Description

A BLUETOOTH TYPED HEADSET ASSEMBLY FOR MOBILE

PHONES

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a Bluetooth headset assembly for a mobile phone, and more particularly to an improved headset acting as a Bluetooth communication terminal for a variety of mobile communication terminals such as mobile phones. Background Art

[2] Recently, a variety of high-performance mobile phones have been widely introduced to the market, and a variety of additional functions for performing functions of the mobile phone and accessories for the mobile phones have been widely manufactured by many companies throughout the world.

[3] Particularly, in order to substitute for a conventional wired earphone of a mobile- phone user, there is recently proposed a Bluetooth headset based on a Bluetooth communication standard acting as a low-power local-area wireless transmission specific ation.

[4] The above-mentioned Bluetooth headset based on the Bluetooth communication standard transmits the transmission/reception sound at a low power, such that it can allow the user to establish a call connection with another party without using an additional wire or cable. Also, the above-mentioned Bluetooth headset has almost no power consumption, resulting in the negligible maintenance fee and the high utility. Due to the above-mentioned advantages, the Bluetooth headsets have come into widespread use throughout the world.

[5] Although the above-mentioned Bluetooth headsets have been widely introduced to the market, many companies recently provide their mobile phones with an MP3 player function and a FM radio function as basic functions, and many users prefer to use the Bluetooth headset to listen to music or broadcast data and desire to freely listen to desired music data simultaneously while conducting other tasks.

[6] Particularly, if the user who wears the Bluetooth headset feels uncomfortable, must answer a phone call from another party during his or her working time, or must suddenly provide another party with his or her command, the user must take off the headset, resulting in greater inconvenience of the user.

[7] In addition, the Bluetooth headset is configured in the form of an independent unit, and is then provided to the user, such that an additional function for a variety of applications of the Bluetooth headset is also required. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[8] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a Bluetooth headset assembly for a mobile phone, which assigns an additional function to a headset, so that it can increase use convenience of a variety of functions of the mobile phone.

[9] It is another object of the present invention to provide a Bluetooth headset assembly for a mobile phone, which allows an FM receiver to receive transmission/reception audio signals based on the Bluetooth communication standard via a circuit unit of an FM transmitter.

[10] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a Bluetooth headset assembly for a mobile phone, which is used as an independent FM transmitter unit, such that it allows an FM receiver to receive a variety of audio signals generated from a variety of audio- or acoustic- units, resulting in the implementation of a complex function. Technical Solution

[11] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a Bluetooth headset assembly for use in a mobile phone including a headset in which a Bluetooth block (BB) based on a Bluetooth standard is embedded in a circuit board, the Bluetooth block (BB) including: a Bluetooth antenna; and a radio frequency (RF) transceiver for receiving a signal from a mobile phone via the Bluetooth antenna; a digital signal processor (DSP) for processing the received signal; a controller for controlling the digital signal processor (DSP); and an audio interface, such that the Bluetooth block (BB) transmits a reproduced audio signal from the audio interface to right and left earphones (ER and EL), and reproduces the audio signal, the Bluetooth headset assembly comprising: a selection unit for receiving an output signal from the earphone (ER or EL) or an audio signal from an external audio device via a bypass path, and using the received signal as an input signal; and a Frequency Modulation (FM) transmitter block (FB) including a second audio interface, a FM converter, and a RF transmitter, such that the bypassed output signal is transmitted to an FM receiver.

[12] Preferably, the selection unit is indicative of a selection switch mounted to a casing of the headset, and is selected from among a Bluetooth mode Pl, a phone-audio transmitter mode P2, and an external audio transmitter mode P3.

[13] Preferably, the phone-audio transmitter mode P2 and the external audio transmitter mode P3 can be substituted by a mechanical switching action implemented when an external jack (J) for outputting an audio signal generated from the external audio device is inserted into a 2- switching input plug of the headset (S).

[14] Preferably, the headset (S) further includes a frequency selection switch (SW2) and a frequency selection circuit which are capable of selecting an FM frequency according to individual areas in the headset casing or circuit board.

Advantageous Effects

[15] The Bluetooth headset assembly for use in a mobile communication terminal according to the present invention has the following effects. [16] The Bluetooth headset assembly for use in the mobile phone according to the present invention uses high-quality audio signals using a speaker of either the FM radio or the car stereo unit as a reception sound of the mobile phone H, such that the utility of the MP3- or radio- function of the mobile phone H increases, and the

Bluetooth headset assembly can also be applied to the hands-free mode. [17] In addition, the Bluetooth headset assembly for use in the mobile phone can also be used as the FM transmitter capable of transmitting the output signals of external audio devices to the FM receiver, resulting in the increased applicability.

Brief Description of the Drawings [18] The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: [19] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the usage of a Bluetooth headset assembly for use in a mobile phone according to the present invention; [20] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a headset including a Bluetooth headset assembly for use in a mobile phone according to the present invention; [21] FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating a circuit board contained in the Bluetooth headset assembly for use in a mobile phone according to the present invention; and [22] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating other additional functions of the Bluetooth headset assembly for use in a mobile phone according to the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention [23] Now, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the annexed drawings. In the drawings, the same or similar elements are denoted by the same reference numerals even though they are depicted in different drawings. In the following description, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matte r of the present invention rather unclear. [24] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the usage of a Bluetooth headset assembly for use in a mobile phone according to the present invention. [25] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a headset including a Bluetooth headset assembly for use in a mobile phone according to the present invention.

[26] FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating a circuit board contained in the Bluetooth headset assembly for use in a mobile phone according to the present invention. [27] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating other additional functions of the Bluetooth headset assembly for use in a mobile phone according to the present invention. [28] Although the Bluetooth headset S according to the Bluetooth communication standard has been exemplarily disclosed in FIGS. 1~2, it should be noted that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned examples, and is applicable to other examples as necessary. [29] A circuit board P of the headset S of FIGS. 1~2 is inserted into a general headphone or improved-designed casing, a left earphone (EL) and/or a right earphone (ER) are/is provided to the headset S.

Mode for the Invention [30] Referring to FIG. 3, the Bluetooth block (BB) acting as a circuit arranged on the circuit board P includes a Bluetooth antenna 1, an RF (Radio Frequency) transceiver

10, and a general Bluetooth processing circuit.

[31] The Bluetooth antenna 1 receives signals generated from an internal or external antenna (not shown) of the mobile phone H. The RF transceiver 10 receives the signals from the Bluetooth antenna 1, and processes the received signals.

[32] The general Bluetooth processing circuit includes a digital signal processor (DSP)

11, a controller 12, and an audio interface 13.

[33] The digital signal processor (DSP) 11 digitally processes the received signals. The controller 12 controls the digital signal processor (DSP) 11. The audio interface 13 reproduces the processed signals or converts the processed signals into audio signals.

[34] The audio signals reproduced by the audio interface 13 are transmitted to the right and left earphones ER and EL.

[35] The above-mentioned general Bluetooth processing circuit is equal to the Bluetooth block (BB). This Bluetooth block (BB) is mounted to the circuit board P of the headset S.

[36] The FM transmitter block (FB) for performing the principal functions of the

Bluetooth headset assembly for use in the mobile phone is depicted at a lower part of FIG. 3.

[37] The FM transmitter block (FB) receives the output signals of the right and left earphones ER and EL of the Bluetooth block (BB) via a bypass path, and uses the received signals as input signals. In this case, the bypass of the audio signals generated from the right and left earphones ER and EL is conducted by a selector switch (SW) mounted to the headset's casing.

[38] If the user transmits the audio signal of the mobile phone H to the FM receiver R

using the headset S, and desires to hear music data or voice signals of another party under a hands-free mode, the selector switch (SW) is switched from a Bluetooth mode Pl for mobile-phone communication to a phone-audio transmitter mode P2. Therefore, the audio signals are bypassed, and are inserted into the FM transmitter block (FB).

[39] The communication audio signals are applied to the FM converter 21 and the RF transmitter 22 via the audio interface 20, and are transmitted to the FM receiver R via the internal or external antenna 23, such that the user can hear the audio signals via the FM receiver R.

[40] Therefore, from the viewpoint of the Bluetooth headset assembly for use in the mobile phone, the FM transmitter block (FB) is mounted to the circuit board P contained in the headset S based on the general Bluetooth standard as an additional circuit.

[41] In the case of extending the concept of the present invention, the Bluetooth headset assembly for use in the mobile phone according to the present invention can be used as a phone audio transmitter for only the mobile phone H, and can enable the user to hear output signals of all the audio devices (e.g., MP3, PMP, and PDA) via a vehicle's FM receiver R or household/office FM receiver R.

[42] The implementation associated with the above-mentioned extended scope of the present invention is depicted in FIG. 4.

[43] If the audio output terminals (i.e., Audio L and Audio R) of the audio devices are extended and used as the input jack (JS) of the headset S, and the input jack (JS) is switched, the audio signals generated from the external audio devices can be transmitted to the FM receiver R via the headset S via the headset S.

[44] In addition to the Bluetooth mode Pl and the phone-audio transmitter mode P2 of the selector switch (SW), the external-audio transmitter mode P3 acting as an additional selection point is connected, the audio signals of external audio devices can also be transmitted to the FM receiver R via the headset S. In this case, the headset S is used as an independent FM transmission unit.

[45] In the case of using the switching function (i.e., a general switching method in which two terminals from among three terminals are selectively and mechanically switched) of the input jack (JS), the selector switch (SW) may be located at the phone- audio transmitter mode P2, and at the same time the external jack J of each audio device may be inserted into the input jack (JS), the output signals to the earphones ER and EL are blocked, and the external audio signal may be received in the FM transmitter block (FB).

[46] The above-mentioned operations are also equally applied to a specific case in which the selector switch SW is set to the external audio transmitter mode P3 instead of the switching of the input jack (JS).

[47] As can be seen from FIG. 4, the audio signals generated from the general MP3 player M are applied to the headset S via the external jack K, and the headset S serves as the FM transmitter, such that the audio signals are reproduced by the FM receiver R.

[48] Preferably, as can be seen from FIG. 3, the frequency selection switch SW2 and the frequency selection circuit 25, which are capable of selecting an emergency FM frequency according to regions, may be further mounted to the casing and the circuit board P.

[49] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Industrial Applicability

[50] As apparent from the above description, the Bluetooth headset assembly for use in the mobile phone according to the present invention uses high-quality audio signals using a speaker of either the FM radio or the car stereo unit as a reception sound of the mobile phone H, such that the utility of the MP3- or radio- function of the mobile phone H increases, and the Bluetooth headset assembly can also be applied to the hands-free mode.

[51] In addition, the Bluetooth headset assembly for use in the mobile phone can also be used as the FM transmitter capable of transmitting the output signals of external audio devices to the FM receiver, resulting in the increased applicability.

[52] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.