GB2198612A

GB2198612A - Ear piece

Info

Publication number: GB2198612A
Application number: GB08718118A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jiro Nawa; Hiroaki Yanagisawa
Original assignee: Temco Japan Co Ltd
Current assignee: Temco Japan Co Ltd
Priority date: 1986-11-10
Filing date: 1987-07-30
Publication date: 1988-06-15
Also published as: DE3723261A1; AU8095787A; FR2606569A1; AU603151B2; GB8718118D0; CA1268569A

Description

TELEPHONE EQUIPMENT UTILIZING EAR MICROPHONE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a telephone equipment utilizing an ear microphone suitable for use under noisy circumstances by providing the ear microphone and hence a vibration pick-up mechanism for picking up a bone conduction voice signal from the external auditory canal-----wall of the ear and a speaker for converting the received signal to a voice. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

A conventional telephone set mainly has, as shown, for example, in Fig. 8, a dial unit 1 and a hand set 2 to be connected through a bell and a hook circuit to a main-Vire 3. Or, another telephone set in which a hand set 2 is composed of a microphone and a speaker disposed separately to talk while keeping hands free has been also developdd.

When the conventional telephone equipment is used in a construction side, a speech is hardly clarified due to environmental noises. When the telephone set is carried in an automobile, drawbacks arises in its operability and environmental noises. The t6lephone set in which a speaker and a microphone are separately disposed is readily affected by environmental noises, it is difficult to keep a 1 2198612 secret of talking content, and it is also hard to inexpensively construct the telephone set.

A conventional wireless telephone set has, as shown, for example, in Fig. 9, a body 4 containing a radio wave equipment, and a circuit unit 5 for communicating a signal by a radio wave with the body to form a signal adapted for the level of a main wire and to communicate the signal by high frequency wave through antennas 6 and 7. Reference numeral 8 in Fig. 9 designates a general exchange for use in an ordinary telephone exchange.

Fig. 10 shows a conventional example that a hand set 9 and a dial, and a radio wave equipment 10 are separately composed to transmit and receive through antennas 6, 7 similarly to that in Fig. 9. This example is also used as a transceiver without using a dial unit and an exchanger 8.

When these conventional examples are used in a construction site, similar drawbacks to the above arise, such as it is difficult to smoothly talk due to environmental noises. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a telephone equipment which has a simple construction, is not affected by environmental noises, can keep a secret and operate while keeping hands free.

Another object of the pesent invention is to provide 1 W 7Q fic wireless telephone equipment which has a simple construction, is not affected by environmental noises, can keep a secret and operate while keeping hands free.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is an explanatory view of a principle of a telephone equipment utilizing an ear microphone of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a telephone equipment according to the present invention; Fig. 3 is a view showing the using state of a handset; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a handset; Fig. 5 is a view showing another embodiment of a telephone equipment according to the invention; Fig. 6 is an explanatory view of a principle of the another embodiment; Fig. 7 is a view of the construction of still another embodiment of a telephone equipment according to the invention; Fig. 8 is a front view of a conventional telephone equipment; and Figs. 9 and 10 are views showing a conventional wireless telephone set.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The most preferable embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figs. 1 to 4 show an embodiment of a telephone equipment according to the present invention. The telephone equipment comprises a telephone set 11 having dial push-buttons 13, a transceiver 12 to be inserted into an external auditory canal, an amplifier 14 for amplifying a voice signal generated from the transceiver 12, and a network control circuit 15. Reference numeral 16 designates an exchanger connected through a main wire to the telephone set 11. Numeral 17 denotes a handset which may be provided together with the transceiver 12, or may be separately provided from the transceiver 12. Fig. 3 shows the transceiver 12 inserted into an external auditory canal 18 to transmit an electric signal through leads 19. Fig. 4 shows the internal structure of the transceiver 12. The transceiver 12 is constructed to be able to transmit an external acoustic sound through a duct 20 directly to an external auditory canal, and the vibration of a voice transmitted through a living body bone is converted by a vibration type microphone 21 into an electric signal. Numeral 22 designates a speaker for converting the electric signal into an acoustic sound, which is of conduction type L f - 1 or electrostatic type to be utilized. The leads 23, 24 led from the microphone 21 and the speaker 22 are connected to the telephone set 11 shown in Fig. 1. The telephone set 11 may be composed as an.automotive telephone set. In this case, the telephone set 11 is connected by a radio wave equipment to the exchanger 16. When the telephone is called, the bell or buzzer rings. Thus, when an operator picks up the transceiver 12 or presses the button for response, the telephone set becomes a talking state. After the operator attaches the transceiver 12 to the external auditory canal, his hands my be kept free. Since a voice is supplied as a direct vibration to the converter, a speech by the transceiver 12 is heard slightly different in the sound as compared the the ordinary collection of the sound by a receiver. Thus, the operation by the transceiver 12 can be limited as required by constructing to talk by the handset 17 as shown in Fig. 1.

In the construction described above, the bone conduction voice signal (vibration) of the external auditory canal wall is converted to an electric signal, and amplified by an amplifier 14 contained in the telephone set 11 to the level capable of transmitting to a telephone channel. Sound receiving volume is also regulated to a suitable level to be heard, and transmitted to the transceiver 12.

The transceiver 12 integrally contains a bidirectional converter, i.e., a vibration type microphone 21 and a speaker 22, and is constructed to be contained in the external auditory canal. Thus, the transceiver 12 can be utilized while keeping hands free to eliminate the disturbance of manual work.

Figs. 5 to 7 show an embodiment of a wireless telephone equipment according to the present invention. The telephone equipment comprises a transceiver 12 to be inserted into an external auditory canal, a transceiver 25 having a battery and a transceiver unit, and an antenna 26 for transmitting and receiving a radio wave. The transceiver 25 is provided to talk by a high frequency signal through antennas 26, 28 to a transceiver 27 shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 7 exemplifies a telephone equipment in which a transceiver 25 and a transceiver 12 are separately provided. In the telephone equipment, a battery 29 and a transceiver 30 are contained in separate vessels. The transceiver 12 is attached to the external auditory canal at calling time to set in a hook-on state. Further, another switch is provided and operated to set to a speech state. In addition, a speech state can be set by operating specific buttons of the dial unit 29.

In the embodiment described above, a bone conduction 17 1 k voice signal (vibration) of an external auditory canal wall obtained by a living body in the transceiver 12 is irradiated as a radio wave by the antenna 26 to be transmitted to the transceiver 27, a voice signal from the main wire is radiated as a radio wave signal from the antenna 28, and received by a receiver in the transceiver 12.

Fig. 7 shows still another embodiment of a telephone equipment according to the present invention in which a transceiver 25 is provided separated from a transceiver 12. In the telephone equipment, a battery 29 and a transceiver 30 are separately contained respectively in vessels. The transceiver 12 is attached to the external auditory canal at Calling time to be set to a hook-on state, or may be set to a speed state by operating another switch. Further, a speech state can be set by operating the specific buttons of the dial Unit 29.

In the embodiment described above, the bone conduction voice signal (vibration) of the external auditory canal wall obtained from a living body in the transceiver is transmitted as a radio wave from the antenna 26 to the transceiver 27, the voice signal from the main wire is radiated as a radio wave signal from the antenna 28, and received by the receiver in the transceiver 12. The dial unit 29 by a radio wave is operated at calling time and the 7 - calling sound is produced by the bell or the buzzer in transceiver 14 at calling time or the bell sound is produced in the transceiver 11.

1 i 41 9,. 1

Claims

What is claimed is: 1. A telephone equipment comprising a transceiver

having a converter for converting a vibration of an external auditory canal wall into a voice signal according to a voice of a living body, a speaker integrated with the converter for converting a received voice signal into an aural signal to be inserted into an external auditory canal for use, and an amplifier for amplifying a voice signal according to the vibration to supply the signal to a telephone circuit, thereby transmitting and receiving while keeping hands free. 2.. A telephone equipment comprising a transceiver having a converter for Converting a vibration of an external auditory canal wall into a voice signal according to a voice of a living body, a speaker integrated with the converter for converting a received voice signal into an aural signal to be inserted into an external auditory canal for use., a transmitted for transmitting the voice signal based on the vibration as a radio wave signal, and a receiver for'receiving a speech signal transmitted by a radio wave, thereby transmitting and receiving the signal while keeping hands free. 3. A wireless,telephone equipment according to claim 2, wherein the transmitter, the receiver and a battery for driving the transmitter and the receiver are integrally associated in the transceiver.

11 Published 1988 P.t The Patent Office, State House, 66/71 High Holborn, London WCIR 4TP. Further copies may be obtained from The Patent Office, Wes Branch, St Mary Crav, Orpington, Kent BR5 3RD. Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mary Cray, Kent. Con. 1/87.