PC card modem with microphone and speaker connectivity
First Claim
1. A PC Card adapted for insertion in a PC Card slot in a computer system, comprising:
- a housing comprising a PC Card adapter, wherein the PC Card adapter includes a plurality of input and output pins for coupling to said PC Card slot and receiving and transmitting signals to said computer system;
a microphone disposed at least partially within said housing, wherein said microphone is adapted for receiving sounds and producing corresponding first audio signals;
audio interface logic coupled to said microphone and disposed within said housing, said audio interface logic configured to process said first audio signals received from said microphone;
a connector attached to said housing and defining an external communication path; and
a modem within said housing, coupled to said connector and configured to receive telephony signals on said external communication path and transmit on said external communication path telephony voice data input from said microphone for speakerphone functionality.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention comprises a PC Card adapted for insertion in a PC Card slot in a computer system. The PC Card includes a housing having a PC Card adapter having a plurality of input and output pins for coupling the housing to the PC Card slot and receiving and transmitting signals in said computer system. A microphone is disposed within said housing, as is audio interface logic coupled to the microphone. The audio interface logic is configured to process audio signals from the microphone across said PC Card adapter. The PC card further includes a modem coupled to a connector defining an external communication path and configured to receive telephony signals, and telephone answering logic operably coupled to the modem and audio interface logic and configured to receive telephony signals from the modem and to store data corresponding to the telephony signals. The PC Card further includes speakerphone logic configured to provide speakerphone functionality to the PC Card. In one embodiment, the PC Card also includes a speaker configured to provide an audio output. The audio interface logic interfaces the microphone and/or speaker to the PC Card and the telephone answering and speakerphone logic. In alternate embodiments, the PC Card provides for external microphone and/or speaker connectivity.
71 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A PC Card adapted for insertion in a PC Card slot in a computer system, comprising:
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a housing comprising a PC Card adapter, wherein the PC Card adapter includes a plurality of input and output pins for coupling to said PC Card slot and receiving and transmitting signals to said computer system; a microphone disposed at least partially within said housing, wherein said microphone is adapted for receiving sounds and producing corresponding first audio signals; audio interface logic coupled to said microphone and disposed within said housing, said audio interface logic configured to process said first audio signals received from said microphone; a connector attached to said housing and defining an external communication path; and a modem within said housing, coupled to said connector and configured to receive telephony signals on said external communication path and transmit on said external communication path telephony voice data input from said microphone for speakerphone functionality. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A PC Card adapted for insertion in a PC Card slot in a computer system, comprising:
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a housing comprising a PC Card adapter, wherein the PC Card adapter includes a plurality of input and output pins for coupling to said PC Card slot and receiving and transmitting signals to said computer system; a speaker disposed at least partially within said housing, wherein said speaker is adapted for receiving first audio signals; audio interface logic coupled to said speaker and disposed within said housing, said audio interface logic configured to process said first audio signals to said speaker; a connector attached to said housing and defining an external communication path; and a modem within said housing coupled to said connector and configured to receive telephony signals on said external communication path and provide telephony audio signals to be heard on said speaker for speakerphone functionality. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A PC Card adapted for insertion in a PC Card slot in a computer system, comprising:
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a housing comprising a PC Card adapter having a plurality of input and output pins for coupling said housing to said PC Card slot and receiving and transmitting signals in said computer system; a first audio connector attached to said housing and defining a first external communication path through said housing and adapted to receive an external microphone adapter; audio interface logic disposed within said housing, said audio interface logic configured to process a first signal from a microphone coupled to said first audio connector; and a modem within said housing and configured to receive telephony signals and transmit telephony voice data input from said microphone for speakerphone functionality. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A PC Card adapted for insertion in a PC Card slot in a computer system, comprising:
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a housing comprising a PC Card adapter having a plurality of input and output pins for coupling said housing to said PC Card slot and receiving and transmitting signals in said computer system; a connector attached to said housing defining an external communication path and configured to receive telephony signals from a telephone source, said connector being further configured to convey first audio signals from an external source; audio interface logic disposed within said housing, said audio interface logic configured to process said first audio signals from said external source; and a modem within said housing, coupled to said connector and configured to receive said telephony signals on said external communication path and transmit on said external communication path telephony voice data input from said external source for speakerphone functionality. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A PC Card adapted for insertion in a PC Card slot in a computer system, comprising:
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a housing comprising a PC Card adapter having a plurality of input and output pins for coupling said housing to said PC Card slot and receiving and transmitting signals in said computer system; a connector attached to said housing defining an external communication path and configured to receive telephony signals from an external source, said connector being further configured to convey first audio signals to an external speaker; audio interface logic disposed within said housing, said audio interface logic configured to process said first audio signals to said external source; and a modem within said housing coupled to said connector and configured to receive said telephony signals from an external source and provide telephony audio signals to be heard on said speaker for speakerphone functionality. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A PC Card adapted for insertion in a PC Card slot in a computer system, comprising:
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a housing comprising a PC Card adapter, wherein the PC Card adapter includes a plurality of input and output pins for coupling to said PC Card slot and receiving and transmitting signals to said computer system; a modem within said housing and configured to receive telephony signals on an external communication path and transmit telephony voice data on said external communication path; wherein said PC Card is configured for speakerphone operation in which said telephony voice data transmitted by said modem is derived from a microphone and said telephony signals received by said modem are processed as telephony audio signals to a speaker; wherein said microphone is coupled within or to said housing. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for providing speakerphone functionality through a PC Card, comprising:
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providing audio input from a microphone coupled to or within the PC Card to speakerphone logic within said PC Card; said speakerphone logic sending the audio input through a PC Card adapter to a sound system of a computer system in which the PC Card is inserted; said sound system processing the audio input into voice data and sending said voice data to a modem within said PC Card; said modem transmitting said voice data onto an external telephony communication path; said modem receiving telephony audio data from said external telephony communication path; and providing an audio signal derived from said telephony audio data to a speaker. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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Specification