GB2378845A

GB2378845A - A combined mobile phone and personal stereo device

Info

Publication number: GB2378845A
Application number: GB0119461A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Patrick Wildman
Original assignee: SOFTLINK 2000 Ltd
Current assignee: SOFTLINK 2000 Ltd
Priority date: 2001-08-09
Filing date: 2001-08-09
Publication date: 2003-02-19
Also published as: GB0119461D0

Abstract

A portable device having a data reproduction means for reproducing, inter alia, music, and a mobile telephone, the data reproduction means being interconnected with the mobile telephone so that, on receipt of a telephone call or initiation of a call, the operation of the data reproduction means is interrupted for the duration of the telephone call. The unit has a remote control device 20, duplicating the controls 5-16 on the face of the main unit, situated along the earpiece lead.

Description

An electrical appliance This invention relates to an electrical appliance and in particular to a portable device incorporating a mobile telephone.

Mobile telephones are well known and it is also well known to have small portable devices for reproducing music or other audio signals contained on data reproduction means such as mini disks, CDs, electromagnetic tape, or DVDs. The normal method of listening to the audio signals is to have an in-ear monitor or earpiece which is connected to the device through a conventional lead. Typically, two ear pieces are provided to provide stereo reproduction of the audio signals. If a person using such a device receives a call on his mobile phone, he must first of all switch off the device, remove the earpieces from his ears before he can answer the phone. This inconvenience is magnified if the person prefers to use an earpiece for his mobile phone as this has to be inserted in his ear before the phone can be answered.

The present invention seeks to provide a solution to this problem.

According to the present invention there is provided a portable device having a data reproduction means for reproducing, inter alia, music, and a mobile telephone, the data reproduction means being interconnected with the mobile telephone so that, on receipt of a telephone call or initiation of a call, the operation of the data reproduction means is interrupted for the duration of the telephone call.

Preferably, the device includes a combined telephone earpiece/stereo headset which is adapted to function as a stereo headset when the data reproduction means is operative and a telephone earpiece when the mobile telephone is operative.

The reproduction means may be a mini disk, CD, electromagnetic tape, or a DVD or similar opto-electrical devices. The device is preferably of a clam shell design having two parts hingedly connected together, the two parts being designed to be fastened together in an operative closed condition and being openable to enable a mini disk or the like to be inserted in the data reproducing means. Preferably, one of the parts has on its outer surface an alpha

numeric keypad of the mobile phone together with additional function keys to control operation of the data reproduction means.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :- Figure 1 shows a different view of a device according to the present invention, and Figure 2 shows a schematic view of the device of Figure 1 in an open position.

Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a front view of a combined mobile telephone and mini disc player. The device consists of a substantially square but shallow box shaped casing consisting of two parts 1,2, as can be seen more clearly in Figure 2. The two parts are hinged together about an edge 3 to enable the two parts to be opened and closed in a clam shell arrangement.

The upper part 1 as shown in Figure 1 includes a screen or menu panel 4 as is usually provided with a mobile phone as well as an alpha numeric keyboard 5 which, again, is of a conventional mobile phone type. Below the screen and the keypad are two rows of control buttons 6 by which the mini disc player can be controlled. These consist of an on-off button 7, a play button 8 and forward and rewind buttons 9,10 arranged in one row whilst in a row placed beneath that row there are display, edit and pause control buttons 10,11 and 12 for controlling playback and editing functions. There is also a record button 13 to enable recordings to be made on to the mini disc. To the right-hand side of the mini disc control buttons there is a telephone connection button 14 whose function is to enable calls to be answered, initiated and terminated. Adjacent the connection button 14 there are two scroll buttons, one, reference 15, for scrolling up and the lower one, reference 16, for scrolling down. The device also incorporates an internal earpiece 17 and an internal microphone 18.

In addition to this, the device includes a lead 19 plugged into the casing 1,2 which incorporates a remote control module 20 and two earpieces 21,22 which form an in-ear stereo headset when listening to the minidisk, but also serve as a conventional remote earpiece when the mobile telephone is in use. The lead 19 also incorporates a microphone 23 to enable remote operation of the mobile phone. The remote control module replicates all the functions

of the control panel on the main body of the device. Thus, it is possible to keep the device itself in a pocket or briefcase whilst listening to the minidisk or making a personal telephone call and still having all of the functions on the front face of the device readily available in the hands-free mode.

As shown in Figure 2, the two parts 1, 2 can be hinged to the open position shown to enable a minidisk to be inserted or retrieved from the device. Typically, the two parts will be spring loaded apart so that on release of a latch (not shown) the two parts adopt the position shown in figure 2. When closed, by manual operation, the latch will automatically engage to secure the two parts in the closed position.

The electrical circuitry is such that when an incoming telephone call is picked up by pressing the connection button 14, or the button is pressed to initiate a call, playing of the mini disc is automatically interrupted for the duration of the call. When the connection button is pressed again to terminate the call, playing of the minidisk is automatically resumed from the point where interruption took place.

Although described with reference to a minidisk, it will be appreciated that the data reproduction means could be any type of reproduction means such as CDs, electromagnetic tape, and DVDs. The minidisk is preferred for the present application because of its compact nature.

Claims

Claims 1. A portable device having a data reproduction means for reproducing, inter alia, music, and a mobile telephone, the data reproduction means being interconnected with the mobile telephone so that, on receipt of a telephone call or initiation of a call, the operation of the data

reproduction means is interrupted for the duration of the telephone call. t
2. A device according to claim 1, further including a combined telephone earpiece/stereo headset which is adapted to function as a stereo headset when the data reproduction means is operative and a telephone earpiece when the mobile telephone is operative.
3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the reproduction means comprises a minidisk, CD, electromagnetic tape, a DVD or similar opto-electrical devices.
4. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the device has a casing of a clam shell type having two parts hingedly connected together, the two parts being adapted to be fastened together in an operative closed condition and being openable to enable a minidisk or the like to be inserted or removed.
5. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the casing has on its outer surface an alpha numeric keypad for the mobile phone together with additional function keys to control operation of the data reproduction means.
6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, further including a lead for connecting at least one ear piece to the device.
7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the lead includes two ear pieces which form a stereo headset when the reproduction means are in use and a telephone ear piece during telephone calls.
8. A device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein a remote control duplicating all the controls on the face of the device is incorporated in the lead to enable remote operation of the device.

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9. A portable device substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

9. A portable device substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

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Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows Claims 1 A portable device having a single casing containing a data reproduction means for reproducing, inter alia, music, and a mobile telephone, the data reproduction means being interconnected with the mobile telephone so that, on receipt of a telephone call or initiation of a call, the operation of the data reproduction means is interrupted for the duration of the telephone call, and on termination of the call a signal is generated automatically to restart the operation of the data reproduction means.

2. A device according to claim 1, further including a combined telephone earpiece/stereo headset which is adapted to function as a stereo headset when the data reproduction means is operative and a telephone earpiece when the mobile telephone is operative.

3. A device according to claim i or 2, wherein the reproduction means comprises a minidisk, CD, electromagnetic tape, a DVD or similar opto-electrical devices.

4. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the casing is of a clam shell type having two parts hingedly connected together, the two parts being adapted to be fastened together in an operative closed condition and being openable to enable a minidisk or the like to be inserted or removed.

5. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the casing has on its outer surface an alpha numeric keypad for the mobile phone together with additional function keys to control operation of the data reproduction means.

6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, further including a lead for connecting at least one ear piece to the device 7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the lead includes two ear pieces which form a stereo headset when the reproduction means are in use and a telephone ear piece during telephone calls.

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8. A device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein a remote control duplicating all the controls on the face of the device is incorporated in the lead to enable remote operation of the device.