Earpiece/microphone (headset) servicing multiple incoming audio streams

• US 7,558,529 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2005
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Seshadri, Nambirajan, Bennett, James D., Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, NGUYEN THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/120,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20060166716A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,526 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/569.1, 455/575.2, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 381/74
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0256 wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• 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: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• 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: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

The present invention provides a modular wireless headset with which to service multiple incoming audio streams. This modular wireless headset includes a wireless microphone and wireless earpiece. The wireless earpiece may exchange radio frequency (RF) signals with a base unit and render content contained within the exchanged RF signals to a user. This wireless earpiece further includes a wireless interface, a processor, a speaker, a user interface, and an authentication module. The wireless interface allows the earpiece to wirelessly communicate with the base unit. The processor recovers communications exchanged with the base unit that the speaker then renders audible. A user interface coupled to the processor may alert the user to any additional incoming audio communications. Having received the alert, the user may select between the communications. The authentication module allows the wireless earpiece and microphone to pair (forming the modular wireless headset) and register the headset with the base unit.

Claims

1. A modular wireless headset operable to support multiple communications when paired with a base unit, comprising:

a wireless microphone; and

a wireless earpiece operable to exchange radio frequency (RF) signals with a base unit and render content within the exchanged RF signals to a user, wherein the wireless earpiece includes;

a first wireless interface operable to communicate wirelessly with the base unit;

a first processing circuit operable to recover a first audio stream wirelessly communicated from the base unit;

a speaker communicatively coupled to the first processing circuit, wherein the speaker is operable to render the received first audio stream audible;

a first user interface communicatively coupled to the first processing circuit, wherein the first user interface is operable to;

alert the user to a second audio stream being wirelessly communicated from the base unit to the first processing unit; and

allow the user to service both the first audio stream and the second audio stream using the modular wireless headset; and

a first authentication module operable to;

pair the wireless earpiece and wireless microphone; and

register the modular wireless headset to use a base unit.

2. The modular wireless headset of claim 1, wherein the wireless microphone comprises:

a microphone transducer operable to transduce audio communications;

a second processing circuit communicatively coupled to the microphone transducer;

a second wireless interface communicatively coupled to the second processing circuit, wherein the second processing circuit and second wireless interface are operable to encode and wirelessly communicate transduced audio communications to the base unit directly or through the wireless earpiece; and

a second authentication module operable to;

pair the wireless earpiece and wireless microphone; and

register the modular wireless headset to use the base unit.

3. The modular wireless headset of claim 2, wherein the first user interface is further operable to allow the user to combine the first audio stream and the second audio stream.

4. The modular wireless headset of claim 2, wherein the first user interface is further operable to allow the user to pause at least one of the first audio stream and the second audio stream.

5. The modular wireless headset of claim 2, wherein either of the authentication modules is operable to pair and register the wireless headset and its modules using an authentication method selected from the group consisting of:

biometric authentication;

tactile authentication;

password authentication;

VRS authentication;

encryption key/dongle authentication;

handwriting authentication;

audio testing authentication;

third party authentication;

proximity based authentication; and

docking authentication.

6. The modular wireless headset of claim 5, wherein the base unit compares system identification module (SIM) information associated with the modular wireless headset with a database communicatively coupled to the base unit, and wherein when the SIM information compares favorably the base unit communicatively couples the modular wireless headset to a servicing network.

7. The modular wireless headset of claim 6, wherein the servicing network is selected from the group consisting of:

cellular network;

wireless packet data network;

public switched telephone network (PSTN);

wide area network (WAN);

local area network (LAN); and

a wireless local area network (WLAN).

8. The modular wireless headset of claim 5, further comprising at least one additional wireless module operable to pair to the wireless microphone and the wireless earpiece, and wherein the at least one additional wireless module comprises at least one device selected from the group consisting of:

a wireless earpiece, wireless microphone, a touchpad, and a text display.

9. The modular wireless headset of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first audio stream and the second audio stream is a communication selected from the group consisting of:

an audio stream from a wireless terminal;

an audio stream from a wireless access point (WAP);

an audio stream from a telephone;

an audio stream from a cellular telephone;

an audio stream from a compact disc player;

an audio stream from a DVD player;

an audio stream from a digital playback device;

an audio stream from a computer;

an audio stream from a personal digital assistant; and

an audio stream from a playback device.

10. A method to service multiple audio communications with a modular wireless headset, comprising:

communicatively coupling a wireless microphone and a wireless earpiece of the modular wireless headset to a base unit to exchange registration information in response to a user command;

comparing registration information associated with the wireless microphone and the wireless earpiece to registration information associated with the base unit;

successfully registering the wireless microphone and the wireless earpiece to the base unit when the registration information associated with the wireless microphone and the wireless earpiece compares favorably to registration information associated with the base unit;

uncoupling the wireless microphone or the wireless earpiece that fails to successfully register to the base unit;

communicatively coupling the modular wireless headset to an audio communication through the base unit; and

servicing a first audio communication with the modular wireless headset and a resource accessible to the modular wireless headset through the communicatively coupled base unit, and wherein servicing further includes;

alerting the user to a second audio communication being wirelessly communicated from the resource to the modular wireless headset; and

servicing the first audio communication in accordance with a first service and the second audio communication using in accordance with a second service based on user input.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the servicing the first audio communication in accordance with the first service and the second audio communication using in accordance with the second service involves combining the first audio communication and the second audio communication.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the servicing the first audio communication in accordance with the first service and the second audio communication using in accordance with the second service involves pausing at least one of the first audio communication and the second audio communication for later rendering to the user.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first audio communication and the second audio communication is a communication selected from the group consisting of:

an audio stream from a wireless terminal;

an audio stream from a wireless access point (WAP);

an audio stream from a telephone;

an audio stream from a cellular telephone;

an audio stream from a compact disc player;

an audio stream from a DVD player;

an audio stream from a computer;

an audio stream from a personal digital assistant; and

an audio stream from a playback device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the base unit is operable to communicatively couple the headset to a servicing network.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the servicing network is selected from the group consisting of:

cellular network;

wireless packet data network;

public switched telephone network (PSTN);

wide area network (WAN);

local area network (LAN); and

a wireless local area network (WLAN).

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the base unit compares system identification module (SIM) information associated with the modular wireless headset with a database communicatively coupled to the base unit, and wherein when the SIM information compares favorably the base unit communicatively couples the modular wireless headset to the servicing network.

17. A modular wireless headset operable to support multiple communications when paired with a base unit, comprising:

a wireless microphone; and

a wireless earpiece operable to exchange radio frequency (RF) signals with a base unit and render content within the exchanged RF signals to a user, wherein the wireless earpiece includes;

a first wireless interface operable to communicate wirelessly with the base unit;

a first processing circuit operable to recover a first audio communication wirelessly communicated from the base unit;

a speaker communicatively coupled to the first processing circuit, wherein the speaker is operable to render the received first audio communication audible;

a first user interface communicatively coupled to the first processing circuit, wherein the first user interface is operable to;

alert the user to a second audio communication being wirelessly communicated from the base unit to the first processing unit; and

allow the user to service both the first audio communication and the second audio communication using the modular wireless headset; and

a first authentication module operable to;

provide system identification module (SIM) information associated with the modular wireless headset to the base unit in order to access a servicing network;

pair the wireless earpiece and wireless microphone; and

register the modular wireless headset to use a base unit.

18. The modular wireless headset of claim 17, wherein the wireless microphone comprises:

a microphone transducer operable to transduce audio communications;

a second processing circuit communicatively coupled to the microphone transducer;

a second wireless interface communicatively coupled to the second processing circuit, wherein the second processing circuit and second wireless interface are operable to encode and wirelessly communicate transduced audio communications to the base unit directly or through the wireless earpiece; and

a second authentication module operable to;

pair the wireless earpiece and wireless microphone; and

register the modular wireless headset to use the base unit.

19. The modular wireless headset of claim 17, wherein the first user interface is further operable to allow the user to combine the first audio communication and the second audio communication.

20. The modular wireless headset of claim 17, wherein the first user interface is further operable to allow the user to pause at least one of the first audio communication and the second audio communication.

21. The modular wireless headset of claim 17, wherein the first authentication module is operable to pair and register the wireless headset and its modules using an authentication method selected from the group consisting of:

biometric authentication;

tactile authentication;

password authentication;

VRS authentication;

encryption key/dongle authentication;

handwriting authentication;

audio testing authentication;

third party authentication;

proximity based authentication; and

docking authentication.

22. The modular wireless headset of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first audio communication and the second audio communication is a communication selected from the group consisting of:

an audio stream from a wireless terminal;

an audio stream from a wireless access point (WAP);

an audio stream from a telephone;

an audio stream from a cellular telephone;

an audio stream from a compact disc player;

an audio stream from a DVD player;

an audio stream from a digital playback device;

an audio stream from a computer;

an audio stream from a personal digital assistant; and

an audio stream from a playback device.

23. The modular wireless headset of claim 17, wherein the servicing network is selected from the group consisting of:

cellular network;

wireless packet data network;

public switched telephone network (PSTN);

wide area network (WAN);

local area network (LAN); and

a wireless local area network (WLAN).