Abstract:
An ear hook for a wireless headset includes a carrying portion and a joint portion. The carrying portion has a first connection, a power control circuit and a battery unit, and the joint portion has a second connection. The first connection is connected with the second connection in a separate fashion. When there is a voltage input detected at the first connection, the power control circuit applies the voltage output at the first connection to charge the battery unit, and when there is no voltage input detected at the first connection, the power control circuit sets the battery unit to discharge. Therefore, when the carrying portion is connected with the joint portion, the battery unit inside the carrying portion discharges, and when the carrying portion separates from the joint portion, it is connected with a transformer via the first connection to charge the battery unit.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention generally relates to an ear hook for a wireless headset, and more particularly relates to an ear hook for a wireless headset, which is provided with rechargeable power.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Wireless communication products have become popular due to the fast development of wireless communication technology. For example, there are many wireless headsets commercially available for cell phone users. A wireless headset  7 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , was designed by Sony Ericsson, and is known as model number HBH-30 on the market. Such a headset  7  comprises a body  73  and an ear hook  71 . The body  73  allows users to speak wirelessly, and the ear hook  71  transmits power required by the working body  73  with its own recharging battery. When the recharging battery inside the ear hook  71  is exhausted, it can be recharged via a recharger (not shown) which is connected with a recharging plug  72  in the body  73 .  
         [0005]     For the headset  7  shown in  FIG. 1 , the recharging plug  72  is provided on the body  73 , and therefore the user must connect it with the recharger when he/she is recharging his/her headset. Under these circumstances, the headset cannot be used simultaneously. In other words, the user cannot use his/her headset until the recharging process of the battery is completed, and thus suffers from the inconvenience caused by the recharging process. How to make the headset available to the user during its recharging process is therefore a problem to be solved.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The present invention is proposed to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art, and provides an ear hook for a headset and a carrying device thereof. The ear hook allows the headset to be used conveniently without the influences of recharging batteries, and has rechargeable power which is connected therewith in a separate fashion.  
         [0007]     The ear hook in accordance with the present invention comprises a carrying portion and a joint portion. The carrying portion has a battery unit, a power control circuit and a first connection. The joint portion has a second connection demountably connected with the first connection. The power control circuit controls the recharging/discharging process of the battery unit in accordance with the voltage input at the first connection. Therefore, when the first connection is connected with the second connection, the power control circuit allows the battery unit to discharge to supply electricity for the headset. When the first connection is connected with a transformer, the power control circuit allows the transformer to recharge the battery unit.  
         [0008]     The above-mentioned power control circuit comprises a first switch control circuit, a recharging circuit, a second switch control circuit, and a detecting circuit. The first switch control circuit controls the on/off status between the battery unit and the first connection. The recharging circuit controls the recharge process of the battery unit. The second switch control circuit controls the on/off status between the recharging circuit and the first connection. The detecting circuit detects a voltage input at the first connection. When the detecting circuit detects a voltage input at the first connection, it sets the first switch control circuit off and the second switch control circuit on, allowing the recharging circuit to recharge the battery unit. When the detecting circuit detects no voltage input at the first connection and the connection between the first and second connections, it sets the first switch control circuit on and the second switch control circuit off, allowing the battery unit to discharge via the first connection to provide electricity for the headset.  
         [0009]     The battery unit is provided in the carrying portion of the ear hook, and the carrying portion can be separated from the joint portion of the ear hook for recharging the battery unit. If the carrying portion is connected with the joint portion, the power control circuit inside the carrying portion allows the battery unit to discharge and provide electricity to the headset. If the carrying portion is connected with the transformer, the power control circuit inside the carrying portion allows the battery unit inside the carrying portion to be recharged by the transformer. Therefore, the carrying portion can be separated from the joint portion and be recharged alone. In this way, the wireless headset can still work normally with a previously recharged carrying portion during the recharging process of the exhausted carrying portion. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The present invention can be fully understood from the following detailed description and preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional wireless headset in accordance with prior art;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a wireless headset in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is an exploded, perspective view of an ear hook of the headset in  FIG. 2  in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is an operational, perspective view of a carrying portion of the ear hook in  FIG. 3  when the carrying portion is recharged by a transformer;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a circuit block diagram showing a power control circuit inside the ear hook in  FIG. 3 ; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a circuit diagram of the power control circuit in  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]     The features and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following embodiments.  
         [0018]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a perspective view shows a wireless headset according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A body  2  of the wireless headset receives and emits radio signals, allowing a user to communicate in a wireless fashion. One end of an ear hook  1  of the headset is pivotally mounted with the body  2 , and thus the ear hook  1  can provide power to the body  2 . The ear hook  1  comprises a carrying portion  11  and a joint portion  12 . The carrying portion  11  is electrically and demountably connected with the joint portion  12 . Consequently, the carrying portion  11  is rechargeable and also serves as a power source. When the carrying portion  11  is exhausted, it can be separated from the joint portion  12  to be recharged. Meanwhile, the user can replace the currently exhausted carrying portion  11  with a previously charged carrying portion  11  and connect the latter with the joint portion  12 . Thus the body  2  can still function normally even when the exhausted carrying portion  11  is being recharged.  
         [0019]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the carrying portion  11  has a first connection  111 , a power control circuit  113  and a battery unit  115 . The power control circuit  113  is electrically connected between the first connection  111  and the battery unit  115 . The power control circuit  113  detects whether there is a voltage input through the first connection  111 . When a voltage input is inputted to the power control circuit  113  through the first connection  111 , the power control circuit  113  controls the voltage input to recharge the battery unit  115 . When there is no voltage input through the first connection  111  and the first connection  111  is connected to a second connection  121  of the joint portion  12 , the power control circuit  113  controls the battery unit  115  to discharge via the first connection  111  to provide electricity for the headset through the joint portion  12 . The battery unit  115  utilized in the present embodiment is substantially a rechargeable battery.  
         [0020]     The joint portion  12  has a second connection  121 , a power transmission interface  123  and a pivotal portion  125 . The second connection  121  is demountably connected with the first connection  111 . In the present embodiment, the first connection  111  is substantially a female plug and the second connection  121  is substantially a male plug, and thereby the carrying portion  11  can be demountably connected with the joint portion  12 . Alternatively, the first connection  111  is substantially a male plug, and the second connection  121  is substantially a female plug, and thereby the carrying portion  11  can be also demountably connected with the joint portion  12 . The power transmission interface  123  is electrically connected with the second connection  121  to transmit electricity.  
         [0021]     The power transmission interface  123  is a wire in the present embodiment. The pivotal portion  125  is provided at one end of the joint portion  12  and pivotally mounted with the body  2  as shown in  FIG. 2 . The connection allows the power transmission interface  123  transmitting electricity to the body  2 . Therefore, when the first connection  111  of the carrying portion  11  is connected with the second connection  121  of the joint portion  12 , the power control circuit detects no voltage input at the first connection  111 , and controls the battery unit  115  of the carrying portion  11  to discharge. The power is transmitted from the battery unit  115  to the body  2  by means of the power transmission interface  123 .  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , when the carrying portion  11  needs to be recharged, the user can demount the carrying portion  11  from the joint portion  12 , and use a transformer  3  to recharge the carrying portion  11  by inserting a plug of the transformer  3  into the first connection  111  of the carrying portion  11 . When the transformer  3  is inserted into a wall socket, it sends a voltage input to the first connection  111 . Once the power control circuit  113  of the carrying portion  11  detects the voltage input at the first connection  111 , it arranges the recharging process for the battery unit  115  inside the carrying portion  11 .  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the power control circuit  113  comprises a protection circuit  1131 , a first switch control circuit  1132 , a detecting circuit  1133 , a second switch control circuit  1134 , a charging circuit  1135 , an over voltage detecting circuit  1136 , a negative voltage protection circuit  1137  and a diode  138 . The protection circuit  1131  is electrically connected with the battery unit  115  and protects the battery unit  115  from outputting excessively voltage/current. The protection circuit  1131  comprises an over current protection element for detecting if the current outputted from the battery unit  115  is excessive, as well as an over voltage protection element for detecting if the voltage outputted from the battery unit  115  is excessive. The over current protection element is a fuse F 1  and the over voltage protection element is a resistance R 1 , according to the embodiment.  
         [0024]     The first switch control circuit  1132  controls the on/off status between the battery unit  115  and the first connection  111 . Therefore, when the first switch control circuit  1132  is on, the voltage outputted by the battery unit  115 , V BAT , is able to discharge through the first connection  111  to the joint portion  12 . When the first switch control circuit  1132  is off, the voltage outputted by the battery unit  115 , V BAT , is unable to discharge through the first connection  111 . The second switch control circuit  1134  controls the on/off status between the charging circuit  1135  and the first connection  111 . Therefore, when the second switch control circuit  1134  is on, the voltage input at the first connection  111  is applied to the recharging circuit  1135 , and the recharging circuit  1135  can recharge the battery unit  115  in accordance to such a voltage input. Also, when the second switch control circuit  1134  is off, the charging circuit  1135  is unable to recharge the battery unit  115  since the voltage outputted by the first connection  111  is not applied thereto.  
         [0025]     The detecting circuit  1133  is used to control the on/off status of the first switch control circuit  1132  and the second switch control circuit  1134  respectively. The detecting circuit  1133  can detect whether there is a voltage input at the first connection  111 . If there is a voltage input at the first connection  111 , the detecting circuit  1133  sets the first switch control circuit  1132  off and the second switch control circuit  1134  on, allowing the battery unit  115  to be recharged. If there is no voltage input at the first connection  111  and the first and the second connections are connected, the detecting circuit  1133  sets the first switch control circuit  1132  on and the second switch control circuit  1134  off, allowing the battery unit  115  to discharge through the joint portion  12 .  
         [0026]     The over voltage detecting circuit  1136  is electrically connected between the second switch control circuit  1134  and the first connection  111 . The over voltage detecting circuit  1136  is used to detect whether the voltage at the first connection  111  exceeds a predetermined value. If it does, the detecting circuit  1133  detects the voltage input at the first connection  111  and then sets the second switch control circuit  1134  on. But it sets the status between the first connection  111  and the second switch control circuit  1134  off to prevent the second switch control circuit  1134  from obtaining the voltage inputted from the first connection  111  via the over voltage detecting circuit  1136 , thereby avoiding the excessive voltage inputted from the first connection  111  jeopardizing the normal function of the charging circuit  1135 . If the voltage at the first connection is within a normal range of predetermined values, the over voltage detecting circuit  1136  sets the status between the first connection  111  and the second switch control circuit  1134  on, and thus the second switch control circuit  1134  can obtain the voltage inputted from the first connection  111 , allowing the charging circuit  1135  to be charged normally.  
         [0027]     The negative voltage protection circuit  1137  is electrically connected between the power protection circuit  1131  and the first switch control circuit  1132 . A diode  1138  is electrically connected between the charging circuit  1135  and the second switch control circuit  1134 . When a negative voltage is applied to the first connection  111 , the negative voltage protection circuit  1137  and the diode  1138  protect the entire circuit, and prevent abnormal current from reversibly traveling to the electronic components in the power control circuit  113  to avoid jeopardizing the life cycle all the components.  
         [0028]     As mentioned above, the separable design of the two portions  11 ,  12  is adopted in this ear hook for a headset in the preferred embodiment. Consequently, the carrying portion  11  can be connected with or separated from the second connection  121  of the joint portion  12 . When the carrying portion  11  is connected with the joint portion  12 , the battery unit  115  inside the first connection  111  will discharge, allowing the body  2  to obtain the required power to maintain its function.  
         [0029]     According to the preferred embodiment, one of the advantages of the separable design for the carrying portion  11  is to keep the body  2  working normally even during its recharging process. Furthermore, the carrying portion  11  can be recharged, and the carrying portion can be separated from the joint portion  12  and recharged when it is exhausted. Meanwhile, the body  2  can still work normally after a previously recharged carrying portion  11  is connected with the joint portion  12 .  
         [0030]     Additionally, the carrying portion  11  is controlled via the power control circuit  113 . Either recharging or discharging is processed via the first connection  111 . Another advantage of the preferred embodiment is to avoid unnecessary plugs, and thus simplify the whole structure of the ear hook.  
         [0031]     In view of the foregoing, the present invention is believed to be useful, novel and unobvious. Meanwhile, it should be noted that people skilled in the art can obtain various modifications without departing from the spirit and the scope of the appended claims.