Telecommunication device with piezo-electric transducer for handsfree and private operating modes

• US 6,453,045 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2000
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zurek, Robert A., Charlier, Michael L., Gitzinger, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiang, Jack
• Application Number:
  US09/497,983
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 379/433.02, 379/420.02, 381/190, 455/90, 455/575
• US Class Current: 379/433.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use

Abstract

A telecommunication device (10) includes a housing (14, 16) and a dual earpiece arrangement (26) associated with the housing. The dual earpiece arrangement (26) includes a handsfree transducer (28) that generates dispatch-level audio output in a handsfree operating mode of the telecommunication device, and a private-mode transducer (38) that generates private-level audio output in a private operating mode of the telecommunication device. In particular, the device (10) includes a cantilevered bender (30) having a first end and a second end wherein the first end of the bender is mounted to the housing (16), a diaphragm (32) having a first end and a second end wherein the first end of the diaphragm (32) is attached to the second end of the bender (30), and a surround (34) joining the second end of the diaphragm (32) to the housing (16). The bender (30) drives the diaphragm (32) in a reciprocating manner to generate dispatch level audio output. The private-mode transducer (38) is positioned within a cavity of the diaphragm (32) for generating private-level audio output. At least one of the handsfree transducer (28) and the private-mode transducer (38) is formed with multiple layers, at least some of which include a piezo-electric ceramic material.

Claims

1. A device for generating dispatch-level audio output in a handsfree operating mode, the device comprising:

a housing;

a cantilevered bender having a first end and a second end, the first end of the bender being mounted to the housing;

a diaphragm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the diaphragm being attached to the second end of the bender;

a surround joining the second end of the diaphragm to the housing; and

the bender driving the diaphragm in a reciprocating manner to generate dispatch level audio output.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the bender is multilayered.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the bender includes at least one layer of piezo-electric material.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the bender includes a plurality of alternating piezo-electric layers and conductive layers.

5. The device of claim 1, further including a second bender positioned within a cavity of the diaphragm for generating private-level audio output.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the second bender is multilayered.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the second bender includes at least one layer of piezo-electric material.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the second bender includes a plurality of alternating piezo-electric layers and conductive layers.

9. The device of claim 1, further including a private-mode transducer positioned within a cavity of the diaphragm for generating private-level audio output.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the cantilevered bender includes a first portion for driving the diaphragm and a second portion for generating private-level audio output.

11. A telecommunication device comprising:

a housing; and

a dual earpiece arrangement associated with the housing, the dual earpiece arrangement including a handsfree transducer that generates dispatch-level audio output in a handsfree operating mode of the telecommunication device, and a private-mode transducer that generates private-level audio output in a private operating mode of the telecommunication device, wherein the handsfree transducer includes

a cantilevered bender having a first end and a second end, the first end of the bender being mounted to the housing,

a diaphragm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the diaphragm being attached to the second end of the bender, and

a surround joining the second end of the diaphragm to the housing, wherein the bender drives the diaphragm in a reciprocating manner to generate dispatch level audio output.

12. The telecommunication device of claim 11, wherein the bender is multilayered.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the bender includes at least one layer of piezo-electric material.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the bender includes a plurality of alternating piezo-electric layers and conductive layers.

15. The telecommunication device of claim 11, wherein the private-mode transducer is positioned within a cavity of the diaphragm for generating private-level audio output.

16. The telecommunication device of claim 11, wherein the private-mode transducer includes a second bender positioned within a cavity of the diaphragm for generating private-level audio output.

17. The telecommunication device of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first-mentioned bender and the second bender includes a piezo-electric material.

19. The telecommunication device of claim 11, wherein at least one of the handsfree-mode transducer and the private-mode transducer is formed from a piezo-electric material.

18. A telecommunication device comprising:

a housing;

a dual earpiece arrangement associated with the housing, the dual earpiece arrangement including a handsfree transducer that generates dispatch-level audio output in a handsfree operating mode of the telecommunication device, and a private-mode transducer that generates private-level audio output in a private operating mode of the telecommunication device; and

a piezo-electric ceramic bender having a first area that forms at least a portion of the handsfree transducer and a second area that forms at least a portion of the private-mode transducer.

20. The telecommunication device of claim 18, wherein the first area of the piezo-electric ceramic bender includes conductive pads formed as part of one or more conductive layers, and the second area of the piezo-electric ceramic bender includes conductive pads formed as part of one or more conductive layers, where the conductive pads of the first area are electrically isolated from the conductive pads of the second area.

21. The telecommunication device of claim 18, wherein the piezo-electric ceramic bender is a piezo-electric ceramic cantilever bender.