Combination wireless communications device and portable stereo

• US 20060089170A1
• Filed: 10/22/2004
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ashman, William C. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,536,200 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/18 Arrangements characterised by circuits or components specially adapted for receiving
• 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

Abstract

A hand-held wireless communications device operates in a communications mode and a stereo mode. The device comprises a housing, a long-range transceiver within the housing to communicate with a base station in the communications mode, and a receiver within the housing to receive radio signals from a broadcast radio station when the device is in the stereo mode. The broadcast radio station may transmit, for example, AM or FM signals to the and-held device. A controller within the housing generates control signals to place the device in the communications mode and the stereo mode, and selectively controls a plurality of speakers to render audio signals as audible sound. The plurality of speakers includes a pair of longitudinally-spaced speakers disposed opposite each other on the housing of the hand-held device.

Claims

1. A hand-held wireless communications device comprising:

a housing;

a microphone in the housing;

a long-range transceiver in the housing to transmit signals to and receive signals from a base station in a wireless communications network when the device is in a communications mode;

a receiver in the housing to receive radio signals transmitted by a selected broadcast radio station when the device is in a stereo mode; and

a plurality of speakers in the housing to output the radio signals received from the broadcast radio station as stereo sound.

2. The hand-held device of claim 1 further comprising a controller configured to generate a first control signal to switch the hand-held communications device between the communications mode and the stereo mode.

3. The hand-held device of claim 2 wherein the controller generates the first control signal responsive to user input.

4. The hand-held device of claim 2 wherein the controller automatically generates the first control signal responsive to detecting an incoming call.

5. The hand-held device of claim 2 further comprising a tuner, and wherein the controller generates a second control signal to tune the tuner to a radio frequency associated with the selected broadcast radio station.

6. The hand-held device of claim 5 further comprising memory within the housing to store the frequency associated with the selected broadcast radio station.

7. The hand-held device of claim 2 wherein the controller is configured to enable and disable selected ones of the plurality of speakers based on whether the hand-held device is in the communications mode or the stereo mode.

8. The hand-held device of claim-2 wherein the controller is configured to sample the received radio signals, and control the load on the plurality of speakers based on user input.

9. The hand-held device of claim 1 further comprising a display positionable in a retracted position adjacent the housing, and in an extended position away from the housing.

10. The hand-held device of claim 9 further comprising one or more rotatable hinges between the display and the housing to allow the display to move between the retracted position and the extended position.

11. The hand-held device of claim 10 further comprising one or more telescoping legs connected to the display and the one or more rotatable hinges to permit the height of the display to be adjusted when the display is in the extended position.

12. The hand-held device of claim 9 wherein the display displays the image of one or more remote parties when the hand-held device is in the communications mode.

13. The hand-held device of claim 9 wherein the display displays a graphical representation of the load on the plurality of speakers when the hand-held device is in the stereo mode.

14. The hand-held device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of speakers comprises a first pair of longitudinally-spaced speakers disposed at opposite ends of the hand-held device.

15. The hand-held device of claim 14 wherein one speaker in the first pair of longitudinally-spaced speakers is enabled and the other speaker is disabled when the hand-held device is in the communications mode.

16. The hand-held device of claim 14 wherein the plurality of speakers in the housing further comprises a second pair of longitudinally-spaced speakers.

17. The hand-held device of claim 16 wherein the first pair of longitudinally-spaced speakers produces low frequency sound.

18. The hand-held device of claim 17 wherein the second pair of speakers produces high frequency sound.

19. The hand-held device of claim 16 wherein the first and second pairs of speakers are enabled to produce stereo sound.

20. A method of rendering audible sound to a user of a hand-held wireless communications device, the method comprising:

receiving, in a communications mode, communication signals from a base station in a wireless communications network on a long-range transceiver disposed in a housing of a hand-held wireless communications device;

receiving, in a stereo mode, radio signals from a broadcast radio station on a receiver disposed in the housing of the hand-held wireless communications device; and

enabling selected ones of a plurality of speakers disposed in the housing of the hand-held wireless communications device to render the received radio signals as audible sound.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising generating a control signal to place the hand-held device in the communications mode.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the control signal is generated responsive to user input.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the control signal is generated responsive to detecting an incoming call.

24. The method of claim 20 further comprising generating a control signal to place the hand-held device in the stereo mode.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the control signal is generated responsive to the selection of a frequency associated with the broadcast radio station.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein enabling selected ones of a plurality of speakers comprises enabling first and second speakers when the hand-held device is in the stereo mode, the first and second speakers being longitudinally-spaced and disposed at opposite ends of the hand-held wireless communications device.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising rendering the radio signals through the first and second speakers as stereo sound.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein enabling selected ones of a plurality of speakers further comprises enabling third and fourth speakers when the hand-held device is in the stereo mode, and rendering the radio signals through the enabled speakers as stereo sound.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the first and second speakers render low frequency sound, and the third and fourth speakers render high frequency sound.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein enabling selected ones of a plurality of speakers further comprises disabling the second speaker when the hand-held wireless communications device is in the communications mode, the second speaker being disposed proximate a microphone.

31. The method of claim 20 further comprising sampling the received radio signals and displaying a graphical representation of a load on the plurality of speakers when the hand-held device is in the stereo mode.

32. The method of claim 20 further comprising extending a display connected to the hand-held wireless communications device from a retracted position to an extended position.

33. A hand-held wireless communications device comprising:

a housing that includes;

communication circuitry to communicate with one or more base stations in a wireless communications network;

stereo circuitry to receive radio signals from a broadcast radio station; and

a first pair of longitudinally-spaced speakers to render the received radio signals as stereo sound to a user.

34. The hand-held device of claim 33 further comprising a second pair of longitudinally-spaced speakers.

35. The hand-held device of claim 34 further comprising a display movable between a retracted position and an extended position.

36. The hand-held device of claim 35 wherein the display is positioned between each speaker in the first pair of speakers when the display is in the retracted position.

37. The hand-held device of claim 35 wherein the display attaches to the housing via one or more rotatable hinges.

38. The hand-held device of claim 35 wherein the display comprises one or more telescoping legs that permit a user to adjust the height of the display when the display is in the extended position.

39. The device of claim 33 further comprising a handle attached to the housing.