Mobile wireless communications device using wired headset as an antenna and related methods

• US 8,948,685 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2012
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Mankaruse, George Soliman, Shaker, George, Poulsen, Jens Kristian, Sangary, Nagula Tharma, Jarmuszewski, Perry
• Primary Examiner(s): Safaipour, Bobbak
• Application Number:
  US13/345,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20130178149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/3.06
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/18 Arrangements characterised by circuits or components specially adapted for receiving
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component

Abstract

A mobile wireless communications device may include a housing, and circuitry carried by the housing. The circuitry may include a wireless transceiver, a wireless broadcast receiver, audio circuitry coupled to the wireless transceiver and the wireless broadcast receiver, a wired headset jack, and a reference voltage device line, and at least one wired headset device line coupled between the audio circuitry and the wired headset jack. The reference voltage device line may be also coupled to the wireless broadcast receiver so that a corresponding reference voltage headset line of a wired headset serves as an antenna for the wireless broadcast receiver. The reference voltage line may be switchable to one or more connectors at the headset jack.

Claims

1. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a housing; and

circuitry carried by said housing and comprising

a wireless transceiver,

a wireless broadcast receiver,

audio circuitry coupled to said wireless transceiver and said wireless broadcast receiver,

a wired headset jack, and

a reference voltage device line, and at least one wired headset device line coupled between said audio circuitry and said wired headset jack;

said reference voltage device line also coupled to said wireless broadcast receiver so that a corresponding unshielded reference voltage headset line of a wired headset serves as an antenna for said wireless broadcast receiver.

2. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the wired headset is coupled to said wired headset jack and comprises a plurality of contacts, and a plurality of headset lines respectively coupled to said plurality of contacts.

3. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 2 wherein said plurality of contacts comprises a reference voltage contact, and at least one wired headset line contact;

and wherein said plurality of headset lines includes the unshielded reference voltage headset line coupled to said reference voltage contact, and at least one wired headset audio line coupled to said at least one headset line device contact.

4. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 3 wherein said circuitry is configured to determine the reference voltage contact and to selectively couple said reference voltage device line to said reference voltage contact.

5. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 3 wherein said circuitry is configured to determine said at least one wired headset line contact and to selectively couple said at least one wired headset device line to said at least one wired headset contact.

6. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 3 wherein the wired headset comprises an audio input transducer, and an audio output transducer configured to provide audio input and output for said audio circuitry.

7. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 6 wherein said at least one wired headset audio line comprises a plurality thereof comprising an input transducer signal line coupled to said input transducer, and an output transducer line coupled to said output transducer.

8. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 3 wherein said at least one wired headset audio line comprises a plurality thereof comprising stereo audio channel lines.

9. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said wireless broadcast receiver comprises at least one of a frequency modulation (FM) radio receiver and an amplitude modulation (AM) radio receiver.

10. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said wireless transceiver comprises a cellular transceiver.

11. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a housing;

circuitry carried by said housing and comprising

a wireless cellular transceiver,

a wireless broadcast receiver,

audio circuitry coupled to said wireless transceiver and said wireless broadcast receiver,

a wired headset jack, and

a reference voltage device line, and at least one wired headset device line coupled between said audio circuitry and said wired headset jack; and

a wired headset to be coupled to said wired headset jack and comprising a plurality of contacts, and a plurality of headset lines respectively coupled to said plurality of contacts, said plurality of headset lines comprising an unshielded reference voltage headset line;

said reference voltage device line also coupled to said wireless broadcast receiver so that said unshielded reference voltage headset line serves as an antenna for said wireless broadcast receiver.

12. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 11 wherein said plurality of contacts comprises a reference voltage contact, and at least one wired headset line contact;

wherein said unshielded reference voltage headset line is coupled to said reference voltage contact; and

wherein said plurality of headset lines includes at least one wired headset audio line coupled to said at least one headset line contact.

13. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 12 wherein said circuitry is configured to determine the reference voltage contact and to selectively couple said reference voltage device line to said reference voltage contact.

14. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 12 wherein said circuitry is configured to determine said at least one wired headset line contact and to selectively couple said at least one wired headset device line to said at least one wired headset contact.

15. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 12 wherein the wired headset comprises an audio input transducer, and an audio output transducer configured to provide audio input and output for said audio circuitry.

16. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 15 wherein said at least one wired headset audio line comprises a plurality thereof comprising an input transducer signal line coupled to said input transducer, and an output transducer line coupled to said output transducer.

17. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 12 wherein said at least one wired headset audio line comprises a plurality thereof comprising stereo audio channel lines.

18. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 11 wherein said wireless broadcast receiver comprises at least one of a frequency modulation (FM) radio receiver and an amplitude modulation (AM) radio receiver.

19. A method for making a mobile wireless communications device comprising:

providing a housing;

coupling circuitry to be carried by the housing and comprising

a wireless transceiver,

a wireless broadcast receiver,

audio circuitry coupled to the wireless transceiver and the wireless broadcast receiver,

a wired headset jack, and

a reference voltage device line, and at least one wired headset device line coupled between the audio circuitry and the wired headset jack; and

coupling the reference voltage device line to the wireless broadcast receiver so that a corresponding unshielded reference voltage headset line of a wired headset serves as an antenna for the wireless broadcast receiver.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising providing the wired headset to be coupled to the wired headset jack, the wired headset comprising a plurality of contacts, and a plurality of headset lines respectively coupled to the plurality of contacts.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the plurality of contacts comprises a reference voltage contact, and at least one wired headset line contact;

and wherein the plurality of headset lines includes the unshielded reference voltage headset line coupled to the reference voltage contact, and at least one wired headset audio line coupled to the at least one headset line contact.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising configuring the circuitry to determine the reference voltage contact and to selectively couple the reference voltage device line to the reference voltage contact.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising configuring the circuitry to determine the at least one wired headset line contact and to selectively couple the at least one wired headset device line to the at least one wired headset contact.

24. A method of operating a mobile wireless communications device comprising a wireless transceiver, a wireless broadcast receiver, audio circuitry coupled to the wireless transceiver and the wireless broadcast receiver, a wired headset jack to be coupled to a wired headset, and a reference voltage device line coupled to the wireless broadcast receiver, and at least one wired headset device line coupled between the audio circuitry and the wired headset jack, the wired headset comprising a reference voltage contact, the method comprising:

determining the reference voltage contact and selectively coupling the reference voltage device line to the reference voltage contact so that a corresponding unshielded reference voltage headset line of the wired headset serves as an antenna for the wireless broadcast receiver.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the wired headset comprises a plurality of contacts including the reference voltage contact, and a plurality of headset lines respectively coupled to the plurality of contacts.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the plurality of contacts comprises at least one wired headset line contact;

and wherein the plurality of headset lines includes the unshielded reference voltage headset line coupled to the reference voltage contact, and at least one wired headset audio line coupled to the at least one headset line device contact.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising determining the at least one wired headset line contact and selectively coupling the at least one wired headset device line to the at least one wired headset contact.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the wired headset comprises an audio input transducer, and an audio output transducer configured to provide audio input and output for the audio circuitry.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the at least one wired headset audio line comprises a plurality thereof comprising an input transducer signal line coupled to the input transducer, and an output transducer line coupled to the output transducer.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein the at least one wired headset audio line comprises a plurality thereof comprising stereo audio channel lines.