Voice input in a multimedia console environment

• US 20070021205A1
• Filed: 06/24/2005
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Guo, Wei, McLoone, Hugh, Giaimo, Edward, Filer, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 7,931,537 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1081 Input via voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are provided for enabling a microphone module that connects to a headset jack on a game controller. The microphone may include directional or omni-directional microphone element(s) that pick up voice input from people near a peripheral, such as a game controller, but reject background sounds from the room. User controls may also be available to set the microphone gain level, either manually or automatically, and/or to mute or unmute the microphone. The microphone of the invention can be used on a wired or wireless game controller. When used with a wireless game controller, wireless microphone capabilities and freedom of movement are provided without headdress requirements imposed by headsets.

Claims

1. A microphone module for use with an on-line or networked application of a multimedia console system used primarily for executing games and other multimedia applications, the microphone module including:

at least one microphone element for receiving voice input from at least one user of the multimedia console system, said at least one microphone element operating without requiring explicit action from the at least one user; and

an interface to a peripheral of a multimedia console of the multimedia console system for communicating the voice input to the multimedia console via the peripheral.

2. A microphone module according to claim 1, wherein the microphone module is built into the peripheral.

3. A microphone module according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral is a game controller.

4. A microphone module according to claim 1, further including a mute control for muting and unmuting the at least one microphone element.

5. A microphone module according to claim 4, further comprising a visual indicator of whether the at least one microphone element is muted or unmuted, respectively.

6. A microphone module according to claim 1, further including means for adjusting the gain level associated with the voice input received by the at least one microphone element.

7. A microphone module according to claim 6, wherein said means for adjusting includes means for automatically adjusting the gain level associated with the voice input.

8. A microphone module according to claim 1, further including a voice command control for enabling and disabling a command mode wherein voice input is interpreted as command data for the multimedia console system.

9. A microphone module according to claim 8, further comprising a visual indicator of whether the voice command control is enabled or disabled, respectively.

10. A microphone module according to claim 1, further including a second interface for a headset, whereby the at least one microphone element of the microphone module is disabled or muted when the headset is connected to the second interface.

11. A microphone module according to claim 10, further including a headset volume control for controlling at least one volume of the headset when communicatively coupled to the second interface.

12. A microphone module according to claim 1, further including a VOX circuit substantially for enabling the at least one microphone element when voice input is received and disabling the at least one microphone element otherwise.

13. A microphone module according to claim 1, further comprising at least one filter for filtering out non-voice input received by said at least one microphone element.

14. A microphone module according to claim 1, further including a state switch control for switching the microphone module among any of the following group of states:

record a message, talking 1;

1, talking 1;

subset and talking 1;

all.

15. A microphone module according to claim 1, wherein said at least one microphone element is at least one directional microphone element, and further comprising an attachable element for attaching the at least one directional microphone element to an article of clothing of a user.

16. A microphone module according to claim 1, wherein said at least one microphone element includes a directional microphone element, comprising:

first structure for angling the directional microphone element generally in the direction of a user of the directional microphone element; and

second structure for optimally setting an audio pickup cone of the directional microphone element based on the general direction of the mouths of users of the directional microphone element.

17. A microphone module according to claim 16, the directional microphone element further comprising:

housing including an interface component for communicatively coupling to a peripheral device of the multimedia console.

18. A microphone module according to claim 16, the directional microphone element further comprising:

a gain level processing component that automatically processes the gain level of voice input received by the directional microphone element based on target output device characteristics for outputting the voice input.

20. A peripheral according to claim 18, further including a detection component for detecting whether a headset, microphone only, or no headset or microphone is present, and outputting at least one signal based on said detecting.

19. A peripheral for use with an on-line or networked application of a multimedia console used primarily for executing games and other multimedia applications in a multimedia console system, wherein one of (A) the peripheral includes a microphone module and (B) the peripheral includes an interface for communicative coupling to a microphone module,

wherein the microphone module includes at least one microphone element for receiving voice input from a user of the networked multimedia console, said at least one microphone element operating so that the user is able to simultaneously send the voice input to another user of the multimedia console system and receive voice output from another user of the multimedia console system.

21. A microphone module for use with an on-line or networked application of a multimedia console system used primarily for executing games and other multimedia applications, the microphone module including:

at least one microphone element for receiving voice input from at least one user of the multimedia console system, wherein said at least one microphone element operates in an unmuted mode continuously without requiring push-to-talk action from a user in the multimedia console system that interrupts the operation of the at least one microphone element; and

an interface to a peripheral of a multimedia console of the multimedia console system for communicating the uninterrupted voice input to the multimedia console via the peripheral.