Portable telecommunication apparatus for multiple audio accessories

• US 6,549,790 B1
• Filed: 01/27/2000
• Issued: 04/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Rubbmark, Jan Ragnar, Svensson, Magnus, Engelin, Lars
• Primary Examiner(s): LEGREE, TRACY MICHELLE
• Application Number:
  US09/492,107
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 379/56.2, 379/56.3, 379/165, 379/55.1, 379/56.1, 379/420.04, 379/420.01, 379/420.02, 379/420.3, 379/428.01, 379/428.02, 455/550, 455/557, 455/556, 455/568, 455/569, 455/575
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations

Abstract

The portable telecommunications apparatus has an audio input for receiving sound, an audio output for generating sound, a controller for controlling the audio input and the audio output, and an audio accessory interface for operatively connecting an external audio accessory. The accessory is capable of receiving external sound and forwarding it as audio signals to the apparatus and/or capable of generating external sound in response to audio signals supplied from the apparatus. The controller is arranged to receive a request for an audio service from any of at least two audio accessories operatively connected to the apparatus. The controller also has a logical state machine, the individual states of which represent possible operational conditions for the telecommunication apparatus and the audio accessories. The state machine defines how the request for audio service is to be handled each of the operational conditions. The controller provides the audio service to an individual audio accessory among the audio accessories, as defined by the state machine.

Claims

1. A portable teleconmnunication apparatus, comprising:

an audio input for receiving sound;

an audio output for generating sound;

a controller for controlling the audio input and the audio output; and

an audio accessory interface for operatively connecting at least two audio accessories, each audio accessory being capable of receiving external sound and forwarding it as an audio signal over an audio interface to the apparatus and being capable of generating external sound in response to audio signals supplied from the apparatus over the audio interface,

wherein the controller is arranged to receive over a control interface a request for an audio service from any of at least two audio accessories operatively connected to the apparatus, the request for audio service from any of the audio accessories including a first command specifying a number of audio parameters for a particular audio mode and at least one secondary command specifying one of a plurality of audio functions to be performed by the portable telecommunication apparatus in accordance with the specified audio parameters, and

wherein the controller includes a logical state machine, the individual states of which represent possible operational conditions for the portable telecommunication apparatus and the at least two audio accessories, the state machine defining how the request for audio service, including the first and second commands, is to be serviced by the portable telecommunications apparatus, the controller being arranged to provide the audio service to any of the audio accessories as defined by the state machine.

2. A portable telecommunications apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged to authenticate each audio accessory by checking a predefined authentication sequence sent by each audio accessory before the audio service request is considered.

3. The portable telecommunications apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged to establish a corresponding logical control channel for each accessory, and wherein the first and second commands from each accessory are received on each accessory'"'"'s corresponding optical control channel.

4. The portable telecommunications apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged to dynamically assign an address to each accessory depending on an order in which each accessory is coupled to the portable telecommunications apparatus.

5. A portable telecommunications apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second command specifies one or more of the following audio services to be performed by the portable telecommunications apparatus:

ring signal, music mute, voice activated dialing, vocal call termination, and normal speech.

6. The portable telecommunications apparatus according to claim 5, wherein first and second commands are AT commands based upon a command set developed to control modems from a computer terminal.

7. The portable telecommunications apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged to selectively send a third command to at least one of the accessories to permit the one accessory to connect to or disconnect from an audio channel.

8. The portable telecommunications apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second commands may be sent from one of the accessories at an initialization procedure with the portable telecommunications apparatus or after the initialization procedure.

9. A portable telecommunications apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the audio accessory interface comprises an electrical or optical cord.

10. A portable telecommunications apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the audio accessory interface comprises means for cordless communication.

11. A portable telecommunications apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the audio accessory interface comprises means for radio communication.

12. A portable telecommunications apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the audio accessory interface comprises means for infrared (IR) communication.

13. A portable telecommunications apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a wireless radio telephone.

14. A portable telecommunications apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the audio accessories comprise a portable computer.

15. A portable telecommunications apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the audio accessories comprise a stationary handsfree unit.

16. A portable telecommunications apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the audio accessories comprise a portable handsfree unit.

17. A portable telecommunications apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the portable handsfree unit is cordless.

18. A method of audio control for a portable telecommunication apparatus, including an audio input for receiving sound, an audio output for generating sound, a controller for controlling the audio input and the audio output, and an audio accessory interface for operatively connecting one of plural external audio accessories, each audio accessory being capable of receiving and forwarding external sound as an audio signal to the apparatus and/or capable of generating external sound in response to audio signals supplied from the apparatus, comprising:

receiving a request for audio service from one of the audio accessories operatively connected to the apparatus including a first command specifying a number of audio parameters for a particular audio mode and at least one secondary command specifying one of a plurality of audio functions to be provided by the portable telecommunication apparatus in accordance with the specified audio parameters, and

in response to the requested audio service, including the first and second commands, defining a state in a logical state machine representing operational conditions for the requested audio service to be provided by the portable telecommunication apparatus; and

providing the audio service to the one audio accessory according to the defined state.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the controller is arranged to authenticate each audio accessory by checking a predefined authentication sequence sent by each audio accessory before the audio service request is considered.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the controller is arranged to establish a corresponding logical control channel for each accessory, and wherein the first and second commands from each accessory is received on each accessory'"'"'s corresponding logical control channel.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein the controller is arranged to dynamically assign an address to each accessory depending on an order in which each accessory is coupled to the portable telecommunications apparatus.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein first and second commands are AT commands based upon a command set developed to control modems from a computer terminal.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein the controller is arranged to selectively send a third command to at least one of the accessories to permit the one accessory to connect to or disconnect from an audio line.

24. The method according to claim 18, wherein the first and second commands may be sent from one of the accessories at an initialization procedure with the portable telecommunications apparatus after the initialization.

25. A method according to claim 18, wherein the second command is a request for one or more of the following:

a ring signal, an Audio To Mobile Station (AIMS) signal or an Audio From Mobile Station (AFMS) signal, external Voice Activated Dialing (VAD), vocal call termination, normal speech, data or fax transmission for the audio accessory of the at last two accessories sending the request, and mute functionality for muting another electronic device operatively connected to the telecommunications apparatus.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein the external VAD is enabled by the telecommunication apparatus for the audio accessory that has sent a request for external voice activated dialing (VAD).

27. A method according to claim 25, further comprising:

detecting an incoming call;

enabling ATMS or AFMS for one or more accessories that requested ATMS or AFMS,

sending a ring signal on AFMS to the one or more accessories from which the telecommunication apparatus has received a request for a ring signal;

receiving a request from one of the accessories for answering the incoming call; and

enabling ATMS or AFMS only for the accessory that has sent the request for answering the incoming call.

28. A method according to claim 27, further comprising:

receiving a request for audio service from an additional accessory which is operatively connected to the apparatus;

disabling the ATMS or AFMS for the accessory on which the call is ongoing; and

enabling ATMS or AFMS only for the additional accessory for taking over the ongoing call.

29. A method according to claim 27, further comprising:

receiving a signal from the accessory handling the call or the telecommunication apparatus for terminating the call; and

disabling the ATMS or AFMS for the accessory on which the call is ongoing.