Hand held telephone set and audio processing method

• US 20020037746A1
• Filed: 09/20/2001
• Published: 03/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Osano, Keiji
• Granted Patent: US 6,961,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/585 implemented without inductive element
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone

Abstract

To automatically set an optimal signal level of an ambient sound according to earphone type even in the case where either of both-ear mount type and single-ear mount type earphones is mounted to a telephone set main body unit, and to recognize the ambient sound even in the case where a stereo headphone almost covering ears is used.

A hand held telephone set used by connecting a both-ear mount type or single-ear mount type earphone or thereto is provided with: a telephone set main body unit; detection means for detecting which of these earphones and is mounted to the telephone set main body unit; an amplifier for amplifying an ambient sound to be delivered to these earphones and; and a control device for controlling a signal level of the ambient sound output from this amplifier according to an output of the detection means. When either of these earphones and is mounted, the control device controls the signal level of the ambient sound output from the amplifier to be fed back according to an output of the detection means.

Claims

1. A hand held telephone set to be used by connecting at least an earphone, said hand held telephone set characterized by comprising:

a telephone set main body unit;

detecting means for detecting which of a both-ear mount type earphone and a single-ear mount type earphone is mounted to said telephone set main body unit;

an amplifier for amplifying an ambient sound and delivering the sound to said earphone; and

a control device for adjusting a signal level of the ambient sound output from said amplifier according to an output of said detection means.

2. The hand held telephone set as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, in the case where said both-ear mount type earphone is mounted to the telephone set main body unit, a gain of said amplifier is increased, thereby improving the signal level of the ambient sound, and in the case where said single-ear mount type earphone is mounted to the telephone set main body unit, the gain of said amplifier is reduced, thereby lowering the signal level of the ambient sound.

3. The hand held telephone set as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, in the case where said both-ear mount type earphone is mounted to the telephone set main body unit, said control device controls the gain of said amplifier to be fed back according to an analog audio signal delivered to said earphone.

4. The hand held telephone set as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, in the case where said single-ear mount type earphone is mounted to the telephone set main body unit, said control device fixes the gain of said amplifier according to an output of said detection means.

5. The hand held telephone set as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, said amplifier superposes a digital signal according to said ambient sound on a digital audio signal.

6. The hand held telephone set as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, said amplifier superposes an analog signal according to said ambient sound on a analog audio signal.

7. The hand held telephone set as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, said ambient sound is acquired by a microphone for a speaker.

8. An audio processing method in a hand held telephone set to be used by connecting an earphone to a telephone set main body unit, said audio processing method characterized in that, previously which of a both-ear mount type earphone and a single-ear mount type earphone is mounted to said telephone set main body unit is detected, when the ambient sound is superposed on said earphone, the signal level of the ambient sound is adjusted according to said earphone type.

9. The audio processing method as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that, in the case where said both-ear mount type earphone is mounted to the telephone set main body unit, the signal level of said ambient sound is increased, and in the case where said single-ear mount type earphone is mounted to the telephone set main body unit, the signal level of said ambient sound is lowered.

10. The audio processing method as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that, in the case where said both-ear mount type earphone is mounted to the telephone set main body unit, the signal level of said ambient sound is controlled to be fed back according to the analog audio signal delivered to said earphone.

11. The audio processing method as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that, in the case where said single-ear mount type earphone is mounted to the telephone set main body unit, the signal level of said ambient sound is fixed.