Hands-free voice communication apparatus with speakerphone and earpiece combo

• US 7,961,869 B1
• Filed: 02/13/2006
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fortemedia, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fortemedia, Inc.
• Inventors: Yu, Jie, Zhang, Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins; Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): DABNEY, PHYLESHA LARVINIA
• Application Number:
  US11/352,684
• Time in Patent Office: 1,947 Days
• Field of Search: 379/430, 379/406.07, 379/406.05, 379/406.01, 379/406.03, 379/428.01, 37942001-42004, 455/569.1, 455/570, 455/574, 455/575.1, 455/575.6, 455/550.1
• US Class Current: 379/420.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/082 using echo cancellers echo cancellers per se H04B3/23

Abstract

A hands-free voice communication apparatus includes a speakerphone and earpiece combo, a digital signal processing (DSP) module, and a communication module. The hands-free apparatus may be used as a speakerphone or an earpiece. The speakerphone and earpiece combo includes a loudspeaker and one or multiple microphones. The loudspeaker provides an acoustic output. Each microphone receives an acoustic input and provides an input signal. The DSP module performs digital signal processing on the input signals from the microphones and provides an output signal for the loudspeaker. The DSP module may perform digital signal processing with different sets of parameters for the speakerphone and earpiece modes. The communication module provides communication between the hands-free apparatus and a communication device, e.g., a cellular phone or a wireless PDA.

Claims

1. An earpiece voice communication apparatus, comprising:

at least one microphone configured to receive acoustic input and to provide at least one input signal, said at least one microphone comprising;

a uni-directional microphone disposed toward a first direction; and

an omni-directional microphone disposed toward a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction;

a loudspeaker configured to receive an output signal and to provide acoustic output; and

at least one volume functional button operable to adjust volume for the loudspeaker, to mute the at least one microphone, to accept or reject an incoming call, or a combination thereof;

a digital signal processing (DSP) module configured to perform digital signal processing on the at least one input signal and to provide the output signal, and

wherein the apparatus is operable in one of multiple modes comprising a speakerphone mode and an earpiece mode, and wherein the apparatus is hanging on a user'"'"'s ear in the earpiece mode and far from the user'"'"'s ear in the speakerphone mode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the uni-directional microphone is used as a main microphone and the omni-directional microphone is used as a reference microphone.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first microphone boot for the uni-directional microphone; and

a second microphone boot for the omni-directional microphone.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first and second microphone boots are formed with an acoustic opaque resilient material.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first microphone boot comprises multiple openings to allow sound to travel to front and back of the uni-directional microphone.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first housing for the uni-directional microphone, wherein the uni-directional microphone is mounted within the housing in a manner to avoid making contact with the housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a second housing for the omni-directional microphone, wherein the first and second housings are isolated.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a block of a vibration opaque resilient material attached to a bottom of the first housing.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a mode button operable to select one of the multiple modes.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a mode button, wherein one of the multiple modes is selected based on the mode button and one or more of the at least one volume functional button.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first functional button to accept or reject an incoming call

and wherein the first functional button is larger than the volume functional button.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus operates in the earpiece mode as a default mode and operates in the speakerphone mode when selected.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein volume of the loudspeaker is increased slowly when switching from the earpiece mode to the speakerphone mode.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an earpiece for attaching the apparatus to the user'"'"'s ear.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the DSP module is configured to perform digital signal processing in accordance with a first set of parameters for the speakerphone mode and with a second set of parameters for the earpiece mode.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the DSP module is configured to perform beamforming, acoustic echo cancellation, noise suppression, or a combination thereof for a near-end voice signal.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the DSP module is configured to perform line echo cancellation, noise suppression, or a combination thereof for a far-end voice signal.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication module configured to provide communication between the apparatus and a communication device.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the communication module is configured to communicate with the communication device via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the uni-directional microphone and the omni-directional microphone are isolated from each other.

21. An earpiece voice communication apparatus, comprising:

a uni-directional microphone, disposed toward a first direction, and configured to receive acoustic input and to provide a first input signal;

an omni-directional microphone, disposed toward a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and configured to receive acoustic input and to provide a second input signal;

a first microphone boot for holding the uni-directional microphone and comprising multiple openings to allow sound to travel to front and back of the uni-directional microphone;

a second microphone boot for holding the omni-directional microphone;

a loudspeaker configured to receive an output signal and to provide acoustic output;

at least one volume functional button operable to adjust volume for the loudspeaker, to mute the at least one microphone, to accept or reject an incoming call, or a combination thereof;

a digital signal processing (DSP) module configured to perform digital signal processing on the first and second input signals and to provide the output signal; and

a communication module configured to provide communication between the apparatus and a communication device, and

wherein the apparatus is operable in one of multiple modes comprising a speakerphone mode and an earpiece mode, and wherein the apparatus is hanging on a user'"'"'s ear in the earpiece mode and far from the user'"'"'s ear in the speakerphone mode.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the uni-directional microphone and the omni-directional microphone are isolated from each other.