The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 20, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 07, 1995
David M. Demuro, Snellville, GA (US);
Mike M. Albert, Lincolnshire, IL (US);
John A. Kalenowsky, Palatine, IL (US);
Robert Ford, Tamarac, FL (US);
Joseph Patino, Pembroke Pines, FL (US);
Motorola, Inc., Schaumburg, IL (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a power adapter (,) adapted to couple an external antenna (,) to a communication device (,) by way of a cable (,) which is typically plugged into a cigarette lighter of a vehicle or some other power source at one end, and an input connector of the communication device (,) at the other. In particular, the present invention provides a simple one-piece vehicle power adapter which also provides RF input/output capability for connection to an external vehicle antenna. According to certain aspects of the invention, the adapter can be configured to have a variety of selection mechanisms. For example, the communication device could include an RF switch (,) and control circuitry for selecting either the internal or external antenna for optimum reception. Alternatively, the power adapter could include an external switch (,) for allowing the user to select the desired antenna. Finally, the power adapter could include a component which automatically actuates the switch to select the external antenna when the external antenna is connected to the communication device.