Integrated, detachable ear bud device for a wireless phone

• US 8,688,174 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2012
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Latham, Weldon H., Lorello, Timothy J., Morin, Drew, White, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US13/419,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20130244734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.2, 455/556.1, 455/569.1, 455/575.1, 455/575.6, 381/370, 381/384, 381/374
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0258 for a headset device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/15 Protecting or guiding telephone cords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

An integrated, detachable ear bud system that is attached to an associated wireless phone. The integrated, detachable ear bud system may be one ear bud, or pair of ear buds, or ear bud or ear buds including a microphone. In certain embodiments an integrated, detachable, attached auditory device is physically connected to its associated wireless phone via an extendable and retractable electrical cord, and integrated into the case of the associated wireless phone, to forcibly keep with the wireless phone even when not in use, preventing misplacement, loss, or even inadvertent separation from the wireless device. The ear buds may connect to a recharge port on the wireless phone, and be charged when the wireless phone is charging. When in its attached home position, the ear-mountable speaker may tuck into a mating cavity. A latch or magnet may assist in attaching the integrated, detachable ear bud to the wireless phone.

Claims

1. A wireless phone audio system, comprising:

an audio driver;

an internal speaker;

an integrated, corner shaped detachable ear bud that physically attaches to a corner portion of a case of an associated wireless phone; and

a proximity sensor to direct audio output from said audio driver to said integrated, detachable ear bud when said integrated, detachable ear bud is physically detached from said case of said associated wireless phone.

2. The wireless phone audio system according to claim 1, wherein:

said integrated, detachable ear bud remains electrically connected to said wireless phone both when said integrated, detachable ear bud is attached to and detached from said case of said associated wireless phone.

3. The wireless phone audio system according to claim 1, wherein:

said proximity sensor further directs audio output from said audio driver to said internal speaker when said integrated, detachable ear bud is attached to said case of said associated wireless phone.

4. The wireless phone audio system according to claim 1, wherein:

said integrated, detachable ear bud is attached to said case of said wireless phone with an earth magnet.

5. The wireless phone audio system according to claim 1, wherein:

said earth magnet is mounted within said case of said wireless phone.

6. The wireless phone audio system according to claim 1, wherein:

said integrated, detachable ear bud is attached to said case of said wireless phone with a physical latch.

7. The wireless phone audio system according to claim 6, wherein:

said physical latch is releasable by said wireless phone under software control.

8. The wireless phone audio system according to claim 1, wherein:

a speaker portion of said integrated, detachable ear bud inserts into a mating cavity in a case of said associated wireless phone when said integrated, detachable ear bud is operably attached to said case of said wireless phone.

9. The wireless phone audio system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an internal microphone;

wherein said proximity sensor directs sound input to said internal microphone to an audio input of said wireless phone when said integrated, detachable ear bud is physically attached to said case of said associated wireless phone.

10. The wireless phone audio system according to claim 1, wherein said integrated, detachable ear bud further comprises:

an ear speaker; and

a microphone;

wherein said proximity sensor directs sound input to said microphone to an audio input of said wireless phone when said integrated, detachable ear bud is physically detached from said case of said associated wireless phone.

11. The wireless phone audio system according to claim 10, wherein:

said microphone is a jawbone microphone.

12. The wireless phone audio system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a retractable electrical cord between said internal, detachable ear bud and said wireless phone;

wherein said electrical cord retracts within said case of said wireless phone when said integrated, detachable ear bud is physically attached to said case of said wireless phone.

13. The wireless phone audio system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an additional integrated, detachable ear bud that physically attaches to a case of said associated wireless phone;

wherein said integrated, detachable ear bud and said additional integrated, detachable ear bud output stereo audio.