Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at same station – Radiotelephone equipment detail
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-24
2001-07-24
Trost, William (Department: 2683)
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at same station
Radiotelephone equipment detail
C455S567000, C455S572000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06266542
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed toward cellular telephones, and more particularly toward an accessory for a cellular telephone.
2. Background Art
“Handsfree capability” for a cellular telephone is a feature which allows a user to operate a cellular telephone without requiring the user to hold the cellular telephone up to their head. Volume levels from the telephone are amplified allowing the user to hear sound emanating from the cellular telephone, and a microphone with greater sensitivity is used to receive the user's voice during a conversation. Handsfree capability in a cellular telephone yields advantages by freeing-up the hands of a user while the user is operating the cellular telephone. This leads to increased safety where a user is driving an automobile while operating a cellular telephone, and added convenience while a user is using a cellular telephone while attempting other work.
A “car cradle kit” allows handsfree operation by placing the cellular telephone into a ‘cradle’ which connects an external speaker and microphone to the system connector port for the cellular telephone. A user is then able to communicate to and receive communications from a party to which the cellular telephone is connected. However, the car cradle kit requires a power supply separate from the cellular telephone, and is not usable without the separate power supply. Further, car cradle kits are installed in a fixed location (e.g., a car) so that they are usable only at the installation location.
A cellular telephone that has been made with built-in handsfree capability uses the speaker and microphone present in the cellular telephone to communicate to and from a party to which the cellular telephone is connected. This cellular telephone has an infrared device which detects the distance of the cellular telephone from the user, and adjusts the volume of the telephone speaker accordingly. However, a malfunction with the infrared device could result in damage to the hearing of the cellular telephone's user.
Many cellular telephones also contain a gasket between the speaker and the microphone which isolate the speaker vibrations from the microphone to prevent feedback. This is particularly a problem with telephones with handsfree capability, given the higher speaker volumes and microphone sensitivity.
Additionally, most cellular telephones have an audible alert for an incoming telephone call. Such cellular telephones are difficult to use in both quiet and noisy areas. In areas where quiet is desired, such as a movie theater, a library, or a church, a user may turn the cellular telephone off to avoid offending others around them. In areas where it is noisy such as in a room crowded with people or an outdoor sporting event, a user may not hear the audible alert. In both situations, the user risks missing calls to the cellular telephone.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the present invention, a unit for operation of a cellular telephone is provided, including a casing enclosing the unit, a microphone mounted to the casing for receiving sound, a first sound emitting element mounted to the casing for providing an audible alert signal to a user, and a second sound emitting element mounted to the casing for providing voice communication to the user. The unit further includes a vibrating element mounted to the casing for providing a mechanical alert signal to the user and a connector port which is connectable to the cellular telephone for communicating received sound to the cellular telephone and receiving voice communication from a connected cellular telephone. The connector port is also adapted to receive actuating signals for both the first sound emitting element and the vibrating element from a connected cellular telephone.
In a preferred form, the unit has a gasket between the microphone and both the second sound emitting element and the vibrating element. The gasket has a first mode with a first stiffness when the second sound emitting element is providing voice communications, and a second mode with a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness when the vibrating element is providing the mechanical alert signal. Either the first mode or the second mode of the gasket may be a default mode. In another preferred form, the unit includes an actuator for placing the gasket into the state other than the default mode.
In still other preferred forms, the gasket contains a rheological material, with the actuator producing an electric current for electro-rheological material, or a magnetic field for magneto-rheological material.
In another preferred form, the first sound emitting element, the second sound emitting element, and the vibrating element are a unitary member.
In yet another preferred form, the unit is adapted to receive power from a connected cellular telephone through the connector port.
In another aspect of the present invention, a unit is provided including a casing enclosing the unit, a microphone mounted to the casing for receiving sound, a first sound emitting element mounted to the casing for receiving an audible alert signal to a user, and a second sound emitting element mounted to the casing for providing voice communication to the user. The unit also includes a first port connectable to the cellular telephone which is able to receive power from the cellular telephone when connected to the cellular telephone. The unit further includes a second port connectable to the cellular telephone for communicating received sound to the cellular telephone and receiving voice communication from a connected cellular telephone. The second port is also adapted to receive actuating signals for the first sound emitting element.
In a preferred form of this aspect of the present invention, the unit includes a gasket between the microphone and the first and second sound emitting elements. The gasket has a first mode with a first stiffness and a second mode with a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness. One of the first mode or second mode may be a default mode. In a further preferred form, the unit includes an actuator for placing the gasket into a mode other than the default mode.
In another aspect of the present invention, a communication unit comprises a microphone for receiving sound and connected to an indicator element having a sound emitting element and a vibrating element. A gasket between the microphone element and the indicator element has a first mode with a first stiffness and a second mode with a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness. One of the first and second modes of the gasket may be a default mode. The unit also includes an actuator for placing the gasket into the mode other than the default mode responsive to the state of the vibrating element.
In a preferred form, the gasket contains a rheological material, with the actuator producing an electric current for an electro-rheological material, and the actuator producing a magnetic field for a magneto-rheological material.
In another preferred form, the default mode is the first mode, and the actuator places the gasket in the second mode when the vibrating element is in an active state. In an alternate preferred form, the default mode of the gasket is the second mode, and the actuator places the gasket in the first mode when the sound emitting element emits sound.
Another aspect of the present invention is a method protecting a microphone from vibrations of a sound emitting element including the step of (
1
) responsive to a call alert signal, determining whether a mechanical alert is enabled. After step (
1
), if the mechanical alert is enabled, a mechanical connection between a microphone and a sound emitting element is placed in a first stiffness and the mechanical alert is activated. If the mechanical alert is not enabled after step (
1
), the mechanical connection located between a microphone and a sound emitting element is placed in a second stiffness less than the first stiffness, and an audible signal is sent to the sound emitting element
Murray Matthew J.
Stern Trampas B.
Ericsson Inc.
Gesesse Tilahun
Trost William
Wood Phillips VanSanten Clark & Mortimer
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