Free space optical headset

• US 10,277,316 B1
• Filed: 05/01/2017
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: US Department of The Air Force (U.S. Department Of Defense)
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Inventors: Sedillo, Michael R
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Ted M
• Application Number:
  US15/583,311
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/30 Mounting radio sets or communication systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/08 internal, e.g. earplugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/12 External mounting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/14 external, e.g. earcaps or earmuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/145 electric, e.g. for active noise reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1143 Bidirectional transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1083 Reduction of ambient noise active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/01 Hearing devices using active noise cancellation
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10

Abstract

A communications headset system and method of use utilizing first and second headsets with integrated hearing protection for enabling users to wirelessly communicate when the hearing protection is engaged. Each headset is configured for placement onto a user'"'"'s head and includes hearing protection cups that engage a user'"'"'s ears and attenuate incoming sound waves external to the headset. The headsets include a first optical receiver that detects a light signal within a first receiving field-of-view and generates an incoming electrical signal corresponding to the light signal. A speaker converts the incoming electrical signal to an incoming audio signal, and then outputs the incoming audio signal as sound waves. A microphone converts outgoing sound waves to an outgoing electrical signal. An optical transmitter converts the outgoing electrical signal to one or more light signals and then broadcasts the one or more light signals within a broadcast field-of-view and a broadcast range.

Claims

1. A communications headset system comprising:

first and second headsets with integrated hearing protection for enabling users to wirelessly communicate when the hearing protection is engaged, each headset configured for placement onto a user'"'"'s head and having;

hearing protection cups mounted to the headset and configured to engage a user'"'"'s ears and to attenuate incoming sound waves that are external to the headset;

a first optical receiver configured to detect a light signal within a first receiving field-of-view and to generate an incoming electrical signal that corresponds to the light signal, wherein the first receiving field of view is forward-facing;

a second optical receiver comprising a second receiving field-of-view, wherein the second receiving field-of-view is rearward-facing and at least partially outside of the first receiving field-of-view and wherein the second optical receiver is configured to detect the one or more light signals within the second receiving field-of-view and to generate the incoming electrical signal therefrom;

a speaker in electrical communication with the first optical receiver and configured to convert the incoming electrical signal to an incoming audio signal and to output the incoming audio signal as sound waves;

a microphone configured to receive and convert outgoing sound waves to an outgoing electrical signal; and

an optical transmitter in electrical communication with the microphone configured to receive and convert the outgoing electrical signal to one or more light signals and to broadcast the one or more light signals within a broadcast field-of-view and a broadcast range.

2. A communications headset system comprising:

first and second headsets with integrated hearing protection for enabling users to wirelessly communicate when the hearing protection is engaged, each headset configured for placement onto a user'"'"'s head and having;

hearing protection cups mounted to the headset and configured to engage a user'"'"'s ears and to attenuate incoming sound waves that are external to the headset;

a first optical receiver configured to detect a light signal within a first receiving field-of-view and to generate an incoming electrical signal that corresponds to the light signal;

a second optical receiver comprising a second receiving field-of-view, wherein the second receiving field-of-view is at least partially outside of the first receiving field-of-view and wherein the second optical receiver is configured to detect the one or more light signals within the second receiving field-of-view and to generate the incoming electrical signal therefrom;

wherein the secondary optical receiver comprises an optical detector, a dome optic mounted over the receiver, and a cone reflector mounted within the dome optic and above the optical receiver, wherein the one or more light signals pass through the dome optic so as to be reflected off of the cone reflector into the optical detector;

a speaker in electrical communication with the first optical receiver and configured to convert the incoming electrical signal to an incoming audio signal and to output the incoming audio signal as sound waves;

a microphone configured to receive and convert outgoing sound waves to an outgoing electrical signal; and

an optical transmitter in electrical communication with the microphone configured to receive and convert the outgoing electrical signal to one or more light signals and to broadcast the one or more light signals within a broadcast field-of-view and a broadcast range.

3. A communications headset system comprising:

first and second headsets with integrated hearing protection for enabling users to wirelessly communicate when the hearing protection is engaged, each headset configured for placement onto a user'"'"'s head and having;

hearing protection cups mounted to the headset and configured to engage a user'"'"'s ears and to attenuate incoming sound waves that are external to the headset;

a first optical receiver configured to detect a light signal within a first receiving field-of-view and to generate an incoming electrical signal that corresponds to the light signal;

a speaker in electrical communication with the first optical receiver and configured to convert the incoming electrical signal to an incoming audio signal and to output the incoming audio signal as sound waves;

a microphone configured to receive and convert outgoing sound waves to an outgoing electrical signal;

an optical transmitter in electrical communication with the microphone configured to receive and convert the outgoing electrical signal to one or more light signals and to broadcast the one or more light signals within a broadcast field-of-view and a broadcast range; and

an amplifier for selectively increasing or decreasing the broadcast range of the optical transmitter, wherein the optical transmitter is configured to incorporate a signal boost indicator into the one or more light signals when the amplifier selectively increases the broadcast range beyond a default range.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising a visual indicator that is configured to be viewable when the signal boost indicator is received by the headset.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the optical transmitter is configured to automatically increase the broadcast range of the one or more light signal using the amplifier in response to the first optical receiver receiving the signal boost indicator.

6. A communications headset system comprising:

first and second headsets with integrated hearing protection for enabling users to wirelessly communicate when the hearing protection is engaged, each headset configured for placement onto a user'"'"'s head and having;

hearing protection cups mounted to the headset and configured to engage a user'"'"'s ears and to attenuate incoming sound waves that are external to the headset;

a first optical receiver configured to detect a light signal within a first receiving field-of-view and to generate an incoming electrical signal that corresponds to the light signal;

a speaker in electrical communication with the first optical receiver and configured to convert the incoming electrical signal to an incoming audio signal and to output the incoming audio signal as sound waves;

a microphone configured to receive and convert outgoing sound waves to an outgoing electrical signal; and

an optical transmitter in electrical communication with the microphone configured to receive and convert the outgoing electrical signal to one or more light signals and to broadcast the one or more light signals within a broadcast field-of-view and a broadcast range;

wherein each headset includes an integrated mask configured to selectively engage a mouth of the user for attenuating incoming sound waves external to the mask, wherein the microphone is disposed within the mask.

7. A method for providing selective communication between a plurality of users using free-space optics:

A. providing first and second headsets, each headset having an input-output module having a broadcast field-of-view, broadcast range, and receiving field-of-view;

B. engaging a user hearing protection feature of each of the headsets;

C. forming a communications link between the headsets by positioning the receiving field-of-view of the first headset within the broadcast field-of-view and broadcast range of the second headset;

D. converting outgoing sound waves of a user of the second headset to a light signal and emitting the light signal using the second headset;

E. receiving and converting the light signal to an incoming audio signal using the first headset and then broadcasting the incoming audio signal to a user of the first headset;

F. transmitting a hail signal from the second headset to the first headset;

G. in response to the user of the first headset receiving the hail signal, forming a two-way communications link between the first headset and the second headset when the receiving field-of-view of the first headset is within the broadcast field-of-view and range of the second headset and the receiving field-of-view of the second headset is within the broadcast field-of-view and range of the first headset; and

H. boosting the light signal to extend the broadcast range of the second headset when the receiving field-of-view of the first headset is outside the broadcast range of an un-boosted light signal.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising automatically boosting the light signal of the second headset in response to receiving the boosted light signal from the first headset.

9. A communications headset system for providing wireless communication, the system comprising:

a plurality of headsets with integrated hearing protection for enabling users to wirelessly communicate with one another with the hearing protection being engaged, each headset configured for placement onto a user'"'"'s head and having;

hearing protection mounted to the headset configured to engage a user'"'"'s ears and to attenuate incoming sound waves external to the hearing protection;

a first audio-to-light transducer for converting an incoming audio signal to a light signal and broadcasting the light signal;

a second audio-to-light transducer having a receiving field-of-view for receiving a light signal, the second audio-to-light transducer configured to convert light signals to an audio signal and further configured to transmit the audio signal to the user;

a third audio-to-light transducer having a receiving field-of-view for receiving a light signal that is at least partially outside the receiving field-of-view of the second audio-to-light transducer, the third audio-to-light transducer configured to convert light signals to an audio signal and further configured to transmit the audio signal to the users; and

beam-forming optics configured to adjust one or more parameters of one or more of the first audio-to-light transducer, the second audio-to-light transducer, and the third audio-to-light transducer.