CABLECHIPSYSTEM

Abstract

A device-specific interface (1, 10, 20) for interfacing a first device (2) directly to a particular second device (3, 13, 23) in a voice communications system, where the device-specific interface (1, 10, 20) is specific to the particular second device (3, 13, 23) and the second device requires particular settings to be used by the first device when exchanging data with the second device, the interface comprising: - first (I) and second (II, III, IV) connectors for releasably connecting the interface to the first and second devices, respectively; - an electronic data connection (4) between the first connector and the second connector; - an integrated circuit (5, 15, 25) comprising a memory (6) holding digital information relating to identification of the particular second device and relating to particular settings to be used when exchanging electronic data with the particular second device via the electronic data connection; and - a digital data interface (7) between the first connector and the integrated circuit enabling the first device to access the digital information, wherein - the digital information comprises settings specific to the particular second device to be used by the first device when exchanging electronic data signals with the second device and wherein the device-specific interface is adapted to provide the digital information comprising settings specific to the particular second device to the first device thereby enabling the first device to automatically adapt its settings and / or functionality according to the settings specific to the particular second device, - the device-specific interface (1, 10, 20) is a push-to-talk interface and the first device (2) is a push-to-talk device, - the electronic data connection of the device-specific interface is a wire or cable between the first connector and the second connector, and - the integrated circuit and the memory are embedded in the wire or cable or in the first or second connector so that they are physically part of the interface.

Description

[0001] The Tenth Civil Senate of the Federal Court of Justice, in the oral proceedings of August 19, 2025, with presiding judge Dr. Bacher, judge Hoffmann, judge Dr. Marx, and judges Dr. Rensen and Dr. Crummenerl, rendered the following judgment: recognized as rightful: Upon the appeal of the defendant, the judgment of the 4th Senate (Voidness Senate) of the Federal Patent Court of 21 June 2023 is amended. European patent 2 845 115 is partially declared invalid by amending claims 1 and 9 as follows, and by referring back to this version of the remaining claims: - in the penultimate paragraph, the word “and” is deleted after the words “between the first connector and the second connector”, - in the last paragraph, the period is replaced by ", and"; - The following text is added after the last paragraph: „- the integrated circuit is a microprocessor or a digital signal processor, hence the integrated circuit is an electronic processing unit, which is connected to access and to process data transmitted in the electronic data connection between the first connector and the second connector, thereby the device-specific interface (1, 10, 20) not only transmits electronic data signals between the first and second devices but also reacts upon these signals, interferes with these signals and changes these signals.“.

[0002] Im Übrigen wird die Klage abgewiesen.

Claims

[1] A device-specific interface (1, 10, 20) for interfacing a first device (2) directly to a particular second device (3, 13, 23) in a voice communications system, where the device-specific interface (1, 10, 20) is specific to the particular second device (3, 13, 23) and the second device requires particular settings to be used by the first device when exchanging data with the second device, the interface comprising: - first (I) and second (II, III, IV) connectors for releasably connecting the interface to the first and second devices, respectively; - an electronic data connection (4) between the first connector and the second connector; - an integrated circuit (5, 15, 25) comprising a memory (6) holding digital information relating to identification of the particular second device and relating to particular settings to be used when exchanging electronic data with the particular second device via the electronic data connection; and - a digital data interface (7) between the first connector and the integrated circuit enabling the first device to access the digital information, wherein - the digital information comprises settings specific to the particular second device to be used by the first device when exchanging electronic data signals with the second device and wherein the device-specific interface is adapted to provide the digital information comprising settings specific to the particular second device to the first device thereby enabling the first device to automatically adapt its settings and / or functionality according to the settings specific to the particular second device, - the device-specific interface (1, 10, 20) is a push-to-talk interface and the first device (2) is a push-to-talk device, - the electronic data connection of the device-specific interface is a wire or cable between the first connector and the second connector, and - the integrated circuit and the memory are embedded in the wire or cable or in the first or second connector so that they are physically part of the interface. [2] The device-specific interface according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the digital information identifies features than can be enabled in the first device and / or in the second device. [3] The device-specific interface according to claim 2, wherein the features identified by the digital information are determined by one or more of features that are accessible in a particular configuration; by features that a user has purchased access to; and by features that the user wants to have enabled. [4] The device-specific interface according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the digital information comprises control software for the first device to be installed in or executed by the first device upon connection. [5] The device-specific interface according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the integrated circuit is an electronic processing unit connected to access and process data transmitted in the electronic data connection between the first connector and the second connector. [6] The device-specific interface according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the integrated circuit is an electronic processing unit and wherein the interface further comprises a digital data interface (17) between the second connector and the electronic processing unit. [7] The device-specific interface according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the voice communications system is a communications systems for which predefined common standards for connection, identification and / or communication between devices are not provided. [8] A first device (2) for being connected to a second device (3, 13, 23) in a voice communication system via the device-specific interface (1, 10, 20)according to any of claims 1 - 7, the first device comprising: - an interface connector (I') for connecting releasably with the first connector (I) of the interface; and - an electronic processor (8) for retrieving the digital information in the memory (6) of the interface via the digital data interface (7)and for applying the retrieved digital information in determining how to communicate with the second device. [9] A method for providing, to a first device (2) in a voice communications system, digital information relating to a particular second device (3, 13, 23) to be connected to the first device via a device-specific interface (1, 10, 20), the method comprising: providing a device-specific interface (1, 10, 20) comprising: - first (I) and second (II, III, IV) connectors for releasably connecting the interface to the first and second devices, respectively; - an electronic data connection (4) between the first connector and the second connector; - an integrated circuit (5, 15, 25) comprising a memory (6) holding digital information relating to identification of the particular second device and relating to particularsettings to be used when exchanging electronicdata with the particular second device via the electronic data connection; and - a digital data interface (7) between the first connector and the integrated circuit enabling the first device to access the digital information; connecting the first device to the interface via the first connector; and providing the digital information to the first device and applying settings in the first device corresponding to particular settings to be used when exchanging electronic data with the second device, wherein - the device-specific interface is a push-to-talk interface and the first device is a push-to-talk device, - the electronic data connection of the device-specific interface is a wire or cable between the first connector and the second connector, and - the integrated circuit and the memory are embedded in the wire or cable or in the first or second connector so that they are physically part of the interface. [10] The method according to claim 9, wherein the digital information identifies features than can be enabled in the first device and / or in the second device. [11] The method according to claim 10, wherein the features identified by the digital information are determined by one or more of features that are accessible in a particular configuration; by features that a user has purchased access to; and by features that the user wants to have enabled. [12] The method according to any one of claims 9 - 11, wherein the digital information comprises control software for the first device to be installed in or executed by the first device upon connection. [13] The method according to any one of claims 9 - 12, wherein the integrated circuit is an electronic processing unit accessing and processing data transmitted in the electronic data connection between the first connector and the second connector. [14] The method according to any one of claims 9 - 13, wherein the integrated circuit is an electronic processing unit and wherein the interface further comprises a digital data interface (17) between the second connector and the electronic processing unit. [15] The method according to any one of claims 9 - 14, wherein the voice communications system is a communications systems for which predefined common standards for connection, identification and / or communication between devices are not provided. [16] A device assembly comprising a device-specific interface according to any one of claims 1 - 7 and a first device according to claim 8 to be connected to the interface via the first connector (I) and the interface connector (I'). [17] Use of a device-specific interface according to any one of claims 1- 7 holding digital information allowing a first device according to claim 8 to identify and adapt to a particular second device when the first and second devices are connected via the interface in a system.