Speakerphone accessory

• US 6,836,676 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2001
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Townsend, David, Baxter, Charles S., Faerber, Paul James, Lloyd, Grant Harries
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Application Number:
  US10/003,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20030087676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/569.1, 455/550.1, 455/573, 455/575.1, 455/90.3, D14/138, 381/353, 379/420.01, 379/420.02, 379/420.04, 320/113, 320/107, D13/107
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3883 Arrangements for mounting batteries or battery chargers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use

Abstract

This invention includes a speakerphone accessory suitable for connection to either a battery charger having a phone in its pocket or to a cellular telephone. The speakerphone module includes a hemispherical upper housing. The upper housing includes a circular dimple aperture and a wave directing cap. The hemispherical shape, aperture and cap all contribute to directing acoustic waved generated by a speaker disposed within the housing radially from the module in all directions. One embodiment of the module includes a second terminal for passing data and power through the module, allowing the module to be coupled serially between devices. The module also includes a bottom housing having a generally hemispherical shape. The bottom housing provides stability to the connection between the module and a peripheral device in that it reduces the mechanical advantage given to forces incident upon the upper housing acting upon the main terminal.

Claims

1. A speakerphone module, the module comprising:

a. a housing, the outer structure comprising as upper housing, the upper housing having a generally hemispherical shape;

b. a circular dimple aperture disposed on the upper housing;

c. a loudspeaker disposed within the housing;

d. a main terminal for coupling electrical signals to the loudspeaker; and

e. a link mechanically coupling the main terminal to the housing;

wherein when the loudspeaker is actuated, the upper housing and circular dimple aperture facilitate acoustic waves that propagate radially from the module.

2. The module of claim 1, wherein the main terminal supports either the portable battery charger or a cellular telephone.

3. The module of claim 2, further comprising a microphone, wherein the microphone is disposed in a peripheral device coupled to the main terminal.

4. The module of claim 2, further comprising a wave-directing cap disposed generally in the center of the circular dimple aperture.

5. The module of claim 4, further comprising a secondary terminal, wherein the secondary terminal facilitates electrically coupling power from an auxiliary device to the main terminal when the module is coupled to the auxiliary device.

6. The module of claim 5, wherein the main terminal further comprises a plurality of pins, with a first subset of the plurality dedicated to transmitting power between the secondary terminal and the main terminal, and a second subset of the plurality dedicated to transmitting data between the speaker and the main terminal.

7. The module of claim 6, wherein the main terminal comprises a 17-pin, male connector.

8. The module of claim 1, further comprising means for reducing the mechanical advantage given to forces incident upon the upper housing acting on the main terminal.

9. The module of claim 8, the means for reducing mechanical advantage comprising a bottom housing having a generally hemispherical shape.

10. The module of claim 9, wherein when the module is mechanically coupled to another device and rests on a horizontal surface, the surface contacts the bottom housing in a tangential fashion.

11. The module of claim 10, wherein the main terminal accommodates electricity connecting the module to both a cellular telephone or to a battery charger, but not at the same time.

12. The module of claim 11, further comprising means for connecting the module to different types of peripheral accessories.

13. The module of claim 12, wherein the means for connecting the module to different types of peripheral devices comprises bottom housing having a generally hemispherical shape.

14. The module of claim 13, wherein the peripheral devices are selected from the group consisting of radios, phones, power supplies and battery chargers.