Telephonic communications – Supervisory or control line signaling – Signal reception at substation
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-18
2001-05-29
Dorvil, Richemond (Department: 2741)
Telephonic communications
Supervisory or control line signaling
Signal reception at substation
C379S418000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06240176
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a field of telecommunications. More specifically, it relates to portable phones. Still more specifically, the present invention relates to novel method and apparatus for alerting a user of such a phone of an incoming call.
2. Description of the Related Art
For a number of years, portable phones have been well known. They are fed by a battery (-s) which makes them capable of being operative with no wire connection to a base unit. There are several kinds of such portable phones, cordless phones, radio phones, cellular phones, and pagers being exemplary of this category.
The portable phones are equipped with electronic ringers notifying users of incoming calls. However, situations can be easily imagined where an audible ringer would be noisy and thus inappropriate. During meetings, operations, at night, etc., any unexpected sound can be worrisome for those not involved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of the invention is to provide a method of and an apparatus for alerting a phone user of an incoming call, the method and apparatus keeping all the advantages of prior art whereas being free of its disadvantages.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method of and an apparatus for alerting a phone user of an incoming call, the alert being non-audible.
Still further object of the present invention is to provide a method of and apparatus for alerting a phone user by magnetic means for an incoming call, the magnetic means being magnetostrictive means.
According to the invention, a method of alerting a phone user of incoming calls is provided, the method comprising the steps of receiving an electric signal representing the incoming call and converting the electric signal into mechanical movement that can be felt by the skin of the user.
The electro-mechanical converting is proposed to perform by magnetostrictive means.
An apparatus for alerting a phone user of incoming calls is provided according to the present invention, the apparatus comprising means for receiving an electric signal representing the incoming call and means for converting said electric signal into mechanical movement that is sensationally touching for the user.
The converting means are magnetostrictive means.
The magnetostrictive means includes a magnetostrictive generator.
The magnetostrictive generator comprises a transformer, having a core made of a material exhibiting high magnetostrictive properties and primary and secondary windings wound around the core, and a switch controlled by the electric signal representing the incoming call. The primary and secondary windings are connected in series and paralleled by a capacitor, the parallel connection being connected in series with the switch. The primary winding is fed from an electric energy source.
The core is fixed at its one side while the other side is left free for movement.
The core is specifically made of annealed vanadium permendur.
Also, according to the present invention, a phone set is provided comprising an antenna connected to a receiver, a microcontroller (&mgr;controller) connected to the receiver and to a user interface, as well as a ringing device and a speaker circuitry connected to the &mgr;controller. The ringing device includes a magnetostrictive generator, to thus ensure that incoming calls be received in a physically sensible rather than in an acoustic mode.
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Dorvil Richemond
Kananen Ronald P.
Rader Fishman & Grauer
Sony Electronics Inc.
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