Abstract:
A cellular phone base capable of switching cellular phone and cordless phone communications is disclosed. The cellular phone base comprises a telephone interface connected to a telephone line; a cellular phone interface connected to a cellular phone; a control unit installed in the cellular phone base; a transceiver unit connected to the control unit, the transceiver unit being under control of the control unit and communicating with a corresponding wireless earphone; and at least one switch connected to the telephone interface, the cellular phone interface, the control unit, and the transceiver unit, wherein the switch normally connects the transceiver unit with the cellular phone interface, and when the telephone interface is connected to the control unit, a signal is sent to the control unit to switch the switch such that the transceiver unit is connected to the telephone interface.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a Continuation-in-Part of application Ser. No. 10/406,203, filed on 4 Apr. 2003, and entitled CELLULAR PHONE BASE AND A WIRELESS EARPHONE CAPABLE OF SWITCHING CELLULAR PHONE AND CORDLESS PHONE. 
     
    
     1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a cellular phone base and a wireless earphone capable of switching cellular phone and cordless phone communications. More particularly, the present invention relates to a portable transceiver device capable of switching cellular phone and cordless phone communications.  
       2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART  
       [0003]     The major advantage of a cellular phone is its high portability. When using a cellular phone in a car, in order to recharge its internal battery and also so that the car&#39;s antenna can be used to increase communicating efficiency, the cellular phone is usually connected to the car through a socket built in the lower part of the cellular phone and a signal cable provided by the telephone vendor. Once the cellular phone is connected to the car, the phone will automatically disconnect its internal antenna and connect its telephone circuit to the car antenna. Typically, the cellular phone is powered by plugging into an electric cigarette lighter. Plugs can be directly plugged into some electrical devices whereas connecting devices are needed for certain other electrical devices. Electrical devices that lack a connecting device must be small but may still often seriously interfere with operation of parts of the car such as the stick shift. Hitherto, no prior art has disclosed a cellular phone base and a wireless earphone capable of switching cellular phone and cordless phone communications.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The main objective of the invention is to provide a cellular phone base and a wireless earphone capable of switching cellular phone and cordless phone communications.  
         [0005]     For achieving the objects stated above, a cellular phone base comprises a telephone interface connected to a telephone line; a cellular phone interface connected to a cellular phone; a control unit installed in the cellular phone base; a transceiver unit connected to the control unit, the transceiver unit being under control of the control unit and communicating with a corresponding wireless earphone; and a plurality of electric switches connected to the telephone interface, the cellular phone interface, the control unit, and the transceiver unit, wherein the electric switches normally connects the transceiver unit with the cellular phone interface, and when a voice signal is sent to the control unit via the telephone through the telephone interface, a central controller controls the electric switches such that the transceiver unit is connected to the telephone interface.  
         [0006]     From one aspect of the present invention, a wireless earphone capable of switching cellular phone and cordless phone communications is disclosed. The wireless earphone comprises an input device for inputting voice signals; a control unit installed in the wireless earphone; a switching unit connected to the control unit, wherein when the switching unit is pressed, voice volume and frequency channels can be adjusted; a keypad unit connected to the control unit, the keypad unit comprising a plurality of buttons; a transceiver unit connected to the input device and the control unit, the transceiver unit being under control of the control unit and communicating with a corresponding cellular phone base; and an output device connected to the control unit, wherein the output device is used to transmit signals received by the transceiver unit under the control of the control unit.  
         [0007]     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more clearly and readily apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating the circuit of a cellular phone base  1  according to the present invention;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating the circuit of a telephone interface; and  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a circuit block diagram of the wireless earphone  2  according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0011]     Please refer to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating the circuit of a cellular phone base  1  according to the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating the circuit of a telephone interface. The cellular phone base  1  comprises a telephone interface  11 , a cellular phone interface  12 , a control unit  13 , a transceiver unit  14 , and a plurality of electric switches  15 .  
         [0012]     An inside circuit of the telephone interface  11  further comprises a front circuit unit  110 , a solenoid switch unit  112 , an optocoupler circuit unit  113 , a transformer unit  114 , a warning unit  115 , and a voice output/input circuit unit  116 . The telephone interface  11  can be produced by a single chip. The electric switches  15  are a first electric switch  150  and a second electric switch  152  that are designed with a, b and c contacts, individually.  
         [0013]     The front circuit unit  110  receives a voice signal by a telephone line. The voice signal is rectified by a rectifying circuit  16  in order to be outputted on the solenoid switch unit  112  and the optocoupler circuit unit  113 . The optocoupler circuit unit  113  notifies the user of a telephone signal inputted via various voice transmitters from the warning unit  115 . When the user picks up the receiver an off hook signal is sent to the solenoid switch unit  112 . The solenoid switch unit  112  transmits the voice signal to the transformer unit  114 . Finally, the transformer unit  114  makes the voice signal stronger and transmits the voice signal to the voice output/input circuit unit  116  for outputting/inputting.  
         [0014]     The telephone interface  11  is electrically connected to a typical telephone line of a telephone  3  through a rectifying circuit  16  for receiving voice signals. The telephone  3  may be a cordless telephone or a cable telephone. A voice input terminal of the voice output/input circuit unit  116  is electrically connected to a terminal R of the telephone interface  11  that is electrically connected to a contact B of the first electric switch  150 . A voice output terminal of the voice output/input circuit unit  116  is electrically connected to a terminal T of the telephone interface  11  that is electrically connected to the contact B of the second electric switch  152 .  
         [0015]     The cellular phone interface  12  is connected to a portable cellular phone  4  and a contact A of the first electric switch  150  and a contact A of the second electric switch  152 . Normally, the contact C is connected to the contact A of the first electric switch  150  and the contact C is connected to the contact A of the second electric switch  152 . Through the contact C being connected to the contact A of the first electric switch  150  and the contact C being connected to the contact A of the second electric switch  152 , the voice signals sent from the cellular phone  4  can be transmitted to the control unit  13  of the cellular phone base  1 . Alternatively, signals can be sent from the cellular phone base  1  through the control unit  13  to the portable cellular phone  4 . The cellular phone interface  12  can be a Bluetooth protocol interface. The control unit  13  consists of a central controller  131 , a frequency controller  132 , and a control signal transceiver section  133 . The control unit  13  is the kernel of the cellular phone base  1 .  
         [0016]     In addition, the central controller  131  of the control unit  13  further comprises a keyboard input part  134  having a plurality of keys and a display panel  135  for dialing and displaying.  
         [0017]     The transceiver unit  14  is connected to the control unit  13 . The transceiver unit  14  comprises an antenna  141 , a SAW filter  142 , a transmitting amplifier  143 , a receiving amplifier  144 , a multiple-access RF processing unit  145 , and a voltage control oscillator (VCO)  146 . The transceiver unit  14  is controlled by the control unit  13  and communicates with a wireless earphone  2 . However, the wireless earphone  2  includes a communication transmission password. A user inputs the correct communication transmission password via the keyboard input part  134 . The central controller  131  of the control unit  13  transmits a communication signal to the transmitting amplifier  143  of the transceiver unit  14  when the communication transmission password is correct during transmission.  
         [0018]     The SAW filter  142  receives the communication signal from the transmitting amplifier  143  through the antenna  141  for transmission to the wireless earphone  2 . The multiple-access RF processing unit  145  is electrically connected to the voltage control oscillator  146 , the receiving amplifier  144 , the transmitting amplifier  143 , the control signal transceiver section  133 , and the frequency controller  132 . The multiple-access RF processing unit  145  receives the voltage control signal of the voltage control oscillator  146 , the output signal of the receiving amplifier  144 , the output signal of the control signal transceiver section  133 , the output signal of the frequency controller  132 , and the signal transmitted from the central control  131 .  
         [0019]     The contact A of the first electric switch  150  and the contact A of the second electric switch  152  are electrically connected to the cellular phone interface  12  individually. The contact B of the first electric switch  150  is electrically connected to the terminal R of the telephone interface  11  and the contact B of the second electric switch  152  is electrically connected to the terminal T of the telephone interface  11 . The contact C of the first electric switch  150  and the contact C of the second electric switch  152  is electrically connected to the central controller  131  and the multiple-access RF processing unit  145 .  
         [0020]     The operating manner of the cellular phone base  1  is explained below. The central controller  131  of the control unit  13  is always on standby status for receiving voice signals transmitted from a telephone  3  or a cellular phone  4 . The telephone interface  11  transmits an MUT signal and a DTMF signal to the central controller  131  for generating a telephone control signal when the telephone  3  transmits the voice signal to the rectifying circuit  16  through the telephone line. The terminal R of the telephone interface  11  transmits the voice signal to the contact B of the first electric switch  150  and the terminal T of the telephone interface  11  simultaneously transmits the voice signal to the contact B of the second electric switch  152 . The telephone interface  11  receives the telephone control signal for driving the contact C connected to the contact B of the first electric switch  150  and the contact C connected to the contact B of the second electric switch  152  so that the cellular phone interface  12  will be disable.  
         [0021]     The telephone interface  11  transmits the voice signal to the multiple-access RF processing unit  145 . The multiple-access RF processing unit  145  transmits the voice signal to the transmitting amplifier  143  for amplification via the output signal of the control signal transceiver section  133 , the frequency controller  132  and the receiving amplifier  144 . The amplified voice signal is transmitted to an SAW filter  142  for outputting frequency filter action. The antenna  141  transmits the filtered voice signal to the wireless earphone  2 . When the communication is finished, the contact C disconnects from the contact B of the first electric switch  150  and the second electric switch  152  and changes to the contact C electrically connected with the contact A of the first electric switch  150  and the second electric switch  152 .  
         [0022]     The cellular phone interface  12  receives the voice signal from the portable cellular phone  4  that a call is being transmitted. The voice signal will be transmitted to the central controller  131  and the multiple-access RF processing unit  145  because of the contact C and the contact A of the first electric switch  150  and the second electric switch  152 . The voice signal is transmitted to a transceiver unit  25  of the wireless earphone  2  controlled by the central controller  131 .  
         [0023]     Two switches  15  are electrically connected to the telephone interface  11 , the cellular phone interface  12 , the control unit  13 , and the transceiver unit  14 . There are joints a, b, and c in the two switches  15 . Normally, the joint c is connected to the joint a. In this case, the multiple-access RF processing unit  145  of the transceiver unit  14  is connected to the cellular phone interface  12 .  
         [0024]     Please refer to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  is a circuit block diagram of the wireless earphone  2  according to the present invention. The wireless earphone  2  according to the present invention comprises an input device  21 , a control unit  22 , a switching unit  23 , a keypad unit  24 , a transceiver unit  25 , and an output device  26 .  
         [0025]     The input device  21  may be a microphone for a user to input voice signals. The control unit  22  consists of a central controller  221 , a frequency controller  222 , and a control signal transceiver unit  223 . The control unit  22  is the kernel of the wireless earphone  2 . The central controller  221  includes a memory  2210 . The keypad unit  24  having a plurality of input buttons for dialing is electrically connected to the central controller  221 . The switching unit  23  is electrically connected to the control unit  22 . The switching unit  23  comprises an audio switch  231 , a frequency switch  232 , and a wireless phone switch  233 . The audio switch  231  may be used to adjust the volume of audio output signals. The frequency switch  232  is used to select different receiving frequencies. When a user pushes the wireless phone switch  233 , the control unit  22  will judge whether the user has inputted a communication transmission password via the keyboard input part  134  of the cordless telephone  3  and whether or not it matches the communication transmission password stored on the memory  2210 . If the inputted password is correct, the wireless earphone  2  communicates with the cordless telephone  3  and thus the wireless earphone  2  becomes a handset of the cordless telephone  3 . If the inputted password is incorrect, the output device  26  will be sent a warning sound to notify the user of the error.  
         [0026]     The transceiver unit  25  is electrically connected to the input device  21  and the control unit  22 . The transceiver unit  25  consists of an antenna  251 , a frequency mixer  252 , a transmitting amplifier  253 , a receiving amplifier  254 , a multiple-access RF processing unit  255 , and a voltage control oscillator  256 . The transceiver unit  25  is controlled by the central controller  221  and communicates with the cellular phone base  1 .  
         [0027]     The output device  26  is electrically connected to the control unit  22 . The output device  26  may be an earphone or a speaker. The output device  26  is used to output the signals received by the transceiver unit  25 . The output device  26  is controlled by the central controller  221 . The central controller  221  of the control unit  22  is electrically connected to a display panel  224  for displaying incoming calls.  
         [0028]     Accordingly, when receiving a call, the cellular phone  4  transmits the voice signals to the transceiver unit  14  of the cellular phone base  1  through the cellular phone interface  12 . At the same time, the cellular phone  4 , which is controlled by the central controller  131 , transmits the voice signals to the transceiver unit  25  of the wireless earphone  2 . The voice signals received by the central controller  221  of the wireless earphone  2  will be transmitted to the output device  26 , and then to a user. Likewise, the user can talk via the input device  21  of the wireless earphone  2 . In this case, the voice signals are transmitted to the transceiver unit  25 , and then transmitted to the transceiver unit  14  of the cellular phone base  1  under the control of the central controller  221 , and then transmitted to the cellular phone  4  through the cellular phone interface  12  under the control of the central controller  131 . Alternatively, the user can push the audio switch  231  of the switching unit  23  to adjust the volume. Also, the user can push the frequency switch  232  to select different frequency channels.  
         [0029]     When the central controller  131  of the control unit  13  is connected to the telephone interface  11 , the telephone interface  11  sends DTMF and MUT signals. At the same time, the central controller  131  triggers the contact C to connect with the contact B of the first electric switch  150  and the second electric switch  152 , such that the multiple-access RF processing unit  145  is connected to the telephone interface  11 . The user can dial via the keypad unit  24  of the wireless earphone  2 . Signals are transmitted to the cellular phone base  1  and rectified at the telephone interface  11  and then inputted into the telephone  3 . Accordingly, the wireless earphone  2  acts as a wireless earphone of the telephone  3 .  
         [0030]     To sum up, in accordance with the disclosed invention, the wireless earphone  2  not only prevents harm caused by high frequency signals but increases the integrity between the telephone  3  and cellular phone  4 .  
         [0031]     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.