Hands-free conferencing apparatus and method for use with a wireless telephone

• US 7,957,771 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2004
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Frerking, Melvin D., Penrose, Christopher, Kimble, Tamara, Watts, Alonzo L.
• Primary Examiner(s): SANTIAGO CORDERO, MARIVELISSE
• Application Number:
  US10/872,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20050282592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,542 Days
• Field of Search: 455/569.1, 455/416, 379/93.21, 379/158, 37942001-42004, 379/201.01, 379/202.01, 379/203.01, 379/204.01, 381/362, 381/74, 381/71.6, 381/111, 370/260, 370/270
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• 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 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1058 Manufacture or assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1083 Reduction of ambient noise active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

A hands-free teleconferencing apparatus for use with a wireless telephone for enabling multiple users to participate in a telephone call in a hands-free environment. An adapter of the apparatus configured to connect to a wireless telephone includes circuitry for communicating with at least two external speakers and at least one external microphone. The communications between the adapter and the external speakers and microphone may be wired or wireless. If wired, the external speakers and microphone may be part of respective earbud devices or headsets that connect to the adapter. Each earbud device includes an acoustic transducer that functions as an audio speaker and may include a microphone that converts the users'"'"' voices into electric audio signals. If wireless, the external speakers and microphone may be in respective headsets that have respective wireless transducers for communicating wirelessly with respective wireless transducers in the adapter.

Claims

1. A teleconferencing apparatus for use with a single wireless communications device and for use with first and second wireless headsets the teleconferencing apparatus comprising:

an adapter configured for connection to the single wireless communications device and to the first and second wireless headsets, each wireless headset including at least an acoustic transducer that functions as a speaker,

wherein each wireless headset includes a microphone and a wireless transceiver, wherein the wireless transceiver in each wireless headset receives an electrical signal generated by the microphone and converts the electrical signal into a wireless format;

wherein the adapter comprises a first wireless transceiver and a second wireless transceiver, each wireless transceiver in the adapter configured to format wireless signals into short range radio frequency (RF) signals, which are then transmitted to and decoded by the wireless transceivers in the first and second wireless headsets, respectively;

wherein at least one of the wireless headsets further comprises an acceptance/termination switch, which, when actuated, causes a wireless call to be accepted or terminated;

wherein the adapter includes circuitry enabling the first wireless transceiver and the second wireless transceiver in the adapter to communicate with each other;

wherein the adapter includes a mute switch, which, when actuated, disables the microphone of one of the wireless headsets, the actuated mute switch also preventing the one wireless headset with disabled microphone from accepting or terminating the wireless call while keeping the other wireless headset enabled, and

wherein the teleconferencing apparatus enables multiple users to participate in a telephone call over the single wireless communications device using the first and second wireless headsets.

2. The teleconferencing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adapter further comprises a radio receiver that allows a user to listen to radio programming through the acoustic transducer of one of the wireless headsets.

3. The teleconferencing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adapter further comprises a digital recording device having digital content stored thereon to enable a user to hear the content through the acoustic transducer of one of the wireless headsets.

4. The teleconferencing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adapter includes a connector for connecting the adapter to the wireless communications device.

5. The teleconferencing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the connector of the adapter is a 2.5 millimeter (mm) connector configured to mate with a 2.5 mm mating receptacle of the wireless communications device.

6. The teleconferencing apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the wireless headsets further comprises a boom bracket, the microphone of the headset being mounted on an end of the boom bracket.

7. The teleconferencing apparatus of claim 1, wherein each microphone includes a passive noise cancellation device.

8. The teleconferencing apparatus of claim 1, wherein each acoustic transducer includes a passive noise cancellation device.

9. The teleconferencing apparatus of claim 1, wherein each microphone includes an active noise cancellation device.

10. The teleconferencing apparatus of claim 1, wherein each acoustic transducer includes an active noise cancellation device.

11. The teleconferencing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switch is actuated to disable communications being sent by the wireless transceiver of the second wireless headset to the second wireless transceiver of the adapter while keeping communications sent by the wireless transceiver of the first wireless headset to the first wireless transceiver of the adapter enabled.

12. The teleconferencing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless headsets utilize an industry standard communications protocol used to communicate with a variety of communications devices.