Abstract:
A system and method is described for augmenting cellular telephone signals for a cellular telephone. In an exemplary embodiment, a cellular battery is equipped with a sound generating device that stores one or more audio signals that are activated upon receipt of a telephone call. Optionally, the battery may store a library of audio signals that may be programmable and edited. The system and method of the present invention enables a user to choose audio alert sounds beyond the scope of those provided by the manufacturer of a cellular telephone. A removable memory device containing at least one accessible sound file is attachable to the battery or telephone body, and provides increased selection of audio signal choices.

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/101,630, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,200,425, filed on Mar. 21, 2002, and entitled “Device and Method for Augmenting Cellular Telephone Audio Signals”, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/964,385, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,415,291, filed on Sep. 28, 2001, and entitled “Device and Method for Augmenting Cellular Telephone Audio Signals”. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to battery technology used in cellular telephones. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a device and method for augmenting the choice of available cellular telephone audio signals through a programmable battery. 
     2. Background of the Invention 
     Cellular telephones, also commonly known as mobile telephones, have become increasingly utilized throughout the world. Typical signals used to alert a user of a cellular telephone of an incoming telephone call include audio signals such as ringing, visual signals such as light flashes or written messages, or touch signals such as vibration of the telephone. A combination of signals also is possible, such as, for example, a combination of audio and visual signals. 
     When a cellular telephone provides audio signals, the user typically has a limited number of pre-selected audio signal selections (which may include standard rings, musical tones, or melodies) already programmed into the telephone. Many conventional telephones do not have the ability to introduce additional audio alert signals. Thus, the user is confined to a limited group of audio alert signals that a manufacturer has pre-programmed into the telephone. Although some telephone systems allow a user to download additional audio alert signals into the telephone, such additional signals typically are provided only by the manufacturer, and are merely an expansion of the original limited inventory of audio signals available to a user. Thus, the user is still confined to a set of audio signals that a manufacturer provides to its users. The user does not have the ability to use audio signals of her own choice, such as, for example, a favorite song or melody, sounds of nature, or voice sounds of a child or a pet or the voice of the user herself. 
     Thus, there is a need for an economical but flexible device and method that enables a user to easily program any type of audio sounds into a cellular telephone and allow such audio sounds to be designated as the incoming telephone call audio alert signal. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention overcomes the drawbacks of conventional cellular telephone audio alert signals by providing a device and method that enables the user to enter audio signals of his or her own choice to use as audio alert signals for the telephone. 
     As used throughout this disclosure, the term “augmenting”, when used in reference with cellular telephone audio signals, refers to an increase in choices that a user has for audio alert signals. Thus, an increase in choices of alert signals beyond that provided by a manufacturer is an augmenting of cellular telephone audio signals. 
     As used throughout this disclosure, the term “sound generating device” is any assembly that is capable of storing sound files, retrieving sound files, and playing sound files. Thus, such a device typically is piezoelectric and contains software to enable a stored sound file to be played, necessary EPROM, ROM and/or RAM memories, and a small speaker. Such sound generating devices typically are used in toys and musical cards. 
     In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a battery assembly for a cellular telephone that plays sounds. The battery assembly includes a battery for providing power for a cellular telephone, and a sound generating device attached to the battery and capable of storing a sound file. Thus, the sound generating device is triggered to play sound when a telephone call is received. A user then can choose the type of sound she wishes to alert her of an incoming telephone call, and have the chosen telephone sound alert her of an incoming call. 
     In accordance with another exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a battery assembly for a cellular telephone that includes a battery, for providing power to the cellular telephone, and a sound generating device attached to the battery and including a removable memory device for storing multiple sound files. The sound generating device can be induced to play one of the multiple sound files when a telephone call is received. The battery assembly also includes an external connector socket that provides external electrical access to the multiple sound files inside the sound generating device, and a selector device for designating a particular sound file to be the one used as audio alert signal. 
     In accordance with another exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a cellular telephone system having changeable audio alert signals. The system includes a cellular telephone body and a cellular telephone battery. The battery further includes a sound generating device having a removable memory device to store a sound file. The sound generating device can be induced to play a sound file when a telephone call is detected by the cellular telephone. Alternatively, the sound generating device can store multiple sound files. Furthermore, the cellular telephone assembly may also include an external socket to provide external access to the multiple sound files saved in the sound generating device. Optionally, a computer system may be linked to the external socket to edit the multiple sound files stored in the sound generating device. Finally, a selector may allow a user to choose a particular sound file from the multiple sound files to be designated as the audio alert signal. 
     In yet another exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a method of selecting a designated audio alert signal on a cellular telephone. This method involves providing a programmable battery for a cellular telephone that has a sound generating device storing multiple sound files and a selector for choosing a file among the sound files. The user can scroll through the sound files by using the selector until a desired sound file is heard. The user then stops scrolling through the sound file, and the chosen sound file is then used as the audio alert signal when incoming calls are received. 
     In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a device and method for selectively programming a telephone with any type of sound signal to be used as an audio alert signal for incoming calls. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a device and method that is compatible with any type of cellular telephone system. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device and method of augmenting cellular telephone audio alert signals that do not require changing the design of the telephone body itself. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the associated drawings. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. 
     The advantages and purpose of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages and purpose of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a conventional cellular telephone body with a device, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, that allows for a variety of audio alert signals to be used. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a system and method of programming audio alert signals into a device according to the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a device, according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, that allows for changing audio alert signals through removable signal storage devices. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     An exemplary embodiment of a device according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . The overall cellular telephone system  100  includes a conventional cellular telephone body  101  and an exemplary embodiment of a device  102  according to the present invention. The device  102  is in the form of a battery that produces sound, thereby making such a system and method of augmenting the choice of available telephone audio signals both economical and flexible. 
     The exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1  presents an improvement based on the technology of vibrating batteries, wherein an activation signal is directed to the vibrating battery to vibrate the telephone when an incoming call is received. Thus, operation of battery  102  according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  also requires an incoming signal from the body of the telephone  101  to signal the battery  102  to produce an audio signal. The telephone body  101  does not have to be modified to accommodate the new sound-producing battery  102 . Furthermore, the telephone  101  is merely set up as if the sound-producing battery  102  is a vibrating battery, thereby enabling the telephone body  101  to send a signal to the battery  102  when an incoming telephone call is received. 
     The telephone body  101  is in communication with the battery  102  through, for example, suitable terminal connectors  103  and  104 , respectively. Thus, when an incoming telephone call signal is detected by the cellular telephone system  100 , the telephone body  101  sends a signal to the battery  102  to activate. When the sound-producing battery  102  is taking the place of a conventional vibration battery, a sound generating device  110  incorporated in battery  102  is signaled to activate, producing a given audio alert signal. In all aspects, the telephone body  101  is conventional and only needs to notify battery  102  that an incoming telephone signal is received. Furthermore, the designated audio alert signal also may be used for other notification alarms that are available on the cellular telephone, such as appointment alarms and the like. 
     Sound generating device  10  may comprise, for example, a piezoelectric device for converting electronic signals to sound waves. Alternatively, it may comprise a miniature speaker or other transducer for converting electronic signals to sound waves. The sound generating device also has a memory in which the sound files can be stored. A sound chip that has all the components necessary to store, access, play, and generate sound from sound files may be used. 
     Battery  102  has terminal connectors  104  that communicate with sound generating device  110  through suitable electrical connectors  105 . Terminal connectors  104  are also used to supply power through terminal connectors  103  to the telephone body  101 . The power storage area of the battery  102  is not shown for sake of clarity. However, the power storage area of the battery  102  is also in communication with the terminal connectors  104  through suitable electrical connectors. 
     Sound generating device  110  may be pre-programmed with a set of audio signals that a user may use as the audio alert signal when an incoming telephone call is received. Thus, a user may purchase a battery  102  that has a list of audio alert signals pre-programmed into it. As a non-limiting example, different batteries  102  may have different themes, such as “sounds of nature”, “popular songs”, and “different automobile honks”. When a user prefers another set of audio alert signals, she merely has to purchase another battery that provides such signals. 
     When a battery  102  provides a user with a list of accessible audio alert signals, the user needs a means to select a particular desired audio signal. Such a selector means to select a desired audio alert signal may be, for example, a selector switch, button, mechanical selector, touch pad, or the like. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , a selector switch  130  is shown that enables a user to select a desired audio alert signal by pushing up or down on selector arrows that scroll through an internal library of signals stored in sound generating device  110 . In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , pressing the up or down arrows allows the user to scroll through the selection of stored audio signals. Optionally, the user is able to hear the selections as the selections are being scrolled, so as to have an indication of which signal the battery  102  is being locked into using as the pre-selected audio alert signal. Alternatively, the selector switch  130  provides the user additional options, such as sequential and random audio alert signal selection. When sequential signal selection is chosen, each successive telephone call received will use the next sequential audio alert signal in memory. When random signal selection is chosen, each successive telephone call received will use a randomly chosen audio alert signal, as chosen by the sound generating device  110 . 
     Alternatively, to expand the selections of audio alert signals even beyond that provided by batteries  102  having different themes, an accessing means would be beneficial to provide a user with ability to access and edit the audio signal library of the battery. Thus, such a means for accessing the signal library of the battery may be, for example, an electrical connector socket, plug, adapter, or the like. In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , an electrical connector socket  120 , which is electrically connected to the sound generating device  110  through suitable electrical connectors  121 , is designed to receive a conventional two prong plug  220 , such as the one shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     Although the switch  130  and the connector socket  120  are shown on a side of the battery  102  for sake of accessibility and ease of operation for a user, such placement is merely exemplary. The switch  130  and socket  120  may be placed anywhere on the battery  102  as long as they may be accessed by a user and are usable for their intended purposes. 
     Optionally, sound generating device  110  may be programmed with more than one audio signal. A means for programming the audio signal selection of a battery  102  is shown in the exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 2  as system  200 . System  200  includes a plug  220  that electrically communicates with the socket  120 , and allows a computer  201  to program sound generating device  110  (not shown in  FIG. 2 ). Computer  201  may be provided with software that allows a user to access, edit and provide input to the audio alert signal library in sound generating device  110 . The computer  201  may be a desktop model with a monitor  202  and a keyboard  203 , a laptop, a personal data assistant, or any other device that has the ability to electronically access a library or stored audio files in a sound generating device  110 . 
     Through the programming system  200 , the user may add or delete sound files from the sound generating device  110 . The sound files may be in any suitable format, such as, for example, MP3. A software package, provided with the audio programmable battery  102 , would allow a user to arrange the order of sound signals in a given battery  102 , delete any sounds signals that are no longer desired, or to add new sound signals in a given memory slot in the sound generating device  110 . 
     Although the programming system  200  in  FIG. 2  has been shown with a personal computer  201 , other computers are also possible to program the alert signal library in the sound generating device  110 . Such other computers include, but are not limited to, laptop computers, personal data assistants, suitable interactive paging systems, or the like. A telephone body  101  itself may be additionally programmed by its manufacturer to be able to scroll through, access, and edit alert signals in the signal library of a sound generating device  110  in a battery  102 . 
     Alternatively, sound generating device  110  may produce one or more audio signals through use of a removable memory device. Another means for programming the audio signal selection of a battery  102  is shown in the exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 3  as a device for storing sound files. Such a device may be a removable memory device  320 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , which has been shown without terminal connectors  104  and electrical connectors  105  for sake of clarity. The removable memory device  320  includes one or more sound files that may be transferred to or accessed by the sound generating device  110 . The removable memory device  320  is insertable into a memory device receiving slot  310  in the body of the battery  102 . The removable memory device  320  is shown as a memory card in  FIG. 3  as an example, but other configurations for the memory device  320  are possible, as described below. 
     The removable memory device  320  may be any medium that is capable of storing one or more sound files and is detachable from the battery  102 , such as a memory stick. Alternatively, the removable memory device  320  may be attachable directly to the telephone body  101  through a similar memory receiving slot  310  located directly on the body of the telephone  101 . Non-limiting examples of the removable memory device  320  include, but are not limited to, smart media cards, compact flash, memory sticks, mini-disks, digital chips, or similar memory storage devices. It would be desirable to use an industry standard technology for the removable memory device  320  to facilitate the universal transferability of stored sound files between different telephone systems  100  capable of receiving the removable memory devices  320 . 
     The sound files may be stored in the removable memory device  320  in any format that allows for the sound files to be accessed. Non-limiting examples of the storage format of the sound files include, but are not limited to, MP3 format, wave format (.wav), MIDI format (.mid), and other similar sound file storing formats. 
     When the removable memory device  320  is inserted into the receiving slot  310 , the sound generating device  110  gains access to the sound files stored in the removable memory device  320  through electrical or optical connection  315 . When a user selects sound files through the selector switch  130 , the sound generating device  110  accesses and plays the sound files in the removable memory device  320 . Alternatively, the sound files stored in the removable memory device  320  may be downloaded onto the memory storage area of the sound generating device  110 , from which the user may select a particular sound file through the selector switch  130 . 
     The foregoing disclosure of the preferred embodiments of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many variations and modifications of the embodiments described herein will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art in light of the above disclosure. The scope of the invention is to be defined only by the claims appended hereto, and by their equivalents. 
     Further, in describing representative embodiments of the present invention, the specification may have presented the method and/or process of the present invention as a particular sequence of steps. However, to the extent that the method or process does not rely on the particular order of steps set forth herein, the method or process should not be limited to the particular sequence of steps described. As one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate, other sequences of steps may be possible. Therefore, the particular order of the steps set forth in the specification should not be construed as limitations on the claims. In addition, the claims directed to the method and/or process of the present invention should not be limited to the performance of their steps in the order written, and one skilled in the art can readily appreciate that the sequences may be varied and still remain within the spirit and scope of the present invention.