Distributed sound enhancement

• US 7,856,240 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2004
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CSR Technology Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Clarity Technologies, Inc. (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hayes, Michael A., Gunn, Raymond W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew D
• Assistant Examiner(s): GONZALES, APRIL GUZMAN
• Application Number:
  US10/896,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20050286713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,344 Days
• Field of Search: 455/63.1, 455/569.1, 455/575.2, 455/41.2, 455/556.1, 379/390.2, 379/406.04, 379/387.01, 379/390.04, 381/1, 381/71.6, 381/74, 381/92, 381/98, 381/103, 704/270, 715/255
• US Class Current: 455/509
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6016 in the receiver circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/05 Detection of connection of loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• 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 5/04 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/005 For headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/004 For headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/30 Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Sound quality is enhanced in a sound system including handsets and headsets. Handset sound enhancing algorithms are implemented in a handset. The handset automatically determines which, if any, of a plurality of headset sound enhancing algorithms are active in a headset in communication with the handset. The handset determines how to use the handset sound enhancing algorithms in a sound processing channel based on which of the headset sound enhancing algorithms are active in the headset.

Claims

1. A system for enhancing sound quality comprising:

a handset implementing a handset suite of cooperating sound enhancement algorithms, each handset sound enhancement algorithm in the suite of handset sound enhancement algorithms operative to be either placed in-channel for sound processing or removed from in-channel sound processing; and

a plurality of headsets, each headset of the plurality of headsets capable of operating in communication with the handset, each headset implementing a headset suite of cooperating sound enhancement algorithms that is different from a second suite of cooperating sound enhancement algorithms implemented in a different headset, each headset operative to notify the handset of its headset suite of cooperating sound enhancement algorithms;

the handset operative to selectively place each handset sound enhancement algorithm in-channel based on receiving notification of the headset suite for each of the plurality of headsets in communication with the handset.

2. A system for enhancing sound quality as in claim 1 wherein the plurality of headsets further comprises at least one headset that does not implement a suite of cooperating sound enhancement algorithms and wherein the handset, when in communication with the at least one headset, is further operative to recognize that the at least one headset does not implement a suite of cooperating sound enhancement algorithms and to selectively place predetermined handset sound enhancement algorithms in-channel based on the recognition.

3. A system for enhancing sound quality as in claim 1 wherein, for at least a subset of the plurality of headsets, each headset is operative to either selectively place at least one of the headset sound enhancement algorithms in the headset suite of cooperating sound enhancement algorithms in-channel or to selectively remove the at least one headset sound enhancement algorithms from in-channel processing.

4. A system for enhancing sound quality as in claim 3 wherein the handset is further operative to transmit a signal to each headset in the subset of the plurality of headsets in communication with the handset for controlling selectively placing or removing the at least one headset sound enhancing algorithm.

5. A system for enhancing sound quality as in claim 1 wherein the handset is further operative to adjust the operation of the handset suite based on a signal received from the headset describing an operating condition of the headset.

6. A system for enhancing sound quality as in claim 1 wherein the handset is a first handset, the system further comprising a second handset in communication with the first handset, the first handset further operative to transmit information to the second handset indicative of each handset sound enhancement algorithm placed in-channel.

7. A system for enhancing sound quality as in claim 6 wherein the second handset is operative to determine operation of receive-side sound enhancement processing based on the information transmitted from the first handset.

8. A system for enhancing sound quality as in claim 6 wherein the second handset is operative to determine operation of send-side sound enhancement processing based on the information transmitted from the first handset.

9. A system for enhancing sound quality, the system comprising:

a handset implementing a handset suite of cooperating sound enhancement algorithms, each handset sound enhancement algorithm in the suite of handset sound enhancement algorithms operative to be either placed in-channel for sound processing or removed from in-channel sound processing;

a headset capable of operating in communication with the handset, the headset implementing a headset suite of cooperating sound enhancement algorithms, the headset operative to notify the handset of its headset suite of cooperating sound enhancement algorithms; and

the handset operative to selectively place each handset sound enhancement algorithm in-channel based on receiving notification of the headset suite for the headset in communication with the handset.

10. A system for enhancing sound quality as in claim 9 further comprising:

a second headset capable of operating in communication with the handset, the second headset not implementing a suite of cooperating sound enhancement algorithms; and

the handset, when in communication with the second headset, being further operative to recognize that the second headset does not implement a suite of cooperating sound enhancement algorithms and to selectively place predetermined handset sound enhancement algorithms in-channel based on the recognition.

11. A system for enhancing sound quality as in claim 9 wherein the headset is operative to either selectively place at least one of the headset sound enhancement algorithms in the headset suite of cooperating sound enhancement algorithms in-channel or to selectively remove the at least one of the headset sound enhancement algorithms from in-channel processing.

12. A system for enhancing sound quality as in claim 11 wherein the handset is further operative to transmit a signal to the headset for controlling selectively placing or removing the at least one headset sound enhancing algorithm.

13. A system for enhancing sound quality as in claim 9 wherein the handset is further operative to adjust the operation of the handset suite based on a signal received from the headset describing an operating condition of the headset.

14. A system for enhancing sound quality as in claim 9 wherein the handset is a first handset, the system further comprising a second handset in communication with the first handset, the first handset further operative to transmit information to the second handset indicative of each handset sound enhancement algorithm placed in-channel.

15. A system for enhancing sound quality as in claim 14 wherein the second handset is operative to determine operation of receive-side sound enhancement processing based on the information transmitted from the first handset.

16. A system for enhancing sound quality as in claim 14 wherein the second handset is operative to determine operation of send-side sound enhancement processing based on the information transmitted from the first handset.