Wireless headset for communications device

• US 7,149,552 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2004
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Freelinc Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Radeum, Inc.
• Inventors: Lair, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAI, WAYNE HUU
• Application Number:
  US10/828,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20050064915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/74, 455/90.2, 455/78, 455/100, 455/575.2, 455/569.1, 455/575.1, 455/41.2, 455/550.1, 455/568, 455/41, 455/66, 455/550, 455/569, 455/74.1, 455/557, 455/518, 455/521, 379/430, 379/428.2, 379/433.02, 375/334, 375/341
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a communications system implementing a headset wirelessly connected to a half-duplex communications device, such as a two-way radio or a radio-simulating cellular phone. The headset may incorporate a transmit/receive switch wherein a transmit signal is wirelessly transmitted from the headset to the communications device to direct the communications device to enter into a transmit mode. Alternatively, a wireless transmit/receive switch may be implemented separately from the wireless headset, where the wireless transmit/receive switch may be positioned in the proximity of the communications device and the headset and may be engaged by a user to direct the communications device to enter a transmit mode.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wirelessly communicating audio information to and from a half-duplex radio, the apparatus comprising:

an adapter for connection to a portable half-duplex radio, and

a wireless headset for wirelessly communicating information to the adapter;

wherein

said wireless headset comprises;

a body to be worn on a user'"'"'s head;

a speaker assembly included in the body to output audio information to the user;

a microphone assembly included in the body to receive audio information from the user;

a switch positioned on the body;

an encoder to convert an analog signal representative of the audio information from the user to digital signal;

a processor connected to the encoder to packetize the digital signal; and

a transceiver to wirelessly transmit a first transmit mode signal representative of an engagement of the switch to the adapter and to wirelessly transmit the packetized digital signal of the audio information; and

said adapter comprises;

an interface for connection to the portable half-duplex radio;

a transceiver to receive the first transmit mode signal directly from the wireless headset; and

a processor connected to the interface to provide a second transmit mode signal to the half-duplex radio upon receipt of the first transmit mode signal, the second transmit mode signal for causing the half-duplex radio to enter a half-duplex transmission mode.

2. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the switch is positioned on the microphone assembly.

3. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the speaker assembly includes an earbud speaker.

4. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the body forms an earclip.

5. The apparatus as in claim 4, wherein the speaker assembly includes an ear insert for insertion into the user'"'"'s ear canal.

6. The apparatus as in claim 5, wherein the ear insert comprises a conformable material.

7. The apparatus as in claim 5, wherein the switch is positioned substantially coaxially with the ear insert.

8. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said wireless headset further comprises a headband.

9. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the signal representative of an engagement of the switch includes a signal transmitted during at least a portion of a period that the switch is engaged.

10. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the signal representative of an engagement of the switch includes an absence of a signal during at least a portion of a period that the switch is engaged.

11. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the adapter processor receives audio information via the adapter transceiver and provides the audio information to the half-duplex radio via the interface.

12. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the adapter processor receives audio information from the half-duplex communications device radio via the interface and transmits at least a portion of the audio information via the adapter transceiver.

13. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the adapter is integrated with the half-duplex radio.

14. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the adapter is separate from the half-duplex radio.