Simultaneous multidirectional communication apparatus

• US 5,867,768 A
• Filed: 09/10/1996
• Issued: 02/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Baldwin-Japan Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Baldwin-Japan Ltd.
• Inventors: Onda, Takeo
• Primary Examiner(s): WOLFE JR, WILLIS RAY
• Application Number:
  US08/711,550
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 455/66, 455/88, 455/90, 455/463, 455/500, 455/503, 455/526, 455/575, 455/568, 455/507, 455/517, 455/351
• US Class Current: 455/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724

Abstract

A communication apparatus includes a plurality of transmitter-receivers operatively coupled together so that they are simultaneously communicatable over-the-air with one another by way of an interexchange repeater module, wherein one of such transmitter-receivers comes with a display device for providing information to the user, and a telephone connector for connecting the transmitter-receiver to the public telephone communication network. A sound-shielded headset is employed in the transmitter-receiver. This headset includes an audio input/output section with a microphone, speakers and the like, and a transmitter/receiver function section for executing signal processing tasks required for communications. Upon reception of a telephone signal, the transmitter-receiver is connected to the telephone connector by means of a cable-wiring, optical coupling or radio-wave coupling scheme providing voice communications with the outside parties. In case where the telephone connector is equipped with a known telephone set, voice communications will be available by entry of phone numbers over either external public lines or extension lines.

Claims

1. A simultaneous multidirectional communication apparatus comprising a repeater, and a plurality of transmitter-receivers simultaneously communicatable using radio waves with one another multidirectionally by way of said repeater,

wherein a sound-shielded headset is adapted for said transmitter-receivers, and communication means is held at or near a human body, said communication means including a sound input/output section with a microphone and a speaker, and a transmitter/receiver function section for execution of signal processing tasks required for communications,

characterized by comprising informing means for providing a warning signal and/or information to a user of a transmitter-receiver operatively coupled to said repeater, and

said repeater transmitting information representative of an external signal input toward all of said transmitter-receivers by way of said informing means.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the external signal input is a telephone reception signal.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the external signal input is a signal indicative of one of failure in a machinery equipment and a warning signal thereof.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the external signal input is an audio signal representative of one of a human voice, notice, broadcast, and music.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said repeater includes external signal input detector means for selecting external input signals to be received.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said informing means includes means for sending forth sound toward all of said transmitter-receivers and/or display means, and that occurrence of failure in the machinery equipment and a warning signal therefor is informed using sound, light and/or display.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that said display means includes an informing lamp for turning on to acknowledge occurrence of failure in the machinery equipment, including a warning signal therefor.

8. A simultaneous multidirectional communication apparatus comprising a repeater, and a plurality of transmitter-receivers simultaneously communicatable using radio waves with one another multidirectionally by way of said repeater,

wherein a sound-shielded headset is used for said transmitter-receivers, and a communication means is held at or near a human body, said communication means having a sound input/output section with a microphone and a speaker, and a transmitter/receiver function section for performing signal processing tasks required for communications,

characterized by comprising a telephone connector device for connecting a telephone line to said transmitter-receiver, and informing means for warning or informing a user of the transmitter-receiver being coupled to said repeater, and in that

said repeater informs all of the transmitter-receivers by way of said informing means based on a telephone reception signal as fed from said telephone connector device.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the transmitter-receiver and said telephone connector device are connected by a cable with each other.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the transmitter-receiver and said telephone connector device are connected by way of optical communication scheme.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the transmitter-receiver and said telephone connector device are connected by way of radio communication apparatus.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that said informing means includes means for sending forth an informative sound toward all of said transmitter-receivers upon reception of a telephone call, and that a specific kind of sound is used to distinguish the informative sound from other warning signals.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that said repeater comprises external signal input detector means for selecting a telephone receipt signal from said telephone connector device and a signal due to another external signal input.

14. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the transmitter-receiver includes means for causing when connected to said telephone connector device the transmitter-receiver to interrupt communication functions with other transmitter-receivers, and means for recovering the communication functions with the other transmitter-receivers when disconnected from said telephone connector device, and that said repeater has a communication retaining function for enabling communications with the other transmitter-receivers while the transmitter-receiver is connected to said telephone connector device.

15. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that said informing means includes means for sending forth a sound toward all of said transmitter-receivers and/or display means, and that upon reception of a telephone signal a corresponding notice is informed using sounds and/or visual indications.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that said display means includes an indicator lamp for informing the notice upon reception of a telephone signal by emission of light therefrom.

17. A simultaneous multidirectional communication apparatus comprising a repeater, and a plurality of transmitter-receivers simultaneously communicatable using radio waves with one another multidirectionally by way of said repeater,

wherein a sound-shielded headset is used for said transmitter-receiver, and a communication means is held at or near a human body, said communication means including a sound input/output section having a microphone and a speaker, and a transmitter/receiver function section for performing signal processing tasks required for voice communications,

characterized by comprising a telephone connector device for connecting a telephone line to said transmitter-receiver, and informing means for warning or informing a user of a transmitter-receiver being coupled to said repeater, and in that

said repeater includes a communication section for permitting conversations over telephones by way of said repeater between a telephone user presently linked to a telephone line and one or a plurality of transmitter-receiver users, while said repeater performs transmission to all of the transmitter-receivers by way of said informing means based on a telephone reception signal as outputted from said telephone connector device.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the transmitter-receiver includes means for interrupting communication functions with other transmitter-receivers when connected to said telephone connector device, and means for recovering the communication functions between the other transmitter-receivers when connection with said telephone connector devise is disconnected, and that said repeater has a communication retaining function for enabling communications between said the other transmitter-receivers when the transmitter-receiver is connected to said telephone connector device.

19. A sound shielded headset having a sound insulative structure, said headset comprising:

communication means for being held at or near a human body, including a sound input/output section with a microphone and a speaker, and a transmitter/receiver function section for performing signal processing tasks required for communications; and

connector means for causing said communication means to be operatively coupled by a telephone connector device to telephone lines.

20. The headset according to claim 19, characterized in that said connector means is in one of a telephone cord connection apparatus, an optical communication apparatus, and a radiocommunication apparatus.

21. The headset according to claim 19, characterized in that the transmitter/receiver function section of said communication means includes a first transmitter/receiver function section for performing signal processing tasks with respect to a sound input/output section, and a second transmitter/receiver function section for performing signal processing tasks between it and said first transmitter/receiver function section and those between a telephone connector device and a repeater, and that

said first transmitter/receiver function section is provided in means for being attached to a human body involving auditory sensible portions, whereas said second transmitter/receiver function section is attached at or near the human body.