HEADSET SIGNAL MULTIPLEXING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20120321097A1
• Filed: 06/14/2011
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vocollect, Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vocollect, Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Braho, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 8,824,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/74
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/10 Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033
• 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 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

A system and method for supplying power to a headset, and for transmitting multiple signals generated in the headset to a terminal using frequency division multiplexing. An audio signal and a carrier signal are generated in the terminal and summed together to form a composite uplink signal. The composite uplink signal is provided to a headset over a first physical channel. At the headset, the audio and carrier signals are separated, and the carrier signal is used to generate power in the headset. Signals generated by a plurality of acoustic sensors in the headset are combined using frequency division multiplexing to generate a composite downlink signal, which is transmitted to the terminal over a second physical channel. One or more carrier signals used to generate the composite downlink signal are provided by either a carrier source in the headset, or by recovering the carrier signal from the composite uplink signal.

Claims

1. A headset device comprising:

a first acoustic sensor having an output signal;

a second acoustic sensor having an output signal;

a modulator configured to receive a carrier signal and coupled to receive the output signal of the second acoustic sensor, the modulator configured for modulating the carrier signal with the output signal of the second acoustic sensor to provide a modulated output signal reflective of the output signal of the second acoustic sensor;

combining circuitry coupled to receive and combine the output signal of the first acoustic sensor and the modulated output signal to produce a composite downlink signal for transmission over a common conductor; and

at least first and second electrical connections configured for providing a connection to a terminal device;

the first electrical connection configured for handling the carrier signal provided to the headset by a terminal device coupled to the headset; and

the second electrical connection coupled with the combining circuitry for handling the composite downlink signal and directing the composite downlink signal to the terminal device.

2. The headset of claim 1 further comprising:

an AC to DC converter coupled with the first electrical connection, the AC to DC converter configured for converting a portion of the carrier signal into a power signal to supply power to the headset.

3. The headset of claim 2 further comprising:

a signal source for generating a second carrier signal, the signal source coupled with the modulator.

4. The headset of claim 1 further comprising:

a connector interface that includes the first and second electrical connections, the first electrical connection configured for handling an uplink signal including an audio signal and the carrier signal, and the second electrical connection configured for handling the composite downlink signal.

5. The headset of claim 4 further comprising a speaker electrically coupled to the first electrical connection.

6. The headset of claim 5 further comprising a filter coupled between the connector interface and the speaker for blocking the carrier signal from the speaker and passing the audio signal to be played by the speaker.

7. The headset of claim 4 further comprising a filter coupled between the connector interface and the modulator, the filter configured to pass the carrier signal to the modulator and block the audio signal.

8. A communication system comprising:

a terminal device configured for generating an uplink signal having a audio signal and a carrier signal;

a headset configured for generating a downlink signal;

a connector interface coupled between the terminal device and headset and including a first electrical connection and a second electrical connection for directing the uplink and the downlink signals between the headset and terminal device;

the headset including a first acoustic sensor having an output signal and at least a second acoustic sensor having an output signal;

a modulator configured to receive the carrier signal of the uplink signal and coupled to receive the output signal of the second acoustic sensor, the modulator configured for modulating the carrier signal with the output signal of the second acoustic sensor to provide a modulated output signal reflective of the output signal of the second acoustic sensor; and

combining circuitry coupled to receive and combine the output signal of the first acoustic sensor and the modulated output signal to produce a composite downlink signal for transmission to the terminal device over a single conductor.

9. The communication system of claim 8, the terminal device including a carrier signal source for generating a carrier signal, an audio signal source for generating an audio signal and a signal combining circuit for combining the audio signal and carrier signal and forming the uplink signal.

10. The communication system of claim 9 wherein the audio signal and carrier signal are digital signals and the terminal device further includes a digital-to-analog convertor for forming an analog uplink signal.

11. The communication system of claim 9, the terminal device including a demodulator for demodulating the composite downlink signal and extracting the output signals of the first and second acoustic sensors, the demodulator using the carrier signal generated by the carrier signal source.

12. The communication system of claim 8, the headset further including an AC to DC converter configured to convert a portion of the carrier signal into a power signal to supply power to the headset.

13. The communication system of claim 12, the headset further including a signal source for generating a second carrier signal.

14. The communication system of claim 8, the headset including a speaker electrically coupled to the first electrical connection and a first filter coupled between the connector interface and the speaker, the first filter configured to block the carrier signal from the speaker and pass the audio signal to be played by the speaker.

15. The communication system of claim 14, the headset further including a second filter coupled between the connector interface and the modulator, the second filter configured to pass the carrier signal to the modulator and block the audio signal.

16. A method for transmission of signals between a terminal device and headset, the method comprising:

summing, at the terminal device, an audio signal with a carrier signal to generate an uplink signal;

transmitting the uplink signal over a connector interface to the headset;

filtering, at the headset, the uplink signal to extract the carrier signal;

generating output signals with a first acoustic sensor and a second acoustic sensor;

modulating the carrier signal with the output signal of the second acoustic sensor to provide a modulated output signal reflective of the output signal of the second acoustic sensor;

combining the modulated carrier signal and the output signal of the first acoustic sensor to produce a composite downlink signal; and

transmitting the composite downlink signal to a terminal device over a common conductor.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising filtering the uplink signal to extract the audio signal and playing the audio signal at the headset with a speaker.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising generating the carrier signal in the terminal device.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising demodulating the composite downlink signal at the terminal device using the generated carrier signal.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising using the carrier signal to generate a power signal.

21. A method for transmission of signals between a terminal device and headset, the method comprising:

summing, at the terminal device, an audio signal with a first carrier signal to generate an uplink signal;

transmitting the uplink signal over a connector interface to the headset;

filtering, at the headset, the uplink signal to extract the first carrier signal;

generating a second carrier signal in the headset;

generating output signals with a first acoustic sensor and a second acoustic sensor;

modulating the second carrier signal with the output signal of the second acoustic sensor to provide a modulated output signal reflective of the output signal of the second acoustic sensor;

combining the modulated second carrier signal and the output signal of the first acoustic sensor to produce a composite downlink signal; and

transmitting the composite downlink signal to a terminal device over a common conductor.