Battery charging adaptor for a wireless microphone

• US 10,038,948 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2014
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Revolabs, Inc. (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: REVO Labs Incorporated
• Inventors: Desmarais, Mark, Root, Timothy D
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): McKinney, Angelica M
• Application Number:
  US14/283,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20150341716A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/36 Arrangements for testing, measuring or monitoring the electrical condition of accumulators or electric batteries, e.g. capacity or state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3835 involving only voltage measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/08 Mouthpieces; Microphones; Attachments therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/00 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones

Abstract

An audio system has a base station and a plurality of wireless microphones that are associated with the base station. The wireless microphones operate to capture acoustic audio information and to transmit this audio information to the base station. Each of the wireless microphones operate to detect whether or not they are connected to an external voltage source. If any of the plurality of the wireless microphones determines that they are not connected to an external voltage source, then it is controlled to transition to a first operational state. Or if a wireless microphone determines that it is connected to an external voltage source, and depending upon the voltage level detected, the microphone can transition to either a second or a third operational state.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the operational state of a wireless microphone, comprising:

detecting by the wireless microphone that it is connected to an external DC voltage and measuring the external DC voltage to be either a first DC voltage level or a second DC voltage level that is different than the first DC voltage level, the first DC voltage level being generated by a first external DC voltage source and the second external DC voltage level being generated by a second external DC voltage source; and

controlling the wireless microphone to transition to a first operational state if the measured DC voltage is equal to the first DC voltage level, to a second operational state if the measured DC voltage is equal to the second DC voltage level, and to a third operation state if external voltage level is not detected;

wherein the first operational state is characterized by disabling an audio signal processing means and enabling a battery charge operation and a transceiver, and configuring the wireless microphone to operate using the first external power source; and

wherein the second operational state is characterized by enabling the audio signal processing means, the battery charge operation and the transceiver, and configuring the wireless microphone to operate using the second external power source; and

wherein the third operation state is characterized by enabling battery power operation, the audio signal processing means and the transceiver, and disabling the battery charger operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless microphone comprises operating logic implemented in computer instructions that when executed by a processor running on the wireless microphone cause the wireless microphone to transition to either the first, the second, or the third operational state.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless microphone is not tethered to any external device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless microphone remains in the first operational state while it is connected to a standard battery charging device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless microphone remains in the second operational state while it is connected to a hybrid charging device.

6. A wireless audio system, comprising:

a first DC voltage source generating a first DC voltage level and a second DC voltage source generating a second DC voltage level that is different that the first DC voltage level;

a

loudspeaker;

a base station; and

at least one wireless microphone which is associated with the base stations the wireless microphone having an internal source of power and being configured to connect to either of the first or second DC voltage sources which are external to the wireless microphone; and

controlling the wireless microphone to transition to a first operational state if the DC voltage is equal to the first DC voltage level, to a second operational state if the DC voltage is equal to the second DC voltage level, and to a third operation state if external voltage level is not detected;

wherein the first operational state is characterized by disabling an audio signal processing means and a battery charge operation, enabling a transceiver, and configuring the wireless microphone to operate using the first external power source; and

wherein the second operational state is characterized by enabling the audio signal processing means, the battery charge operation and the transceiver, and configuring the wireless microphone to operate using the second external power source,

wherein the third operation state is characterized by enabling battery power operation, the audio signal processing means and the transceiver, and disabling the battery charger operation.

7. The wireless audio system of claim 6, wherein the wireless microphone is connected to a standard charge base device when in the first operational state.