Donned and doffed headset state detection

• US 8,559,621 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2012
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Gerhardt, John F, Johnston, Timothy P, Reuss, Edward L, Khamashta, Robert M
• Primary Examiner(s): Islam, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): DABNEY, PHYLESHA LARVINIA
• Application Number:
  US13/693,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20130095894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 315 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;

a non-motion sensor coupled to the headset body and operative to indicate a condition that indicates a don/doff state; and

a processor that receives the motion detector output from the motion detector and the condition from the non-motion sensor and that indicates a don/doff state when both the motion sensor and the non-motion sensor indicate the same state.

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

3. The headset system of claim 2 further comprising a wireless transceiver for reporting the don/doff state over a wireless link.

4. The headset system of claim 3 wherein the don/doff output is reported to a server.

5. The headset of claim 1 wherein the processor resets a headset parameter when it detects a change in don/doff state from don to doff.

6. The headset of claim 5 wherein the headset parameter that is reset is headset volume.

7. A method, executed by a processor in a headset system comprising a headset body;

a microphone coupled to the headset body, an audio transducer coupled to the headset body; and

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 non-motion sensor coupled to the headset body and operative to indicate a condition that indicates a don/doff state, the method comprising;

monitoring the motion detector output to determine whether it indicates a don state or a doff state;

monitoring the non-motion sensor output to determine whether it indicates a don state or a doff state; and

providing a don/doff state output when both the motion sensor and the non-motion sensor indicate the same state.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising reporting the don/doff state output over a wireless link.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the don/doff state output is reported to a server.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

resetting a headset parameter when a change in don/doff state from don to doff is determined.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the headset parameter that is reset is headset volume.