GB2365656A

GB2365656A - Amplifier for a loudspeaking mobile telephone

Info

Publication number: GB2365656A
Application number: GB0118200A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kai Man Li
Original assignee: CANHOLD INTERNAT Ltd; Canhold International Ltd
Current assignee: CANHOLD INTERNAT Ltd; Canhold International Ltd
Priority date: 2000-08-01
Filing date: 2001-07-26
Publication date: 2002-02-20
Anticipated expiration: 2021-07-26
Also published as: HK1030725A2; GB2368745A; GB0027042D0; ITTO20000768A1; ITTO20000768A0; IT1320576B1; GB0118200D0; DE10137547A1; GB2365656B

Abstract

The amplifier device comprises a unit 4 into which is received a hands-free earphone 2. The body of the unit includes a seat or recess (3, fig 2) for the earpiece. A microphone (5, fig 2) lies at the base of the recess. Sounds emitted by the earphone are picked up by the microphone, amplified (8, fig 2) and passed to the loudspeaker 7. The invention provides an alternative loudspeaking arrangement for an in-car telephone.

Description

2365656 1 AUDIO AMPLIFICATION DEVICE FOR A CELLULAR TELEPHONE The present

invention relates to an audio amplification device for a cellular telephone.

Portable handfree devices, enabling cellular telephones to be used without the user actually holding the telephone itself, are widely used and comprise an interface device connected to the cellular telephone by the expansion connector; an earpiece connected to the interface device and inserted inside the user's ear to enable the user to hear the telephone communication; and a microphone connected to the interface device and worn by the user to pick up the user's voice.

Though extremely useful (especially when driving a vehicle) by enabling handfree use of cellular telephones, portable handfree devices of the above type have several drawbacks: discomfort caused by the earpiece inserted inside the user's ear (especially in the case of prolonged calls); poor reproduction volume of the earpiece in noisy environments, such as the passenger compartment of a fast-moving vehicle and/or in traffic; and the impossibility of more than one user 2 taking part in the call.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an audio amplification device for a cellular telephone, designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks and which, in particular, is cheap and easy to produce.

According to the present invention, there is provided an audio amplification device for a cellular telephone, as claimed in Claim 1.

A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a view in perspective of an audio amplification device for a cellular telephone, in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a larger-scale view in perspective of a detail of the Figure 1 amplification device; Figure 3 shows a schematic section of the Figure 1 amplification device; Figure 4 shows, schematically, the steps in connecting an earpiece to the Figure 1 amplification device.

Number 1 in Figure 1 indicates as a whole an amplification device for a known cellular telephone (not shown) having an earpiece 2 insertable inside the user's ear to enable the user to hear a telephone communication.

Amplification device 1 comprises a seat 3 - for 3 receiving earpiece 2 and defined in a casing 4; a microphone 5 housed inside seat 3 to receive the sounds emitted by the earpiece; and an audio reproduction device 6, which is connected to microphone 5 to reproduce, amplified, the sounds emitted by earpiece 2, and is housed in both casing 4 and a further casing 7 physically separate from casing 4.

More specifically, audio reproduction device 6 comprises an amplifier 8 housed in casing 4, and a loudspeaker 9 housed in casing 7; and loudspeaker 9 and amplifier 8 are connected over an electrical cable 10 having respective terminal plugs 11 inserted in use inside respective seats 12 formed in casings 4 and 7.

In a further embodiment not shown, amplification device 1 comprises a cordless - in particular, an infrared or radio- frequency - communication device housed in casings 4 and 7 to connect loudspeaker 9 and amplifier 8.

In a further embodiment not shown, amplification device 1 comprises a single casing housing both seat 3 and reproduction device 6.

Earpiece 2 is a known type, is button-shaped, and has a rigid appendix 13 supporting an electrical connecting cable 14; and, to house earpiece 2 firmly, seat 3 is substantially a negative of the outer shape of earpiece 2 and, in particular, is substantially hemispherical.

To retain earpiece 2 inside seat 3, casing 4 4 comprises a cover 15 movable between an open position (Figures 2, 4a, 4b) enabling free access to seat 3, and a closed position (Figures 1, 4c) at least partly covering seat 3. 5 Cover 15 has a fastening device 16 for securing cover 15 in the closed position, and which comprises two deformable elements 17 for engaging respective seats 18 formed in casing 4. In the closed position, cover 15 provides for clamping and retaining earpiece 2 inside seat 3 by pressing earpiece 2 with a given force against seat 3.

To close cover 15 easily with earpiece 2 inside seat 3, cover 15 comprises a central opening 19 for preventing interference with appendix 13 of earpiece 2.

In a further embodiment not shown, seat 3 comprises a recess for receiving appendix 13.

As shown in Figure 3, casing 7 comprises an attaching device 20 for possibly attaching casing 7 inside the passenger compartment of a vehicle.

Attaching device 20 comprises an elongated element 21 having an end hook 22 and sliding inside a seat 23 formed inside casing 7; and a manually operated locking device 24 for locking element 21 along seat 23.

In an embodiment not shown, audio reproduction device 6 comprises an audio reproduction volume adjusting device, in particular a wheel, cursor or a pair of push-buttons.

As shown in Figure 1, amplification device 1 comprises a hand switch or push-button 25 for turning audio reproduction device 6 on/off; and an indicator light 26 for indicating audio reproduction device 6 is on.

In a further embodiment not shown, audio reproduction device 6 comprises an automatic activating device connected to, and activated by the sounds received by, microphone 5, so that amplification device 1 is always ready for use without being turned on and off cyclically by the user.

In a further embodiment not shown, audio reproduction device 6 comprises a turn-on device; and a sensor (in particular, a pressure button housed inside seat 3) for detecting the presence of earpiece 2 inside seat 3, and which is connected to the turn-on device to activate reproduction device 6 when earpiece 2 is housed inside seat 3.

In a preferred embodiment, casing 4 comprisesa compartment (not shown) for housing possibly rechargeable batteries (not shown) for electrically powering amplifier 8. Casing 4 may also comprise a socket (not shown) for receiving a plug (not shown) for supplying direct current from the electricity mains or from a vehicle battery via an appropriate power supply (not shown).

6

Claims

1 An audio amplification device (1) for a cellular telephone having an earpiece (2) insertable inside a user's ear to enable the user to hear a telephone communication; the amplification device (1) comprising a seat (3) for receiving the earpiece (2); a microphone (5) housed inside the seat (3) to receive -the sounds emitted by the earpiece (2); and an audio reproduction device (6) connected to the microphone (5) to reproduce, amplified, the sounds emitted by the earpiece (2).

2) An audio amplification device (1) as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said seat (3) is substantially a negative of at least part of the outer shape of said earpiece (2).

3) An audio amplification device (1) as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said earpiece (2) is button-shaped and comprises a rigid appendix (13) supporting an electrical connecting cable (14); said seat (3) being substantially a negative of the outer shape of said earpiece (2), and having a recess for receiving said appendix (13).

4) An audio amplification device (1) as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims, wherein said seat (3) comprises clamping means (15) for retaining said earpiece (2) inside said seat (3).

5) An audio amplification device (1) as claimed in 7 Claim 4, wherein said clamping means (15) press said earpiece (2) with a given force against said seat (3).

6) An audio amplification device (1) as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, wherein said clamping means (15) comprise a cover (15) movable between an open position in which the cover (15) permits free access to said seat (3), and a closed position in which the cover (15) at least partly covers said seat (3); the cover (15) having fastening means (16) for securing the cover (15) in said closed position.

7) An audio amplification device (1) as claimed in Claim 6, wherein said earpiece (2) is button-shaped and comprises a rigid appendix (13) supporting an electrical connecting cable (14); said cover (15) having an opening (19) for said appendix (13).

8) An audio amplification device (1) as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims, and comprising a single casing housing said seat (3) and said audio reproduction device (6).

9) An audio amplification device (1) as claimed in one of Claims 1 to 7, and comprising a first casing (4) housing said seat (3); and a second casing (7) housing said audio reproduction device (6).

10) An audio amplification device (1) as claimed in one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein said audio reproduction device (6) comprises an amplifier (8) and a loudspeaker (9); said audio amplification device (1) comprising a first casing (4) housing said seat (3). and 8 said amplifier (8), and a second casing (7) housing said loudspeaker (9).

11) An audio amplification device (1) as claimed in Claim 9 or 10, and comprising an electrical cable (10) having removable terminal plugs (11) for connecting said first and said second casing (4, 7) to each other.

12) An audio amplification device (1) as claimed in Claim 9 or 10, and comprising a cordless communication device for connecting said first and said second casing (4, 7) to each other.

13) An audio amplification device (1) as claimed in Claim 12, wherein said cordless communication device is an infrared communication device.

14) An audio amplification device (1) as claimed in Claim 12, wherein said cordless communication device is a radio- frequency communication device.

15) An audio amplification device (1) as claimed in one of Claims 9 to 13, wherein said second casing (7) comprises a housing (23), and an extractable attaching device (21) housed in sliding manner inside said housing (23).

16) An audio amplification device (1) as claimed in Claim 15, wherein said extractable attaching device (21) comprises manually operated locking means (24) for locking the attaching device (21) inside the housing (23).

17) An audio amplification device (1) as cla-imed 9 in one of the foregoing Claims, wherein said audio reproduction device (6) comprises audio reproduction volume adjusting means.

18) An audio amplification device (1) as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims, and comprising a manually operated switch or pushbutton (25) for turning said audio reproduction device (6) on/off.

19) An audio amplification device (1) as claimed in one of Claims 1 to 17, wherein said audio reproduction device (6) comprises automatic activating means connected to said microphone (5) and activated by the sounds received by the microphone (5).

20) An audio amplification device (1) as claimed in one of Claims 1 to 17, wherein said audio reproduction device (6) comprises turn-on means; and a sensor for detecting the presence of said earpiece (2) inside said seat (3), and which is connected to said turn-on means to activate the audio reproduction device (6) when the earpiece (2) is housed inside the seat (3).

21) An audio amplification device (1) as claimed in Claim 20, wherein said sensor comprises a pressure button housed inside said seat (3).