Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at same station – Radiotelephone equipment detail
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-01
2001-12-04
To, Doris H. (Department: 2682)
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at same station
Radiotelephone equipment detail
C455S090300, C455S556200, C343S702000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06327484
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed, in general, to wireless communications devices and, more specifically, to a mobile telephone having an integral laser pointer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The world is currently experiencing revolutionary changes in communications systems, brought about, in part, by the general availability of access to, and evolution of, wireless telephony systems. It has been predicted that wireless telephony will eventually replace much of the existing wireline telephony systems; the period during which that will occur, however, is likely to be a function of the ability of wireless telephony systems to provide the features that subscribers have come to expect from wireline systems.
The proliferation of wireless telephony devices has been accompanied by the advent of mobile, or “notebook,” computers and many other electronic devices, many of which have become virtually indispensable to certain persons. For example, traveling sales people can create a multimedia presentation on an office computer and then present it to prospective customers using a laptop computer. Such presentations can also be projected onto a large screen using a portable video projector.
Another useful electronic tool is a “laser pointer.” Conventional laser pointers are housed in a pen-like device. Although such conventional laser pointers are easily transported, they are also subject to being easily lost or forgotten. One attempt to solve this problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,838,639, issued to Hsien-Jung Hwang (the '639 Patent), incorporated herein by reference. In the '639 Patent, a laser pointer is integrated with a watch; the patentee therein states that a user may readily carry the laser pointer without it being lost or forgotten. Although the laser pointer disclosed in the '639 Patent may be less likely to be lost or forgotten, the placement of the laser pointer on the wrist of a user may render the pointer difficult to use. Moreover, if the laser pointer is strapped to a user's wrist, it cannot be easily shared with others.
Conventional laser pointers are powered by batteries, which may or may not be rechargeable. For environmental reasons, it is preferable to use rechargeable batteries. Because the broad range of today's electronic devices use so many different types and sizes of batteries, however, it is impractical to transport special recharging devices for each type of battery a user might have. Thus, it is desirable to reduce the number of recharging devices needed by users of various electronic devices.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a laser pointer that is not easily forgotten or lost, that can be easily shared with others, and which eliminates the need for a special recharging device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention provides a wireless communications device, such as a “cellular” telephone, including telephony circuitry, laser pointer circuitry, and a battery, wherein the telephony circuitry and the laser pointer circuitry are couplable to the battery. The widespread and everyday use of cellular telephones means that it is unlikely that a person would forget their telephone. Therefore, by integrating a laser pointer in a cellular telephone, it is unlikely for such person to ever be without a laser pointer. Furthermore, if that person forgets or loses their telephone, it may be possible to locate by placing a call to it. Because a cellular telephone can be easily shared with others, so can a laser pointer integrated therewith. The integration of a laser pointer in a cellular telephone also eliminates the need for a special recharging device for the batteries used in conventional laser pointers, since the integral laser pointer can receive power from the cellular telephone battery.
In one embodiment, power conversion circuitry is provided to convert a voltage provided by the battery to a voltage suitable to power the laser pointer circuitry. This is only necessary if the power requirements of the laser pointer circuitry are different than that provided by a battery used by the wireless communications device.
In the embodiment described hereinafter, the laser pointer circuitry includes a laser diode that emits a substantially coherent beam of visible light. In a related embodiment, the wireless communications device includes a helical antenna, and the laser diode is disposed proximate a central axis of the antenna, whereby the substantially coherent beam of visible light is emitted from an end portion of the helical antenna. The helical antenna can be surrounded by a protective housing having a portion through which the substantially coherent beam of visible light is emitted. If necessary, the portion through which the substantially coherent beam of visible light is emitted can include an optical lens to focus and concentrate the beam of light.
The wireless communications device can also include a switch for selectively-enabling the laser pointer circuitry. The switch can be either a dedicated switch, or can be a multi-function switch used to control other features of the wireless communications device. Alternatively, or in addition, the wireless communications device can include automatic deactivation circuitry that disables the laser pointer circuitry when the telephony circuitry is in a transmission mode. By disabling the laser pointer circuitry during periods of active use of the telephony circuitry, the peak power demand placed on the battery can be minimized.
Also disclosed is a dual-purpose antenna structure for use with a wireless communications device. The dual-purpose antenna structure includes an antenna element and laser pointer circuitry operative to emit a substantially coherent beam of visible light. The dual-purpose antenna structure makes it possible to offer a wireless communications device with or without a laser pointer option, provided the main structure of the device includes an antenna mount adapted to properly interface with the dual-purpose antenna structure; i.e., the antenna mount includes electrical contact portions for electrically coupling the antenna element and the laser pointer circuitry to the wireless communications device.
In a specifically-described embodiment of the dual-purpose antenna structure, the antenna element is helical. In a related embodiment, the laser pointer circuitry includes a laser diode disposed proximate a central axis of the helical antenna, whereby the substantially coherent beam of visible light is emitted from an end portion of the helical antenna. A protective housing can be provided to surround the antenna element and the laser pointer circuitry. A protective housing has a portion, which may include an optical lens, through which the substantially coherent beam of visible light is emitted. The dual-purpose antenna structure can also include power conversion circuitry operative to convert a voltage provided by a battery associated with the wireless communications device to a voltage suitable to power the laser pointer circuitry.
The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, the principles of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments that follow. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and exemplary embodiments as a basis for designing or modifying other structures and methods for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5786106 (1998-07-01), Armani
patent: 6144341 (2000-11-01), Kraz
patent: 6169520 (2001-01-01), Anderson
Burleigh Roger S.
Ericsson Inc.
Ericsson Inc.
To Doris H.
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