Battery management in a modular earpiece microphone combination

• US 7,877,115 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2005
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Seshadri, Nambirajan, Bennett, James D., Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid; Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lai; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/120,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20060166705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,093 Days
• Field of Search: 379/428.02, 37942001-42004, 455/569.1, 455/569, 455571-574, 455 411- 413
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• 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 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• 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 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• 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: H04M 2250/06 including a wireless LAN interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A modular wireless headset to support voice communications that includes a wireless microphone, a wireless earpiece, and a tether. Both the wireless microphone and wireless earpiece have receptacles operable to receive the tether and one or both of the wireless microphone and wireless earpiece have portable power supplies operable to power the containing module. The tether allows the wireless earpiece or wireless microphone to provide power to operate and/or recharge the microphone or wireless earpiece when the wireless microphone or wireless earpiece is coupled with the tether.

Claims

1. A modular wireless headset operable to support voice communications through a base unit, comprising:

a tether having a first end and a second end;

a detachable wireless microphone having a first receptacle operable to receive the first end of the tether;

a detachable wireless earpiece having a second receptacle operable to receive the second end of the tether, wherein the tether is operable to couple the detachable wireless microphone and detachable wireless earpiece to facilitate communication and to share resources, and wherein at least one of the detachable wireless earpiece and detachable wireless microphone further includes a portable power supply operable to power the detachable wireless headset; and

wherein each of the detachable wireless microphone and the detachable wireless earpiece include a pairing circuit operable to pair the detachable wireless earpiece and the detachable wireless microphone when pairing information associated with the detachable wireless earpiece and the detachable wireless microphone compare favorably, and either of the detachable wireless microphone or the detachable wireless earpiece is operable to manage a first portion of a protocol stack to support the voice communications, in which the base unit is operable to manage a complementary portion of the protocol stack.

2. The modular wireless headset of claim 1, wherein both the detachable wireless microphone and detachable wireless earpiece further comprise:

a power management circuit operable to allocate shared power supplies between the detachable wireless earpiece and detachable wireless microphone when coupled with the tether.

3. The modular wireless headset of claim 1, wherein the base unit comprises a wireless terminal, and wherein the base unit is operable to:

physically couple to the modular wireless headset; and

provide power to operate the modular wireless headset or recharge portable power supplies of modular wireless headset through the physical coupling.

4. The modular wireless headset of claim 3, wherein the detachable wireless microphone and detachable wireless earpiece physically couple to receptacle(s) within the base unit.

5. The modular wireless headset of claim 4, wherein the receptacle(s) are within the base unit'"'"'s portable power supply.

6. The modular wireless headset of claim 1, wherein the modular wireless headset is operable to physically couple to an external portable power supply, and wherein the external portable power supply comprises:

a wireless earpiece receptacle operable to receive the detachable wireless earpiece;

a wireless microphone receptacle operable to receive the detachable wireless microphone;

a battery operable to provide power to operate the modular wireless headset or recharge portable power supplies of the modular wireless headset through a physical coupling; and

a display/interface operable to receive user commands directed to the modular wireless headset and display information received from the modular wireless headset.

7. The modular wireless headset of claim 1, wherein the tether further comprises:

an adapter operable to physically couple the modular wireless headset to an external power supply.

8. The modular wireless headset of claim 7, wherein the adapter comprises:

a universal serial bus (USB) connector operable to physically couple the modular wireless headset to an external power supply via a USB port.

9. The modular wireless headset of claim 1, wherein the base unit communicatively couples the modular wireless headset to a servicing network, and wherein the servicing network is selected from the group consisting of:

cellular network;

public switched telephone network (PSTN);

wide area network (WAN);

local area network (LAN); and

a wireless local area network (WLAN).

10. A modular wireless headset operable to support voice communications, comprising:

a tether having a first end and a second end;

a detachable wireless earpiece having a first receptacle operable to receive the first end of the tether;

a detachable wireless microphone having a second receptacle operable to receive the second end of the tether, wherein the tether is operable to couple the detachable wireless microphone and detachable wireless earpiece to facilitate communication and to share resources, and wherein at least one of the detachable wireless earphone and the detachable wireless microphone further includes a portable power supply operable to power the detachable wireless microphone, and operable to power the detachable wireless earpiece when the detachable wireless earpiece and detachable wireless microphone are coupled with the tether; and

wherein each of the detachable wireless microphone and the detachable wireless earpiece include a pairing circuit operable to pair the detachable wireless earpiece and the detachable wireless microphone when pairing information associated with the detachable wireless earpiece and the detachable wireless microphone compare favorably, and either of the detachable wireless microphone or the detachable wireless earpiece is operable to manage a first portion of a protocol stack to support the voice communications, in which the base unit is operable to manage a complementary portion of the protocol stack.

11. The modular wireless headset of claim 10, wherein the base unit comprises a wireless terminal, and wherein the base unit is operable to:

physically couple to the modular wireless headset; and

provide power to operate the modular wireless headset or recharge portable power supplies of modular wireless headset through the physical coupling.

12. The modular wireless headset of claim 10, wherein the detachable wireless microphone and the detachable wireless earpiece physically couple to receptacles within the base unit.

13. The modular wireless headset of claim 12, wherein the modular wireless headset is operable to physically couple to an external portable power supply, and wherein the external portable power supply comprises:

a wireless earpiece receptacle operable to receive the detachable wireless earpiece;

a wireless microphone receptacle operable to receive the detachable wireless microphone;

a battery operable to provide power to operate the modular wireless headset or recharge portable power supplies of the modular wireless headset through the physical coupling; and

a display/interface operable to receive user commands directed to the modular wireless headset and display information received from the modular wireless headset.

14. The modular wireless headset of claim 10, wherein the tether further comprises:

a universal serial bus (USB) connector operable to physically couple the modular wireless headset to an external power supply via a USB port.

15. The modular wireless headset of claim 10, wherein the base unit communicatively couples the modular wireless headset to a servicing network, and wherein the servicing network is selected from the group consisting of:

cellular network;

public switched telephone network (PSTN);

wide area network (WAN);

local area network (LAN); and

a wireless local area network (WLAN).