Cellphone usage and mode detection and automatic speakerphone toggle

• US 7,697,962 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2006
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Twitter Inc (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Garbow, Zachary A., Paterson, Kevin G., Cradick, Ryan K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro; Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Magloire; Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US11/423,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20070287491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,404 Days
• Field of Search: 455/569.1, 455/575.1, 455/550.1
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/605 involving control of the receiver volume to provide a dual operational mode at close or far distance from the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

A cellular communication device including a housing having a front section and a rear section complementary to the front section such that the front and rear section align and mate together. A cavity is formed by mating of the front and rear section of the housing. An electronic circuit board having a microprocessor is located within the cavity. At least one of an accelerometer, a tilt sensor and a thermal sensor is operably connected to the microprocessor for detecting displacement of the cellular communication device from the ear of the user during communication.

Claims

1. A cellular communication device comprising:

a housing having a front section and a rear section complementary to the front section such that the front and rear section align and mate together;

a cavity formed by the mating of the front and rear section of the housing;

an electronic circuit board having a microprocessor, the electronic circuit board and microprocessor located within the cavity;

an accelerometer, a tilt sensor and a thermal sensor operably connected to the microprocessor, the microprocessor for detecting displacement of the cellular communication device from the ear of the user during communication in response to the accelerometer, the tilt sensor and the thermal sensor;

a toggle switch operably connected to the microprocessor for toggling the cellular communication device into speakerphone mode upon detecting that the cellular communication device has been displaced from the ear of the user;

a sound indicator operably connected to the microprocessor for indicating to a person calling the cellular communication device that the cellular communication device is in speakerphone mode;

a display operably connected to the microprocessor and embedded in the front section of the housing for displaying information; and

a light source operably connected to the microprocessor for illuminating the display, wherein the light source intensifies once it has been detected that the cellular communication device is displaced from the ear of the user.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1 further including a speaker operably connected to the microprocessor and embedded in the front section of the housing.

3. The device as set forth in claim 2 further including a keypad operably connected to the microprocessor and embedded in the front section of the housing.

4. The device as set forth in claim 3 further including a power on/off button operably connected to the microprocessor and embedded in the front section of the housing.

5. The device as set forth in claim 1 further including a voicemail indicator operably connected driven by the microprocessor for indicating to the user of the cellular communication device that the cellular communication device is temporarily unavailable upon detecting that the cellular communication device has been displaced from the ear of the user.

6. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the microprocessor detects a rate of change in a value from the accelerometer, the tilt sensor and the thermal sensor for detecting displacement of the cellular communication device from the ear of the user during communication.

7. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the microprocessor detects an initial value from the accelerometer, the tilt sensor and the thermal sensor upon initiation of communication and detects displacement of the cellular communication device from the ear of the user during communication when a current value from the accelerometer, the tilt sensor and the thermal sensor differs from the initial value by more than a threshold.

8. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the microprocessor compares values from the accelerometer, the tilt sensor and the thermal sensor to predefined ranges to detect displacement of the cellular communication device from the ear of the user during communication.