WIRELESS HEADPHONES WITH DUAL ANTENNAS

• US 20090208042A1
• Filed: 05/01/2009
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: ESTRADA, Andrew Xavier
• Granted Patent: US 8,798,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0837 using pre-detection combining H04B7/0868 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0871 using different reception schemes, at least one of them being a diversity reception scheme
• 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

Abstract

A wireless headphone assembly has left and right speakers attached to ends of a headphone body, and at least two antennas, e.g., one located at each speaker. Since multiple antennas are used, reception can be improved using one of several approaches, e.g., simple selection of the “best” antenna, multiplexing antenna input, using diversity algorithms such as multiple input multiple output (MIMO) algorithms, etc.

Claims

1. A wireless headphone, comprising:

a body configured to fit onto a user'"'"'s head, the body defining opposed ends;

a first speaker coupled to the body and juxtaposed with the first end;

a second speaker coupled to the body and juxtaposed with the second end;

at least first and second antennas coupled to the body; and

at least one wireless receiver supported by the body and electrically connected to at least one of the antennas, wherein the first antenna has a first nulling direction and the second antenna has a second nulling direction, the second nulling direction is orthogonal to the first nulling direction.

2. The wireless headphone of claim 1, wherein the first antenna is juxtaposed with the first speaker and the second antenna is juxtaposed with the second speaker.

3. The wireless headphone of claim 1, further comprising a processor supported on the body and executing an antenna selection protocol.

4. The wireless headphone of claim 3, wherein the protocol is a selection of one and only one antenna based on at least one quality metric.

5. The wireless headphone of claim 3, wherein the protocol is an antenna diversity protocol.

6. The wireless headphone of claim 5, wherein the protocol is a MIMO protocol.

7. The wireless headphone of claim 3, wherein the protocol is a multiplexing protocol.

8. (canceled)

9. A wireless headphone, comprising:

a body defining opposed ends;

a first speaker coupled to the body and juxtaposed with the first end;

a second speaker coupled to the body and juxtaposed with the second end;

at least first and second antennas coupled to the body; and

means for selectively combining signals from the antennas into an audio stream playable by the speakers using a protocol which includes transmitting signals to the speakers that alternate between signals from the first antenna and signals from the second antenna in a succession such that differences between the two signals are substantially imperceptible to a user.

10. The wireless headphone of claim 9, wherein the means for selectively combining includes a processor supported on the body and executing an antenna selection protocol.

11. The wireless headphone of claim 9, wherein the wherein the means for selectively combining uses an antenna diversity protocol.

12. The wireless headphone of claim 11, wherein the means for selectively combining uses a MIMO protocol.

13. The wireless headphone of claim 9, wherein the means for selectively combining uses a multiplexing protocol.

14. The wireless headphone of claim 9, wherein the first antenna has a first nulling direction and the second antenna has a second nulling direction different from the first.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a headphone assembly wearable on the head of a person, first wireless signals from a first antenna;

receiving, at the headphone assembly, second wireless signals from a second antenna; and

at the headphone assembly, employing at least one antenna selection procedure, wherein the first antenna has a first nulling direction and the second antenna has a second nulling direction different from the first.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the procedure includes using an antenna diversity protocol.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the procedure includes using a multiplexing protocol.

16. (canceled)

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the procedure includes using a MIMO protocol.