Integrated passive and active communications system

• US 5,991,637 A
• Filed: 04/19/1996
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gawins A. Mack II, R. Eugenia Mack
• Original Assignee: Gawins A. Mack II, R. Eugenia Mack
• Inventors: Mack, Gawins A. II, Mack, R. Eugenia
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAUNG, NAY AUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/639,838
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/550, 455/556, 455/557, 455/568, 455/575, 455/90, 455/563, 455/345, 455/352, 455/353, 455/132, 455/140, 455/351, 455/426, 455/566, 455/567, 455/569, 379/430, 381/25, 381/183, 381/187, 704/272, 704/275, 704/251, 704/231, 704/254
• US Class Current: 455/563
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication

Abstract

A combined entertainment and communications system includes a passive communications subsystem such as an AM/FM radio receiver, an active communications subsystem such as a cellular telephone transmitter/receiver or a CB radio transmitter/receiver, and a shared I/O subsystem. The subsystems are integrated into a single portable package and are controlled by a control mechanism capable of automatically or semi-automatically switching control of the shared I/O subsystem between the active and passive communications subsystems. Size and weight of the device are reduced by sharing common input/output (I/O) and control components. Optional voice recognition equipment can be used to control the active or passive communications subsystems. Alternative embodiments provide additional functions such as voice activation, remote monitoring, radio station scanning for preselected audio works, caller ID used in conjunction with voice synthesis, folding headsets, and modular function packaging to easily expand or alter a particular system. Voice recognition can also be used in a passive only version of the system.

Claims

1. A hands-free integrated passive and active communications system (IPAC), comprising:

at least one shared I/O device;

a passive communications device;

an active communications device which is a telephone, further comprising;

at least one audio input device; and

means to communicate with a remote location; and

a switch device, further comprising;

a controller, the controller having means to control access to the shared I/O device, having means to control the passive communications device, and means to control the active communications device;

gating means to control access to the shared I/O by the passive communications device and the active communications device; and

means to automatically deactivate the passive communications device when the active communications device detects an incoming communication, and automatically activate the active communication device;

a head set having a head strap which supports the audio input device the shared I/O device, the passive communications device, the active communications device, and the switch device;

the shared I/O device is a first speaker and a second speaker, at least one speaker for each user'"'"'s ear;

a flexible headset strap, the flexible headset strap connected to a first speaker at one end and connected to a second speaker at the other end; and

at least one of the speakers is attached to the flexible headset strap by a hinge, the hinge having a closed position in which the speaker is adjacent to user'"'"'s ear and an open position in which the speaker is hingedly moved away from the user'"'"'s ear such that at least one ear can hear ambient noise when the other speaker is used for a telephone call;

whereby the IPAC controls active communications and passive communications with a reduced set of shared I/O devices, and automatically interrupts the passive communications device when an incoming transmission is received for the active communications device and whereby a user can place a telephone call while maintaining the ability to hear sounds not coming from the telephone.

2. An IPAC, as in claim 1, wherein the passive communications device is a radio receiver.

3. An IPAC, as in claim 2, wherein voice commands are used to control the radio receiver.

4. An IPAC, as in claim 1, wherein the active communications device is a walkie-talkie device.

5. An IPAC, as in claim 1, wherein the passive communications device is a CD player.

6. An IPAC, as in claim 1, wherein the active communications device is a cellular telephone.

7. An IPAC, as in claim 1, wherein the active communications device is a 900 mhz telephone.

8. An IPAC, as in claim 1, wherein the active communications device is a cordless telephone with a base station.

9. An IPAC, as in claim 1, wherein the active communications device uses voice activation to place telephone calls.

10. An IPAC, as in claim 9, wherein:

a head set having a head strap which supports the audio input device, the shared I/O device, the passive communications device, the active communications device, and the switch device;

the audio input device is a microphone, the microphone is movably attached to the headset such that it has an off-hook and an on-hook position;

means to detect when the microphone moves from the on-hook to the off-hook position;

means to activate the telephone when the microphone moves from the on-hook to the off-hook position.

11. An IPAC, as in claim 1, further comprising memory for storing preselected data.

12. An IPAC, as in claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the memory stores speed dial data.

13. An IPAC, as in claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the memory stores radio frequency data.

14. An IPAC, as in claim 11, further comprising:

at least a portion of the memory stores encrypted telephone password data;

a control panel for inputting decryption password data;

means to use the decryption password data to decrypt the encrypted telephone password data;

whereby access to the telephone requires entry of password data.

15. An IPAC, as in claim 1, further comprising:

a speech synthesizer;

a caller ID function to identify the source of a telephone call received by the active communications device;

the controller having means to obtain caller ID identifying information from the active communications device and to control the output of the speech synthesizer such that audio information identifying the source of a call is output from the speech synthesizer to the audio switch and then gated to the speakers.

16. An IPAC, as in claim 6, further comprising:

a microphone having a voice output;

a voice recognition device having an input connected to the voice output of the microphone, the voice recognition device capable of recognizing voice commands, and further capable of outputting control commands to control operation of the passive communications device based on the content of the voice commands;

whereby the passive communications device functions are controlled by voice commands.

17. A system, as in claim 16, wherein the passive audio device is a radio receiver.

18. A system, as in claim 16, wherein the passive audio device is a CD player.

19. An integrated passive and active communications system (IPAC), comprising:

at least one shared I/O device;

a passive communications device;

an active communications device, the active communications device being a telephone device which further comprises;

at least one audio input device; and

means to communicate with a remote location;

a switch device, further comprising;

a controller, the controller having means to control access to the shared I/O device, having means to control the passive communications device, and means to control the active communications device;

gating means to control access to the shared I/O by the passive communications device and the active communications device; and

means to automatically deactivate the passive communications device when the active communications device detects an incoming communication, and automatically activate the active communication device;

a timed programs memory, having means to store programmed events;

a timer, the timer providing timing information for use by the controller; and

the controller having means to use the timing information in conjunction with the programmed events stored in the timed programs memory to control activation and tuning of the passive communications device when a preselected program is remotely broadcast and activation of the active communications device when a outgoing communication is to be made at a preselected time;

whereby the IPAC controls active communications and passive communications with a reduced set of shared I/O devices, and automatically interrupts the passive communications device when an incoming transmission is received for the active communications device.

20. An integrated passive and active communications system (IPAC), comprising:

at least one shared I/O device;

a passive communications device;

an active communications device, said active communications device comprising a telephone;

a switch device, further comprising;

a controller, the controller having means to control access to the shared I/O device, having means to control the passive communications device, and means to control the active communications device; and

gating means to control access to the shared I/O by the passive communications device and the active communications device;

an audio sample memory, having means to store samples of musical works;

audio data comparison means, having a first input for inputting data from the audio sample memory, a second input for inputting data from the passive communications device, and an output which indicates whether the data from the audio sample memory and the data from the passive communications device match;

the controller having means to monitor the audio data comparison means and means to activate transfer for data from the passive communications device to speakers 202 when the audio data comparison means indicates a match;

whereby the IPAC is capable of active communications and passive communications with a reduced set of shared I/O devices.

21. A passive communications system, comprising:

a radio receiver having at least one radio tuner having an audio data output;

audio sample memory, for storing a preselected sample of audio data;

audio data comparison means to compare the preselected sample of audio data with the audio data output of the radio tuner;

means to switch the tuner frequency at preselected times, such that radio stations received by the radio receiver are scanned by the audio data comparison means;

audio speaker means;

a controller, the controller having means to select a radio station and activate the audio speaker means when the audio data comparison means indicates that the preselected sample of audio data and the audio data output of the radio tuner match; and

whereby the radio receiver is automatically activated when a preselected audio work is detected on a particular radio station.

22. A passive communications system, as in claim 21, further comprising:

at least two tuners, the first tuner providing an audio data output for input to the audio data comparison means, and the second tuner providing audio data for output by the receiver to the speaker means;

means to switch the selected frequency of the second tuner to the frequency of the first tuner when the audio data comparison means indicates that a match has been detected;

whereby the passive communications system can play audio works on one radio station while scanning other stations for a selected work, and then automatically switch to the radio station playing the selected work when the selected work is detected by the audio comparison means.