Headset audio accessory

• US 7,627,352 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2006
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Inventors: Gauger, Daniel M. Jr., Ueda, Joji
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Lana N
• Application Number:
  US11/390,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20070225035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,345 Days
• Field of Search: 4555691-5692, 4555751-5756, 4555561-558, 455/90.3, 381/60, 381/65, 381/68, 381/357
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/10 Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/01 Noise reduction using microphones having different directional characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/01 Input selection or mixing for amplifiers or loudspeakers
• 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 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

An audio accessory for a headset. The accessory includes a first circuit for wirelessly receiving audio signals from a first external source of audio signals, a second circuit for mechanically coupling to a second external source of audio signals for receiving the audio signals from the second external source of audio signals, controlling circuitry for controlling the relative amplitude of audio signals from the first external source and the second external source transmitted to a playback device, a connector for detachably coupling to the playback device to transmit audio signals from the controlling circuitry to the playback device, and circuitry communicatingly coupling the controlling circuitry and the connector for transmitting audio signals from the controlling circuitry to the connector.

Claims

1. An audio accessory comprising:

a first circuit for wirelessly receiving audio signals from a first external source of audio signals;

a second circuit for mechanically coupling to a second external source of audio signals for receiving the audio signals from the second external source of audio signals;

controlling circuitry for controlling the relative amplitude of audio signals from the first external source and the second external source transmitted to a playback device;

a connector for detachably coupling to the playback device to transmit audio signals from the controlling circuitry to the playback device;

circuitry communicatingly coupling the controlling circuitry and the connector for transmitting audio signals from the controlling circuitry to the connector; and

circuitry for generating a side tone proportional to a microphone signal for transmission to the playback device that allows the user to hear what the user says.

2. An audio accessory in accordance with claim 1, wherein the second circuit is constructed and arranged to wirelessly receive audio signals.

3. An audio accessory in accordance with claim 1, wherein the connector is constructed and arranged to mate with a headset.

4. An audio accessory in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first external audio signal source is a cellular telephone, the audio accessory further comprising

a microphone for providing voice audio signals and circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit the voice audio signals from the microphone to the cellular telephone.

5. An audio accessory in accordance with claim 4, wherein

the microphone is a boom microphone comprising a boom assembly;

the circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit the voice audio signals from the microphone and the connector comprises circuitry integrated into the boom assembly coupling the microphone and the connector; and

the connector is constructed and arranged to mechanically and electrically couple the boom microphone to a headset.

6. An audio accessory in accordance with claim 5, wherein the audio accessory is configured so that the boom microphone has a retracted position and an unretracted position.

7. An audio accessory in accordance with claim 6, wherein, in the retracted position, the boom microphone is configured as an omnidirectional microphone and in the unretracted position, the boom microphone is configured as a bidirectional microphone.

8. An audio accessory in accordance with claim 5, the controlling circuitry comprising a switch to select audio signals from one of the first circuit and the second circuit, and wherein the audio accessory is configured so that moving the boom microphone from the retracted position to the unretracted position causes the switch to select the audio signals from the first circuit.

9. An audio accessory in accordance with claim 4, wherein the microphone is a noise reducing microphone.

10. An audio accessory in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a cable constructed and arranged to transmit electrical power to at least one of the audio accessory, the first audio signal source and the second audio signal source.

11. An audio accessory in accordance with claim 1, wherein the controlling circuitry comprises a switch for alternately selecting from the audio signals from the first audio signal source and audio signals from the second audio signal source for transmission to the connector.

12. An audio accessory in accordance with claim 11, further comprising a third circuit for receiving audio signals from a third audio signal source, wherein the selecting circuitry is constructed and arranged to alternatively select audio signals from the first external source, the second external source, and the third external source for transmission to the external playback device.

13. An audio accessory in accordance with claim 11, further comprising circuitry for pausing the operation of the external source generating the nonselected audio signals.

14. An audio accessory in accordance with claim 1, further comprising circuitry for communicating with a third external source of audio signals.

15. An audio accessory in accordance with claim 14, wherein the circuitry for communicating with a third external source of audio signals and the first circuit share physical components.

16. An audio accessory in accordance with claim 1, wherein the communicatingly coupling circuitry is an electrical cable.

17. A headset assembly, comprising:

a headset; and

an accessory device for providing audio signals to the headset through a single input jack of the headset, the accessory device comprising

receiving circuitry for receiving audio signals from a plurality of audio signal sources, the receiving circuitry comprising circuitry for wirelessly receiving audio signals from a wireless transmitter;

controlling circuitry for controlling the relative amplitude of audio signals from the plurality of audio signal sources for transmission to the headset through the single input jack; and

circuitry for generating a side tone proportional to a microphone signal for transmission to the headset that allows the user to hear what the user says.

18. A headset assembly in accordance with claim 17, wherein the receiving circuitry for wirelessly receiving audio signals is constructed and arranged to receive audio signals wirelessly transmitted from a cellular telephone.

19. A headset assembly in accordance with claim 18, the headset further comprising a microphone for transducing pressure waves to voice audio signal, the accessory device further constructed and arranged to transmit the voice audio signals from the microphone to the cellular telephone.

20. A headset assembly in accordance with claim 18, the accessory device further comprising a boom microphone, wherein a plug and the single input jack mechanically couple the accessory device to the headset.

21. A headset assembly in accordance with claim 17, wherein the accessory device is further constructed and arranged to transmit electrical power from the headset to the receiving circuitry.

22. A headset assembly in accordance with claim 17, wherein the controlling circuitry comprises a switch for alternatively selecting audio signals from one of the plurality of audio signal sources and another of the plurality of audio signal sources for transmission to the headset through the single input jack.

23. A headset assembly in accordance with claim 22, the accessory device further including circuitry for pausing the operation of the source of the nonselected audio signals.

24. A method for operating a personal audio system, comprising:

wirelessly receiving first audio signals from a first audio signal source;

receiving second audio signals from a second audio signal source;

controlling the relative amplitude of the first audio signals and the second audio signals for transmission to a playback device to provide amplitude controlled first audio signals and second audio signals;

transmitting the amplitude controlled first and second audio signals through a single cable to the playback device and;

generating from an accessory device a side tone proportional to a microphone signal for transmission to the playback device that allows the user to hear what the user says.

25. A method for operating a personal audio system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the receiving the second audio signals comprises wirelessly receiving the second audio signals.

26. A method for operating a personal audio system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the first audio signal source comprises a cellular telephone, the method further comprising

transducing pressure waves to voice audio signals;

and

transmitting the voice audio signals to the cellular telephone.

27. A method for operating a personal audio system in accordance with claim 26, wherein transmitting the voice audio signals comprises transmitting the voice audio signals through the single plug, jack, and cable.

28. A method for operating a personal audio system in accordance with claim 24, further comprising

providing electrical power from the playback device to at least one of circuitry for receiving the first audio signals, circuitry for receiving the second audio signals, and controlling the relative amplitude of the first audio signals and the second audio signals.

29. A method for operating a personal audio system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the controlling comprises alternatively selecting audio signals from one of the first audio signal source and the second audio signal source for transmission to the playback device.

30. A method for operating a personal audio system in accordance with claim 29, further comprising pausing the audio signal source providing the nonselected signals.

31. An audio device comprising:

an active noise reduction headset;

a microphone;

an accessory coupling a cellular telephone to the active noise reduction headset for transmitting audio signals from the microphone to the cellular telephone, the accessory comprising circuitry for generating a side tone proportional to a microphone signal for transmission to the active noise reduction headset that allows the user to hear what the user says.

32. An audio device in accordance with claim 31, wherein the microphone is a noise reduction microphone.