Wristband-type handset and wristband-type alerting device

• US 9,705,548 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2014
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Finewell Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Finewell Co., Ltd., ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Tanaka, Masahide, Hosoi, Hiroshi, Hosoi, Yoji
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US15/030,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20160261299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3861 carried in a hand or on fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/326 for microphones H04R1/34 and H04R1/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/023 Transducers incorporated in garment, rucksacks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2400/03 Transducers capable of generating both sound as well as tactile vibration, e.g. as used in cellular phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like

Abstract

Proposed is a bracelet-type transmission/reception device comprising: a cartilage conduction vibration source provided in a portion to be attached to a wrist; a speaker; a variable directional microphone; and a control unit which sets the directivity of the variable directional microphone to the back side of a hand when the speaker is used and sets the directivity of the variable directional microphone to the palm side of the hand when the cartilage conduction vibration source is used. The bracelet-type transmission/reception device is provided together with a display means for information relating to a transmission/reception method or a handling explanation medium or advertising medium having the information relating to the transmission/reception method. An example of a method for use thereof is to conduct the vibration of the cartilage conduction vibration source to a thumb and to bring the thumb into contact with a tragus in a state where the back of the hand faces forward. The cartilage conduction vibration source is also used as a vibration source of an incoming vibrator, and when the cartilage conduction vibration source vibrates for cartilage conduction, a vibrational component in a low-frequency range that induces a sense of vibration is cut. The cartilage conduction vibration source vibrates for notification by announcement voice data in a storage unit.

Claims

1. A wristband-type handset, comprising:

a worn part to be worn on a wrist;

a cartilage conduction vibration source provided in the worn part configured to conduct vibration to the wrist;

a speaker configured to generate air-conducted sound;

a variable-directivity microphone; and

a controller operable for switching directivity of the variable-directivity microphone according to whether the cartilage conduction vibration source is used in combination with the variable-directivity microphone or whether the speaker is used in combination with the variable-directivity microphone,

wherein the cartilage conduction vibration source also is operable to be used as a vibration source for an incoming-call vibrator, and

when the cartilage conduction vibration source is vibrated for cartilage conduction, a vibration component in a low frequency range arousing a sense of vibration is cut off.

2. The wristband-type handset of claim 1, wherein the controller directs the directivity of the variable-directivity microphone toward a back of a hand when the speaker is used, and directs the directivity of the variable-directivity microphone toward a palm of the hand when the cartilage conduction vibration source is used.

3. The wristband-type handset of claim 1, wherein the wristband-type handset is offered along with explanatory information explaining a method of use involving putting a hand on which the worn part is worn in contact with an ear cartilage.

4. The wristband-type handset of claim 3 further comprising a display, wherein the explanatory information is offered on the display as information on a speech-transmitting and -receiving method.

5. The wristband-type handset of claim 3, wherein

the explanatory information is offered in a form of an instruction manual medium containing information on a speech-transmitting and -receiving method.

6. The wristband-type handset of claim 3, wherein

the explanatory information is offered in a form of an advertisement medium containing information on a speech-transmitting and -receiving method.

7. The wristband-type handset of claim 1, wherein

vibration of the cartilage conduction vibration source is conducted to a thumb, and

with the back of the hand pointing frontward, the thumb is put in contact with a tragus to conduct the vibration of the cartilage conduction vibration source further to the tragus so that sound is heard by cartilage conduction.

8. The wristband-type handset of claim 1, further comprising:

a conducting part for conducting vibration of the cartilage conduction vibration source to around the wrist.

9. The wristband-type handset of claim 1, further comprising:

an adjuster configured to adjust a tightening force around the wrist, wherein the adjuster is configured to increase the tightening force when the cartilage conduction vibration source is used.

10. The wristband-type handset of claim 1, further comprising:

a buffer segment for preventing conduction of vibration between the cartilage conduction vibration source and the variable-directivity microphone.

11. A wristband-type handset, comprising:

a worn part to be worn on a wrist; and

a cartilage conduction vibration source provided in the worn part operable to produce vibration in an audible frequency range, wherein the cartilage conduction vibration source is operable to be used also as a vibration source for an incoming-call vibrator with a vibration component in a low frequency range arousing a sense of vibration, and wherein, when the cartilage conduction vibration source is vibrated for cartilage conduction, the vibration component in a low frequency range arousing a sense of vibration is cut off;

a storage for previously storing a plurality of pieces of information audio data;

a near-field communicator for receiving an instruction signal from a mobile telephone; and

a controller for selecting, according to the instruction signal received by the near-field communicator, a corresponding piece of information audio data stored in the storage, and making the cartilage conduction vibration source vibrate in a frequency range of an audio signal for cartilage conduction according to the selected piece of information audio data.

12. The wristband-type handset of claim 11, wherein

when the cartilage conduction vibration source is vibrated for the incoming-call vibrator, a vibration component in the audible frequency range is cut off.

13. The wristband-type handset of claim 11, further comprising:

a limiter for inhibiting vibration exceeding an intensity low enough not to arouse the sense of vibration when the cartilage conduction vibration source is vibrated for cartilage conduction.

14. A wristband-type informing device, comprising:

a storage for previously storing a plurality of pieces of information audio data shared with a mobile phone;

a vibration source operable for vibrating for cartilage conduction;

a near-field communicator operable for receiving an instruction signal from the mobile telephone to identify one of the plurality of pieces of information audio data in the storage; and

a controller operable for selecting, according to the instruction signal received by the near-field communicator, a corresponding piece of information audio data stored in the storage, and making the vibration source vibrate in a frequency range of an audio signal for cartilage conduction according to the selected piece of information audio data,

wherein the wristband-type informing device first produces alert vibration in the frequency range arousing the sense of vibration according to the instruction signal received by the near-field communicator, and then switches to vibration by the vibration source based on the information audio data in the frequency range of an audio signal in order to know a cause of the alert vibration.

15. The wristband-type informing device of claim 14, wherein

the wristband-type informing device is controlled by the controller so as to produce alert vibration in a frequency range arousing a sense of vibration according to the instruction signal received by the near-field communicator.

16. The wristband-type informing device of claim 14, wherein the instruction signal contains information indicating that a battery of the mobile telephone is low, and the audio data contains an announcement indicating that the battery of the mobile telephone is low.

17. The wristband-type informing device of claim 14, wherein the instruction signal contains information indicating that the mobile telephone is located outside a telephone service area, and the audio data contains an announcement indicating that the mobile telephone is located outside the telephone service area.