Patent Application
20080051155
The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments, given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As will be described below, an attachable speaker apparatus of the present invention can selectively perform an external speaker function and an audio wireless transmission function through a simple switching operation By embedding an audio modulating function, an audio signal outputted from a portable terminal can be converted into a wirelessly transmittable signal and be wirelessly transmitted to a speaker system at a remote place, thereby effectively satisfying various service needs of users.
Further, the attachable speaker apparatus of the present invention can realize the high-sensitivity reception of a desired radio broadcast when inserted into an earphone jack of a portable terminal by embedding an radio reception antenna therein.
Referring now to
As shown in
Therefore, users can receive listening services, such as music, by connecting the attachable speaker apparatus 120 to the portable terminal 110 while in a place where only they are present or in a place where there are only few people present. Here, the portable terminal 110 has the function of playing a music file such as an MP3 or outputting sound through a radio channel reception. This portable terminal 110 may be, for example, an MP3 player, a mobile phone such as a PCS or cellular phone, a PDA, a PMP, a DMB phone, a DMB receiver, and the like.
Further, the connection plug 122 employed in the attachable speaker apparatus 120 is, for example, a foldable connection plug that can be housed in a housing space 124 (that is, a housing space formed at one outer surface of the speaker extended from a connection region of the connection plug) The housing space 124 has such a shape and size as to house the connection plug 122 therein, as illustrated in
Referring to
Although not shown in
Further, the switching block 304 provides the user with an option of manually connecting contacts ‘a’ and ‘b’ or contacts ‘a’ and ‘c’ depending on the user's preference. That is, when the user operates the operating switch in order to use the attachable speaker apparatus 120 as an external speaker, the contacts ‘a’ and ‘b’ are connected. The term of ‘an external speaker’ refers that the attachable speaker apparatus 120 serves only to output an audio signal reproduced from the portable terminal 120 so that users can listen to music or the like without using an earphone.
On the other hand, when the user operates the operating switch in order to use the attachable speaker apparatus 120 as an audio wireless transmitter, the contacts ‘a’ and ‘c’ are connected. The term of ‘an audio wireless transmitter’ refers that the attachable speaker apparatus 120 serves to wirelessly transmit an audio signal in the form of a RF signal to an external speaker system, e.g., provided with a surround speaker so that users can spectacularly listen to music or the like without using an earphone.
Next, when the attachable speaker apparatus 120 functions as the external speaker depending on the user's selection, the amplifying block 306 provides the function of amplifying an audio or voice signal provided from the portable terminal 110 and provided through the contacts ‘a’ and ‘b’ of the switching block 304 to a preset level and delivering the same to the speaker 308. Therefore, the user is able to listen to the audio or voice provided through the speaker 308. Although the reference numerals are made different, the speaker 308 represents substantially the same component as the speaker 121 as shown in
That is, the attachable speaker apparatus 120 realizes the external speaker function by the components including the terminal interface 302 the contacts ‘a’ and ‘b’ of the switching block 304, the amplifying block 306, and the speaker 308.
Further, when the attachable speaker apparatus 120 functions as the audio wireless transmitter depending on the user's selection, the RF modulation block 310 modulates an audio or voice signal provided from the portable terminal 110 and then provided through the contacts ‘a’ and ‘c’ of the switching block 304 into a RF signal. The RF signal so modulated is wirelessly transmitted to an external speaker equipment(for example, a speaker of home A/V system, a speaker of vehicle A/V system, etch, which are capable of wirelessly receiving the RF signal.) at a remote place. The external speaker equipment at the remote place demodulates the received RF signal into an original audio signal before modulation and then outputs the same through its own speaker.
As a result, the user is able to listen to the music or radio channel broadcast played by the portable terminal 110 through the speaker equipment of the A/V system, rather than through the attachable speaker apparatus 120.
In other words, the attachable speaker apparatus 120 can realize the function of transmitting audio signal to the outside by its components including the terminal interface 302, the contacts ‘a’ and ‘c’ of the switching block 304, and the RF modulation block 310. By this, various service needs of users can be effectively satisfied.
Thus, the attachable speaker apparatus 120 can be served as the external speaker or the audio wireless transmitter depending on switching result of the switching block which operates in response to the user's preference.
Meanwhile, although the attachable speaker apparatus has been described with respect to a case where the switching operation of the switching block 304, i.e., the function as an external speaker and the function as an audio wireless transmitter, is realized by the user's manual operation, this is only for illustration and the attachable speaker apparatus is not limited thereto. Alternatively, it is possible to design that the portable terminal may incur the switching operation of the switching block. That is, when the user switches or selects the mode (i.e., a functional mode as an external speaker or a functional mode as an audio wireless transmitter) in the portable terminal through its operating panel, the portable terminal is designed to generate its corresponding switching control signal and provides it to the terminal interface 302, where the terminal interface 302 automatically switches the contacts of the switching block 304 in response to the switching control signal, thereby further improving the convenience of selection operation of the users. Next, the antenna 312 is an antenna that receives a radio broadcast (for example, FM or AM radio broadcast), and the radio broadcast is transmitted to a radio reception block (not shown) of the portable terminal 110 through the terminal interface 302. Further, the antenna 312 serves to transmit the RF signal converted by the RF modulation block 310 to the external speaker equipment.
Therefore, with the attachable speaker apparatus 120 being connected to the portable terminal 110 through the connection plug 122, when the user selects the radio function, the attachable speaker apparatus 120 functions as a radio reception antenna for receiving a radio broadcast through the antenna 312.
Accordingly, the user is able to listen to high sensitivity radio broadcast without inserting an earphone (not shown) that functions as an antenna into the earphone jack 116 of the portable terminal 110.
Next, the USB interface 314 provides the function of interfacing electrical power for battery charging from an external power source when a USB cable (not shown) is inserted between the connection jack 126 and the external power source, and delivering the same to a charging circuit 316.
The charging circuit 316 charges a battery 318 through the electrical power provided from the external power source via the USB interface 314. The charging circuit 316 provides the function of generating a display control signal so that the user can visually recognize the charging of the battery 318 Further, the charging circuit 316 provides the same to a display, thereby operating (for example, yellow lighting) the display 320. The charging circuit 316 also cuts off the charging of the battery 318 with current by recognizing the completion of the charging of the battery 318, and at the same time generates a display control signal and provides it to the display (for example, a green light) to allow the user to visually recognize the completion of the charging of the battery 318
The rechargeable battery 318 supplies the electrical power to the components such as the amplifying block 306, the RF modulation block 310, etc. Such a battery 318 may include, for example, a rechargeable lithium polymer battery, and the display 320 may include, for example, an LED. Although the reference numerals are made different, the display 320 represents substantially the same component as the display 128 as shown in
That is, the attachable speaker apparatus 120 in accordance with the present invention can realize the charging function with the components including the USB interface 314, the charging circuit 316, the battery 318, and the display 320. By using these components, the use of an environment-unfriendly disposable (or consumable) battery can be effectively suppressed.
Thus, the attachable speaker apparatus in accordance with the present invention can effectively satisfy various service needs of users, as well as realizing an environment-friendly attachable speaker apparatus by integrally realizing the functions of an external speaker, a wireless transmitter of an audio output for a portable terminal which can output sound through a speaker equipment at a remote place, an antenna for receiving a radio broadcast, and an automatic charging function and so on.
As described above, in accordance with the present invention, diversification of the functions of an attachable speaker apparatus can be realized by embedding the function of modulating an audio signal outputted from a portable terminal into a wirelessly transmittable signal and wirelessly transmitting it to a speaker system at a remote place and selectively performing an external speaker function and an audio wireless transmission function by a simple switching operation, thereby effectively satisfying various service needs of users, unlike the conventional attachable speaker that provides only the function as the external speaker for outputting the audio signal outputted from the portable terminal to the outside.
Further, the present invention can realize the reception of a high sensitivity radio broadcast even when an earphone functioning as a radio reception antenna is not inserted by embedding an antenna that is capable of receiving a radio broadcast. Moreover, the present invention can suppress the use of an environment-unfriendly consumable battery by employing a chargeable battery.
While the invention has been shown and described with respect to the embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modification may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2006-0079825 | Aug 2006 | KR | national |
