Wireless and Dockable Audio Interposer Device

• US 20090109054A1
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Inventors: Gauger, Daniel M. JR., Ueda, Joji
• Granted Patent: US 8,060,014 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.720
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

An apparatus meant to be interposed between a wired device and a wireless device gathers information concerning the functions of which each of the wired device and wireless devices are capable, passing on signals from the wireless device to the wired device to perform an audio function if the wired device is determined to be present and/or capable of performing the audio function, performing the audio function if capable of doing so and if the wired device is determined to not be present and/or incapable of performing the audio function, and responding to the wireless device as if the audio function were successfully performed if incapable of doing so and if the wired device is determined to not be present and/or incapable of performing the audio function.

Claims

1. An audio interposer device comprising:

a processor;

a transceiver accessible to the processor and configured to engage in wireless communications with a wireless device across a wireless point-to-point link formed between the audio interposer device and the wireless device;

a connector accessible to the processor and configured to connect with a wired device to engage in wired communications with the wired device;

a storage accessible to the processor and having a routine stored therein comprising a sequence of instructions that when executed by the processor causes the processor to;

await an attempt by the wireless device to utilize a function for which an indication was sent to the wireless device that the audio interposer device is capable of performing that function thereby inducing the wireless device to enable use of a first protocol across the link to enable the link to be utilized to support the function, wherein the indication was sent to the wireless device without regard to whether or not either the audio interposer device or the wired device is actually capable of performing that function;

determine whether or not the wired device is capable of performing the function;

signal the wired device to perform the function in response to the attempt by the wireless device to utilize the function, and the wired device being determined to be capable of performing the function;

perform the function in response to the attempt by the wireless device to utilize the function, the audio interposer device being capable of performing the function, and the wired device being determined to not be capable of performing the function; and

operate the transceiver to utilize the first protocol to respond to the wireless device in a manner that simulates a successful performance of the function in response to the attempt by the wireless device to utilize the function, the audio interposer device not being capable of performing the function, and the wired device being determined to not be capable of performing the function.

2. The audio interposer device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further caused to:

perform the function in response to the attempt by the wireless device to utilize the function, the audio interposer device being capable of performing the function, and there being no device connected to the connector; and

operate the transceiver to utilize the first protocol to respond to the wireless device in a manner that simulates a successful performance of the function in response to the attempt by the wireless device to utilize the function, the audio interposer device not being capable of performing the function, and there being no device connected to the connector.

3. The audio interposer device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further caused to:

await an indication from the wired device through the connector of whether or not the wired device is able to perform the function; and

perform a test of the wired device through the connector to deduce whether or not the wired device is able to perform the function in response to not receiving an indication from the wired device of whether or not the wired device is able to perform the function within a predetermined period to time following the connection of the wired device to the audio interposer device.

4. The audio interposer device of claim 3, wherein the processor is further caused to:

determine a second protocol that the wired device utilizes in wired communications through the connector to support performing the function; and

retrieve data concerning protocols from the storage to enable performing a conversion between the first and second protocols.

5. The audio interposer device of claim 4, wherein the processor is further caused to use the data concerning protocols to convert a piece of audio supplied by the wireless device across the link in a first format into a second format to enable conveying the audio to the wired device through the connector.

6. The audio interposer device of claim 4, wherein the processor is further caused to use the data concerning protocols to convert a piece of textual data supplied by the wireless device across the link and specified with a first code into a second code to enable conveying the textual data to the wired device through the connector.

7. The audio interposer device of claim 4, wherein the processor is further caused to use the data concerning protocols to convert a first command supplied by the wired device through the connector into a second command that is a functional equivalent to the first command to enable the conveying of the meaning of the first command to the wireless device by conveying the second command to the wireless device across the link.

8. The audio interposer device of claim 7, wherein the data concerning protocols comprises a command conversion table matching each command in a first set of commands to functionally equivalent commands in a second set of commands.

9. The audio interposer device of claim 1, further comprising a microphone to detect sound to enable the audio interposer device to provide a sound detection function for use by the wireless device in response to an attempt by the wireless device to utilize a sound detection function and the wired device being determined to not be capable of performing the sound detection function, and alternatively in response to an attempt by the wireless device to utilize a sound detection function and the wired device being disconnected from the connector.

10. The audio interposer device of claim 1, further comprising an indicator to display textual data to enable the audio interposer device to provide a textual data function for use by the wireless device in response to an attempt by the wireless device to utilize a textual data function and the wired device being determined to not be capable of performing the textual display function, and alternatively in response to an attempt by the wireless device to utilize a textual display function and the wired device being disconnected from the connector.

11. The audio interposer device of claim 1, further comprising a pair of detachable wireless earphones to provide audible sound output to enable the audio interposer device to provide a sound output function for use by the wireless device in response to an attempt by the wireless device to utilize a sound output function and the wired device being determined to not be capable of performing the sound output function, and alternatively in response to an attempt by the wireless device to utilize a sound output function and the wired device being disconnected from the connector.

12. The audio interposer device of claim 11, further comprising a cradle incorporating a pair of earphones charging connectors to recharge a battery incorporated into each earphone, wherein electric power to recharge the battery incorporated into each earphone may be provided by the wired device through the connector.

13. The audio interposer device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further caused to operate the transceiver to utilize the first protocol to respond to the wireless device in a manner that simulates a successful performance of a sound detection function by providing a simulation of audio from a muted microphone in response to an attempt by the wireless device to utilize a sound detection function, the audio interposer device not being capable of performing the sound detection function and the wired device being determined to not be capable of performing the sound detection function;

and alternatively in response to an attempt by the wireless device to utilize a sound detection function, the audio interposer device not being capable of performing the sound detection function and the wired device being disconnected from the connector.

14. A method comprising:

awaiting an attempt by a wireless device to utilize a function for which an indication was sent to the wireless device that an audio interposer device is capable of performing that function thereby inducing the wireless device to enable use of a first protocol across a link between the audio interposer device and the wireless device to enable the link to be utilized to support the function, wherein the indication was sent to the wireless device without regard to whether or not either the audio interposer device or a wired device connectable to the audio interposer device through a connector of the audio interposer device is actually capable of performing that function;

determining whether or not the wired device is capable of performing the function;

signaling the wired device to perform the function in response to the attempt by the wireless device to utilize the function, and the wired device being determined to be capable of performing the function;

performing the function in response to the attempt by the wireless device to utilize the function, the audio interposer device being capable of performing the function, and the wired device being determined to not be capable of performing the function; and

operating the transceiver to utilize the first protocol to respond to the wireless device in a manner that simulates a successful performance of the function in response to the attempt by the wireless device to utilize the function, the audio interposer device not being capable of performing the function, and the wired device being determined to not be capable of performing the function.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

performing the function in response to the attempt by the wireless device to utilize the function, the audio interposer device being capable of performing the function, and the there being no device connected to the connector; and

operating the transceiver to utilize the first protocol to respond to the wireless device in a manner that simulates a successful performance of the function in response to the attempt by the wireless device to utilize the function, the audio interposer device not being capable of performing the function and there being no device being connected to the connector.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

awaiting an indication from the wired device through the connector of whether or not the wired device is able to perform the function; and

performing a test of the wired device through the connector to deduce whether or not the wired device is able to perform the function in response to not receiving an indication from the wired device of whether or not the wired device is able to perform the function within a predetermined period to time following the connection of the wired device to the audio interposer device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining a second protocol that the wired device utilizes in wired communications through the connector to support performing the function; and

retrieving data concerning protocols from the storage to enable performing a conversion between the first and second protocols.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising using the data concerning protocols to convert a piece of audio supplied by the wireless device across the link in a first format into a second format to enable conveying the audio to the wired device through the connector.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising using the data concerning protocols to convert a piece of textual data supplied by the wireless device across the link and specified with a first code into a second code to enable conveying the textual data to the wired device through the connector.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising using the data concerning protocols to convert a first command supplied by the wired device through the connector into a second command that is a functional equivalent to the first command to enable the conveying of the meaning of the first command to the wireless device by conveying the second command to the wireless device across the link.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising using the first command to search a command conversion table to locate the second command.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising using a microphone incorporated into the audio interposer device to detect sound to provide a sound detection function for use by the wireless device in response to an attempt by the wireless device to utilize a sound detection function and the wired device being determined to not be capable of performing the sound detection function, and alternatively in response to an attempt by the wireless device to utilize a sound detection function and the wired device being disconnected from the connector.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising using a pair of wireless earphones that are attachable to the audio interposer device to provide audible sound output to enable the audio interposer device to provide a sound output function for use by the wireless device in response to an attempt by the wireless device to utilize a sound output function and the wired device being determined to not be capable of performing the sound output function, and alternatively in response to an attempt by the wireless device to utilize a sound output function and the wired device being disconnected from the connector.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising recharging a battery incorporated into each wireless earphone at a time when the pair of wireless earphones is attached to the audio interposer device, wherein electric power to recharge the battery incorporated into each wireless earphone may be provided by the wired device through the connector.

25. The method of claim 14, further comprising operating the transceiver to utilize the first protocol to respond to the wireless device in a manner that simulates a successful performance of a sound detection function by providing a simulation of audio from a muted microphone in response to an attempt by the wireless device to utilize a sound detection function, the audio interposer device not being capable of performing the sound detection function and the wired device being determined to not be capable of performing the sound detection function;

and alternatively in response to an attempt by the wireless device to utilize a sound detection function, the audio interposer device not being capable of performing the sound detection function and the wired device being disconnected from the connector.