WO1995023476A1 - Accessoire de telephone d'automobile en forme de clavier sonore - Google Patents

Accessoire de telephone d'automobile en forme de clavier sonore Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1995023476A1
WO1995023476A1 PCT/US1995/002316 US9502316W WO9523476A1 WO 1995023476 A1 WO1995023476 A1 WO 1995023476A1 US 9502316 W US9502316 W US 9502316W WO 9523476 A1 WO9523476 A1 WO 9523476A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
phone
pad
keys
phone keys
enunciating
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1995/002316
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Charles D. Kelman
Original Assignee
Kelman Charles D
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
Application filed by Kelman Charles D filed Critical Kelman Charles D
Publication of WO1995023476A1 publication Critical patent/WO1995023476A1/fr

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
    • H04M1/56—Arrangements for indicating or recording the called number at the calling subscriber's set
    • 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
    • H04M1/23—Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a sound emitting keypad accessory for a car phone which enunciates a sound that is indicative of the designation of a phone number or function key. The enunciation is done before the phone number or function actually is entered for placing a call.
  • a sound emitting keypad accessory for a car phone which enunciates a sound that is indicative of the designation of a phone number or function key. The enunciation is done before the phone number or function actually is entered for placing a call.
  • Such an accessory is described in U.S. application No. 08/019,611, filed February 19, 1993, whose contents are incorporated herein by reference. Additional embodiments are set forth in this application.
  • One embodiment of the invention relates to a phone keypad device useful in enunciating sounds, which correspond to designations associated with phone keys or phone buttons; the phone keys or phone buttons are actuatable for dialing the corresponding number or function.
  • the device comprises a housing with a keypad in a form of a plurality of touch or proximity sensitive overlays positioned so as to correspond in of spaced apart openings in which are arranged the overlays, a sound chip, a power supply to supply power to the sound chip, a speaker, and circuit means responsive to actuation of one of the overlays for enunciating by the speaker a sound derived from the sound chip.
  • the sound which is enunciated is indicative of the designation of that one of the phone keys which is associated with and beneath the overlay actuated.
  • the circuit means when the overlays are actuated, is incapable of generating any signal responsible for dialing the corresponding number or function at any time.
  • the overlays are secured to the resilient pad at the openings, the pad deforming in response to depression of the overlays and resiliently returning to its undeformed state in response to release of the overlays .
  • one power supply is secured to the pad for powering the circuit means.
  • a phone keypad device useful in enunciating sounds, which correspond to designations associated with phone keys; the phone keys are actuatable for dialing the corresponding number or function.
  • the device comprises a housing with a resilient pad, a sound chip, a power supply to supply power to the sound chip, a speaker, circuit means with terminals, and a plurality of electrically conductive members individually mountable on each of the phone keys and aligned with corresponding ones of the terminals.
  • the pad deforms in response to manual pressure applied and resiliently returns to its undeformed state in response to release of the manual pressure.
  • the circuit means When the resilient pad is manually pressed against the phone keys, the circuit means is responsive to the electrical contact between the conductive members and the terminals for enunciating by the speaker a sound derived from the sound chip. The sound is indicative of the designation of the phone key beneath the conductive member that established the electrical contact .
  • the circuit means when the conductive members are actuated, does not, at anytime, generate any signal responsible for dialing the corresponding number or function, but merely produces a signal for enunciating the appropriate number or function.
  • the device also has means for designating locations on the pad in alignment with the phone keys.
  • Still another aspect of the invention resides in a phone keypad device useful in enunciating sounds, which correspond to designations associated with phone keys; the phone keys are actuatable for dialing the corresponding number or function.
  • actuation of keys result in enunciation of the corresponding number or function.
  • the next key is actuated or after passage of a predetermined time delay, the corresponding number or function of the previously actuated key is entered for placing the call unless a cancellation key is actuated in the interim. Actuation of the cancellation key cancels entry of that designation for placing the call.
  • the user is forewarned of the designation of the phone key by enunciation prior to entering of the corresponding number for placing the call . In this manner, the user can take steps to prevent entry of the designation for placing a call after hearing the designation enunciated.
  • Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a sound emitting keypad accessory in accordance with the invention and a portable radio or cellular phone on which the accessory fits.
  • Fig. 2 shows a cross-section taken in the direction of arrows 2-2 of Fig. 1, being representative of a first embodiment.
  • Fig. 3 shows a schematic circuit diagram of the invention.
  • Fig. 4 shows an exploded perspective view of a pressure contact overlay.
  • Fig. 5 shows a cross-section taken in the direction of arrows 2-2 of Fig. 1, but being representative of a second embodiment.
  • Fig. 6 shows a bottom view of the pad of Fig. 5.
  • Figs. 1 and 2 show one embodiment of the present invention.
  • the same reference numerals are used for like components that are found in Fig. 1 of copending U.S. application Serial No. 08/019,611, filed February 19, 1993 unless otherwise indicated.
  • Fig. 1 shows the accessory 10 having a preferably resilient thin pad 12 (not disclosed in Serial No. 08/019,611) , a battery compartment 16, a speaker compartment 18 with openings 20 above the speaker, and touch or proximity overlays 22 having an associated number or function 24.
  • the pad 12 is composed of two pad portions 12a, 12b (see Fig. 2) which have opposing surfaces facing each other. At least one of these surfaces has recesses for accommodating therein the circuit of Fig. 3.
  • the top pad portion 12a may be composed of a transparent material at least immediately above the overlays, thereby permitting the overlays to be seen and their indicia to be read. Otherwise, if the top pad portion 12a is opaque, indicia may be arranged on its upper surface in alignment with the overlays to designate the corresponding number or function of the phone key beneath.
  • Two opposite sides of the pad 12 are each secured to a respective rigid metal rod 14a, b in any conventional manner, such as with epoxy.
  • An elastic strap 14 hangs down beneath the pad 12 from each of the rods 14a, b.
  • the phone 2 is fitted through the strap and the overlays 22 are then aligned directly over the corresponding phone buttons 40.
  • the overlays 22 are in the form of a composite of a flexible conductive sheet 60, a spacer member 66 with a hole 70, and a contact member 68.
  • the periphery of the pad portions 12a, 12b may be secured to each other in any known manner, such as with epoxy.
  • the phone button or phone key 40 beneath each overlay 22 may abut, or come close to abutting, the underside of the pad 12.
  • portions of the pad in the vicinity of the overlay being actuated need depress only as far as it takes for the phone key 40 beneath to actuate.
  • the pad therefore, deforms in the vicinity of one overlay at any given time that a phone key 40 is being depressed.
  • the circuit of Fig. 3 is essentially the same as that represented schematically by Fig. 3 of U.S. application Serial No. 08/019,611. Basically, flexible conductive leads extend from each of the overlay contacts to a sound chip 30, which responds to signals in the same manner as described in U.S. application Serial No. 08/019,611.
  • Fig. 3 schematically represents a battery 26, a speaker 28, the sound chip 30, a volume control 32, and wires 34, all of which may be substantively the same as described and illustrated in U.S. Patent No. 5,140,632.
  • Overlays 22 and some of the branch leads 50 are shown for activating each portion of the sound chip in correspondence with appropriate numbers and functions.
  • the printed circuit of Fig. 3 may be arranged on the underside of the lower pad layer 12b for routing the contacts associated with the overlays to the sound chip 30 in a conventional manner.
  • the construction of the overlays is shown in Fig. 4, which is the same as depicted in Fig. 5 of U.S. application Serial No. 08/019,611 and described therein.
  • the overlays 22 of Fig. 1 are represented by a composite structure 36 of Fig. 4, which comprises the flexible sheet 60 having a unique indicator 62 imprinted atop an associated elastomeric conductive member 64, a spacer member 66 positioned beneath the flexible sheet 60, and a comb-configured contact member 68.
  • the spacer member 66 has a hole 70 aligned between the elastomeric member 64 and the comb-configured contact member 68.
  • the pad 12 is preferably deformable at least by an extent which allows the phone key 40 in alignment underneath the overlay to be fully depressed for dialing a corresponding number or function. Such deformation takes place in response to the application of a manual pressing force exerted on the overlay towards and against (via the overlay) the phone key.
  • the pad 12 preferably is resilient and returns to its undeformed state when the pressing force on the overlay is released.
  • the conductive leads have sufficient slack so as to be flexible enough to displace with the deformation of the pad and yet not sever.
  • the pad 12 may or may not be deformable.
  • the overlay is sufficiently deformable to depress the phone key 40 underneath to a position where the phone key causes signals to be generated for dialing the corresponding number or function.
  • a sound which is indicative of the designation of the number or function marked on the overlay and corresponding to the designation on the underlying phone key 40, will enunciate before the phone key reaches the position where signals generate for placing a call.
  • the user is forewarned of the number or function that is about to be entered if further manual pressure is applied on the overlay to fully depress the phone key.
  • the user therefore, has an opportunity to release the manual pressure to prevent the corresponding number or function from being entered and is thereby able to make another selection.
  • this embodiment preferably is a fully self- contained unit, with all the necessary components attached to the pad. In this manner, all that needs to be done is to attach the pad on top of a face of the phone such that the overlays align with the phone keys. Such securement may be done in any conventional manner.
  • Fig. 1 shows an elastic strap 14 hanging beneath the pad 12 which may be used to retain the pad in place over the phone keys 40 so that the overlays 22 are aligned with corresponding ones of the phone keys 40 underneath.
  • FIG. 5 Another embodiment is shown in Fig. 5.
  • the resilient pad 12 has no openings for holding overlays in this embodiment; instead, indicia 80 preferably appear on the top surface of the pad and designate phone number digits or functions.
  • the underside of the pad 12 has a printed circuit pattern, essentially the same as that represented schematically in Fig. 3 except that the circuit is open between sets of pairs of conductive terminals 82a, 82b of Fig. 6, each pair of terminals being aligned beneath a corresponding indicia 80, and in effect replacing the actuating terminals 44a, 44b of each overlay of Fig. 5.
  • An electrically conductive stick-on 84 is secured on top of a conventional phone key 40 in any conventional manner, such as with an adhesive, and arranged to close a pair of the terminals 82a, 82b when the pad 12 is manually pushed toward the phone key beneath.
  • a signal is generated in response to this closing and is conducted via the printed circuit to the sound chip, which responds to effect enunciation in the same way as described in U.S. application Serial No. 08/019,611.
  • the distance between the centers of phone keys of a keypad may vary significantly from manufacturer to manufacturer. Such a variance in distance, however, is generally limited to be within comfortable reach of the fingers between adjacent keys.
  • the spacing between adjacent sets of pairs of terminals 82a, 82b is, in accordance with the invention, likewise set by such a distance so as to be within comfortable reach of fingers.
  • the elongation of the terminals 82a, 82b of Fig. 6 help make the present invention accommodate variations in such spacing between adjacent conventional phone keys.
  • Each stick-on 84 is preferably made of a sturdy but flexible material, such as plastic, and electrically conductively coated on its top face and adhesively coated on its underside for attaching to the top of phone keys of a keypad.
  • the stick-on may be flexed to adhere to the contour of the phone key and yet extend partially off the phone key without necessarily bending. In this manner, minor variances in the relative position of the stick-on 84 with respect to the associated pair of conductive terminals 82a, 82b may be accommodated to ensure electrical contact.
  • One method of assembly involves aligning the center column of conductive terminals 82a, 82b with the corresponding phone keys for establishing electrical connection. This electrical connection arises in response to the center column terminals being pushed down to contact the aligned stick-ons 84.
  • the other stick-ons 84 should be aligned with other sets of pairs of terminals 82a, 82b as well. If not, the stick-ons 84 may be relocated so as to partially extend off the phone keys .
  • the pad instead of aligning the phone keys with raised indicia 80 on top of the pad, as in Fig. 5, it is also within the scope of the invention for the pad to be constructed of two pad portions, as in Fig. 2, with the top pad portion 12a being composed of a transparent material and the overlays 22 of Fig. 2 being replaced by an opaque material marked with indicia.
  • each stick-on 84 may have an indicia on its top surface with the pad being transparent at least in areas which are in alignment with the stick-ons.
  • the terminals 82a, 82b may extend across the underside of the transparent material and be positioned for contacting the stick-ons when pressed down towards them.
  • Still another embodiment of the present invention relates to incorporating the enunciation circuit, such as that of Fig. 4 of U.S. Patent No. 5,140,632, integrally with a conventional phone 2 of Fig. 1, such as that which is also shown in Fig. 1 of U.S. Patent No. 5,140,632.
  • the circuitry of the conventional phone is modified to integrate the circuitry of Fig. 3 so that the keys are enunciated when actuated.
  • the conventional circuitry is modified to delay entry of the corresponding number or function of the actuated key for placing a call until the occurrence of a specific event.
  • actuation of a cancellation key may be one event which will prevent entry of the number or function corresponding to the enunciated key; actuation of a key associated with the next desired number or function may be another event which triggers entry of the number or function associated with the previously enunciated key.
  • the cancellation key may be one of the function keys or perhaps an additional key on the keypad, such as the unlabeled key between the Send and End keys of Fig. 1 of the present application.
  • Still another event might be the passage of a time delay which triggers entry of the corresponding number or function.

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

Abstract

Un dispositif à clavier téléphonique (10) permet d'émettre des sons correspondant aux fonctions des touches téléphoniques (40) qui restent utilisables pour appeler un numéro ou une fonction. Ce dispositif (10) comporte un clavier (12) doté de plusieurs surfaces enfonçables (22) alignées avec des touches téléphoniques (40) sous-jacentes, une puce de sonorisation (30) et un circuit imprimé (50), placé sous le clavier (12), qui envoie des signaux desdites surfaces (22) à cette puce (30). Lorsqu'on touche une surface enfonçable, un son indique le numéro de téléphone ou la fonction correspondant à la touche téléphonique sous-jacente. Si on enfonce cette surface encore plus, la touche téléphonique sous jacente (40) intervient pour lancer un appel. On peut aussi utiliser une touche d'annulation pour éviter l'activation automatique du numéro de téléphone ou de la fonction précédemment annoncée.
PCT/US1995/002316 1994-02-28 1995-02-23 Accessoire de telephone d'automobile en forme de clavier sonore WO1995023476A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US20289494A 1994-02-28 1994-02-28
US202,894 1994-02-28

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1995023476A1 true WO1995023476A1 (fr) 1995-08-31

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ID=22751666

Family Applications (1)

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PCT/US1995/002316 WO1995023476A1 (fr) 1994-02-28 1995-02-23 Accessoire de telephone d'automobile en forme de clavier sonore

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Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2761221A1 (fr) * 1997-03-18 1998-09-25 Philips Electronics Nv Appareil de communication d'informations, et notamment appareil telephonique
EP0982910A1 (fr) * 1998-08-24 2000-03-01 Lucent Technologies Inc. Touche avec écho
EP1071262A1 (fr) * 1999-02-22 2001-01-24 Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. Dispositif telephonique de vehicule
WO2001045359A1 (fr) * 1999-12-17 2001-06-21 Nokia Mobile Phones Limited Procede et appareil permettant d'identifier les entrees d'un dispositif
EP1271900A1 (fr) * 2001-06-01 2003-01-02 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Système de clavier numérique
EP1619862A1 (fr) * 2004-07-20 2006-01-25 Research In Motion Limited Dispositif électronique portatif avec numérotation téléphonique facilitée utilisant des tags audibles, et procédé correspondant
US8400433B2 (en) 2004-07-20 2013-03-19 Research In Motion Limited Handheld electronic device having facilitated telephone dialing with audible sound tags, and associated method

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4362408A (en) * 1980-12-01 1982-12-07 Ncr Corporation Means for avoiding accidental actuation of a critical function key
US4412210A (en) * 1976-11-01 1983-10-25 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Electronic calculator with acoustic confirmation of key actuation and acoustical alarms
US4949374A (en) * 1985-11-26 1990-08-14 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Speech recognition system with an accurate recognition function
US5140632A (en) * 1990-07-05 1992-08-18 Lewis Anten Telephone having voice capability adaptor

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4412210A (en) * 1976-11-01 1983-10-25 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Electronic calculator with acoustic confirmation of key actuation and acoustical alarms
US4362408A (en) * 1980-12-01 1982-12-07 Ncr Corporation Means for avoiding accidental actuation of a critical function key
US4949374A (en) * 1985-11-26 1990-08-14 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Speech recognition system with an accurate recognition function
US5140632A (en) * 1990-07-05 1992-08-18 Lewis Anten Telephone having voice capability adaptor

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2761221A1 (fr) * 1997-03-18 1998-09-25 Philips Electronics Nv Appareil de communication d'informations, et notamment appareil telephonique
EP0871186A1 (fr) * 1997-03-18 1998-10-14 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Appareil de communication d'informations, et notamment appareil telephonique équipé d'un clavier à touches modifié supprimant toute liaison électrique avec les circuits associés
EP0982910A1 (fr) * 1998-08-24 2000-03-01 Lucent Technologies Inc. Touche avec écho
EP1071262A1 (fr) * 1999-02-22 2001-01-24 Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. Dispositif telephonique de vehicule
EP1071262A4 (fr) * 1999-02-22 2004-11-17 Sanyo Electric Co Dispositif telephonique de vehicule
WO2001045359A1 (fr) * 1999-12-17 2001-06-21 Nokia Mobile Phones Limited Procede et appareil permettant d'identifier les entrees d'un dispositif
EP1271900A1 (fr) * 2001-06-01 2003-01-02 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Système de clavier numérique
EP1619862A1 (fr) * 2004-07-20 2006-01-25 Research In Motion Limited Dispositif électronique portatif avec numérotation téléphonique facilitée utilisant des tags audibles, et procédé correspondant
US8400433B2 (en) 2004-07-20 2013-03-19 Research In Motion Limited Handheld electronic device having facilitated telephone dialing with audible sound tags, and associated method

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