Hands-free communication devices for corded and wireless communication

• US 9,369,558 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2013
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GN Netcom A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Original Assignee: GN Netcom A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Inventors: Birch, Ole, Zakarias, Karsten, Schwartz, Michael Sdal
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsvey, Gennadiy
• Application Number:
  US13/928,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20140018013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection

Abstract

Wireless communication between a hands-free communication device and a telecommunication device is provided. A hands-free communication system and a method of enabling wireless communication between a telecommunication device (2) and a hands-free communication device (1), is provided wherein the hands-free telecommunication device (1) is connected to a first transceiver (8), and the telecommunication device (2) is connected to a second transceiver (9), the first transceiver (8) and the second transceiver (9) being connected by releasable connection (10), wherein the first transceiver and the second transceiver are activated upon disengagement of the releasable connection.

Claims

1. A wireless fall back in-line connector adapter for use with a hands-free communication system configured for audio communication between a hands-free communication device having a first wired connection cable and a telecommunication device having a second wired connection cable, the system comprising:

a pair of first and second connectors having first and second parts, respectively, said first connector being electrically connected to said first wired connection cable, and said second connector being electrically connected to said second wired connection cable, said first and second connectors being mechanically and electrically separable from each other and further including;

said first connector having a first wireless transceiver inside the first part electrically connected to said first wired connection cable;

said second connector having a second wireless transceiver inside the second part electrically connected to said second wired connected cable,

said first and second wireless transceivers being configured to permanently communicate with each other;

said first and second connectors while being mated to each other providing an audio electrical and mechanical link between the hands-free communication device and the telecommunication device while the first and second wireless transceivers simultaneously provide a wireless link between said hands-free communication device and the telecommunication device, so that if the audio electrical and mechanical link is interrupted, the hands-free communication device and the telecommunication device will remain in constant unbroken wireless communication.

2. An adapter according to claim 1, wherein the first wired connection cable is permanently connected to the hands-free communication device.

3. An adapter according to claim 1, wherein the hands-free communication device further comprises a microphone.

4. An adapter according to claim 1, wherein the first wireless transceiver is an external hands-free transceiver configured to provide a corded connection with the hands-free communication device through the first wired connection cable.

5. An adapter according to claim 1, wherein the second wireless transceiver is an external telecommunication device transceiver configured to provide a corded connection with the telecommunication device through the second wired connection cable.

6. An adapter according to claim 1, wherein the first part and the second part forming a releasable connection there between.

7. An adapter according to claim 6, wherein the first part comprises the first wireless transceiver, and/or the second part comprises the second wireless transceiver.

8. An adapter according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the first part, the second part and a further connector part are hermaphroditic connector parts.

9. An adapter according to claim 1, wherein the second part is a USB type connector part.

10. An adapter according to claim 1, wherein the first wireless transceiver and the second wireless transceiver are permanently activated to maintain a wireless link between the first wireless transceiver and the second wireless transceiver also when a corded connection (audio and/or electrical) is established between the hands-free communication device and the telecommunication device.

11. An adapter according to claim 6, wherein the hands-free communication device is charged when the first part and the second part are connected.

12. An adapter according to claim 1, wherein the hands-free communication device is a headset or a speakerphone.

13. A wireless fall back in-line connector adapter for use with a hands-free communication system configured for audio communication between a hands-free communication device having a first wired connection cable and a telecommunication device having a second wired connection cable, the system comprising:

a pair of first and second connectors having first and second parts, respectively, said first connector being electrically connected to said first wired connection cable, and said second connector being electrically connected to said second wired connection cable, said first and second connectors being mechanically and electrically separable from each other and further including;

said first connector having a first wireless transceiver inside the first part electrically connected to said first wired connection cable, said first wireless transceiver including a battery;

said second connector having a second wireless transceiver inside the second part electrically connected to said second wired connected cable,

said first and second wireless transceivers being configured to communicate with each other;

a power supply connection between said telecommunication device and said hands-free communication device passing through said first and second wired connection cables, thereby providing power to charge said battery in said first wireless transceiver so that said first wireless transceiver is maintained in a charged ready state when said first and second connectors are joined;

said first and second connectors while being mated to each other providing an audio electrical and mechanical link between the hands-free communication device and the telecommunication device while the first and second wireless transceivers simultaneously provide a wireless link between said hands-free communication device and the telecommunication device, so that if the audio electrical and mechanical link is interrupted, said first wireless transceiver is in a charged state for unbroken wireless communications between the hands-free communication device and the telecommunication device.

14. A wireless fall back in-line connector adapter for use with a hands-free communication system configured for audio communication between a hands-free communication device having a first wired connection cable and a telecommunication device having a second wired connection cable, the system comprising:

a pair of first and second connectors having first and second parts, respectively, said first connector being electrically connected to said first wired connection cable, and said second connector being electrically connected to said second wired connection cable, said first and second connectors being mechanically and electrically separable from each other and further including;

said first connector having a first wireless transceiver inside the first part electrically connected to said first wired connection cable;

said second connector having a second wireless transceiver inside the second part electrically connected to said second wired connected cable,

an activator for detecting connection status of the first and second connectors and in the event they are not connected, activating the first and second wireless transceivers;

said first and second wireless transceivers being configured to communicate with each other only when said connection status is disconnected;

said first and second connectors while being mated to each other providing an audio electrical and mechanical link between the hands-free communication device and the telecommunication device while the first and second wireless transceivers provide a back-up wireless link between said hands-free communication device and the telecommunication device, so that if the audio electrical and mechanical link is interrupted, the hands-free communication device and the telecommunication device will remain in constant unbroken communication through wireless connection.