Wireless headset with integrated media player

• US 8,155,336 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2008
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Tang, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Zandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOY, JEREMY J
• Application Number:
  US12/111,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20090268921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,442 Days
• Field of Search: 381/74, 381/370, 381/375, 455/575.2, 455/569.1
• US Class Current: 381/74
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/103 Combination of monophonic or stereophonic headphones with audio players, e.g. integrated in the headphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10

Abstract

Additional functionality in a wireless headset allows it to be used during times that the external device with which it is wirelessly coupled is not being used, but when the headset is nevertheless being worn. This is accomplished by integrating a media player into the wireless headset. The media player may be an audio player, capable, e.g., of playing audio files such as MPEG-3 (“MP3”) files. Optionally, the media player may include a recording function as well, so that a user can record voice notes. In addition, if the external device is a telephone (mobile or landline), the availability of a recording function could make it possible for the user to record all or part of a conversation. Similarly, voicemail messages received on the user'"'"'s telephone could be uploaded into the headset for later off-line playback. Media files recorded by the headset also could be downloaded to the external device.

Claims

1. A wireless headset comprising:

a housing;

a speaker in said housing;

a microphone in said housing;

an acoustic port in said housing communicating with said microphone;

a wireless transceiver in said housing that receives wireless audio signals from an external device for playback through said speaker, and sending wireless audio signals from said microphone to said external device;

memory in said housing for storing media files;

media circuitry in said housing including;

playback circuitry for playing back said media files through said speaker, and

recording circuitry for recording media files from said microphone;

a battery in said housing for powering said speaker, said microphone, said transceiver, said memory and said circuitry; and

a connector for at least one of charging said battery or transferring files to or from said memory circuitry;

wherein;

said acoustic port and said connector are located at one end of said housing.

2. The wireless headset of claim 1 further comprising a data link for at least one of (a) loading said media files into said memory, and (b) downloading said media files from said memory to said external device.

3. The wireless headset of claim 2 wherein said data link comprises said wireless transceiver.

4. The wireless headset of claim 3 wherein said wireless transceiver is an infrared transceiver.

5. The wireless headset of claim 3 wherein said wireless transceiver is a radiofrequency transceiver.

6. The wireless headset of claim 5 wherein said wireless transceiver is a low-power spread-spectrum radiofrequency transceiver.

7. The wireless headset of claim 6 wherein said wireless transceiver is a BLUETOOTH®

transceiver.

8. The wireless headset of claim 2 wherein said data link comprises a wired connection.

9. The wireless headset of claim 8 wherein:

said connector is a Universal Serial Bus connector; and

said wired connection comprises a Universal Serial Bus connection through said Universal Serial Bus connector.

10. The wireless headset of claim 1 further comprising:

a user interface for controlling said media circuitry.

11. The wireless headset of claim 10 wherein said user interface comprises a voice-command interface.

12. The wireless headset of claim 10 wherein said user interface comprises a selector for choosing a playback mode.

13. The wireless headset of claim 12 wherein said user interface comprises a display for indicating said playback mode.

14. The wireless headset of claim 13 wherein said display comprises at least one illuminated indicator.

15. The wireless headset of claim 14 wherein said display comprises a video screen.

16. The wireless headset of claim 14 wherein said at least one illuminated indicator is hidden when inactive.

17. A wireless headset comprising:

a primary housing;

an earbud housing affixed to said primary housing;

a speaker in said earbud housing;

a microphone;

a wireless transceiver that receives wireless audio signals from an external device for playback through said speaker, and sending wireless audio signals from said microphone to said external device;

memory for storing media files;

media circuitry including;

playback circuitry for playing back said media files through said speaker, and

recording circuitry for recording media files from said microphone;

a battery for powering said speaker, said microphone, said transceiver, said memory and said circuitry;

wherein;

at least a first portion of circuitry of at least one of said wireless transceiver, said memory and said media circuitry is located within said primary housing and at least a second portion of circuitry of at least one of said wireless transceiver, said memory and said media circuitry is located within said earbud housing.