GB2364859A - Desktop charger for mobile with camera and screen. - Google Patents

Abstract

The mobile phone charger, includes a screen and camera for video conferencing, either within the base or by a physical link or wireless link to a display peripheral. The camera and microphone may be aligned orthogonal to the screen. The physical link to the separate display may be via a port of the charger. A removable shutter may be included for protecting the screen. The detached module, with may be a computer may carry out data compression and decompression so that the signal can be transmitted by radio via the mobile network.

Description

2364859 Mobile telephone device for videoconferencing

The present invention relates to a mobile telephony device for videoconferencing. The field of the invention is that of mobile telephony. The

5 object of the invention is to provide videoconferencing from an ordinary mobile telephone. This therefore allows telephones to continue to be produced without any increase in cost, whilst providing a new feature.

In the state of the art, videoconferencing devices are known, which include 10 microcomputers connected to a microphone, to a camera and to a modem with sufficient throughput for providing videoconferencing. Data are transmitted through the modem, after having been acquired by the camera and the microphone. Data are restored via the screen and the loud-speaker. The device's infrastructure is therefore restricting and not very easy to move.

15 Further, if good quality is desired for each unit, i.e. the microphone, the camera, the loud-speakers and the screen should have an independent power supply as there is no unit which integrates all these functions. This increases wiring and the needs in wall power supply connections.

20 Further, it is estimated that in order to have sufficient quality during videoconferencing, a channel should have a throughput of 64 kilobits per second. That is to say that for videoconferencing with two partners, a bidirectional channel is required with a throughput of 128 kilobits, i.e. 64 kilobits per person. Presently, standard modems have a throughput of 56.6 kilobits.

25 These modems use the switched telephone network. Of course, other modems exist which operate on digital networks or use the ADSL standard, and have throughputs compatible with videoconferencing, but these are not accessible to everybody. Indeed, they have a cost whether for purchase or for use, which is not insignificant.

In videoconferencing, as applied presently, a small format image is thus obtained, this image only occupies a portion of the microcomputer's screen, and its refresh rate is low. This refresh rate is of the order of one image per second or even less. The obvious solution is to be equipped with a modem of 35 the ADSL type with a high throughput. Sufficient throughput is hence obtained so as to be able to establish videoconferencing in satisfactory conditions. However, this modem has a high cost and it is only a modem. That is to say that it is only a unit which establishes a relay between the microcomputer and the telephone network, without it being conceivable that it may be used for another purpose.

5 The invention solves these problems by using a mobile telephone as a data transmission unit between the telephone network and the device used for videoconferencing. The mobile telephone may also be used for acquiring and restoring sounds. For restoring and acquiring the image, there are two possibilities. A first possibility is to provide a mobile telephone desktop base 10 with a screen and a camera. A hertzian or physical link is then established between the mobile telephone and its desktop base. The mobile telephone then serves for relaying video information between the telephone network and the base's screen. The same applies between the base's camera and the telephone network. Thus the need for integrating a screen and a camera in the 15 mobile telephone is avoided, which would have the effect of increasing the cost for the telephone prohibitively. This application is possible because the new mobile telephone generation provides throughputs compatible with videoconferencing. If the connection between the mobile telephone and its base is not physical, the mobile telephone and the base must be provided with 20 a radio module so that they may communicate. Such modules exist, for example according to the DECT, standard or bluetooth system.

A second possibility is to connect the mobile telephone to a microcomputer provided with at least one camera. Like for the base, the link may then be 25 established either physically or radioelectrically. The advantage of this solution is that the microcomputer's screen is larger than the screen which may be placed on the base. In an alternative of the invention, the base and the microcomputer may be connected. The connection between the base and the microcomputer may also be physical or radioelectric.

In both these solutions, the image is therefore handled by a remote device relatively to the mobile telephone which itself handles sound and transmits image-related data to the remote device. The mobile telephone has therefore two roles, one of being a relay between the viewing and image acquisition 35 device and the telephone network, as well as the role of broadcasting and acquiring sounds. However, it is noted that this sound broadcasting and acquisition role may also itself be handled by a remote device, then only leaving to the telephone the role of relay between the videoconferencing device and the telephone network.

Accordingly, the object of the invention is a mobile telephony device including a 5 mobile telephony terminal, a desktop charger for a battery of the terminal characterized in that the desktop charger includes a screen for displaying data from the terminal.

The invention will be better understood upon reading the description which

10 follows and on examining the appended figures. The latter are shown for illustrative purposes and are non-limiting for the invention. The figures show:

The unique figure: an illustration of units according to the invention and of means which are applied.

The unique figure shows a mobile telephone 1 connected to a base station 2 of a mobile telephone network. Base station 2 is connected on the one hand through a link 3 to a terminal 4. The link 3 between station 2 and terminal 4 may be a hertzian link, a physical link or a combination of both. Terminal 4 includes 20 a microphone 5, a loud-speaker 6, a camera 7 and a screen 8. Terminal 4 is therefore able to acquire and restore images and sounds. Terminal 4 receives images and sounds, via link 3, which it broadcasts via screen 8 and loud speaker 6. Link 3 also is used by terminal 4 for transmitting images and sounds which it has acquired through camera 7 and microphone 5.

Telephone 1 includes an aerial 9. This aerial 9 is connected to a radio signal modulation and demodulation circuit 10. In our example, circuit 10 is a GSM circuit, but the circuit 10 could well apply any other mobile telephony standard like UMTS for example. Circuit 10 emits and receives radio electric signals via 30 aerial 9, and it receives and produces digital signals matching said radio electric signals. Moreover, circuit 10 is now connected to bus 11 for transmitting digital signals. Bus 11, as well as the other buses which are described in this description, include control, addressing, interrupt and data signals. Telephone 1 also includes a microprocessor 12 connected to bus 11 and which processes 35 digital signals from circuit 10. For processing these signals, microprocessor 12 is controlled by instruction codes contained in a program memory 13, also connected to bus 11. At least, two areas may be distinguished within memory 13. A first so-called GSM area 14 is used for ensuring normal activity of the mobile telephone. A second so-called VC or videoconferencing area 15 is used for ensuring implementation of videoconferencing. These areas contain instruction codes executed by microprocessor 12.

In its normal operating mode, microprocessor 12 is controlled by the instruction codes contained in area 13. When the user of telephone 1 wishes to have a videoconference, it is the instruction codes contained in memory area 15 which control the microprocessor 12. In videoconferencing, the microprocessor 12 10 extracts sound information out of information provided by circuit 10. This sound information is then directed towards a digital-to-analog converter 16 which is connected to bus 11. Moreover, this converter 16 is connected to a loudspeaker 17 which broadcasts sounds matching the analog signals produced by converter 16. Telephone 1 also includes a microphone 18 connected to an 15 analog-to-digital converter 19. Converter 19 is also connected to bus 11.

Hence, during the videoconference, sounds sensed by microphone 18 are processed by microprocessor 12 so that they may be modulated and transmitted via circuit 10 and aerial 9.

20 Video-related information is extracted from data provided by circuit 10 and processed by microprocessor 12 under the control of instruction codes contained in memory area 15. There are two possibilities for sending video information to a viewing device. A first possibility consists of using a physical interface 20. Physical interface 20 is a connector connected to bus 11.

25 Microprocessor 12 then sends backs video-related information to connector 20.

But video information may also be sent to radio circuit 21 connected to bus 11.

Moreover, circuit 21 is connected to an aerial 22. Circuit 21 modulates digital information which it receives from the bus 11 and transmits this modulated information to aerial 22 which broadcasts it. Telephone 1 is therefore capable of 30 establishing a link with a viewing peripheral either through connector 20 or through aerial 22.

As a first step, the video broadcasting peripheral is a desktop charger 23.

Charger 23 has a connector 24 which connector 20 plugs into, when telephone 35 1 is placed on charger 23. Connector 24 is connected to a bus 25. Charger 23 includes a screen 26 and a camera 27. The axis of camera 27 and the axis of microphone 18, when telephone 1 is placed on base 23, are orthogonal to the plane formed by screen 26. So, when the user of base 23 and of telephone I looks at the screen 26, he is in the field of camera 27 and his words are perfectly sensed by microphone 18. In an alternative of the invention, microphone 18 consists of several microphones distributed in the room so that

5 many persons may speak and be heard. In this case, the microphone network is connected to a multiplexor, itself connected to telephone 1 through wiring or hertzian means.

Screen 26 may be a CRT (cathode ray tube) or a liquid crystal screen or any 10 other type of screen. Screen 26 is connected to bus 25 via an interface 28. This interface 28 is the equivalent of a video card for microcomputers. Camera 27 may be a digital one, but if this is not the case, it is connected to bus 25 through a analog-to-digital converter 29. If the camera 27 is a digital one, it is directly connected to bus 25.

When telephone 1 is placed on the charger 23, microphone 18 is exposed to open air. That is to say, if the user is properly placed in the field of camera 27, there is a line which runs from the mouth of the user to the microphone 18 without encountering any obstacles which may attenuate the sound.

Charger 23 also includes a microprocessor 30, a program memory 31 and a connector 32. Components 30-32 are connected to bus 25. Microprocessor 30 is controlled by instruction codes recorded in memory 31. Microprocessor 30 receives information from telephone I either through connector 24 or through a 25 radio module 33. Module 33 is connected to bus 25 on the one hand and on the other hand to an aerial 34. A connection may thus be established between telephone 1 and charger 23 either by physical means through ports 20 and 24, or through radio means between aerials 22 and 34, this is connection 35.

30 When the user of telephone 1 and of charger 23, wishes to have a videoconference, he uses a keypad 36 of telephone 1, keypad 36 is connected to bus 11. Through keypad 36, the user enters the number of his callee as well as the fact that he wishes to establish a connection in videoconferencing mode.

Microprocessor 12 then establishes the connections with the callee and warns 35 the charger 23 that videoconferencing will be established. Connection to the callee is made via aerial 9, station 2 and connection 3. Connection with charger 23 is established for example via connection 35. Connection with the callee is established in a known way except that, in addition, a message is transmitted to the callee in order to tell him that there will be a videoconference. Microprocessor 12 composes a message which will be emitted via circuit 21, aerial 22 and connection 35 to charger 23. On receiving this message, 5 microprocessor 30, which recovers this message after demodulation by circuit 33 and availability of the message on bus 25, controls the starting up of screen 26 and of camera 27. Screen 26 includes a shutter 37 the opening of which is controlled by microprocessor 30. This shutter is in the closed position when there is no videoconferencing and in the open position when there is 10 videoconferencing. Microprocessor 30 therefore actuates camera 27 and screen 26 and waits for the link to be established with the callee.

In one alternative, the opening of shutter 37 may be controlled by a button. So pressing on this button has the effect of controlling the opening of shutter 37, 15 but also of initiating or answering a call. Camera 27 is itself also enabled by pressing on this button. This button is located either on desktop base 23 or on telephone 1.

When the link with the caliee is established, the charger 23 receives data 20 related to video information. The charger 23 also transmits, towards telephone 1, information related to video information. Data received by charger 23 will also be received through aerial 34. This information received radioelectrically, will be demodulated by circuit 33 then made available to microprocessor 30 on bus 25. Microprocessor 30 will then direct this received information to circuit 28 so that 25 this information will be displayed on screen 26.

Moreover, during the videoconference, camera 27 acquires images and makes them available to microprocessor 30 on bus 25. Acquired information is then submitted to circuit 33 which modulates it and emits it through aerial 33.

Video information received by aerial 22 is demodulated by circuit 21 and made available to microprocessor 12 on bus 11. Microprocessor 12 will then send this information to the callee via circuit 10 and aerial 9. If telephone 1 is placed on charger 23, exchanges of information are not made through connection 35 but 35 through the physical connection which is established between connector 20 and connector 24.

During the videoconference, sound acquisition and broadcasting is performed as with normal use of the telephone. That is to say that microphone 18 senses the voice of the user and produces an electric signal which is digitized by converter 19 into a digital signal. This digital signal is then available to 5 microprocessor 12 and the latter may transmit it, via circuit 10 and aerial 9, towards the callee using terminal 4. Also sounds received by telephone 1, via aerial 9 and circuit 10, are broadcasted by loud-speaker 17, after having been processed by microprocessor 12 and converter 16. Normal use of the telephone comprises a confidential mode wherein words spoken by a remote 10 speaker may only be heard by a person whose ear is close to the loud- speaker 17. However, normal use also includes the hands-free mode wherein sounds emitted by telephone 1 are amplified more strongly so that they may be heard at a certain distance, several meters, from the telephone 1.

15 The advantage of using telephone 1 placed on its charger for videoconferencing arises from the fact that the charger includes a cable 38 for connecting it to a wall power supply outlet 39. Thus, in spite of the large throughput of information and thus significant activity of the circuits included in telephone 1, the mobile telephone's autonomy in videoconferencing mode 20 becomes infinite.

Of course, during a videoconference, one of the callees may wish not to have his image transmitted. In this case, camera 27 for example, may be disabled manually. This disabling operation may for example be performed through 25 keypad 36. During the videoconference, the user may wish to re-enable camera 27 so as to transmit his image, this operation is also performed through the keypad 36. The user of telephone 1 may also wish to use his telephone, for example in the hands-free mode, by placing this telephone on charger 23 and without enabling the videoconferencing mode. For this, it is sufficient to place 30 telephone 1 on charger 23 and to initiate a call, without specifying that it is a call in videoconferencing mode. Enabling of the hands-free mode is performed through keypad 36. All these enabling operations are performed by browsing through menus which are displayed on a screen 40 of mobile telephone 1. The different selections proposed by these menus are browsed through by using 35 keys of keypad 36.

In an alternative of the invention, disabling or enabling of camera 27 is performed by means of a button of desktop base 23.

In another alternative of the invention, the screen of charger 23 may also be used for browsing through the menus related to telephone 40. This provides an 5 advantage as screen 26 has a larger surface area than screen 40. Browsing through the menus and notably through the configuration menus for the telephone, is therefore much easier.

In an alternative of the invention, charger 23 is connected through connector 32 10 to peripheral 41. In our example, peripheral 41 is a microcomputer.

Microcomputer 41 has a connector 42 to which connector 32 is connected. This is achieved through a cable 43. Microcomputer 41 includes a bus 44 onto which are connected connector 42, a microprocessor 45, a memory 46 and an input/output handling circuit 47. At least one screen 48 and one camera 49 are 15 connected onto the input/output management circuit. It is noted that camera 49 may be the camera 27 of charger 23. Otherwise video information is no longer taken into account by charger 23 but by microcomputer 41. This provides the advantage that screen 48 is larger than screen 26. For this application, microprocessor 45 is controlled by instruction codes recorded in memory 46.

20 From then on, images are acquired by camera 49 and transmitted through connector 42 to telephone 1. Telephone 1 has only just to relay them to the callee using device 4. Also, video information from the callee using device 4, is received by the mobile telephone 1 and transmitted to microcomputer 41 via charger 23. From then on, screen 26 and camera 27 are disabled. However, 25 charger 23 is kept as it is worthwhile to be able to place the mobile telephone on this charger so that the latter has infinite autonomy. An image acquired by camera 49 is therefore digitized by circuit 47 then sent by means of microprocessor 45 via connector 42. The image-encoding signal then arrives on connector 32 and is transmitted by microprocessor 30, either to connector 24 or 30 to circuit 33. The image-encoding signal then passes either from connector 24 to connector 20, or from aerial 34 to aerial 22. Connector 20, or circuit 21 then makes the image-encoding signal 42 available to microprocessor 12. Microprocessor 12 then transmits this signal to circuit 10 which modulates it and emits it via aerial 9. The image is then received via connection 3 through 35 device 4. Device 4 may then display it on screen 8. An image from camera 7 follows a reverse path in order to reach screen 48 and be displayed thereon. It is also possible with microcomputer 41, to only use telephone 1 as a relay between device 4 and charger 23. Actually, a loudspeaker 50 and a microphone 51 are connected onto circuit 47. From then on, the microcomputer is able to handle sound. This provides the advantage of being able to broadcast sound with more power and of being able to use a microphone which is more 5 ornnidirectional than telephone 1. Sound-related information follows the same route as image-related information.

In an alternative of the invention, microcomputer 41 includes a radio circuit connected to bus 44 on the one hand, to an aerial 54 on the other hand. From 10 then on, a connection may be made between charger 23 and microprocessor 51 via a connection 55 between aerial 54 and aerial 34. One port of computer 41 may thus be saved.

However, a connection between the computer and telephone I may directly be 15 made without charger 23, Actually, a connection 56 may be established between aerial 54 and aerial 22. By using connection 56, data transfer between telephone 1 and microcomputer 41 may be accelerated.

In an application, it is conceivable that circuits 21and 52 are of the bluetooth 20 type. Computer 41 is passive, except with respect to circuit 52 which awaits prompting from any peripheral. When telephone 1 emits or receives a call related to videoconferencing, telephone 1 sends a wake-up message via circuit 21 and therefore aerial 22. Circuit 52 will sense this message via aerial 54 and will enable computer 41. Thus, when it receives video or audio information, 25 computer 41 will be able to process them as it has been awakened. In this case, telephone 1 may be placed on charger 23. This provides increases of its autonomy. The user has the choice of either using the microphone 51 and the loud-speaker 50, or the microphone 18 and the loud- speaker 17. He may also make a mixed selection, for example use the microphone 18 which is more 30 directional, therefore less noisy, and loud-speaker 50 which is more powerful. Of course, as always in this case, telephone 1 is not necessarily on base 23.

For the physical connection modes, series, parallel or USB connections may be used, only to mention the most well-known.

In an alternative of the invention, calculations related to compression and decompression are performed either by base 23, or by microcomputer 41. This allows the computing load of microprocessor 12 to be mitigated. Thus, the cost of telephone 1 is reduced, as a less powerful microprocessor may be used, and the autonomy of the same telephone is increased as it performs less calculations, Telephone 1 no longer serves as a relay for data. It is 5 commonplace that both audio and video data are compressed, this provides larger throughputs. However, cost is significant in terms of computing time. Relocation of these calculations to telephone 1 is therefore an advantageous solution in order to maintain a reasonable price for telephone 1.

10 In an alternative of the invention, the videoconferencing interface is implemented in base 23, by using for example a screen 26 which is a touch screen. This allows the balance of telephone 1 set on base 23 not to be impaired by pressing actions on the keys of keypad 36. Furthermore, space is also saved in memory 13 which no longer includes instruction codes required 15 for handling the videoconferencing interface.

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Claims (16)

1 A mobile telephony device including a mobile telephony terminal (1), a desktop charger (23) for a battery of the terminal characterized in that 5 the desktop charger includes a screen (26) for displaying data from the terminal, and a camera.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the axis of the camera is orthogonal to the plane materialized by the screen.

3. A device according to any of claims I or 2, characterized in that the terminal and the charger include means (20, 24, 22,34) for establishing a link between the terminal and the charger providing data transmission.

15

4. A device according to claim 3, characterized in that said means for establishing the link between the terminal and the charger include a physical connection (20, 24) between the terminal and the charger via a connector of the terminal, when the terminal is place on the charger.

20

5. A device according to any of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that said means for establishing the link between the terminal and the charger include a radio module (21) for establishing a radio link between the terminal and the charger.

25

6. A device according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that when the terminal is placed on the charger, the axis -of a microphone of the terminal is orthogonal to the plane materialized by the screen.

7. A device according to any of claims I to 6, characterized in that the 30 terminal and the charger include means for enabling the screen on occurrence of an event related to an activation of the terminal.

8. A device according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the charger includes means (34, 33, 30) for achieving a link with a viewing 35 peripheral.

9. A device according to claim 8, characterized in that said means for establishing the link between the viewing peripheral and the charger include a physical connection between the viewing peripheral and the charger via a port of the charger.

10. A device according to any of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that said means for establishing the link between the viewing peripheral and the charger include a radio module (33) for establishing a radio link between the terminal and the charger.

11. A device according to any of claims I to 7, charactedzed in that a viewing peripheral other than the charger includes means for establishing a radio connection with the terminal.

12. A device according to any of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the 15 viewing peripheral includes a camera.

13. A device according to any of claims I to 12, characterized in that the charger includes a removable shutter (37), depending on the terminal's activity, for protecting the screen.

14. A device according to any of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the viewing peripheral includes means for performing data compression and decompression.

15. A device according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the base includes means for performing data compression and decompression.

16. A device substantially as h ereinbefore described with reference to figure 1 of the drawings.