FR2841718A1 - Mobile telephone built in extension unit having principle unit with integrated ear piece/microphone and detachable second handset section with ear piece/microphone wireless transmission linked first unit. - Google Patents

Abstract

The mobile telephone has a principle unit (1) with integrated ear piece (4), microphone (5) and call buttons (6,7). There is a removable handset section (20) with an ear piece (24) and microphone (25) attached to the first handset section. There is a two way wireless transmission (10) between the units transmitting sound signals from the first to the second unit.

Description

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  MOBILE TERMINAL DESIGNED FOR SIMULTANEOUS USE BY MULTIPLE USERS AND APPLICATION OF THE MOBILE TERMINAL TO A TRANSLATION SYSTEM

SIMULTANEOUSLY.

  The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, such as a mobile telephone making it possible in particular to communicate with other mobile terminals via a mobile telephone network.

  Currently, mobile terminals are designed for a single user, whether used directly or through what is called a "hands-free kit" to deport the audio functions of the terminal. Indeed, they do not include an additional earpiece, like landline telephones, 15 allowing a third person to hear a conversation in progress. They also do not allow, like landline phones, to connect several handsets on the same link to allow several people in the same place to participate each with their own handset, in a conversation with another person.

  Furthermore, the sound level delivered by the earpiece of current mobile telephones is generally too low for several people to be able to hear a conversation in progress, even by sticking their ear against the earpiece of the telephone or the hands-free kit.

  To resolve this problem, it has already been proposed to add a sound amplification function to mobile telephones. However, this solution is not suitable when the mobile phone is used in a place with too high ambient noise level. In addition, when the mobile phone is used in a place

  public, this solution affects the confidentiality of the conversation.

  In general, current mobile phones have not been designed to be used by two or more users simultaneously.

  It is conceivable not to deactivate the earpiece and the microphone of the mobile telephone when it is connected to a hands-free kit, so that two users can participate in a telephone call, one using the telephone and the other hands-free kit. However, this solution - 2 has the drawback of being unhygienic: the earpiece of the hands-free kit which must be inserted into the ear is intended to be used by several people. In addition, the hands-free kit, which is a separate accessory from the mobile phone, can easily be lost or not be accessible when it is needed. In addition, the wires connecting the earpiece and the microphone of the hands-free kit to the mobile phone tend to break after repeated handling, which makes this solution unreliable.

  The present invention aims to eliminate these drawbacks. This objective 10 is achieved by providing a mobile terminal comprising a main unit integrating an earpiece, a microphone, buttons for controlling and dialing telephone numbers, means of power supply, and means of connection and transmission. / reception with a mobile telephone network.

  According to the invention, the mobile terminal further comprises a removable telephone handset comprising an earpiece and a microphone; detachable fixing means of the telephone handset on the main box; and bidirectional transmission means for transmitting the signals applied to the earpiece of the main unit to the earpiece of the telephone handset, and the audio signals picked up by the microphone of the telephone handset to the

main housing.

  According to a feature of the invention, the means of transmission between the main unit and the removable telephone handset comprise a wireless link comprising a wireless transmission module, provided in the main housing and a corresponding transmission module, provided in the handset housing.

  According to another feature of the invention, the mobile terminal comprises means for transmitting the sound signals picked up by the microphone from the telephone handset to another mobile terminal if a telephone connection is established between the mobile terminal and said other mobile terminal via a mobile phone network.

  Advantageously, the removable telephone handset includes a battery

  power supply to the telephone handset.

  Preferably, the mobile terminal comprises connection means - 3

  electric of the main unit with the telephone handset, when the telephone handset is attached to the main unit, to recharge the battery of the telephone handset 20 when the battery of the main unit is charging.

  According to a feature of the invention, the removable telephone handset further comprises a display screen provided for reproducing on the removable handset, which is displayed on a screen of the main unit, in the case where the mobile terminal is used to receive textual data or images.

  Preferably, the mobile terminal comprises detection means for detecting whether the removable telephone handset is fixed or not on the main box.

  Advantageously, the mobile terminal comprises means for deactivating and activating the earpiece and the microphone of the telephone handset, as well as the connection between the main unit and the telephone handset, depending on whether the telephone handset is respectively fixed or not fixed to the main unit.

  Alternatively, the mobile terminal comprises a control button arranged on the removable handset and / or on the main unit for controlling

  activation and deactivation of the removable handset.

  Preferably, when the telephone handset is attached to the main housing, the power supply to the telephone handset is connected to the housing

  main to serve as an auxiliary power supply thereof.

  The invention also relates to an application of the mobile terminal to a simultaneous translation system comprising a simultaneous translation service, accessible by a mobile telephone network.

  According to the invention, this system further comprises a mobile terminal according to one of the preceding claims, for transmitting to the simultaneous translation service a conversation between the main unit and the removable telephone handset, for receiving in response a translation corresponding to the conversation , transmitted by the simultaneous translation service, and for broadcasting the translation on the main unit and the telephone handset

  removable. A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described below, by way of non-limiting example - 4, with reference to the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 represents a front view of a mobile terminal, equipped according to the invention with an additional handset detachable from the terminal and shown detached from the latter;

  Figure 2 shows in profile view the mobile terminal shown in Figure 1, the additional handset being shown attached to the mobile terminal.

  FIGS. 1 and 2 represent a mobile terminal, for example of the mobile telephone type, comprising a main unit 1 integrating the audio functions of a mobile telephone. For this purpose, the main box contains in a conventional manner an earpiece 4, a microphone 5, buttons 6, 7 for controlling and dialing telephone numbers, a display screen 3, a battery 12 , and a transmit / receive antenna 2.

  According to the invention, the mobile terminal also comprises an additional, removable telephone handset 20, and detachable fixing means for the latter on the main unit 1. The removable telephone handset 20 comprises an earpiece 24 and a microphone 25.

  In addition, the mobile terminal comprises bidirectional transmission means 10 making it possible to transmit the signals applied to the earpiece 4 of the main unit 1 to the earpiece 24 of the telephone handset 20, and the sound signals picked up by the microphone 25 of the telephone handset to the main unit, so that these latter signals are transmitted to the

  mobile phone network during the current conversation.

  The transmission means 10 between the main box 1 and the telephone handset 20 may comprise an electric cable 19, the two ends of which are provided with respective connectors able to cooperate with corresponding connectors provided respectively in the main box 1 and

  in the removable telephone handset.

  Preferably, the transmission means between the main housing 1 and the removable telephone handset 20 are constituted by a wireless link comprising a wireless transmission module 1 1, incorporated in the main housing 1 and a corresponding transmission module 31, provided in the housing of the telephone handset 20. The wireless link can be of the infrared - 5 or radio range type of short range (10 meters to a few tens of meters),

  for example compliant with the "Bluetooth" or 802.11 standard.

  It is therefore also possible to provide an operating mode disconnected from a mobile telephone network, in which a conversation can be initiated.

  between the main unit and the removable handset.

  The attachment of the removable handset to the main unit is for example constituted by a system of clips making it possible to fix the removable handset either

  on the back, either against a side face of the main housing.

  Thanks to these provisions, a person can participate in a telephone conversation between a person equipped with a mobile terminal according to the invention located nearby, and another person accessible by the mobile network to which the mobile terminal is connected. The use for this purpose of another telephone handset does not present the disadvantage from the point of view of the hygiene of the earphones of hands-free kits which one must insert in the ears, and does not affect the confidentiality of the conversation since it is not necessary to reproduce the conversation on a loudspeaker. Furthermore, if the user takes care to hang up the removable telephone handset in the main box each time it is used, he is sure to always have it at his disposal when necessary.

  The main housing and the removable telephone handset can also advantageously be used simultaneously by the same user (respectively on both ears) to obtain better listening, in particular when the ambient sound level is high, or else when the signal received by the terminal mobile is weak.

  The removable telephone handset is powered by one or more batteries. Preferably, it is powered by a battery 32. In the latter case, connection means 13, 33 are provided making it possible to connect the removable handset to the electrical circuits of the main housing, when it is fixed to the latter (in the position shown in Figure 2), to allow recharging the battery 35 of the telephone handset 20 when the battery of the main unit is charging. Advantageously, the removable telephone handset further comprises a -6

  display screen 23 provided for reproducing on the removable handset 20, which is displayed on the screen 3 of the main unit, in the case where the mobile terminal is used to receive text data or images.

  Preferably, the mobile terminal according to the invention further comprises detection means for detecting whether or not the removable handset 20 is fixed to the main housing 1, these detection means being coupled to switching means for respectively deactivating and activating the earpiece 24, microphone 25, and possibly the "Bluetooth" link and the display screen

  23, depending on whether or not the removable handset is attached to the main unit.

  These detection and switching means are for example constituted by a push button switch 22 (FIG. 1) mounted on the face of the removable handset coming into contact with the main box, so that the push button is pressed. when the removable handset is attached to the main housing.

  Alternatively, these detection means are advantageously coupled to the connection means 13, 33 (FIG. 2) to detect the presence or absence of connection of a removable handset (seen from the side of the main box) or of a main box. mobile terminal (seen from the removable handset). They can alternatively be coupled to the removable fixing system of the telephone handset 20.

  According to another variant, a control button or a switch is provided on the removable handset and / or on the main unit to control the activation / deactivation of the removable handset.

  Of course, one can provide means for connecting a hands-free kit.

  not only on the main unit, but also on the removable handset 20.

  Advantageously, the power supply source 32 of the telephone handset 20 is connected to the main unit 1 so as to be usable as an auxiliary power supply thereof.

  Of course, the mobile terminal 1 can be designed to communicate with several telephone handsets of the type described above.

  The mobile terminal which has just been described is perfectly suitable for use in the context of a simultaneous translation service, automatic or not. When the user of the terminal wishes to speak to a person who does not understand his language, he calls the instant translation service and gives his detachable handset to the person. Once the connection has been established with the translation service, it indicates to the latter the languages between which it wishes translations to be carried out. Then, everything the user says is translated, transmitted and broadcast on the headphones 4, 24 of the main unit and of the removable handset. In this way, the person can understand what the user is saying. Conversely, everything said by the person speaking the other language is transmitted to the translation service, via the microphone 25 and the mobile terminal 1, then is translated and transmitted on the two headphones 4, 24, so that the user can understand what the person is saying to them. Note that the results of translations can also be sent by the service

  of translation in text form and displayed on screens 3 and 23.

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Claims (11)

  1. Mobile terminal comprising a main unit (1) incorporating an earpiece (4), a microphone (5), buttons (6, 7) for controlling and dialing telephone numbers, power supply means (12) , and means for connection and transmission / reception with a mobile telephone network, characterized in that it further comprises a removable telephone handset (20) comprising an earpiece (24) and a microphone (25); detachable fixing means for the telephone handset on the main housing (1); and bidirectional transmission means (10) for transmitting the signals applied to the earpiece (4) of the main housing (1) to the earpiece (24) of the telephone handset (20), and the sound signals picked up by the microphone   (25) from the telephone handset to the main unit.   2. Mobile terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the transmission means (10) between the main housing (1) and the removable telephone handset (20) comprise a wireless connection comprising a wireless transmission module (11) , provided in the main housing (1) and a corresponding transmission module (31), provided in the   telephone handset housing (20).   3. mobile terminal according to claim 1 or 2,   characterized in that it comprises means for transmitting the audio signals picked up by the microphone (25) from the telephone handset (1) to another mobile terminal if a telephone connection is established between the mobile terminal and said other mobile terminal via a mobile phone network.   4. Mobile terminal according to one of claims 1 to 3,   characterized in that the removable telephone handset (20) comprises a   battery (32) for power supply to the telephone handset.   5. Mobile terminal according to claim 4,   characterized in that it comprises means for electrical connection of the main housing (1) with the telephone handset (20), when the telephone handset is attached to the main housing, to recharge the battery of the telephone handset 20 when the battery (12 ) of the main unit is charging. -9   6. Mobile terminal according to one of claims 1 to 5,   characterized in that the removable telephone handset (20) further comprises a display screen (23) provided for reproducing on the removable handset, which is displayed on a screen (3) of the main housing (1), in the case o the mobile terminal is used to receive text data or images.   7. mobile terminal according to one of claims 1 to 6,   characterized in that it comprises detection means (22) for detecting whether the removable telephone handset (20) is fixed or not on the main housing 1 0 (1).   8. Mobile terminal according to one of claims 1 to 7,   characterized in that it comprises means for deactivating and activating the earpiece (24) and the microphone (25) of the telephone handset (20), as well as the connection between the main housing (1) and the telephone handset, according to that the   telephone handset is respectively fixed or not fixed to the main box.   9. Mobile terminal according to one of claims 1 to 7,   characterized in that it comprises a control button arranged on the removable handset and / or on the main unit (1) to control activation   and deactivation of the removable handset (20).   10. Mobile terminal according to one of claims 1 to 9,   characterized in that, when the telephone handset (20) is fixed to the main housing (1), the power supply (32) of the telephone handset (20) is connected to the main housing (1) to serve as a power supply d 'add-on.   11. Simultaneous translation system including a simultaneous translation service, accessible by a mobile telephone network,   characterized in that it further comprises a mobile terminal according to one of the preceding claims, for transmitting to the simultaneous translation service a conversation between the main unit (1) and the removable telephone handset (20), for receiving in response a translation 35 corresponding to the conversation, transmitted by the simultaneous translation service, and for broadcasting the translation on the main box and the removable telephone handset.