Also, as shown in Fig. 1 of the above conventional example, in the conventional example, when the radiation standard required for securing satellite communication is realized, the horizontal distance between the satellite communication antenna and the common part is generally short, Since the radiation pattern spreading around the antenna is disturbed and the stability of communication transmission / reception needs to be increased, it is necessary to extend the antenna upward from a common part as compared with the present invention, which complicates the antenna mechanism. Which causes adverse effects (reliability reduction due to antenna strength, high price, large terminal shape) on the other hand, in the present invention, the antenna radiation pattern at the time of transmission / reception spread over a low elevation angle is changed by the human body and common parts, and By improving the quality of satellite communications, improving the reliability of communication connections, lowering the cost of terminals, and reducing the size of terminals by separating them from nature There is an effect that kill.

As shown in FIG. 5, a lower common unit 101 having microphone-speech power or connected to a data terminal, a terrestrial communication antenna 107 and a satellite communication antenna 108 are provided. The upper block section 102 is separated from the upper block section 102 by a low-rate infrared communication (IrDA) or wired or wireless communication. It is conceivable to provide each IZF (interface) circuit of 102.

In this case, each IZF (internal face) circuit has an upper block section 102 provided with an RF / F section for ground communication and satellite communication as described in FIG. 2 according to the first embodiment. It has a function of exchanging transmission / reception signals with the lower common unit 101 using baseband signals. For example, the terrestrial communication or satellite communication received wave received by the upper block 102 is demodulated, and the infrared, carrier, or radio frequency is modulated by the baseband signal demodulated by the IZF, and the lower common unit is demodulated. Then, the lower common unit 101 demodulates the infrared, carrier, or radio frequency, converts it into a baseband signal, performs signal processing, and outputs the signal from a speaker or as data.

On the other hand, in the case of a transmission wave, the lower common part 101 receives a voice signal or data from a microphone or a personal computer, etc., and uses these as a baseband signal. , Infrared, carrier, or radio frequency are modulated and transmitted to the upper block 102, and once demodulated to a baseband signal in the upper block 102, and transmitted to the terrestrial or satellite communication transmitter for high frequency. The signal is converted to a signal and transmitted to the terrestrial communication base station or the satellite communication base station via the satellite.

As a result, not only can the radiation pattern characteristics of the satellite communication antenna 108 be affected by the human body, but also the upper block unit 102 including the satellite communication antenna 108 and the satellite communication RF / IF unit. Separation and installation within the visible range of the satellite 10 near the window, etc., and installation of the lower common part 101 at a distance indoors, easily through the lower common part 101 placed indoors In addition, it is possible to connect a telephone, fax, PC (Personal Computer), etc. to the satellite line, and it is possible to realize a usage form that can easily use satellite communication.

Further, the lower common portion 101 and the upper block portion 102 are combined to form a portable, dual-mode mobile satellite communication terminal that is portable and portable as in the first embodiment. As a matter of course, it can be transported, Various mobile satellite communication terminals can be effectively used.

[Second embodiment]

(1) Description of configuration

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of use of the dual mode mobile satellite communication terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 6, a dual mode mobile satellite communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a common unit 201, a terrestrial communication RF (Radio Frequency) / IF (Inter mediate Frequency) unit 202, and a satellite communication R FZ IF It is roughly composed of a part 203 and Further, the common unit 201 is equipped with a display 204, a microphone 205, a speaker 206, and a keyboard 207, and the terrestrial communication RFZIF unit 202 is equipped with a terrestrial cellular antenna 208 (hereinafter abbreviated as a terrestrial communication antenna). The RFZIF section 203 for satellite communication is equipped with a satellite communication antenna 209. In the figure, 10 indicates a satellite and 9 indicates a base station.

More specifically, the common unit 201 constitutes the lower part of the housing of the mobile satellite communication terminal, and includes a display 204, a microphone 205, a speaker 206, a keyboard 207, and the like. It has the circuit configuration shown in FIG. In the common unit 201, the display 204 displays date, time, telephone number, message, and the like. The microphone 205 inputs a user's voice when communicating (transmitting) with the other party via the terrestrial communication antenna 208 or the satellite communication antenna 2 • 9. The speed 206 outputs the voice of the other party during communication (reception) with the other party via the terrestrial communication antenna 208 or the satellite communication antenna 209. The key board 207 is used for inputting a destination telephone number, various settings, and the like.

The RFZI F section 202 for terrestrial communication and the RFZI F section 203 for satellite communication are each composed of two members and constitute the upper part of the housing of the mobile satellite communication terminal. It is provided with an antenna 209 and the like, and is configured to be foldable and expandable via four hinges 211 to 214, and has a circuit configuration shown in FIG. 8 described later. In this case, the hinge 211 among the hinges 211 to 214 is supported on the upper part of the common part 201 as a main shaft. The hinges 212, 214 are primary sub-axes, and one of the sub-axes, hinge 214, is also used as a ground communication antenna. Hinge 213 is a secondary used as a satellite communication antenna It is configured as a countershaft. The hinges 2 1 1 to 2 14 constitute a folding Z-rotatable mechanism. The terrestrial communication antenna 208 of the terrestrial communication RFZIF unit 202 transmits and receives radio waves such as 800 MHz and 1900 MHz to and from the base station 9 when used as a terrestrial terminal. The satellite communication antenna 209 of the RFZIF unit 203 for satellite communication transmits and receives radio waves such as 1.8 GHz and 2.2 GHz to and from the satellite 10 when used as a satellite terminal. It moves up and down by operation. When using the terminal as a satellite terminal, move the hinges 211 to 214 to move the hinge 213 of the secondary sub-axis away from the main axis, and extend the satellite communication antenna 209 to extend the terminal. Use

That is, the dual-mode mobile satellite communication terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention has a lower part as shown in FIG. 6 in order to optimize the radiation energy to the satellite and to stably reach the received wave. It comprises a common part 201 located there, an RFZIF part 202 for terrestrial communication including an antenna 208 for terrestrial communication and an antenna 209 for satellite communication located above, and an RFZIF part 203 for satellite communication.

When using or carrying this dual-mode mobile satellite communication terminal as a terrestrial terminal, as shown in Fig. 6 (a), the RF / IF section 202 for terrestrial communication and the RFZI The hinges 2 1 2 and 2 14 are folded and the hinges 2 1 1 and 2 are folded so that the F section 203 fits on the lower common section 201 and as if all of them fit in a thin integrated housing. Expand 1 3 In this case, the terrestrial communication antenna is also used as a hinge 214 which is a sub-axis along the side of the common part of the thin lower part. The terrestrial communication antenna may be expandable and contractable along the side of the common part.

On the other hand, when the dual-mode mobile satellite communication terminal is used as a satellite terminal, the RF ZIF unit 202 for terrestrial communication and the satellite communication are applied by applying the force indicated by the arrow in Fig. 6 (b). The hinges 2 12 and 2 14 are expanded and the hinges 2 1 1 and 2 13 are folded so that the RFZ IF unit 203 is integrated. In this state, the hinges 2 11 and 2 13 are farthest apart, and the hinges 2 12 and 2 14 are closest together. Then, by pulling out the satellite communication antenna 208 upward as shown in FIG. 6 (c), the state shown in FIG. 6 (d) is obtained. This state With the star communication antenna 209, the most stable communication with the satellite is possible. In this state, it can be said that the satellite communication antenna 209 is farthest from the human hand holding the common unit 201, and is excellent in stable communication. Further, as shown in FIG. 6 (d), the satellite communication antenna is extended and contracted in the direction of the secondary axis, so that more stable and optimum antenna radiation characteristics can be obtained.

At this time, in this dual-mode mobile satellite communication terminal, as shown in Fig. 7, the user holds the common part of the housing with his / her hand and puts it on the ear to reach the ground switching station via the satellite. Since a call is made with the connected party, the satellite communication antenna 209 and the common unit 201 having a voice input / output unit are the farthest apart. At this time, compared to the conventional example shown in FIG. 1, the satellite communication antenna 209 further away from the common part 201 has a radiation pattern of the antenna common to the satellite 10 in the sky. The rate of disturbance is small, and the distance from the person holding the common part 201 is small, so it is away from the influence of the human body that easily becomes a conductor or non-conductor, and the radiated radio waves reach the satellite with a stable radiation pattern However, the radio wave from the satellite can reach the satellite communication antenna 209 stably and be received.

When the dual-mode mobile satellite communication terminal is used as a satellite terminal, it naturally separates the satellite communication antenna 209 of the mobile satellite terminal from the human body that is likely to affect the radiation pattern. It is possible to make it.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the dual mode mobile satellite communication terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention. The dual mode mobile satellite communication terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a terrestrial communication antenna 208, a satellite communication antenna 209, a terrestrial communication RFZIF circuit 231, a common baseband unit 232, IZF (In-Face) circuit 2 3 3, RFZIF circuit for satellite communication 2 3 4, I / ¥ (In-Face) circuit 2 3 5, Signal processing control unit / Codec (Coder-decoder) 咅 36, A display 204, a microphone 205, a speaker 206, and a keyboard 207 are provided. In the figure, 237 surrounded by a two-dot chain line indicates the entire structure including the components and circuit configuration of the RFZIF section 202 for terrestrial communication shown in Fig. 6, and 238 surrounded by a two-dot chain line indicates the Fig. 6. The whole including the components and circuit configuration of the RF / IF section 203 for satellite communication shown in, is enclosed by a two-dot chain line. Reference numeral 239 denotes the whole including the members and the circuit configuration of the common unit 201 shown in FIG. To explain the above configuration in detail, the ground communication RF / IF circuit 231 performs transmission / reception wireless communication via a base station and frequency conversion between a wireless band and an IF band when used as a ground terminal. It has an amplifier, filter, mixer, etc. The common baseband unit 232 performs error correction coding of transmission signals, Z-frame conversion, Z modulation, demodulation of reception signals, Z error correction decoding / frame decomposition, etc., and includes an AZD converter, a D / A converter, and a filter. And a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). The IZF circuit 233 is composed of a wireless transceiver (RFZIF circuit 231 for ground communication, common baseband unit 232, RFZ IF circuit 234 for satellite communication) in the upper housing and a lower common unit (signal processing control unit ZC ecec unit 236). In charge of the in-between face. The RFZIF circuit 234 for satellite communication performs transmission / reception wireless communication via satellite and frequency conversion between the wireless band and the IF band when used as a satellite terminal, and includes an amplifier, a filter, a mixer, and the like. I have.

The I / F circuit 235, like the upper IF circuit 233, has a lower common part (signal processing control part ZCodec part 236) and a wireless transceiver in the upper housing (ground communication RF / IF circuit 231, common baseband). The module 232 controls the interface with the RFZ IF circuit for satellite communication 234). The signal processing control unit ZCodec unit 236 performs processing Z control for signal transmission / reception to / from the wireless transceiver in the upper housing via the IZF circuit 235, display processing Z control for the display 204, and processing of audio input from the microphone 205. Baseband processing Z-control, processing of audio output to speaker 206 Z-control, baseband processing / control of key input signals input from keyboard 207, CPU (Central Processing Unit) , A memory, a display control unit, a voice input / output control unit, a keyboard control unit, and the like.

That is, in the embodiment of the present invention, it is shown that the upper block of FIG. 8 includes an RFZIF circuit 231 for terrestrial communication, an RFZ IF circuit 234 for satellite communication, and a common baseband section 232 and an IZF circuit 233. These are stored in the upper R FZ IF unit in the form of four divisions. In addition, a ground communication antenna 208 and a vertically movable satellite communication antenna 209 are connected to the ground communication RFZ IF circuit 231 and the satellite communication RF / IF circuit 234, respectively. Fig. 8 The block diagram shows the internal circuit configuration of the common unit, which includes an IZF circuit 235, a signal processing control unit Codec unit 236, a display 204, a microphone 205, a speaker 206, and a keyboard 207. As shown in the figure, low-rate data is transmitted and received between the upper block unit and the lower common unit.

(2) Description of operation

Next, the operation of the dual mode mobile satellite communication terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 6 and FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6, the dual-mode mobile satellite communication terminal has a common block 201 located at the lower part, and an upper block part (terrestrial communication antenna 208 and satellite communication antenna 209 located at the upper part). RFZ IF section 202 for terrestrial communication, RFZIF section 203 for satellite communication, etc.), and when used as a terrestrial terminal or portable, the upper block section is common to the lower section as shown in Fig. 6 (a). It is folded and used to fit over the part.

On the other hand, when used as a satellite terminal, as shown in Fig. 6 (b), it is moved by the force indicated by the arrow in the figure, and the four hinges 21 1 to 214 and the four RFZIF sections and other components are used. (One member constituting the RF / IF unit 202 for terrestrial communication and one member constituting the RF / IF unit 203 for satellite communication, and two members consisting of a common baseband unit and an IZF unit) Push out and extend the upper block part to the back opposite to the surface where the microphone and speaker are located. Then, when used as a satellite terminal, finally, the satellite communication antenna 209 is pulled out upward and used as shown in FIG. 6 (d).

At this time, as shown in FIG. 7, the positional relationship between the common unit 201 and the satellite communication antenna 209 used for radiating the transmitted wave to the satellite 10 in the embodiment of the present invention is the same as that of the conventional example shown in FIG. FIG. A sufficiently large interval can be secured, a radiation pattern sufficient for mobile satellite communication can be formed around the satellite communication antenna 209, and stable transmission / reception communication can be performed. As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the satellite system and the terrestrial In addition to being able to perform dual-mode communication of the system, the terminal configuration is configured to reduce the influence of the radiation pattern used by the satellite communication antenna in actual communication. This has the effect of realizing a dual-mode mobile satellite communication terminal that provides a terminal configuration that increases the distance between the terminal-installed satellite communication antenna 209 and the common unit 201.

Also, as shown in Fig. 1 of the above conventional example, in the conventional example, when the radiation standard required for securing satellite communication is realized, the horizontal distance between the satellite communication antenna and the common part is generally short, Since the radiation pattern spreading around the antenna is disturbed and the stability of communication transmission / reception needs to be increased, it is necessary to extend the antenna upward from a common part as compared with the present invention, which complicates the antenna mechanism. However, in the present invention, the antenna radiation pattern at the time of transmission and reception that spreads at a low elevation angle is changed by the human body and common parts. To improve the quality of satellite communications, improve the reliability of communication connections, reduce the price of terminals, and reduce the size of terminals by keeping them away from humans during use. It has the effect of being able to.

As shown in FIG. 9, a lower common unit 201 having a microphone and a speaker, and an upper block unit having a terrestrial communication antenna 208 and a satellite communication antenna 209 (RFZIF unit for terrestrial communication 2002) And the RFZIF section 203 for satellite communication.) The function of connecting the two sections by low-rate infrared communication (IrDA) or wired or wireless communication is provided in the lower common section. It is conceivable that each IZF (interface) circuit of the 0 1 and upper block sections 202, 203 has its own power.

As a result, not only can the radiation pattern characteristics of the satellite communication antenna be affected by the human body, but also the upper block 202, including the satellite communication antenna 209 and the satellite communication RFZIF section 234, can be ignored. 3 is located within the visible range of the satellite 10 near the window, etc., and the lower common part 201 is installed indoors at a distance from the satellite, through the lower common part 201 located indoors. It is possible to easily connect a telephone line, a fax, a PC (Personal Computer), etc. to a satellite line, and a usage form that can easily use satellite communication is conceivable. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for a mobile terminal that performs communication, and in particular, can be used for a mobile terminal that performs communication with a ground station and a satellite.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. a first housing that contacts the user's head during use;

A second housing;

A first antenna attached to the second housing;

The first housing and the second housing are rotatably coupled so that the first antenna can be separated from the head during use, and an end of a shaft is attached to the first housing. A first hinge attached, wherein the shaft is included in the second housing;

A communication terminal comprising:

2. The first antenna according to claim 1, wherein the first antenna is a satellite communication antenna.

3. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein a baseband signal processing circuit is provided in the first housing.

4. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein an R F Z I F signal processing circuit is provided in the second housing.

5. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the first antenna is telescopic.

6. The communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a second antenna having a common axis with the first hinge.

7. The communication terminal according to claim 6, wherein the second antenna is a terrestrial communication antenna.

8. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a microphone, a speaker, and a keyboard is attached to the first housing.

9. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein, at a predetermined angle of the first hinge, the first housing and the second housing form a body.

10. The second housing comprises at least a first part and a second part, wherein the first part and the second part are connected by a second hinge. A communication terminal according to item 1.

11. The communication terminal according to claim 10, further comprising a second antenna having a common axis with the second hinge.

12. The communication terminal according to claim 11, wherein the second antenna is a ground communication antenna.

13. The second housing further includes a third part and a fourth part, wherein the first part and the third part are connected by the first hinge, and the third part is connected to the third part. The communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein the fourth portion is connected by a third hinge, and the second portion and the fourth portion are connected by a fourth hinge.

14. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the first housing and the second housing are detachable.

15. The second housing has a shape that allows the first antenna to be placed on an object at an upright angle while being separated from the first housing. The communication terminal according to claim 14.