Accessory part for a mobile station

• US 20050219843A1
• Filed: 03/14/2002
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Spyder Navigations LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Arell, Kati, Elomaa, Timo, Eroma, Valtteri
• Granted Patent: US 7,512,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/253
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera

Abstract

The invention relates to an accessory part for a mobile station. In order to facilitate the use of the mobile station, it is proposed that the accessory part comprises a headset 8, 9 as well as a digital camera 3. Both can be connected simultaneously via a connector 1 of the accessory part to a mobile station. Thus, a user only has to handle a single accessory part in order to make use of two different functions enabled by a mobile station. The invention equally relates to a mobile station with which such an accessory part can be employed.

Claims

1. Accessory part for a mobile station comprising a headset (8,9), a camera (3) and a connector (1), which connector (1) enables a simultaneous connection of said headset (8,9) and said camera (3) with a mobile station.

2. Accessory part according to claim 1, wherein said camera (3) comprises at least a lens (31) and a shutter for said lens (31).

3. Accessory part according to claim 1, wherein said camera (3) is a digital camera and comprises at least a lens (31) and an image sensor.

4. Accessory part according to claim 3, wherein said camera (3) comprises a hatch (33) movable between a first and a second position, said hatch (33) covering at least said lens (31) of said camera (3) in said first position, and not covering said lens (31) in said second position.

5. Accessory part according to claim 1, wherein said camera comprises a hatch movable between a first and a second position, and wherein moving said hatch from said first to said second position alternates an electronic connection of a mobile station connected to said accessory part via said connector from said headset to said camera.

6. Accessory part according to claim 1, wherein said camera is a digital camera (3), wherein said digital camera (3) comprises a hatch (33) movable between a first and a second position, and wherein moving said hatch (33) from said first to said second position switches said digital camera on or wakes said digital camera up from a sleep mode.

7. Accessory part according to claim 1, wherein said camera (3) includes a view finder (32).

8. Accessory part according to claim 1, wherein said camera (3) comprises operating means (34) for enabling a user to trigger the taking of a picture by said camera (3).

9. Accessory part according to claim 3, wherein said digital camera is a digital video camera comprising operating means for enabling a user to start the capturing images and to end the capturing images by said digital video camera.

10. Accessory part according to claim 9, wherein said digital video camera comprises operating means for enabling a user to switch said digital video camera between a still mode for capturing still images and a video mode for capturing video images.

11. Accessory part according to claim 3, wherein said camera (3) further comprises a memory for storing image data taken with said camera (3).

12. Accessory part according to claim 3, wherein said camera further comprises means for transmitting image data taken with said camera automatically to a connected mobile station.

13. Accessory part according to claim 3, wherein said camera further comprises an LED (light emitting diode) for indicating a current state of said camera.

14. Accessory part according to claim 1, wherein said camera (3) is integrated into a cable (2,4) connecting said headset (8,9) with said connector (1).

15. Accessory part according to claim 1, wherein a microphone (12) is integrated into a cable (5) of said accessory part or into a housing of said camera of said accessory part.

16. Accessory part according to claim 1, wherein said headset is a stereo headset comprising two earphones (8,9).

17. Accessory part according to claim 1 comprising a loop-like structure (4,5,6,7,7a,7b) which can be put around the neck of a user.

18. Accessory part according to claim 17, wherein said headset comprises two earphones (8,9) and wherein said loop-like structure (4,5,6,7,7a,7b) is formed by two cables (5,6) connecting said connector (1) with a respective one of said two earphones (8,9), said two cables (5,6) being connected to each other by a connecting element (7;

7a,7b) for forming said loop-like structure (4,5,6,7,7a,7b).

19. Accessory part according to claim 18, wherein said connecting element comprises two parts (7a,7b) that can be connected to each other.

20. Accessory part according to claim 19, wherein said two earphones (8,9) are connected to said connecting element (7;

7a,7b) via a respective cable (10,11).

21. Accessory part according to claim 17, wherein said loop-like structure (4,5,6,7,7a,7b) is connected to said connector (1) via a cable (2) and wherein said camera (3) is integrated at a connection point between said loop-like structure (4,5,6,7,7a,7b) and said cable (2) connecting said loop-like structure (4,5,6,7,7a,7b) with said connector (1), said cable (2) connecting said loop-like structure (4,5,6,7,7a,7b) with said connector (1) connecting at the same time said camera (3) with said connector (1).

22. Mobile station comprising a connector for connecting a headset and a digital camera of an accessory part for said mobile station simultaneously to said mobile station, and processing means enabling an exchange of data and signals via said connector between said mobile station and a connected accessory part including a headset and a camera.

23. Mobile station according to claim 22, comprising a user interface for browsing image data stored in said camera and for downloading selected image data to said mobile station.

24. Mobile station according to claim 22, wherein said processing means further enable a processing of image data received via said connector from a digital camera of an accessory part for said mobile station, which accessory part includes a headset and a digital camera.

25. Mobile station according to claim 24 providing a user interface for enabling a user to interact with said processing means.