Integrated and detachable wireless headset element for cellular/mobile/portable phones and audio playback devices

• US 20060166715A1
• Filed: 05/03/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Seshadri, Nambirajan, Bennett, James D., Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Van Engelen, Josephus A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,489,151 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0256 wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

A modular wireless headset having integrated but detachable elements is operable to service a cellular wireless terminal, streamed media or playback device. This modular wireless headset may include a wireless microphone and a wireless earpiece. The wireless earpiece may physically couple to the wireless microphone and a base unit in order to exchange information and share power resources. A power distribution controller allocates power between the wireless earpiece, wireless microphone, and base unit when physically coupled to operate or charge internal power supplies of the components.

Claims

1. A modular wireless headset operable to support voice communications, comprising:

a wireless microphone; and

a wireless earpiece operable to couple to the wireless microphone and a base unit, and wherein at least one of the wireless microphone or the wireless earpiece further comprises;

a portable power supply operable to power the wireless earpiece, and operable to power the wireless microphone when the wireless earpiece and wireless microphone are coupled; and

a power control circuit operable to allocate power between the wireless earpiece and the wireless microphone when the wireless earpiece and the wireless microphone are physically coupled.

2. The modular wireless headset of claim 1, wherein the base unit comprises the power control circuit operable to allocate power between the wireless earpiece and the wireless microphone when the wireless earpiece and the wireless microphone are physically coupled to the base unit.

3. The modular wireless headset of claim 2, wherein the power control circuit is operable to allocate power between the portable power supplies of the base unit, wireless earpiece and wireless microphone based on a mode of operation of the modular wireless headset.

4. The modular wireless headset of claim 2, wherein the power control circuit is operable to allocate power to and from the portable power supplies of the base unit, wireless earpiece and wireless microphone based on a user input.

5. The modular wireless headset of claim 2, wherein the power control circuit is operable to allocate power to and from the portable power supplies of the base unit, wireless earpiece and wireless microphone based on historical use of the modular wireless headset.

6. The modular wireless headset of claim 2, wherein the base unit base unit comprises a playback device.

7. The modular wireless headset of claim 2, wherein the base unit base unit comprises a wireless terminal operable to communicatively couple the wireless headset to a servicing network, and wherein the servicing network is selected from the group consisting of:

cellular network;

public switched telephone network (PSTN);

wide area network (WAN);

local area network (LAN); and

a wireless local area network (WLAN).

8. The modular wireless headset of claim 1, wherein the base unit further comprises:

a wireless earpiece receptacle operable to receive the wireless earpiece;

a wireless microphone receptacle operable to receive the wireless microphone;

a battery operable to provide power to operate the modular wireless headset or recharge portable power supplies of the modular wireless headset through the physical coupling; and

a display/interface operable to receive user commands directed to the modular wireless headset and display information received from the modular wireless headset.

9. The modular wireless headset of claim 1, further comprising a tether operable to physically couple the wireless earpiece, wireless microphone and base unit.

10. A method to service voice communications between a destination terminal and a modular wireless headset, comprising:

physically coupling a wireless microphone and a wireless earpiece of the modular wireless headset to a base unit having receptacles to receive the modular wireless headset;

distributing power from the base unit to the wireless microphone and wireless earpiece through the receptacles;

communicatively coupling the modular wireless headset to a base unit;

communicatively coupling the modular wireless headset to a servicing network through the base unit;

servicing voice communications between the modular wireless headset and a destination terminal accessible to the modular wireless headset through the communicatively coupled base unit and servicing network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless microphone and wireless earpiece each further comprise a portable power supply operable to:

operate the modular wireless headset;

recharge from the base unit; and

recharge the portable power supply having a lesser charge from the portable power supply having a greater charge.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the base unit comprises a wireless terminal, and wherein the base unit is operable to:

physically couple to the modular wireless headset; and

provide power to operate the modular wireless headset or recharge portable power supplies of modular wireless headset through the physical coupling.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the wireless microphone and wireless earpiece physically couple to receptacle(s) within the base unit.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the receptacle(s) are within the base unit'"'"'s portable power supply.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the modular wireless headset is operable to physically couple to an external portable power supply, and wherein the external portable power supply comprises:

a wireless earpiece receptacle operable to receive the wireless earpiece;

a wireless microphone receptacle operable to receive the wireless microphone;

a battery operable to provide power to operate the modular wireless headset or recharge portable power supplies of the modular wireless headset through the physical coupling; and

a display/interface operable to receive user commands directed to the modular wireless headset and display information received from the modular wireless headset.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the base unit comprises the external portable power supply.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising physically coupling the modular wireless headset to an external power supply with an adapter.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the adapter comprises a universal serial bus (USB) connector operable to physically couple the modular wireless headset to an external power supply via a USB port.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the servicing network is selected from the group consisting of:

cellular network;

public switched telephone network (PSTN);

wide area network (WAN);

local area network (LAN); and

a wireless local area network (WLAN).

20. A modular wireless headset operable to support voice communications, comprising:

a wireless earpiece operable to be received by a first receptacle within a base unit; and

a wireless microphone operable to be received by a second receptacle within the base unit, and wherein the wireless microphone and the wireless earpiece each further comprise;

a portable power supply Wherein the wireless earpiece and wireless microphone are operable

physically couple to a base unit, where the base unit is operable to provide power to operate the modular wireless headset or recharge portable power supplies of modular wireless headset through the physical coupling.

21. The modular wireless headset of claim 20, wherein wireless microphone and wireless earpiece physically couple to receptacle(s) within the base unit.

22. The modular wireless headset of claim 20, wherein the modular wireless headset is operable to physically couple to an external portable power supply, and wherein the external portable power supply comprises:

a wireless earpiece receptacle operable to receive the wireless earpiece;

a wireless microphone receptacle operable to receive the wireless microphone;

a battery operable to provide power to operate the modular wireless headset or recharge portable power supplies of the modular wireless headset through the physical coupling; and

a display/interface operable to receive user commands directed to the modular wireless headset and display information received from the modular wireless headset.

23. The modular wireless headset of claim 20, further comprising a universal serial bus (USB) connector operable to physically couple the modular wireless headset to an external power supply via a USB port.

24. The modular wireless headset of claim 20, wherein the base unit communicatively couples the modular wireless headset to a servicing network, and wherein the servicing network is selected from the group consisting of:

cellular network;

public switched telephone network (PSTN);

wide area network (WAN);

local area network (LAN); and

a wireless local area network (WLAN).