Wireless headphones with connector socket

• US 7,400,914 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2003
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: AKG Acoustics GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Schwald, Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung; Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wendell; Andrew
• Application Number:
  US10/664,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20040137968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,763 Days
• Field of Search: 455/573, 455/569.1, 455/575.1, 455/575.2, 455/575.6, 381/370, 381/376, 379/430
• US Class Current: 455/575.2
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1033 Cables or cables storage, e.g. cable reels cord reels per se H02G11/02; arrangements for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of conductors or cables B65H75/34; extensible conductors or cables, e.g. self-coiling cords H01B7/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083
• 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

Wireless headphones operated by a storage battery and having a connector socket for the insertion of a charge plug of an electric connection into a power pack. The headphones further have at least one miniature loudspeaker, audio electronics, a reception part, and charging electronics to monitor the charging process of the storage battery. In order to be able to use the headphones even with a dead storage battery, a socket is provided for the insertion of a signal plug of an electrical connection with an audio device for the transmission of signals. The audio electronics conduct only the signals received via the signal plug to the loudspeakers when the signal plug is inserted.

Claims

1. Wireless headphones, comprising:

a storage battery;

a connector socket for receiving a charge plug of an electric connection into a power pack;

at least one miniature loudspeaker;

audio electronics connected to the loudspeaker;

a reception part connected to the audio electronics for receiving wireless signals;

charging electronics operative to monitor a charging process of the storage battery, the charging electronics having a first contact within the connector socket and contacting the surface areas of the charge plug when the charge plug is inserted into the connector socket, the audio electronics having a second contact within the connector socket and contacting the surface areas of a signal plug when the signal plug is inserted into the connector socket, the signal plug being part of an electric connection with an audio device for the transfer of signals, wherein current is supplied from the power pack to the charging electronics via the first contact when the charge plug is inserted into the connector socket, and the audio device is configured to transmit a stereo signal from the audio device to at least the one miniature loudspeaker via the second contact when the signal plug is inserted into the connector socket.

2. Headphones according to claim 1, wherein the audio electronics are operative to switch off the reception part when the signal plug is inserted.

3. Headphones according to claim 1, wherein the audio electronics recognize the type of plug inserted by contacting the different electrically conducting or electrically insulating surface areas of the plugs.

4. Headphones according to claim 1, wherein the signal plug is a conventional stereo jack.