Universal hand-free system for cellular phones in combination with vehicle's audio stereo system

• US 6,349,223 B1
• Filed: 03/08/1999
• Issued: 02/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: E Lead Electronic Company Limited
• Original Assignee: E Lead Electronic Company Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Tonny
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Moore, James K.
• Application Number:
  US09/263,865
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 455/569, 455/99, 455/345, 455/350, 379/420, 174/74.R
• US Class Current: 455/569.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/20 for coupling gramophone pick-up, recorder output, or microphone to receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6083 by interfacing with the vehicle audio system

Abstract

A universal hand-free system for use with various types of cellular phones produced by different manufacturers is designed to operate in combination with a vehicle'"'"'s audio stereo system. The hand-free system can automatically turn off a vehicle'"'"'s audio stereo system when incoming signals are being received by a cellular phone and automatically turn on the audio stereo system as the cellular phone terminates its operation. It intends to improve the communication quality of a cellular phone and increase driving safety. Moreover, by means of signal cable, which can convert and discern incoming signals and signal criterion levels for various types of cellular phones produced by different manufacturers, the hand-free system can be universally applied to a variety of cellular phones.

Claims

1. A universal hands-free system for operably interconnecting a cellular telephone selected from a plurality of types to a vehicle audio system speaker for the audible reproduction thereby of a received cellular telephone signal comprising:

(a) a hands-free unit including;

(1) first circuitry for amplifying and acoustically processing the received cellular telephone signal;

(2) second circuitry operably coupled to said first circuitry for powering and charging the cellular telephone;

(3) an acoustic source controller coupled to said first circuitry for automatically monitoring the received cellular telephone signal for a transition thereof between a standby and an operational state, said acoustic source controller generating and maintaining a transition signal upon detection of said cellular telephone signal transition to the operational state; and

,

(4) an electronic switch coupled to said first circuitry and said acoustic source controller for selectively connecting to and disconnecting from the vehicle audio system speaker said first circuitry responsive to the detection by said acoustic source controller of said transition, said electronic switch connecting said first circuitry to the vehicle audio system responsive to said transition signal; and

,

(b) a signal cable coupled to said hands-free unit for interconnecting the selected cellular telephone thereto, said signal cable including a pair of plug connectors, one of said pair of plug connectors having an impedance control portion including at least one of a voltage division resistor or a voltage division capacitor having a predetermined value corresponding to signal levels of the selected cellular telephone;

whereby an amplified and acoustically processed form of the received cellular telephone signal is audibly reproduced by the vehicle audio system speaker during the operational state of the cellular telephone.

2. A universal hands-free system for operably interconnecting a cellular telephone selected from a plurality of types to a vehicle audio system speaker for the audible reproduction thereby of a received cellular telephone signal comprising:

(a) a hands-free unit including;

(1) first circuitry for amplifying and acoustically processing the received cellular telephone signal;

(2) second circuitry operably coupled to said first circuitry for powering and charging the cellular telephone;

(3) an acoustic source controller coupled to said first circuitry for automatically monitoring the received cellular telephone signal for a transition thereof between a standby and an operational state, said acoustic source controller generating and maintaining a transition signal upon detection of said cellular telephone signal transition to the operational state; and

,

(4) an electronic switch coupled to said first circuitry and said acoustic source controller for selectively connecting to and disconnecting from the vehicle audio system speaker said first circuitry responsive to the detection by said acoustic source controller of said transition, said electronic switch connecting said first circuitry to the vehicle audio system responsive to said transition signal; and

,

(b) a signal cable coupled to said hands-free unit for interconnecting the selected cellular telephone thereto, said signal cable including;

(1) a first plug connector configured for releasable connection to an output socket of the selected cellular telephone, said first plug having an impedance control portion including at least one of a voltage division resistor or a voltage division capacitor having a predetermined value corresponding to signal levels of the selected cellular telephone;

(2) a second plug connector releasably connected to said hands-free unit; and

,

(3) a flexible conductive portion extending between said first and second plugs;

whereby an amplified and acoustically processed form of the received cellular telephone signal is audibly reproduced by the vehicle audio system speaker during the operational state of the cellular telephone.

3. A universal hands-free system for operably interconnecting a cellular telephone selected from a plurality of types to a vehicle audio system speaker for the audible reproduction thereby of a received cellular telephone signal comprising:

(a) a hands-free unit including;

(1) first circuitry for amplifying and acoustically processing the received cellular telephone signal;

(2) second circuitry operably coupled to said first circuitry for powering and charging the cellular telephone;

(3) an acoustic source controller coupled to said first circuitry for automatically monitoring the received cellular telephone signal for a transition thereof between a standby and an operational state, said acoustic source controller generating and maintaining a transition signal upon detection of said cellular telephone signal transition to the operational state; and

,

(4) an electronic switch coupled to said first circuitry and said acoustic source controller for selectively connecting to and disconnecting from the vehicle audio system speaker said first circuitry responsive to the detection by said acoustic source controller of said transition, said electronic switch connecting said first circuitry to the vehicle audio system responsive to said transition signal; and

,

(b) a signal cable coupled to said hands-free unit for interconnecting the selected cellular telephone thereto, said signal cable including;

(1) a first plug connector configured for releasable connection to an output socket of the selected cellular telephone;

(2) a second plug connector releasably connected to said hands-free unit;

(3) a flexible conductive portion extending between said first and second plugs; and

,

(4) a box coupled to said flexible conductive portion between said first and second plugs, said box housing an impedance control portion including at least one of a voltage division resistor or a voltage division capacitor having a predetermined value corresponding to signal levels of the selected cellular telephone;

whereby an amplified and acoustically processed form of the received cellular telephone signal is audibly reproduced by the vehicle audio system speaker during the operational state of the cellular telephone.

4. A universal hands-free system for operably interconnecting a cellular telephone selected from a plurality of types to a vehicle audio system speaker for the audible reproduction thereby of a received cellular telephone signal comprising:

(a) a hands-free unit including;

(1) first circuitry for amplifying and acoustically processing the received cellular telephone signal;

(2) second circuitry operably coupled to said first circuitry for powering and charging the cellular telephone; and

,

(3) an electronic switch coupled to said first circuitry for selectively connecting to and disconnecting from the vehicle audio system speaker said first circuitry; and

,

(b) a signal cable coupled to said hands-free unit for interconnecting the selected cellular telephone thereto, said signal cable including;

(1) a first plug connector configured for releasable connection to an output socket of the selected cellular telephone;

(2) a second plug connector releasably connected to said hands-free unit; and

,

(3) a flexible conductive portion extending between said first and second plugs; and

,

(4) a box coupled to said flexible conductive portion between said first and second plugs, said box housing an impedance control portion including at least one of a resistive voltage divider circuit and a capacitance circuit and an acoustic source controller, said acoustic source controller being coupled to said first circuitry and said electronic switch for automatically monitoring the received cellular telephone signal for a transition thereof between a standby and an operational state, said acoustic source controller generating and maintaining a transition signal upon detection of said cellular telephone signal transition to the operational state, said transition signal actuating said electronic switch to responsively connect said first circuitry to the vehicle audio system;

whereby an amplified and acoustically processed form of the received cellular telephone signal is audibly reproduced by the vehicle audio system speaker during the operational state of the cellular telephone.