Method and apparatus for selectively disabling a communication device

• US 7,142,666 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bates, Cary Lee, Santosuosso, John Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bing Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/285,615
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• Field of Search: 379/421, 379/422, 379/433.01, 37942001-42004, 455/575.1, 455/90.3
• US Class Current: 379/421
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/19 Arrangements of transmitters, receivers, or complete sets to prevent eavesdropping, to attenuate local noise or to prevent undesired transmission; Mouthpieces or receivers specially adapted therefor circuit arrangements for preventing eavesdropping H04M1/68; telephone cabinets E04H1/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

The present invention is directed at a telephone that automatically selectively disables a microphone when the microphone is moved out of close proximity to the user'"'"'s mouth. One embodiment comprises a sensor that detect if the telephone microphone is in close proximity to a user'"'"'s mouth and a switch that selectively mutes the telephone in response to the detection.

Claims

1. A method for automatically muting a telephone, comprising:

detecting if a telephone microphone is in close proximity to a user'"'"'s mouth, wherein the detecting comprises;

generating an infrared beam;

reflecting the infrared beam off a user'"'"'s face when the telephone handset is in close proximity to the user'"'"'s face;

automatically enabling the telephone microphone when the telephone microphone is in close proximity to the user'"'"'s mouth; and

automatically disabling the telephone microphone when the telephone microphone is not in close proximity to the user'"'"'s mouth.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to detecting that telephone microphone is not in close proximity to the user'"'"'s mouth, generating a muted state alert signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting if a telephone microphone is in close proximity to a user'"'"'s mouth further comprises detecting an angle from vertical for the telephone handset.

4. An automatic muting telephone, comprising:

a sensor that detects when a telephone microphone is in close proximity to a user'"'"'s mouth,

wherein the sensor detects when the telephone is in contact with the user; and

a switch operably connected to the sensor that selectively enables the telephone microphone in response to the detection.

5. The telephone of claim 4, further comprising a noise generator that selectively generates a characteristic noise in response to the signal from the sensor.

6. The telephone of claim 4, further comprising a speaker housing;

and

wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensor associated with the speaker housing.

7. The telephone of claim 4, further comprising a speaker housing;

and

wherein the sensor comprises a capacitance sensor associated with the speaker housing.

8. An automatic muting telephone handset, comprising:

(a) a microphone that generates communication signals in response to voice communications;

(b) a sensor that generates detection signals indicative of whether the microphone is in close proximity to a user'"'"'s mouth; and

(c) a control circuit that switches the microphone between a muted mode and an active mode in response to the detection signals from the sensor.

9. The telephone of claim 8, further comprising a speaker housing;

and

wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensor associated with the speaker housing.

10. The telephone of claim 8, further comprising a speaker housing;

and

wherein the sensor comprises a capacitance sensor associated with the speaker housing.

11. The telephone of claim 8, further comprising a handset case;

and

wherein the sensor comprises a photocell associated with the handset case.

12. The telephone of claim 8, further comprising a handset case;

and

wherein the sensor comprises an infrared detector associated with the handset case.