Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at same station – Radiotelephone equipment detail
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-17
2001-10-16
Maung, Nay (Department: 2681)
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at same station
Radiotelephone equipment detail
C455S557000, C455S575100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06304764
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cellular phone accessories, and particularly to accessories that permit hands-free use of a cellular phone in an environment such as in an automobile, and that work in synergistic relationship with pre-existing automobile audio technology.
2. Description of the Related Art
The cellular phone is becoming an increasingly attractive option for persons who wish to communicate with business or personal acquaintances even though they are away from their home or office telephone. Cellular phones are often efficiently used when a person is travelling between two destinations that each have conventional telephone capabilities. The most common scenario is a person travelling to work from home or vice-versa, or when travelling between two business destinations. Such travelling typically involves driving a car.
For an automobile having a manual transmission, two hands are required for manipulating the controls, i.e., one for steering and one for shifting gears. Even for an automobile with an automatic transmission, it is recommended to have two hands on the wheel at all times. Cellular phones, like any other phones, include a handset with a microphone and a speaker so that the user may, respectively, speak with and listen to the person at the other end of a call by holding the phone in one hand. Disadvantageously then, when a person is holding a cellular phone in one hand, only one other hand remains free for manipulating the controls of the automobile such as the steering wheel and the stick shift. It is recognized in the present invention that it is desired that a person be able to talk on a cellular phone while having two hands free to properly manipulate the controls of an automobile.
Another disadvantage of using a cellular phone handset is that only two persons can typically participate in a single call, without one person relaying to a third person what a person at the other end is saying or without handing the phone back and forth between persons. If a cellular phone were simply held or set down on a seat between two persons both wishing to communicate with the person at the other end, neither of the two persons would be able to effectively hear, nor would the person at the other end be able to hear either of the two persons without everyone shouting excessively. It is recognized in the present invention that it is desired to be able to hold a “conference call” through a cellular phone connection in an automobile.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a first aspect of the invention, a hands-free cellular telephone kit includes a jack having an ampifier and a speaker. The jack is connected to a cellular telephone and a microphone is connected to the jack, and may be built into the jack. The jack receives, amplifies and retransmits through the speaker a communication from another cellular telephone user during a cellular telephone call. Using the microphone, the jack further retransmits a communication to the other cellular telephone user. The jack advantageously permits these cellular telephone communications when the cellular telephone is positioned away from the user.
In a second aspect of the invention, a hands-free cellular telephone kit includes a jack having an ampifier and being connected to a cellular telephone. The jack is connected to a microphone, which may be built into the jack, and an audio override cassette inserted into a cassette player of an automobile. The jack receives, amplifies and retransmits a communication from another cellular telephone user during a cellular telephone call to the speaker system associated with the cassette player of the automobile. The jack also retransmits a communication to the other user via the microphone when the cellular telephone is positioned away from the user. The cassette may be wired to the jack, or the cassette may communicate with the jack using an IR transmission between the cassette and the jack.
In a third aspect of the invention, a hands-free cellular telephone kit includes a jack having an audio-FM converter and FM transmitter circuit and being connected to a cellular telephone. A microphone is connected to the jack, and may be built into the jack. The jack receives, converts and transmits a communication from another cellular telephone user during a cellular telephone call to a FM receiver of an automobile audio system for subsequent audio transmission over the speaker system associated with the audio system. The jack retransmits a further communication to the other user through the microphone even though the user is positioned away from the cellular telephone.
The audio FM converter and FM transmitter circuit preferably includes an audio interface for converting audio information picked up by the microphone, a micro-controller for preferably processing frequency selection input from the user, a frequency synthesizer, and a FM transmitter for receiving the converted signal from the audio interface and transmitting the signal at the frequency selected by the user over the automobile speaker system. The FM transmitter circuit may be configured to allow tuning between two or more or a continuous range of FM frequencies, or to just one. The jack preferably includes a display that shows the selected frequency.
A fourth aspect of the invention is a combination of the first and third aspects of the invention. That is, the hands-free kit includes a jack having a speaker according to the above first aspect and also having a FM transmitter circuit according the above third aspect. The FM transmitter can be used according to the fourth aspect for the advantages described above with respect to the third aspect of the invention. However, when none of the frequencies that the FM transmitter circuit is configured for transmission at is available, or a particular automobile within which the user is riding doesn't have FM capability, then a switch can be used so divert the audio information to the speaker in the jack. The switch allows a user to change between using the FM transmitter and the car audio speakers and using the speaker in the jack without interruption of the cellular phone conversation.
Also preferably included with the hands-free kit according to any of the above aspects of the invention is a holder which holds the cellular telephone. The holder may include a clip for connecting to louvres of a vent in the automobile, or may be attached to a dashboard or other surface within the automobile's interior. The holder is advantageously rotatably adjustable in preferably more than one independent direction, and may be translationally adjustable. The holder may have its own microphone built in, wherein the other microphone is disabled when the cellular telephone is in the holder. The holder may comprise the jack and/or the functional or structural equivalents of the jack, as set forth herein. The holder may have a built in speaker that may be used in lieu of the speaker in the jack or the speakers of the automobile audio system.
A power adapter may be connected the jack and configued to be connected to a cigarette lighter for providing power to the jack. Alternatively, the power adapter may be powered by a separate source such as a battery, or a battery may be built into the jack.
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Maung Nay
Priority Tech, Inc.
Sierra Patent Group Ltd.
Smith Andrew V.
Vuong Quochien B.
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