Speakerphone feature for a wireless handset

• US 6,434,407 B1
• Filed: 12/03/1999
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Cook, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US09/453,643
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 455/569, 455/90, 455/347, 455/575, 379/433.02, 379/433.06, 379/420.02, 379/430.03
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/605 involving control of the receiver volume to provide a dual operational mode at close or far distance from the user

Abstract

A wireless speakerphone is designed to prevent damage to a user'"'"'s ear when the phone is placed against the user'"'"'s ear during speakerphone operation. The phone includes a second speaker, or second speaker, embedded behind its rear surface. The rear surface is shaped so that, when resting against a rigid surface such as a desktop or tabletop, the rear surface and the rigid surface together form a waveguide that directs sound waves from the second speaker into the surrounding room.

Claims

1. A wireless handset comprising:

a protective housing;

receiving circuitry configured to receive RF signals and output sound signals;

an earpiece speaker connected to receive some of the sound signals from the receiving circuitry and positioned to project corresponding sound waves through a first surface of the housing;

a second speaker connected to receive others of the sound signals from the receiving circuitry and positioned to project corresponding sound waves through a second surface opposing the first surface, where the second speaker operates at a higher volume than the earpiece speaker; and

wherein the second surface is shaped so that, when the second surface rests against a rigid surface, the sound waves projecting from the second speaker through the second surface strike the rigid surface at an acute angle.

2. The handset of claim 1, further comprising a path selector connected to deliver each of the sound signals from the receiving circuitry either to the earpiece speaker or to the second speaker.

3. The handset of claim 2, further comprising a selection component embedded in the housing to allow a user to toggle between the earpiece speaker and the second speaker.

4. The handset of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the second surface inclines toward the first surface and the second speaker is positioned against the inclined portion of the second surface.

5. The handset of claim 1, wherein the second surface is shaped to include a cavity and the second speaker is positioned to project sound waves through the cavity.

6. The handset of claim 1, wherein the second surface is shaped so that, when the second surface rests against a rigid surface, the second surface and the rigid surface together form a waveguide to direct sound waves projected by the second speaker away from the handset.

7. The handset of claim 1, wherein the second surface includes one or more holes and the second speaker is positioned to project sound waves through the holes.

8. The handset of claim 1, wherein the earpiece and the second speaker are positioned to project sound waves in substantially opposite directions.

9. A wireless speakerphone comprising:

a protective housing;

transceiving circuitry configured to send and receive RF signals over a communication channel and convert incoming RF signals into sound signals;

a microphone;

an earpiece speaker connected to receive some of the sound signals from the transceiving circuitry and positioned to project corresponding sound waves through a first surface of the housing;

a second speaker connected to receive others of the sound signals from the transceiving circuitry and positioned to project corresponding sound waves through a second surface opposing the first surface, where the second speaker operates at a higher volume than the earpiece speaker; and

wherein the second surface is shaped so that, when the second surface rests against a rigid surface, the sound waves projecting from the second speaker through the second surface strike the rigid surface at an acute angle.

10. The speakerphone of claim 9, further comprising a path selector connected to deliver each of the sound signals from the transceiving circuitry either to the earpiece speaker or to the second speaker.

11. The speakerphone of claim 10, further comprising a selection component embedded in the housing to allow a user to toggle between the earpiece speaker and the second speaker.

12. The speakerphone of claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the second surface inclines toward the first surface and the second speaker is positioned against the inclined portion of the second surface.

13. The speakerphone of claim 9, wherein the second surface is shaped to include a cavity and the second speaker is positioned to project sound waves through the cavity.

14. The speakerphone of claim 9, wherein the second surface is shaped so that, when the second surface rests against a rigid surface, the second surface and the rigid surface together form a waveguide to direct sound waves projected by the loudspeaker away from the housing.

15. The speakerphone of claim 9, wherein the second surface includes one or more holes and the second speaker is positioned to project sound waves through the holes.

16. The speakerphone of claim 9, wherein the earpiece and the second speaker are positioned to project sound waves in substantially opposite directions.

17. A method comprising:

receiving RF signals;

recovering sound signals from the RF signals;

delivering some of the sound signals to an earpiece speaker in a telephone handset;

delivering others of the sound signals to a second speaker in the telephone handset;

for the sound signals delivered to the earpiece speaker, projecting the sound signals through a first surface of the handset; and

for the sound signals delivered to the second speaker, projecting the sound signals through a second surface opposing the first surface so that, when the second surface rests against a rigid surface, the sound waves projecting from the second speaker through the second surface strike the rigid surface at an acute angle.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein projecting sound signals through the first surface includes projecting the sound signals in a first direction, and projecting sound signals through the second surface includes projecting the sound signals in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein delivering the sound signals to the earpiece speaker and the second speaker includes selecting between the earpiece speaker and the second speaker based upon a control signal initiated by a user.