WIRELESS MULTI-USER AUDIO SYSTEM

• US 20070147644A1
• Filed: 01/29/2007
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Revolabs, Inc. (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Revolabs, Inc. (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Carney, Jean-Pierre, Kugler, Donald, Bodley, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,483,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/334
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

Various methods and devices are provided for a wireless audio system for a number of users. The system includes a base unit that is adapted to removably store, recharge and communicate with personal microphone modules, table-top microphones, and audio adapters. The system also includes a plurality of personal microphone modules that each are adapted to be removable and coupled to a user'"'"'s clothing, and to communicate wirelessly with the base unit, and table-top microphones that are adapted to communicate wirelessly with the base unit.

Claims

1. A wireless audio system for one or more users, comprising:

a base unit that is adapted to removably store, recharge, and communicate with at least one audio adapter; and

the at least one audio adapter being adapted to couple to a wireless microphone and to communicate wirelessly with the base unit.

2. The wireless audio system of claim 1, wherein the base unit is adapted to removably store, recharge, and communicate with at least one personal microphone module (PMM), the at least one PMM comprising a microphone and being adapted to be removably coupled to a user, and to communicate wirelessly with the base unit.

3. The wireless audio system of claim 2, wherein each PMM further comprises a mutable microphone.

4. The wireless audio system of claim 3, wherein the mutable microphone is a directional microphone.

5. The wireless audio system of claim 3, wherein the PMM uniquely registers with the base unit, is inactivated, and uniquely registers with a further base unit.

6. The wireless audio system of claim 3, wherein each PMM further comprises a microphone mute-status indicator.

7. The wireless audio system of claim 6, wherein the microphone mute-status indicator comprises an indicator light carried by the PMM.

8. The wireless audio system of claim 3, wherein each PMM further comprises a user-operable switch to control microphone muting.

9. The wireless audio system of claim 2, wherein a wireless link is automatically established between a PMM and the base unit when the PMM is removed from the base unit.

10. The wireless audio system of claim 9, wherein the base unit performs audio mixing and automatic gain control from all the PMMs that are wirelessly linked to the base unit.

11. The wireless audio system of claim 9, wherein each PMM further comprises a mutable microphone, and wherein the microphone is automatically muted when the PMM is removed from the base unit.

12. The wireless audio system of claim 9, wherein the wireless link is automatically terminated when the PMM that had been removed from the base unit is returned to the base unit.

13. The wireless audio system of claim 2, wherein a PMM is uniquely registered with the base unit when the PMM is placed into the base unit.

14. The wireless audio system of claim 2, wherein a PMM is inactivated once it has been inactive for a predetermined time period.

15. The wireless audio system of claim 14, wherein the predetermined time period is user-adjustable.

16. The wireless audio system of claim 2, wherein a PMM is inactivated once it leaves an active distance range from the base unit.

17. The wireless audio system of claim 16, wherein the active distance range is user-adjustable.

18. The wireless audio system of claim 17, wherein the base unit further comprises a user-operable active distance range adjustment.

19. The wireless audio system of claim 16, wherein an inactivated PMM is reactivated once it is returned to within the active distance range of the base unit.

20. The wireless audio system of claim 16, wherein the PMM provides a human-perceptible indicator when it leaves the active distance range.

21. The wireless audio system of claim 2, wherein the base unit further comprises a user-operable switch that is operable to mute all PMMs.

22. The wireless audio system of claim 21, wherein the PMM muting is accomplished by blocking the signals from the PMMs.

23. The wireless audio system of claim 13, wherein the base unit further comprises a user-operable switch that is operable to clear the registration of all PMMs registered with the base unit.

24. The wireless audio system of claim 2, further comprising a video system.

25. The wireless audio system of claim 24, wherein the video system comprises a motorized camera, six degree of freedom motion sensing equipment carried on a user'"'"'s person, and a device for moving the camera in response to the user'"'"'s location, to capture the user'"'"'s image with the camera.

26. The wireless audio system of claim 25, wherein the PMM can automatically establish a wireless link with more than one base unit.

27. The wireless audio system of claim 1, further comprising at least one table-top microphone comprising a microphone and being adapted to communication wirelessly with the base unit.

28. A wireless audio system for a number of users, comprising:

a base unit that is adapted to removably store, recharge and communicate with at least one personal microphone module (PMM) and at least one audio adapter; and

the at least one PMM comprising a mutable microphone and a microphone mute-status indicator, and is adapted to be removably coupled to a user'"'"'s clothing, and to communicate wirelessly with the base unit;

wherein a wireless link is automatically established between the at least one PMM and the base unit and the at least one table-top microphone and the base unit;

wherein the at least one PMM microphone is automatically muted when the at least one PMM is removed from the base unit; and

wherein the at least one audio adapter is automatically muted when the at least one audio adapter is removed from the base unit.

29. A plurality of wireless audio systems, comprising:

two or more base units that are adapted to removably store, recharge, and communication with at least one personal microphone module (PMM) and at least one audio adapter;

one or more PMMs that each comprise a mutable microphone and are adapted to be removable coupled to a user and to communication wirelessly with one or more base units;

wherein a wireless link can be established between a PMM and a first base unit and the PMM is automatically muted when the PMM is removed from the first base unit;

wherein the wireless link between the PMM can be deactivated and a wireless link can be established with a second base unit when the PMM is placed in and removed from the second base unit.

30. A method of wireless audio communication, comprising:

registering one or more personal microphone modules (PMMs) with a first base unit by coupling the one or more PMMs with the first base unit to pair the one or more PMMs with the first base unit;

registering one or more audio adapters with the first base unit by coupling the one or more audio adapters with the first base unit to pair the one or more audio adapters with the first base unit;

registering the one or more PMMs with a second base unit by coupling the one or more PMMs with the second base unit to pair the one or more PMMs with the second base unit; and

registering the one or more audio adapters with the second base unit by coupling the one or more audio adapters with the second base unit to pair the one or more audio adapters with the second base unit;

wherein the one or more PMMs and the one or more audio adapters can be used to communication with the first base unit or the second base unit.