TELEPHONE APPARATUS

Abstract: Telephone apparatus (10) comprising a base unit (12) and a microphone and loudspeaker combination unit (25) in the form of a so-called headset. The headset (25) is cooperable with the base unit (12) to operate switch means (20) (e.g. to provide an off-line/on-line signal or hang-up signal), and is also provided with mounting means enabling the headset (25) to be used mounted on the user's body, e.g. the ear, for hands-free operation of the telephone apparatus. To facilitate manual holding of the headset unit (25) and its alternate use as a handset, it is provided with manual holding means (30) comprising an enlargement of the generally cylindrical boom element (28) extending between the microphone (24) and the earpiece containing speaker (22), this enlargement (30) being externally ribbed, knurled, roughened, or otherwise provided with a grippable surface.

Description: TELEPHONE APPARATUS DESCRIPTION Background to the Invention This inventic. relates to telephone apparatus and in particular to telephone apparatus comprising a microphone and loudspeaker combination unit and a base unit to retain the microphone/loudspeaker combination unit in out-of-use condition. A history of telephone apparatus is set out in the "Description of Prior Art" appearing in US-A-4932052, and this history is to be deemed incorporated herein by reference. h -e the microphone/loudspeaker combination unit of the te phone apparatus is for use as a headset, the trend in development has been to reduce as far as possible the weight of the combination so that it is as comfortable as possible when worn. In consequence, the microphone- loudspeaker combination unit serving as a headset has in the past omitted any numeric key-pad or other switches, and these switches were all incorporated in the base unit and were arranged for manual operation. In other words, to receive an in? iiing call it was necessary to lift up and fit the heads combination unit on the user's body (if not already worn ;jy the user) and then manually depress a button-operable push-ON/push-OFF switch, serving as the "LINE" switch, in order to render the telephone apparatus "ON LINE" and connected to the telephone exchange system. At the end of a call, this button-operable push-ON/push-OFF "LINE" switch would have to be manually depressed once more to disconnect the telephone from the line. In accord with the development trend in base unit construction, this button-operable push-ON/push-OFF "LINE" switch was incorporated with others in a multi-switch array (e.g. on a single circuit board) in the base unit, most of these other switches being usually button-operable push- ON/release-OFF switches and serving as the number key-pad for the telephone. Any suggestion to separate out one or more of these switches from the multi-switch array would nowadays be seen as a retrograde step and inconsistent with the modern production and design trend that seeks to integrate together all the base unit switches. These development trends have meant that, today, telephones having only a lightweight headset (the term "earset" may be more appropriate where, as in US-A-4932052, the microphone- loudspeaker combination unit is worn supported solely by the user's ear) require the pressing of a button-operated push-ON/push-OFF switch on the base unit to receive or make a call before the telephone will work, and again at the end of a call to disengage the line. This is considered an unnecessary chore by many telephone users, even where (as in US-A-4932052) the microphone-loudspeaker combination unit is to be interchangeably and selectively utilisable as either a hand-held handset or as an ear-worn headset (or, more correctly, "earset") allowing hands-free use of the telephone (whilst maintaining the privacy of the conversation) . It is therefore considered desirable to provide telephone apparatus more acceptable to the user and avoiding the above-mentioned and/or other disadvantages of the prior art. Brief Description of the Invention According to one aspect of this invention there is provided telephone apparatus comprising a base unit and a microphone and loudspeaker combination unit in the form of a so-called headset, characterised in that the headset is co-operable with the base unit to operate switch means (e.g. to provide an off-line/on-line signal or hang-up signal), and in that the headset is provided with mounting means enabling the headset, when in use, to be mounted on the user's body for hands-free operation. Advantageously the said headset is in the form of an earset to be supportable in use solely by the user's ear. Preferably, the headset's mounting means enables it to be mounted on the user's ear. Advantageously, the mounting means comprises slot means through which the top of the ear can be inserted. Conveniently, the slot means has a pair of mutually opposite defining walls, one of which is movable with respect to the other. Preferably, one or other of the said walls in use operates said switch means on the base unit. Alternatively, the mounting means may comprise a resilient band enabling the headset to be mounted on the user's head with the resilient band extending over the cranium. The switch means may comprise a mechanical switch on or part of the base unit for mechanical operation by the weight of the handset. For example, the switch may be operable by a cradle or a hook that supports and is depressed by the handset/headset (or 'earset'). Alternatively, the switch means may comprise an optical switch on the base unit, the optical switch comprising an emitter and a receiver of a beam of light (or other electro-magnetic radiation) that is interruptable by the handset when the latter co-operates with the base unit. In yet another alternative, the switch means may comprise a pair of mutually spaced contacts on the base unit, and the handset may be provided with a link element to interconnect the said contacts when the handset co-operates with the base unit. Preferably the headset is provided with means to facilitate manual holding of the unit. Preferably the manual holding means comprises an enlargement of a generally cylindrical element extending between the microphone and the earpiece. Advantageously, the enlargement may be of generally cylindrical form and conveniently may be ribbed, knurled, roughened, or otherwise provided with a grippable surface. According to another aspect of this invention there is provided telephone apparatus comprising a base unit and a microphone and loudspeaker combination unit in the form of a so-called headset, characterised in that the headset is co-operable with the base unit to operate switch means (e.g. to provide an off-line/on-line signal or hang-up signal), in that the said combination unit is provided with manually grippable means enabling the said combination unit to be held in the hand and used as a handset, and in that the said combination unit is provided with mounting means enabling the said combination unit to be mounted on the user's ear and permit hands-free operation of the telephone apparatus. Brief Description of the Drawings By way of example one embodiment of this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a schematic side view of telephone apparatus according to this invention, Figure 2 is a partly-sectioned rear view of the handset- earset of the apparatus of Fig 1, and Figure 3 is a schematic sectional view along the line III- III of Fig 2. The illustrated telephone apparatus 10 comprises a base unit 12 and, mounted thereon when in out-of-use condition, a handset/earset unit 25. The base unit 12 is designed to sit on a desk, table or shelf and on its upper surface 14 has a conventional numeric keypad 16 composed of manually depressible button- operable switches. A pillar 18 extends upwardly from surface 14 and an outwardly projecting, hook-like, arm 15 is pivotedly connected to the pillar 18 adjacent its top and is biassed anticlockwise (when viewed as in Fig 1) by gravity or resilient means (not shown). This hook-like arm 15 serves to support the handset/earset unit 25 when in out-of-use condition, and constitutes the operating number of a push-OFF/release-ON "LINE" switch 20 mounted on or in the pillar 18 to the opposite side of the hook-like arm's pivot axis. The biassing means of the arm 15 may optionally comprise the internal return spring of the switch 20. The handset/earset unit 25 comprises, in combination, a loudspeaker 22 and a microphone 24 connected to a housing 26 of the speaker 22 by an elongate hollow boom 28 of minimal diameter. Intermediate its ends, the boom exterior is provided with an enlargement 30 adapted for ease of handling, e.g. by being formed of polygonal outline and/or being ribbed, knurled, roughened or otherwise provided with a readily grippable surface (see Fig 3). The electric wires 29 from the microphone and speaker 24 and 22 extend from the combination unit 25 and are connected to the base unit 12. As best seen in Fig 2, a generally C-shaped rib 34 is pivotably attached by its ends to the speaker housing 26 so as to form a generally arcuate slot 35 between the bight wall of the "C" and the part-cylindrical, arcuate, upper surface 32 of the speaker housing 26. When the telephone apparatus 10 is at rest in out-of-use condition, the handset/earset unit 25 hangs by its C-shaped rib 34 from the hook-like arm 15. Although this unit 25 can be very low in weight, e.g. of the order of 25gm (as compared with a conventional handset of about 250gm) , the mechanical advantage provided by the pivoted hook-like arm 15 is such that, in this out-of-use condition, the switch 20 is depressed by arm 15 to the OFF condition and the telephone line is disengaged. When the telephone apparatus 10 receives a call or is used to make an outgoing call, the handset/earset unit 25 is lifted off the cradle therefor provided by hook-like arm 15. This action continuously releases the load on arm 15 which pivots upwards (anti-clockwise when viewed as in Figure 1) and operates the "LINE" switch 20 to connect the line (for speech signals) to the exchange. To make or receive a call, the user merely raises the hand/headset unit 25 to the ear. If the line is engaged or if the conversation is expected to be brief then the hand/headset unit 25 is hand-held with the speaker 22 near the ear and the microphone 24 near the mouth, and upon call termination is then replaced upon the arm 15 of the base unit 12 so as to operate the LINE switch 20 and disengage the line. But if the user expects to be involved in a longer conversation, then the hand/headset unit 25 is simply suspended from the user's ear and used as an earset, the pivotal connection of rib 34 aiding fitment upon the ear. Again, when the conversation is over, the hand/headset (or earset) unit 25 is replaced upon the arm 15 of base unit 12 thereby operating the latter's "LINE" switch 20 and disengaging the line. Thus, the hand/headset/earset unit 25 serves not only as a switch-actuator for engaging and disengaging the line, but also - at the user's option - as either a hand-held handset or as an ear-mounted headset/earset enabling hands-free use of the telephone. It will be appreciated that the enlargement 30 hand/headset can be held easily between a finger and thumb - in much the same manner as a pencil - to prevent the combination unit 25 (when used as a handset) from twisting due to the greater weight at the earpiece end. Instead of a boom 28 extending from the earpiece housing and terminating at its distal end in a microphone, the microphone 24 may be provided adjacent to the speaker 22 but in communication with a narrow voice tube which extends towards the mouth and is provided intermediate its ends with a similar enlargement 30. It is envisaged that the illustrated hand/headset unit 25 allows for the base unit 12 to be reduced in size as compared with a traditional telephone apparatus. At present, the conventional base unit is normally as long as the handset which rests on it, i.e. is approximately 20cms long, and it is thought that this length can be at least halved by use of the illustrated hand/he:iset unit 25, and that there can also be substantial width reductions. It will be appreciated that this reduction in size can be important in office environments where desk space is scarce. The hand/headset unit 25 can also be used in mobile telephones by separating the usual single unit (comprising number keypad, microphone and speaker) into two: firstly a combination unit of microphone and speaker, such as unit 25 illustrated, and secondly a separate dialling "base" unit incorporating the usual keypad and a LINE switch operable by the microphone/loudspeaker combination unit 25. This will enable the user to lift just the light hand/headset combination unit 25 instead of having to lift the whole mobile telephone apparatus. In one version of such a mobile telephone, the dialling unit is made sufficiently small and light in weight such that it can be worn comfortably on a belt. In use, when the telephone rings, the hand/headset combination unit is lifted off the belt-worn "base" unit and used either as a handset or as an earset in the manner described above. When the call is finished, the hand/headset combination unit is replaced onto or within the dialling "base" unit thereby disengaging the line. When making a call, the user hangs the hand/headset on the ear, tilts the dialling "base" unit upwards so that the numeric keypad buttons become visible, and dials the required number. The user of a mobile telephone can thereby acquire hands-free use. In each of the above-described embodiments, signals between the base unit and the hand/headset combination unit may be transmitted by the electrical wires 29, or alternatively by an infra-red (or other electro-magnetic) radiation link. In a modification, the pillar 18 or other means, e.g. a cradle, for retaining the combination unit 25 in out-of-use condition and for operating the "LINE" switch 20, may instead be provided by a first base unit electrically (and optionally mechanically) connected to a standard, separate, second base unit that is provided with the keypad 16. This allows for the unit 25 (and its retaining first unit) to be supplied and fitted as an add-on item to an existing conventional telephone apparatus - comprising a base unit and handset - so as to replace in use that conventional handset. The above-described and illustrated embodiments of this invention and their modifications provide for the combination handset and headset to be capable of being hung on the ear (in the manner of an earset) and does not require a head-band extending over the cranium to enbale the headset to be worn. However it is considered that the present invention need not be limited to such "earset" constructions and can be exploited with the more conventional headset provided with a said head-band. In yet another modification the earset can be mounted with the speaker inserted as a push fit into the outer-ear canal rather than having the illustrated construction in which it is hung over the pinna of the ear. It will furthermore be appreciated that the base unit 12 need not be adapted, intended and/or designed to stand on a horizontal surface or be worn on a belt (for mobile telephone use), but can additionally or alternatively be adapted, intended and/or designed for mounting on a wall. Other modifications and embodiments of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art. All such modifications and embodiments are to be deemed within the ambit and scope of the invention, and the invention is not to be deemed limited to the particular embodiment(s) hereinbefore described which may be vari d in construction and detail without departing from the scope of the patent monopoly hereby claimed.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Telephone apparatus comprising a base unit and a microphone and loudspeaker combination unit in the form of a so-called headset, characterised in that the headset is co-operable with the base unit to operate switch means (e.g. to provide an off-line/on-line signal or hang-up signal), and in that the headset is provided with mounting means enabling the headset, when in use, to be mounted on the user's body for hands-free operation. 2. Telephone apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the said headset is in the form of an earset to be supported in use solely by the user's ear. 3. Telephone apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the headset's mounting means enables it to be mounted on the user's ear. 4. Telephone apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein the mounting means comprises slot means through which the top of the ear can be inserted. 5. Telephone apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein the slot means has a pair of mutually opposite defining walls, one of which is movable with respect to the other. 6. Telephone apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein one or other of the said walls in use operates said switch means on the base unit. 7. Telephone apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the mounting means comprises a resilient band enabling the headset to be mounted on the user's head with the resilient band extending over the cranium. 8. Telephone apparatus according to any preceding Claim, wherein the switch means comprises a mechanical switch on or part of the base unit for mechanical operation by the weight of the handset. 9. Telephone apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 5 to 7, wherein the switch means comprises an optical switch « on the base unit, the optical switch comprising an emitter and a receiver of a beam of light (or other electro¬ magnetic radiation) that is interruptable by the handset when the latter co-operates with the base unit. 10 10. Telephone apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the switch means comprises a pair of mutually spaced contacts on the base unit, d the handset is provided with a link element to in. rconnect the said 15 contacts when the handset co-operates with the base unit. 11. Telephone apparatus according to any preceding Claim, wherein the headset is provided with means to facilitate manual holding of the unit. 20 12. Telephone apparatus according to Claim 11, wherein the manual holding means comprises an enlargement of a generally cylindrical element extending between the microphone and the earpiece. 25 13. Telephone apparatus according to Claim 12, wherein the enlargement is externally ribbed, knurled, roughened, or otherwise provided with a grippable surface. 30 14. Telephone apparatus comprising a base unit and a microphone and loudspeaker combination unit in the form of a so-called headset, characterised in that the headset is co-operable with the base unit to operate switch means (e.g. to provide an off-line/on-line signal or hang-up 35 signal), in that the said combination unit is provided with manually grippable means enabling the said combination unit to be held in the hand and used as a handset, and in that the said combination unit is provided with mounting means enabling the said combination unit to be mounted on the user's ear and permit hands-free operation of the telephone apparatus. 15. Telephone apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 14, wherein the base unit is adapted, intended and/or designed to stand on a horizontal surface. 16. Telephone apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 14, wherein the base unit is adapted, intended and/or designed to be worn on a belt (for mobile telephone use). 17. Telephone apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 14, wherein the base unit is adapted, intended and/or designed for mounting on a wall.

Inventors: FOX ARNOLD JEFFREY, FOX, ARNOLD, JEFFREY
Applicants: FOX ARNOLD JEFFREY, FOX, ARNOLD, JEFFREY
Application year: 1995
Main classification: H04M1
IPC codes: H04M1