Adapter and signal transmission cable for mobile telephone

• US 6,101,403 A
• Filed: 10/21/1997
• Issued: 08/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cortron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cortron Corporation
• Inventors: Masuda, Shiro
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMMING, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US08/969,421
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 379/355, 379/390, 379/142, 379/185, 379/200, 379/376, 379/387, 379/441, 379/388, 455/20, 455/88, 455/569, 455/41, 455/99, 455/142, 455/345, 455/133
• US Class Current: 455/569.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6083 by interfacing with the vehicle audio system

Abstract

An adapter and signal transmission cables for hands-free telephone system including a mobile telephone, car audio equipment such as a cassette recorder and a mobile telephone adapter. The mobile telephone adapter includes an adapter body, which can be pushed inside the cassette recorder; a hands-free microphone; a first signal transmission cable for connecting the adapter body and the mobile telephone; and a second signal transmission cable for connecting the hands-free microphone and the mobile telephone. The adapter body has a housing that resembles a cassette tape externally and a magnetic recording head installed inside. One end of the first and second signal transmission cables are joined together and connected to a plug, and the plug is capable of plugging into the voice input/output socket of the mobile telephone. When the mobile telephone picks up incoming voice signals, the signals will be transmitted via the adapter to the cassette recorder, which is then broadcast out through its loudspeakers. Similarly, any out-going voice signals will be collected by the hands-free microphone, and then passed on via the adapter to the mobile telephone for broadcasting. Therefore, a bi-directional communication is established.

Claims

1. A mobile telephone adapter system for use with an audio device having at least one loudspeaker, and a mobile telephone having a voice input and output terminal so that when the mobile telephone receives a remote voice signal, the remote voice signal will be output from the voice output terminal and through the loudspeaker, and so that a local voice signal can be transmitted to the voice input terminal of the mobile telephone for transmission by the mobile telephone, the mobile telephone adapter system comprising:

an adapter body for installation into the audio device;

a hands-free microphone;

a first signal transmission cable for connecting the adapter body and the mobile telephone; and

a second signal transmission cable for connecting the hands-free microphone and the mobile telephone;

wherein the adapter body includes;

a housing shaped like an audio recording medium of the audio device;

a magnetic recording head installed inside the housing at a location for contact with a magnetic playback head of the broadcasting device, and having one end of the recording head connected to a first end of the first signal transmission cable;

a first terminal for linking a second end of the first signal transmission cable with the voice output terminal of the mobile telephone; and

a second terminal for linking a second end of the second signal transmission cable with the voice input terminal of the mobile telephone.

2. The mobile telephone adapter of claim 1, wherein the voice output terminal and the voice input terminal of the mobile telephone includes a common ground line and a voice input/output socket for inputting and outputting voice messages, the first and second terminals are combined in a plug capable of insertion into the voice input/output socket, and the respective first and second signal transmission cables have one end joined together and connected to the plug.

3. The mobile telephone adapter of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first signal transmission cable includes a bandpass filter capable of filtering voice frequency band of the remote voice signal.

4. The mobile telephone adapter of claims 1,2 or 3, wherein the magnetic playback head of the audio device is a dual magnetic head capable of playing stereo audio signals, and a monaural sound of the remote voice signal can be produced when the magnetic recording head inside the housing is in contact with either side of the dual magnetic head.

5. The mobile telephone adapter of claim 4, wherein the magnetic recording head to contact with the first dual magnetic head of the audio device is a second dual magnetic head, and the signal from the first signal transmission cable can be switched to either side of the second dual magnetic head by an operational device on either the housing or the hands-free microphone, and by using linked operation of a selective switch with the operational device.

6. A mobile telephone adapter system for use with an audio device having at least one loudspeaker, and a mobile telephone having a voice input/output socket so that when the mobile telephone receives a remote voice signal, the remote voice signal passes from the voice input/output socket and through the loudspeaker, and so that a local voice signal can be transmitted to the voice input/output socket of the mobile telephone for transmission by the mobile telephone, the mobile telephone adapter system comprising:

an adapter body for installation into the audio device; and

a signal transmission device connected to the adapter body;

wherein the adapter body includes;

a housing having a shape similar to an audio recording medium of the audio device;

a magnetic recording head inside the housing at a location for contact with a magnetic playback head of the audio device; and

a signal relaying transmission cable having a first plug connected at one end to the magnetic recording head for sending the remote voice signal to the magnetic recording head;

wherein the signal transmission device connected to the adapter body includes;

a hands-free microphone;

a first signal transmission cable for connecting the adapter body and the mobile telephone; and

a second signal transmission cable for connecting the hands-free microphone and the mobile telephone, one end of the second signal transmission cable coupling with the hands-free microphone;

wherein the first signal transmission cable has a relaying socket capable of receiving the first plug, and the other ends of the first and the second signal transmission cables are joined together and connected to a second plug that is insertable into the voice input/output socket of the mobile telephone.

7. The mobile telephone adapter of claim 6, wherein one end of the signal relaying transmission cable is coupled to the first signal transmission cable, one end of the hands-free microphone is coupled to the second signal transmission cable, and the other end of the first and the second signal transmission cables are joined together and connected to the second plug.