MXPA97008893A - Magnetic communication system of short ftaa - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wireless short-range inductive communications system, comprising: (A) a base unit, which includes: an input of the base unit to receive first signals, an output of the base unit for the output of second signals, and a transducer system of the base unit that includes (i) three orthogonal transducers, (ii) a selector, connected to said input and to the three orthogonal transducers, to selectively energize at least one of the three orthogonal transducers to generate a first inductive field based on said first signals, and (iii) a receiver, connected to said output and to the three orthogonal transducers, to receive a second inductive field in at least one of the three orthogoanal transducers and to convert the second inductive field within of said second signals, and (B) a portable unit disposed away from the base unit and within the first inductive field generated by the unit. base, the portable unit that includes: an input of the portable unit to receive third signals, an output of the portable unit for the output of fourth signals, a transducer of the portable unit consisting of a single transducer, and a transducer system of the portable unit connected to said single transducer, at the entrance of the portable unit and at the output of the portable unit, the transducer system of the portable unit for generating said second inductive field based on said third signals so that the base unit is inside the second inductive field and to receive the first inductive field via the single transducer and convert the first inductive field into said fourth signals, wherein the base unit and the portable unit operate so that the first and second inductive fields are generated and converted concurrently, and where the transducer system selector of the base unit operates in connection with the transducer single and transducer system of the portable unit to select the at least one orthogonal transducer, so that the first and second inductive fields are received regardless of the relative positions and orientations of the portable unit and the unit

Description

SHORT SCOPE MAGNETIC COMMUNICATION SYSTEM Background of the Invention 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to short-range wireless communication systems, and more particularly, to systems using inductive coupling. 2. Discussion of Related Technique When using a telephone, continually stopping the headset in a person's ear can be annoying. Also, stopping the phone interferes with the use of both hands for another job while trying to talk. In particular, the use of cell phones, which has increased dramatically, may interfere with the proper operation by the user of a car. Different techniques have been used to overcome these difficulties. The speakers allow you to talk while you are walking around a room, and you are using your hands. However, the volume of the speaker can disturb others around the user. Neither can they be used in close proximity to other speakers, due to interference. They have a limited privacy, since the horn spreads the conversation towards all those who are nearby. Typically, the user must speak louder than normal to have an appropriate reception in the microphone. Also, they tend to have poor sound quality, because the user is not near the microphone, and the acoustics in the room is poor. Headphones have been another way to free the user's hands from a telephone. Typically, the headset includes an adjustable strap that extends through the user's head to hold the headset in place, at least one hearing aid being located in the user's ear, and a microphone extending from the headset of the headset. head along and around the user's face, to be placed in front of the user's mouth. The headset is connected by a wire to the phone. Headphones have the disadvantages of being bulky and a bit annoying to use. Although they allow the use of the phone to free monkeys, the user has limited mobility due to the connection wire. Wireless headsets have also been developed that eliminate the connection wire with the telephone. The wireless headset uses radiofrequency (RF) technology or infrared technology to communicate between the headset and a base unit connected to the phone. The need for communication circuits and sufficient power to communicate with the base unit increases the volume and weight of the headset. This increased weight can be tiring for the user. An alternative has been to connect the headset via a wire to a transmitter unit used in the user's belt. As with wired headsets, the wire can become inconvenient and interfere with other user actions. Significant interference rejection circuits are also needed, when multiple wireless headsets are used in close proximity. Accordingly, a wireless communication system for telephones is desired, which provides greater convenience and comfort for the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The deficiencies of the prior art systems are overcome by the present invention which, in one aspect, includes a short range wireless communication system, which includes a miniaturized portable transmitter / receiver, and a transmitter / receiver. of base unit. The miniaturized portable transmitter / receiver sends and receives information through magnetic induction to the base unit, which can also be portable. In a similar manner, the base unit sends and receives information through magnetic induction to the portable transmitter / receiver. The information can be voice, data, music, or video. The use of magnetic induction fields reduces the power requirements, and therefore, allows for a smaller size and greater convenience. In another aspect of the present invention, the base unit may include multiple transducers orthogonally configured to generate multiple magnetic fields. The multiple fields substantially eliminate the mutual inductance gaps between the base unit and the portable unit, which result in certain positions of a generated field. In another aspect of the present invention, the multiple transducers can be operated selectively, based on a stronger signal, in order to limit energy consumption. In another aspect of the present invention, a headset contains the miniaturized transmitter / receiver, which communicates with the base unit through magnetic induction fields. The information sent between the headset and the base unit can be voice or data. In another aspect of the present invention, the headset may be of the shell type, where the speaker fits into the user's ear without a strap through the head, and the transmitter / receiver transducer is encapsulated in the microphone, which is short and straight along the user's cheek. In another aspect of the invention, the base unit can be a portable telephone, which can be connected to the user, to further transmit communications from the wireless communication system to a cellular telephone network or a wireless telephone unit. In another aspect of the invention, the headset can be fitted in a receptacle on the portable base unit, for the purpose of recharging the headset battery. In another aspect of the invention, the battery can be recharged by means of a magnetic inductive link between the base unit and the headset. With these and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention, which may become apparent, the nature of the invention can be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description of the invention, the appended claims, and the various drawings attached to this.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 schematically illustrates the wireless communication system of the present invention. Figure 2 illustrates a hand-held telephone headset as the base unit in the communication system of Figure 1. Figure 3 illustrates a headset that is used as the portable device in the communication system of Figure 1. Figure 4 schematically illustrates the transducer and the electronics of the portable device. Figure 5 schematically illustrates the transducer and electronics of the base unit. Figure 6 illustrates an alternative transducer configuration for base unit.

Detailed Description Figure 1 schematically illustrates a short-range magnetic communication system 1, including a portable device 2 and a base unit 1, which is connected to a long-range communication network 14. Contained within each of the unit base 1 and portable device 2, there is a short-range miniaturized magnetic induction transmitter / receiver 11, 12, which can simultaneously transmit and receive communication signals 13. These signals can be voice, audio, data or video.

The communication network 14 may be any network where it is desirable for these signals to be communicated over a terminal link without wires, such as a telephone network, a personal communication network (PCS), a special mobile radio network (SMR), a computer system or network, and video conferencing systems. The base unit 1 may be any part of the communication network 14, from which it would be desirable to communicate with another device without wires: for example it may be a hand-held telephone handset, a hand-held PCS handset, a hand-held SMR handset, a hand-held wallet. -talkie, a computer or peripheral computer devices, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a video game controller. The portable device 2 can be any device from which it is desirable to communicate without wires to a communications network: for example it can be a headset or manual telephone, a laptop or peripheral computer device, a hearing aid, or a video input device. As illustrated in Figure 2, an example of the base unit 1 is a portable telephone 10 having a plurality of number buttons 15, and a plurality of function buttons 16. A retractable antenna 17 communicates with a telephone network cellular or with a cordless phone base unit. The portable telephone 10 operates in a manner similar to that of an ordinary hand-held cellular or wireless telephone handset. The signals are sent to, and received from, the telephone network in an ordinary manner. The portable telephone 10 includes a transducer system 30 communicating by magnetic induction with the headset 20, which operates as the portable device 2, to provide the outputs and inputs to the portable telephone 10. The portable telephone 10 may also include a piece for the mouth or an ear piece (not shown) as in a regular telephone handset, which allows the user to choose between a conventional method of operation and the hands-free use provided by the headset 20. portable device 2 as a headset 20, is more fully illustrated in Figure 3. This includes a body portion 23 that houses a transducer 40 and processing circuits. A horn 22 is connected to the circuits inside the body 23. A listening piece 21 next to the horn 22, fits in the user's ear, to stop the unit in place, and to allow the user to hear the sounds from the Horn. A microphone 24 extends from the body 23 several centimeters, in order to place a microphone 25, located at the end of the rod 24, near the mouth of the user. In an alternative way, the transducer 40 can be accommodated in the rod 24. A rechargeable battery 51 is also housed in the body 23 of the headset 20 to provide power to the headset. Other features may optionally be included in the headset 20, such as a switch or buttons to manually activate different modes. For example, a capacitive switch or a push button could be caused to cause the headset 20 to transmit a control signal to the portable telephone 10, to activate the muting of the microphone. The portable telephone 10 may include a receptacle 19 for receiving and stopping the headset 20. The headset reservoir in the receptacle may provide a variety of functions, in addition to maintaining the headset 20 and the telephone 10 portable together. A switch may be provided in the receptacle to terminate telecommunication when the headset 20 is inserted, or initiate telecommunication when it is removed. The receptacle may also include connections for recharging the battery 51 in the headset 20. The base unit 1 and the portable device 2 communicate through modulated amplitude of inductive fields, although other methods of modulation could be employed, such as frequency or phase modulation. During use, the distance between the portable device 2 and the base unit 1 is typically short. Since the distance is short, only an inductive field is needed, and little or no radiation is present. This limits the operational power, which allows having a smaller size and weight for the rechargeable battery 51, and consequently 51, and consequently, for the portable device 2. Moreover, it limits the interference between the systems operating in close proximity. Accordingly, the interference rejection circuits may be limited, or may not be necessary in the portable device 2. The transducer system of the portable device 2 is illustrated schematically in Figure 4. The transducer 40 preferably includes a transducer rod. ferrite having a ferrite rod 41 inside a wire coil 42. The wires from the transducer 40 are connected to a transmitter / receiver 27, which has the electronics of the transmitter 28 and the electronics of the receiver 29. The transmitter / receiver 27 it is connected to the electronics of the portable device 26, the nature of which depends on the function of the portable device 2. In the example of the portable device such as a headset 20, the electronics of the portable device would be connected to a speaker 22 and a microphone 25. Transmission and reception can occur at different frequencies, which allows full duplex operation. Alternatively, separate transducers can be used to transmit and receive. The configuration of the base unit 1 is illustrated schematically in Figure 5. The transducer system 30 includes three ferrite rod transducers orthogonally arranged, each including a ferrite rod 31, 32, 33, and a respective coil 34, 35 , and 36. The use of orthogonally arranged transducers overcomes the presentation of mutual inductance gaps in the resulting inductive fields. The three transducers are connected to the electronics of the multiplexer 60 to select one or more of the transducers for transmission and reception. Circuits can be used to select the transducer or transducers that have the strongest signal for transmission and reception, in order to reduce the total energy consumption of the device. The electronics of the transmitter 61 and the electronics of the receiver 62 provide the prsing of the communication signals from the electronics of the base unit 70 b and the portable device 2. As discussed above, for a portable telephone 10, can be eliminated to conventional telephone horn 71 and the mouth piece 72, in such a way that the portable telephone 10 exclusively uses the headset 20 through the transducer system to communicate with the user. Switching circuits (not shown) would be included to select between the horn 71 and the microphone 72, and the headset 20. The switching circuits could be included in the receptacle 19, such that the horn 71 and the microphone 72 are disconnected when the headset 20 is removed. Figure 6 illustrates a second embodiment of the transducer system for the base unit 1. In the transducer 30 of Figure 6, one of the ferrite rod transducers is replaced with a coiled coil transducer 37. A coiled coil transducer can replace any or all ferrite rod transducers. The wound coil transducer 37 is disposed in the plane of the remaining ferrite rod transducers. This creates a transducer system that has a lower depth. As illustrated in Figure 2, the three orthogonal transducers can be placed in a corner along the sides of the portable telephone 10. Alternatively, the coiled transducer 37 could be placed along the back of the portable telephone 10, in such a way that it can be made thinner. Additionally, the transmission system can be used to charge the battery 51 of the portable device 2. The base unit 1 includes a signal generator of the battery charger 52 connected to the transmitter 61. This generator 52 produces a recharge signal that is sent through one of the ferrite rod transducers in the base unit 1 to the ferrite rod transducer 40 of the portable device 2. As in the telephone mode of Figure 2, the headset 20 and the transducer 40 have a known orientation when they are in the receptacle 19, only one transducer needs to be energized in the portable telephone 10 to inductively transmit the recharge signal. As illustrated in Figure 3, the wires from the transducer 40 in the portable device 2 are connected to a battery charger 50, which is used to charge the battery 51. Although the communication system of the present invention has been illustrated in relation to a shell-type headset 20 and a wireless or cellular hand-held telephone headset 10 as a base unit 1, it can be easily adapted for other types of headsets and uses. The headset can be of the type that goes over the head, of the type that goes over the ear, or of the binaural type. The system can be used as a wireless connection with a conventional desk phone. This system would operate in the manner discussed above with the wireless hand-held headset. Since several of these units can be used in close proximity, interference can become a problem. Accordingly, the system can be designed to operate at different frequencies, and can select frequencies for transmission and reception that are not likely to have significant interference. In a similar way, the system can be used with a computer, either stationary or portable, for the input of voice data, sound transmission and telephone functions. The system can also be used with other types of communication systems, including personal digital assistants (PDA), PCS cordless phones and SMR cell phones, two-way video games, two-way duplex walkie-talkies, CBs or duplex phones complete two-way. When the base unit is stationary, and the user is likely to be in certain places in relation to the base unit, fewer transducers can be used in the base unit without encountering mutual inductance gaps. Alternative transducer systems can also be used to generate the inductive fields. In a specific way instead of a single transducer for transmission and reception at different frequencies, separate transducers can be used. Having thus described an illustrative embodiment of the invention, those skilled in the art will readily be able to think of different alterations, modifications, and improvements. It is intended that these alterations, modifications, and improvements are within the spirit and scope of the invention. In accordance with the foregoing, the foregoing description is by way of example only, and is not intended as a limitation. The invention is limited only as defined in the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims (21)

1. A communication system, which comprises: a base unit, which includes: a base unit input to input first signals, an output of the base unit to produce second signals, and a transducer system of the base unit that has at least three orthogonal transducers, a selection element connected to the input, and orthogonal transducers to selectively energize at least one of the orthogonal transducers, in order to generate a first inductive field based on the first signals, and a receiving element connected to the output, and orthogonal transducers to receive a second inductive field on at least one of the orthogonal transducers, and to convert the second inductive field in the second signals; a portable unit, positioned away from the base unit and inside the first inductive field, which includes: an input of the portable unit for entering third signals, an output of the portable unit for producing fourth signals, and a transducer system of the unit portable connected to the input of the portable unit, to generate the second inductive field, based on the third signals, in such a way that the base unit remains inside the second inductive field, and connects with the output of the portable unit, to convert the first inductive field in the fourth signals, - and where the transducer system of the base unit and the transducer system of the portable unit operate in such a way that the first inductive field and the second inductive field are generated and converted in a manner concurrent, and wherein the selection element of the transducer system of the base unit operates in connection with the transducer system of the portable unit for to select at least one orthogonal transducer, in such a way that the first inductive field and the second inductive field are received independently of the relative positions and orientations of the portable unit and the base unit.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the base unit is connected to a communication network for inputting the first signals from, and for outputting the second signals towards, the communication network.

3. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the portable unit is a headset, wherein the input of the portable unit is a microphone, and wherein the output of the portable unit is a speaker.

The communication system of claim 1, wherein the first inductive field includes a first carrier frequency, and wherein the second inductive field includes a second carrier frequency having a frequency different from the first carrier frequency.

The communication system of claim 1, wherein the transducer system of the base unit includes at least three orthogonal transmitter transducers to generate the first inductive field, and at least three orthogonal receiver transducers to convert the second inductive field into the second signs.

The communication system of claim 1, wherein the transducer system of the portable unit includes a transducer of the transmitter for generating the second inductive field, and a transducer of the receiver for converting the first inductive field into the fourth signals.

7. A method for communicating with a communication network, the method comprising the steps of: inputting first signals from a communications network, - selectively applying the first signals to at least one transducer of a transducer system having at least three orthogonal transducers to generate a first inductive field, based on the first signals; convert the first inductive field into the second signals, - receive the third signals, - generate a second inductive field based on the third signals, - selectively receive the second inductive field on at least one of the orthogonal transducers of the transducer system, to convert the second inductive field in the fourth signals; and produce the fourth signals to the communications network.

The method of claim 7, wherein the second signals are sounds.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the third signals are sounds.

The method of claim 7, wherein the communication network is a telephone system.

The method of claim 7, wherein the communication network is a cellular telephone system.

12. A communication system, which comprises: a base unit, which includes: an input of the base unit for inputting first signals, an output of the base unit for producing second signals, and a transducer system of the base unit connected to the base unit; input to generate a first inductive field based on the first signals, and connected to the output, to convert a second inductive field into the second signals; a portable unit, disposed away from the base unit and within the first inductive field, which includes: an input of the portable unit for entering third signals, an output of the portable unit for producing fourth signals, and a transducer system of the unit portable that has at least one element of selection of three orthogonal transducers, connected to the input of the portable unit, and orthogonal transducers to selectively energize at least one of the orthogonal transducers, in order to generate the second inductive field based on the third signals, and a receiving element connected to the output of the portable unit and orthogonal transducers, to receive the first inductive field on at least one of the orthogonal transducers, and to convert the first inductive field into the fourth signals; and wherein the transducer system of the base unit and the transducer system of the portable unit operates in such a way that the first inductive field and the second inductive field are generated and converted in a concurrent manner, and wherein the system selection element The transducer of the portable unit operates in connection with the transducer system of the base unit, to select at least one orthogonal transducer, in such a way that the first inductive field and the second inductive field are received independently of the relative positions and orientations of the transducer. the portable unit and the base unit.

13. A communication system, which comprises: a base unit that communicates with a communication network, which includes: an input of the base unit for inputting first signals from the communications network; and a transducer system of the base unit, which has at least three orthogonal transducers to generate a first inductive field, based on the first signals, - a portable unit, located away from the base unit and within the first inductive field, which includes : a transducer system of the portable unit, for converting the first inductive field into fourth signals, independently of the relative positions between the portable unit and the base unit, and an output of the portable unit connected to the transducer system of the portable unit, to produce the fourth signals, - where the three orthogonal transducers eliminate the mutual inductance gaps.

The communication system of claim 13, wherein the communication network is a telephone system.

The method of claim 13, wherein the communication network is a cellular telephone system.

16. The communication system of claim 13, wherein the base transducer system includes at least one ferrite rod transducer. The communications system of claim 13, wherein the base transducer system includes at least one coiled transducer. The communications system of claim 13, wherein the portable unit comprises a headset transducer system, which has at least one ferrite rod transducer. The communications system of claim 13, wherein the base unit further includes a receptacle for connecting the portable unit to the base unit. The communication system of claim 13, wherein the receptacle includes an element for disconnecting the base unit from the communication network when the portable unit is connected to the base unit. The communication system of claim 13, further comprising a charger element for charging a battery in the portable unit, when the portable unit is connected to the base unit.