WO2002037601A2 - Antenna unit for cellular telephones - Google Patents

Antenna unit for cellular telephones Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2002037601A2
WO2002037601A2 PCT/IL2001/000989 IL0100989W WO0237601A2 WO 2002037601 A2 WO2002037601 A2 WO 2002037601A2 IL 0100989 W IL0100989 W IL 0100989W WO 0237601 A2 WO0237601 A2 WO 0237601A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
unit
cellular telephone
sound
microphone
distal end
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IL2001/000989
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO2002037601A3 (en
Inventor
Alexander Paritsky
Alexander Kots
Original Assignee
Phone-Or Ltd.
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 Phone-Or Ltd. filed Critical Phone-Or Ltd.
Priority to AU2002212665A priority Critical patent/AU2002212665A1/en
Publication of WO2002037601A2 publication Critical patent/WO2002037601A2/en
Publication of WO2002037601A3 publication Critical patent/WO2002037601A3/en

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
    • H01Q1/12—Supports; Mounting means
    • H01Q1/22—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles
    • H01Q1/24—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set
    • H01Q1/241—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM
    • H01Q1/242—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM specially adapted for hand-held use
    • H01Q1/245—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM specially adapted for hand-held use with means for shaping the antenna pattern, e.g. in order to protect user against rf exposure
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
    • H01Q1/12—Supports; Mounting means
    • H01Q1/22—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles
    • H01Q1/24—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set
    • H01Q1/241—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM
    • H01Q1/242—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM specially adapted for hand-held use
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04B—TRANSMISSION
    • H04B1/00—Details of transmission systems, not covered by a single one of groups H04B3/00 - H04B13/00; Details of transmission systems not characterised by the medium used for transmission
    • H04B1/38—Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
    • H04B1/3827—Portable transceivers
    • H04B1/3833—Hand-held transceivers
    • H04B1/3838—Arrangements for reducing RF exposure to the user, e.g. by changing the shape of the transceiver while in use
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R23/00—Transducers other than those covered by groups H04R9/00 - H04R21/00

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to cellular telephones, and more particularly, to a combined sound-propagation/antenna unit for cellular telephones.
  • One of the deficiencies of a cellular telephone is the electromagnetic irradiation produced by its antenna, which is located during use near the brain of the user. This irradiation is very powerful and is considered to be damaging to the user's health. The closer the antenna is to the user's forehead, the more damage it can cause.
  • EMI electromagnetic interference
  • a still further object of the present invention is to provide a combined sound-propagation/antenna unit for cellular telephones.
  • a sound-propagation/antenna unit for a cellular telephone comprising a tubular element having a distal end, an intermediate portion and a proximal end; said distal end having a sound-admitting portion; said proximal end being articulatable to a cellular telephone, and at least said intermediate portion being made of, or including, electromagnetic wave-conducting means connectable to said cellular telephone.
  • Fig. 1 schematically illustrates the principle and structure of a cellular telephone according to the present invention
  • Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a radio antenna that serves as an acoustical channel
  • Fig. 3 schematically illustrates a cellular telephone having a radio antenna combined with an optical microphone
  • Fig. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a sound-propagation/antenna unit for a cellular telephone according to the invention
  • Fig. 5 illustrates a still further embodiment of a sound-propagation/antenna unit for a cellular telephone according to the present invention
  • Fig. 6 illustrates yet another further embodiment of a sound-propagation/antenna unit for a cellular telephone according to the present invention.
  • Fig. 1 illustrates a user's head 2 and a cellular telephone 4 equipped with a sound-propagation/antenna unit 6 according to the present invention, positioned adjacent to the user in a speaking and/or listening state. Also seen, depicted in dashed lines for reference only, is the antenna A of an ordinary cellular telephone. As can be appreciated, in an ordinary cellular telephone, the disposition of its antenna A is very close to the user's head and thus all radio radiation from the antenna impinges on the user's brain.- The microphone of an ordinary cellular telephone is located at the far end of the phone, away from the antenna, in order to avoid EMI influence on the microphone circuit.
  • the farther away the microphone is from the antenna the better are the working conditions and the less is the EMI noise induced.
  • the current trend to diminish the overall size of cellular telephones leads to a shortening of the distance between the microphone and the antenna as well as to lengthening of the distance between the microphone and the user's mouth.
  • the EMI noise in the microphone rises, the speaker's voice subsides, and the common signal-to-noise ratio likewise decreases.
  • the invention provides a combined sound propagation/antenna unit at the lower part of the telephone 4, far away from the user's brain and closer to his mouth.
  • Unit 6 combines the features of an antenna with the features of sound propagation devices such as a sound guide having a tubular configuration, leading to a microphone commonly affixed in the lower part of a cellular telephone, or a microphone, or at least to a microphone head disposed at the extreme end of the sound guide.
  • sound propagation devices such as a sound guide having a tubular configuration, leading to a microphone commonly affixed in the lower part of a cellular telephone, or a microphone, or at least to a microphone head disposed at the extreme end of the sound guide.
  • a combined sound propagation/antenna unit 6 constituted by the configuration of a per se known telescopic antenna made of electromagnetic wave-conducting material.
  • the unit 6 is fitted at its distal end 8 with a spherical sound-admitting body 10, such as a spherical guide, and possibly at its proximal end 12 with means 14 for hingedly articulating the unit 6 to a cellular telephone 4.
  • the unit 6 can be articulated to the phone 4 by any known means in order to effect pivotal, foldable translatory or retractable movement with respect to the body of the cellular telephone.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates another possible embodiment of a combined sound propagation/antenna unit 6 according to the present invention, which is made of a non-telescopic metallic tube 7 having a body 10 fitted or integrally made at its distal end 8 and an aperture 16 formed at its proximal end 12. Aperture 16 is directed towards a common telephone microphone 18.
  • Telephone 4 may also include a digital sound processor 20 which receives signals from microphone 18, to improve the acoustical effects produced by the rather narrow acoustical channel 22 inside unit 6. Also seen in Fig. 3 is an ordinary telephone speaker 24 and display 26.
  • Fig. 4 there is shown telephone 4, to which unit 6 is articulated, similar to the embodiment of Fig. 3. However, instead of propagating the acoustical waves from distal end 8 to proximal end 12, the acoustical waves admitted are transformed into electrical signals at distal end 8, avoiding the necessity to propagate the sound as acoustical waves passing through unit 6, thereby improving the quality of the sound.
  • a small microphone head 28 is disposed inside distal end 8, preferably inside body 10, while wires 30 leading from head 28 are strung through the channel 22 of unit 6 and connected to a processor 32.
  • Fig. 5 shows a still further embodiment of a cellular telephone, in which a per se known optical microphone is advantageously utilized.
  • Microphone head 34 includes the light-emitting end portion of a lightguide 36, e.g., an optical fiber or solid lightguide, an acoustically responsive membrane 38, and a light-receiving end portion of a second lightguide 40.
  • the light guides 36, 40 extend through the tube 7, to a light source 42 and a light detector 44, respectively.
  • Light source 42 and light detector 44 are connected in circuit within the telephone 4, and in turn are operationally governed by a processor 46.
  • the lightguides 36 and 40 may be at least partly covered with electromagnetic wave-conducting material, thus forming an integral unit 6.
  • the waveguides may include such conductive material, e.g., by embedding or otherwise attaching a conductive element.
  • the radio antenna is disposed relatively very far from the user's brain, and the microphone is very close to his mouth. Hence, the influence of radio irradiation to the brain is minimized, and the acoustical signal-to-noise ratio of the cellular telephone's microphone is very high.
  • An optical microphone that consists substantially of non-metallic parts is not influenced by any EMI.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Support Of Aerials (AREA)
  • Telephone Set Structure (AREA)
  • Details Of Aerials (AREA)

Abstract

The invention provides a sound-propagation/antenna unit (6) for a cellular telephone (4), including a tubular element having a distal end (8), an intermediate portion (16) and a proximal end (12); the distal end (8) having a sound-admitting portion (10), the proximal end (12) being articulatable (14) to a cellular telephone (4), and at least the intermediate portion (16) being made of, or including, electromagnetic wave-conducting means connectable to the cellular telephone (4).

Description

ANTENNA UNIT FOR CELLULAR TELEPHONES Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cellular telephones, and more particularly, to a combined sound-propagation/antenna unit for cellular telephones. Background of the Invention
One of the deficiencies of a cellular telephone is the electromagnetic irradiation produced by its antenna, which is located during use near the brain of the user. This irradiation is very powerful and is considered to be damaging to the user's health. The closer the antenna is to the user's forehead, the more damage it can cause.
Another deficiency of cellular telephones relates to the electromagnetic interference (EMI) produced by its antenna, which influences the operation of the microphone. Thus, the antenna of a cellular telephone should be placed as far as possible from its microphone and from its other circuits. Disclosure of the Invention
It is therefore a broad object of the present invention to provide a cellular telephone having improved safety for its user.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cellular telephone having improved acoustical features, despite the influence of radio antenna EMI on its microphone.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a combined sound-propagation/antenna unit for cellular telephones.
The present invention achieves the above objectives by providing a sound-propagation/antenna unit for a cellular telephone, comprising a tubular element having a distal end, an intermediate portion and a proximal end; said distal end having a sound-admitting portion; said proximal end being articulatable to a cellular telephone, and at least said intermediate portion being made of, or including, electromagnetic wave-conducting means connectable to said cellular telephone. Brief Description of the Drawings
The invention will now be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments with reference to the following illustrative figures so that it may be more fully understood.
With specific reference now to the figures in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice.
In the drawings: Fig. 1 schematically illustrates the principle and structure of a cellular telephone according to the present invention; Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a radio antenna that serves as an acoustical channel; Fig. 3 schematically illustrates a cellular telephone having a radio antenna combined with an optical microphone; Fig. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a sound-propagation/antenna unit for a cellular telephone according to the invention; Fig. 5 illustrates a still further embodiment of a sound-propagation/antenna unit for a cellular telephone according to the present invention, and Fig. 6 illustrates yet another further embodiment of a sound-propagation/antenna unit for a cellular telephone according to the present invention. Detailed Description
Fig. 1 illustrates a user's head 2 and a cellular telephone 4 equipped with a sound-propagation/antenna unit 6 according to the present invention, positioned adjacent to the user in a speaking and/or listening state. Also seen, depicted in dashed lines for reference only, is the antenna A of an ordinary cellular telephone. As can be appreciated, in an ordinary cellular telephone, the disposition of its antenna A is very close to the user's head and thus all radio radiation from the antenna impinges on the user's brain.- The microphone of an ordinary cellular telephone is located at the far end of the phone, away from the antenna, in order to avoid EMI influence on the microphone circuit. Hence, the farther away the microphone is from the antenna, the better are the working conditions and the less is the EMI noise induced. At the same time, the current trend to diminish the overall size of cellular telephones leads to a shortening of the distance between the microphone and the antenna as well as to lengthening of the distance between the microphone and the user's mouth. As a result, the EMI noise in the microphone rises, the speaker's voice subsides, and the common signal-to-noise ratio likewise decreases.
In order to overcome the hazard of the radiation, and as seen in Fig. 1, the invention provides a combined sound propagation/antenna unit at the lower part of the telephone 4, far away from the user's brain and closer to his mouth.
Unit 6 combines the features of an antenna with the features of sound propagation devices such as a sound guide having a tubular configuration, leading to a microphone commonly affixed in the lower part of a cellular telephone, or a microphone, or at least to a microphone head disposed at the extreme end of the sound guide.
Referring to Fig. 2, there is illustrated a first embodiment of a combined sound propagation/antenna unit 6 constituted by the configuration of a per se known telescopic antenna made of electromagnetic wave-conducting material. Advantageously, the unit 6 is fitted at its distal end 8 with a spherical sound-admitting body 10, such as a spherical guide, and possibly at its proximal end 12 with means 14 for hingedly articulating the unit 6 to a cellular telephone 4. The unit 6 can be articulated to the phone 4 by any known means in order to effect pivotal, foldable translatory or retractable movement with respect to the body of the cellular telephone. Fig. 3 illustrates another possible embodiment of a combined sound propagation/antenna unit 6 according to the present invention, which is made of a non-telescopic metallic tube 7 having a body 10 fitted or integrally made at its distal end 8 and an aperture 16 formed at its proximal end 12. Aperture 16 is directed towards a common telephone microphone 18. Telephone 4 may also include a digital sound processor 20 which receives signals from microphone 18, to improve the acoustical effects produced by the rather narrow acoustical channel 22 inside unit 6. Also seen in Fig. 3 is an ordinary telephone speaker 24 and display 26.
Referring to Fig. 4, there is shown telephone 4, to which unit 6 is articulated, similar to the embodiment of Fig. 3. However, instead of propagating the acoustical waves from distal end 8 to proximal end 12, the acoustical waves admitted are transformed into electrical signals at distal end 8, avoiding the necessity to propagate the sound as acoustical waves passing through unit 6, thereby improving the quality of the sound. In order to achieve this transformation, a small microphone head 28 is disposed inside distal end 8, preferably inside body 10, while wires 30 leading from head 28 are strung through the channel 22 of unit 6 and connected to a processor 32.
Fig. 5 shows a still further embodiment of a cellular telephone, in which a per se known optical microphone is advantageously utilized. Microphone head 34 includes the light-emitting end portion of a lightguide 36, e.g., an optical fiber or solid lightguide, an acoustically responsive membrane 38, and a light-receiving end portion of a second lightguide 40. The light guides 36, 40 extend through the tube 7, to a light source 42 and a light detector 44, respectively. Light source 42 and light detector 44 are connected in circuit within the telephone 4, and in turn are operationally governed by a processor 46.
As can be realized and as shown in the embodiment of Fig. 6, instead of inserting lightguides into tube 7, the lightguides 36 and 40 may be at least partly covered with electromagnetic wave-conducting material, thus forming an integral unit 6. Naturally, the waveguides may include such conductive material, e.g., by embedding or otherwise attaching a conductive element. As can be readily understood, according to the present invention the radio antenna is disposed relatively very far from the user's brain, and the microphone is very close to his mouth. Hence, the influence of radio irradiation to the brain is minimized, and the acoustical signal-to-noise ratio of the cellular telephone's microphone is very high. An optical microphone that consists substantially of non-metallic parts is not influenced by any EMI.
It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrated embodiments and that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

1. A sound-propagation/antenna unit for a cellular telephone, comprising: a tubular element having a distal end, an intermediate portion and a proximal end; said distal end having a sound-admitting portion; said proximal end being articulatable to a cellular telephone, and at least said intermediate portion being made of, or including, electromagnetic wave-conducting means connectable to said cellular telephone.
2. The unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said distal end is fitted with a apertured, sound-admitting body.
3. The unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said proximal end is articulatable to said cellular telephone for pivotal or translatory movement.
4. The unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tubular element includes several telescoping sections.
5. The unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least said proximal end and said intermediate portion are made of metal.
6. The unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said proximal end includes a sound expelling outlet.
7. The unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said distal end includes a microphone operationally connectable to said cellular telephone.
8. The unit as claimed in claim 7, wherein said microphone is an optical microphone operationally connectable to said cellular telephone by means of waveguides.
9. The unit as claimed in claim 8, wherein said optical microphone includes a head having a waveguide light emitting end, an acoustically actuable membrane and a waveguide light-admitting end, and said head is disposed inside or adjacent to the distal end of said tubular element.
10. The unit as claimed in claim 8, wherein said optical microphone includes a light source and a light detector, respectively connected to said waveguides.
11. The unit as claimed in claim 8, wherein said waveguides extend along the interior of said tubular element.
12. The unit as claimed in claim 8, wherein said waveguides are at least partly coated with electromagnetic wave-conducting material.
PCT/IL2001/000989 2000-10-30 2001-10-25 Antenna unit for cellular telephones WO2002037601A2 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2002212665A AU2002212665A1 (en) 2000-10-30 2001-10-25 Antenna unit for cellular telephones

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IL13936600A IL139366A0 (en) 2000-10-30 2000-10-30 Antenna unit for cellular telephones
IL139366 2000-10-30

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2002037601A2 true WO2002037601A2 (en) 2002-05-10
WO2002037601A3 WO2002037601A3 (en) 2002-09-06

Family

ID=11074771

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IL2001/000989 WO2002037601A2 (en) 2000-10-30 2001-10-25 Antenna unit for cellular telephones

Country Status (3)

Country Link
AU (1) AU2002212665A1 (en)
IL (1) IL139366A0 (en)
WO (1) WO2002037601A2 (en)

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4166932A (en) * 1977-09-07 1979-09-04 International Standard Electric Corporation Optical microphone with rectangular fiber optics
US5197091A (en) * 1989-11-20 1993-03-23 Fujitsu Limited Portable telephone having a pipe member which supports a microphone
US5446789A (en) * 1993-11-10 1995-08-29 International Business Machines Corporation Electronic device having antenna for receiving soundwaves
US5555449A (en) * 1995-03-07 1996-09-10 Ericsson Inc. Extendible antenna and microphone for portable communication unit
WO1999004500A1 (en) * 1997-07-16 1999-01-28 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Hand-held telephone device
FR2808641A1 (en) * 2000-05-05 2001-11-09 Dominique Bertrand Reduced electromagnetic radiation mobile telephone having housing with upper ear piece/lower microphone and antenna swinging around lower mounted housing towards lower position.

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4166932A (en) * 1977-09-07 1979-09-04 International Standard Electric Corporation Optical microphone with rectangular fiber optics
US5197091A (en) * 1989-11-20 1993-03-23 Fujitsu Limited Portable telephone having a pipe member which supports a microphone
US5446789A (en) * 1993-11-10 1995-08-29 International Business Machines Corporation Electronic device having antenna for receiving soundwaves
US5555449A (en) * 1995-03-07 1996-09-10 Ericsson Inc. Extendible antenna and microphone for portable communication unit
WO1999004500A1 (en) * 1997-07-16 1999-01-28 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Hand-held telephone device
FR2808641A1 (en) * 2000-05-05 2001-11-09 Dominique Bertrand Reduced electromagnetic radiation mobile telephone having housing with upper ear piece/lower microphone and antenna swinging around lower mounted housing towards lower position.

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2002212665A1 (en) 2002-05-15
WO2002037601A3 (en) 2002-09-06
IL139366A0 (en) 2001-11-25

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