Hands-free car kit

• US 20040192403A1
• Filed: 03/08/2002
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Wireless Corporation (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Lejman, Andrew Glenn, Steven, John
• Granted Patent: US 6,957,090 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• 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 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241

Abstract

The hands-free car kit allows a mobile handset to enter and exit privacy mode without the user having to press a privacy button. The simple act of picking up the mobile handset out of its cradle switches the hands-free car kit from hands-free mode to privacy mode. When the mobile handset is installed in the cradle the hands-free car kit enters hands-free mode. If the mobile handset is removed from the cradle the hands-free car kit enters privacy mode.

Claims

1. An accessory for a mobile communications device comprising:

a control circuit coupled to a magnetic field sensor for sensing and transmitting a state of the reed switch;

a speaker configured to be heard from several feet away coupled to the control circuit adapted to change states based on the state of the reed switch;

a microphone coupled to the control circuit adapted to change states based on the state of the reed switch;

a magnet adapted to change states of the reed switch based on proximity and orientation of the magnet to the reed switch.

2. The accessory as in claim 1 wherein the magnet is an electromagnet.

3. The accessory as in claim 1 wherein the magnet contains permanently magnet materials.

4. The accessory as in claim 1 wherein the magnet is placed in the cradle.

5. The accessory as in claim 1 wherein the magnet is placed in the power cord.

6. The accessory as in claim 1 wherein the magnet is placed in the mobile handset.

7. The accessory as in claim 1 wherein the magnetic field sensor is placed in the cradle.

8. The accessory as in claim 1 wherein the magnetic field sensor is placed in the power cord.

9. The accessory as in claim 1 wherein the magnetic field sensor is placed in the mobile handset.

10. The accessory as in claim 1 wherein the magnetic field sensor is a reed switch.

11. The accessory as in claim 10 wherein the magnet is an electromagnet.

12. The accessory as in claim 10 wherein the magnet contains permanently magnet materials.

13. The accessory as in claim 10 wherein the magnet is placed in the cradle.

14. The accessory as in claim 10 wherein the magnet is placed in the power cord.

15. The accessory as in claim 10 wherein the magnet is placed in the mobile handset.

16. The accessory as in claim 10 wherein the reed switch is placed in the cradle.

17. The accessory as in claim 10 wherein the reed switch is placed in the power cord.

18. The accessory as in claim 10 wherein the reed switch is placed in the mobile handset.

19. The accessory as in claim 1 wherein the magnetic field sensor is a hall effect sensor.

20. The accessory as in claim 19 wherein the magnet is an electromagnet.

21. The accessory as in claim 19 wherein the magnet contains permanently magnet materials.

22. The accessory as in claim 19 wherein the magnet is placed in the cradle.

23. The accessory as in claim 19 wherein the magnet is placed in the power cord.

24. The accessory as in claim 19 wherein the magnet is placed in the mobile handset.

25. The accessory as in claim 19 wherein the reed switch is placed in the cradle.

26. The accessory as in claim 19 wherein the reed switch is placed in the power cord.

27. The accessory as in claim 19 wherein the reed switch is placed in the mobile handset.

28. A mobile handset comprising:

a control circuit coupled to a reed switch for sensing a magnetic field from a magnet external to the mobile handset and transmitting a state of the reed switch;

a speaker configured to be heard from several feet away coupled to the control circuit adapted to change states based on the state of the reed switch;

29. A mobile handset comprising:

a control circuit coupled to a reed switch for sensing a magnetic field from a magnet external to the mobile handset and transmitting a state of the reed switch;

a microphone coupled to the control circuit adapted to change states based on the state of the reed switch;

30. A mobile handset comprising:

a magnet adapted to change states of a reed switch positioned external to the mobile handset based on proximity and orientation of the magnet to the reed switch.

a speaker configured to be heard from several feet away coupled to the control circuit adapted to change states based on the state of the reed switch;

a microphone coupled to the control circuit adapted to change states based on the state of the reed switch;