Patent Application
20110045870
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to wireless telephone devices. More particularly, it relates to peripheral devices integrated into a wireless telephone device.
2. Background of Related Art
Flashlights are well known devices. They are used to illuminate surrounding objects and/or an oncoming pathway. They are used to provide the feeling of safety in a dark room. Some children even use them as a nightlight.
While flashlights are useful devices, not all people carry one at all times. In fact, most people do not carry a flashlight at all times. Rather, many people keep a flashlight in an easily accessible location should the need arise.
In today's ever-mobile society, one finds themselves often not at home, near their flashlight. For instance, should the need arise for a flashlight while on a family vacation away from home, one would need to obtain one from a store, hotel concierge, etc. This is not always the most convenient method. Moreover, in extreme needs such as a power outage, the demand for flashlights is high. If you don't get to a store immediately to buy a flashlight (presuming that the store is open during the power outage), they will more than likely be sold out.
Existing flashlights are bulky, formed from relatively unreliable incandescent bulbs, and are mechanically operated, again adding to unreliability, bulk and costs.
In short, when away from home, unless you carry a flashlight with you at all times, obtaining one during a time of need will be at best inconvenient. There is a need for a convenient and functional illumination device that will have a likelihood of availability in your moment of need.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, an improvement to an otherwise conventional wireless phone device includes a flashlight powered by a battery used to also power the wireless phone device.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a wireless phone comprises a wireless phone functionality module, and an LED flashlight operable under software control. A wireless phone battery is adapted to power both the wireless phone functionality module and the flashlight.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a wireless phone flashlight comprises a flashlight, and a connector interface adapted for interconnection with and software control through a digital port of a wireless phone.
A method and apparatus for providing illumination of objects surrounding a wireless phone in accordance with still another aspect of the invention comprises activating at least one button on a wireless phone to cause software control to turn on an LED flashlight within the wireless phone. Current is then caused to flow through the LED flashlight, thus providing illumination of objects surrounding the wireless phone for a user of the wireless phone.
Features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:
Wireless phones have become ubiquitous with everyday life. Many people carry them constantly. The present invention mates the high likelihood that a user will have a wireless device in a time of need for a flashlight, and the functionality of a flashlight.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a high-intensity white LED is integrated into a wireless phone device to provide an extremely convenient flashlight functionality at the ready for a user in possession of their wireless phone, particularly useful in emergency situations. When an emergency or other need emerges suddenly and while the user is otherwise unable to obtain a conventional flashlight, use of a wireless phone flashlight provides a useful source of light for both comfort and safety of the user of the wireless phone device.
In another aspect of the invention, the wireless phone flashlight may be provided in or near a digital port of a wireless phone. Alternatively, the LED flashlight is formed in such a shape as to fit into an external memory card slot of a target wireless phone (e.g., in the shape of a SmartCard), drawing power and even control from the wireless phone through the connector otherwise intended for a memory card.
In particular,
It is important that the flashlight 100 be operated under the control of software, instead of mechanically operated, to allow intelligent battery conservation. For instance, as the battery nears depletion, if the flashlight 100 is at the time in an ON condition, it would be desirable to automatically turn the flashlight 100 OFF, so as to maximize minimal operations of the wireless phone functions.
The flashlight 100 may be physically located on any suitable external surface of the wireless device 150. This includes location on a flip phone as shown in
The illuminating element of the flashlight 100 is preferably a light emitting diode (LED), and more preferably a high intensity white LED. An LED is much preferred by the present inventor for its reliability, long rated lifetime, as well as its ease of integration into circuit board manufacture. Incandescent bulbs are larger, have much shorter lifespans, are relatively unreliable, are difficult if at all possible to mount directly to a printed circuit board (adding costs), and require replacement, making them undesirable in the present application.
The particular LED or other illuminating element is preferably selected based on the available power supply level (e.g., 2.4V, 3.7V, 5V, 12V, etc.), the desired illumination intensity at that available power supply level, reliability, and to a lesser extent rated lifetime (presuming the lifetime of the LED will be much longer than its expected use).
A small reflector may be formed behind the high intensity LED of the flashlight 100, to direct all light forwards and/or to focus the light in a given direction. The reflector may be formed into a small cavity formed in the plastic of the case of the wireless phone 150. Preferably, but not necessarily, the small cavity is coated with a highly reflective coating.
In particular, as shown in
The switch 102 shown in
The switch 102 (whether mechanical or virtual) may operate as a momentary type switch, or as an ON/OFF type switch. A momentary function would turn the flashlight 100 ON only while the switch 102 is activated: when released, the flashlight 100 would turn off. If an ON/OFF type switching function, the flashlight 100 would turn ON when the switch 102 is activated, and remain ON until the switch 102 is deactivated, at which time the software would cause current to cease flow to the flashlight 100, which would then be turned OFF.
The switch 102 is preferably a virtual switch, operable under software control. In the disclosed embodiment, the switch 102 is activated and deactivated through a predefined series of button presses that navigate a user through one or more pages of a menu through a graphical user interface (GUI) on a screen of the wireless phone. For instance, a user may navigate to a SETTINGS menu for their wireless phone, and select a checkbox to turn the flashlight ON. Normal wireless phone functionality is preferably possible at all times. Thus, a phone call may be placed or received while the flashlight 100 is turned ON. For convenience, and for battery conservation, it may be preferably to automatically turn the flashlight 100 OFF during an active phone call. In such a case, it is also preferably to automatically turn the flashlight 100 back ON after the phone call, if the switch 102 (e.g., menu checkbox) remains activated.
Preferably, the flashlight 100 would be controlled ON and OFF through a software controllable element, to allow automatic shut OFF of the flashlight 100 if and when the battery power becomes low. An element such as a power transistor or other transistor may form a virtual switch to turn the flashlight 100 ON and OFF, though mechanical switching of the flashlight 100, e.g., using a mechanical relay, is also within the spirit of the present invention.
The software controllable element to power the flashlight 100 ON and OFF can be a transistor of any suitable type, e.g., CMOS, MOSFET, etc., that is rated to sufficiently and reliably control current to the LED of the flashlight 100.
Preferably the wireless phone remains on and capable of receiving an incoming telephone call while the flashlight 100 is ON. In one aspect, if an incoming call is answered, the flashlight 100 may be automatically turned off to answer the call. Similarly, and/or alternatively, the flashlight 100 may be turned off when an outgoing call is placed.
The flashlight 100 may be turned OFF when the wireless phone 150 is powered down. If desirable, the flashlight 100 may then remain OFF even after powering the wireless phone 150 back up, providing a convenient way to turn the flashlight 100 off after use.
The flashlight 100 may be automatically powered OFF when the wireless phone battery 202 is detected to have less than a threshold amount of power remaining. If the flashlight 100 is to be powered OFF, preferably a warning sound and/or textual message will be provided to the user of the wireless phone 150 providing them warning beforehand.
The high intensity LED of the flashlight 100 is preferably an LED, and more preferably an LED providing light primarily in the visible spectrum (e.g., a white LED), and one that is intended for use to provide visual illumination of surrounding objects some distance from the LED, as is typical for use as a flashlight.
While a single LED is shown in the flashlight 100 in
Current to the flashlight 100 may be a constant current to provide maximum intensity. However, to conserve battery power, the flashlight 100 may be powered with a pulsed current (e.g., a less-than-100% duty cycle current pulse such as a 50% duty cycle current pulse). The pulse is preferably a square wave pulse, though an AC sine wave pulse is also possible and within the spirit of the present invention.
The wireless phone battery 202 is preferably an integrated battery used for otherwise conventional wireless phone functionality (e.g., Li-ion, NiMH, etc.)
In particular, as shown in step 302 of
In step 304, in response to the user command to cause software to control the flashlight 100 to an ON condition, current is caused to pass through the flashlight 100, thus turning the flashlight 100 ON. The current is preferably caused to pass through the flashlight 100 using an appropriate transistor device.
Step 306 is useful to conserve battery power when the voltage level of the wireless phone battery 202 drops to a very low (i.e., almost depleted) state. In step 306, the wireless telephone functionality detects the level of power remaining in the wireless phone battery 202 in an otherwise conventional manner.
If the battery level is detected as being OK, or above a given low power threshold, then the method loops. In the endless loop, additional operations may be sensed on the wireless phone 150, such as if/when the user has pressed a button or buttons indicating that they want the flashlight 100 turned OFF, as shown in step 308.
If the battery level is detected as being below a given low power threshold, then the method of
While the present invention is shown in its preferred form with the flashlight 100 integrated within the body of the wireless phone, a less desirable embodiment may be utilized wherein the flashlight 100 is installed post-manufacture of the wireless device. For instance, the flashlight 100 may be installed into a digital port (e.g., a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port), memory card slot, etc.) For instance, the flashlight 100 may be formed in a device that inserts into a digital port of a conventional wireless phone.
In any event, it is important that the flashlight 100 be non-bulky, and essentially not noticed by the user until the time in which they need it. Thus, if the flashlight 100 is such a post-manufacture device, it is important that the flashlight 100 be integral to the wireless phone, and non-encumbering. It is important that the flashlight be unobtrusive, and essentially unnoticed by the user—until the time in which the user has need for the flashlight 100.
In such an embodiment, power is drawn from the wireless device battery through the digital port or memory card slot, whichever is used to power and control operations of the flashlight 100. Software control of the flashlight 100 is also passed through the digital port or memory card slot in such embodiment.
Operation of such a peripheral flashlight 100 is preferably via software in the wireless phone that controls the digital port in such a way as to operate the flashlight 100 ON and OFF through a menu selection or other software-detected button sequence.
The peripheral flashlight may alternatively be formed largely in the shape and/or size of an external memory card utilized by the wireless phone, e.g., a SmartCard or other standardized memory card. Such peripheral would include a connector commensurate with the connector of a suitable memory card, utilizing necessary signals such as power and ground. The memory card-shaped peripheral is inserted into an otherwise conventional wireless phone in place of a memory card, and operated as described with respect to the techniques shown in
A wireless phone device, or wireless phone, as disclosed herein is understood to be any device such as a cell phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), Blackberry™, or other wireless device capable of wireless voice communications.
While the invention has been described with reference to the exemplary embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will be able to make various modifications to the described embodiments of the invention without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 11061607 | Feb 2005 | US |
| Child | 12923527 | US |
