Audio headset

• US 7,072,476 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2003
• Issued: 07/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Soundec Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Matech Inc .
• Inventors: Masuda, Masahisa, White, Donald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Huyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Con P.
• Application Number:
  US10/342,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20040136543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 381/74, 379/406.08, 370/276
• US Class Current: 381/74
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/08 Mouthpieces; Microphones; Attachments therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/105 Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• 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 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• 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: H04R 5/0335 Earpiece support, e.g. headbands or neckrests for monophonic headphones H04R1/105

Abstract

A headset includes two earpieces. One earpiece acts as a microphone, and the other earpiece acts as an earphone. Isolated from background noise and vibrations due to bone conduction, the microphone earpieces convert voice sounds from the air column in the external ear canal into electrical signals. Other embodiments of the invention address feedback problems and achieve improved performance relative to existing full duplex communication devices. In another embodiment of the invention a headset includes a band having opposite ends that extend in a forward direction from the two earpieces. The band then either extends downwardly or backwards.

Claims

1. An audio device, comprising:

an earpiece having a transducer that converts an input audio signal from a user into a transmit signal and also converts a receive sianal received from an external device into an audio output sianal intended for listening to by the user, the receive signal including transmit signal components;

a full duplex mode circuit coupled to the transducer including;

a first amplifier having a first input coupled to a first terminal of the transducer and a second input receiving a receive signal with reduced transmit signal components, wherein the first amplifier outputs a combined output signal that includes the transmit signal and the receive signal with the reduced transmit sianal components; and

a second amplifier having a first input coupled to ground and a second input coupled to the same receive signal with the reduced transmit signal components received by the first amplifier, wherein the second amplifier outputs the receive signal with the reduced transmit signal components; and

a digitall signal processing system that isolates the transmit signal from the receive signal, including;

a first input receiving the combined output signal from the first amplifier;

a second input receiving the receive signal from the external device having the transmit signal comnonents;

an output outputting the receive signal with the reduced transmit signal components to the first and second amplifiers; and

a third input receiving the receive signal with the reduced transmit signal components back from the second amplifier.

2. The audio device of claim 1, wherein the digital signal processing system comprises:

a first analog to digital (A/D) converter converting the combined output signal received at the first input into a digital combined output signal;

a second A/D converter converting the receive signal from the external device received at the second input into a digital receive signal with transmit signal components; and

a third A/D converter converting the receive signal with the reduced transmit signal components at the third input into a digital receive signal with reduced transmit signal components.

3. The audio device of claim 2, wherein the digital signal processing system further comprises:

a receive adaptive phase canceller shifting the phase of the digital receive signal with the reduced transmit signal components; and

a first adder summing the phase shifted digital receive signal with the reduced transmit signal components and the digital combined output signal to cancel the digital receive signal with the reduced transmit signal comnonents from the digital combined output signal and outputting a digital transmit signal.

4. The audio device of claim 3, wherein the digital signal processing system further comprises:

a transmit adaptive phase canceller shifting the phase of the digital transmit signal outputted from the first adder; and

a second adder summing the phase shifted digital transmit signal and the digital receive signal from the external device with transmit signal components to cancel the transmit signal components from the digital receive signal from the external device and outputting a receive signal with reduced transmit signal components.

5. The audio device of claim 4, wherein the digital signal processing system further comprises:

a first digital to analog converter converting the digital transmit sianal into an analog transmit signa; and

a second D/A converter converting the receive signal having reduced transmit sianal comnonents into an analog receive signal.

6. A method for providing full-duplex communications in an earpiece, comprising:

convening an audio input into an analog transmit signal in an interface circuit in the earpiece;

receiving an analog receive signal intended for a user from an external device, the receive signal having transmit signal components, in a digital signal processing system;

outputting a receive signal having reduced transmit signal components from the digital signal processing system to the interface circuit in the earpiece;

converting the receive signal having reduced transmit signal comnonents into an audio output in the interface circuit in the earpiece;

feeding the same receive signal having reduced transmit signal components outputted to the interface circuit back to the digital signal processing system;

generating a combined output signal that includes the transmit signal and the receive signal having reduced transmit signal components; and

cancelling the receive signal having reduced transmit signal components from the combined output sianal in the digital signal processing system.

7. The method according to claim 6 including using a same transducer in the interface circuit to convert the audio inputs into the analog transmit signal and convert the analog receive signals into the audio output.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein cancelling the receive signal having reduced transmit signal components from the combined output signal comprises:

phase compensating a digital receive signal having reduced transmit signal components;

applying the phase compensated receive signal having reduced transmit signal components to a combined digital output signal to cancel the receive signal having reduced transmit signal components from the combined digital output signal; and

outputting a digital transmit signal.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein outputting the receive signal having reduced transmit signal components from the digital signal processing system comprises:

phase compensating the digital transmit signal; and

applying the phase compensated transmit signal to the receive signal received from the external device having transmit signal components to cancel the transmit signal components from the receive signal received from the external device.

10. An audio device, comprising:

first and second earpieces, each having a transducer for converting an audio input into an electrical transmit signal and converting an analog receive signal received from an external device and intended for outputting to a user into an audio output, wherein the first transducer operates as a speaker and the second transducer operates either in a microphone mode or in a speaker mode;

a switching circuit adapted to select the operational mode of the second transducer; and

a full-duplex transmit and receive circuit, comprising;

a first amplifier having a first input coupled to the positive terminal of the transducer in the first earpiece and an output coupled to a transmit signal output;

a second amplifier having a first input coupled to the negative terminal of the transducer in the second earpiece and an output coupled to the transmit signal output; and

a third amplifier coupled between the outputs of the first and second amplifiers and the transmit signal output.

11. An audio device according to claim 10 wherein the full-duplex transmit and receive circuit outputs a first receive and transmit signal out of phase with a second receive and transmit signal.

12. An audio device according to claim 11 wherein the full-duplex transmit and receive circuit combines the first and second receive and transmit signal.

13. An audio device according to claim 12 wherein the full-duplex transmit and receive circuit cancels the receive signal in the combined first and second receive and transmit signals and increases the transmit signal in the combined first and second receive and transmit signals.

14. An audio device according to claim 10 wherein the full-duplex transmit and receive circuit includes a level control circuit maintaining a receive signal at a constant level.

15. An audio device according to claim 14 wherein the level control circuit includes:

an op-amp including an input that monitors a voltage level of the receive signal;

a transistor circuit activated by the op-amp when the receive voltage rises above a preselected value, the transistor circuit when activated pulling down the voltage level to the preselected value.

16. An audio device according to claim 14 wherein the level control circuit includes a manually adjustable resistor circuit.

17. An audio device according to claim 10 including a switching circuit for switching the full-duplex transmit and receive circuit and the transducers into operating as a one-way speaker device.