BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a dual-functional earphone; in particular, it relates
to a dual-functional earphone providing handsfree and audio communications features.
[0002] With advancement in technologies, various new methods of communications have been
developed, such that letters and telephones are no longer the only few options available
for human communications. By using the earpiece and the microphone, through numerous
wireless technologies and network connections, users are allowed to engage conversations
with remote counterparts without any temporal or spatial restrictions, facilitating
exchanges of ideas and feelings.
[0003] However, commercially-available earphones, no matter wired or wireless, adopt mostly
the so-called general microphone; the reception function in such a general microphone
whereas is difficult to control in that the general microphone receives not only the
voice uttered by the user, but easily picks up various ambient background noises.
If the user is located at a noisy and bustling location, the general microphone may
receive many redundant but meaningless audio signals, which probably causes undesirable
interferences to the remote counterpart in communications, or erroneously delivering
the intended messages, leading to severe hindrance to effective communication for
the user. Therefore, overcoming such interferences to message delivery becomes a key
issue for maintenance of communication quality.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The essential objective of the present invention is to provide a dual-functional
earphone which integrates a general microphone and a vibration-based microphone, allowing
users to effectively communicate with clarity in any environment.
[0005] To achieve the aforementioned objective, the present invention discloses a dual-functional
earphone comprising a main casing; an earpiece disposed on a upper portion of the
main casing; a microphone disposed on a lower portion of the main casing, in which
the microphone is provided with a general microphone and a vibration-based microphone;
a switch portion disposed on a surface of the main casing; and a circuit device, which
is disposed inside the main casing and electrically connected to the earpiece, the
microphone and the switch portion.
[0006] The vibration-based microphone is different from the general microphone in that,
when the vibration-based microphone is placed near to the mouth or throat part of
the user, it receives and amplifies only the vibrations from his/her vocal cord and
suppresses other background hums, such that the counterpart at a remote place can
distinctly hear the user's talk without being bothered by such additional but unnecessary
messages.
[0007] The dual-functional earphone according to the present invention integrates the general
microphone and the vibration-based microphone, thereby allowing the user to speak
and hear expressly in different environments. In common and tranquil surroundings,
the general microphone may be sufficiently operable; whereas, in a bustling environment,
including situations such as car driving on a road, airports, various business and
entertainment sites and the like, the vibration-based microphone can be switched ON
for receiving only the user's voices to keep the conversation clear.
[0008] In order to further appreciate the characteristics and technical contents of the
present invention, references are made to the following detailed descriptions and
appended drawings which are provided simply for exemplary and illustrative purposes,
rather than for applying any limitations to the scope of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the switch portion, which is a type of electronic
switch, in the dual-functional earphone according to the present invention;
[0010] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the switch portion, which is a type of slide switch,
in the dual-functional earphone according to the present invention;
[0011] Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram of the switch portion, which is a type of electronic
switch, in the dual-functional earphone according to the present invention; and
[0012] Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram of the switch portion, which is a type of slide
switch, in the dual-functional earphone according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] Refer now to Figures 1 to 4, wherein the present invention provides a dual-functional
earphone which comprises a main casing 1, an earpiece 2, a microphone 3, a switch
portion 4 and a circuit device 5.
[0014] The main casing 1 is approximately bar-shaped. The earpiece 2 is disposed on a upper
portion of the main casing 1. The microphone 3 is disposed on a lower portion of the
main casing 1, which includes a general microphone 31 and a vibration-based microphone
32. The switch portion 4 is disposed on a surface of the main casing 1. The circuit
device 5 is disposed inside the main casing 1 and electrically connected to the earpiece
2, the microphone 3 and the switch portion 4.
[0015] In use, the earpiece 2 is secured to the ear of the user, the main casing 1 is attached
to the cheek, and the microphone 3 is near to the mouth or throat part of the user.
[0016] The dual-functional earphone can be a Bluetooth wireless earphone or a wired earphone,
and the switch portion 4 can be an electronic switch (as shown in Figure 1) or a slide
switch (as shown in Figure 2) which allows to control the mode switching of the two
types of microphone 3.
[0017] Refer to Figures 1 and 3, wherein the switch portion 4 is an electronic switch, e.g.,
a button. The circuit device 5 includes an Integrated Circuit (IC) chip 51 and a switch
circuit 52, wherein one ends of the IC chip 51 and the switch circuit 52 are electrically
connected with each other, while other end of the IC chip 51 is electrically connected
to the switch portion 4 and the other end of the switch circuit 52 is electrically
connected to the microphone 3. Through the electronic type switch portion 4, the IC
chip 51 is driven to produce a signal to the switch circuit 52, such that the IC chip
51 is electrically connected to the general microphone 31 or the vibration-based microphone
32 for mode switching between the two types of microphone 3.
[0018] The user is allowed to select a suitable microphone 3 in accordance with environmental
factors. When the dual-functional earphone is connected to a mobile phone for communications,
the general microphone 31 can be used; in case the user is at a position surrounded
by loud noises, the dual-functional earphone can be switched to the vibration-based
microphone 32 by simply pressing down shortly the button on the switch portion 4,
which microphone 32 being able to suppress ambient bustling sounds thereby allowing
the counterpart to distinctly listen to the user's voice. When the user needs to switch
back to the general microphone 31, it can be accomplished by simply pressing down
shortly the button on the switch portion 4, thus switching the dual-functional earphone
back to the general microphone 31.
[0019] . Refer next to Figures 2 and 4, wherein the switch portion 4 is a slide switch.
The circuit device 5 includes an IC chip 51 electrically connected to the switch portion
4. The switch portion 4 is electrically connected to the microphone 3, and through
the slide type switch portion 4, the IC chip 51 is allowed to be electrically connected
to the general microphone 31 or the vibration-based microphone 32 for mode switching
between the two types of microphone 3.
[0020] The user is allowed to select a suitable microphone 3 in accordance with environmental
factors. When the dual-functional earphone is connected to a mobile phone for communications,
the general microphone 31 can be used; in case the user is at a position surrounded
by loud noises, the dual-functional earphone can be switched to the vibration-based
microphone 32 by simply selecting the slide switch in the switch portion 4 to the
vibration-based microphone 32, so that the vibration-based emicrophone 32 is able
to suppress ambient bustling sounds thereby allowing the counterpart to distinctly
listen to the user's voice. When the user needs to return to the general microphone
31, it can be accomplished by simply selecting the slide switch in the switch portion
4 to the general microphone 31, thus switching the dual-functional earphone back to
the general microphone 31.
[0021] The aforementioned descriptions illustrate merely the preferred embodiments of the
present invention, rather than intending to limit the scope of the present invention
thereto. All effectively equivalent modifications, changes or alternations made to
the specification and appended drawings of the present invention are analogously deemed
as being encompassed by the field of the present invention defined as the claims set
forth hereunder.
1. A dual-functional earphone, comprising:
a main casing;
an earpiece disposed on a upper portion of the main casing;
a microphone disposed on a lower portion of the main casing, in which the microphone
is provided with a general microphone and a vibration-based microphone;
a switch portion disposed on a surface of the main casing; and
a circuit device disposed inside the main casing and electrically connected to the
earpiece, the microphone and the switch portion.
2. The dual-functional earphone according to claim 1, wherein the dual-functional earphone
is a Bluetooth wireless earphone or a wired earphone.
3. The dual-functional earphone according to claim 1, wherein the switch portion is an
electronic switch.
4. The dual-functional earphone according to claim 3, wherein the circuit device includes
an Integrated Circuit (IC) chip and a switch circuit, one ends of said IC chip and
said switch circuit being electrically connected with each other, the other end of
the IC chip electrically being connected to the switch portion, and the other end
of the switch circuit being electrically connected to the microphone.
5. The dual-functional earphone according to claim 1, wherein the switch portion is a
slide switch.
6. The dual-functional earphone according to claim 5, wherein the circuit device includes
an IC chip, said IC chip being electrically connected to the switch portion, and the
switch portion being electrically connected to the microphone.