Communication of audio control signals for wireless audio headphones

• US 7,382,760 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2005
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Yuzuriha, Todd, Slamka, Milan
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Afshar; Kamran
• Application Number:
  US11/223,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20070123171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 370/382, 370/338, 370/376, 370/456, 370/310, 455/41.2, 455/550, 455/552.1, 4555691-557, 455/556.2, 455352-353, 710 62- 72, 381/17, 381/74, 381311-312, 381/331, 381300-301
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• 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

Abstract

A wireless audio headphone communication system has an audio input for receiving an audio signal from an audio source. A wireless transceiver receives and transmits radio frequency communications with a wireless audio headphone, the communications including an audio control signal that conforms to a wireless audio control protocol of a wireless communication protocol. A converter converts the audio control signal between the wireless audio control protocol transceived by the wireless transceiver and a local control protocol for controlling the audio source.

Claims

1. A USB dongle having a USB connector for communicating with a computing device through a USB port, comprising:

a wireless transceiver for transceiving wireless communications with a headphone according to a wireless communication protocol that includes a selected audio control signal that controls a selected audio function and conforms to a wireless audio control protocol; and

a converter that converts between the wireless audio control protocol transceived by the wireless transceiver and a local computing device control protocol that controls an audio source device interface on the computing device, the converter further providing to the computing device via the USB port a converted audio control signal that controls the selected audio function and conforms to the local computing device control protocol, wherein the converter further receives from the computing device via the USB port a second selected audio control signal that controls a second selected audio function and conforms to the local computing device control protocol, converts the second selected audio control signal to a second converted audio control signal that controls the second selected audio function and conforms to the wireless communication protocol, and provides the second converted audio control signal to the wireless transceiver for transmission to the headphone to control the second selected audio function.

2. The USB dongle of claim 1 in which the computing device does not include a driver for the wireless communication protocol.

3. The USB dongle of claim 1 in which the wireless communications are radio frequency communications.

4. The USB dongle of claim 1 in which the computing device includes a personal computer.

5. The USB dongle of claim 1 in which the local computer device control protocols include an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) standard.