Modular Mobile Computing Headset

• US 20090154719A1
• Filed: 12/13/2007
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Wheeler, Mark, Bellows, David, Duron, Mark, Tricoukes, Nicole D., WULFF, Thomas, Strat, Daniella
• Granted Patent: US 8,520,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/74
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0258 for a headset device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• 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 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/105 Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1058 Manufacture or assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1083 Reduction of ambient noise active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/103 Combination of monophonic or stereophonic headphones with audio players, e.g. integrated in the headphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/09 Applications of special connectors, e.g. USB, XLR, in loudspeakers, microphones or headphones
• 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 system comprises an accessory, a mobile unit module, and a battery pack module. The accessory is worn one of on and near a portion of a body of a user. The mobile unit module removably couples to the accessory. The battery pack module removably couples to one of the mobile unit and the accessory.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an accessory being worn one of on and near a portion of a body of a user;

a mobile unit module removably coupling to the accessory; and

a battery pack module removably coupling to one of the mobile unit and the accessory.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the accessory is one of a headset, a finger mount, a wrist mount, a belt mount, a pocket mount, and a pendant mount.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the headset includes a headband, an audio output disposed at a first end of the headband, a boom having a first end of the boom pivotally attached to the first end of the headband, and an audio input disposed at a second end of the boom, the headset further including an electrical contact disposed at least one of on the headband and the first end of the headband.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein at least one of the mobile unit and the battery pack includes a corresponding electrical contact that couples to the electrical contact when at least one of the mobile unit module and the battery pack couples to the headset creating an electrical connection between at least one of the mobile unit module and the battery pack to the headset.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a memory of one of the accessory, the mobile unit module, and a combination thereof stores at least one user profile.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the battery pack is disposed between the headset and the mobile unit.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the battery pack is coupled to the headband and the mobile unit module is coupled to the first end of the headband.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the battery pack is coupled to a first section of the headband and the mobile unit is coupled to a second section of the headband.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile unit module determines a type of the accessory, the mobile unit module automatically reconfiguring as a function of the type of the accessory.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile unit module further includes module attachment sites to removably couple to other modules.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the other modules include a communications module, a data capture module, and a display module.

12. The system of claim 3, wherein the mobile unit includes a voice recognition system to recognize speech received by the audio input of the headset.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein, when the mobile unit module and the battery pack are removed from the accessory, the mobile unit module couples to the battery pack to be used as a hand-held terminal.

14. The system of claim 3, wherein one of the headset, the mobile unit module, and a combination thereof includes an active noise cancellation system.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the mobile unit module and the accessory further comprise data capturing components for at least one of laser scanning, bar code scanning, image capturing, and radio frequency identification reading.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the data capturing components are activated using one of a trigger disposed on one of the accessory and the mobile unit module and a voice command received via an audio input.

17. A headset, comprising:

a headband configured to couple to at least one of a mobile unit, a battery pack, and a combination thereof;

an audio output disposed at a first end of the headband, the first end of the headband being configured to couple to at least one of the mobile unit, the battery pack, and the combination thereof;

a boom where a first end of the boom is pivotally attached to the first end of the headband; and

an audio input disposed at a second end of the boom.

18. The headset of claim 17, further comprising:

a stabilizer disposed at a second end of the headband.

19. The headset of claim 17, further comprising:

an extension extending from a middle of the headband, the extension being configured to couple to at least one of the mobile unit, the battery pack, and the combination thereof.

20. The headset of claim 17, wherein the headband and the first end of the headband includes an electrical contact that couples to a corresponding electrical contact of one of the mobile unit, the battery pack, and the combination thereof to establish an electrical connection.

21. The headset of claim 17, wherein the boom further includes an antenna disposed therein.

22. The headset of claim 21, wherein the antenna is used for a radio frequency identification functionality.

23. The headset of claim 21, wherein a first position of the boom activates the antenna and a second position of the boom deactivates the antenna.

24. A system, comprising:

an accessory being worn one of on and near a portion of a body of a user;

a first module means for processing data, the first module means removably coupling to the accessory;

a second module means for providing power to the accessory means and the first module means, the second module means removably coupling to one of the first module means and the accessory.