WO2006037814A2

WO2006037814A2 - Personal communications device

Info

Publication number: WO2006037814A2
Application number: PCT/EP2005/055115
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stephen Antony Tombs
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-10-08
Filing date: 2005-10-07
Publication date: 2006-04-13
Anticipated expiration: 2007-04-08
Also published as: GB2419058A; GB0422356D0; WO2006037814A3

Abstract

An earpiece unit (35) and a microphone unit (36) communicate wirelessly with an antenna unit (37) which is worn on the users' wrist and which enables connection to the Public Switched Telephone Network. Hand contact with a touch-sensitised area of the microphone unit establishes an automatic link to a suitable voice-driven operating system which is housed in a call-switching centre. The units employ microminiature internal components, can be worn about the user in the form of a co-ordinated jewellery or body-adornment set, and do not require a display screen or keypad. Extra matching units are available for users requiring video-capture/playback, graphics or text-based functionality. Earpieces can be of a type for pierced or non-pierced ears, or of a hook-around design.

Description

Personal Communications Device

The invention relates to personal communication devices and in particular, but not exclusively, to a wirelessly-commumcatmg multiple-unit device which when used with a suitable voice-driven operating system enables personal mobile telephone communications without the need for a keypad, display screen, buttons or external wiring, the main user-carried parts of which can be worn in the form of a co-ordinated jewellery set

When making or answering calls on a standard mobile telephone, users are sometimes distracted from what they were previously doing Much concern has also been expressed by consumers over the possible dangers of near-microwave emissions, close proximity of which to the brain is necessitated by the users^' requirement to hold the antenna close to the side of the head Hands-free kits have so far proved impractical, largely because of ^'invasive earpiece designs and their associated external wiring, whilst other systems with wireless-relay require the user to carry a standard mobile 'phone, to and from which the signals are to be relayed

Most mobile 'phones also distract those around the user, the intrusive and annoying ringtone often cited as the main offender, while one particularly distracting feature of current mobile phone usage from the users^" perspective is the time and concentration required to read and more especially to write, SMS or text messages The decreasing dimensions of ^'phones has made text message-writing an ever more ^'fiddly affair, though the minimum size of all keypads is now dictated more by the size of the human thumb than by any advances in miniaturisation on the part of manufacturers Likewise the minimum size of display screens incorporated into most mobile phones is dependent upon the design limitations of the human eye rather than upon any restrictions imposed by available technology.

Mobile ^'phones are notoriously prone to theft due to their vulnerability to re- programming for new and illegitimate use, and because the single self-contained hand-held-unit design to which most currently-used ^'phones conform can make them an irresistible temptation to opportunist thieves who exploit the fact that a valuable, single-snatch target is completely unattached to the owner, while for the same reason all hand-held devices are prone to being dropped or mislaid.

If a user does drop a ^"phone it can be damaged beyond repair and if a ^'phone is contaminated by water or by some other liquid, again the device can be rendered unserviceable. The need to replace lost, damaged or stolen ^"phones is a costly business.' Phone replacement also requires the user to re-learn the various styles or modes of operation of successive generations of technology or differing manufacturers^' models.

Upon purchase, many mobile^" users are confronted by a plurality of expensive advanced features which they might rarely, if ever, use and which serve merely to confuse the user and provide yet more distractions whilst placing excessive demands on the devices^' battery should their functions be employed. Poor battery life is a major problem with the most advanced, latest-generation ^"phones. Also, the longevity of a current devices^' internal component parts far surpasses that of its ^'fashion credibility^", resulting in a wasteful use of resources and ^'phones which experience only brief appearances as fashion items before being relegated to the league of the purely-functional, seeing out the remainders of their relatively short-lived existences hidden in pockets and handbags. To overcome these problems, the invention proposes a device which comprises a plurality of discrete wirelessly-connected component units which are adapted to be worn on or about the body of a user Said units may include an earpiece unit, a microphone unit, and/or an antenna unit, which between them, when activated, can provide an automatic, suitably-networked mobile connection to a remote, centralised control- box unit which can be housed at a call-switching centre The primary user-carried units can be worn as part of a body-adornment or jewellery set and may require only a single activation by the user in order to facilitate a connection to the Public Switched Telephone Network

Once connected to the call-switching centre, a user could then request the various menu options available to them by means of voice-commands Appropriate voice or sound recognition equipment housed in the call centre could perform all necessary menu functions, including automatic name-activated phonebook dialling, leaving the user free from unnecessary distractions or disability Incoming messages or calls can automatically alert the user and again a single action on the users' part may be all that would be required to accept a call Upon call-termination, another single action could deactivate the device

The device may provide a very basic and simple-to-operate telephone, free from unnecessary features, but which could cater for even the most advanced mobile¹- based features by providing extra components which could be made available for purchase to those who required them, such as TFT or colour LCD displays with built-in video-recording/playback and messaging features Internet connectivity etc leaving those users who require a mobile 'phone primarily for making and receiving calls, free to purchase only those components that the basic two-touch call making/taking function requires These extra units could also be look-co-ordinated with ladies' units having the appearance and dimensions of e.g. a matching compact, and gents' units e.g. having the appearance and dimensions of a cigarette case.

By separating the components, e.g. ear-speaker and transceiver antenna, and housing them in discrete units which intercommunicate wirelessly, the invention may remove from the user the requirement to hold the near-microwave frequency antenna close to the head during calls. The earpiece receiver and microphone transmitter could communicate by any appropriate method of signalling which is able to provide less exposure to near-microwave radiation for the user than a standard mobile telephone would permit.

Intrusive ringtone alerts could be engineered-out of the system, being replaced by a more discreet alert system such as in-ear signalling and/or bracelet vibration.

With regard to SMS messaging, the invention proposes to replace, or at least to complement, text-based telephone messaging, with short voice-recorded messages. However, an inexpensive separate text-only pad with a simple LCD display screen could be included or added to the inventions¹ primary components while text- messaging remains popular. A more advanced service could be provided to the user whereby voice-recognition technology can take a dictated text message and also read incoming texts to the user by means of speech-synthesis technology, freeing the user form the need to read or write text-based messages altogether.

For users who do prefer standard texting, available text-pads for the invention can be of various sizes, each of which meets the needs of individual users. This component unit could also a be a self-contained unit with its own power source, which could be activated from the call-centres' control-box by the voice-command of the user of the invention. The unit could receive communications via radio signals which could be relayed to its own, in-built signal-reception equipment via the user-worn antenna unit. The same system of activation and communication can also be used by more advanced display screen component units which could provide graphically- intensive functions.They could be of a stylus and/or touch-sensitised screen operation to provide a 'buttons-free' feature which could be reflected throughout the component units of the the invention as a whole. These units also could be separately-powered and self-contained and could allow for larger display screens to be used than those found on standard mobile 'phones. The antenna unit could also provide a simple wireless-relayed internet connection for notebook PCs, or permit a unit in the form of a PDA to establish a telephone connection for import/export of data, without the need for such a PDA unit to be equipped with its own incorporated near-microwave frequency antenna.

One of the advantages of a multiple-unit, user-worn device, over the standard single- unit design of mobile telephones which requires the device to be carried by the user, is that it is less tempting to an opportunist thief, the lure of a single, easily-snatched target no longer being present. Moreover, if a device were to be stolen, if the thief (or indeed, any unauthorised user) attempted to activate it, voice-recognition technology employed at the call-centre could detect the unauthorised users' voice patterns and automatically suspend all services to the offending device, services being resumed only when the systems' original voice-recognised user re-activates the device. Legitimate transference of ownership or use of a device from one person to another could be a simple procedure involving the current user introducing a new users' voice to the operating control via the menu.

There may be many other advantages to using voice-recognition technology to drive the devices' functions, but it should be noted that the invention prefers manual activation of the device, as opposed to voice-'activation' , as some voice-activation systems can be unreliable due to their default programming for the acceptance of only fixed- command operator-instructions. This system of operation often requires supplemental technology to enable a wider range of command-recognition due to variations in the individual pronunciation, inflection or dialect of multiple users. The system preferred by the invention could employ a spectrometric voice-analysis program which permits a single recognised user, or multiple nominees, to select or alter function commands as and when they desire. Also, as this technology is concerned primarily with how a word sounds rather than what a word is, it may provide an operating-system free from the language, dialect and accent-related problems that are common to many fixed- command recognition devices, thereby making it perfectly suited for use by those with speech-related impediments or difficulties.

Over time, a preferred system could 'learn¹ a users' personal voice range, gradually extending the scope of acceptable commands from its authorised users and lessening the possibilities of any erroneous interpretations.

A device worn about the user maybe less likely to be mislaid or dropped than a standard- design mobile 'phone and less likely to be damaged if it is dropped. However, if a component unit from a set is lost or damaged beyond repair, a single replacement unit of the same visual and intercornmunicative co-ordination could be purchased removing the requirement to replace the entire device.

As the invention can be designed to be worn externally about the body of a user, preferably the component units would be water-resistant, and ideally would be completely waterproof.

By establishing a simple, single action activation/de-activation method of operation, the need for a user to re-learn the operation methods of new generations of, or differing manufacturers' models of 'phone, could be removed, as successive generations of the invention could provide an unvarying call making/taking feature, which could enable those users for whom technology can be intimidating or confusing to feel at ease with, and be familiar with, any successive purchases' mode of operation.

Any technological advances made by manufacturers could focus on operational improvements and further miniaturisation of component units, and on the scope of available advanced menu features. These features could include GPS-based direction-provision services, dictation and translation services, database enquiry services and so forth. The range of possible menu-accessed services could be almost limitless, as its centralisation means that it is not size or memory restricted like the menu features of standard mobile ^v phones. This may also make the operations centre control-box unit ideal for upgrades and service-expansion by the operator of the system, without the need to involve the user. The control-box unit could also include a facility whereby calls are switched via the cheapest available route.

Each user-worn unit could be separately powered by its own internal batteries.

Preferably, these would be rechargeable, and/or would not require removal for recharging, and/or would only require removal when being replaced. Preferably, all batteries would have maximum efficiency-to-size ratio and all internal electronics would be of a type which uses the minimum drainage of battery power. By sharing the devices' power source between discrete batteries housed in each of the various component units, and by removing the requirements for any part of the devices' primary units to illuminate, or to process graphics or memory-intensive functions, the standby and talktime battery-iife between charges should be favourable to that of standard mobile 'phones. In sunny climates, each unit could incorporate a small solar panel to enable constant-charge of batteries, thereby extending battery-life considerably.

Preferably, one of the main aims of the producer of the invention with particular regard to its manufacture, should be the employment of microminiature internal parts and circuitry. Technology used in the field of covert-surveillance is a good starting- point for potential manufacturers' investigations. Mass-production of these more- expensive components for use in the invention could help to reduce overall production costs.

Mobile telephones are primarily communicative devices, but their marketing as fashion-based or status-signifying items has led to products with a very short shelf- life. Jewellery, on the other hand, like conversation, is timeless, and whilst the very latest addition to a products' range could always tempt some consumers, the user of the invention could rest assured that their jewellery- 'phones' fashion credibility could far outlast that of a standard mobile¹ telephone.

The invention could provide a focus for experts in various fields, electronics manufacturers, jewellery producers, mobile and conventional telecommunications network operators, etc., to come together and work on a product which promises a bright future for everyone concerned. The potential for the evolution of the product in the future could be heightened with every technological advance that is made and the invention could be ideal for developmental work, for example in the field of nano-scale microcircuitry, where miniaturisation is a prime benefit. Meanwhile, the present state of the art is already well-equipped to deal with any challenges that the operation or construction of the invention might present

External construction materials could include precious metais, non-precious or base metals, plastic or rubberised plastics, providing a wide range of individual model builds and sizes to suit different budgets, tastes or user requirements The externa! appearances and designs of different models could reflect the aesthetic tastes of individual designers, and could range, for example, from a minimalist platinum device of miniscule proportions for the wealthier consumer who requires some stunning dress-jewellery with a talktime battery-life of perhaps three hours, through to an altogether more solidly-built device, constructed from a durable rubberised plastic, suitable for use in or around water, which has a look more suited to its environment, solar-power constant-charging and a talktime battery-life of several months'

The fact that the product can be worn externally could also be of interest to companies wishing to advertise their own products, whether or not those products have anything to do with ^v phones or jewellery

The device could be supplied with its own mains-powered charging unit which could take the form of a jewellery presentation box, into which are placed the separate units for battery-charging Whilst on charge, a user could activate the device to make or take calls by means of a speaker/microphone section housed in the charger, which temnoraπly replaces the user-worn earpiece and microphone units This feature could allow a user to have access to a fully functional ^" phone at all times The charger could also have its own internal rechargable batteries, which could permit a user to carry the boxed component units in the form of a functioning mobile 'phone, or the charger to be used as a mobile battery-charger for said units

Upon initial activation, a user could be welcomed to their new purchase and requested to follow a series of pre-recorded spoken instructions Simple voice- prompts could gradually introduce a user to the full range of features and services the menu has to offer. To allow immediate use of the device for making and taking of calls, the user could need only introduce their voice to the menu-driving control-box by providing a spoken example of each of the numerical increments from 0 to 9. The next step could involve the user programming their most frequently used numbers into their 'phonebook' and assigning to each a spoken command, typically a name, which when subsequently spoken by the user upon activation of the device, could trigger automatic dialing from the operating control of the associated number. Again, the lack of restrictions to memory capacity can allow a user to allocate a spoken assignation to all of their frequently-dialled numbers and could even permit a service whereby all large companies and local service providers can be contacted via a voice-driven auto-dial phonebook.

In the modern age of services and product convergence, many electronics companies have opted to develop home-server technologies. The final point of convergence, however, is not the home, but rather those who live in it. The invention is ideally- suited to be the first and last link in a chain of personal communication between the individual user and the rest of the human world. Whilst the invention could correctly be described as a mobile telephone, in so far as it provides the capability for use as a mobile telephone, it could more appropriately be described using modern techno- parlance as a 'personal communicator' or 'person-server¹. It could be used both at home and in the workplace to initiate activation of all manner of electronically-driven equipment, especially those devices which contain personal or confidential information to which one might require sole or limited access.

The benefits of a user-only or user-nominated, voiceprint-activated device would perhaps be most noticeable in the area of home electronics, where clearly there could be no gain involved for a burglar who steals equipment which is of no use to anyone but the owner of its masters' voice. The invention may provide a voice- activation/de-activation control which negates the need to install voice-recognition technology into the devices which are to be controlled, as the appliances could be operated with substitution of infra-red remote-control, by radio remote-controi relayed by the inventions' antenna unit, or by means of a radio-to-infra-red conversion adapter.

Additionally, an electronic key may be provided whereby the control-box operator service could act as a keyholder for the inventions' user. After establishing a connection with the operator service, a user could request the menu to provide their 'keyring'. Radio signals for each of a users' 'keys' could then be transmitted via the antenna unit to the appropriate reception and decoding equipment housed within the locking device. The system could use a different signal for each locking and unlocking action, effectively providing a disposable key with each use. This is a safer way to secure items, properties and electrical equipment than systems which use the same signal with each use, as these signals can be intercepted by thieves. The system used by the invention could perhaps encode the next unlocking instruction into the present one, the locking device itself being the only equipment capable of decoding the instruction. Such an electronic key could allow a user of the invention to free themselves from the need to carry conventional keys and could be ideal for use with high-spec' motor vehicles, for example.

Some preferred configurations and functions of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;

-Figure 1 shows a right-sided view of a hook-around earpiece unit.

-Figure 2 shows a frontal view of a hook-around earpiece unit.

-Figure 3 shows a frontal view of an earpiece unit designed for use with pierced ears.

-Figure 4 shows a design for pierced ears in situ.

-Figure 5 shows a rear view of a microphone unit -Figure 6 shows a right-sided view of a microphone unit.

-Figure 7 shows a frontal view of a microphone unit.

-Figure 8 shows a forward view of the underside of an antenna unit.

-Figure 9 shows a frontal view of an antenna unit.

-Figure 10 shows an overhead view of an antenna unit.

-Figure 11 shows an overhead view of a charger unit.

-Figure 12 shows a side view of a charger unit.

-Figure 13 shows an overhead view of an open charger unit containing the device.

-Figure 14 shows an end-on view of a charger unit.

-Figure 15 shows the communicative relationships of the various units with regard to one another and the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). -Figure 16 shows a configuration for the devices' main user-carried parts worn as jewellery.

As can be seen, particularly in Figure 15, of the drawings, the invention consists of a personal communications device made up of a plurality of independent, but wirelessly connected components that can be worn on or about the body of a user. The wirelessly connected units are, in this case, an earring 35, a pendant 36 and a bracelet 37. The earring 35, pendant 36, and bracelet 37 are wirelessly-connected to one another using built-in radio transmitters and receivers. Thus, the earring 35, pendant 36 and bracelet 37 are able to communicate with one another using relatively low-power radio signals, such as a Bluetooth ^R™ connection. One of the units, in this case the bracelet 37 comprises relatively high-power radio transmitter that connects it wirelessly to a remote control centre and/or a mobile telephone network using, for example GSM mobile telephony signals.

The earing 35 comprises a speaker that points towards the user's ear and the pendant 36 has a built-in microphone into which the user can speak. Thus, in use, the earring 35 and pendant 36 can act as the speaker and microphone of a conventional telephone, respectively, whilst the bracelet 37 acts as a relay for relaying incoming telephone signals from the GSM network to the earpiece and relaying outgoing sounds from the user as telephone signals to the GSM network.

In Figures 1 and 2 a hook-around earpiece design is fitted with suitable reception, demodulation/decoding and filtering equipment and associated circuitry and chipsets which are all housed internally in the main body of the unit (6). As the devices' power source is also to be situated in this area it is recommended that the battery unit be placed in a housing which uses the greater share of available space, whilst only the very smallest microminiature components should be used for all other internal parts. The exact internal arrangements could vary from model to model, and different manufacturers could all find their OWE solutions to the problems involved with the miniaturization of component parts to maximize the available area for power source accommodation. Obviously, at least in its initial form, certain compromises might have to be made with regard to battery life and the overall size of the earpiece body, but with time, and advances in technology, the unit should evolve into a much smaller entity, in keeping with the evolutionary history of conventional mobile telephones. The inclusion of a constant-charge solar panel would be very useful in sunnier climates with regard to producing smaller earpiece designs Any solar panels for constant-charge of the internal battery should be situated for maximum exposure to light For users with long hair, the hair would need to be tied back to leave the solar panels free from obstruction A design for pierced ears (see Figs 3 and 4) is more suitable for the inclusion of solar panels as the main body of the device is far more exposed to available light, but once again long hair might reduce the efficiency of the panels or even obstruct them entirely and therefore users would need to be informed of this

The receiving antenna for the hook-around design in Figuresi and 2 could be housed internally towards the outer casing of the device and could run anywhere from the tip of the ear-hook (1) throughout the length of the main body (6) and along the length of the umbilical section of the unit (5), or a micro-receiver used, to provide effective and efficient reception of signals relayed by a wrist-mounted antenna unit (see Figures 8, 9, and 10), particularly as the distance of the earpiece receiver from the transmitting antenna (16) will rarely be more than a single arms' length This ensures that only low-intensity radio waves of whatever frequency will be required to be fed to the earpiece The requirement for high-intensity transmission signals will be kept to the transceiving antenna (17) situated in the bracelet antenna unit, meaning that the earpiece antenna, being of a length proportionate to an entirely different wavelength, will not act as a natural conductor for siandard near-microwave emissions, whatever their source For this reason the invention prefers the system of frequency-conversion and relay, standard mobile telephone signals being convened to lower frequency, and less intensive waves, by the bracelet antenna unit, before being fed to the earpiece Supplemental units such as text-only pads, PDA and advanced graphics display screen units could also use the same lower frequency of signal as the earpiece, keeping the device as free as possible from the need to contribute to a users' exposure to near-microwave radio emissions. Of course, experimentation with various methods of intercommunication between the devices' units should help manufacturers to arrive at a point where optimum performance levels can be reached without compromising user safety, and without excessive expenditure during the developmental stage of the product.

There are several ways in which the speaker unit could be designed and accommodated within the earpiece, and again experimentation during development would allow a producer to settle upon the solution which best suits them.

The design for the first production models could involve the fitting of a microminiature speaker unit (3) at the termination of the earpieces' umbilical section (5), as this would allow for greater space in the main body of the unit (6) for accommodation of the battery and signal-processing equipment. Electrical power for driving the speaker unit is fed by wiring which runs inside the umbilical section (5) from the main body of the earpiece. The wiring can be coiled at the telescopically-adjustable portions (T) of the umbilical section to allow for extension and retraction.

The speaker unit itself could be designed to sit inside the lower part of the ears' auricle but not inside or directly over the users' ear canal. This would require a small speaker unit but it should not be so small as to excessively compromise sound quality. When seated in this noninvasive position, sound waves from the speaker unit could then be directed toward the users' ear canal.

Another possibility for speaker accommodation in hook-around designs, particularly in the future when advances in miniaturisation will allow for smaller and more-efficient internal components to be employed, is for a speaker unit to be housed in the front section of the main body of the earpiece, see Figures 1 and 2 (2) The speaker can sit against the back of the ear auricle and cause the auricle to vibrate, using the ears' natural amplifying properties to augment the speakers' delivery This type of speaker could be used in conjunction with the standard microspeaker (3) in which case it could act as a base and mid-range unit, while the mid to high-end frequencies could be delivered by the microspeaker (3) This could provide for a fuller and more natural sound than that provided solely by a standard microspeaker, although the larger main body-housed speaker could be developed to be the sole source of audio output

The umbilical section (5) of the hook-around earpiece could be manufactured with a slightly-sprung S-bend which could help to anchor the unit firmly but comfortably in position This is best conveyed by Figure 2, where the S-bend can be seen between points 3 and 5 The earpiece is put in position by means of the wearer pulling the telescopic sections (T) of the umbilical section open, and pulling the earlobe through the loop created With the hook (1) over the ear, the telescopic sections are then slid closed The loop of the umbilical section should fit snugly under the earlobe of the wearer and should then rise up and into the auricle via a joint (4) which can be bent over allowing the microspeaker to be delivered to its resting position inside the lower auricle

Preferably, even the simplest and cheapest of hook-around designs would provide a means of adjustment for wearer comfort, particularly as the product is intended to be worn for long periods of time The telescopic sections (T) also make provision for variations in user physiology The sections are achieved by means of tubular constructions, wherein one tube is slid along inside the other and is held by stops every millimetre or so, to provide fine adjustability. The outer covering of the telescopic sections could be of a concβrtinaed flexible material. This could cover either the umbilical section as a whole, or only those sections of the umbilical connector that are telescopically adjustable. Alternatively, the material could be used to cover the entire earpiece. Such an all-over, unbroken coating with a smoothly-finished earpiece body and concertinaed adjustment areas is both aesthetically appealing and conducive to the resistibility of the unit to incursion by liquids.

The most expensive designs of hook-around earpiece, with external constructions mostly of precious metals, could be made with or without the adjustable sections. These designs could be made-to-measure for individual customers to provide the ultimate in personalised comfort, the fitting being done by a jeweller. Internal component installation could then be performed by the electronics manufacturer after the precious metal casing has been pre-constructed to order.

The earpiece designs for pierced ears (see Figures 3 and 4), could be fitted with a microspeaker unit in the main body of the earring. This could be towards the top of the earring on its inner face. Sound could then be directed into the ear of the user. An alternative design is shown in Figures 3 and 4, where a microspeaker (3) is housed at the termination of an umbilical section similar in construction to those in hook-around designs. The umbilical section rises up and into the groove in the lower auricle and delivers the speaker unit into the same noninvasive position as that in hook-around designs, ensuring that the users' ear canal is neither blocked nor covered. This design could also employ telescopically adjustable sections (T) to allow for the wide variations in the dimensions of users' ears and their piercing positions. In pierced-ear designs, a dummy unit in the form of a matching earring could be provided to be worn on the other ear. This unit could also be used as an alternative site for a microphone unit.

The weight of the functioning earpiece in pierced-ear designs could be taken equally between the piercing mount (9) and the final joint (4) where the umbilical connector bends into the auricle. This means that any matching earring should weigh less than the functioning one in order that the wearer feels the two earrings to be of equal weight when worn.

The mounting system for the earring design in Figure 3 can be of the type illustrated, with a standard fastener and piercing mount (9), or of a type which could replace the standard fastener with a supplemental power source which could have similar dimensions to those of a watch battery. Earring designs could also be provided with a non-pierced ear mounting which could take the form of a pinch-clasp which holds onto the users' earlobe.

The site for the terminals (C) for battery-charging for the design in Figures 1 and 2 is towards the upper section of the inner front-facing main body, as this area is obscured by the ear when in use. In designs for earring-type earpieces, the charging terminals could be on the same user-facing side of the unit as the fastening mount. Indeed, the mount itself could be adapted to take the charging current. In both designs of earpiece the terminals should be as unobtrusive as possible and could be housed in recesses which have a watertight cover. All units could be manufactured to be water-resistant, and in devices designed specifically for use in and around water, the battery-charging terminals could have a tightly-sealing rubberised cover which can be removed for battery-charging.

It should also be noted that any earpiece unit designed to be used in water would probably require an intrusive speaker unit design which acts as a plug in the ear canal. However, this could hardly be considered a hindrance when the users' other ear canal would be full of water anyway. Such invasive designs could perhaps be removable, being replaced when out of the water and back at the pool side or on the beach by a conventional, non-intrusive, but nevertheless water-resistant speaker unit.

The exact positioning of the charging terminals would also need to take into consideration the internal layouts of individual designs, and as such would vary from model to model.

Automatic volume control could be provided by the automatic operator housed at a call centre. Signals for volume adjustment could be sent via the antenna unit to the earpiece unit. The adjustments could be calculated by the operator control unit based upon incidental background noise-levels detected from the microphone unit. Mic-gain levels could also be simultaneously adjusted accordingly.

Manual adjustment of earpiece volume could be by means of touch-sensitised switching areas incorporated into the earpiece body (see Figures 1, 2 and 3), whereby gain could be controlled by finger contact with the upper outer area (8) of the main body, and reduction controlled by finger contact with the lower area (7).

A choice between automatic and manual modes of volume control could be provided, being selected by the user via the operators' menu. An option for manual override of volume control could be provided when set to automatic.

Although alternative manual volume control is possible, for example by employing a touch-controlled switching facility housed in a wrist-mounted antenna unit (thereby allocating greater internal space in the earpieces' main body), the earpiece-mounted control is preferred as it provides for single-handed operation. I he microphone unit (sse Figures 5, 8 and 7) could be worn on the upper chest area of the user in the form of a tie-pin, badge or brooch, or as a pendant suspended from a necklace, chain or string. The illustrated unit is a simple, circular design which is fitted with a string or chain mounting (10), and also a pin mount (11) to permit use as a badge etc. The central region (12) at the front of the unit could be touch-sensitised, and in such versions hand contact with this area would be the means by which the entire device would be activated and de-activated.

Once again, the internal layout of the main body unit (13) could give priority to power source accommodation and again could include only the smallest and most energy- efficient electronic components and circuitry. The possibilities for miniaturisation of the inventions' units can perhaps be best expressed by referring to transducer technology which has been used in the field of covert surveillance for many years, for example; hypersensitive room-bugs or 'third ears' from a decade ago were able to transmit quality VHF Frequency-Modulation signals for 300 hours continuously on a single Mallory Duracell type 7H34 or UGAR 537 5.6-6 volt battery, for a distance of between 50 and 500 metres. The whole unit measured 1.25 x 1.5 x .75 ⁱnches. A suitable microminiature, high-gam directional microphone can be placed with an appropriate micro-transmitter into almost any external form that a designer can conceive of without too much restriction with regard to its dimensions. Moreover, by also using a micro-transmitter to communicate between the antenna unit (Figures 8, 9 and 10) and the earpiece unit, coupled with a micro-receiver housed in the earpiece, the dimensions of all of the devices' units can be made to a scale and look more in keeping with the scale and look of standard aesthetic jewellery. Indeed it is a propccal cf xne invention to provide a personal communications device which at first glεπ;e v-.il ba iπcύstinguishcbis from regular jewellery. The microphone unit can be a closed unit, providing adequate water-resistance, and the recharging terminals, as with those in the earpiece, could be housed in recesses with a suitably watertight cover (a recommended site for the terminals is shown at C). Again, with devices specifically designed for use in or near water, a tight rubberised plug can serve as the terminal cover. The microphone unit should present less problems than the devices' other units with regard to waterproofing, if housed in a closed unit as standard. Any solar-charging panels could be fitted in the front of the unit for maximum exposure to available light.

The antenna unit (see Figures 8,9 and 10) mounted on the users' wrist can be fitted with a fastening that allows for fine adjustment, the individual designs of which can be arrived at by experimentation. Preferred features of the bracelets' fastening are that it should provide electrical conductivity from the battery unit (18) to the antenna unit (16) when closed, and should hold the unit firmlv but comfortably in position on the users' wrist. This is important because the illustrated unit is designed to be worn on a single side of the user with the microwave antenna (17) situated on the outside of the users' wrist, directed away from the users' body, and the antenna equipment (16) for communication with the devices' other primary or secondary units situated on the inside of the unit, facing towards the users' body. As such, users should be made aware that if the bracelet is worn loosely, eg. in the style of a bangle, then it may not function optimally.

In Figures 8, 9 and 10, a simple design for right-sided wearing is shown where the letters L, R, F and B demonstrate the units' orientation to the left, right, front and back respectively. The whole antenna unit could be suitably shielded to offer the user protection from excessive exposure to near-microwave radiation. Frequency conversion components and other equipment could be housed primarily in the upper centre of the unit (15) and could extend into the area designated for device communication (16) if there is space enough. Any required printed-circuitry could be in a flexible material and could pass around the whole of the upper portion of the unit. The battery unit (18) is housed in the illustrated design in a hinged section which opens out to allow removal and attachment of the bracelet. The hinge (14) allows electrical contact to be maintained with the rest of the unit.

Contact terminals for charging could be in various sites according to the requirements of individual designs but once again should be effectively waterproofed. Extra provision for power source accommodation could be used in either or both of sections 16 and 17 if the internal component layout permits it. If solar panels are fitted they should be on the upper portion of the bracelet.

By carefully choosing communication modes and frequencies, and by the full use of shielding and filtering technology, alonq with directional transmission and attenuation of signalling, it should be possible to overcome cross-frequency interference issues.

The antenna unit could also be used to house a video-capture lens and/or a watch face or display screen, providing an alternative to a plain bracelet.

The antenna unit is ideally shock-resistent where it is designed to be worn on the wrist of the user.

The various primary units do not have to conform to the typical three-piece hook- around, or four-piece earring designs described here. As mentioned, a second earring could be used to house a microphone. Users could also choose their own non-functioning neck adornments, or finger rings, which match the devices' units and which could be provided, perhaps at an extra cost, to be worn with the invention. Likewise with antenna units, v/here functioning watches could replace or complement the standard bracelet design. The various combinations allow for maximum versatility of the product and offer a wide choice of options for both consumers and manufacturers alike.

Figures 11 , 12, 13 and 14 show various views of a simplified rectangular unit- charging device which might typically take the form of a jewellery presentation box, but which could also be more of the likeness of a standard mobile telephone, and could even have a standard display screen and keypad built into the inner or outer lid. The shown design is a simplification for the purpose of illustrating the general concept of the charger, in which 19 and 20 show a speak/listen facility and activation switch respectively, incorporated into a basic outer lid (21). The charger illustrated has these areas orientated for a typical bedside functionality but in reality all chargers would be as varied as the products therein, and their respective designs could reflect the requirements for effective functioning of their contents and the needs of individual consumers and manufacturers.

The charger could, its contents in place, be capable of functioning as a 'phone. When boxed, the earpiece and microphone units could be disabled when their contact terminals are in situ in the charger, being replaced by suitable alternatives housed in the chargers' lid. With the antenna unit functioning as normal inside the charger, transceived signals could be fed to or sent from the speaker/microphone via a terminal built into the same area of the antenna unit as its charge terminals. This would allow the usual radio output/input of the unit to the earpiece/mic units, to be de-activated, routing the signal electronically via the terminal to the charger unit instead.

The hinges (26) see Figure 13, should permit electrical conductivity to the chargers' lid. In Figure 13, the various units (22, 23 and 24) are shown inside the charger unit. The charger could also, with its own internal batteries charged, act as a portable charger for the primary units of the invention. The charger unit and its contents are supplied with current by connection to a mains-powered DC transformer via dedicated port (25).

Figure 15 shows the various units, the earpiece (24), the microphone, (23) and the antenna (22), and their communicative relationships with one another. The following examples describe some basic functions of the device with reference to Figure 15.

In order to make a call, the user brings a hand into contact with a touch-sensitised area of the the microphone unit (23) which completes a circuit within the unit causing a signal (28) to be transmitted to the appropriate receiver housed in the antenna unit (22). Upon receipt of said signal, the antenna unit then simultaneously transmits the necessary radio instruction (27) which activates the earpiece unit (24) and also the signal (31), which is set by default, that establishes contact with the devices' voice- driven operator which is housed in a remote, centralised call-switching centre (32). The link with the operator centre is established using a standard mobile-networked signal and this initial link could be provided to the user free of charge. This method of contact means that the antenna unit effectively becomes a mobile 'phone which is pre-programmed to autodial only a single number. Once the link to the call-centre is established however, the user is then free to voice-dial or auto-dia¹! any number connected to the PSTN. Once a chosen number has been contacted, the user could then be charαed as normal for the mobile link to the call-centre which relays the call. Advantageously, it may be possible for the call-centre to switch outgoing calls via cheaper routes than standard mobile 'phones, for example by sending calls for relay by land lines rather than by microwave-relay across operator networks. This means that even under current operator tariffs, calls made from the invention could be less expensive than inter-networked calls made from standard mobile telephones.

During a call, the connection (33) between the PSTN (34) and the call-centre (32) is maintained and relayed via the mobile-networked signal (31) to the antenna unit of the device (22) which in turn relays the audio signal (27) to the earpiece unit (24) after appropriate frequency-conversion. The signa! (28) from the microphone unit (23) is transmitted to the antenna unit and is processed and converted accordingly before being relayed to the call-centre and onward to the PSTN. Once a call has ended, the user again brings a hand into contact with the microphone unit which disconnects the entire device from its link with the call-centre.

Any incoming calls are also received via relay by the call-centre. A caller wishing to contact a user of the invention dials the users' number, which establishes a PSTN link (33) to the call-centre (32). The call-centre then directs the call (31) to the antenna unit (22) of the users' device. Upon receipt of the incoming signal, the antenna unit activates the earpiece unit (24) by means of transmission of an appropriately converted signal (27) and automatically informs the user of the incoming call and provides spoken caller information, e.g. caller number. If left unanswered the call is automatically answered by the call-centre in the style of a standard answerphone, leaving the user of the device free to take any message, or to return the call at a more convenient time. However, if the user wants to take the call immediately, all that is required of them is to make hand contact with the microphone unit (23). This will switch the call-dccept function to active and the entire link between the device and the caller will be maintained and charged accordingly until the call is terminated. After the incoming call is ended, again all that is required of the user to 'hang up the 'phone' is hand contact with the microphone unit

The use of touch-sensitised switching is preferred, as this enables the invention to be completely free from buttons, adding to its appeal as an extremely simple-to-use device that even an adult can operate! This buttonless feature can also be carried- over to the secondary units (29) concerned with complex graphics and/or text-based applications. This could be done by the employment of stylus-operated touch- sensitive screens, where even SMS writing can be performed without the need for buttons, indeed, technology exists which could enable a user to dictate any text messages directly to the voice-driven operator, negating the requirement of the user to manually write text messages.

The mode of communication between the secondary units and the antenna unit could be similar to that of the earpiece and microphone units but with a two-way transceiver rather than the one-way transmitters and receivers associated with the operation of the primary units. This enables the secondary units to both receive and transmit the necessary signals required (30), for example, for internet connection. Single-direction transmissions from the antenna unit could also be sent to other devices which are to be operated by the call-centre, e.g. electronic locks, voiceprint-accessed devices, radio-controlled devices, or to radio-to-infra-red conversion devices for controlling TV or hi-fi etc.etc.

Figure 16 illustrates the visual co-ordination of the primary units in a typical version of the invention, and shows how an earring-style earpiece (35), a microphone unit (36) and an antenna unit bracelet (37) could be worn in the style of a co-ordinated jewellery set. The set shown is of an ingot-style dress-jewellery device which would include a dummy matching earring, and which could typically be constructed externally from precious metals. A matching secondary unit in the style of a ladies' compact could also be made available for graphics-based applications. Cheaper versions could typically be of a non-precious metal, plastic, or rubberised plastic construction.

Claims

1. A personal communications device comprising a plurality of discrete wirelessly- connected component units, the wirelessly-connected component units being adapted to be worn on or about the body of a user.

2. A personal communications device according to claim 1 , wherein said wirelessly- connected component units are adapted to be worn on or about one or more of the of the group comprising; an ear, the neck, the chest, the arm, the wrist, the waist, the finger, the leg, the ankle and the foot.

3. A personal communications device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said wirelessly-connected component units are of the group comprising; a speaker, a microphone and an antenna unit.

4. A personal communications device as claimed in any of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the plurality of discrete wirelessly-connected component units comprise primary and secondary units, the primary units of which can be worn on or about the user as co-ordinated body adornments or jewellery items.

5. A personal communications device according to claim 4, wherein said primary units comprise means for establishing an automatic connection to the Public Switched Telephone Network, thus enabling persona! mobile telephone communications without the requirement for a keypad or display screen.

6. A personal communications device as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein said primary units are an earpiece unit worn on or around the ear in the form of an earring or ear adornment, a microphone unit worn as a pendant, brooch, badge, or tie-pin, and an antenna unit worn on the wrist as a bracelet.

7. A personal communications device as claimed in any one of claims 4, 5 or 6, wherein the secondary units, carried by the user, are concerned with graphics and/or video and/or text-based and/or internet-based applications.

8. A personal communications device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the secondary units match said primary units in terms of visual and intercornmunicative co-ordination.

9. A personal communications device according to any preceding claim, which includes non-communicative units which match said primary units in terms of visual co-ordination.

10. A personal communications device as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 9, further comprising a battery-charger unit for receiving and charging the batteries of the primary units.

11. A personal communications device as claimed in claim 10, wherein with said primary units contained within the battery-charger, the battery-charger is able to function as a mobile telephone or as a mobile battery-charger unit for said primary units.

12. A personal communications device as claimed in any one of claims 10 or 11, wherein the battery-charger has the external appearance of a jewellery presentation box or a conventional telephone handset.

13. A personal communications device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the earpiece unit comprises a means of fitting-adjustment which utilises telescopic extension and retraction of adjustable sections.

14. A personal communications device as claimed in claim 6 or claim 13, wherein the earpiece unit comprises a microspeaker which neither intrudes into nor covers the users' ear canal.

15. A personal communications device as claimed in any one of claims 6, 13 or 14, wherein the earpiece unit further comprises a touch-sensitive area as a means of volume adjustment.

16. A personal communications device according to claim 5, wherein the microphone unit establishes a connection with the Public Switched Telephone Network upon detecting hand contact with the microphone unit.

17. A personal communications device as claimed in claim 6 or claim 16, wherein the microphone unit comprises a touch-sensitive area for detecting hand contact therewith.

18. A personal communications device according to claim 6, wherein said antenna unit further comprises video-capture equipment and/or a watch.

19. A personal communications device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the secondary unit is of the likeness of a ladies' compact in external appearance.

20. A personal communications device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the secondary unit is of the likeness of a cigarette case in external appearance.

21. A personal communications device as claimed in any one of claims 7, 19 or 20, wherein the secondary unit utilises a stylus and/or a touch-sensitised screen as a means of operation.

22. A personal communications device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the or each primary unit is water-resistant or waterproof.

23. A personal communications device according to claim 1, comprising one or more of the following three parts; the first part being a plurality of discrete, water-resistant or waterproof primary units, said units being adapted to function as a mobile telephone both when contained together within a dedicated battery-charger unit, and when worn overtly about the body of a user in the form of fashion-based body adornments, or as a matching jewellery suite; the second part being optional matching secondary units; and the third part being said dedicated battery-charger unit for said primary units.

24. A personal communications device according to claim 23, wherein said primary units are of the group comprising; a loudspeaker unit worn on or around the ear of a user in the form of an earing or ear adornment, a microphone unit worn on or about the neck or chest of a user in the form of a pendant, badge, brooch or tie-pin, and an antenna unit worn on or about the arm or wrist of a user in the form of a bracelet, and which are characterised in that said units, when used together and in conjunction with a suitable centrally-located, voice-driven operating system, provide manually-activated, voice-driven alternatives to standard mobile telephones, manually and/or voice-activated handset-to-headset relay combinations, two-in-one speaker/microphone headsets, and miniaturised body-mounted telephone-to-headset relay combinations.

25. A personal communications device as claimed in any of claims 4 to 24, wherein said primary and/or secondary units serve as the primary user-interface for a centralised direction-providing service.

26. A personal communications device as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 25, wherein said primary and/or secondary units serve as the primary user-interface for a centralised language translation service.

27. A personal communications device as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 26, wherein said primary and/or secondary units serve as the primary user-interface for a centralised voice-operated key holding service.

28. A personal communications device as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 27, which utilises a centralised operating system which employs voice-analysis technology as an anti- theft measure.

29. A personal communications device as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 28, wherein said primary units incorporate a means of solar-powered constant charging of said units' own internal power sources.

30. A personal communications device substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

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