Computer headset with detachable 4G radio

• US 9,301,085 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2014
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Inventors: Parkinson, Christopher, Jacobsen, Jeffrey J., Pombo, Stephen A., Ferguson, David Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US14/175,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20140235169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.2, 455/575.1, 455/575.6, 455/572, 455/41.2, 455/3.06
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A headset computer includes a removablely attachable cellular radio. The cellular radio when detached from the headset computer may be coupled to a docking station for WIFI or similar network communication to the headset computer.

Claims

1. A headset computer comprising:

a frame wearable on a user'"'"'s head, the frame carrying a digital processor, a microdisplay, a power source; and

a cellular module removably attached to the frame and operatively coupled to the digital processor and power source, the cellular module providing a portable cellular radio, and the cellular module itself containing no power source.

2. A headset computer of claim 1, wherein when the cellular module is detached from the frame, the cellular module is attachable to a docking station, the docking station configured to enable the cellular radio to communicate over a short range network to the digital processor carried in the frame.

3. The headset computer of claim 2, wherein the short range network is at least one of a WIFI network or a Bluetooth network.

4. A headset computing device comprising:

a microdisplay;

a processor;

a power supply operatively coupled to the processor;

a low-power communications module operatively coupled to the processor and the power supply;

a connection interface configured to operatively connect to the processor and the power supply;

a frame configured to be worn on the head of a user, and further configured to support the processor, the power supply, the low-power communications module, the connection interface, and the microdisplay, the microdisplay being supported within the field of view of the user; and

a cellular radio module removably attached to the frame and operatively connected to the processor and power supply through the connection interface, and the cellular radio module itself containing no power source.

5. The headset computing device of claim 4, wherein when cellular radio module is detached from the frame, the cellular module further being attachable to a docking station (DS), the DS including a DS processor, DS power supply, and DS low-power communications module configured to communicate with the low-power communications module supported by the frame.

6. The headset computing device of claim 4, wherein the cellular radio module further includes a radio frequency (RF) antenna, a RF transceiver, and a digital signal processor (DSP), the RF antenna, the RF transceiver, and the DSP being operatively coupled to enable communications using mobile phone communication protocols.

7. The headset computing device of claim 6, wherein the mobile phone communication protocols include short messaging service (SMS), multimedia messaging service (MMS), 3G, and 4G LTE protocols.

8. The headset computing device of claim 6, wherein the mobile phone communication protocols include code division multiple access (CDMA)-based protocols.

9. The headset computing device of claim 6, wherein the mobile phone communication protocols include Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)-based protocols.

10. The headset computing device of claim 4, wherein the low-power communications module includes a Bluetooth transceiver configured to use Bluetooth communication protocols.

11. The headset computing device of claim 4, wherein the low-power communications module includes a wireless local area network (WLAN) transceiver configured to use Wi-Fi communication protocols.

12. A method of communicating between a headset computing device and a remote networked computing device comprising:

transmitting wirelessly from the headset computing device using a first low power transceiver;

receiving the wireless transmission at a second low power transceiver in a docking base-station;

relaying the transmission to a cellular radio module operatively coupled to the docking base-station, the cellular radio module receiving power from the docking base-station, the cellular radio module itself containing no power source; and

transmitting wirelessly from the cellular radio module using a high power radio frequency transceiver to the networked computing device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

enabling removal of the cellular radio module from the docking base-station;

enabling attachment of the cellular radio module to the headset computing device.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

operatively coupling a radio frequency (RF) antenna, a RF transceiver, and a digital signal processor (DSP) in the cellular radio module; and

enabling communications using the RF antenna, the RF transceiver, and the DSP using mobile phone communication protocols.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the mobile phone communication protocols include short messaging service (SMS), multimedia messaging service (MMS), 3G, and 4G LTE protocols.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the mobile phone communication protocols include code division multiple access (CDMA)-based protocols.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the mobile phone communication protocols include Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)-based protocols.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising configuring the low-power transceiver to use Bluetooth communication protocols.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising configuring the low-power transceiver to use Wi-Fi communication protocols.