Patent ID: 6181956
Filing Date: 2001-01-30
Classification: H04B,H04M

Abstract:
A communication system worn by a user and operable for receiving and presenting a message, comprising:an earpiece having an audio output;a base device spatially separated from the earpiece and having a communication link therewith, the base device comprising:a receiver having an output of a digitally encoded text message representing a received message;a user interface coupled to the receiver; anda selectable mode switch;wherein the base device is operable in first and second operating modes based on the selectable mode switch, such that when in the first operating mode, the base device presents the received message as in human readable form to the user via the user interface, and when in the second operating mode, the base device transfers the received message to the earpiece for presentation in audible form to the user via the audio output of the earpiece, the base device being operable to automatic switch from the first operating mode to the second operating mode based on an indicator received with the received message.