Headset hub remote control system

• US 8,816,813 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2010
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GN Netcom A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Original Assignee: GN Netcom A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Inventors: Tondering, Claus
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dorsey, Renee
• Application Number:
  US12/875,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20110032071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/4.31
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control

Abstract

A system comprising a wireless audio headset hub (1), at least two peripheral electronic devices (3, 4, 5) which are wirelessly connected to and controlled via the headset (1). The system further comprises a wireless handheld terminal (2), which is wirelessly connected to the headset (1) and comprising a terminal user interface (7) for receiving user input. The headset (1) and the terminal (2) are adapted so that a user by means of the terminal user interface (7) can control each of the peripheral electronic devices (3, 4, 5) via the headset (1).

Claims

1. The headset system comprising;

a. a wireless audio headset,

b. a headset hub contained within said headset for simultaneous use with a plurality of peripheral electronic devices, which are wirelessly connected to and controlled directly through and by the headset hub;

c. a wireless handheld terminal, which provides keyboard and screen capabilities for user input which are used via the headset hub to control the peripheral electronic devices and wirelessly connected to the headset hub, further including;

a terminal user interface connecting said handheld terminal to said headset hub and controlled by a script loaded on said terminal downloaded onto the terminal, said interface configured such that status of said peripheral devices is visible on said terminal and user input on the handheld terminal is configured to transmit a signal back to the headset hub and, wherein the headset hub then translates said user input to an appropriate control code in the hub, to a selected peripheral electronic device directly from a wireless signal sent from the headset hub and wherein the peripheral device transmits a signal back to the headset hub, said headset hub being configured to then send an audio link signal back to the user via the headset hub.

2. The headset system according to claim 1, wherein the headset hub is configured to allow the user, via the terminal user interface, to open a direct audio channel between the headset and one selected peripheral electronic device without communication through the wireless handheld terminal.

3. The headset system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless handheld terminal has a display.

4. The headset system according to claim 3, wherein the headset hub is configured to allow the user via the terminal user interface to control a single device and to control the display on the wireless handheld terminal to indicate which device has been chosen to control.

5. The headset system according to claim 4, wherein the headset hub is configured to control the display so that the display indicates which functions of the chosen device can be controlled by the wireless handheld terminal.

6. The headset system according to claim 5, wherein headset hub is configured to control the display so that the display indicates which specific user input controls which specific controllable function.

7. The headset system according to claim 6, wherein the peripheral electronic devices comprise one or more of the following devices:

a television, a media player, a video recorder and a personal computer.

8. The headset system according to claim 7, wherein the wireless handheld terminal is a mobile phone, a wireless phone or a personal digital assistant (PDA).

9. The headset system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal user interface comprises a keypad.

10. The headset system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless handheld terminal further comprises

a terminal control unit for generating first control commands in response to the user input,

a terminal transmitter for transmitting the first control commands to the headset hub, and wherein

the headset hub comprises

a headset receiver for receiving the first control commands from the wireless handheld terminal,

a headset control unit for generating second control commands in response to the reception of the first control commands,

a headset transmitter for transmitting the second control commands to one of the peripheral electronic devices, and wherein

each of the peripheral electronic devices comprises

a device receiver for receiving the second control commands,

a device control unit for controlling the device in response to the reception of the second control commands from the headset hub.

11. The headset system according to claim 1, wherein the headset hub comprises at least one speaker and a headset receiver for receiving a first audio signal and relaying the first audio signal to the speaker.

12. The headset system according to the claim 11, wherein the same headset receiver is adapted to receive the first control commands and the first audio signal.

13. The headset system according to claim 10, wherein the headset comprises a microphone and the headset transmitter for transmitting a second audio signal generated by the microphone.

14. The headset system according to claim 13, wherein the headset transmitter is adapted to transmit the second control commands and the second audio signal.

15. The headset system according to claim 1 wherein the audio link signal back to the user via the headset hub includes a confirmation audio message to the user via the headset, signifying a command sent from the headset hub to the peripheral device has been received.

16. The headset system according to claim 1 wherein the audio link signal back to the user via the headset hub includes a confirmation audio message to the user via the headset, signifying a keystroke on the wireless handheld terminal was received by the headset hub, so that the user will know keystroke has been selected without visual confirmation.

17. The headset system according to claim 1 wherein the audio link signal back to the user via the headset hub includes a confirmation audio message to the user via the headset,

further includes audio capture from the user to override an action of the hub in response to said confirmation message.

18. A headset system for centralized wireless control of centralized peripheral devices comprising:

a wireless wearable headset;

a communications headset hub located within said headset, said hub including a wireless channel for connection to a plurality of peripheral electronic devices, which is wirelessly connected to and controlled directly through and by the headset hub and at least one wireless handheld terminal with keyboard and display capabilities for user input;

interface script software installable in said terminal device configured to give said headset hub selectable control over the screen and keyboard of the terminal;

said interface software being configured to display the status of said peripheral devices and such that user input on the handheld terminal transmits signals to said headset hub and wherein the headset hub then translates said user input to an appropriate control code and for transmission to a user selected at least one peripheral electronic devices directly from a wireless signal sent from the headset hub and wherein the headset hub is configured to then send an audio signal back to the user via the headset hub confirming the action of designated from the terminal, so that the user can hear that the desired action has been initiated audibly.