IP Library Granted Patent US 8,761,841
Granted Patent B2
US 8,761,841 · App. 13/520,857 · Granted Jun 24, 2014

Personal conferencing device

Inventors: Karsten Zakarias (Kobenhavn, DK); Brian Koefoed (Glostrup, DK); Michael Schwartz (Regstrup, DK)
Assignee: GN Netcom A/S
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,761,841
App. No.
13/520,857
Granted
Jun 24, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A personal conferencing device ( 12 ) having a base unit ( 14 ) and a headset/handset ( 5 ), wherein the base unit ( 14 ) comprises a first interface ( 4 ) to a telephone system, a headset/handset receiving part ( 19 ) for receiving a headset/handset ( 5 ), and the headset/handset ( 5 ) comprises a base connection ( 31 ) adapted to be received by the receiving part ( 19 ), at least a first microphone ( 7 ) for receiving audio from a headset/handset user, and at least a first headset/handset speaker ( 8 ) for providing audio to a headset/handset user, a position detecting device ( 10 ) for detecting a position and/or a state of the headset/handset ( 5 ), and a second headset/handset speaker ( 9 ), wherein audio is provided to a headset/handset user via the second headset/handset speaker ( 9 ) in response to a first signal provided from the position detecting device ( 10 ) whereby the user can choose between a private mode using the at least first headset/handset speaker and a conference mode using the second headset/handset speaker.

Claims (16)

1. Personal conferencing device having a base unit and a headset/handset, wherein the base unit comprises: a first interface to a telephone system, and a headset/handset receiving part for receiving a headset/handset, the headset/handset comprises: a base connection adapted to be received by the receiving part, at least a first microphone for receiving audio from a headset/handset user, and at least a first headset/handset speaker for providing audio to a headset/handset user, a position detecting device for detecting a position and/or a state of the headset/handset, and a second headset/handset speaker, wherein audio is provided to a headset/handset user via the second headset/handset speaker in response to a first signal provided from the position detecting device.

2. A personal conferencing device according to claim 1 , wherein the base unit further comprises a base speakerphone.

3. A personal conferencing device according to claim 2 , wherein the personal conferencing device is adapted to deliver audio to the base speakerphone when the headset/handset is received in the base unit and wherein the personal conferencing device is adapted to deliver audio to the first and/or second headset/handset speaker when the headset/handset is removed from the base unit.

4. A personal conferencing device according to claim 1 , wherein the headset/handset is in the form of a stick or a telephone handset.

5. A personal conferencing device according to claim 1 , wherein the first signal is emitted from the position detecting device when the personal conferencing device is positioned on a plane surface.

6. A personal conferencing device according to claim 1 , wherein the first interface includes audio and power connection.

7. A personal conferencing device according to claim 1 , wherein the headset/handset further comprises a second microphone adapted to receive audio from a user when the headset/handset is received in the base unit and/or in response to the first signal emitted from the position sensing device.

8. A personal conferencing device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second microphone is a single microphone, and/or wherein the first and the second speaker is a single speaker.

9. A personal conferencing device according to claim 1 , wherein the phone system is a computer based phone system and wherein the headset/handset is charged from the computer via the receiving part.

10. A personal conferencing device according to claim 1 , wherein the first interface is a USB connection, a wired connection or a wireless connection.

11. A personal conferencing device according to claim 1 , further having an integrated USB plug.

12. A personal conferencing device according to claim 1 , wherein the headset/handset includes a headband, an earhook or a neckband being foldable and/or disconnectably connected to the headset/handset to minimize space use.

13. A personal conferencing device according to claim 1 , further having a rotatable part for moving the personal conferencing device to a transport position while connected to the phone system, especially when connecting to the phone system via a USB connection.

14. A personal conferencing device according to claim 1 , further comprising a user interface, such as a user interface including answering, muting and volume functions, via push buttons, scrolling buttons or via an MMI interface.

15. A personal conferencing device according to claim 1 , wherein the base unit comprises a dongle for connection to a computer soft phone.

16. A personal conferencing device according to claim 1 , wherein the headset/handset is set to a private mode wherein the first headset/handset speaker is activated, or is set to a conference mode in which the second headset/handset speaker is activated based on the detected position and/or state of the headset/handset.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Mar 30, 2026
From: GN NETCOM A/S
To: GN HEARING A/S
Reel/Frame 075299/0212 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2012
From: ZAKARIAS, KARSTEN; KOEFOED, BRIAN; SCHWARTZ, MICHAEL
To: GN NETCOM A/S
Reel/Frame 029584/0136 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61293486 · Jan 8, 2010
Related Publication 20130210496A1 · Aug 15, 2013