Wireless communication headset with wired and wireless modes

• US 8,090,132 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2007
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Tang, John, Alten, Brett
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): DABNEY, PHYLESHA LARVINIA
• Application Number:
  US11/620,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20080167087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,823 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/569.1, 455/573, 455/575.2, 439/345, 439/626, 381/361, 381/362, 381/370, 381/375, 381/382, 381/384
• US Class Current: 381/361
• 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

Abstract

A wireless communication headset having both wired and wireless modes is provided. The wireless headset can include a headset connector assembly that can be coupled to a cable connector of a cable, which can in turn be connected to a telephone. When the wireless headset is coupled to the telephone, it can advantageously be operable to exchange audio information with the telephone through the cable, receive electrical power from the telephone through the cable, or both. In addition, the cable connector can advantageously be coupled to the wireless headset without obstructing airflow to a microphone that is located in the headset connector assembly, through use of apparatus of the invention located on the cable connector, such as an acoustic tunnel, a microphone-speaker pair, or a microphone that is coupled to control circuitry operable to disable the microphone of the headset.

Claims

1. A cable connector comprising:

at least one cable contact operable to be electrically coupled to at least one headset contact of a wireless communication headset; and

an acoustic tunnel operable to be coupled to a microphone boot of the wireless communication headset and to form a substantially continuous seal with the microphone boot, wherein the acoustic tunnel is operable to receive user audio input at an aperture of the acoustic tunnel when the acoustic tunnel is coupled to the microphone boot, and wherein the acoustic tunnel comprises a notched tip that is operable to mate with a notched recess of the microphone boot when the acoustic tunnel is coupled to the microphone boot.

2. The cable connector of claim 1 wherein the acoustic tunnel is at least partially curved in shape.

3. The cable connector of claim 1 further comprising at least one wire respectively coupled to the at least one cable contact and operable to transfer electrical power from a telephone to the at least one headset contact.

4. The cable connector of claim 1 further comprising at least one wire respectively coupled to the at least one cable contact and operable to transfer data corresponding to the user audio input from the at least one cable contact to a telephone.

5. A cable connector comprising:

at least one cable contact operable to be electrically coupled to at least one headset contact of a wireless communication headset; and

an acoustic tunnel operable to be coupled to a microphone boot of the wireless communication headset and to form a substantially continuous seal with the microphone boot, wherein the acoustic tunnel is operable to receive user audio input at an aperture of the acoustic tunnel when the acoustic tunnel is coupled to the microphone boot, wherein the acoustic tunnel is substantially rectangular in shape.

6. The cable connector of claim 5 further comprising at least one wire respectively coupled to the at least one cable contact and operable to transfer electrical power from a telephone to the at least one headset contact.

7. The cable connector of claim 5 further comprising at least one wire respectively coupled to the at least one cable contact and operable to transfer data corresponding to the user audio input from the at least one cable contact to a telephone.

8. A cable connector comprising:

at least one cable contact operable to be electrically coupled to at least one headset contact of a wireless communication headset;

a microphone operable to receive user audio input when the at least one cable contact is coupled to the at least one headset contact;

a speaker operable to receive user audio data corresponding to the user audio input from the microphone and transmit the user audio data to a microphone boot of the wireless communication headset when the at least one cable contact is coupled to the at least one headset contact; and

an acoustic tunnel operable to couple the speaker to a microphone boot of the wireless communication headset, wherein the acoustic tunnel comprises a notched tip that is operable to mate with a notched recess of the microphone boot when the acoustic tunnel is coupled to the microphone boot.

9. A cable connector comprising:

at least one cable contact operable to be electrically coupled to at least one headset contact of a wireless communication headset;

a microphone operable to receive user audio input when the at least one cable contact is coupled to the at least one headset contact;

a speaker operable to receive user audio data corresponding to the user audio input from the microphone and transmit the user audio data to a microphone boot of the wireless communication headset when the at least one cable contact is coupled to the at least one headset contact; and

an aperture in a housing of the cable connector, wherein the microphone is coupled to the aperture and substantially covers a face of the aperture that is inside the housing.

10. A cable connector comprising:

at least one cable contact operable to be electrically coupled to at least one headset contact of a wireless communication headset;

a first microphone operable to receive user audio input when the at least one cable contact is coupled to the at least one headset contact; and

control circuitry operable to transmit at least one control signal to detection circuitry of the wireless communication headset, for disabling a second microphone that is located on the wireless communication headset, when the at least one cable contact is coupled to the at least one headset contact.

11. The cable connector of claim 10 further comprising:

transmission circuitry coupled to the control circuitry, wherein;

the control circuitry is further operable to transmit user audio data indicative of the user audio input to the transmission circuitry; and

the transmission circuitry is operable to transmit the user audio data to a telephone through at least one wire that is coupled to the at least one cable contact.

12. The cable connector of claim 10 wherein the control circuitry is further operable to transmit user audio data indicative of the user audio input to the detection circuitry of the wireless communication headset.

13. The cable connector of claim 10 further comprising an aperture in a housing of the cable connector, wherein the first microphone is coupled to the aperture and substantially covers a face of the aperture that is inside the housing.

14. The cable connector of claim 10 further comprising at least one magnetic component that is operable to be magnetically coupled to a headset connector plate of the wireless communication headset when the at least one cable contact is coupled to the at least one headset contact.