Miniature wireless earring headset

• US 20080311966A1
• Filed: 06/15/2007
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eric Klein
• Original Assignee: Eric Klein
• Inventors: Klein, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,086,288 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/105 Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• 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 battery-powered miniature wireless headset is worn as a single earring or as a pair of earrings. The headset communicates with a phone or other host over a bidirectional wireless communication link allowing hands-free operation. The wireless earring headset is comprised of an electronics module (18), a speaker assembly (17), a microphone assembly (16), an antenna (68), a battery (62), user interface devices such as a switch (28) and LED (30), and an attachment means employing either a clamp or a pierced earring post (24) with clutch (26). The electronics module, which may be a single chip, comprises a wireless transceiver, a processor with associated memory, an audio codec, power supply electronics, and other components. In use the device is attached to the pinna of the wearer'"'"'s ear (99) using either a clamp or a post inserted through a pinna piercing and secured by a clutch or nut. The clamp or post may be permanently attached to the device or removably attached using a magnetic or mechanical attachment means. The user positions the speaker inside of, or at the entrance to, the ear canal. The microphone is mounted in such a way that it points toward the user'"'"'s mouth and may be positioned on a boom (22) to move it closer to the mouth.

Claims

1. A wireless audio headset for connection to and suspension from a human ear, comprising:

a speaker for engagement with the pinna of the ear,

a housing with electronics connected by conductors to the speaker, including a transceiver,

an antenna connected to the electronics,

a microphone connected by conductors to the electronics in the housing and extending from the housing toward a user'"'"'s mouth, and

an ear pierce post connected to and extending from the electronics housing, with clutch means for securing to an outer end of the ear pierce post, to secure the housing to the pinna of a user'"'"'s ear when the pierce post extends through a piercing in the pinna.

2. The headset of claim 1, wherein the speaker forms part of an ear plug configured to extend into the ear canal.

3. The headset of claim 2, including a speaker boom extending between the earplug and the electronics housing, the boom containing the conductors between the speaker and the electronics, and the boom being configured such that the engagement in a user'"'"'s ear canal provides stability for the headset and carries some of the weight of the headset, with the remaining weight of the headset carried by the piercing connection to the pinna.

4. The headset of claim 3, including a battery, the battery being retained in a casing connected to the outer end of the pierce post and positioned to be on an opposite side of the pinna from the housing with electronics, the connection of the pierce post to the battery casing also providing electrical connection to supply power to the housing with electronics.

5. The headset of claim 4, wherein the battery casing comprises said clutch means.

6. The headset of claim 4, wherein the battery and casing include a central hole and the pierce post extends into the central hole.

7. The headset of claim 4, wherein the battery is rechargeable, and the casing has a power socket connected to the battery and exposed at the exterior to receive a power plug fitting into the power socket, whereby the headset may be connected to such a power plug for recharging the battery when needed.

8. The headset of claim 1, including a rechargeable battery and including a power socket connected to the battery and exposed at the exterior of the headset to receive a power plug fitting into the power socket, whereby the headset may be connected to such a power plug for recharging the battery when needed.

9. The headset of claim 1, including a battery contained within the housing with electronics, the battery powering the electronics, speaker and microphone.

10. The headset of claim 1, including means for adjustment of the relative positions of the ear pierce post and the speaker, to accommodate different users.

11. The headset of claim 1, wherein a microphone boom extends from the housing, with the microphone supported at an end of the microphone boom.

12. The headset of claim 11, wherein the microphone boom includes said antenna.

13. The headset of claim 1, further including a hollow voice tube extending from the microphone, in a direction to extend toward a user'"'"'s mouth.

14. The headset of claim 13, wherein said antenna comprises a quarter wavelength wireless antenna on the voice tube.

15. The headset of claim 1, wherein a speaker boom extends from the housing to the speaker with a releasable connection, so that speaker booms with different lengths can be interchanged to accommodate different users.

16. The headset of claim 15, wherein the speaker boom connects to both the speaker and the housing in a releasable connection comprising a socket on each of the speakers and the housing and a plug end at two ends of the boom, for pushing into and locking with the respective sockets, making electrical connection as well as mechanical connection.

17. The headset of claim 1, wherein the speaker is positioned on the headset to engage in the lower concha of the ear pinna, not entering the ear canal.

18. The headset of claim 1, further including a magnet connection between the ear pierce post and the electronics housing, such that the pierce post can be removed from the electronics housing.

19. The headset of claim 18, wherein the pierce post has secured to it a base magnet, and the housing has a housing magnet to which the base magnet is attracted.

20. The headset of claim 19, wherein the electronics housing has a plurality of housing magnets, so that the pierce post can be located at different positions on the housing to accommodate different users.

21. The headset of claim 1, wherein the speaker is connected to the housing with a flexible speaker cord.

22. The headset of claim 1, wherein an adjustable, bendable boom connects the speaker to the electronics housing, such that the boom can be adjusted to accommodate different users.

23. The headset of claim 1, wherein a swivel-adjustable speaker boom connects the speaker to the electronics housing, so that the boom can be adjusted by rotation to accommodate different users.

24. The headset of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a serial bus port accessible at its exterior for receipt of a serial bus connector, and the electronics including means for bypassing the antenna to operate in wired mode when desired.

25. An audio headset for connection to and suspension from a human ear, comprising:

a speaker for engagement with the pinna of the ear,

a housing with electronics connected by conductors to the speaker, including a transceiver,

an antenna connected to the electronics,

a microphone connected by conductors to the electronics in the housing and positioned to extend toward a user'"'"'s mouth, and

an ear pinna gripping means extending from the housing, for connection to an ear lobe of a user'"'"'s ear to stabilize and support the headset.

26. The headset of claim 25, wherein the ear pinna gripping means comprises a clamp positioned to engage the ear lobe.

27. The headset of claim 26, wherein the ear clamp comprises a spring clamp.

28. The headset of claim 26, further including adjustment means for adjusting the distance between the ear clamp and the speaker to accommodate different users.

29. The headset of claim 25, wherein the speaker forms part of an ear plug configured to extend into the ear canal.

30. The headset of claim 29, including a speaker boom extending between the ear plug and the electronics housing, the boom containing the conductors between the speaker and the electronics, and the boom being configured such that the engagement in a user'"'"'s ear canal provides stability for the headset and carries some of the weight of the headset, with the remaining weight of the headset carried by the ear clamp connection to the pinna.

31. The headset of claim 25, including a speaker boom extending between the earplug and the electronics housing, the boom containing the conductors between the speaker and the electronics, and the boom being configured such that the engagement in a user'"'"'s ear canal provides stability for the headset and carries some of the weight of the headset, with the remaining weight of the headset carried by the piercing connection to the pinna.

32. The headset of claim 25, including a speaker boom extending from the housing to the speaker, the speaker boom being connected in a releasable connection to the housing such that speaker booms with different lengths can be interchanged to accommodate different users.

33. The headset of claim 25, wherein the microphone includes a hollow voice tube positioned to extend from the microphone toward a user'"'"'s mouth.

34. A wireless audio headset for connection to and suspension from a human ear, comprising:

a speaker for engagement with the pinna of the ear,

a housing with electronics connected by conductors to the speaker,

an antenna connected to the electronics, and

an ear pierce post connected to and extending from the electronics housing, with clutch means for securing to an outer end of the ear pierce post, to secure the housing to the pinna of a user'"'"'s ear when the pierce post extends through a piercing in the pinna.

35. The headset of claim 34, wherein the speaker forms part of an ear plug configured to extend into the ear canal.

36. The headset of claim 35, including a speaker boom extending between the earplug and the electronics housing, the boom containing the conductors between the speaker and the electronics, and the boom being configured such that the engagement in a user'"'"'s ear canal provides stability for the headset and carries some of the weight of the headset, with the remaining weight of the headset carried by the piercing connection to the pinna.

37. The headset of claim 36, including a battery, the battery being retained in a casing connected to the outer end of the pierce post and positioned to be on an opposite side of the pinna from the housing with electronics, the connection of the pierce post to the battery casing also providing electrical connection to supply power to the housing with electronics.

38. The headset of claim 37, wherein the battery casing comprises said clutch means.

39. The headset of claim 37, wherein the battery and casing include a central hole and the pierce post extends into the central hole.

40. The headset of claim 34, including a battery contained within the housing with electronics, the battery powering the electronics and the speaker.

41. The headset of claim 34, including means for adjustment of the relative positions of the ear pierce post and the speaker, to accommodate different users.

42. The headset of claim 34, wherein a speaker boom extends from the housing to the speaker with a releasable connection, so that speaker booms with different lengths can be interchanged to accommodate different users.

43. The headset of claim 42, wherein the speaker boom connects to both the speaker and the housing in a releasable connection comprising a socket on each of the speakers and the housing and a plug end at two ends of the boom, for pushing into and locking with the respective sockets, making electrical connection as well as mechanical connection.

44. The headset of claim 34, further including a magnet connection between the ear pierce post and the electronics housing, such that the pierce post can be removed from the electronics housing.

45. The headset of claim 44, wherein the pierce post pin has secured to it a base magnet, and the housing has a housing magnet to which the base magnet is attracted.

46. The headset of claim 34, wherein an adjustable, bendable boom connects the speaker to the electronics housing, such that the boom can be adjusted to accommodate different users.

47. The headset of claim 34, wherein a swivel-adjustable speaker boom connects the speaker to the electronics housing, so that the boom can be adjusted by rotation to accommodate different users.

48. The headset of claim 34, wherein the housing includes a serial bus port accessible at its exterior for receipt of a serial bus connector, and the electronics including means for bypassing the antenna to operate in wired mode when desired.

49. A wireless audio headset for connection to and suspension from a human ear, comprising:

a speaker for engagement with the ear canal of the ear,

a housing with electronics connected by conductors to the speaker,

an antenna connected to the electronics, and

the engagement with the ear canal being the sole means of support for the audio headset on a user.

50. The headset of claim 49, wherein the housing includes a serial bus port accessible at the exterior for receipt of a serial bus connector, and the electronics including means for bypassing the antenna to operate in wired mode when desired.