WO2005088844A1

WO2005088844A1 - External speaker for mobile phone

Info

Publication number: WO2005088844A1
Application number: PCT/KR2004/001491
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ju Yeon Kim
Original assignee: Sambu Communics Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2004-03-12
Filing date: 2004-06-21
Publication date: 2005-09-22
Also published as: KR20050012121A

Abstract

The present invention provides an external speaker including an amplification circuit unit for amplifying a voice for a phone call with another party, and a pair of casings equipped with a micro speaker for outputting a voice signal amplified by the amplification circuit unit. Accordingly, while the external speaker is combined whith a mobile phone, a user can make a phone call without the bringing of the mobile phone close to user’s ear.

Description

EXTERNAL SPEAKER FOR MOBILE PHONE

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to an external speaker for mobile phones.

More particularly, the present invention relates to an external speaker for mobile phones

capable of amplifying a voice, which is mounted on a mobile phone and enables a one-to-one

or multi-party phone call with another party or other parties without the bringing ofthe mobile

phone close to a user's ear.

Background Art

Generally, mobile phones, which are convenient to carry, allow phone calls to be

made without regard to time and space. However, conventional mobile phones must be

brought close to users' ears to make phone calls with other parties, and must be held by the

hands in order to make phone calls.

To solve such inconvenience, mobile phones using a hands-fiee method were

developed. The hands-fiee mobile phones have an advantage in that users do not need to hold

mobile phones by the hands during phone calls with another party, but have a disadvantage in

that persons except for a caller cannot hear the voice of another party.

Disclosure ofthe Invention

Technical Problem

An object of the present invention is to provide an external speaker for mobile phones, which amplifies a voice for a phone call with another party, and thus, enables the phone

call with the party to be made without the bringing of a mobile phone close to a user's ear.

Furthermore, another object ofthe present invention is to provide an external speaker

for mobile phones, which amplifies a voice for a phone call with another party, and thus,

enables surrounding persons as well as a caller to hear the contents ofthe phone call with the

party.

Furthermore, a further object ofthe present invention is to provide an external speaker

for mobile phones, which enables the user to visually detect the state of a phone call with

another party.

Technical Solution

An external speaker for mobile phones according to the present invention includes a

pair of casings including an upper casing and a lower casing capable of securing a connector,

and adapted to accommodate a micro speaker and an amplification circuit unit formed of

elements mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB), the connector secured on the lower casing

ofthe pair of casings to be exposed to the outside ofthe lower casing, and used to electrically

connect the amplification circuit unit to a mobile phone so that power, and voice and control

signals can be transmitted and received therebetween when the connector is combined with the

mobile phone, the amplification circuit unit foi ed of elements arranged on the PCB to amplify

a voice signal for a phone call with another party, which is transmitted from the mobile phone

through the connector, and a micro speaker secured to the inside ofthe upper casing, driven by

the voice signal amplified by the amplification circuit unit, and adapted to discharge the voice for the phone call with another party through the sound outlets ofthe upper casing.

In accordance with the present invention, it is preferable that the amplification circuit

unit and the micro speaker are supplied with drive power from a battery mounted on the mobile

phone or a separate battery contained in the pair of casings. In accordance with the present invention, it is preferable that the mobile phone has a

call/standby selection line extended to the connector so that the call and standby state of the

mobile phone is selected by combining and separating the external speaker with and from the

mobile phone, respectively.

In accordance with the present invention, it is preferable that the external speaker

further includes a light emitting diode (LED) that flashes while the call state is maintained by

combining the external speaker with the mobile phone.

In accordance with the present invention, it is preferable that the lower casing includes

an LED mount formed on the inside thereof, which is connected to an outside of the lower

casing through an opening, to allow the LED to be mounted in the LED mount, and a locking

groove for securing the LED by being combined with the LED are formed in a portion ofthe

LED mount

In accordance with the present invention, it is preferable that an accommodation space

for accommodating the connector and a fastening space for securing the connector are formed on

a portion thereof to be close to each other, two first-supports are formed in the vicinity of the

fastening space of the lower casing to face each other while having a certain interval

therebetween, two second-supports are formed on the inside ofthe upper casing to correspond to

the first-supports of the lower casing to face each other while having a certain interval therebetween, so that the first-supports ofthe upper casing and the second-supports ofthe lower

casing can secure rotation shafts formed on ends ofthe connector when the upper casing and the

lower casing are combined into a single body.

Advantageous Effects The present invention enables an external speaker capable of amplifying a voice for a

phone call with another party to be separated from and combined with a mobile phone, so that

the present invention is advantageous in that it is possible to make a phone call with the party

without the bringing ofthe mobile phone close to a user's ear.

Furthermore, the present invention amplifies a voice for a phone call with another

party, so that the present invention is effective in that surrounding persons as well as a caller can

hear the contents ofthe phone call.

Furthermore, when an external speaker is inserted into a mobile phone and a phone

call is made, the present invention is effective in that the state of a phone call with another party

can be visually detected.

Brief Description ofthe Drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external speaker for mobile phones

according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view showing the external speaker for

mobile phone according to the present invention; FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views showing an upper casing and a lower casing, respectively, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a view showing the use ofthe external speaker for mobile phones according

to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a partially cut-away exploded perspective view showing an external speaker

for mobile phones according to another embodiment ofthe present invention; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are sectional views showing the operation of the connector of the

external speaker disclosed in FIG.6.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Referring to FIG. 1, in an external speaker 1 for mobile phones according to the

present invention, a micro speaker, an amplification circuit unit and a connector 4 are contained

in a pair of upper and lower casings 2 and 3. The horizontal sections ofthe upper and lower

casings 2 and 3 are formed in a tetragonal shape approximate to an elliptical shape. Of course,

the horizontal section ofthe external speaker 1 may have various shapes, such as an elliptical, a

hexagonal and an octagonal shape, as well as the tetragonal shape approximate to an elliptical

shape.

In the upper and lower casings 2 and 3 combined into a single body, a plurality of

sound outlets 7 for discharging a voice is formed in the upper casing 2, and the connector 4 is

combined with the lower casing 3 to be exposed to the outside ofthe lower casing 3. The

connector 4 functions to provide lines for allowing power, a voice and control signals to be

transmitted and received between a mobile phone and the external speaker 1 as well as to

mechanically and electrically secure (connect) the external speaker 1 to the mobile phone. Furthemiore, an LED 5 is secured on the outside ofthe lower casing 3 opposite to the connector

4, and functions to give notice of a call state ofthe mobile phone when the external speaker 1 is

mechanically combined with the mobile phone.

The construction and combination of the components of the external speaker 1

according to the present invention are shown in FIG.2.

The upper casing 2, in which a plurality of sound outlets 7 for discharging a voice is

formed, is formed in a tetragonal dome shape extending upward as shown in FIG. 3, and a

support part, which is not shown in the drawing, capable of securing the micro speaker 6 is

formed inside the upper casing 2. Furthermore, a fitting protrusion 9 is formed at the end

portion ofthe upper casing 2 coming in contact with the lower casing 3 when the upper and

lower casings 2 and 3 are combined into a single body. The fitting protrusion 9 refers to a

portion configured in such a way that the outer surface ofthe end portion ofthe upper casing 2

is protruded compared to the inner surface thereof.

The lower casing 3 combined into a single body with the upper casing 2 is formed to

be opposite to the upper casing 2, and a fitting protrusion 14 is formed at the end portion ofthe

lower casing 3 coming in contact with that of the upper casing 2, and a PCB 11, on which

various elements 12 constituting an amplification circuit unit 10 for amplifying a voice signal

transmitted from a mobile phone not shown, are formed, is seated at the center portion ofthe

lower casing 3. The upper and lower casings 2 and 3 combined into a single body can be

more securely combined by tightening screws through screw holes.

The amplification circuit unit 10 formed on the PCB 11 functions to amplify a voice

signal transmitted from a mobile phone that is not shown. In this case, power required to amplify the voice signal can be supplied from a battery mounted on a general mobile phone or

separate battery contained in the external speaker 1.

At one comer ofthe lower casing 3, the connector 4, which functions to electrically

connect the various elements constituting the amplification circuit unit 10 to a mobile phone so

that power, and voice and control signals can be transmitted and received therebetween, is

fixedly mounted. The connector 4 is exposed to the outside of the lower casing 3 to be

mechanically connected to the mobile phone.

In this case, the call/standby selection line of the mobile phone is extended to the

connector 4 along a pair of lines in the various lines ofthe connector 4, so that the call/standby

state ofthe mobile phone can be selected by mechanically separating or combining the external

speaker 1 from or with the mobile phone, or by providing a separate selection button on the

external speaker 1, which can be manipulated after combining the external speaker 1 with the

mobile phone.

At another comer ofthe lower casing 3, an LED mount 8 capable of allowing the

LED 5 to be mounted therein is formed. In particular, a locking groove 13 for being

combined with the protrusion ofthe LED 5 is formed in the LED mount 8, so that the LED 5 is

not separated from the LED mount 8 even when the external speaker 1 is shaken severely or

external impact is applied.

The LED mount 8 has a sufficient height to allow the LED 5 to be secured without

being influenced by the micro speaker 6 and the PCB 11 contained in the lower casing 3, and

functions to support the lead line ofthe LED 5 to be connected to the PCB 11 and to allow a

portion ofthe LED 5 to be exposed to the outside ofthe lower casing 3. When the external speaker 1 is combined with the mobile phone, the LED 5 secured

at one comer of the lower casing 3 flashes while the call state of the mobile phone is

maintained, thus functioning to give notice ofthe call state ofthe mobile phone.

Additionally, when the lower casing 3 is assembled with the upper casing 2 after the

connector 4, the LED 5, the PCB 11 and the micro speaker 6 have been contained in the lower

casing 3, it can be understood that the connector 4 combined with the lower casing 3 is exposed

to the outside of the lower casing 3 by a certain length to be mechanically connected to the

mobile phone. Furthermore, the micro speaker 6 is arranged in such a way that the sound

outlet thereof, which is not shown, faces the sound outlets 7 ofthe upper casing 2 so that voice

for a phone call with another party can be discharged.

Furthermore, it can be understood that the PCB 11 and the LED 5 are sequentially

stacked and the micro speaker 6 is arranged thereon. Of course, the terminals ofthe connector

4 and the elements 12 formed on the PCB 11 are electrically connected to each other.

FIGS.6 to 8 are views showing an external speaker according to another embodiment

of the present invention. The external speaker 20 shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 is not equipped with

an LED for displaying the call state ofthe mobile phone, but a connector 24, which has been

described as being secured in the description of FIGS. 1 to 5, is constructed to be rotated unlike

the external speaker 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5. Accordingly, the connector 24 is not exposed to

the outside of casings 22 and 23 when the external speaker 20 is not in use. In the external speaker 24 whose detailed descriptions with respect to the same or

similar construction of the external speaker 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 are omitted, an

accommodation space 21 capable of accommodating the connector 24 therein is formed in a portion ofthe lower casing 23, and a fastening space 25 capable of holding the connector 24 to

be rotated is formed in a portion ofthe lower casing 23 near the accommodation space 21.

The accommodation space 21 is depressed to the inside of the lower casing 23 to

allow the connector 24 to be accommodated therein and not to be protruded compared to the

outer surface of the lower casing 23 when the connector 24 is accommodated in the

accommodation space 21, and the fastening space 25 connected to the accommodation space

21 is configured to perforate the lower casing 23.

In the inner portion ofthe lower casing 23 corresponding to the inner portion ofthe

fastening space 25, two vertical supports 26 for securing the connector 24 to be rotated are

formed while placing the fastening space 25 therebetween. Of course, two supports 29 are

formed in the inner portion ofthe upper casing 22 to correspond to the two supports 26 ofthe

lower casing 23 while remaining spaced apart from each other by the same interval as the

supports 26, and function to grip rotation shafts 28 located on the ends 27 ofthe connector 24 so

that the connector 24 can be rotated when the upper casing 22 and the lower casing 23 are

combined into a single body.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, when the external speaker 20 is combined with the

mobile phone, the connector 24 is moved from the accommodation space 21 to be easily

connected to the mobile phone. In contrast, in the case where the external speaker 20 is

separated from the mobile phone, the connecter 24 is accommodated in the accommodation

space 21 by rotating the connector 24, thus protecting various components constituting the

connector 24 and minimizing the size ofthe connector 24. Mode for Invention

The external speaker constructed as described above is mainly used to amplify a voice

at the time of making a phone call with another party. That is, the external speaker can be

mainly used in the case where a user must make a phone call without the bringing of a mobile

phone close to a user's ear, for example, in the case where the user is driving or many persons

need to make a single phone call during a conference.

To make a phone call with another party using the external speaker 1, a user inserts

the connector 4 ofthe external speaker 1 into the mobile phone as shown in FIG. 5 before or

after a call line is connected with the party. When a phone call received from another party is

switched to a call state or the telephone number of another party is dialed, the call line used for

the phone call with another party is set up. Accordingly, the user can hear the voice of another

party through the external speaker 1 without the bringing ofthe mobile phone close to a user's

ear.

Furthermore, surrounding persons as well as a caller can hear the contents of the

phone call. Of course, if the contents ofthe phone call are private or secret contents, the phone

call is made through a conventional method after the external speaker 1 is separated from the

mobile phone.

Furthermore, when the external speaker 1 is mounted on the mobile phone, the LED

5 exposed to a portion ofthe external speaker 1 continuously flashes during the phone call with

the party, so that the caller can aware that the mobile phone is in the call state.

Industrial Applicability An external speaker for mobile phones according to the present invention can be used

together with mobile phones that are communication terminals, and can be effectively used to

amplify the voice of another party when the mobile phone, which is being currently used for

personal use, is used for a conference or multi-party call.

Claims

1. An external speaker for mobile phones, comprising: a pair of casings consisting of an upper casing and a lower casing capable of securing

a connector, and adapted to accommodate a micro speaker and an amplification circuit unit

formed of elements mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB); the connector secured on the lower casing ofthe pair of casings to be exposed to an

outside ofthe lower casing, and used to electrically connect the amplification circuit unit to a

mobile phone so that power, and voice and control signals can be transmitted and received

therebetween when the connector is combined with the mobile phone; the amplification circuit unit formed of elements arranged on the PCB to amplify a

voice signal for a phone call with another party, which is transmitted from the mobile phone

through the connector, and a micro speaker secured to an inside ofthe upper casing, driven by the voice signal

amplified by the amplification circuit unit, and adapted to discharge the voice for the phone call

with another party through sound outlets ofthe upper casing.

2. The external speaker according to claim 1, wherein the amplification circuit unit

and the micro speaker are supplied with drive power from a battery mounted on the mobile

phone or a separate battery contained in the pair of casings.

3. The external speaker according to claim 1, wherein the mobile phone has a

call/standby selection line extended to the connector so that a call and standby state of the mobile phone is selected by combining and separating the external speaker with and from the

mobile phone, respectively.

4. The external speaker according to claim 1, further comprising a light emitting diode

(LED) that flashes while a call state is maintained by combining the external speaker with the

mobile phone.

5. The external speaker according to claim 1, wherein the lower casing includes an

LED mount formed on an inside thereof, which is connected to an outside ofthe lower casing

through an opening, to allow the LED to be mounted in the LED mount, and a locking groove

for securing the LED by being combined with the LED are formed in a portion ofthe LED

mount.

6. The external speaker according to claim 1, wherein an accommodation space for

accommodating the connector and a fastening space for securing the connector are formed on a

portion ofthe lower casing to be close to each other, two first-supports are formed in an vicinity

ofthe fastening space ofthe lower casing to face each other while having a certain interval there

between, two second-supports are formed on an inside ofthe upper casing to correspond to the

first-supports of the lower casing to face each other while having a certain interval

therebetween, so that the first-supports ofthe upper casing and the second-supports ofthe lower

casing can secure rotation shafts formed on ends ofthe connector when the upper casing and

the lower casing are combined into a single body.