Earphone system with operability improved and terminal equipment system with the earphone system

• US 6,233,002 B1
• Filed: 08/31/1998
• Issued: 05/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Shibayama, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US09/144,017
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 379/102.03, 379/102.02, 379/102.01, 348/14, 455/556, 455/557, 455/575, 381/311, 381/74, 381/122, 381/375, 340/825.24, 340/825.25
• US Class Current: 348/14.05
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/003 with radio receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10

Abstract

An earphone system includes a remote control unit for transmitting a first control signal, and an earphone section operatively connected to a terminal equipment and said remote control unit. The earphone section includes a connector to be operatively connected to the terminal equipment, an earphone speaker section for outputting an audio output from an audio output signal, and a microphone for inputting an audio input to produce an audio input signal. A remote control signal processing section receives the control signal from the remote control unit. A remote control modulating and demodulating section is connected to the earphone section via a first cord and is connected to the connector via a second cord. The remote control modulating and demodulating section passes the audio input signal to the terminal equipment via the connector and the audio output signal from the terminal equipment via the connector to the earphone speaker section. Also, the remote control modulating and demodulating section modulates the control signal supplied from the remote control signal processing section to send to the terminal equipment.

Claims

1. An earphone system comprising:

a remote control unit for transmitting a control signal; and

an earphone section provided apart from said remote control unit and operatively connected to an external apparatus and said remote control unit, and

wherein said earphone section comprises;

a connector to be operatively connected to said external apparatus;

an earphone speaker section for outputting an audio output from an audio output signal;

a microphone for inputting an audio input to produce an audio input signal;

a remote control signal processing section for receiving the control signal from said remote control unit; and

a remote control modulating and demodulating section connected to said earphone section via a first cord and connected to said connector via a second cord, for passing said audio input signal supplied from said microphone to said external apparatus via said connector and said audio output signal supplied from said external apparatus via said connector to said earphone speaker section, and for modulating said control signal supplied from said remote control signal processing section to send to said external apparatus.

2. An earphone system according to claim 1, wherein said earphone speaker section includes an earphone speaker and said remote control signal processing section is provided to said earphone speaker.

3. An earphone system according to claim 1, wherein said microphone is provided in said remote control modulating and demodulating section.

4. An earphone system according to claim 1, wherein said earphone speaker section includes two earphone speakers and said microphone is provided in a branching portion for said two earphone speakers.

5. An earphone system according to claim 1, wherein said remote unit includes a plurality of keys, and said control signal is generated in response to an operation of at least one of said plurality of keys.

6. An earphone system according to claim 5, wherein said remote control signal processing section transmits a reply signal to said remote control unit when said control signal is correctly received.

7. An earphone system according to claim 6, wherein said remote control unit transmits said control signal to said earphone section again when said reply signal is not received from said remote control signal processing section.

8. An earphone system according to claim 1, wherein communication between said remote control unit and said remote control signal processing section is performed based on radio communication.

9. An earphone system according to claim 1, wherein communication between said remote control unit and said remote control signal processing section is performed based on light signal communication.

10. A portable terminal system comprising:

a terminal equipment;

a remote control unit for transmitting a control signal; and

an earphone section provided apart from said remote control unit and operatively connected to an terminal equipment and said remote control unit, and wherein said earphone section comprises;

a connector to be operatively connected to said terminal equipment;

an earphone speaker section for outputting an audio output from an audio output signal;

a microphone for inputting an audio input to produce an audio input signal;

a remote control signal processing section for receiving the control signal from said remote control unit, and for transmitting a demodulated reply signal to said remote control unit; and

a remote control modulating and demodulating section connected to said earphone section via a first cord and connected to said connector via a second cord, for passing said audio input signal supplied from said microphone to said external apparatus via said connector and said audio output signal supplied from said terminal equipment via said connector to said earphone speaker section, and for modulating said control signal from said remote control signal processing section to send to said terminal equipment via said connector and demodulating a reply signal supplied from said terminal equipment via said connector to generate the demodulated reply signal and to send to said remote control signal processing section, said reply signal being generated by said terminal equipment in response to said control signal.

11. A portable terminal system according to claim 10, wherein said remote unit includes a plurality of function keys and a plurality of dial keys, and said control signal is generated in response to an operation of one of said plurality of function keys.

12. A portable terminal system according to claim 11, wherein said remote control unit transmits said control signal to said earphone section again when said demodulated reply signal is not received from said remote control signal processing section.

13. A portable terminal system according to claim 10, wherein communication between said remote control unit and said remote control signal processing section is performed based on radio communication.

14. A portable terminal system according to claim 10, wherein communication between said remote control unit and said remote control signal processing section is performed based on light signal communication.