Telephonic communications – Terminal – Housing or housing component
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-03
2001-11-27
Chiang, Jack (Department: 2642)
Telephonic communications
Terminal
Housing or housing component
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324284
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a telephone handset, and in particular to a handset which provides both handset and loudspeaking capabilities as may be used in wireless applications.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Some telephone handsets are used in a so-called handset mode, wherein they are placed close to the face of a user with the receiver portion placed against an ear, and in a loudspeaking mode, wherein they are located a distance from the face of the user. Loudspeaking mode is often used in applications requiring that the handset be held in one hand and dialed, while the user listens to voice responses, where there is a display on the handset, etc.
In order to provide a loudspeaking mode, handsets have typically used two transducers facing opposite directions (i.e. with a receiver facing the front and a loudspeaker facing the rear of the handset), or facing the same direction (i.e. the front of the handset) but located at the top and bottom of the handset.
In the first case, the loudspeaking audio quality can be compromised due to audio diffraction around the handset. To obtain optimal audio quality the user must rotate the handset so that the loudspeaker faces the user, which places the dialing keys and display (if one were used) in an inconvenient position. Further, while the receiver provides reasonable audio quality when used in the handset mode when the handset is sealed around the ear of the user, it provides relatively poor audio quality (losing low frequencies) if it is not sealed around the ear of the user, for example if the user is wearing earrings.
In the second case, separate microphones must be used for the handset and loudspeaking modes, to maintain acoustic stability, which incurs cost. This solution also suffers from loss of low frequencies in the case that the handset is not sealed to the ear of the user, in the handset mode.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a structure that in one embodiment provides both handset and loudspeaking sound from the front of the handset, avoiding the requirement that the user rotate the handset to obtain good quality audio in the loudspeaking mode, provides good quality sound in the handset mode whether the user has the handset sealed or not sealed to the ear, and avoids the requirement for use of two microphones.
In the present invention, when the handset is used in the handset mode with the ear of the user sealed around the receiver, the good quality sound is provided by the receiver. When used in the loudspeaking mode, a loudspeaker, which in one embodiment faces the front of the handset, provides the sound, avoiding diffraction around the handset. When used in the handset mode with the ear of the user not sealed around the receiver, thus reducing the acoustic amplitude at low frequencies, the loudspeaker provides the low frequencies to the ear of the user through the front of the handset, thus filling in the frequency response, and providing good quality sound to the user.
The receiver and loudspeaker are contained in adjoining cavities, the sound from the loudspeaker passing through at least one port in the front of the front cavity, outside the region where the ear of the user is to be sealed to the handset, the sound from the receiver passing through at least one port within the region where the ear of the user is to be sealed to the handset.
In another embodiment, only a single cavity is used, with the loudspeaker sound passing through ports at the rear of the cavity and thus of the handset. However, the rear of the loudspeaker is ported to the cavity, and the sound from the loudspeaker passes through at least one port in the front of the cavity, outside the region where the ear of the user is to be sealed to the handset, the sound from the receiver passing through at least one port within the region where the ear of the user is to be sealed to the handset. In this embodiment the feature of the handset not being required to be rotated is not achieved, but the low frequency enhancement in handset mode when the ear of the user is not sealed to the handset is achieved.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a handset is comprised of a sealed unit receiver and a loudspeaker, first apparatus for providing sound from the receiver to the ear of a user when the ear of the user is sealed to the handset, and second apparatus for providing sound from both the receiver and from the loudspeaker to the ear of the user when the ear of the user is only partly sealed to the handset.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a handset is comprised of at least one acoustic enclosure, the enclosure containing at least one port in a front surface thereof, the at least one port communicating with and being contained within a defined ear-to-handset sealing region of the handset, a sealed unit receiver for emitting sound through the at least one port sealed between the enclosure and the at least one port, a loudspeaker disposed within the enclosure for emitting low frequency sound, and at least one further port in a front surface of the enclosure communicating with and being located outside the sealing region of the handset for emitting the low frequency sound to a user when an ear of the user is not sealed to the handset within said sealing region.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a method of operating a handset is comprised of coupling sound from a receiver to the ear of a user within a defined ear-to-handset sealing region, and coupling low frequency sound from an auxiliary loudspeaker to the ear outside of the sealing region during use of the handset when the ear is not completely sealed to the handset.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5537472 (1996-07-01), Esterez-Alcolade et al.
patent: 5790679 (1998-08-01), Hawker et al.
patent: 6002949 (1999-12-01), Hawker et al.
patent: 6144738 (2000-11-01), Hawker et al.
patent: 63-149951 (1988-06-01), None
Dolezal Walter
Hawker Larry E.
Baker Harold C.
Chiang Jack
Hendry Robert G.
Nortel Networks Limited
Wilkes Robert A.
LandOfFree
Telephone handset with enhanced handset/handsfree receiving... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Telephone handset with enhanced handset/handsfree receiving..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Telephone handset with enhanced handset/handsfree receiving... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2582188