Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
  • H04M1/72—Mobile telephones; Cordless telephones, i.e. devices for establishing wireless links to base stations without route selection
  • H04M1/725—Cordless telephones
  • H04M1/737—Characterised by transmission of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. infrared waves
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04B—TRANSMISSION
  • H04B1/00—Details of transmission systems, not covered by a single one of groups H04B3/00 - H04B13/00; Details of transmission systems not characterised by the medium used for transmission
  • H04B1/38—Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
  • H04B1/40—Circuits
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
  • H04M1/60—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers including speech amplifiers
  • H04M1/6033—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers including speech amplifiers for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
  • H04M1/60—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers including speech amplifiers
  • H04M1/6033—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers including speech amplifiers for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets
  • H04M1/6041—Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
  • H04M1/6058—Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
  • H04M1/6066—Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone including a wireless connection
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
  • H04M1/72—Mobile telephones; Cordless telephones, i.e. devices for establishing wireless links to base stations without route selection
  • H04M1/725—Cordless telephones

Definitions

• the present invention relates to wireless communication, and in particular to the transmission and reception of sound in wireless terminals.
• PCMCIA Personal Computer Memory Card International Association
• a PCMCIA card is approximately 55 mm wide and 85 mm long, and may be either 3.3 mm. 5 mm or 10.5 mm thick.
• the pin socket is standardized and includes 68 pins.
• the PCMCIA card can be used, among other things, for wireless communication. Applications have been developed providing all functions required for wireless communication.
• the wireless communication card based on the PCMCIA card is normally inserted into some kind of portable terminal, such as a laptop PC, and can then function as a mobile telephone, a wireless modem and a fax. It may also be combined, for example, with a unit providing a keypad and a hands-free set to function as a mobile telephone.
• Different types of audio equipment may be connected to the wireless communication card, and to the device in which it is inserted.
• an audio path selecting means for wireless communication adapted to function with a portable terminal to which more than one audio device may be connected.
• said audio path selection means being adapted to
• the audio device to be used is determined according to a priority list preferably found in the audio path selecting means.
• the audio path selecting means may also be adapted to act on manual instructions that override the priority list.
• a communication card such as a PCMCIA card, for wireless communication adapted to function with a portable terminal comprises an audio path selecting means is also disclosed
• the portable terminal may also comprise an audio path selection means as describes above.
• the audio devices may include one or more hands-free set connected either to the portable terminal or to the communication card by a wired or a wireless connection, a loudspeaker and/or a microphone found in the portable device and an external loudspeaker and/or microphone connected to the portable device or the communication card.
• the invention offers the following advantages: It enables the automatic switching to the best available audio device at any time, while still giving the user the opportunity to determine manually what audio device should be used.
• Figure 1 shows a personal computer (PC) with a PCMCIA card according to the invention inserted.
• Figure 2 is a block diagram of the PC and the PCMCIA card shown in Figure 1.
• Figure 3 is a block diagram of a PC comprising the audio path selecting means.
• Figure 4 is a block diagram of an audio device connected by an infrared (IR) con- nection.
• IR infrared
• FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an audio device connected by a radio frequency (RF) connection.
• RF radio frequency
• Figure 6 is a block diagram of an audio device connected by a wired connection.
• Figure 7 is a flow chart of the actions taken when selecting an audio device.
• FIG. 1 shows a portable PC 1 including a built-in loudspeaker 3 and microphone 5.
• a PCMCIA card 7 is inserted in an appropriate slot 9 in the PC 1.
• two portable hands-free sets 11, 13 are connected: one 11 by a wired connection and the other 13 by a wireless connection, which may be infrared or radio frequency.
• Audio equipment for example an external loudspeaker and an external microphone, or a portable hands-free, may also be connected to the PC or to the PCMCIA card. This is not shown in Ficure 1. Since several types of audio equipment may be connected at the same time, there must be a way of determining to what audio equipment the sound should be routed.
• FIG. 2 shows an apparatus according to the invention for determining the audio equipment that should be used for transmitting and receiving sound.
• a PC 21 having built-in loudspeaker 23 and microphone 25.
• An external loudspeaker 27 and an external microphone 29 are also connected in this example.
• other types of audio devices may be connected as well.
• the loudspeakers 23, 27 and microphones 25, 29 are connected to a sound card 31 in the PC in a way well known in the art.
• the PC also comprises an input/output unit 33, a memory unit 35 and a central processing unit (CPU) 37.
• the CPU 37 is connected to a PC card controller 39 for receiving a PCMCIA card 41.
• the connections between the units are dependent on the type of PC.
• the sound card 31, the I/O unit 33, the memory unit 35 and the CPU 37 are all connected to the same bus.
• the PCMCIA card 41 is inserted in the appropriate slot in the PC 21 and the connection is established in a standardized way through the PC card controller 39 in the PC 21 and a PC card interface 43 in the PCMCIA card.
• the PC card interface 43 is connected to a microprocessor 45 the function of which will be discussed in more detail below.
• At least one control unit 47 handles memory control, input/output and power control functions.
• a radio unit 49 and an antenna 51 in the PCMCIA card are used for the wireless communication with, for example, a cellular network (not shown).
• An audio block 53 is used, among other things, for registering audio equipment that is connected to the PCMCIA card.
• the radio unit 49, the control unit 47, the audio block 53 and the microprocessor 45 are connected by a common bus.
• the audio block 53 receives connections from audio equipment such as portable hands-free equipment (not shown).
• the audio block 53, and the sound card 31. register what audio equipment is connected to the PCMCIA card 41 and the PC 21, respectively and reports this to the microprocessor 45 in the PC card 41. Between the audio block 53 and the microprocessor 45 there may be one connection for each audio device connector or only one connection through which information is transmitted serially.
• An audio path selection unit 55 in the microprocessor 45 determines, on the basis of an algorithm described below, what sound equipment should be used.
• the audio path selection unit 55 com- prises a priority list specifying the priority order of the possible types of audio devices.
• the audio path selection unit 55 preferably also comprises functions for receiving manual instructions to override the order of the priority list.
• the functions of the audio path selection unit as described above may as well be implemented in the portable device itself. It is not dependent on the PCMCIA card or any other type of wireless communication card being inserted if the portable device itself contains such functions.
• Figure 3 shows a solution according to the invention implemented in a portable terminal that itself comprises functions for wireless communication, for example with a cellular network.
• the PC 61 having built-in loudspeaker 63 and microphone 65.
• the loudspeakers 63. 67 and microphones 65. 69 are connected to a sound card 71 in the PC in a way well known in the art.
• the PC also comprises an input/output unit 73, a memory unit 75 and a central processing unit (CPU) 77.
• the sound card 71, the I/O unit 73, the memory unit 75 and the CPU 77 are all connected to the same bus. which is also connected to a microprocessor 79 handling the audio functions.
• the actual connections between the units depend on the PC architecture.
• the portable device 61 also comprises an antenna 81 and a radio receiving/transmitting unit 83 for communication with a wireless network (not shown).
• At least one control unit 85 handles memory control, input/output and power control functions.
• control unit 85 may instead be integrated with other units in the PC performing similar functions.
• the mi- croprocessor 79 may, for example, be integrated with the CPU 77 and the audio block 87 may, for example, be integrated with the sound card 71.
• FIG 4 shows a possible connection of a wireless audio device 101 connected through an infrared (IR) interface 103.
• the wireless audio device comprises an ear- phone 105 (or another loudspeaking device) and a microphone 107.
• the functions of the IR modulator/demodulator and the IR diodes are well known in the art.
• the wireless audio device 101 is connected to an input part 113 of, for example, a PCMCIA card or to a PC (not shown in full). This input part 113 com- prises IR diodes 115 and an IR modulator/demodulator 117, the functions of which are well known in the art.
• the IR modulator/demodulator 117 also comprises functions for registering if a device 101 is connected through the IR interface 103 and reporting this to an audio path selecting means 53, 79 as shown in Figures 2 and 3, respectively. This may be reported, for example, as a logical signal, which may be asserted when a device is connected and deasserted when no device is connected.
• FIG. 5 shows a possible connection of a wireless audio device 121 connected through a radio frequency (RF) interface 123.
• the wireless audio device comprises an earphone 125 (or another loudspeaking device) and a microphone 127, an RF modulator/demodulator 129 and an RF antenna 131.
• the functions of the RF modulator/demodulator and the RF antenna are well known in the art.
• the wireless audio device 121 is connected to an input part 133 of, for example, a PCMCIA card or to a PC (not shown in full).
• This input part 133 comprises an RF antenna 135 and an RF modulator/demodulator 137, the functions of which are well known in the art.
• Figures 6A and 6B illustrate a simple solution for registering if a device is connected by a wired connection.
• Figure 6A shows the situation in which the device is not connected
• Figure 6B shows the situation in which the device is plugged in.
• a device (not shown), which may be an external loudspeaker and/or a microphone, or a hands-free set, is connected to an inlet part 141 of a portable device, such as a o
• Figure 7 is a flow chart of the actions taken in the audio path selecting means to determine which audio device should be used at any given time.
• the audio path se- lecting means receives information from each inlet terminal to which an audio device may be connected about whether or not an audio device is actually connected. This information may be transferred at regular intervals or whenever the situation changes, that is, when a device is connected or disconnected. In the flow chart it has been assume that three different audio devices may be connected. Of course, an arbitrary number of audio devices may be connected. The flow chart would comprise one decision box for each possible audio device.
• Step S I Has a manual command been issued? If yes, go to step S2; if no, go to step S3.
• Step S2 Connect the audio device manually selected. End of selection procedure.
• Step S3 Is the first audio device on the priority list connected? If yes, go to step
• Step S4 Connect the first priority audio device. End of selection procedure.
• Step S5 Is the second audio device on the priority list connected? If yes, go to step S6; if no, go to step S7.
• Step S6 Connect the second priority audio device. End of selection procedure.
• Step S7 Is the third audio device on the priority list connected? If yes, go to step
• Step S8 if no, go to step S9.
• Step S8 Connect the third priority audio device. End of selection procedure.
• Step S9 Disable the use of audio signals. End of selection procedure.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Electromagnetism (AREA)
• Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)
• Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)
• Circuit For Audible Band Transducer (AREA)
• Telephone Function (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20410413

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (13)

Families Citing this family (29)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 1998
  • 1998-03-05 SE SE9800697A patent/SE9800697L/sv not_active Application Discontinuation
• 1999
  • 1999-02-25 EE EEP200000544A patent/EE200000544A/xx unknown
  • 1999-02-25 CN CN998037095A patent/CN1292967A/zh active Pending
  • 1999-02-25 AU AU27540/99A patent/AU756389B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1999-02-25 IL IL13822599A patent/IL138225A/xx not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1999-02-25 BR BR9908515-1A patent/BR9908515A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1999-02-25 EP EP99908022A patent/EP1060605A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1999-02-25 CA CA002322258A patent/CA2322258A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-02-25 ID IDW20001700A patent/ID26357A/id unknown
  • 1999-02-25 KR KR1020007009779A patent/KR20010041588A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1999-02-25 JP JP2000535127A patent/JP2002506325A/ja not_active Withdrawn
  • 1999-02-25 WO PCT/SE1999/000268 patent/WO1999045685A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
• 2000
  • 2000-09-05 NO NO20004430A patent/NO20004430L/no not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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