Wireless headphones with dual antennas

• US 8,798,692 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2009
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Estrada, Andrew Xavier
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, BARRY W
• Application Number:
  US12/434,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20090208042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,922 Days
• Field of Search: 455/569.1, 455/575.2, 455/552.1
• US Class Current: 455/575.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0837 using pre-detection combining H04B7/0868 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0871 using different reception schemes, at least one of them being a diversity reception scheme
• 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

Abstract

A wireless headphone assembly has left and right speakers attached to ends of a headphone body, and at least two antennas, e.g., one located at each speaker. Since multiple antennas are used, reception can be improved using one of several approaches, e.g., simple selection of the “best” antenna, multiplexing antenna input, using diversity algorithms such as multiple input multiple output (MIMO) algorithms, etc.

Claims

1. A wireless headphone, comprising:

a body configured to fit onto a user'"'"'s head, the body defining opposed first and second ends;

a first speaker coupled to a first speaker mount on the first end of the body;

a second speaker coupled to a second speaker mount on the second end of the body;

at least first and second antennas coupled to the body through the respective first and second speaker mounts; and

at least one wireless receiver supported by the body and electrically connected to at least one of the antennas, wherein the first antenna is configured to have a first nulling direction and the second antenna is configured to have a second nulling direction, the second nulling direction is orthogonal to the first nulling direction.

2. The wireless headphone of claim 1, wherein the first antenna is juxtaposed with the first speaker and the second antenna is juxtaposed with the second speaker.

3. The wireless headphone of claim 1, further comprising a processor supported on the body and executing an antenna selection protocol.

4. The wireless headphone of claim 3, wherein the protocol is an antenna diversity protocol.

5. The wireless headphone of claim 4, wherein the protocol is a MIMO protocol.

6. The wireless headphone of claim 3, wherein the protocol is a multiplexing protocol.

7. The wireless headphone of claim 3, wherein the protocol is a selection of one and only one antenna based on at least one quality metric.