HEADSET SYSTEM WITH USER-CONFIGURABLE FUNCTION BUTTON

• US 20160295314A1
• Filed: 06/14/2016
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gn Audio A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Original Assignee: VXI Corporation (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Inventors: Batson, Kevin A., Jaques, David A., Blank, William J. Jr., Geno, David M., Terrien, Thomas F. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,729,958 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/08 Mouthpieces; Microphones; Attachments therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• 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 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: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A headset providing audio input and output for a mobile device includes a microphone and speaker. An RF transceiver performs wireless communication with the mobile device. One or more buttons are configured for push operations to control operation of the headset, the mobile device, or both. A processor is configured to process a signal input from the microphone and output the processed signal to the RF transceiver, process a signal received from the RF transceiver and output the processed signal to the speaker, and process a signal input according to the push operations of the one or more buttons. At least one of the buttons is configurable to actuate a selected function. A memory associated with the processor stores program instructions for executing a plurality of functions, wherein the selected plurality of function is selected in response to user input via a user interface on the mobile device.

Claims

1. A headset device configured to provide an audio input and output mechanism for a mobile device, the headset device comprising:

a headset body configured to be worn by a user;

a microphone and a speaker installed on the headset;

an RF transceiver received within the headset body and configured to perform wireless communication with the mobile device;

one or more buttons provided on the headset body and configured to be subject to push operations for controlling operation of the headset device, the mobile device, or both;

a processor received within the headset body, the processor configured to;

(a) process a signal input from the microphone and output the processed signal to the RF transceiver;

(b) process a signal received from the RF transceiver and output the processed signal to the speaker; and

(c) process a signal input according to the push operations of the one or more buttons;

at least one of the buttons being a configurable function button that is configurable by the user to actuate a selected one of a plurality of functions; and

a memory received within the headset body and associated with the processor, the memory storing program instructions for executing each of the plurality of functions;

wherein the selected one of the plurality of functions is pre-selected in response to user input to the processor via a user interface on the mobile device.

2. The headset device of claim 1, wherein the RF transceiver is a Bluetooth transceiver.

3. The headset device of claim 1, wherein the user interface on the mobile device is a graphical user interface.

4. The headset device of claim 3, wherein the graphical user interface includes a list of the plurality of functions.

5. The headset device of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is selected from an Android smartphone and an iPhone smartphone.

6. The headset device of claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of functions is a mute function operable to cause the processor to toggle the microphone between a muted and an unmuted state responsive to the configurable function button being pressed.

7. The headset device of claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of functions is a speed dial function operable to cause the processor to send a command to the mobile device to place an outgoing call to a pre-selected telephone number.

8. The headset device of claim 7, wherein the pre-selected telephone number is selected from the group consisting of a telephone number designated as the user'"'"'s home number, a designated entry in a speed dial list or favorites list on the mobile device, or a last telephone number dialed by the mobile device.

9. The headset device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured, in response to the headset device being paired with both said mobile device and another mobile device and the configurable function button being pushed, to control an operation of the other mobile device.

10. The headset device of claim 9, wherein the control unit is configured, in response to the headset device being paired with another mobile device and the configurable function button being pushed, to end a call on the other mobile device if the other mobile device is on an ongoing call and to answer a call on the other mobile device if the other mobile device has an incoming call.

11. The headset device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured, in response to the configurable function button being pushed, to launch a pre-selected application on the mobile device.

12. The headset device of claim 11, wherein the configurable function button is configurable via user input to said pre-selected application.

13. The headset device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured, in response to the configurable function button being pushed, to launch a voice recognition function on the mobile device.

14. The headset device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured, in response to the configurable function button being pushed, to open a microphone channel between the microphone and the processor and, in response to the configurable function button being released, to close a microphone channel between the microphone and the processor.

15. The headset device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured, in response to the configurable function button being pushed, to launch a recorder function on the headset device.

16. The headset device of claim 15, wherein the control unit is configured to receive an audio signal from the microphone, convert the audio signal into a digital audio file, and store the digital audio file in the memory, in response to the configurable function button being pushed for a time period greater than or equal to a predetermined time period.

17. The headset device of claim 16, wherein the control unit is configured to receive a previously stored digital audio file from the memory and convert the digital audio file into an analog audio signal for output to the speaker, in response to the configurable function button being pushed for a time period less than a predetermined time period.

18. The headset device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured, in response to the configurable function button being pushed, to provide an audio signal to the speaker representative of a state of charge of a battery received within the housing.

19. A method for configuring a headset device, the headset device configured to provide an audio input and output mechanism for a mobile device, the method comprising:

providing the headset device, the headset device having a headset body configured to be worn by a user, a microphone and a speaker installed on the headset, an RF transceiver received within the headset body and configured to perform wireless communication with the mobile device, and one or more buttons on the headset body and configured to be subject to push operations, and a processor received within the headset body, the processor configured to;

(a) process a signal input from the microphone and output the processed signal to the RF transceiver;

(b) process a signal received from the RF transceiver and output the processed signal to the speaker; and

(c) process a signal input according to the push operations of the one or more buttons;

storing, in a memory received within the headset body and associated with the processor, program instructions for executing a plurality of functions for controlling operation of the headset device, the mobile device, or both; and

providing, using the mobile device, a user interface for selecting one of the plurality of functions, wherein at least one of the buttons is configured to actuate the selected one of the functions, the selected one of the plurality of functions being pre-selected in response to user input to the processor via the user interface on the mobile device.