Donned and doffed headset state detection

• US 8,538,009 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2012
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Reuss, Edward L, Khamashta, Robert M, Gerhardt, John F, Johnston, Timothy P
• Primary Examiner(s): Islam, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): DABNEY, PHYLESHA LARVINIA
• Application Number:
  US13/693,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20130210497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 287 Days
• Field of Search: 381/71.2, 381/71.6, 381/71.9, 381/71.11, 381/71.13, 381/71.14, 381/72, 381/74, 381/370, 455/466, 455/569.1, 455/575.2, 455/557, 379/430
• US Class Current: 379/430
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/10 Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• 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 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for determining the donned or doffed state of a headset. In one example, a headset includes a processor, an acoustic transducer, and a detector operably coupled to the processor, the detector providing an output charge pattern corresponding to a state selected from the group consisting of the headset being donned and doffed. Advantageously, the present disclosure provides for reliably determining a donned or doffed state of a headset for efficiently routing calls, text messages, and/or otherwise being used for notifications and requests in a system.

Claims

1. A headset system, comprising:

a headset body;

a microphone coupled to the headset body;

an audio transducer coupled to the headset body;

a motion detector coupled to the headset body and being operative to provide an output in response to movement of the headset body; and

a processor for receiving the motion detector output from the motion detector and for determining whether head motion in response to a call-answer prompt is a nod “

yes”

or shake of the head “

no.”

2. The headset system of claim 1 wherein the processor is located in the headset body.

3. The headset system of claim 1 further comprising a wireless transceiver for reporting the response to the call-answer prompt over a wireless link.