TELEPHONE HANDSET PROVIDED WITH A REMEDIAL SIGNAL GENERATOR

Abstract

A remedial signal for potentially harmful radiation that is emitted by a portable electronic battery powered communication device is implemented directly within the handset of the portable communication device the portable communication device is operated by a microprocessor and the remedial signal module is controlled by an algorithm in the microprocessor wherein the algorithm obtains information concerning radio frequency communications associated with the portable telecommunications device from the transceivers of the device.

Claims

1. A system for generation of a remedial signal for potentially harmful radiation that is emitted by a portable electronic battery powered communication device, wherein the system is implemented directly within a handset of the portable electronic battery powered communication device in which the portable electronic battery powered communication device is operated by a microprocessor and a remedial signal module is controlled by an algorithm in the microprocessor, wherein the algorithm obtains information concerning radio frequency communications associated with the portable electronic battery powered communication device from transceivers of the device.

2. The system according to claim 1 in which the portable electronic battery powered communication device is a cellular telephone handset.

3. The system according to claim 1 in which the remedial signal is generated by operation of the remedial signal module within the handset.

4. The system according to claim 1 in which the information includes an RF communications mode.

5. The system according to claim 4 in which the information includes a power level and timing of an RF signal.

6. The system according to claim 1 in which the information is used to determine if the remedial signal is required.

7. The system according to claim 6 in which the information is used to determine a nature, strength and duration of the remedial signal that should be generated.

8. A battery powered personal communication device operated by a microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor contains a means for assessment of a risk of generation by the battery powered personal communication device of potentially harmful radiofrequency radiation emitted by the battery powered personal communication device and contains a means activatable according to the assessment of the risk for activation of a remedial device for reduction or elimination of the potentially harmful radiofrequency radiation.

9. The battery powered personal communication device according to claim 8 comprising a means to monitor a power drain on a battery of the battery powered personal communication device.

10. The battery powered personal communication device according to claim 8 in which the microprocessor is in a handset of the battery powered personal communication device and the microprocessor monitors a communications mode and a handset mode of the battery powered personal communication device and determines when to activate a remedial signal.

11. The battery powered personal communication device according to claim 10 in which identification of a communication mode is used to determine a required level of the remedial signal.

12. The battery powered personal communication device according to claim 10 in which identification is performed by an analytical module within the microprocessor in the handset that is programmed to detect different communication modes of the devices.

13. The battery powered personal communication device according to claim 8 in which the microprocessor in the handset operates a timer to check if a potentially harmful signal is present.

14. The battery powered personal communication device according to claim 8 comprising a battery operated personal communication device wherein the potentially harmful radiation is RF radiation and the effect of the RF radiation emitted by the device is inhibited by a means that generates a remedial signal that is superimposed on the emitted RF radiation to provide a combined signal that is irregular.

15. The battery powered personal communication device according to claim 14 in which the means that generates the remedial signal is an inductive coil which is activated to produce a remedial signal field, employing power from battery of the battery powered personal communication device.

16. (canceled)

17. A remedial device that generates a remedial signal within a handset of a battery powered personal communication device that emits RF transmissions potentially harmful to human or animal life, the remedial device being activated by a microprocessor within the handset which determines a communication mode and a handset mode of the battery powered personal communication device and deduces a presence of said RF transmissions.

18. (canceled)

19. The remedial device according to claim 17 in which the determination of the communication mode and the handset modes of the battery powered personal communication device differentiates between signals generated by voice communication and signals generated by other forms of communication and the appropriate remedial signal deemed to be required for the particular communication mode and/or handset mode is activated based on the determination.

20. The remedial device according to claim 17 in which the remedial signal generator includes a digital noise generator which is coupled through digital to analogue conversion means and filter means to provide an analogue form of the remedial signal to a coil which establishes a remedial field.

21. The device according to claim 8 comprising a cellular telephone which when activated for use generates radiation, wherein the microprocessor determines if the radiation may be harmful by sensing a communication mode and/or a handset mode in operation and the microprocessor activates the remedial signal generator to provide a signal that converts the potentially harmful radiation to a random benign wave pattern if deemed to be required.

22. The device according to claim 8 in which the microprocessor also detects when communications end and the potentially harmful radiation is no longer being generated and deactivates a remedial signal.

23. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

[0018] FIG. 1 provides a block diagram showing how the mode of operation of the handset can be monitored and the requirements for a remedial signal can be assessed and an appropriate remedial signal activated by an algorithm within the handset microprocessor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Accordingly the invention provides a battery powered personal communication device operated by a microprocessor wherein the microprocessor contains means for assessment of the risk of the generation of potentially harmful radiofrequency radiation produced by such devices together with means activatable according to the assessment of the risk for the activation of a remedial device for the reduction or elimination of the potentially harmful effect on humans or animal life caused by exposure to such radiation.

[0020] The design minimizes the number of components required, saves space and is more economical to produce. Additionally it minimizes power consumption. In the preferred embodiment means are provided to monitor the power drain on the battery and the application conditions are monitored and the maximum power drain is set accordingly. Power drain can be set to be at its lowest when the battery is in storage, somewhat higher when the battery is connected to the phone and battery voltage is above a certain acceptable level, and highest but still as low as possible when RF is being generated and needs to be assessed. In all cases battery voltage is measured and in the last two environments both battery voltage and the RF signal are measured. The power management control may conveniently be implemented by software which is executed within the microprocessor.

[0021] Rather than depleting the battery by applying the protection signal until the battery is fully depleted, battery monitoring can ensure that sufficient battery life remains to allow for cellular communication. The monitoring function does not consume significant energy, and therefore it need not be disabled. It is one of the many tasks which execute concurrently on the cell phone. By monitoring battery voltage, and limiting protection signal generation to use above a certain battery voltage, the user has the ability of using the cellular telephone near the end of battery life (emergency communications, for example) without the protection signal depleting the battery.

[0022] The microprocessor in the handset monitors the communications mode (GSM, 3G, 4G) and handset mode (voice or data) and output power of wireless transceivers in the cell phone. Using this information, the microprocessor determines when to activate the protection signal. In general, amplitude variation patterns for voice transmission are different than for data transmission and are characteristic of signals that are more likely to cause biological effects. Furthermore, voice transmission often implies proximity of the handset to the head which also increases the likelihood of biological effects. Therefore, identification of the communication mode is important in the determination of potential biological impact. Accordingly, identification of the communication modes can be used to determine the required level of the remedial signal. By way of example the microprocessor can differentiate between GSM voice communication mode, GSM data communication mode, 3G or 4G voice communication mode and 3G or 4G data communication mode. The differentiation is preferably performed by an analytical module within the handset microprocessor that is programmed to detect the different communication modes.

[0023] The remedial signal can then be activated according to the communication mode and handset mode as determined by the microprocessor and the strength of the remedial signal can be tailored to the mode of operation and the radiation it will generate. For example, if the remedial signal strength in relation to GSM voice communication is deemed to be 100%, for voice communication for 3G, 50% may be sufficient whereas for 3G data communication 25% may be required. The microprocessor can be programmed to cause the remedial signal generator to provide signals of the appropriate strength according to the analysis of the signals received. The remedial signal is preferably a magnetic field, more preferably an unmodulated low frequency magnetic field.

[0024] In our preferred design the handset microprocessor operates the entire system and it also operates a timer to check periodically if the potentially harmful signal is present. In operation the microprocessor recognises the communication mode and handset mode that are operating and determines the level of protection that should be applied. The invention therefore employs a microprocessor programmed to recognise key characteristics of the entire phone system to determine whether biological effects are likely to occur and whether the protective signal is required.

[0025] The invention therefore allows the strength of the remedial signal to be tailored according to the nature of the potentially harmful radiation which in turn depends upon the detected mode of operation of the telecommunication handset.

[0026] In the preferred embodiment means are provided to monitor the power drain and the application conditions are monitored and as discussed the power drain is set accordingly. As discussed the power management control may conveniently be implemented by software which is executed within a microprocessor and many functions can be implemented within such a microprocessor. In particular it can monitor parameters such as battery voltage: sourced from circuit that connects to the battery. The microprocessor monitors the operational modes of the handset. The microprocessor also activates output parameters such as the Bioprotection noise signal. Additional functions which can be implemented in the software include application state classification and power management, implementation of application state monitoring and control algorithms.

[0027] The invention may be applied to most electronic devices that operate by transmitting RF signals which could be potentially harmful to human or animal life, but it is particularly useful with battery powered personal communication devices, such as cellular telephones, that are used in close proximity to the human body particularly to the head. The invention provides a system that can be readily used with a variety of mobile phone designs and their associated batteries and accessories.

[0028] Earlier studies have shown that RF radiation can cause potentially harmful effects if it is regular, meaning that it has constant properties, and is continuously applied for periods of over 10 seconds and that the potential harm can be substantially eliminated if the regularity period is reduced to no more than 1 second. The means to eliminate the potential harm used in the present invention may superimpose an electromagnetic noise field on the potentially harmful radiation to produce a combined field that is irregular in time, meaning that it does not have constant properties in time, and therefore no longer has the potential to cause harm. Use of the noise field, which is also referred to as the remedial signal, allows for use of the electronic device without altering the manner in which it operates.

[0029] The invention is particularly useful with battery operated personal communication devices. In the preferred embodiment the potentially harmful effect of the RF radiation is inhibited by a means that generates an appropriate remedial signal that is superimposed on the RF signal to provide a combined signal that is irregular and therefore has no bio-effecting consequence. Any suitable means may be used but the means may comprise an inductive coil which is activated to produce the remedial signal field, primarily magnetic in nature, employing power from the battery of the cellular telephone.

[0030] The preferred system comprises an electronic circuit that comprises a microprocessor that determines the communications mode and handset mode, determines from this the level of protection to apply and then activates the appropriate protection.

[0031] The invention therefore provides more specifically, a remedial device within the handset of a battery powered personal communication device that emits RF transmissions potentially harmful to humans or animal life, the remedial device being activated by a microprocessor which determines the communications mode and handset mode and deduces the presence of said RF transmissions. The remedial device includes a remedial signal generator means, being arranged to establish a remedial electromagnetic field in the vicinity of the handset. In a preferred embodiment power management is implemented to conserve battery power. The determination of communication and handset modes differentiates between signals generated by voice communication and those generated by other forms of communication such as data communication and on this basis activates the appropriate remedial signal deemed to be required for the particular communication and/or handset mode.

[0032] The mode sensing by the handset microprocessor enables supply of power from the handset battery to said remedial signal generator (or selected parts thereof). The remedial signal generator may include a remedial signal control module, which provides a control signal to the power source, and a control signal to a remedial signal generator module, for generating the desired form of remedial signal. Control of the remedial signal is responsive to the sensing by the microprocessor, and employs the handset microprocessor to execute one or more algorithms for controlling the remedial signal generator.

[0033] The remedial signal generator may include a digital noise generator, which is coupled through digital to analogue conversion means and filter means, for providing an analogue form of the remedial signal, to a coil which provides a means for establishing the remedial field in the neighbourhood of the handset.

[0034] The radiation with which this invention is particularly concerned is that emitted by the cellular telephone when it is transmitting or receiving information especially voice information and particularly when it is transmitting voice information as this tends to generate more RF signals and in particular when it is transmitting or receiving speech as that is generally the time when the telephone is in closest proximity to the head, and transmission radiation occurs for a significant length of time so increasing the likelihood of the creation of harmful biological effects.

[0035] In operation therefore the cellular telephone will be activated for use and may immediately generate the potentially harmful radiation at the particular predetermined frequency. That the radiation may be harmful will be determined by the microprocessor sensing the communication mode and the handset mode in operation and, if deemed to be required the microprocessor will then activate the remedial signal (noise) generator means that converts the constant potentially harmful radiation to a random benign wave pattern. The microprocessor can also detect when communications end and the potentially harmful radiation is no longer being generated and can then deactivate the remedial signal until the next time that it is required. Negation of the potentially harmful effect of the radiation generated by use of a cellular telephone can be achieved with a remedial signal, preferably an electromagnetic signal, having a frequency preferably in the range 30 Hz to 90 Hz preferably in the range 40 Hz to 60 Hz.

[0036] The invention is illustrated by reference to the accompanying FIGURE which is a schematic drawing of the components which may be present within a cellular telephone handset (not shown) for performance of the invention.

[0037] The handset contains cellular transceivers (1) and other radio frequency transceivers (2) for performing the various functions required of the cellular telephone. The microprocessor (3) operates the transceivers and also receives digital information from the transceivers indicating the mode of operation of the telephone and the extent of the operation. The microprocessor contains program memory (4) and optionally data memory (5). The program memory of the microprocessor assesses the information received from the transceivers and determines if the mode of operation will cause potentially harmful radiation. If this is deemed to be the case the microprocessor will activate the remedial signal generator by sending a digital signal to a digital/analogue converter (6) and the converted signal activates the driver (7) to provide the desired remedial signal from the bioprotective field coil (8).