Patent Publication Number: US-2005136997-A1

Title: Wireless communication device

Description:
BACKGROUND  
      The present application is related, generally and in various embodiments, to a wireless communication device. There are many times throughout a day when a person cannot be reached via a landline telephone. To make themselves more accessible to others, many people now carry a wireless communication device such as a wireless telephone or a wireless pager with them. The wireless communication device is often clipped to a person&#39;s belt, carried in a pocket, or carried in a purse, a satchel, a backpack or a briefcase.  
      When a person who carries a wireless communication device cannot be reached via a landline telephone, they can often be reached by simply calling a number associated with the wireless communication device. When the call is connected to the wireless communication device, the wireless communication device typically generates a sound such as a ringing sound to alert the person that they are being called or paged.  
      To silence the sound generated by the wireless communication device, the person can answer the call, acknowledge the page, or turn off the wireless communication device. Unfortunately, such actions can take a relatively long time to carry out and there are times when it is desirous to quickly silence the sound generated by the wireless communication device.  
     SUMMARY  
      In one general respect, this application discloses embodiments of a wireless communication device. According to various embodiments, the wireless communication device includes a detector, a digital signal processor, and a controller coupled to the detector and the digital signal processor. The digital signal processor is for generating a ringing signal. The controller is for instructing the digital signal processor to terminate the ringing signal when the detector detects a blow to the wireless communication device.  
      In another general respect, this application discloses a method for terminating a ringing of a wireless communication device. According to various embodiments, the method includes detecting a blow to the wireless communication device, notifying a controller of the blow, and instructing a digital signal processor to terminate a ringing signal.  
      Other embodiments of the disclosed invention will be or become apparent to one skilled in the art upon review of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional embodiments be included within this description, be within the scope of the disclosed invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a simplified block diagram of a wireless communication device according to various embodiments; and  
       FIG. 2  illustrates various embodiments of a process flow for terminating a ringing of the wireless communication device of  FIG. 1 .  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the present invention have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the present invention, while eliminating, for purposes of clarity, other elements. For example, a modulator/demodulator, a coder/decoder, a display and a memory unit are not described or illustrated herein. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize, however, that these and other elements may be desirable. However, because such elements are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, a discussion of such elements is not provided herein.  
       FIG. 1  illustrates various embodiments of a wireless communication device  10 . According to various embodiments, the wireless communication device  10  is a wireless telephone. According to other embodiments, the wireless communication device  10  is a wireless pager.  
      The wireless communication device  10  includes a housing  12 . The housing  12  is fabricated from a plastic and serves to cover internal components of the wireless communication device  10  and protect them from exposure to the elements. The wireless communication device  10  also includes a transceiver  14 , a controller  16 , a digital signal processor  18 , a speaker  20  and a detector  22 . The transceiver  14 , the controller  16 , the digital signal processor  18 , the speaker  20  and the detector  22  are connected to a printed circuit board (not shown) positioned within the housing  12 .  
      The transceiver  14  is coupled to the controller  16  and includes a RF transmitter amplifier  24  coupled to the controller  16 , an RF receiver amplifier  26  coupled to the controller  16 , and an antenna  28  coupled to the RF transmitter amplifier  24  and the RF receiver amplifier  26 .  
      The digital signal processor  18  is coupled to the controller  16  and is for generating a ringing signal when an incoming call is connected to the wireless communication device  10 . As used herein, an incoming call refers to any incoming message such as a telephone call or a page. The speaker  20  is coupled to the digital signal processor  18  and is for converting the ringing signal generated by the digital signal processor  18  into a ringing sound that serves to alert a user of the wireless communication device  10  of an incoming call. The detector  22  is coupled to the controller  14  and is for detecting a blow delivered to the wireless communication device  10 .  
      The controller  16  is a microcontroller that serves to control and coordinate the functionality of the wireless communication device  10 . The controller  16  is for instructing the digital signal processor  18  to terminate the ringing signal when the detector  22  detects a blow delivered to the wireless communication device  10 .  
      According to various embodiments, the detector  22  includes a normally-open switch that closes when a blow is delivered to the wireless communication device  10 . The closing of the normally-open switch electrically connects the detector  22  to the controller  16  and serves to notify the controller  16  that the detector  22  has detected a blow delivered to the wireless communication device  10 .  
      According to various embodiments, the detector  22  includes a normally-closed switch that opens when a blow is delivered to the wireless communication device  10 . The opening of the normally-closed switch electrically disconnects the detector  22  from the controller  16  and serves to notify the controller  16  that the detector  22  has detected a blow delivered to the wireless communication device  10 .  
      According to various embodiments, the detector  22  includes a momentary switch that momentarily makes or breaks an electrical connection between the detector  22  and the controller  16  when a blow is delivered to the wireless communication device  10 . The momentary making or breaking of the electrical connection between the detector  22  and the controller  16  serves to notify the controller  16  that the detector  22  has detected a blow delivered to the wireless communication device  10 .  
      According to various embodiments, the detector  22  includes an inertia switch that makes or breaks an electrical connection between the detector  22  and the controller  16  when a blow is delivered to the wireless communication device  10 .  
      According to various embodiments, the detector  22  includes an omnidirectional switch that is equally sensitive in all directions and can detect a blow delivered to the wireless communication device  10  from any direction.  
      According to various embodiments, the sensitivity of the detector  22  is fixed. For such embodiments, the detector  22  recognizes a blow delivered to the wireless communication device  10  when the blow imparts a force greater than a predetermined threshold, but does not recognize a blow delivered to the wireless communication device  10  when the blow imparts a force less than the predetermined threshold. According to other embodiments, the sensitivity of the detector  22  is adjustable in that the predetermined threshold can be set higher or lower at any time.  
      According to various embodiments, the detector  22  is a solid-state accelerometer that makes or breaks an electrical connection between the detector  22  and the controller  16  when a blow is delivered to the wireless communication device  10 . According to various embodiments, the detector  22  is a single-axis accelerometer. According to other embodiments, the detector  22  is a dual-axis accelerometer. According to yet other embodiments, the detector  22  is a tri-axis accelerometer.  
       FIG. 2  illustrates various embodiments of a process flow for terminating a ringing of the wireless communication device  10 . The process begins at block  40 , where the digital signal processor  16  generates a ringing signal to alert a user of the wireless communication device  10  when an incoming call is connected to the wireless communication device  10 .  
      From block  40 , the process advances to block  42 , where a blow is delivered to the wireless communication device  10 . According to various embodiments, a user of the wireless communication device  10  delivers the blow to the wireless communication device  10  by striking, slapping, smacking or shaking the wireless communication device  10 .  
      From block  42 , the process advances to block  44 , where the detector  22  detects the blow delivered to the wireless communication device  10  and makes or breaks an electrical connection between the detector  22  and the digital signal processor  18 . From block  44 , the process advances to block  46 , where the controller  16  is notified that the detector  22  has detected the blow delivered to the wireless communication device  10 .  
      From block  46 , the process advances to block  48 , where the controller  16  transmits an instruction to the digital signal processor  18  to terminate the ringing signal. From block  48 , the process advances to block  50 , where the digital signal processor  18  receives the instruction from the controller  16  and terminates the ringing signal in response thereto. When the ringing signal is terminated, the ringing sound produced by the speaker  20  is silenced.  
      While several embodiments of the disclosed invention have been described, it should be apparent, however, that various modifications, alterations and adaptations to those embodiments may occur to persons skilled in the art with the attainment of some or all of the advantages of the disclosed invention. For example, according to various embodiments, the controller  16 , the digital signal processor  18 , the speaker  20  and the detector  22  comprise a portion of a device such as a walkie-talkie, a portable radio, an alarm clock, etc. For such embodiments, the digital signal processor  18  is for generating an alarm signal and the controller  16  is for instructing the digital signal processor  18  to terminate the alarm signal when the detector  22  detects a blow to the device. Thus, for any device that includes the controller  16 , the digital signal processor  18 , the speaker  20  and the detector  22 , the ringing or alarm sound emanating from the speaker  20  can be silenced by simply delivering a blow to the device. It is therefore intended to cover all such modifications, alterations and adaptations without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosed invention as defined by the appended claims.