FR2738096A1 - Hands-free communication apparatus for operating cellular portable telephone in vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The hands-free communication apparatus consists of a power unit with integral audio amplifier and speaker, and a separate microphone and portable telephone connected to the unit. The power unit has an operation circuit including charging circuitry. One end of the unit is provided with a power plug which can be removably engaged with a vehicle cigarette lighter socket. The power plug and the power unit are connected by a flexible coupler which can be adjustably positioned during use. Pref. the coupler includes a pivoting device with a U-shaped section connected to the plug. A pin member is inserted into a pair of holes in the U-shaped section to join the section to a rod protruding from the power unit.

Description

HANDS-FREE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

FOR A CELLULAR TELEPHONE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

  The present invention relates to an improved communication system adapted for a cellular telephone, and in particular, a system comprising an embodiment equipped with a loudspeaker and an operating circuit, the embodiment being engaged in an adjustable manner in the socket. from a vehicle's cigarette lighter, directly and securely held in place, and also being integrally coupled to a cellular telephone and a microphone, so that a driver can operate

  his cell phone, hands free.

  Referring to FIG. 1, the usual and conventional hands-free communication system for a cellular telephone is provided with a support 11 comprising two external cords 121, 131, the cord 121 is connected to a loudspeaker 12, which is also coupled to a microphone 14, by means of a cord 141; the cord 131 is connected to a plug 13 which is inserted into a cigarette lighter socket of a vehicle, in order to allow the electrical energy of a vehicle to be transmitted to the telephone support 11, and furthermore to the telephone cell by the plug 13. The support 11 must be fixed to the interior 2 of a vehicle by screws 111. This prior art has the following drawbacks: 1. The support 11 is of a relatively bulky size, and it does not is not easy to find a suitable location to fix it inside

of a compact vehicle.

  2. The speaker 12 is separated from the support 11, and it is further connected to the support 11 by a cord, further reducing the additional space available. 3. The cords are relatively so numerous and of such length that they hinder the conductor to move freely inside a

vehicle.

  4. The support 11 is securely attached to a vehicle, making it difficult to dismantle when the vehicle is sold or alienated. So the beach

  practical application of such a support is limited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

  The main object of the present invention is to provide an improved hands-free communication system for a cellular telephone, which is provided with an embodiment comprising a loudspeaker and an operating circuit housed therein, and further comprising a plug means at one end, such that the embodiment can be directly engaged in an electric cigarette lighter socket of a vehicle, and either

  securely fixed in place accordingly.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hands-free communication system for a cellular telephone, comprising an embodiment which is directly engaged in an electric cigarette lighter socket by means of a coupler which is turned by

adjustable way.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hands-free communication system for a cell phone, comprising an embodiment which is directly engaged in a cigarette lighter socket by means of a coupler which is randomly curved

for adjustment.

  To this end, the present invention provides an improved hands-free communication system for a cellular telephone comprising an embodiment and a microphone connected to said embodiment, and a cellular telephone coupled to said embodiment; said embodiment comprising an operating circuit containing a charging circuit and an acoustic frequency amplifier circuit assembly, and a speaker, housed therein; one end of said embodiment being provided with a power plug which can be removably engaged in a cigarette lighter socket of a vehicle; said power plug and said embodiment being connected to each other by means of a flexible coupler, so that said embodiment can be brought into position in an adjustable manner when it is advantageously used, said coupler comprises a pivoting means having a part in U-shape connected to said plug by a pair of holes arranged thereon and a projecting rod extending from said embodiment, which are connected together by a rod element passing through said holes in said shaped part

  of U so that said embodiment can be pivotally adjusted.

  More preferably, said microphone is a wireless microphone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

  Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a hands-free communication system of the prior art for a cell phone adapted to be used on a vehicle; Figs. 2, 2A are diagrams representing the mounting of this prior art on a vehicle; Fig. 3 is a perspective diagram showing the hands-free communication system of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the practical mounting of the present invention on a vehicle; Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention; Figs. 6, 6A are diagrams showing a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the separate components of the second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the installation of the second embodiment of the present invention on a vehicle; Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of a transmitter of the second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of a receiver of the second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the recharging circuit of the present invention;

  DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

  Referring to FIG. 3, the hands-free communication system for a cellular telephone of the present invention consists of an embodiment 31 and a microphone 35 in connection with the embodiment 31, and of a telephone connection connector 34 coupled to a cellular telephone T. The embodiment 31 is equipped with an operating circuit (not shown) mainly comprising an acoustic frequency amplifier circuit, a loudspeaker, and a recharging circuit, and it is connected to a cellular telephone T by means of a external cord 36 comprising the telephone connection connector 34 placed at the other end thereof. A microphone 35 is furthermore coupled to embodiment 31 by means of a cord 352. At one end of the embodiment, a power plug 33 is connected by means of a coupler 32, which is curved

  flexible and held securely in position.

  The microphone 35 comprising a pinching means 351 placed at one end thereof, is connected to the embodiment 31 by means of a cord 352, which is provided with plug means 353. The plug means 353 comprises a plug pin 353a, which can engage in a plug hole (not shown) located in embodiment 31, so as to connect the

  microphone 35 to the operating circuit located in embodiment 31.

  The telephone connection connector 34 has a connection element 341 at one end, for connection to a cellular telephone T, and the other end is connected to a cord 36, which is

coupled with realization 31.

  As shown in FIG. 4, to perform the installation of the present invention on a vehicle so as to allow a person to operate a cell phone, hands free, the power plug 33 of embodiment 31 is first engaged in the outlet vehicle cigarette lighter to obtain electrical energy. The clamping means 351 of the microphone 35 allow a driver to fix the microphone 35 in a position adjacent to his mouth, such as on the dashboard or the sunshade of a vehicle, so as to effectively transmit the voice of the operator. Then, the cord 36 connected to the embodiment 31 at one end, is coupled to a cellular telephone T by the connection element 341 of the telephone connection connector 34. The assembly of the present invention is thus completed. Since the currently manufactured T cell phones are compact in size, and can be easily placed on any flat surface 22 of a vehicle dashboard, or in any other suitable location as preferred as not occupying too much space. space, as shown in FIG. 8. When a call arrives, a driver using the present invention can hear the voice of the

  person calling at the other end of the line using a loudspeaker

  speaker housed in embodiment 31, and the driver's voice can be transmitted through the microphone 35 at the other end of the phone, so that the driver can drive the vehicle without holding the cell phone in his hand, thereby improving safety of the

driving on the road.

  In addition, the embodiment 31 is engaged in the cigarette lighter socket 21 of a vehicle, and it is firmly supported in place by the power socket 33. Due to the fact that the space existing between the socket d 'cigarette lighter and the gear lever varies from one vehicle to another, the mounting of embodiment 31 may interfere with the speed change operation of a vehicle if it is not suitably adjustable. A flexible coupler 32 is therefore placed between the embodiment 31 and the power outlet 33, allowing the embodiment 31 to be bent randomly, and. securely held in place after proper adjustment,

as shown in Fig. 5.

  In another example of application as shown in FIG. 6, the flexible coupler 32 is replaced by a pivoting coupler by placing a U-shaped part 331 at the end of the power plug 33, which can be engaged with a protruding rod 311 extending from the embodiment 31 , by means of a rod 312, as shown in FIG. 6A, in order to allow the embodiment 31 to be pivotally moved relative to the plug 33. Thus, the embodiment 31 can be pivotally adjusted in a preferred position in order to prevent the embodiment 31 from

  interfere with the shifting operation while driving.

  Referring to FIG. 7, in another example of the present invention, the microphone 35 can be replaced by a wireless microphone 37 comprising a clamp 371. Such a wireless microphone 37 can avoid a person having to worry about connecting the microphone 37 to the embodiment 31 by cable. The microphone 37 can be fixed in any location preferred by a driver, in a location identical to the location

  microphone 35 as shown in FIG. 8.

  The operating circuit of the present invention is not shown in

  the description because it is not the main object of this

  invention, and only the block diagrams of the second application example are provided. The operating circuit housed in embodiment 31 comprises a transmitter, a receiver (containing a speaker) and a recharging circuit. The wireless microphone 37 is induced by an induction circuit so as to pick up the signals produced by the cellular telephone itself when a call arrives, and the transmission circuit of the wireless microphone can be actuated manually or automatically. When the conversation is carried out in the cellular telephone, the voice of a speaker is transmitted via the microphone, and it is treated via a low frequency amplification, and modulation in FM of the oscillation of an oscillator, then via frequency tripling conversion, and power amplification, and impedance matching, etc., and the transformed signals obtained from the voice of the speaker are transmitted by means of an antenna, transmitting the voice signals. The receiver circuit, housed in embodiment 31, receives the signals of the frequencies transmitted by an antenna, and the frequency signals are amplified at high frequency, amplified at intermediate frequency (mixed frequency), modulated and amplified at acoustic frequency and delivered at output. in acoustic frequency; and the acoustic frequency generated by the cell phone receiver T is amplified and broadcast by

  through the speaker, as shown in Fig. 10.

  Referring to FIG. 11, the recharging circuit of the present invention is electrically connected to the cigar-lighter socket 21 by means of the plug 33, so as to obtain electrical energy from the battery of a vehicle, and the battery from the cellular telephone. T can be recharged at the same time. The value of the charging current to the cellular telephone can be controlled by a voltage detector circuit by monitoring the voltage variation thereof so as to allow the cellular telephone and the communication system of the present invention to be

suitably fed.

Claims (3)

  1. An improved hands-free communication system for a cellular telephone comprising an embodiment and a microphone connected to said embodiment, and a cellular telephone coupled to said embodiment; said embodiment comprising an operating circuit containing a charging circuit and an acoustic frequency amplifier circuit assembly, and a speaker, housed therein; one end of said embodiment being provided with a power plug which can be removably engaged in a cigarette lighter socket of a vehicle; said power plug and said embodiment being connected together by means of a flexible coupler, so that said embodiment can be brought into position in an adjustable manner when it is used.   2-_ An improved hands-free communication system for a cellular telephone, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coupler includes pivot means having a U-shaped portion connected to said plug by a pair of holes disposed on the latter and a protruding rod extending from said embodiment, which are connected together by a rod member passing through said holes in said U-shaped portion so that said embodiment can be pivotally adjusted.   3. An improved hands-free communication system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said microphone is a wireless microphone.