GB2375932A - Producing an off-hook signal upon detaching earphone/microphone jack plug. - Google Patents

Producing an off-hook signal upon detaching earphone/microphone jack plug. Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2375932A
GB2375932A GB0220589A GB0220589A GB2375932A GB 2375932 A GB2375932 A GB 2375932A GB 0220589 A GB0220589 A GB 0220589A GB 0220589 A GB0220589 A GB 0220589A GB 2375932 A GB2375932 A GB 2375932A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
cellular phone
plug
information terminal
terminal unit
hook
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB0220589A
Other versions
GB0220589D0 (en
GB2375932B (en
Inventor
Atsunori Nakamura
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
NEC Corp
Original Assignee
NEC Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from JP09323265A external-priority patent/JP3097742B2/en
Application filed by NEC Corp filed Critical NEC Corp
Publication of GB0220589D0 publication Critical patent/GB0220589D0/en
Publication of GB2375932A publication Critical patent/GB2375932A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2375932B publication Critical patent/GB2375932B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
    • H04M1/02—Constructional features of telephone sets
    • H04M1/15—Protecting or guiding telephone cords
    • 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

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Telephone Set Structure (AREA)

Abstract

An information terminal, 500, with an integrated cellular phone changes its on/off hook status in repsonse to the unplugging or plugging in of a microphone and earphone cable, 563. A jack 565 provided on the main body of the unit receives a plug, 564, on the end of the cable. The jack has contacts which close upon mating with the plug and open upon removal of the plug, for switching the hook state on and off.

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1>
INFORMATION TERMINAL UNIT WITH A CELLULAR PHONE FUNCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to an information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function. More particularly, the invention relates to an ON/OFF-hook switch for such an information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function.
Recently there have been developed several information terminal units which incorporate a cellular phone function. This is in accordance with the spread of the cellular phone system, which itself corresponds to the general trend towards personalising electronic communication and information following a reduction in the size and weight of portable computers.
In the prior art, most of the information terminal units incorporating a cellular phone function of this kind have, directly installed in them, a microphone and a speaker for use by placing the user's face close thereto similarly to a normal cellular phone. In this case, when the information terminal unit is too bulky, it may be difficult to use as a telephone receiver. Therefore, such type of information terminal unit is inherently restricted in enlargement of a display portion, in installation of a keyboard, and so forth. Therefore, a conventional cellular phone handset has been provided in the informationterminal unit. However, for an enlarged body of the information terminal unit, it is preferred to use an earphone microphone.
For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Heisei 7-107148, there has been disclosed a cellular phone, in which the earphone microphone also
<Desc/Clms Page number 2>
serves as an antenna and the earphone is taken up and stored within a casing.
As ON/OFF-hook switch of such cellular phone, a ten key (keypad) switch is assigned for this purpose, or a dedicated switch is provided. Thus, in a known cellular phone or in a information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function, it is typical that a keyboard switch is assigned for this purpose or a dedicated switch is provided.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the present invention, an information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function comprises: an information processing terminal portion; a cellular phone portion; a control portion; a cable connected with an earphone microphone for the cellular phone at a tip end portion and connected to a plug for electrical connection with the information terminal unit; and a jack provided on a main body of the information terminal unit, electrically connectable with the plug, and having contacts closing upon mating with the plug and opening upon removal of the plug, for switching ON-hook and OFF-hook of the cellular phone portion by opening and closing of the contacts.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, an ON/OFF-hook method of a cellular phone in an information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function for communication with an earphone, comprises the steps of: placing a cellular phone portion in the information terminating unit in ON-hook state for establishing call connection in response to external calling in and calling out by mating a plug connected to one end of a cable which is connected to the earphone microphone at the other end,
<Desc/Clms Page number 3>
which plug establishes electrical connection with an internal circuit of the information terminal unit, with a jack having contacts closing upon mating with the plug; and placing the cellular phone portion in OFF-hook state by releasing the plug from the jack.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of an information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function; FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic external view of the first embodiment of an information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function according to the invention of the parent application; FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrammatic illustrations showing a cable take-up mechanism of the first embodiment of an information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function according to the invention of the parent application, in which FIG. 3A shows a condition upon taking up of an earphone microphone, and FIG. 3B shows a condition upon extracting the earphone microphone; FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining ON/OFF-hook method of the first embodiment of the cellular phone according to the invention of the parent application; and FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic external view of an embodiment of the information terminal unit incorporating the cellular phone function of the present invention.
<Desc/Clms Page number 4>
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention will be discussed hereinafter in detail in terms of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be clear, however, to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practised without these specific details.
Furthermore, some well-known structures are not shown in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention.
Embodiment of the invention of the parent application The present invention represents a modification or alternative to the arrangement of the parent application, part of the disclosure of which is therefore repeated here by way of introduction with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of an information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function according to the parent invention, FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic external view of the first embodiment of an information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function according to the parent invention, and FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrammatic illustrations showing a cable take-up mechanism of the first embodiment of an information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function according to the parent invention, in which FIG.
3A shows a condition upon taking up of an earphone microphone, and FIG. 3B shows a condition upon extracting the earphone microphone.
In the drawings, the reference numeral 100 denotes an information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function, 110 denotes a control portion, 115 denotes a CPU, 120 denotes a display input portion, 121 denotes a liquid crystal display portion, 122 denotes a phone function screen, 123 denotes an icon button, 125 denotes a
<Desc/Clms Page number 5>
touch pen, 130 denotes a base band portion, 140 denotes a cable take-up mechanism, 141 denotes a reel, 142 denotes a rotary shaft of the reel, 143 denotes a pinion gear, 146 denotes a sectorial rack gear, 146a denotes a cut-out portion, 146b denotes a switch depressing portion, 147 denotes a rotary shaft of the rack gear, 148 denotes a stopper, 149 denotes a spring for the rack gear, 151 denotes a fastening claw, 152 denotes a rotary shaft of the fastening claw, 153 denotes an operation button for the fastening claw, 154 denotes a spring for the fastening claw, 156 denotes a push button switch, 160 denotes an earphone microphone, 161 denotes an earphone, 162 denotes a microphone, 163 denotes a cable, 170 denotes a radio portion, 171 denotes an antenna, and 180 denotes a battery.
The first embodiment of the information terminal unit 100 incorporating the cellular phone function according to the parent invention includes the display input portion 120 both for an information processing terminal and a cellular phone, the control portion 110 controlling an information processing terminal and a cellular phone portion, CPU 115, and a battery 180 serving as a power source.
The display input portion 120 has a liquid crystal display portion 121. In the liquid crystal display portion 121, the telephone function screen 122 including the icon button 123 is formed. The icon button 123 is operated by the touch button 125.
In the cellular phone portion, the antenna 171, the radio portion 170, the base band portion 130, the earphone microphone 160 including the earphone 161 and the microphone 162, and the cable take-up mechanism 140, are provided.
As shown in FIG. 3, the cable take-up mechanism 140 is constructed with a take-up reel 141 for the cable 163, which has the pinion gear 143 coaxially fixed on the rotary shaft 142 and is rotatable by the rotary shaft 142.
<Desc/Clms Page number 6>
The sectorial rack gear 146 has the cut-out portion 146a and the switch depressing portion 146b, meshes with the pinion gear 143, and is rotatable with the rotary shaft 147. The spring 149 biases the rack gear 146 in the take-up direction of the cable 163, the stopper 148 restricting rotation of the rack gear 146 in the cable take-up direction and in the extracting direction. The fastening claw 151 is biassed in the engaging direction by the spring 154 and engages with the cut-out portion 146a of the rack gear 146 at the extraction end position of the cable 163. The push button switch 156 has contacts which are closed by the switch depressing portion 146b of the rack gear 146 at the extraction end position of the cable 163.
Discussing the operation of a prior art information terminal unit incorporating the cellular phone function with reference to FIG. 2, normally, upon use of the telephone function, operation is performed by touching the icon button 123 in the telephone function screen 122 with the touch pen 125. For example, upon making an outgoing call, after extraction of the earphone microphone 160, a telephone number is input and then an ON-hook button is touched for establishing call connection. Furthermore, upon termination of call, termination of call is performed by touching an OFF-hook button by the touch pen 125 to return into the stand-by state.
With an OFF-hook system according to the parent invention, in addition to the use of the normal ON/OFF-hook method, ON/OFF-hook operation can take place by extraction and retraction of the earphone microphone 160. The detail of the operation will be discussed with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for discussing the ON/OFF hook method of the first embodiment of the cellular phone portion according to the parent invention. In the drawing, the reference numerals S101 to S115 represent respective steps in the process shown in' FIG. 4.
<Desc/Clms Page number 7>
At first, the information terminal unit 100 incorporating the cellular phone function is started (S101). Then, the cellular phone portion is in a stand-by state (S102). If the earphone microphone 160 stored in the terminal device casing is extracted therefrom for an external call, the reel 141, on which the cable 163 connected with the earphone microphone 160 is wound, is rotated to drive the pinion gear 143. In response to rotation of the pinion gear 143, the rack 146 is driven to rotate in the clockwise direction against the spring 149.
Then, the switch depressing portion 146b and the cut-out portion 146a of the rack gear 146 contact respectively with the push button switch 156 and the fastening claw 151 arranged in the vicinity of the rotation stop position of the rack gear 146 as restricted by the stopper 148.
Furthermore, when the earphone microphone 160 is extracted so that the rack gear 146 reaches the rotation stop position defined by the stopper 148, the switch depressing portion 146b of the rack gear 146 depresses the push button switch 156. Also, the fastening claw 151 contacts with the cut-out portion 146a of the rack gear 146. After rotation in the clockwise direction about the rotary shaft 132, the fastening claw 151 engages with the cut-out portion 146a of the rack gear 146 due to the tension force of the spring 154 and the tension force of the spring 149 to disable rotation of the rack gear 146 and fix it in place. Here, the condition shown in FIG. 3B is established to close the contacts as switch 156 is depressed, the cellular phone portion thus becomes ON-hook to establish call connection (S104).
When the control portion 110 determines that an external call signal is present (Yes at S105), connection is established with a calling external line (S106) to allow communication with a calling party (S110). On the other hand, when the control portion 110 determines that an external call signal is not present (No at S105), an' external call is awaited. If a calling number is input by
<Desc/Clms Page number 8>
operation of the ten key keypad of the icon button 123 by means of the touch pen 125, the control portion 110 calls the external call destination via the radio portion 170 and the antenna 171 (S108) to establish call connection with the external line (S109) to allow communication with the call destination (S110).
On the other hand, upon termination of the call, by pushing up the operation button 153 of the fastening claw 151 (Sill), the engagement between the fastening claw 151 and the rack gear 146 is released. Then, the rack gear 146 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction by the tension force of the spring 149 to transmit rotation to the pinion gear 143. Thus, the cable 163 is taken-up by the reel 141 and the earphone microphone is retracted within the casing of the information terminal unit (S112).
At the same time, the push button switch 156 is released and opened to place the cellular phone portion in the ON-hook state to terminate the call (S113). If termination of the stand-by state is not required (No at S114), stand-by state is returned to at step S102. If termination of stand-by state is required (Yes at S114), the process is terminated (S115).
As set forth above, by the ON/OFF-hook method, the OFF-hook state is established simply by extracting the earphone microphone 160 from the casing of the information termination device. On the other hand, by only operating the earphone microphone retracting operation button 153 at termination of a call, the ON-hook state is established automatically to simplify the operating procedure.
Embodiment of the present invention Next, discussion will be given for the embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic external view of the embodiment of the information terminal unit incorporating the cellular phone function according to the present invention. In FIG. 5,' the reference numeral 500 denotes the information terminal
<Desc/Clms Page number 9>
unit incorporating the cellular phone function, 520 denotes a display input portion, 521 denotes a liquid crystal portion, 522 denotes a telephone function screen, 523 denotes an icon button, 525 denotes a touch pen, 560 denotes an earphone microphone, 563 denotes a cable, 564 denotes a plug, 565 denotes a jack.
Referring to FIG. 5, in place of the reel taking up the earphone microphone 560, the plug 564 is provided in the earphone microphone 560. On the other hand, on the side of the main body, a jack 565 with a switch is provided. That is, the earphone microphone 560 is of detachable type.
Next, operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be discussed. When the plug 564 is inserted into the jack 565 with the switch, the switch is turned ON by mating the plug with the jack to place the cellular phone portion into the OFF-hook state. On the other hand, by withdrawing the plug 564, the switch is turned OFF, and the cellular phone portion is placed into ON-hook state.
Namely, control of the ON/OFF-hook function is achieved by inserting and removing of the earphone microphone 560. Of course, the plug 564 and the jack establishes electrical connection between the earphone microphone 560 and the wiring in the main body of the information terminal unit.
With the construction set forth above, it becomes unnecessary to provide a reel in the main body of the information terminal unit, thus contributing to down-sizing and reduction of weight of the information terminal unit.
As illustrated above, upon calling out and calling in, call connection can be quickly and easily established.
Namely, since the ON/OFF-hook function can be operated by extracting and retracting the earphone microphone from and into the main body of the information terminal unit, a call can be established quite easily. Particularly, in the case of incoming calls, it becomes unnecessary to check the display portion, and also operation by the touch pen
<Desc/Clms Page number 10>
or so forth becmes unnecessary, reducing the operation process needed to establish call connection. On the other hand, even when a physical button for operating the ON/OFF-hook function is separately provided, operation of this button is unnecessary.
With this unit, power saving can be achieved. Namely, since physical switching operation is performed, it becomes unnecessary to display icon buttons, and thus the power consumed by the display function can be reduced.
Although the present invention has been illustrated and described with respect to exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and various other changes, omissions and additions may be made therein and thereto, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (3)

  1. CLAIMS 1. An information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function, comprising: an information processing terminal portion; a cellular phone portion; a control portion; a cable connected with an earphone microphone for the cellular phone at a tip end portion and connected to a plug for electrical connection with the information terminal unit; and a jack provided on a main body of the information terminal unit, electrically connectable with the plug, and having contacts closing upon mating with the plug and opening upon removal of the plug, for switching ON-hook and OFF-hook of the cellular phone portion by opening and closing of the contacts.
  2. 2. An ON/OFF-hook method of a cellular phone in an information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function for communication with an earphone, comprising the steps of: placing a cellular phone portion in the information terminating unit in ON-hook state for establishing call connection in response to external calling in and calling out by mating a plug connected to one end of a cable which is connected to the earphone microphone at the other end, which plug establishes electrical connection with an internal circuit of the information terminal unit, with a jack having contacts closing upon mating with the plug ; and placing the cellular phone portion in OFF-hook state by releasing the plug from the jack.
  3. 3. An information terminal unit incorporating a cellular phone function, substantially as herein described with reference to FIG. 5 of the accompanying drawings.
GB0220589A 1997-11-25 1998-11-25 Information terminal unit with a cellular phone function Expired - Fee Related GB2375932B (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP09323265A JP3097742B2 (en) 1997-11-25 1997-11-25 Information terminal device with built-in mobile phone function and on / off hook method thereof
GB9825829A GB2331672B (en) 1997-11-25 1998-11-25 Information terminal unit incorporating cellular phone function and on/off hook method

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0220589D0 GB0220589D0 (en) 2002-10-16
GB2375932A true GB2375932A (en) 2002-11-27
GB2375932B GB2375932B (en) 2003-02-12

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ID=26314727

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB0220589A Expired - Fee Related GB2375932B (en) 1997-11-25 1998-11-25 Information terminal unit with a cellular phone function

Country Status (1)

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2491635A (en) * 2011-06-10 2012-12-12 Eyal Booton Reducing a user's exposure to radiation from a mobile phone

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH0440046A (en) * 1990-06-05 1992-02-10 Sanyo Electric Co Ltd Pencil type portable radio telephony equipment

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH0440046A (en) * 1990-06-05 1992-02-10 Sanyo Electric Co Ltd Pencil type portable radio telephony equipment

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2491635A (en) * 2011-06-10 2012-12-12 Eyal Booton Reducing a user's exposure to radiation from a mobile phone

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0220589D0 (en) 2002-10-16
GB2375932B (en) 2003-02-12

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Date Code Title Description
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20071125