JP2016213626A - Function extension device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a function extension device eliminating the inconvenience of carrying an earphone microphone or a headset.SOLUTION: A function extension device 10 includes a first case 14 housing an information terminal 12, a speaker, a microphone and a plug connected electrically with the speaker and microphone. The plug is inserted into the jack of the information terminal 12, and the information terminal 12 is housed in the first case 14. The state where the information terminal 12 is attached to the first case 14 is a state where the speaker and microphone are attached to the information terminal 12. By holding the first case 14, the information terminal 12, speaker and microphone are held together.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a function expansion device used for an information terminal.

  Information terminals equipped with flat panel displays have been developed and put on the market. The information terminal is provided with a means for connecting to a wireless local area network (LAN) and capable of transmitting and receiving data, but some information terminals cannot perform voice communication via a public communication network. In this case, if the information terminal has a jack for connecting an earphone microphone or headset, the earphone microphone or headset plug can be inserted into the information terminal jack and voice communication can be performed via a wireless LAN by a predetermined application. become.

  However, it is troublesome to carry the earphone microphone or headset separately from the information terminal. Patent Document 1 discloses an information terminal that can accommodate an earphone. However, in Patent Document 1, the information terminal itself is increased in size. Large information terminals are inconvenient to carry when voice communication is not performed.

Special table 2014-517623 gazette

  An object of the present invention is to provide a function expansion device that eliminates the inconvenience of carrying an earphone microphone or a headset.

  The function expansion device of the present invention includes a case attached to an information terminal capable of wireless communication, a speaker, a microphone, and a plug that can be inserted into a jack of the information terminal. Insert the plug into the jack of the information terminal and place it in the case. A speaker and a microphone are connected to the information terminal and can be held together.

  A reader connected to the information terminal may be provided. The reader captures information and sends it to the information terminal.

  A battery, a battery charging circuit, and a power supply terminal may be provided. The battery is charged through the charging circuit from the power supply terminal.

  According to the present invention, the state where the first case is attached to the information terminal is a state where a speaker and a microphone are attached to the information terminal. By having the first case, you will have the information terminal, speaker, and microphone together. It is convenient because you don't have to carry your earphone microphone or headset separately. When a voice call is not necessary, the information terminal can be used with the information terminal removed from the first case. The usage state of the information terminal can be selected, and the convenience of the information terminal can be improved.

It is the figure which attached the information terminal to the function expansion device of this application. It is a figure of the function expansion apparatus of this application. It is a figure of a 2nd case, (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view. It is the figure where the leader and the 1st case were attached to the 2nd case, and the information terminal was attached to the 1st case.

  The function expansion device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The information terminal used can perform wireless communication using a wireless LAN such as WiFi (registered trademark), but cannot perform voice communication using a communication network such as a public mobile phone or PHS (Personal Handy Phone System). .

  Information terminals include tablets and music playback devices. The information terminal includes a display such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, and the operation is performed using a touch panel or buttons. An application for performing voice communication via a wireless LAN is stored in a storage device built in the information terminal.

[Embodiment 1]
The function expansion device 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a first case 14 attached to the information terminal 12, a speaker 16, a microphone 18, and a plug 20 electrically connected to the speaker 16 and the microphone 18.

  The first case 14 is attached to and held by the information terminal 12. The first case 14 covers the side and back of the information terminal 12 and does not cover the display 22 and the buttons 24. If the information terminal 12 includes a camera, an opening 26 is provided in the first case 14 so that the lens of the camera is not hidden. An opening 28 is provided at a position where the speaker 16 is arranged so that sound from the speaker 16 can be heard.

  The material of the first case 14 is resin or metal. When metal is used, an opening is provided at a location where the information terminal 12 is equipped with a module for wireless communication so that wireless communication is not hindered. A sheet-like cushion for protecting the information terminal 12 may be provided on the inner surface of the first case 14.

  The first case 14 includes an accommodating portion 30 for the speaker 16 at the upper portion and an accommodating portion 32 for the microphone 18 at the lower portion. Each accommodating part 30 and 32 accommodates the speaker 16 and the microphone 18, and makes it invisible from the surface. By attaching the first case 14 to the information terminal 12 and grasping the first case 14, the information terminal 12, the speaker 16, and the microphone 18 can be held together.

  Examples of the speaker 16 include a flat panel speaker and a cone type speaker. There is an opening 28 at the position of the speaker 16 of the first case 14 so that the sound emitted from the speaker 16 can be heard.

  An example of the microphone 18 is a condenser microphone. The microphone 18 is in contact with the first case 14. The first case 14 is vibrated by the sound, and the vibration is transmitted to the microphone 18. An opening may be provided so that sound can be directly transmitted to the microphone 18.

  The plug 20 is inserted into the jack of the information terminal 12. The jack may be a jack that can transmit and receive audio data, such as a structure in which an earphone microphone or a headset plug can be inserted, a structure in which a USB (Universal Serial Bus) terminal can be inserted, or a structure in which a lightning terminal can be inserted.

  The plug 20 includes a speaker 16, a microphone 18, and an electrode for grounding. The electrode of the plug 20 is electrically connected to the speaker 16 and the microphone 18 via the cable 34. A groove in which the cable 34 is fitted may be provided on the inner surface of the first case 14. When the information terminal 12 is attached to the first case 14, the cable 34 does not get in the way.

  Note that at least the plug 20 may not be fixed to the first case 14. It becomes easy to attach or remove the information terminal 12 to the first case 14.

  The plug 20 is inserted into the jack of the information terminal 12, and the first case 14 is attached to the information terminal 12. The state where the information terminal 12 is attached to the first case 14 is a state where the speaker 16 and the microphone 18 are attached to the information terminal 12. By having the first case 14, the information terminal 12, the speaker 16, and the microphone 18 are held together. It is convenient because you don't have to carry your earphone microphone or headset separately. When a voice call is not necessary, the information terminal 12 can be used with the information terminal 12 removed from the first case 14. The usage state of the information terminal 12 can be selected, and the usability of the information terminal 12 is good.

[Embodiment 2]
3 may be attached to the first case 14 with the first case 14 attached to the information terminal 12 as in the first embodiment. The second case 40 includes a recess 42, and another electronic device is fitted in the recess 42. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, a later-described leader 44 is accommodated in the recess 42 of the second case 40.

  The second case 40 is attached to at least the side portion of the first case 14. The second case 40 is made of resin or metal. A portion for accommodating the leader 44 is a recess 42. By accommodating the leader 44 in the recess 42 and attaching the first case 14, the leader 44 cannot be removed.

  The reader 44 is a device that captures information such as barcodes and characters. The reader 44 includes an information capturing unit 46, a control unit 48 that converts the captured information into digital data so that the information terminal 12 can process the information, and a plug 50 connected to the connector of the information terminal 12. (Fig. 4). The recess 42 is provided with an opening 52 in accordance with the shape of the intake portion 46.

  In the first case 14, an opening 54 for inserting the plug 50 is provided at a location where the connector of the information terminal 12 is located so that the connector of the information terminal 12 and the plug 50 of the reader 44 can be connected (FIG. 2).

  The barcode includes a one-dimensional barcode and a two-dimensional barcode. The capturing unit 46 is a unit that captures a barcode or character by capturing a barcode using reflection of light such as infrared rays or shooting with a camera. The captured information is converted into digital data by the control unit 48 and transmitted to the information terminal 12 through the plug 50.

  The information terminal 12 processes the received data by an application. Data is transmitted via a wireless LAN or displayed on the display 22.

  A battery 56, a charging circuit 58 for charging the battery 56, and a power supply terminal 60 for supplying power to the charging circuit 58 may be provided in the same housing as the reader 44 (FIG. 4). An opening 62 is provided at the position of the power supply terminal 60 in the recess 42 so that power can be supplied to the power supply terminal 60 from the outside.

  The battery 56 is a power source for driving the reader 44. Moreover, if the battery of the information terminal 12 becomes a low voltage, the structure which can supply electric power to the information terminal 12 may be sufficient.

  The power supply terminal 60 is connected to an external power supply circuit such as a commercial power supply, and the charging circuit 58 converts the voltage into a predetermined voltage to charge the battery 56. The charging circuit 58 and the power supply terminal 60 may be configured to perform non-contact charging using electromagnetic waves.

  As in the first embodiment, the information terminal 12 is accommodated in the first case 14. When the reader 44 is accommodated in the second case 40 and the first case 14 is accommodated in the second case 40, the plug 50 of the reader 44 is connected to the information terminal 12. The speaker 16 and the microphone 18 attached to the first case 14 can also make a call.

  In addition, although the housing | casing of the 2nd case 40 and the leader 44 is a separate member, you may make them into an integral member.

[Embodiment 3]
The kind of leader 44 is not limited. For example, the capturing unit 46 of the reader 44 may receive information on an IC (Integrated Circuit) tag by radio waves by a wireless device such as an RFID (radio frequency identifier). The received information is transmitted to the information terminal 12 and processed.

[Embodiment 4]
Although the first case 14 and the second case 40 are separated, the cases 14 and 40 may be integrated. Parts other than the information terminal 12 such as the reader 44 and the speaker 16 described above are accommodated in an integrated case.

[Embodiment 5]
In a state where the information terminal 12 is attached to the first case 14, the reader 44 may be directly attached and referred to. The second case 40 is not used.

[Embodiment 6]
Although the battery 56 and the like are provided in the same housing as the reader 44, the battery 56 and the like may be omitted. The reader 44 is driven by the battery of the information terminal 12.

  In addition, the present invention can be carried out in a mode in which various improvements, modifications, and changes are added based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Each embodiment is not independent or exclusive, and may be implemented in combination as appropriate.

10: Function expansion device 12: Information terminal 14: First case 16: Speaker 18: Microphone 20, 50: Plug 22: Display 24: Buttons 26, 28, 52, 54, 62: Opening 30, 32: Housing 34: Cable 40: Second case 42: Recess 44 of second case 44: Leader 46: Capture unit 48: Control unit 56: Battery 58: Charging circuit 60: Power supply terminal

Claims (3)

A case attached to an information terminal capable of wireless communication;
A speaker housed in the case;
A microphone housed in the case;
A plug that is connected to the speaker and microphone and can be inserted into the jack of the information terminal;
Function expansion device with The function expansion device according to claim 1, further comprising a reader connected to the information terminal, receiving or receiving information, and transmitting the information to the information terminal. A battery for supplying power to the reader;
A charging circuit for charging the battery;
A power supply terminal for supplying power to the charging circuit;
The function expansion device of Claim 2 provided with.

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