Abstract:
A portable wireless communication device comprises a housing, a transceiver within the housing, and a scented compound associated with the housing. The transceiver permits a user to communicate with one or more remote parties via a base station subsystem in a wireless communication network. The scented compound emits a scent whenever the scented compound is activated. Activation may occur responsive to a user keypress on a keypad of the portable wireless communication device, or to radiated heat that exceeds a predetermined temperature.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to portable wireless communication devices, and particularly to portable wireless communication devices that emit a scent. 
         [0002]    Consumers often seek innovative features and new functionality when purchasing portable wireless communication devices. Of course, consumer interest in what was once new and innovative often wanes quickly. Thus, manufacturers and service providers sometimes struggle to keep abreast of consumer demand. Those that cannot get new features to market fast enough may find themselves losing market share. Therefore, manufacturers could benefit if they offered new features that enticed the user to purchase their portable wireless communication devices instead of their competitor&#39;s devices. 
         [0003]    One of the most popular and widely used features continues to be the ability to converse with a remote party. Typically, users purchase blocks of time in minutes for a flat fee from service providers. Blocks of time associated with a greater number of minutes usually cost more than those blocks associated with a fewer number of minutes. Therefore, service providers could also benefit from features that entice users to use their portable wireless communication devices more often and for longer periods of time than they normally would. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    A portable wireless communication device such as a cell phone comprises a housing, a transceiver circuit in the housing, and a compound associated with the housing that emits a scent when activated. The scent may be, for example, a fragrant odor that is detectable by the human olfactory sense. 
         [0005]    In one embodiment, the compound comprises a heat-activated scented adhesive layer disposed within the housing. The scented adhesive layer may be used to adhere a label to an electronic component, or to a shield that electrically shields one or more electronic components. The electronic components radiate heat during use. Once the heat exceeds a predetermined temperature, the scented adhesive layer emits the scent. The scent may then permeate the housing of the portable wireless communication device. When the components cool below the predetermined temperature, the scented adhesive layer ceases to emit the scent. 
         [0006]    In other embodiments, the compound comprises a scented adhesive layer applied to one or more operational layers of a keypad assembly together. In these embodiments, the scented adhesive layer emits a scent responsive to the user pressing one or more keys on the keypad. In one particular embodiment, pressing a key causes an activator to contact the scented adhesive layer, which then emits the scent responsive to this contact. In another particular embodiment, pressing a key displaces air over the scented adhesive layer. The displaced air mixes with the scent and permeates the housing of the portable wireless communications device. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram that illustrates some of the component parts of a portable wireless communication device configured according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a portable wireless communication device configured according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  illustrates a surface of a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed within a housing of a portable wireless communication device configured according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4A  is a sectional view of one heat-activated embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4B  is a sectional view of another heat-activated embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a side view that illustrates a portable wireless communication device configured according to another heat-activated embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of a keypad assembly suitable for use according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 7A-7B  are magnified sectional views of the keypad assembly illustrating one pressure-sensitive embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  illustrates one of the operational layers of the keypad assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIGS. 9A-9B  are magnified sectional views of the keypad assembly illustrating another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a portable wireless communication device configured according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    The present invention is directed to a portable wireless communication device configured to emit a scent. A scent may be, for example, a distinctive odor or fragrant aroma that may be detected by the olfactory senses of a human, an animal, or an insect. The scent may be pleasant or unpleasant. Examples of such scents include, but are not limited to, odors or aromas that the user equates to any of a variety of perfumes, flowers, spices, and the like. A scent may also be a pheromone. Pheromones are odors produced by living organisms and are used for communication between like organisms. While a person, for example, may not be able to detect a pheromone as a “smell,” they are detectable by the olfactory senses nonetheless, and thus, are expressly included within the meaning of the term “scent” as that term is used herein. 
         [0019]    According to one embodiment of the present invention, a heat-sensitive scented compound is disposed within a housing of device  10  proximate the internal circuitry of device  10 . The internal circuitry of device  10 , which may comprise one or more electronic components, radiates heat during operation. By way of example, the circuitry may radiate heat whenever a user places or receives a call to a remote party. One embodiment of the present invention advantageously employs this radiated heat to cause the heat-sensitive scented compound to emit the scent. The scent permeates the housing of device  10  through natural openings in the housing, and/or through one or more specially-formed openings in the housing. 
         [0020]      FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a portable wireless communication device  10  suitable for use with the present invention. In the specification and figures, the portable wireless communication device  10  is specifically embodied as a cellular telephone; however, this is for illustrative purposes only. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that the present invention may be embodied in other types of portable consumer electronics devices including, but not limited to, a Portable Digital Assistant (PDA), a palmtop or laptop computer, or a communication module included within a computer, a satellite phone, or other type of portable communication device. 
         [0021]    Portable wireless communication device  10  comprises a user interface (UI)  12  and circuitry  14  disposed within a housing  34 . UI  12  includes a display  16 , a keypad  18 , a speaker  20 , and a microphone  22 . Circuitry  14  comprises a controller  24 , an audio I/O circuit  26 , memory  28 , and a transceiver circuit  30  connected to an antenna  32 . The operation of the UI  12  and the circuitry  14  with respect to communicating with a remote party is well known in the art. Therefore, this functionality is not described in detail herein. It is sufficient for the purposes of the present invention to understand that the device  10  is a fully functional cellular radio device capable of operating according to any known standard. Such standards include, but are not limited to, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), TIA/EIA-136, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), cdmaOne, cdma2000, and Wideband CDMA. 
         [0022]    As previously stated, one embodiment of the present invention advantageously employs heat radiated by the circuitry  14  to activate a heat-sensitive scented compound. Particularly, the scented compound emits the scent while the radiated heat is at a temperature that reaches or exceeds a predetermined threshold temperature. The scent may permeate the device  10  through natural openings in the housing of device  10 , and/or through one or more specially-formed perforations  36  in the housing of device  10 . 
         [0023]      FIGS. 3-4  illustrate some of heat-activated embodiments contemplated by the present invention. In these embodiments, a printed circuit board (PCB)  40  is disposed within the housing  34  of device  10 . PCB  40  typically includes one or more electronic components soldered or disposed on a surface  42  of PCB  40 . Such components include, but are not limited to, any of a variety of amplifiers, converters, and microprocessors. In this embodiment, for example, PCB  40  includes a signal-processing chip  44 . As is known in the art, one or more shields  48  may be used to electrically shield some of these electronic components on circuitry  14  to mitigate or prevent the effects of electronic interference within housing  34 . 
         [0024]    The signal-processing chip  44  and/or the shields  48  may include labels  50  that carry various information about the device  10  or the components. Typically, a manufacturer attaches the labels  50  to the signal-processing chip  44  and/or shields  48  during the manufacturing process for identification purposes, or to indicate the successful completion of a given quality control process. According to one embodiment of the present invention, an adhesive used to apply the label  50  to the signal-processing chip  44  and/or shields  48 . The adhesive may comprise a heat-activated scented adhesive compound that emits a scent whenever the heat radiated by the signal-processing chip  44  and/or shields  48  reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature. 
         [0025]      FIG. 4A  illustrates one embodiment, where a heat-activated scented adhesive compound  52  adheres a label  50  directly to an external surface of the signal-processing chip  44 .  FIG. 4B  illustrates another embodiment where a heat-activated scented adhesive compound adheres label  50  directly to an exterior surface of a shield  48  that substantially covers a portion of a transceiver circuit  54 . During periods of little or no use, the signal-processing chip  44 , the shield  48 , and the scented adhesive compound  52  remain below a predetermined temperature. Below such temperatures, the scented adhesive compound  52  remains inactive such that it does not emit a scent. During use, however, the signal-processing chip  44  and/or the shield  48  generate and radiate heat. Once the signal-processing chip  44  and/or the shield  48  reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature, the scented adhesive compound  52  is activated and releases a scent. 
         [0026]    The scented adhesive compound  52  may comprise any adhesive compound known in the art that is mixed or combined with one or more chemicals or compositions that release a scent or odor at a given temperature. In one embodiment, for example, an adhesive compound is mixed with any of a variety of commercially available fragrant essential oils. The oils may be extracted from natural objects such as flowers, artificially developed by mixing a plurality of oils or other fragrant substances, or synthetically produced using any means known in the art. In other embodiments, these oils are simply sprayed or spread over a surface of an adhesive compound prior to affixing the label  50  to the signal-processing chip  44  and/or the shield  48 . 
         [0027]    Those skilled in the art should note that the present invention does not require direct contact with an electronic component to activate heat-sensitive scented compounds. Nor does the present invention require that the heat-sensitive scented compound be an adhesive.  FIG. 5 , for example, illustrates another heat-activated embodiment wherein a non-adhesive scented tablet  56  inserts into a slot or opening  58  formed in the housing  34 . The scented tablet  56  may comprise a substantially rigid cake-like member having any of a variety of commercially available heat-sensitive fragrant oils. The opening  58  may be formed such that when the scented tablet  56  is inserted, it is proximate one or more electronic components of circuitry  14  without actually contacting the components. The heat radiated by the circuitry  14  may activate the scented tablet  56  as previously described. The released scent may then permeate through natural openings in the housing  34  and/or through the one or more perforations  36 . This particular embodiment offers an advantage in that a user may change the scented tablet  56  with any of a variety of different scented tablets  56  as needed or desired. 
         [0028]      FIGS. 6-7  illustrate an alternate embodiment wherein a scented adhesive compound  52  is used to adhere multiple layers of a keypad assembly  60  together. In this embodiment, the scented adhesive compound  52  is pressure-sensitive such that it releases a scent whenever a user presses a key on the keypad  18 . 
         [0029]    In this embodiment, the scented adhesive compound  52  contains a plurality of gelatinous or plastic globules, each of which may be a few microns in diameter. Each globule encapsulates a small amount of fragrant oil or other scent-bearing substance. Whenever the user presses a key, an activator contacts the scented adhesive compound  52 . This contact causes one or more of these globules rupture and release the scent. In some embodiments, a surface of the activator is slightly knurled or roughened such that it engages the scented adhesive compound  46  in frictional contact. This frictional contact ruptures one or more of the globules to release the scent 
         [0030]    Keypad assembly  60  comprises the PCB  40 , a dome cover sheet  70 , a mylar cover sheet  80 , and the keypad  18 . The scented adhesive compound  52  may be used to adhere each layer to one or more adjacent operational layers. PCB  40  includes a surface  43  that, in this embodiment, is opposite surface  42 . PCB surface  43  includes a plurality of conductive contacts  62  that operate as part of a switch to register key presses by the user. One or more contacts  62  may connect to adjacent contacts via a conductive trace  68 . Each contact  62  comprises an inner conductive trace  64  that is insulated from and concentrically oriented with respect to an outer conductive trace  66 . 
         [0031]    The dome cover sheet  70  comprises a plurality of conductive dome switches  74  adhered to a perforated sheet  72 . The dome cover sheet may be disposed between the PCB  40  and the mylar cover sheet  80 . Each dome switch  74  is generally concave shaped and is positioned on the perforated sheet  72  such that it aligns with the inner and outer conductive traces  64 ,  66  of a single contact  62 . Particularly, the peripheral edge of a given dome switch  74  aligns with, and remains in contact with, a corresponding outer conductive trace  66  on PCB surface  43 . A tip  72  formed on the interior of the dome switch  74  aligns with and is spaced above the inner conductive trace  64 . When a user presses a key, the corresponding dome switch  74  deforms such that the tip  76  is urged into contact with the inner conductive trace  64 . Upon contact, both the tip  76  and the peripheral edges of the dome switch  74  contacts the inner and outer conductive traces  64 ,  66 , respectively, to complete a circuit. This circuit completion is then registered as a key press. 
         [0032]    The mylar cover sheet  80  is disposed between the dome cover sheet  70  and the keypad  18 . The mylar cover sheet  80  may adhere to both the dome cover sheet  70  and the keypad  18  using the scented adhesive compound  52 . Mylar cover sheet  80  may comprise a perforated sheet  82  formed to include a plurality of flexible members  84 . Each flexible member  84  may include a tip  86  that is forced into contact with an apex of a corresponding dome switch  74  whenever a user presses a key on the keypad  18 . This contact causes the dome switch  74  to deform as previously described. 
         [0033]    According to one pressure-activated embodiment of the present invention, the dome cover sheet  70  comprises an activator  79  that frictionally engages the scented adhesive compound  52  whenever the user presses a key. This frictional contact on the scented adhesive compound  52  ruptures one or more of the globules in the scented adhesive compound  52 , and causes it to release a scent. 
         [0034]      FIGS. 7A-7B  illustrate an exemplary keypad assembly  60  in cross-section. For clarity,  FIGS. 7A-7B  illustrate a magnified view of a single dome switch  74 ; however, those skilled in the art will appreciate that these figures and corresponding description are equally applicable to the other dome switches  64 . 
         [0035]    As seen in  FIGS. 7A-7B , the dome sheet  70  includes one or more activators  79  formed on the perforated sheet  72 . As the dome switch  74  is deformed into contact with the inner conductive trace  64  ( FIG. 7B ), the activator  79  is forced into contact with a portion of the scented adhesive compound  52  that adheres the dome cover sheet  70  to the PCB  40 . This frictional contact with the scented adhesive compound  52  releases its corresponding scent. The scent may waft its way to the housing  34  via the perforations formed in the dome and mylar cover sheets  70 ,  80 , and exit the housing  34  as previously described. 
         [0036]    The previous embodiment disposes the scented adhesive compound  52  between the dome cover sheet  70  and the PCB surface  43 . However, those skilled in the art should appreciate that the scented adhesive layer  52  may adhere any of the layers of keypad assembly  60  together. Thus, the activator  79  is not confined only to being formed on the dome cover sheet  70 . In other embodiments, the mylar cover sheet  80  includes the activator  79  that frictionally contacts and activates the scented adhesive compound  52  disposed between the mylar cover sheet  80  and the dome cover sheet  70 . Likewise, the keys on the keypad  18  could include the activator  79  to frictionally contact and activate a scented adhesive compound  52  disposed between the keypad  18  and the mylar cover sheet  80 . 
         [0037]      FIGS. 8-9  illustrate another embodiment wherein the scented adhesive compound  52  adheres the dome cover sheet  60  to the PCB surface  43 . The scented adhesive compound  52  in this embodiment does not require heat or contact for activation. Rather, air is displaced from under the dome switch  74  whenever the user presses a key on the keypad  18 . As air moves across the scented adhesive compound  52 , small particles of the scented compound become entrained in the air flow. 
         [0038]    As seen in  FIG. 8 , the dome cover sheet  70  may include one or more air passages  78  that interconnect one or more of the dome switches  74 . A plurality of perforations  77  may be formed along one or more of the air passages  78 . The air passages  78  form a space between the scented adhesive compound  52  and the underside of the dome cover sheet  70  ( FIG. 9A ). Air within these passages  78  contacts the scented adhesive compound  52  and thus, freely mixes with the scent. 
         [0039]    As the dome switch  74  deforms in response to the user pressing a key, air is displaced from under the dome switch  74  and into the air passages  78  ( FIG. 9B ). This, in turn, forces the already-scented air within the passages  78  through the perforations  77  in the dome cover sheet  70 , and through perforations in the mylar cover sheet  80 . The scented air may then permeate through the housing  34  as previously described. 
         [0040]    Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that there are other methods by which to cause a scented compound to release its scent other than those methods explicitly described herein.  FIG. 10 , for example, illustrates an embodiment wherein a scented pad  90  is adhered to the exterior of the housing  34 . The scented pad  90  comprises a fragrant oil or aroma that may be activated whenever the user holds the device. In one embodiment, the scented pad  90  releases a scent responsive to the user&#39;s body heat. In another embodiment, the scented pad  90  is pressure-activated. Particularly, whenever the user grasps or holds the device, one or more of the globules rupture to release the scent. When the user is not holding the device, the scented pad  90  could cease from emitting a scent. 
         [0041]    In another embodiment, an electrical current is caused to flow through a scented compound disposed within the housing  34 . By way of example, the current may be generated only during predetermined events such as whenever the user transmits or receives a signal, speaks into microphone  22 , or listens to audible sound from speaker  20 . In these embodiments, the current may be drawn from transceiver  28  or audio I/O circuit  26 , for example, and applied to a scented compound. The current could heat the scented compound thereby causing it to release a scent. 
         [0042]    It should be noted that the description discusses the scent as being a fragrant aroma pleasing to the user. However, the scent need not be readily recognized as an aroma by the user. For example, the globules previously described may contain small amounts of pheromones that the user&#39;s olfactory senses may detect without actually being able to “smell” a particular aroma. In addition, the scented compound may be impregnated with a chemical detectable by insects. In such cases, the user may or may not be able to “smell” an aroma. 
         [0043]    The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other ways than those specifically set forth herein without departing from essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.