Abstract:
An integrated electronic apparatus includes a personal electronic device other than a personal alarm. A personal alarm is integrated with the personal electronic device. A battery is electrically coupled to the personal electronic device and the personal alarm so as to provide electric power to both the personal electronic device and the personal alarm.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to personal electronic devices and, more specifically, to a personal electronic device that includes a personal alarm. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Cellular telephones, two-way radios, pagers, personal data assistants, calculators, and voice recorders/players are only some of the personal electronic devices carried by individuals in today&#39;s mobile society. Many individuals also carry some form of protection to guard against personal attack. Examples of such protection includes mace, pepper spray, or sound producing devices such as whistles or personal alarms. However, these personal protection devises only add to the number of devises carried by individuals. Carrying several personal electronic devices in addition to personal protection devices may be awkward and cumbersome. 
     Therefore, a need exists for a personal alarm integrated with a personal electronic device. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the invention in which a personal alarm is integrated with a personal electronic device. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the invention in which a personal alarm is integrated with a battery. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A preferred embodiment of the invention is now described in detail. Referring to the drawings, like numbers indicate like parts throughout the views. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims, the following terms take the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise: the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural reference, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on.” 
     As shown in FIG. 1, one embodiment of a personal electronic device includes a cellular telephone  101  having a body  103  securing the electronic circuitry  105  necessary to operate the telephone. The electronic circuitry  105  may be mounted on a printed circuit board, flexible circuit assembly, or similar connecting means. The electronic circuitry  105  may include charging circuitry, including switch mode regulators like buck regulators, fly-back power supplies, and resonant power supplies, as well as linear power regulators for tapering, stepping, or ramping voltage and current. A battery  107  is electrically coupled to and provides power for the electronic circuitry  105 . The battery  107  is also electrically coupled to and provides power for a personal alarm  109 . 
     In one preferred embodiment, a personal alarm  109  is integrated in the body  103  of the cellular telephone  101 . The mounting may be via insert molding, where the personal alarm and housing become a single unit. Additionally, adhesives, snaps or screws may be used to mechanically connect the personal alarm  109  to the housing. The personal alarm  109  is preferably a device designed to emit a loud, audible tone. A preferred embodiment includes an acoustic speaker as the personal alarm that emits a shrill tone similar to that emitted by a smoke detector. It is clear that the invention is not so limited, however, in that alternative alarms could equally be used. For example, the alarm may send a radio-frequency (RF) transmission to the authorities via a 911 number. The alarm may emit a bright light, an offensive odor, or a gas of mace, pepper spray, or other skin irritants. The personal alarm could activate a taser capable of shocking attackers. 
     In one embodiment, the alarm  109  is activated by closing a switch  111  that causes the electronic circuitry  105  to apply a voltage to the horn  109 . In an alternative embodiment, an predetermined sequence of telephone input keys  113  could be used to activate the horn  109 . In yet another embodiment, an owner of a cellular telephone could call the number of the cellular telephone from a remote telephone and enter a predetermined sequence of keys to activate the horn  109 , thereby providing a theft deterrence. 
     FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment in which a cellular telephone  201  includes a body  203  securing the electronic circuitry  205  necessary to operate the telephone. A detachable battery unit  206  includes a battery  207  that provides power to the electronic circuitry  205  and a personal alarm  209 . In this embodiment the personal alarm  209  is integrated with the battery  207 , rather than the body  203  of the cellular telephone  201 . The horn  209  is activated by closing a switch  211  on the detachable battery unit  206 . Personal alarms other that horns, including those described above, could equally be used. 
     In alternative embodiments, the personal electronic device may be a pager, a personal data assistant, a voice recorder, a digital watch, or a calculator. 
     The above described embodiments are given as illustrative examples only. It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that many deviations may be made from the specific embodiments disclosed in this specification without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be determined by the claims below rather than being limited to the specifically described embodiments above.