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Mobile Phone Patent Abstract
The present invention provides a speaker module connectable to an
earphone jack of a mobile phone and a method for using same. The
speaker module comprises a microphone which converts voice signals
into electrical signals, a speaker which converts electrical signals
into acoustic signals, an amplifier which amplifies electrical signals,
and a plug for connecting with the earphone jack of the mobile phone.
Further, the plug can additionally comprise a terminal for sensing
whether or not the speaker module is connected to the earphone jack
terminal of the mobile phone.
Mobile Phone Patent Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A speaker module comprising: an amplifier which amplifies voice
signals transmitted from a mobile phone; a speaker which converts
electrical signals from said amplifier into acoustic signals; a
microphone which converts voice signals into electric signals; and
a plug for connecting with the earphone jack of the mobile phone,
wherein said plug includes a first terminal for transmission of
voice signals from said mobile phone to said amplifier, a second
terminal for transmission of voice signals from said microphone
to said mobile phone, a third terminal for sensing whether a speaker
module is installed and functions as a ground, and a fourth terminal
for supplying power to said speaker module.
2. The speaker module as set forth in claim 1, in communication
with a mobile phone which comprises additional circuits thereby
enabling a speakerphone communication.
3. A method for communication using the speaker module of claim
1, the method comprising the steps of: disconnecting said first
terminal of the plug from said third terminal of the plug as the
plug of the speaker module is inserted into the earphone jack of
the mobile phone; switching the logical level of said third terminal
from High to Low; sensing by the control part of the mobile phone
that the speaker module is connected to the mobile phone; connecting
an audio path from a receiver of the mobile phone to said first
terminal of the speaker module; and supplying power to the speaker
module from the mobile phone.
4. A method for communication with a mobile phone using a speaker
module equipped with a plug adapted to be connected to the mobile
phone via an earphone jack of the mobile phone, wherein the plug
includes a first terminal for transmission of voice signals from
said mobile phone to said amplifier, a second terminal for transmission
of voice signals from said microphone to said mobile phone, a third
terminal for sensing whether a speaker module is installed and functions
as a ground, and a fourth terminal for supplying power to said speaker
module, the method comprising the steps of: inserting the plug of
the speaker module into the earphone jack of the mobile phone; disconnecting
said first terminal of the plug from said third terminal of the
plug; switching logical level of said third terminal of the plug
from High to Low; connecting an audio path from a receiver of the
mobile phone to said first terminal of the speaker module; and supplying
power to the speaker module from the mobile phone.
Mobile Phone Patent Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a speaker module that is connectable
to an earphone jack of mobile phone and a method for using same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
With the widespread use of mobile phones, there exists an increasing
demand for communication via mobile phones regardless of time or
location, e.g. even when they are walking or driving a car. However,
since most mobile phones require to be held by one hand while in
use, it is inconvenient for a user to use a mobile phone when he
is driving a car or carrying a package.
In order to solve this problem, mobile phones with an earphone
jack have been provided to allow a phone call with the mobile phone
via an earphone. However, a problem with such an earphone is the
inconvenience that it must be inserted in an ear of the user for
use.
A further development in this direction is a handsfree device connectable
to a mobile phone, allowing a user to communicate with the mobile
phone neither using an earphone, nor holding the mobile phone with
his hand.
A handsfree device is generally connected to a connector of a mobile
phone for use. Here, when receiving voice, the digital voice signal
is received through the connector, and then, converted into analog
voice signal by a built-in codec(coder and decoder), to be subsequently
outputted as voice signal through a speaker. On the other hand,
when transmitting voice, the analog voice signal inputted via a
microphone is converted into digital signal by the codec, to be
subsequently transmitted to the mobile phone via ICC.
Accordingly, to enable a phone communication with a mobile phone
connected with a handsfree device, a digital voice signal terminal
as well as a terminal for recognition of the handsfree device are
required, in addition to a codec installed in the handsfree device
for processing the digital voice signals. Further, the handsfree
device needs to be powered by the vehicle, and, if such power supply
from the vehicle is not available, an external power supply of 12V
DC is required.
Consequently, such a handsfree device is disadvantageous in that
it is of high price and its installation in a vehicle is troublesome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention, conceived to solve the aforementioned problems,
aims to provide a speaker module, which is of low price and can
easily be installed, as an auxiliary device and a method for using
same.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide an easily
installable handsfree device for mobile phones.
In order to achieve the above objectives, the present invention
provides a speaker module directly connectable to an earphone jack
of a mobile phone, comprising a microphone capable of converting
voice signals into electrical signals, a speaker capable of converting
electrical signals into voice signals, an amplifier capable of amplifying
electrical signals, and a plug for connecting with an earphone jack
terminal of the mobile phone. The plug may also comprise a terminal
for sensing whether a speaker module is connected to an earphone
jack terminal of the mobile phone.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an illustrative block diagram showing the internal construction
of a speaker module in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention as connected to a mobile phone.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating in detail how the speaker
module in FIG. 1 is connected to an earphone jack connecting part
of a mobile phone.
FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating the recognition process of
the speaker module as inserted into a mobile phone in accordance
with the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a drawing showing how the speaker module is connected
to a mobile phone in accordance with an illustrative embodiment
of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the present
invention is given below making reference to the accompanying drawings
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the internal construction of
a mobile phone connected to a speaker module in accordance with
the present invention.
The mobile phone 100 includes a control part 200, a keypad 210,
a display part 220, a storage part 230, an earphone jack 240, and
a transceiver part 250.
Earphone jack 240 is connected to a detachable speaker module 260
of the present invention. Operation of the mobile phone with the
above construction is described below.
Control part 200, being a part for the functional controlling of
the mobile phone, and which includes e.g., a microprocessor controls
in particular the processes of the present invention, and controls
signals for phone calls with the speaker module installed in the
mobile phone in addition to its other operations for general mobile
phone communications. Further, the control part also controls the
power supply for the speaker module and participates in sensing
whether the speaker module is detached or attached.
Keypad 210 equipped with functional key buttons (e.g., dial buttons)
may be used as a user interface when the user, for example, selects
start/end of a call, or dials a telephone number.
Display part 220 may display the status information of the mobile
phone with the control from control part 200. The status information
may be telephone numbers dialed by the user, telephone numbers of
the callers, and/or a message notifying arriving phone calls.
Storage part 230 stores messages processed by control part 200.
The processed messages may include information data such as telephone
numbers, predetermined programs for users' convenience and for embodying
various basic functions.
Earphone jack 240 is a terminal for connecting the mobile phone
with an earphone. When an earphone is connected to the earphone
jack of the mobile phone, control part 200 establishes a communication
path to the earphone jack thereby enabling a telephone call via
the connected earphone.
In the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, speaker
module 260 is connected to the mobile phone via the earphone jack.
Also in case of a telephone call using the speaker module, control
part 200 establishes a communication path to earphone jack 240 thereby
enabling a telephone call via the earphone jack similar to the case
of a telephone call using the earphone.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating how speaker module 260 in
FIG. 1 is connected to earphone jack 240 of the mobile phone as
discussed in detail below.
Earphone jack 240 comprises four terminals 330, 340, 350, 360:
one for transmission of power to the speaker module 260, one for
transmission of voice signals from a communication partner, one
for sensing whether or not the speaker module has been attached,
and one for receiving voice signals from the speaker module.
Transceiver part 250 (FIG. 1) transmits/receives telephone communication
and control signals from the base stations via an antenna.
Speaker module 260 connected to the mobile phone via earphone jack
240 outputs voice signals of a communication partner or receives
voice signals of a user of the mobile phone. Construction of such
speakerphone module is described in detail below referring to FIG.
2.
Earphone jack 240 includes a first terminal (EARJ) 330 for transmission
of voice signals from a communication partner, a second terminal
(MICJ) 340 for transmission of voice signals generated by the microphone
installed in speaker module 260 to the mobile phone, a third terminal
(Jack_Sense) 350 for sensing whether or not the speaker module is
installed, and a fourth terminal 360 for supplying power to the
speaker module 260. Among these terminals, the third terminal (i.e.
Jack_Sense terminal) which is internally pulled-up and contacts
physically with the first terminal EARJ 330, may be separated from
the first terminal. In other words, when plug 500 of the speaker
module is inserted into the earphone jack of mobile phone as shown
in FIG. 4, the contact between the third Jack_Sense terminal 350
and the first EARJ terminal 330 is disconnected. Since such earphone
jack 240 has the same construction as an earphone jack of a conventional
mobile phone, a further explanation thereof is omitted.
As plug 500 of speaker module 260 is inserted as shown in FIG.
4, the Jack_Sense terminal is disconnected from the EARJ terminal,
and this process effects the Jack_Sense terminal to be switched
over from High to Low. Accordingly, the control part can recognize,
by sensing the Jack_Sense terminal, whether or not the speaker module
260 is connected to the mobile phone. Furthermore, the Jack_Sense
terminal additionally functions as a ground terminal for power supply
to speaker module 260 as well as a resistance terminal for voice
communication signals.
Again with reference to FIG. 2, speaker module 260 includes an
amplifier 300 for amplification of voice signals, a speaker 320
for outputting of voice signals received from the mobile phone,
and a microphone 310 for generating voice signals after having received
a user's voice.
Amplifier 300 amplifies the signals to be outputted by the mobile
phone after having received the same from the EARJ terminal (i.e.,
first terminal 330), and then, transmits the amplified signals to
the speaker part. The amplified power is normally 0.5 to 0.7 watts.
Further, the amplifier is supplied with power from power source
of the mobile phone via the fourth terminal 360.
Speaker 320 outputs the electrical voice signals as amplified by
amplifier 300 after having converted the same into acoustic voice
signals.
Microphone 310 converts the acoustic voice signals generated by
a mobile phone user into electrical signals, which are subsequently
transmitted to the control part of the mobile phone via the MICJ
terminal (i.e., second terminal 340). The transmitted signals are
converted into PCM data after having been amplified and filtered
by the codec of the control part. The converted PCM data is then
transmitted wirelessly via transceiver part 250 of the mobile phone
after having been converted into compressed voice signals by a vocoder
(voice encoder) of the control part for a radio transmission.
Although not illustrated in the drawings, speaker module 260 may
additionally comprise conventional speakerphone circuits for usual
speakerphone function. If such speakerphone circuits are added,
a half-duplex type speakerphone communication is enabled by opening
a one-way path after comparison of the signals from microphone 310
and the signals from speaker 320.
FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating the recognition process of
speaker module 260 as the speaker module is inserted into the mobile
phone.
The mobile phone maintains idle mode (step S400) in the absence
of a key button operation by a user. In this mode, a user inserts
the plug of the speaker module into the jack of the mobile phone
as illustrated in FIG. 4, in order to install the speaker module
to the mobile phone (step S410).
Subsequently, the third Jack_Sense terminal in the mobile phone
jack is disconnected from the first EARJ terminal (step S420), whereupon
the Jack_Sense terminal is switched from a logical High to logical
Low (step S430).
As a result, the control part of the mobile phone senses, as the
Jack_Sense terminal is switched from a logical High to logical Low,
that the speaker module is connected to the mobile phone (step S440),
and connects the audiopath from the receiver of the mobile phone
to the EARJ terminal of the speaker module (step S450).
As the mobile phone and the speaker module are fully connected
through the jack and plug, a caller's voice can be outputted through
the speaker of the speaker module. In addition, the mobile phone
user can also transmit his voice to a communication partner through
microphone of the speaker module.
As described above, the present invention provides an inexpensive
and easily installable speaker module by connecting the same to
an earphone jack of a mobile phone. Further, the present invention
provides an easily installable handsfree device for a mobile phone
by including speakerphone circuits in the speaker module.
As described above, the present invention provides an inexpensive
and easily installable speaker module by connecting the same to
an earphone jack of a mobile phone. Further, the present invention
provides an easily installable handsfree device for a mobile phone
by including speakerphone circuits in the speaker module.
Although the present invention has been described above with reference
to an illustrative embodiment, it should be noted that the present
invention is not limited thereto, but rather, the scope of the present
invention shall be determined by the appended claims, allowing various
adaptations, modifications, and alterations without departing the
scope and spirit of the present invention as those skilled in the
art will understand.
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