Communication apparatus with antenna

• US 6,980,165 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2003
• Issued: 12/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Masaki, Toshiyuki, Miyasaka, Toshiki, Minemura, Takashi, Yuasa, Tomokazu, Amano, Takashi, Nitta, Tatsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoang V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AL NAZER, LEITH A
• Application Number:
  US10/698,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20040150570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/718, 379/430, 381/312, 455/575.2
• US Class Current: 343/718
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0421 with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element H01Q9/0414 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3866 carried on the head
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection

Abstract

A communication apparatus has a speaker, a headband which connects to the speaker at an end thereof, a wireless communication module coupled to the speaker, and an antenna arranged on the headband, and coupled to said wireless communication module.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a speaker;

a headband which connects to said speaker at an end thereof;

a wireless communication module comprising transmitting and receiving circuitry coupled to said speaker; and

an antenna arranged at a certain position on said headband, and coupled to said wireless communication module via a cable;

a second antenna arranged at the end of said headband, and coupled to said wireless communication module;

wherein the certain position is different from the end of the headband that connects to the speaker.

2. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a flexible circuit board on which said antenna is mounted.

3. A communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said flexible circuit board is provided at a predetermined inclination angle to a mounting surface at the certain position of said headband.

4. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said antenna is arranged on a higher portion in said headband than said speaker in a condition under which said communication apparatus is used.

5. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, said headband has an arc portion, and the certain position on which said antenna is mounted is in the arc portion.

6. A communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said headband has an elastic member connected at two places in an inside area of the arc portion, and the elastic member is arranged apart from said antenna.

7. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication module includes a radio unit, an audio CODEC, and input/output interface, and a signal process/control unit.

8. A communication apparatus comprising:

a pair of speakers;

a pair of ear pieces attached to said pair of speakers respectively;

a headband with two ends which connect to each of said speakers respectively;

a wireless communication module comprising transmitting and receiving circuitry coupled to said speakers; and

an antenna arranged on a substantially central part of said headband, and coupled to said wireless communication module;

wherein said wireless communication module is arranged at one of said ear pieces.

9. A communication apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a flexible circuit board on which said antenna is mounted.

10. A communication apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said flexible circuit board is located at the substantially central part of said headband.

11. A communication apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said headband has an arc portion, and an elastic member connected at two places in an inside area of the arc portion, and the elastic member is arranged apart from said antenna.

12. A communication apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the wireless communication module includes a radio unit, an audio CODEC, an input/output interface, and a signal process/control unit.

13. A communication apparatus comprising:

a pair of speakers;

a pair of ear pieces attached to said pair of speakers respectively;

a headband with two ends which connect to each of said speakers respectively;

a wireless communication module comprising transmitting and receiving circuitry coupled to said speakers;

an antenna arranged on a substantially central part of said headband, and coupled to said wireless communication module; and

a second antenna arranged at one of said ear pieces.

14. A communication apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said antenna is located nearer the other ear pad piece than said ear piece part at which said second antenna element is provided.