Wireless hands-free conference telephone system

• US 4,555,592 A
• Filed: 05/23/1983
• Issued: 11/26/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Teleconferencing Systems International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Teleconferencing Systems International, Inc.
• Inventors: Deinzer, Gerald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rubinson, Gene Z.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brady, W. J.
• Application Number:
  US06/496,904
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 179/2 E, 179/2 EA, 179/2 EB, 179/2 EC, 179/81 B, 179/18 BC, 179/100 L, 381/91, 381/110, 381/92, 381/111-115, 381/122
• US Class Current: 455/416
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/08 Two-way loud-speaking telephone systems with means for conditioning the signal, e.g. for suppressing echoes for one or both directions of traffic

Abstract

A wireless hands-free conference telephone system includes an FM transmitter having multi-directional sound pick-up capability and battery power is adapted for remote wireless transmission of sounds originating in the area adjacent the transmitter to a unitary receiver, amplifier and voice switcher adapted for signal conducting connection to a conventional telephone system. The receiver portion of the unitary system is adapted for receiving the signal from the FM transmitter. The amplifier provides power to drive loudspeakers which radiate the sound incoming from the telephone system. A voice switching circuit is positioned between the telephone, the transmitter and the loudspeaker circuit, and is able to ascertain signal strength from the transmitter circuit and the incoming telephone line, discern which is the stronger signal, and increase the gain of that signal while decreasing the gain of the opposing signal.

Claims

1. A wireless hands-free conference telephone system adapted for use with a telephone, said system conprising:

a wireless microphone/transmitter circuit for receiving sounds generated over a significant distance, converting said sounds received into a first corresponding signal and radiating same from a position spatially related to the remainder of said telephone system, and including a compact housing, a plurality of distance sensitive microphones, an FM transmitter for receiving said electrical signals from said microphone and transmitting same over a pre-determined frequency, an antenna for radiating signals received from said transmitter, a portable power supply for energizing said microphone/transmitter circuit as desired and said plurality of microphones being positioned on said housing in even substantially radially outwardly extending orientation for receiving sound signals from a pre-determined angular segment of the circumferential area surrounding said housing;

each said microphone also being positioned to face generally downwardly in said housing at an acute angle to the vertical for picking up sound signals rebounding from any substantially horizontal surface on which said housing is positioned, a lowest part of said microphone being in close spatial proximity to any said horizontal surface;

a unitary control module including a receiver circuit for receiving said remotely eradiated first corresponding signal and transferring same via a first signal path to an output adapted for connection to said telephone;

a loudspeaker circuit for producing sound from a second corresponding signal via a second signal path from an input adapted for connection to said telephone; and

a voice switching circuit acting between said telephone and both said loudspeaker circuit and said receiver circuit on said first and second signal paths for increasing the gain in said loudspeaker circuit when said second corresponding signal is greater than said first corresponding signal, and for increasing the gain in said receiver circuit when said first corresponding signal is greater than second corresponding signal.

2. A wireless hands-free conference telephone system adapted for use with a telephone, said system comprising:

a wireless microphone/transmitter circuit for receiving both direct and reflected substantially in-phase sounds generated over a significant distance, converting said sounds received into a first corresponding signal and radiating same from a position spatially related to the remainder of said telephone system; and

a unitary control module including

a receiver circuit for receiving said radiated first corresponding signal and transferring same via a first signal path to an output adapted for connection to said telephone;

a loudspeaker circuit for producing sound from a second corresponding signal via a second signal path from an input adapted for connection to said telephone; and

a voice switching circuit acting between said telephone and both said loudspeaker circuit and said receiver circuit on said first and second signal paths for increasing the gain in said loudspeaker circuit when said second corresponding signal is greater than said first corresponding signal, and for increasing the gain in said receiver circuit when said first corresponding signal is greater than said second corresponding signal.