Hands-free personal communication device and pocket sized phone

A tetherless handset telephone with an earpiece connection port is disclosed. The handset is small in size and has an internal antenna. Thus, the handset can easily be placed within the user's pocket. A belt carrier for use with the handset holds the handset upside-down with the connection port easily accessible. The handset is arranged so that it can be cradled within a base unit and recharged while the handset is face-up.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 The present invention relates to cordless phone systems.
 2. State of the Art
 Cordless phone systems are popular for household use. Cordless phone
 systems typically have a handset which communicates by wireless
 communication to a base unit. The base unit is connected to phone lines
 and to power and is used to provide a connection to a public switched
 telephone system and to recharge the handset battery. The communication
 between the handset and the base unit, for example, can use 900 MHZ spread
 spectrum radio frequency signals to communicate distances of up to about
 1000 ft.
 It is desired to have an improved cordless phone system.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The cordless phone system of the present invention provides a continuously
 portable cordless phone. Unlike other cordless phone systems that are
 designed to be returned to a base unit for recharging after each use, the
 present invention provides a handset that can be carried along with the
 user for continuous use, especially with a headset or earpiece.
 In one preferred embodiment, the handset has an internal antenna for
 wireless communication with the base unit and the handset is less than 5
 inches long, fully extended. The small size of the handset means that the
 handset can be conveniently carried by the user. For example, the handset
 can be carried in the user's pocket, at the user's belt or in a lanyard
 around the user's neck. The internal antenna aids in the ease of carrying
 the handset. External antennas, even extendable external antennas, can
 accidentally poke the user when carried near the user's body. By combining
 the small size and the internal antenna, the handset of the present
 invention can be comfortably carried by the user for long periods of time.
 The handset preferably has a connection port to operably connect the
 handset to a headset or an earpiece microphone/speaker. The headset or
 earpiece can be worn all day long as the user receives and makes phone
 calls. In one embodiment, the connection port is a jack connection port
 that allows connection to a jack of the headset or earpiece. Prior
 cordless phones have been relatively bulky and thus would be cumbersome to
 use with a jack connection to a headset or earpiece. In another
 embodiment, the connection port is a wireless connection port that
 provides for wireless communication between the handset and the headset or
 earpiece.
 In another embodiment, a handset is designed so that it can fit into a
 small carrier which can be connected to the user's belt. The carrier aids
 in the portability of the handset. The carrier is preferably adapted so
 that the phone can fit upside-down in the carrier. The connection port is
 positioned so that it sticks out the top of the carrier when the phone is
 placed in the carrier upside-down. The user can tip the carrier upward in
 order to make phone calls, while keeping the handset in the belt carrier.
 In one preferred embodiment, the carrier is such that the on/off button of
 the handset can be easily selected when the handset is in the carrier. The
 carrier is preferably scooped out so that buttons near the on/off button
 are-covered by the carrier and has a curved portion to direct the user's
 fingers to the on/off button. When a call is received, the user can
 quickly press the on/off button without looking at the handset. In a
 preferred embodiment, indicator lights are positioned on the same end of
 the handset as the connection port so that the indicator lights are
 visible when the handset is in the carrier. The indicator lights are
 preferably positioned both along the bottom and along the front of the
 handset so that the indicator lights can be seen both by the user looking
 down at the handset, and by another person looking at the user.
 The cordless telephone system also preferably has other features that aid
 in the continuous portable use of the handset. For example, the handset
 batteries preferably provide for a long period of use between recharges.
 The battery pack of the handset is preferably easily replaceable because
 of this heavy battery use between recharges. The handset also preferably
 produces tones when the buttons are pressed so that a display need not be
 provided or used. The on/off button is preferably centrally located on the
 handset, for left- or right-handed use, and larger than the other handset
 buttons, or easily identifiable by touch, to make it easy to locate the
 on/off button without looking at the handset. The handset is also
 preferably light-weight to aid in the handset's portability.
 In another embodiment, the handset can be cradled on the base unit with the
 handset's keyboard facing outward. This allows for the recharging of the
 handset battery in the base unit while the phone is used. This embodiment
 is especially valuable when the handset is used with a headset or
 earpiece. The connection port of the handset is preferably easily
 accessible while the handset is cradled in the base unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate the cordless phone system of a preferred embodiment.
 The handset 20 preferably has a speaker 22, an on/off button 24, a keypad
 region 26, a microphone 28, a jack connection port 30, LED indicator
 lights 32, and battery recharge ports 34. The handset in the preferred
 embodiment is small, less than five inches in length. In a more preferred
 embodiment, the handset is less than four inches in length. The small size
 of the handset makes it easy for the user to carry the unit continuously.
 For the same reason, the handset is light-weight, preferably less than 120
 grams. The handset 20 preferably has an internal antenna to keep the size
 of the handset small and avoid projections that can poke at the user. The
 handset also preferably does not have a flip-down portion that would add
 to the fully extended length of the handset.
 The jack connection port can be for a normal headset, or the earpiece 36
 shown in FIG. 1C. The earpiece 36 shown in FIG. 1C has a speaker connected
 to extension 36a, and a microphone pickup in the base unit 36b. The
 earpiece 36 is described in detail in the patent application "Two-Way
 Communication Earpiece", inventors Steven H. Puthuff, et al., Ser. No.
 09/121,208, filed Jul. 22, 1998, which is incorporated herein by
 reference. The connection port can also be of the type that an provide
 wireless communication from the handset to the earpiece or headset. This
 wireless link is distinct from the wireless link from the handset to the
 base station. For example, the link between the handset to the earpiece or
 headset can be done at 5.8 GHz as opposed to the 900 MHZ spread spectrum
 link between the handset and base unit. A wireless earpiece that can be
 used with this embodiment is described in detail in the patent application
 "Wireless Open Ear Canal Earpiece", inventors Steve Puthuff, Vincent
 Pluvinage, and Jon C. Taenzer, Ser. No. 08/833,068, filed Apr. 3, 1997,
 which is incorporated herein by reference.
 In the past, most consumers were comfortable with a relatively large
 handset of about seven inches in length where the microphone to speaker
 distance almost completely covers the distance between a typical user's
 mouth and ear. In order to keep the handset of the present invention
 sufficiently portable, the present handset is significantly smaller than
 this length. Because of the small size of the handset, the microphone of
 the handset can be some distance from the user's mouth. For this reason,
 the microphone 28 is preferably a directional noise reduction microphone
 that produces a directional preference for sound from the user's mouth.
 The on/off button 24 is preferably the largest of the headset buttons and
 centrally located. Both features aid in the ease of switching the phone on
 when a call is received. The recharge ports 34 allow the handset to be
 recharged in the base unit 40. The jack connection region 30 preferably
 provides a stiff connection to hold the jack still and reduce the wear on
 the jack and jack connection port. Button 39 on the handset 20, can be
 used for volume control. In one embodiment, there is a dual volume
 control, one control for the handset speaker volume, and one control for
 the earpiece volume. This could be implemented using two different buttons
 on the front of the handset, or a single button on the front of the
 handset and a relatively inaccessible switch that controls the bias
 between the loudness of the earpiece and handset speaker. This would allow
 one user to use an earpiece at a given volume, and another user to use the
 handset at another volume. The handset preferably beeps to indicate that a
 button is pressed. This aids in the use of the buttons without looking at
 the handset. The handset may optionally have a display for caller I.D. or
 other features.
 Base unit 40 shown in FIG. 1A is used for the wireless communication with
 the handset 20. The handset 20 is cradled in the base unit 40 to recharge
 the batteries. Additionally, the base unit 20 preferably has another
 battery recharge port for simultaneously recharging a replacement battery
 pack of the handset.
 FIG. 2 illustrates the handset 20 cradled face-up on the base unit 40. By
 cradling the handset 20 face up, the user is able to make calls using the
 handset 20 while the handset 20 is being recharged by the base unit 40.
 The handset can be connected to the earpiece 36 at a jack connection port
 or through a wireless connection port. The base unit also has a relief
 section 40b that allows for the accessibility of the connection port while
 the handset is cradled in the base unit. For example, an earpiece jack can
 be easily placed in a jack connection port of the handset at the relief
 section 40b. Portion 40a allows for the handset to be easily put in and
 out of the base unit 40 by hand.
 FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate the use of the handset 20 with the carrier 50. The
 handset is preferably arranged so that it can be flipped upside-down and
 placed in the carrier 50. By having the handset upside-down, the
 connection port and LED indicator lights 32 are easily accessible. Thus,
 the user can have the handset in the carrier 50 while easily connecting
 and disconnecting an earpiece jack to a jack connection port 30.
 FIG. 3C shows the handset 20 positioned in the carrier 50. The carrier has
 an edge 50a that scoops around the buttons of the phone to allow easy
 access to, for example, the on/off button 24. The carrier 50 can also have
 a curved portion 50b, that directs the user's hand to the on/off button.
 This aids in the use of the phone without looking at the handset when a
 call is received. In order to make a call, the unit can be tilted upward
 so that the keypad is correctly oriented, the number dialed, and then the
 unit released while the conversation occurs using the earpiece or a
 headset.
 FIG. 3A also shows the embodiment in which raised ridges 52 are used around
 the keys 54 of the keypad. The raised ridges 52 prevent the accidental
 pressing of the buttons of the phone. This can be important when the
 handset, for example, is placed in a user's pocket, or at the user's belt.
 FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the handset 20 of the present
 invention. A chipset including semiconductors 54 and 56 is positioned on a
 one side of circuit board 50a, and the keyboard 26 is positioned on the
 other side of the circuit board 50a. The antenna 60 is an internal antenna
 positioned within the handset housing rather than in the external position
 61 of typical handset antennas.
 The internal antenna 60 has the advantage that the antenna will not
 accidentally bump the user when the phone is stored in a pocket. The use
 of an internal antenna 60 is not obvious because of the added capacitance
 that results from positioning the antenna within the housing. The internal
 antenna 60 is positioned about a fifth of an inch from the elements of the
 circuit board 50a. This produces a parasitic capacitance that increases
 the power required by the handset or decreases the handset's range. The
 parasitic capacitance of the internal antenna does, however, have an
 unexpected advantage. A problem with typical cordless phones is that the
 handset's reception is better when the phone is away from the user's body
 than when it is next to the user's body. This is a result of the body
 capacitance effect. Thus, the phone has a greater range when no one is
 touching the phone than when someone is holding the phone to their ear.
 There is a large amount of uncertainty about the actual range of the
 handset for this reason. Because the internal antenna has a relatively
 high parasitic capacitance, the addition of the body's parasitic
 capacitance produces a smaller percentage change than if the body's
 parasitic capacitance was added to a low capacitance system. For this
 reason, the body effect is less noticeable with the system using the
 internal antenna of the present invention than in systems using a handset
 with an external antenna. This results in more defined range for the
 handset communication with the base unit.
 FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the rear of the handset 20 of the
 present invention. The handset 20 has a detachable battery pack 62. The
 detachable battery pack can be replaced by removing the battery pack 62
 from the handset 20. In a preferred embodiment, the cordless telephone
 systems have a number of detachable battery packs that can be easily
 interchanged. As discussed above, the base unit preferably has a separate
 recharging connection region for recharging a disconnected battery pack at
 the same time that the battery pack connected to the handset is recharged.
 In one embodiment, the battery pack 62 has a meter 64 attached to the
 battery pack. This allows for the charge level of the battery to be
 determined while the battery pack is being recharged while disconnected
 and gives an indication of the battery charge while the battery pack
 remains connected to the handset 20. Prior art battery meters are
 connected on the handset only so that the battery charge can't be
 determined by looking at the battery unit.
 FIG. 5 also shows the screw 64 which can be used to set the bias of the
 earpiece volume with respect to the handset volume. This screw 64 can
 require a coin or a screwdriver to turn to avoid the user accidentally
 changing the volume.
 It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the
 invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from
 the spirit or essential character thereof. Presently disclosed embodiments
 are therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not
 restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended
 claims, rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come
 within the meaning and range of equivalence thereof are intended to be
 embraced therein.