WO2003010944A1

WO2003010944A1 - Self-retracting headset unit for mobile phones and videophones

Info

Publication number: WO2003010944A1
Application number: PCT/HU2001/000083
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tamás PAJOR
Original assignee: Pajor Tamas
Priority date: 2001-07-25
Filing date: 2001-07-25
Publication date: 2003-02-06

Abstract

1, Self-retracting headset unit for mobile phone and videophone sets, where the cable (7) connecting its microphone (4) and earplug-receiver (5) with the phone is installed into a mobile house (1) in a rolled-up position on either a cable-drum (3) or a cable-disc (9) secured by a ratchet mechanism (13); with the characteristics that the cable (7) can be pulled out from the mobile house (1) by hand, and then the cable (7) is rolled back to the mobile house (1) by a rotating mechanism.

Description

SELF-RETRACTING HEADSET UNIT FOR MOBILE PHONES AND VIDEOPHONES

The object of the invention is a :self-retracting headset unit that can be fixed on mobile phone and videophone sets, GSM, GPRS, 2,5 G, 3G, 4G system mobile sets, which stores the cord connecting the headset's microphone and earplug-receiver with the mobile phone/videophone, by retracting it into: the house of the headset unit. All those mobile phones and videophones of GSM, GPRS,¹2,5 G, 3G and 4G systems constitute the field of application of the invention which have possibilities for headset-connection or, at which the headset is originally built-in into the unit.

The purpose of a headset unit used together with mobile phones/videophones is to ensure communication through the phone without the necessity to place the phone to or near the human head.

The unit which is in conformity with the patent specification US 5,504,812 is equipped with a loudspeaker fixed on a headband and with a microphone that can be turned to the mouth, and these are connected via a cable with the mobile phone. Disadvantage of the solution is that the headset unit is too large compared to the size of a mobile phone. Further, that it is an accessory completely separated from the phone, so its mobile usage is complicated. Its universal usage is made difficult by one of its integral parts, the free-hanging connection cable.

The unit which is in conformity with the patent specification GB 2 277 422 A does not have a headband. Instead of it a loudspeaker to be fixed on the ear is used, from which the microphone reaches to the mouth. The headset unit is foldable and it can be stored in a case fixed on the mobile phone. This unit is also connected by a separate cable with the mobile phone. The disadvantage of the solution is that it is too large compared to the mobile phone, and thus its mobile usage is complicated.

The simplified headset-units that are generally in use in practice, like those which can be used with NOKIA and MOTOROLA mobile phones, are equipped with small-size earplug-receivers which are installed (together with the microphone and the microphone switch) on the connection cable going to the mobile phone. This way the headset uses only very little space, its disadvantage, however, is that the connection cord is left freely moving at any time. Consequently, because of the cca. 0.8 m long connection cable, it is more difficult to use as the cord might get entangled or get caught e.g. like when you get out or in a car, or when it has to be used unexpectedly. In case of storing or transporting the headset out of use there is also a chance that the cable gets entangled. Handling of an entangled cord is difficult and takes plus time.

The headsets that belong to the cordless style, do not use connection cable, instead the communications connection is ensured through an infrared transceiver circuit or through a radio-frequency transceiver circuit. Their advantage is that they completely eliminate the connection cable together with all of its drawbacks. Their disadvantage is that - compared to the above units - they are much more complex, and with them it is more difficult to ensure disturbance-free communication, for the reason of external and other disturbances.

The purpose of the invention is to create such a headset unit which uses cable, however, when out of use, the cord connecting it with the mobile phone/videophone does not hang freely around and, by eliminating the disadvantages of known solutions with cable, it can be stored and transported easier, it can also be put to operation and used easier, and it is a headset unit which takes up small space only.

The point of the invention is that when the headset is not in use, then the earplug- receiver - microphone cable is rolled up η a cable-drum. The cable-drum is built together with a. rotating spring. When the rolled-up cable is pulled out from the cable-drum, the drum gets rolled and in the meantime energy is accumulated in the rotating spring; and then the stored energy can be used in t^ next phase of moving the cable, that is, pulling it back.

The invention has electric and mechanical connections matched to the individual mobile phone/videophone sets.

There is also a possibility that the self-retracting headset unit contains the earplug-receiver and the microphone built into the same block, and this is connected through an electric cable with the mobile phone. When it is not in use, in the phone or (when the headset is a separate unit to be connected to the mobile phone/videophone) outside of the headset, there is no cable. When we want to use the headset, the earplug-receiver - microphone block has to be seized and pulled out from the housing - together with the cable -, and then it is put on the ear, and by pushing the cable release button on the unit the cable will be automatically pulled back into the headset house, together with the earplug-receiver - microphone block. The block can be inserted into its place at the bottom of the house.

The invention can be divided into two, basically different constructions. At one of the constructions the cable-drum is fitted at the bottom of the mobile phone/videophone, and the drum has a cylindrical shape. A most useful example of this construction is when the spring that rotates the cable-drum is made from a special rubber material which is able to deliver the rotation needed for rolling up the cable, in spite of its small size. The earplug-receiver and the microphone are built under the rotating mechanism. At the other construction only the earplug-receiver and the microphone is fitted at the bottom of the mobile phone/videophone. The rotating mechanism is fitted to the back of the phone. At this construction the rotating drum has disk-form with minimal thickness. A most useful example of this construction is when the spring rotating the cable-drum is a spiral spring made from metal.

A very useful example of the headset in conformity with the invention is when the headset-unit can be separately connected to the mobile phone/videophone, and it has replaceable adapters in correspondence with the individual phones, containing the electric and mechanical connectors. The various adapters in compliance with the individual phones are integral parts of the headset unit, being its accessories. Their number is not limited, and it can continuously be expanded, depending on the connection type of the current and future phones on the market. The adapters can easily be replaced, mechanically, on the headset unit.

Another useful example of the headset in conformity with the invention is when the above described two basic solutions (and the related construction examples) can be fitted to the mobile phone set as not separate accessories, but they are built in originally to its house.

The headset in conformity with the invention is demonstrated by figures too, where Figure 1 shows an example of the first construction form of the headset unit in conformity with the invention, connected to a mobile phone/videophone, front view.

Figure 2 shows an example of the first construction form of the headset unit in conformity -with the invention, connected to the mobile phone/videophone, view from the side.

Figure 3 shows an example of the first construction form of the headset unit in conformity with the invention, together with the adapter, longitudinal section.

Figure 4 shows an example of the first construction form of the headset unit in conformity with the invention, without adapter, side section.

Figure 5 shows an example of the other construction form of the headset in conformity with the invention, connected to the mobile phone/videophone, front view.

Figure 6 shows an example of the other construction form of the headset in conformity with the invention, connected to the mobile phone/videophone, view from the side.

Figure 7 shows an example of the other construction form of the headset in conformity with the invention, longitudinal section.

Figure 8 shows an example of the other construction form of the headset in conformity with the invention, side section.

The headset unit in conformity with the invention - if it is not originally built into the mobile phone set - is made of three main parts: adapter 12, earplug-receiver - microphone block 6 and the headset unit house 1 with installed mechanics and electronics. The adapter 12 is an element that is electrically connected and mechanically fixed to the headset unit and the mobile phone set. Its function is to ensure the electric transmission between the mobile phone set and the headset's microphone 4 and earplug-receiver 5 and, at the same time, to fix the unit firmly on to the phone. The release button of the mechanical fixtures - depending on the construction - may be placed either on the side or on the top of the adapter 12. The adapter 12 can be pressed on to the headset unit and it can be locked in its end-position secured by its special form. Its material is die-cast plastic and its electric connections and mechanical connecting elements are standard mobile phone-/videophone- components.

When taking the self-retracting headset unit into use then there is a possibility to select for the unit's house 1 the adapter 12 in correspondence with the mobile phone set, and it can be pushed on to the house 1. The complete unit then can be pushed to the mobile phone's connector and it is fixed also by its special shape and by mechanical connection. The connection between the adapter.12 and the house 1 of the headset unit is shown by Figure 3, while Figures 1. and 2. show it together with the mobile phone/videophone. Figures 3., 4., 7. and 8. show the earplug-receiver - microphone block 6 in a position when it is placed into the headset. The earplug-receiver 5 and the microphone 4 is built into this block 6 together with a microswitch 8 that makes possible to take and finish calls. Block 6 is placed on the ear when in use. After having finished its usage it is inserted into a place made on the bottom of the headset unit's house 1 and, if necessary, it can be locked also, secured by its special form.

The material of block 6 is die-cast plastic. Its electric components are standard mobile phone/videophone components. The house 1 of the headset unit and the components built in are shown by Figures 3., 4., 7. and 8. The various views of house 1 are shown by Figures 1., 2., 5. and 6. The house 1 of the unit holds the electric cable 7 of the earplug- receiver 5 and the microphone 4 and also the retractor mechanism of this cable 7..

•Functioning of cable retraction:

At one of the basic versions a cable-drum 3 turning around on a shaft was built into the house 1. The cable-drum 3 is cylinder-shaped, and the rotating spring 2 is put into its inner cavity. One end of the rotating spring 2 is fixed to the cable-drum 3, while the other end to the house 1. When the cable-drum 3 is turned around, the rotating spring 2 is wound up and energy gets stored in it. The wounded-up state of the rotating spring 2 is ensured by a ratchet mechanism 13 fitted at one of the ends of the cable-drum 3, preventing that the cable-drum 3 spins back. When the unit is not in use, the cable 7 is rolled up on the cable- drum 3 thus, when the cable 7 is pulled out, this rotates the cable-drum 3 winding up this way the rotating spring 2. When the ratchet mechanism 13 is released, the energy stored in the rotating spring 2 is released too, and it turns back the cable-drum 3 to its basic position and, in the meantime the cable 7 is rolled back onto the cable-drum 3. One end of the cable 7 is fixed to the cable-drum 3; its electric connections are ensured by the electric connector 11 which is a 2 or 3 pole circular-slipper type connector placed on the other end of the cable-drum 3. The cable 7 is either a two- or a 3-wire cable, depending, if there is a microswitch 8 installed or not, The house 1 is made from die-cast plastic. The material of the rotating spring 2 is a special rubber. One example of the construction version can be seen at Figures 3. and 4.

At the other basic version a cable-disk 9 is built into the headset house 1, and a spiral spring 10 to do the rotation is fitted into the cable-disk interior. The cable-retraction works the same way it is described above. One example of the construction version is shown at Figures 7. and 8.

A possible solution for winding-up the cable 7 onto the cable-drum 3 is, when the cable- drum 3 is rotated by a small-size electric motor. The electric motor's direction of rotation and thus the winding or pullout of the cable 7 can be switched by a reversing switch. The energy-source for the electric motor is the phone's battery.

The advantage of the headset in conformity with the invention is that it uses only little space, it can handle the mobile phone connection cable, and it can be used conveniently. Its build is simple, it is a structure made from relatively small nuriiber of components, and it can be economically produced and used. List of Notations:

1 - house

2 - rotating spring

3 - cable-drum

4 - microphone

5 - earplug-receiver

6 - earplug-receiver - microphone block

7 - cable

8 - microswitch

9 - cable disk

10 - spiral spring

11 - electric connections

12 - adapter

13 - ratchet mechanism

Claims

Patent requirements:

1, Self-retracting headset unit for mobile phone and videophone sets, the connection cable (7) of which from its microphone (4) and earplug-receiver (5) to the phone is installed in a mobile house (1), with the characteristics that the cable (7) can be pulled out from the mobile house (1) by hand, and then, through a rotating mechanism the cable (7) is rolled back to the mobile house (1).

2, A headset unit in conformity with Requirement No.l, with the characteristics that the cable (7) is rolled up onto a cylindrical shape cable-drum (3), and the cable-drum (3), together with the microphone (4) and the earplug-receiver (5), is installed in a mobile house (1) at the bottom of the mobile phone or videophone set.

3, A headset unit in conformity with Requirement Nol, with the characteristics that the cable (7) is rolled up to a thin cable-disk (9), attached to the back of the mobile phone or videophone set, while the microphone (4) and the earplug-receiver (5) is installed into a mobile house (1) at the bottom of the phone.

4, A headset in conformity with Requriments 2.-3., with the characteristics that the mobile house (1) is a separate unit that can be fitted to the mobile phone or the videophone.

5, A headset in conformity with Requirements 2.-3., with the characteristics that the mobile house (1) is not a separate unit, but installed in the house of the mobile phone or the videophone originally.

6, A headset unit in conformity with Requirements 2.-4., with the characteristics that it is attached to the various types of mobile phones/videophones through an electrically and mechanically fitted, replaceable adapter (12).

7, A headset - in conformity with any of Requirements 1-6., with the characteristics, that the microphone (4) and the earplug-receiver (5) is built into a block (6).

8, A headset in conformity with any of Requirements 1.-7., with the characteristics that the cable-drum (3) works so that it is rolled back by a rotating spring (2).

9, A headset in conformity with any of Requirements 1.-7., with the characteristics that the cable-drum (3) is rotated by a micromotor through a reversing switch, and the energy needed for its operations is delivered by the battery of the mobile phone or the videophone.