GB2358315A - Mobile telephone handset has antenna adjacent mouthpiece - Google Patents

Abstract

A mobile telephone 19 comprising a housing 20 containing telephone control electronics and an antenna 26, where the antenna is located at a lower or bottom end of the housing adjacent the mouthpiece. This reduces the amount of radiation exposed to the brain during the use of the phone. The antenna can also be mounted internally at the lower end of the phone.

Description

2358315 A MOBILE TELEPHONE This invention relates to mobile hand portable

telephones.

Mobile telephones send and receive information by receiving and emitting radio waves, typically micro waves, via various cellular telecommunications networks, such as PACS, GSM, and CDMA, etc. A typical mobile phone is shown in Figure 1. This has a housing 10 that contains telephone -control electronics. The housing 10 is adapted so that sound can be transmitted to the 10 user through an opening 12 in its upper end 13 and sound can be transmitted from the user through its lower end 14. Extending upwardly from the top end 13 of the housing 10 is an antenna 16 that is connected to the internal electronics for receiving and transmitting radio waves. 15 Mobile telephones are used extensively nowadays, with usage in the UK being particularly prevalent. There is, however, concern that such phones may cause brain damage. It is suspected that this may be because the telephone, and in particular the antenna, is held in close proximity to the user's brain when the radio waves are transmitted. 20 In order to overcome this problem, some mobile telephones are provided with a socket to receive a cable that is connected to a receiver-microphone kit having an ear piece and a mouth piece. Rather than using the mobile phone directly, the kit is connected to the telephone and the user listens to the kit earpiece and 25 talks into the kit mouthpiece. In this way the user can put the mobile telephone itself in, for example, his pocket. Hence, the telephone is not located near the user's head in use and so any risk of damage to the brain can be avoided. A 2 disadvantage of this is, however, that in addition to having to store the mobile telephone, the user also has to store and carry the receiver-microphone kit.

An object of the present invention is to providea mobile telephone that re(lu i Ces l the risk of damage to the brain of the user, whilst being compact, simph ind easy to use.

According to the present invention there is provided a mobile teleph(')ne comprising a housing for containing telephone control electronics and an antenna for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves, wherciii the antenna is located at a lower or bottom end of the housing.

The lower or bottom end of the housing i's remote from the part of the hoi isiffig that the user puts to his ear when the phone is bein a used.

An advantage of the phone in which the invention is embodied is that ithe antenna, which receives and radiates radio waves is located remotely ofihe user's brain in use.

Preferably, the antenna extends downwardly away from the lower end c f the housing. The antenna may extend from a side portion of the lower end c f, the housing.

A mobile telephone in which the invention is embodied will now be described by way of example only and with reference to 'Figure 2 of the accompaiiy,, ing drawings.

h i i 3 Figure 2 shows a front view of a mobile hand portable telephone having a housing 20, on which are provided a display 22 and, under the display, a keypad 24 for dialling numbers. Contained within the housing 20 and connected to the display 22 and keypad 24 are electronics for controlling the telephone. These electronics may be of any suitable design and will not be described further.

Extending downwardly from a lower or bottom end of the housing is an antenna 26, which is also connected to the internal electronics. As is standard, the antenna is used for receiving and emitting radio wave signals. Signals received at the antenna are processed in any suitable manner and emitted as sound through an opening 28 located at the upper end 30 of the housing 20. This opening is positioned remotely from the antenna 26. In order to allow sound signals from the user to be sent, the housing 20 is adapted so that sound from the user can be transmitted through its lower end 32. This sound is processed, again, in any suitable manner and the information is transmitted via the antenna 26.

When the mobile phone 19 of Figure 2 is used, the user holds it so that the upper end 30, from which sound is transmitted, is positioned near his ear. Since the antenna 26 is at the other end of the housing 20, this means that the antenna 26 is positioned remotely from the user's ear and so his brain. Hence, harmful radiation that may be focused on the telephone antenna is located away from the user's brain.

As will be appreciated, the principles of the invention, which have been disclosed by way of example only, can be implemented in various ways. Those skilled in the art will readily recognise that modifications and changes can be 4 made and it is not necessary to follow the strictly exemplary appll(,ax, ions illustrated and described herein.

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Claims (5)

1. Claims 1. A mobile hand portable telephone comprising a housing for

   containing telephone control electronics and an antenna for transmitting and, 5 preferably, receiving electromagnetic waves, wherein the antenna is located at a lower or bottom end of the housing.
2. 2. A mobile hand portable telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna extends downwardly away from the lower end of the housing.
3. 3. A mobile hand portable telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna extends from a side portion of the lower end of the housing.
4. 4. A mobile hand portable telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna is located internally of the housing.
5. 5. A mobile hand portable telephone substantially as described hereinbefore and/or as shown in Figure 2.