Mobile telephone holding device

• US 6,477,391 B1
• Filed: 11/09/1999
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Furukawa, Masamitsu, Masumo, Masao, Otake, Yoshiaki, Sakata, Masao, Ueno, Takashi, Muramatsu, Toshiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US09/437,093
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550, 455/90, 455/557, 455/569, 359/152, 359/172, 359/109, 359/158, 359/290, 359/531-533, 359/154, 359/174, 359/176, 359/113, 379/56-- 5, 340/825.69, 340/825.62, 340/825.72
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers

Abstract

A mobile telephone holding device is provided for establishing a stable communication between a portable telephone and outside on-board instruments without adjusting the positions of respective infrared optical communication interfaces precisely. The holding device includes a light guide 3 disposed between a plane containing one surface of the portable telephone 5 equipped with an infrared optical communication interface 13 and one end face 19 opposing a housing 9 equipped with an IrDA element 27. The light guide 3 operates to direct an optical path of a light signal entering through one surface of the guide 3 to a direction of the other surface. The transmission and receiving of optical signals is accomplished between the telephone 5 and the instruments through the light guide 3.

Claims

1. A mobile telephone holding device for detachably holding a portable telephone and transferring optical signals between a first infrared optical communication interface arranged on a surface of the portable telephone and a second infrared optical communication interface connected to electronic instruments, the mobile telephone holding device comprising:

an optical path changing member disposed between a plane containing the surface of the portable telephone having the first infrared optical communication interface thereon and another plane containing the second infrared optical communication interface, the optical path changing member changing a direction of an optical path of the optical signal entering through one of the planes to a direction toward the other plane.

2. The mobile telephone holding device of claim 1, wherein the optical path changing member includes:

a first surface opposing the surface of the portable telephone;

a second surface opposing the plane containing the second infrared optical communication interface; and

a third surface opposing the first surface and having a scattering pattern member provided with a plurality of hemispheres for scattering the optical signal entering through one of the planes to the direction toward the other plane.

3. The mobile telephone holding device of claim 2, wherein the optical path changing member is box-shaped and provided, on other surfaces excepting the first to third surfaces, with a reflecting body for reflecting the optical signal or a scattering body for scattering the optical signal.

4. The mobile telephone holding device of claim 2, wherein the optical path changing member is provided, on the first surface, with a bumping member for allowing the optical signal to permeate therethrough and also allowing the optical changing member to come into contact to the portable telephone softly.

5. The mobile telephone holding device of claim 1, further comprising at least one press member for pressing the portable telephone on the optical path changing member so that the portable telephone is pinched between the press member and the optical path changing member.

6. The mobile telephone holding device of claim 1, further comprising a second optical path changing member which is separated from the optical path changing member, wherein the optical path changing member and the second optical path changing member are juxtaposed to each other at a distance so as to pinch the portable telephone therebetween.

7. The mobile telephone holding device of claim 1, further comprising a movable and portable information instrument equipped with a third infrared optical communication interface, wherein the optical path changing member is provided with a fourth surface which changes the optical path of the optical signal between the first infrared optical communication interface and the third infrared optical communication interface or between the second infrared optical communication interface and the third infrared optical communication interface.

8. The mobile telephone holding device of claim 7, wherein the optical path changing member includes:

a refracting pattern member for refracting the optical signal to the fourth surface; and

a scattering body for scattering the optical signal toward a surface on which neither the first infrared optical communication interface nor the second infrared optical communication interface is arranged.

9. The mobile telephone holding device of claim 8, wherein the optical path changing member is provided, on a back face of the scattering body, with a reflecting body for reflecting the optical signal.

10. The mobile telephone holding device of claim 7, wherein the optical path changing member is formed so as to make a predetermined inclination angle between its end face provided with the second infrared optical communication interface and the fourth surface.

11. The mobile telephone holding device of claim 7, wherein the optical path changing member is made of material which interrupts the transmitting of visible light components.

12. The mobile telephone holding device of claim 7, further comprising a detecting unit for detecting the portable telephone being held by the mobile telephone holding device, wherein it is executed to initiate or stop the transmitting/receiving of the optical signal between the portable telephone and the second or third infrared optical communication interface corresponding to detection results on the detecting unit.