Telephone Receiver Identification via Contact Grounding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Different microphones and speakers have varying frequency responses, leading to inconsistencies in audio output and generation across different telephone receivers connected to a base unit, resulting in dissimilar audio experiences.

Innovation Solution

A telephone system that identifies the type of telephone receiver connected to the base unit using electrical contacts that can be either grounded or floating, applying specific audio filters to compensate for the receiver's frequency response, thereby reducing output differences.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If different microphones and speakers are used in telephone receivers, then device versatility is improved, but audio consistency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice versatilityVSAvoidaudio consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying audio signal parameters (frequency response, gain, equalization) based on the identified receiver type. The base unit adjusts audio parameters dynamically according to the connected receiver's characteristics, thereby maintaining audio consistency across different hardware configurations while preserving device versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback through the identification process where the base unit detects the receiver type via electrical contact configuration and uses this information to automatically adjust audio processing parameters. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures that audio output is optimized for each specific receiver type, resolving the contradiction between versatility and consistency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If electrical contacts are used for receiver identification, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereceiver identification accuracyVSAvoidelectrical contact configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the identification function from complex active sensing and implements it through passive electrical contact configuration detection. By using the existing electrical contacts (grounded or floating) solely for identification purposes, the patent achieves precise receiver type detection without adding complex identification hardware, thereby improving measurement precision while minimizing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS10237381B2Telephone receiver identification

Publication Date: 2019.03.19 SORENSON IP HOLDINGS LLC

AI summary

A telephone system may include a telephone receiver and a base unit. The telephone receiver may include a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact configured to be electrically grounded. The first electrical contact may be either coupled to the second electrical contact or electrically floating. The base unit may be configured to be coupled to the telephone receiver over a wired connection. The base unit may be configured to electrically ground the second electrical contact by way of the wired connection. The base unit may also be configured to determine an identification of the telephone receiver based on whether the first electrical contact is electrically grounded or electrically floating.