Method of using a communications device together with another communications device, a communications system, a communications device and an accessory device for use in connection with a communications device

• US 20010041588A1
• Filed: 11/30/2000
• Published: 11/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Hollstrom, Magnus, Borgstrom, Anders
• Granted Patent: US 7,130,608 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/14 including a card reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15

Abstract

A method of using a first communications device (2), such as a mobile telephone, together with at least one other communications device (27), such as a telephone, comprises the steps of playing back audio signals in the first communications device (2), transmitting the same audio signals to the other communications device (27), and playing back the audio signals in the other communications device (27). By transmitting the audio signals played back in the first communications device to the other device and playing them back there, shared audio listening is achieved and in this way the communications devices can be used also for the shared listening to e.g. music. Thus it is possible for two persons present at different locations to listen to the same audio signals simultaneously or at least almost simultaneously.

Claims

1. A method of using a first communications device (2) together with at least one other communications device (27), characterized in that the method comprises the steps of:

playing back audio signals in said first communications device (2),

transmitting the same audio signals to the other communications device (27), and

playing back said audio signals in the other communications device (27).

2. A method according to

claim 1

, characterized in that said first communications device (2) is a mobile telephone.

3. A method according to

claim 2

, characterized in that the at least one other communications (27) device is a telephone.

4. A method according to

claim 3

, characterized in that it further comprises the steps of

establishing a connection through a network (28) between the mobile telephone (2) and the other telephone (27),

establishing a telephone conversation by transmitting voice signals through a channel in the connection in the network (28), and

transmitting said audio signals from the mobile telephone (2) to the other telephone (27) through the connection in the network.

5. A method according to

claim 4

, characterized in that it further comprises the steps of

mixing said voice signals and said audio signals, and

transmitting the mixed voice and audio signals from the mobile telephone (2) to the other telephone (27) through a common channel in the connection in the network (28).

6. A method according to

claim 5

, characterized in that the common channel is a normal telephone voice channel.

7. A method according to

claim 5

, characterized in that the common channel is a data channel.

8. A method according to

claim 4

, characterized in that it further comprises the steps of

transmitting the voice signals through a normal telephone voice channel in the connection in the network (28), and

transmitting said audio signals from the mobile telephone (2) to the other telephone (27) through a data channel parallel to said voice channel in the connection in the network.

9. A method according to

claim 3

, characterized in that it further comprises the steps of

establishing a connection through a network between the mobile telephone (2) and the other telephone (27),

establishing a telephone conversation by transmitting voice signals through a channel in the connection in the network (28),

transmitting said audio signals from a service provider (35) via the network (28) to the mobile telephone (2), and

transmitting the same audio signals from the service provider via the network to the other telephone (27).

10. A method according to any one of claims 7-9, characterized in that said audio signals are transmitted in the form of a digitized and compressed audio file.

11. A method according to

claim 10

, characterized in that the digitized and compressed audio file is compressed in the MP3 format.

12. A communications system comprising a first communications device (2) and at least one other communications device (27), characterized in that the system is adapted to

play back audio signals in said first communications device (2),

transmit the same audio signals to the other communications device (27), and

play back said audio signals in the other communications device (27).

13. A communications device (2) adapted to be used in a communications system comprising at least one other communications device (27), characterized in that it comprises

means (29) for playing back audio signals, and

means (8) for initiating transmission of the same audio signals to the other communications device, such that said audio signals can be played back in the other communications device.

14. A communications device according to

claim 13

, characterized in that the communications device (2) is a mobile telephone.

15. A communications device according to

claim 14

, characterized in that the mobile telephone is adapted for use in a public network, such as GSM, GPRS, EDGE or WCDMA.

16. A communications device according to

claim 13

, characterized in that the communications device is adapted for use in a wireless shortlink, such as Bluetooth or an infrared connection.

17. A communications device according to any one of claims 13-16, characterized in that the means for playing back audio signals is an audio device integrated in the communications device.

18. An accessory device (8) for use in connection with a first communications device (2) adapted to be used in a communications system comprising at least one other communications device (27), characterized in that it comprises

means (29) for playing back audio signals through the first communications device (2), and

means (8) for initiating transmission of the same audio signals to the other communications device (27), such that said audio signals can be played back in the other communications device (27).