Communication of audio control signals for wireless audio headphones

• US 20070123171A1
• Filed: 09/09/2005
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Yuzuriha, Todd, Slamka, Milan
• Granted Patent: US 7,382,760 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/66.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• 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: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• 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 wireless audio headphone communication system has an audio input for receiving an audio signal from an audio source. A wireless transceiver receives and transmits radio frequency communications with a wireless audio headphone, the communications including an audio control signal that conforms to a wireless audio control protocol of a wireless communication protocol. A converter converts the audio control signal between the wireless audio control protocol transceived by the wireless transceiver and a local control protocol for controlling the audio source.

Claims

1. A USB dongle having a USB connector for communicating with a computing device through a USB port, comprising:

a wireless transceiver for transceiving wireless communications with a headphone according to a wireless communication protocol that includes a selected audio control signal that controls a selected audio function and conforms to a wireless audio control protocol; and

a converter that converts between the wireless audio control protocol transceived by the wireless transceiver and a local computing device control protocol that controls an audio source device interface on the computing device, the converter further providing to the computing device via the USB port a converted audio control signal that controls the selected audio function and conforms to the local computing device control protocol.

2. The USB dongle of claim 1 in which the computing device does not include a driver for the wireless communication protocol.

3. The USB dongle of claim 1 in which the wireless communications are radio frequency communications.

4. The USB dongle of claim 1 in which the computing device includes a personal computer.

5. The USB dongle of claim 1 in which the converter further receives from the computing device via the USB port a second selected audio control signal that controls a second selected audio function and conforms to the local computing device control protocol, converts the second selected audio control signal to a second converted audio control signal that controls the second selected audio function and conforms to the wireless communication protocol, and provides the second converted audio control signal to the wireless transceiver for transmission to the headphone to control the second selected audio function.

6. The USB dongle of claim 1 in which the local computer device control protocols include an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) standard.

7. A wireless audio headphone communication system, comprising:

an audio input for receiving an audio signal from an audio source;

a wireless transceiver for receiving and transmitting radio frequency communications with a wireless audio headphone, the communications including an audio control signal that conforms to a wireless audio control protocol of a wireless communication protocol; and

a converter for converting the audio control signal between the wireless audio control protocol transceived by the wireless transceiver and an local control protocol for controlling the audio source.

8. The wireless audio headphone communication system of claim 7 in which the audio input receives the audio signal as a digital audio signal.

9. The wireless audio headphone communication system of claim 8 in which the audio source is in communication with a USB port and in which the audio input receives the audio signal at the USB port.

10. The wireless audio headphone communication system of claim 8 in which the audio source is included in a personal computer.

11. The wireless audio headphone communication system of claim 7 in which the audio input receives the audio signal as an analog audio signal.

12. The wireless audio headphone communication system of claim 7 further comprising an infrared transceiver for transcieving the audio control signal between the audio source and the wireless audio headphone communication system.

13. The wireless audio headphone communication system of claim 7 in which the audio source does not include a driver for the wireless communication protocol.

14. A audio headphone gateway, comprising:

an audio input for receiving an audio signal from an analog audio source;

a digital converter for converting the analog audio signal to a digital audio signal;

a wireless transceiver for receiving and transmitting radio frequency communications with a wireless audio headphone according to a wireless communication protocol, the communications including the digital audio signal and an audio control signal that conforms to a wireless audio control protocol of the wireless communication protocol;

a converter for converting the audio control signal between the wireless audio control protocol transceived by the wireless transceiver and an infrared control protocol for controlling the analog audio source; and

an infrared transceiver for transceiving the audio control signal between the analog audio source and the wireless audio headphone gateway.

15. The gateway of claim 14 in which the audio input for receiving an audio signal from an analog audio source is not a wired link.

16. The gateway of claim 14 in which the analog audio source includes a stereo player