Vibration generator for notification and portable communication device using the vibration generator

• US 6,281,785 B1
• Filed: 09/20/1999
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hamaguchi, Toshihide
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): LA, ANH V
• Application Number:
  US09/381,375
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 340/407.1, 340/311.1, 340/825.46, 340/825.44, 455/38.2, 455/567, 455/31.2, 455/31.1, 455/31.3, 455/550, 455/575, 379/374, 379/375, 379/383, 379/428, 379/52, 383/96, 384/12
• US Class Current: 340/407.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

A device comprises a vibration generator having a magnetic circuit composed of a permanent magnet and a coil, and a diaphragm drivable by the magnetic circuit and secured to a fixed member so as to mechanically resonate at a frequency of f1, a signal generating circuit for producing a signal having the frequency of f1, a filter for blocking the frequency of f1, and selection means. The selection means operates to give notice to the user by applying the signal containing the frequency of f1 and generated by the signal generating circuit to the coil, or to deliver incoming speech to the user by applying a voice signal to the coil via the filter.

Claims

1. A notifying vibration generator device comprising:

a vibration generator having a magnetic circuit composed of a permanent magnet and a coil;

a first vibrator drivable by the magnetic circuit and mechanically resonating at a frequency of f0;

a second vibrator mechanically resonating at a frequency of f1;

a rectangular wave generating circuit for generating a rectangular wave signal having frequency of f0;

a filter having a cut-off frequency between f0 and f1 for receiving the signal output from the rectangular wave generating circuit and outputting a first signal;

a second signal generating circuit for generating a second signal containing a signal with the frequency of f1; and

switch means for selectively applying, one of the first signal and the second signal to the vibration genaerator,

wherein the first signal and the second signal are different rectangular wave signals and the rectangular wave signal for the second signal has a quiescent period and an active period which are set at values for a desired ringer sound.

2. A notifying vibration generator device according to claim 1, characterized in that the rectangular wave generating circuit comprises an oscillator and a frequency divider for frequency-dividing the rectangular waves output from the oscillator.

3. A notifying vibration generator device according to claim 1 characterized in that the second signal generating circuit comprises as oscillator and a notifying sound signal generating circuit for on-off controlling at a predetermined time interval the rectangular waves output from the oscillar to produce a notifying sound signal.

4. A notifying vibration generator device according to claim 1 characterized in that the first signal and the second signal are produced by a single oscillator.

5. A notifying vibration generator device comprising:

a vibration generator having a magnetic circuit composed of a permanent magnet and a coil;

a diaphragm drivable by the magnetic circuit and secured to fixed member so as to mechanically resonate at a frequency of f1;

a signal generating circuit for producing a signal containing a signal component with the frequency of f1;

a filter for depressing the signal component of the frequency of f1; and

selection means for determining whether the signal generated by the signal generating

circuit is to be applied to the coil or a voice signal is to be applied to the coil via the filter, wherein the signal has a quiescent period and an active period which are set at values for desired ringer sound.

6. A notifying vibration generator device according to claim 5 characterized in that the filter is a low-pass filter.

7. A notifying vibration generator device according to claim 5 characterized in that the filter is a notch filter.

8. A notifying vibration generator device according to claim 5 characterized in that the permanent magnet is secured by a support member to the fixed member so as to mechanically resonate at a frequency of f0, the device further having a signal generating circuit for producing a signal having the frequency of f0, the signal generating means being selectively applied by the selection means.

9. A portage communications device comprising:

a vibration generator having a magnetic circuit composed of a permanent magnet and a coil;

a diaphragm drivable by the magnetic circuit and secured to a fixed member so as to mechanically resonate at a frequency of f1;

a support member supporting the permanent magnet on the fixed member so as to mechanically vibrate the magnet at a frequency of f0;

a first signal generating circuit for generating a first signal having the frequency of f0;

a second signal generating circuit for generating a second signal containing a signal component with the frequency of f1;

a filter for depressing the signal component of the frequency of f1;

selection means for determining whether (1) the second signal generated by the second signal generating circuit is to be applied to the coil, (2) a voice signal is to be applied to the coil via the filter, or (3) the first signal generated by the first signal generating circuit is to be applied to the coil;

a circuit for detecting incoming calls; and

control means for controlling the selection means so as to select one of the first signal generating circuit and the second signal generating circuit according to a setting predetermined by the user upon the detecting means detecting the incoming call for the application of the first or second signal generated by the selected circuit to the coil and to apply a voice signal of the incoming call to the coil via the filter in conformity with a response of the user to the incoming call,

wherein the first signal and the second signal are different rectangular wave signals and the rectangular wave signal for the second signal has a quiescent period and an active period which are set at values for desired ringer sound.

10. A portable communications device according to claim 9 characterized in that a microphone for outgoing speech is disposed at lengthwise one end of a body of the device, the vibration generator being disposed at the other end of the device body.