HEADPHONE SYSTEM FOR COMPUTER GAMING

• US 20140029774A1
• Filed: 07/24/2013
• Published: 01/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc. (Turtle Beach Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc. (Turtle Beach Corporation)
• Inventors: Bonanno, Carmine J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,695,668 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/309
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/301 the gain being continuously variable
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/005 For headphones

Abstract

A gaming unit and producing a game-audio output of a varying volume level and a chat-voice output is connected to headphones adapted to be worn by a player of the unit and connected to the gaming unit for making the chat-voice output and the game-audio output audible to the player. A circuit or software associated with the headphones can increase the chat-voice volume level generally proportionately to the game-audio volume level.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A headphone system operable to receive a first audio signal and a second audio signal, the headphone system comprising:

a signal processor operable to generate a left audio signal and a right audio signal according to the first audio signal, wherein one or both of the left audio signal and the right audio signal comprises a filtered portion of the first audio signal;

a left speaker operable to output a left speaker signal that comprises the left audio signal and the second audio signal; and

a right speaker operable to output a right speaker signal that comprises the right audio signal and the second audio signal.

10. The headphone system of claim 9, wherein the first audio signal is a chat-voice output.

11. The headphone system of claim 9, wherein the second audio signal is a game-audio output.

12. The headphone system of claim 9, wherein the first audio signal and the second audio signal are produced by a gaming unit.

13. The headphone system of claim 9, wherein the headphone system comprises a microphone operable to generate a third audio signal, and wherein one or both of the left speaker signal and the right speaker signal comprises the third audio signal.

14. The headphone system of claim 9, wherein the second audio signal comprises a left channel and a right channel, the left speaker signal comprising the left channel and the right speaker signal comprising the right channel.

15. The headphone system of claim 9, wherein the volume of the chat signal is operably adjusted in proportion to a change in the volume of the stereo signal.

16. The headphone system of claim 9, wherein the signal processor is operable to process the first audio signal such that a listener, with the left speaker directed to their left ear and the right speaker directed to their right ear, perceives the first audio signal to be originating from a location that is not directly between the left speaker and the right speaker.

17. The headphone system of claim 9, wherein the signal processor is operable to filter the first audio signal with a first filter to generate the left audio signal and to filter the first audio signal with a second filter to generate the right audio signal.

18. The headphone system of claim 9, wherein the signal processor is operable to virtualize the first audio signal according to a head related transfer function.

19. The headphone system of claim 9, wherein the first audio signal comprises two channels and the signal processor is operable to filter a first of the two channels and combine a filtered first channel with a second of the two channels.

20. A headphone system operable to receive a chat signal and a sound signal, the headphone system comprising:

a microphone operable to generate a voice signal,

a signal processor operable to generate a left audio signal and a right audio signal according to the chat signal, wherein one or both of the left audio signal and the right audio signal comprises a delayed portion of the chat signal;

a left speaker operable to receive a combination of the sound signal, the voice signal and the left audio signal; and

a right speaker operable to receive a combination of the sound signal, the voice signal and the right audio signal.

21. The headphone system of claim 20, wherein the sound signal is a stereo signal with a left channel and a right channel.

22. The headphone system of claim 21, wherein the combination received by the left speaker comprises the left channel and the combination received by the right speaker comprises the right channel.

23. The headphone system of claim 20, wherein the chat signal and the sound signal are produced by a video gaming device.

24. The headphone system of claim 20, wherein the volume of the chat signal is operably adjusted in proportion to a change in the volume of the sound signal.

25. The headphone system of claim 20, wherein the signal processor is operable to process the chat signal such that a listener, with the left speaker directed to their left ear and the right speaker directed to their right ear, perceives the chat signal to be originating from a location that is not directly between the left speaker and the right speaker.

26. The headphone system of claim 20, wherein the signal processor is operable to delay the chat signal by a first delay to generate the left audio signal and to delay the chat signal with a second delay to generate the right audio signal.

27. The headphone system of claim 20, wherein the signal processor is operable to virtualize the chat signal according to a head related transfer function.

28. The headphone system of claim 20, wherein the chat signal comprises two channels and the signal processor is operable to delay a first of the two channels and combine a delayed first channel with the a second of the two channels.