Telephone Handle Switch Eliminates Cradle for Flexible Placement

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional telephone designs with integrated cradles limit handle placement flexibility, require additional cables for separate cradles, increasing space and design complexity, and restrict user interaction due to fixed cradle positions.

Innovation Solution

A telephone set with a handle connected to a host via a signal transmission line, featuring a first switch on the handle and a second switch in the host to detect and send off-hook/on-hook signals, eliminating the need for a cradle and simplifying desktop layout by using a physical switch and a metal oxide semiconductor or comparison circuit for voltage detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an integrated cradle with off-hook/on-hook detection apparatus is used, then the telephone can detect handle placement state, but the handle placement is limited to a fixed position on the cradle

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoff-hook/on-hook detectionVSAvoidhandle placement flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the off-hook/on-hook detection function from the cradle and relocates it to the handle itself through a switch mechanism. This allows the handle to autonomously detect its own placement state without requiring a fixed cradle position, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliable detection and placement flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a switch as an intermediary element between the handle and the host. This switch acts as a mediator that detects handle placement and transmits the state to the host, enabling flexible handle positioning while maintaining reliable off-hook/on-hook detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a separate cradle is used to connect handle and telephone, then the handle can be placed flexibly, but an additional cable is required which increases space and design complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandle placement flexibilityVSAvoidcable and cradle structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the detection function from the cradle structure entirely, eliminating the need for a separate cradle with detection apparatus. The handle becomes self-sufficient with its own switch, removing the complex cable-and-cradle infrastructure while preserving placement flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the off-hook/on-hook detection function directly into the handle unit itself. By integrating the switch within the handle, the system combines the handle's mobility advantage with built-in detection capability, eliminating the need for separate cradle and cable components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If a separate cradle with cable is used, then handle placement is flexible, but the desktop layout becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandle placement flexibilityVSAvoiddesktop layout simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the cradle and cable components from the system entirely, extracting only the essential off-hook/on-hook detection function and embedding it in the handle. This simplification eliminates the physical clutter of cables and separate cradles, making desktop layout more straightforward while maintaining placement flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP2806615B1Telephone and telephone on-off method
Publication Date: 2016.03.09 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP2806615B1 patent drawingFigure 1a
  • EP2806615B1 patent drawingFigure 1b
  • EP2806615B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The present invention discloses a telephone set and an off-hook/on-hook method of a telephone set, and belongs to the field of communications devices. The telephone set includes a handle and a host, where the handle includes a first switch, and the host includes a second switch. According to the present invention, the first switch is added on the handle of the telephone set, the second switch is correspondingly added into the host of the telephone set, and a state of the first switch is used to control the second switch to send an off-hook/on-hook signal, so as to enable the telephone set to be off-hook/on-hook. Compared with a conventional fixed-line phone, the use of the handle is not limited by a position of a cradle, and even the cradle is not needed. In addition, because an off-hook/on-hook detection function is implemented by the first switch in combination with the second switch, the space occupied by the fixed-line phone is decreased, and desktop layout is simplified.