GB2356312A

GB2356312A - Mobile telephone integrated with or mounted on rear-view mirror

Info

Publication number: GB2356312A
Application number: GB0102195A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mosad Abbas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-01-27
Filing date: 2001-01-27
Publication date: 2001-05-16
Anticipated expiration: 2021-01-27
Also published as: GB2356312B; WO2002058964A1; GB0102195D0

Abstract

A radiotelephone or a cellular phone is combined with or mounted on an automobile's rear-view mirror housing to enable hands-free use by the driver. If the telephone 40 is integrated with the mirror housing the housing includes a SIM card reader (63, fig 4). If the telephone 40 is to be mounted upon the mirror housing it is housed within a pocket 42. A keypad 30, a display, microphone 32 and loudspeaker 35 are included.

Description

2356312 TELEMATIC REAR VIEW MIRROR AND TELEPHONE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

1. Field of the Invention;

The present invention relates to mobile telephones or cellular phones used in automobiles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hands-free mobile telephone or cellular phone unit for use in an automobile.

2. Description of Related Art:

The use of cellular phones within an automobile is well known as providing a convenient means of communication. To better serve drivers, mobile phones have been mounted in a number of places within an automobile. For instance, cellular phones have been placed in the centre console between the driver and the passenger seats or alternatively on the dashboard, U.S. Patent No.5,418,316 discloses a combined radio and telephone unit that is mounted in the center console of an automobile, U. S. Patent No. 5,202,913 teaches placement of the mobile phone unit within a recess of a dashboard.

As the road and highways become increasingly crowded, it becomes imperative that driver's communication be distracted as little as possible. It has been known that use of cellular phones by the driver of a vehicle constitutes a significant road hazard, especially during the period when the driver is either dWling or answering the phone.

To address the problem, a number of attempts have been made to locate the cellular phone within a vehicle or provide convenient hands-free use. For example, U.S. Patent No. 4,850,015 teaches a cellular phone for use in a vehicle where the telephone is mounted on the steering wheel. With the advent of air bags and crowding of numerous other controls upon the steering wheel, such as radio or cruise control, the usefulness of a steering wheel mounted cellular phone has become minimized.

Attempts have also been made to improve the placement of the phone, while concealing the phone when not in use. U.S. Patent No. 4,905,270 teaches a cellular phone mounted on a sun visor where the phone can be hidden from view by tilting the visor up when not in use.

Vehicular cellular phones have also been designed to allow for hands-free operation or use of the telephone without a handset. For instance, U.S. Patent No. 4,905,270 teaches a cellular telephone where the microphone is mounted on a vehicle sun visor. Sounds are picked up by the microphone and then FM transmitted to a receiver in the vehicle before the communication signal is sent outside the vehicle.

While present day attempts have been made to improve the convenience of a cellular phone's location within a vehicle, as noted above, such attempts have failed to improve the overall safety associated with dialling and answering the phone.

Particularly, present day car phones have failed to provide a meaningful safety method to answer or dial a cellular phone while concurrently viewing both oncoming traffic in the driver's forward field of view and upcoming traffic in the rearward field of view.

SUMNLARY OF THE DiVENTION The present invention addresses the above stated problems, and others, by providing an improved vehicular phone as detailed hereinafter. The subject mirror cellular phone is a cellular telephone integrated in to the rear-view mirror, and generally comprising; a rear view mirror frame or housing, said frame including a rear view mirror, cellular phone means, dialling means for dialling and answering the phone within the frame of the rear view mirror, whereby a driver can dial and answer a call from the cellular phone mirror frame while monitoring road conditions in both a forward and rearward field of view.

The combined rear view mirror and cellular phone systems includes two arrangements within the removable cellular phone, means an extractable hand-set -from the rear view mirror frame or non-removable means cellular phone system integrated inside rear-view mirror frame.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following detailed description and attached drawing.

In the drawing like reference character refer to like parts throughout the several views in which:

BRIEF DESCRIEPTION OF THE DRAWING:

FIG. I is a side elevation view, partly in phantom, shown first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partly in phantom, of the embodiment of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. I FIG. 4 is a side elevation view, partly in phantom, showing a second embodiment; FIG. 5 is a perspective view, partly in phantom, of the embodiment of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 4 DESCRIEPTION OF THE PREFERED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION:

With more particularity, FIGS. 1-2-3 and 4-5-6 discloses a first embodiment for an improved cellular phone in accordance with the present invention and, generally denoted at 10.

It is contemplated that all necessary cellular phone components, such as the speaker, a microphone, an antenna, as well as all conventional electrical components, handset, sending unit, power source, and alphanumeric are housed within a rear view mirror housing to form a complete cellular phone.

The complete cellular phone system 10 comprises a generally rectangular rear view mirror housing or ftame 12 that comprises a front wall 14, and a peripheral side wall 16. The walls 12, 14 and 16 cooperate to form a substantially rectangular enclosure having a hollow interior 19.

A reflective surface or mirror 18 is affixed to or otherwise provided on the ftont wall 14 which functions as a rear view mirror.

Disposed about the periphery of the side wall 16 are a plurality of openings 20 in which are disposed a plurality of push buttons 30 which correspond to the numbers, symbols and alphabetical array associated with a telephone. Thus, there is provided on the side wall, in essence, a linear array of push buttons which correspond to the numbers of a telephone key pad, including both the star and asterisk as well as the pound sign, and include the digits one through zero, thus defining a linear key pad 3 1.

A microphone grid 32 is also provided on the housing on the side wall thereof which covers a microphone 33 disposed within the housing interior 19.

A speaker grid 35 is also provided on the housing on the side wall thereof which covers a speaker 39 disposed within the housing interior 19.

As shown in FIGS 2 and 5 disposed within the interior 19 of the housing is suitable electronic circuitry illustrated as at 34. The electric circuit is telephone circuitry, i.e., a circuit board 37 or the like, and which provides electrical communication between the key pad 31 and the board 37. An extension cord and plug assembly 36 extend from the board 37.

As shown in FIG. 1, the sidewall 16 is provided with an opening 38, through which is insertable a portable or cellular phone 40, as described below. The opening 38 provides access to a pocket 42 formed within the interior of the housing 12.

As shown in FIG. I and 2, disposed within the exterior 19 of the housing are a pair of spaced apart side tracks 50, 52 and a rear wall 54. The tracks 50, 52 and the wall 54 are integrally formed and cooperate with the front wall 14 to define the pocket 42. As noted, the pocket 42 is adapted to slidingly receive a phone 40 hereof The rear wall 54 defines a stop for limiting the degree of insertion of the phone.

The cellular phone 40 is of a conventional configuration having a plug socket 60 formed therewithin and which has a complementary pronged configuration to that of the plug assembly 36 associated with the circuit board 37 to enable the phone to be rendered in electrical circuitry or communication with the electronics provided by the circuit board, thus thereby enabling the electronics associated with the housing 12 to override any of the circuitry associated with the phone itself Thus the phone is operable via the keypad disposed on the sidewall.

It is to be noted in this regard that the actual configuration of the circuitry is not critical hereto and such is well known to the skilled artisan. What is critical hereto is that the phone be rendered operable through the circuitry associated with the mirror housing and be actuable via the key pad associated with the housing.

A mounting assembly 61 is provided to enable the mounting of the instant mirror to the windshield or other suitable spot on a vehicle. A power source, such as a battery and, preferably at the vehicle battery, is used to power the phone where it is being operated from the housing. In other words, the electronics means 37 is powered by a suitable source, preferably, a vehicle battery through suitable and well-known wiring connection.

4 It is to be appreciated that according to this embodiment, the phone is removable from the pocket where necessary, but at all other times when placed in electronic communication with the circuit board it has its operation controlled at the mirror itself without the need for access in the phone, per se.

The phone 40 per se used in the practice of the present invention is preferably a conventional hand held cellular phone.

In this regard, it is further contemplated that the mirror be a display screen, itself, or be in communication with another display screen for displaying e-mail, stock quotes and similar information accessed by and received by the phone through a wireless web. The display screen preferably comprises a liquid crystal display and a backlight. This structure is well known to the skilled artisan.

FIGS 4,5 and 6 illustrate a second embodiment, this embodiment adopts the same components and concepts as the first embodiment except that the second embodiment accommodates an interchangeable SIM card 62 to enable the driver to use the same card, while driving, by inserting the SIM card into a pocket 63 through a door 65 formed in the housing 12 ( FIGA) and extract it from the pocket 63 to insert it into an ordinary mobile phone while the driver is out of the car.

While the invention has been illustrated in detail in the drawing and in the foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in nature. It is understood that only the preferred embodiments have been shown and described fully and that all changes and modification that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.

It is to be appreciated from the preceding that there has been described herein an improved vehicular phone, the vehicular phone comprising a rear view mirror and cellular phone means including means for receiving, means for dialling and sending messages while enabling a hands free use of the phone by the driver while concurrently viewing oncoming traffic in the driver's forward and upcoming traffic in the rearward field of view.

Claims

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

CLAIMS 1. A combined rear view mirror and telephone apparatus for a vehicle to enable a hands free operation of the phone by the driver of the vehicle, comprising:

(a) rear view mirror housing, said housing a rear view mirror, (b) a cellular phone for sending and receiving phone and dialling the phone disposed within the housing, attachment means for attaching the mirror housing to a vehicle.
2. The apparatus of claim I wherein: the phone is fixedly integrated into the housing.
3. The apparatus of claim I wherein: the phone is removably mounted to the housing.
4. The combined rear view mirror and telephone apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the rear view mirror housing comprises:

(a) a housing having a front wall, a rear wall and a side wall, the side wall, rear wall and front wall being integrally formed, the housing having an interior chamber, having a pocket formed therein the interior for receiving a portable phone therewith; (b) electronic means for operating a phone disposed within the housing and including:

(1) means for rendering a phone in electrical communication therewith; (2) a key pad, the key pad being actuable for a phone disposed within the pocket.
5. The combined rear view mirror and telephone assembly of Claim 4 which further comprises: a mirror disposed on the front wall of the housing.
6 6. The combined rear view mirror and telephone assembly of Claim 4 wherein:

the side wall has a plurality of openings provided in a linear array, and further wherein, the key pad comprises a plurality of individual push buttons each associated with the electronic means., each push button being associated with and projecting through an associated opening in the side wall.
7. The combined rear view mirror and telephone apparatus of Claim 6 which further comprises: (a) a circuit board disposed in the housing and defining the electronic means; and (b) a plug assembly extending from the circuit board and being connectable to the phone to render the phone operable by the electronic means.
8. The combined rear view mirror and telephone apparatus of Claim 4 which further comprises: a pocket provided within the interior of the housing the pocket removably receiving a phone therewith.
9. The combined rear view mirror and telephone apparatus as Claim 8 and further comprising: electrical power means in electrical communication with said cellular phone to provide electrical power to operate the cellular phone.
10. The combined rear view mirror and telephone apparatus as claimed in Claim 9 wherein: the electrical power means comprises a battery.

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11. The combined rear view mirror and telephone apparatus as claimed in Claim 10 wherein:

said battery comprises the battery of a vehicle and the electrical connecting means comprises an electrical wire connecting the vehicle battery to the electronic means.
12. The integrated rear view mirror and telephone apparatus as claimed in 2, further comprising: into rear view a portable SIM card door formed in the housing, the SW card and drawer being removably inserted into the housing through the door aperture.
13. The combined rear view mirror and telephone apparatus as claimed in Claim 11 and 12 said display panel comprises a liquid crystal display with a backlight.

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