Holder for a dockable earpiece for a portable phone

Abstract

An earpiece unit is held adjacent to or within a cell phone. The earpiece includes a microphone and speaker and is wearable in a user's ear. The earpiece is docked within the housing of a cell phone and can be used in the docked position to operate the phone. A user can push on the back of the earpiece to eject the earpiece from the phone housing so that the earpiece can be easily inserted into the user's ear. The user can be provided with a “pause” control on the cell phone that indicates to the cell phone system that a call is going to be answered. Upon activation of the “pause” control, the cell phone system can pause its efforts to establish communications and/or temporarily reduce the intensity of transmissions. A message is sent to the caller notifying that the call is about to be answered.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a holder for detachably holding an audio transducer adjacent to a portable phone in a position such that the audio transducer can be placed adjacent to an ear of a user while the audio transducer is held by the holder and the user speaks into the phone; and   an undocking mechanism for allowing a user to simultaneously detach the audio transducer from the portable phone and attach the audio transducer adjacent to an ear of the user by using a force applied by a finger of the user to move the audio transducer in a direction of the ear of the user.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the audio transducer includes
 a microphone.   
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the transducer is coupled to the portable phone by a wire, the holder further comprising
 a compartment for storing the wire.   
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a control for generating a signal; and   a mechanism acting in response to the signal for causing a pause in incoming call transmissions to the portable phone.   
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising
 an audio playback circuit for sending a predefined message over a portable phone network in response to the signal.   
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the audio transducer is wearable adjacent to a human ear. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the audio transducer is dockable in a position substantially interior to a housing of the portable phone. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the holder is removably attached to the portable phone. 
   
   
       9 - 16 . (canceled)