Communication device with multiple detachable communication modules

• US 20040063456A1
• Filed: 10/24/2003
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Infanti, James C., Lazaridis, Mihal, Griffin, Jason T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,313,423 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0258 for a headset device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

A communication device having multiple detachable communication modules includes a first communication module and a second communication module. The first communication module is configured to receive RF signals from a wireless network. The second communication module may be physically attached to the first communication module and is coupled to the first communication module by a wireless link. The second communication module is configured to receive the RF signals from the first communication module over the wireless link and to convert the RF signals into an audible signal. In addition, the second communication module is physically dimensioned so that it may be fitted into or onto an ear of a communication device user.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

a first communication module having a housing with a cavity defined therein, and also having a first RF transceiver for communicating with a wireless network and a second RF transceiver, wherein the first communication module is configured to transmit and receive RF signals to and from the wireless network; and

a second communication module physically proportioned to be detachably mounted within the cavity of the first communication module and also to be fitted into or onto an ear of a communication device user, and comprising an RF transceiver configured to transmit and receive RF signals to and from the first communication device, a microphone coupled to the RF transceiver, and a speaker coupled to the RF transceiver, wherein the second communication module is configured to communicate with the second RF transceiver of the first communication module when the second communication module is physically detached from the cavity of the first communication module.

2. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising:

a rechargeable power source coupled to the RF transceiver, microphone and speaker in the second communication module;

a first set of terminals coupled to the rechargeable power source on the second communication module;

a second set of terminals located within the cavity of the first communication module and coupled to a power source;

wherein the first set of terminals is electrically and physically coupled to the second set of terminals while the second communication module is mounted within the cavity of the first communication module in order to charge the rechargeable power source in the second communication module.

3. The communication device of claim 2, wherein the power source coupled to the second set of terminals in the first communication module is a power supply circuit coupled to a battery.

4. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the first RF transceiver in the first communication module is a long-range RF transceiver.

5. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the second RF transceiver in the first communication module and the RF transceiver in the second communication module are short-range RF transceivers.

6. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the first communication module is configured to be worn on a belt of the communication device user.

7. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the second communication module further comprises a background noise microphone and a noise cancellation circuit coupled to both the microphone and the background noise microphone, and configured to detect background noise signals from the background noise microphone and remove the background noise signals from a speech signal received by the microphone to generate a filtered signal that is transmitted to the first communication module by the RF transceiver.

8. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the second communication module further comprises a power switch configured to turn the second communication module on or off while it is detached from the first communication module.

9. The communication device of claim 1, wherein second RF transceiver in the first communication module is configured to communicate with both the second communication module and a third module.

10. The communication device of claim 9, wherein the third module is coupled to a personal computer and is configured to transmit data between the personal computer and the first communication module.

11. The communication device of claim 9, wherein the third module is coupled to a computer network and is configured to transmit data between the computer network and the first communication module.

12. The communication device of claim 1, wherein RF transceiver in the second communication module is configured to communicate with both the first communication module and a third module.

13. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the first communication module is a cellular phone.

14. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the first communication module is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

15. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the first communication module is a laptop computer.

16. A communication device, comprising:

a first communication module comprising a housing with a cavity defined therein and a set of charging terminals located within the cavity, wherein the charging terminals are coupled to a power source; and

a second communication module comprising an outer housing, a speaker attached to the outer housing and physically dimensioned to be fitted into an ear of a communication device user, a microphone attached to the outer housing and positioned to extend substantially towards the communication devise user'"'"'s mouth when the speaker is fitted into the ear of the communication device user, a rechargeable power source, and a set of terminals attached to a bottom surface of the outer housing and coupled to the rechargeable power source, wherein the second communication module is physically dimensioned to be detachably mounted within the cavity of the first communication module such that the terminals on the second communication module are physically and mechanically coupled to the charging terminals while the second communication module is mounted within the cavity in order to charge the rechargeable power source.

17. The communication device of claim 16, wherein terminals are recessed below a surface of the outer housing of the second communication module.

18. The communication device of claim 17, wherein the charging terminals located within the cavity of the first communication module protrude from a surface of the cavity in order to physically contact the recessed terminals in the second communication module.

19. The communication device of claim 16, wherein the power source coupled to the charging terminals in the first communication module is a power supply circuit coupled to a rechargeable power source.

20. The communication device of claim 16, wherein the power source coupled to the charging terminals in the first communication module is a power supply circuit coupled to a non-rechargeable power source.

21. The communication device of claim 16, wherein the second communication module further comprises a set of operational terminals attached to a top surface of the outer housing and coupled to the rechargeable power source, wherein the second communication module may be mounted in the cavity of the first communication module in either an inoperative position in which the charging terminals in the cavity are coupled to the terminals attached to the bottom surface of the outer housing, or an operative position in which the charging terminals in the cavity are coupled to the operational terminals attached to the top surface or the outer housing.

22. The communication device of claim 21, wherein the first communication module further comprises a second set of charging terminals, wherein the second set of charging terminals are coupled to the operational terminals of the second communication module while the second communication module is mounted in the operative position.

23. The communication device of claim 16, wherein the power source in the first communication module is a rechargeable power source, and wherein the first communication module is configured to be electrically and mechanically coupled to a third module in order to charge the rechargeable power source.

24. The communication device of claim 16, wherein the cavity in the first communication module is substantially enclosed such that the second communication module is detachably mounted within the cavity by sliding the second communication module lengthwise into the cavity.

25. A communication device, comprising:

a first communication module comprising a housing with a cavity defined therein; and

a second communication module comprising an outer housing, a speaker attached to the outer housing and physically dimensioned to be fitted into an ear of a communication device user, a microphone attached to the outer housing and positioned to extend substantially towards the communication devise user'"'"'s mouth when the speaker is fitted into the ear of the communication device user, wherein the second communication module is physically dimensioned to be detachably mounted within the cavity of the first communication module;

wherein the first and second communication modules are configured to communicate over a wireless link when the second communication module is physically detached from the cavity in the first communication module.

26. The communication device of claim 25, wherein the cavity in the housing of the first communication module includes surfaces that are contoured to provide retention of the second communication module within the cavity.

27. The communication device of claim 26, wherein the contoured surfaces of the cavity include retention means that engage detents in corresponding surfaces of the second communication module.

28. The communication device of claim 25, wherein the first communication module includes a movable clip device that retains the second communication module within the cavity.

29. The communication device of claim 25, wherein the first communication module further comprises a protective door hingedly connected to the housing and extending over the cavity, wherein the protective door may be closed to cover the second communication module while it is mounted within the cavity.

30. The communication device of claim 29, wherein the protective door includes a locking mechanism.

31. The communication device of claim 25, wherein the cavity in the housing of the first communication module includes surfaces having depressions that enable the communication device user to grasp the second communication module while it is fitted within the cavity.

32. A communication device, comprising:

a first communication module configured to receive RF signals from a wireless network;

a second communication module that may be physically attached to the first communication module and that is coupled to the first communication module by a wireless link and is configured to receive the RF signals from the first communication module over the wireless link and convert the RF signals into an audible signal, wherein the second communication module is physically dimensioned so that it may be fitted into or onto an ear of a communication device user.