Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at same station – Radiotelephone equipment detail
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-26
2004-05-04
Nguyen, Duc M. (Department: 2685)
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at same station
Radiotelephone equipment detail
C455S575200, C379S420020, C379S420040, C379S433020
Reexamination Certificate
active
06731956
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a retractable cord for a mobile phone or other wireless device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1
is a diagram of a conventional mobile phone
10
having a microphone
18
for converting a user's voice into electrical signals and a speaker
12
for converting electrical signals into sound for the user to hear. The user can enter phone numbers or other information using a key pad
16
and view information on a display panel
14
. Conventional mobile phone
10
also has circuitry (not shown) to receive, transmit, and process electrical signals for wireless mobile phone communication. Mobile phones, commonly referred to as “cell phones,” and their operation are well known in the art.
FIG. 2
is a diagram of a conventional cord
24
for mobile phone
10
. Cord
24
has a connector
28
, such as a phone-type plug, to be inserted into a corresponding connector, such as a jack or other receptacle, on mobile phone
10
. Many mobile phones have such a connector as illustrated by a device connector
20
on a top
11
and a device connector
22
on a side
13
of mobile phone
10
. Usually, a mobile phone has only one connector, and device connectors
20
and
22
are both shown to illustrate typical locations for the connectors.
When plugged into mobile phone
10
, cord
24
permits a user to hear sound through a speaker in an ear piece
30
to be inserted into the user's ear in this example. A section
26
of the cord electrically connects speaker
30
with connector
28
and can include, for example, wires within a protective coating. Conventional cord
24
also typically includes a microphone in ear piece
30
for converting a user's voice into an electrical signal. Certain conventional cords
24
have the microphone separately attached to section
26
, as represented by a microphone
25
. The separate microphone
25
is located, for example, approximately twelve inches from ear piece
30
so that it is close to a user's mouth when ear piece
30
is inserted into the user's ear. Other types of separate microphones include boom microphones, and other types of ear pieces include headsets having a speaker for placement against or proximate a user's ear.
The insertion of cord
24
into device connectors
20
or
22
de-activates speaker
12
and microphone
18
and permits hands-free use of mobile phone
10
. It also permits the user to locate mobile phone
10
away from his or her head and thus avoid or minimize potential adverse effects of electromagnetic energy from the phone's antenna.
Mobile phone
10
, however, provides no convenient way to store cord
24
. For example, a user may wrap cord
24
around mobile phone
10
when not in use, or the user may simply bunch up the cord apart from the mobile phone and place it in the user's pocket, purse, or briefcase. When stored in any of those ways, cord
24
can become tangled, making it difficult to quickly insert ear piece
30
into the user's ear in order to answer an incoming telephone call or to make an outgoing call. When stored apart from the mobile phone, cord
24
can become lost or not easily located for attachment to mobile phone
10
to answer or make a telephone call.
Accordingly, a need exists for a more convenient way to store and attach a cord for a mobile phone or other wireless device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A mobile phone or other wireless device consistent with the present invention includes a retractable cord having an ear piece. A retractable mechanism in the mobile phone or other wireless device operates to permit extension of the cord from the mobile phone or other wireless device through an aperture and retract at least a portion of the cord into the mobile phone or other wireless device through the aperture.
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patent: 5516986 (1996-05-01), Peterson et al.
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patent: 5724667 (1998-03-01), Furuno
patent: 5832098 (1998-11-01), Chen
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patent: 6065080 (2000-05-01), Alpert
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patent: WO 99/60764 (1999-11-01), None
Motorola United States Consumer Catalog, Accessories, Retractable Hands-Free Headset—98196 (1 page).
Hanna Tania W.
Long Christopher T.
Nguyen Duc M.
Snell & Wilmer LLP
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