GB2252858A

GB2252858A - Telephone ringer or alarm simulator

Info

Publication number: GB2252858A
Application number: GB9024165A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leonard George Maxwell; Stephen Charles Roe; Paul Alfred Francis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-11-07
Filing date: 1990-11-07
Publication date: 1992-08-19
Anticipated expiration: 2010-11-07
Also published as: GB9024165D0; GB2252858B

Abstract

A sound simulation device 10 comprises a switch 12 which is arranged to activate electronic circuitry and send a signal to a speaker to mimic the sound of a telephone ringing. The switch may be a push switch 12 or a reed switch (Fig. 2) which is operated by inverting the device 10. There may be a time delay between operation of the switch and the ringing sound. The device may comprise a polygonal, rectangular, cubic or prism shaped casing bearing advertising. <IMAGE>

Description

A SOUND SIMULATION DEVICE The invention relates to a sound simulation device for example for mimicking the sound of a telephone ringing.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a device comprising a switch which is arranged to directly activate electronic circuitry such that when the switch is operated the electronic circuitry sends a signal to a speaker to mimic the sound of a telephone ringing.

One situation in which the device can be useful is when you wish to terminate a telephone conversation without offending the person to whom you are speaking. The switch of the device can be operated so that the device mimics the sound of a telephone ringing and the other person may terminate the telephone conversation to allow you to answer the other telephone that they can hear.

The switch may be any suitable type of switch and may be a push switch. The switch may be arranged to be operated by inverting the device and in a preferred embodiment, the switch is a reed switch.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a device comprising a switch arranged to be operated by inverting the device and means arranged to mimic the sound of an alarm when the switch is operated by a user.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a device comprising a reed switch and means arranged to mimic the sound of an alarm when the switch is operated by a user.

The alarm is preferably a ringing telephone.

Preferably the means is constituted by electronic circuitry and a speaker.

The device may conveniently include means for providing a time delay between operation of the switch and when the device produces the sound mimicking a telephone ringing.

The means providing a time delay may conveniently be part of the electronic circuitry where provided.

The device preferably includes a casing which may include a flat portion to receive printing. The casing may carry advertising matter which may be on the flat portion where provided. The casing may be any suitable shape and may be polygonal. In one preferred embodiment, the casing is in the shape of a prism. In another preferred embodiment, the casing is rectangular, and in particular may be a cube.

Two embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the first embodiment; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the second embodiment; and Fig. 3 is a circuit diagram for the second embodiment.

Fig. 1 shows a device 10 which has a prism shaped casing 11. A push switch 12 is located on one long face of the casing 11. A speaker (not shown) is located behind the grille 13 located on an end face 14 of the casing 11.

In operation, when the push switch 12 is operated by being pushed down, electronic circuitry within the casing 11 of the device 10 is activated and sends a signal to the speaker which produces a sound mimicking the sound of telephone ringing.

The casing 11 may bear any suitable decoration or information and in this case has a calendar printed thereon.

In the embodiment of Fig. 2, the device 20 includes a casing 21 in the form of a cube. The device 20 is shown upside down and the casing 21 includes a circular aperture 22 in its lower surface 23. A speaker (not shown) is positioned behind the aperture 22 and is connected to electronic circuitry corresponding to the diagram shown in Fig. 3 which includes a reed switch.

In use, the device 20 is inverted to expose the speaker aperture 22. The magnet of the reed switch then falls towards the two metal leaves under gravity and attracts the metal leaves of the reed switch into contact to complete the electronic circuit. The circuit operates such that following a short delay period from contact of the leaves of the reed switch, a signal reaches the speaker causing it emit a sound like a telephone ringing.

The device 20 is turned the correct way up to stop the sound.

The surfaces of the cube may bear any desired information or decoration, and in this case bear advertising material which has been printed onto the surfaces.

The device 20 of the second embodiment is arranged to make an electronic alarm noise such as that produced by modern telephones, for example, a British Telecom Viscount. However, the device may be arranged to mimic other types of electronic telephones such as trim phones and the invention in a broader sense also embraces other sounds associated with a telephone ringing, such as the mechanical ringing of a bell which was usual with older telephones.

Claims

1. A device comprising a switch which is arranged to directly activate electronic circuitry such that when the switch is operated the electronic circuitry sends a signal to a speaker to mimic the sound of a telephone ringing.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch is a push switch.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch is arranged to be operated by inverting the device.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the switch is a reed switch.

5. A device comprising a switch arranged to be operated by inverting the device and means arranged to mimic the sound of an alarm when the switch is operated by a user.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the switch is a reed switch.

7. A device comprising a reed switch and means arranged to mimic the sound of an alarm when the switch is operated by a user.

8. A device as claimed in claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the alarm is a ringing telephone.

9. A device as claimed in any of claims 5 to 8, wherein the means is constituted by electronic circuitry and a speaker.

10. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, claim 8 or claim 9 when dependent on claim 8, wherein the device includes means for providing a time delay between operation of the switch and when the device produces the sound mimicking a telephone ringing.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10 when dependent in any of claims 1 to 5 or 9, wherein the means providing a time delay is part of the electronic circuitry.

12. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the device includes a casing.

13. A device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the casing includes a flat portion to receive printing.

14. A device as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the casing carries advertising matter.

15. A device as claimed in any of claims 12, 13 and 14, wherein the casing is polygonal.

16. A device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the casing is in the shape of a prism.

17. A device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the casing is rectangular.

18. A device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the casing is a cube.

19. A device substantially as described herein with reference to Fig. 1 or Figs. 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.