System with wireless earphones

• US 10,848,850 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2019
• Issued: 11/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koss Corporation
• Original Assignee: Koss Corporation
• Inventors: Koss, Michael J., Pelland, Michael J., Sagan, Michael, Reckamp, Steven R., Hallingstad, Gregory J., Bovee, Jeffery K., Lowery, Morgan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Doan, Kiet M
• Application Number:
  US16/528,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20190356980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 481 Days
• Field of Search: 455445, 4554141, 455 73, 4555561, 455519, 455 412, 455466, 4555531, 4555691, 455425, 4555752, 381375, 381 80, 345 8, 345158, 713322, 713300, 713500, 341144, 315151
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/02 Manually-operated control H03G3/001 and H03G3/002 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960785 with illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/95 characterised by a specific format, e.g. an encoded audio stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/668 Internet protocol [IP] address subnets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1083 Reduction of ambient noise active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/103 Combination of monophonic or stereophonic headphones with audio players, e.g. integrated in the headphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 : Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 : Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/22 : with access to wired networks

Abstract

Apparatus comprises adapter and speaker system. Adapter is configured to plug into port of personal digital audio player. Speaker system is in communication with adapter, and comprises multiple acoustic transducers, programmable processor circuit, and wireless communication circuit. In first operational mode, processor circuit receives, via adapter, and processes digital audio content from personal digital audio player into which adapter is plugged, and the multiple acoustic transducers output the received audio content from the personal digital audio player. In second operational mode, wireless communication circuit receives digital audio content from a remote digital audio source over a wireless network, processor circuit processes the digital audio content received from remote digital audio source, and the multiple acoustic transducers output the audio content received from the remote digital audio source.

Claims

1. Headphones comprising:

a pair of first and second wireless earphones to be worn simultaneously by a user, wherein the first and second earphones are separate such that when the headphones are worn by the user, the first and second earphones are not physically connected, and wherein each of the first and second wireless earphones comprises;

a system-on-chip (SOC), wherein the SOC comprises;

a wireless communication circuit for receiving and transmitting wireless signals;

a processor circuit connected to the wireless communication circuit;

at least one acoustic transducer for producing audible sound;

a user control; and

a buffer that caches audio content received wirelessly by the earphone prior to the audio content being played by the at least one acoustic transducer of the earphone, wherein;

the processor circuit of the first earphone is for, upon activation of the user control of the headphones, initiating transmission of a request to a remote device;

the processor circuit of at least the first wireless earphone is configured such that, upon activation of the user control of the first wireless earphone by the user, data are transmitted about the headphones to a remote device, and

the processor circuit for each earphone is configured to transition from playing audio content received wirelessly by the headphones from a first digital audio source via a first wireless communication link to playing the audio content received wirelessly by the headphones from a second digital audio source via a second wireless communication link automatically based on, at least in part, a signal strength for the second wireless communication link.

2. The headphones of claim 1, wherein the processor circuits of the headphones are configured to receive firmware upgrades transmitted from a remote network server.

3. The headphones of claim 2, wherein the processor circuit for each earphone is configured to transition from playing audio content received wirelessly by the headphones from a first digital audio source via a first wireless communication link to playing the audio content received wirelessly by the headphones from a second digital audio source via a second wireless communication link automatically based on, at least in part, a signal strength for the second wireless communication link.

4. The headphones of claim 3, wherein the processor circuit of each of the first and second earphones comprises:

a digital signal processor that provides a sound quality enhancement for the audio content played by the at least one acoustic transducers of the earphone; and

a baseband processor circuit that is in communication with the wireless communication circuit of the earphone.

5. The headphones of claim 2, wherein the each of the first and second headphones are configured to receive the firmware upgrades wirelessly.

6. The headphones of claim 1, wherein the processor circuit of the first earphone is further for receiving a response to the request.

7. The headphones of claim 1, wherein the user control comprises a microphone.

8. The headphones of claim 7, wherein the processor circuit of the first earphone is configured to:

process audible utterances by the user picked by the microphone in response to activation of the microphone by the user; and

transmit a wireless communication from the headphones based on the audible utterances.

9. The headphones of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second earphones comprises a rechargeable power source.

10. The headphones of claim 9, wherein the rechargeable power source comprises a wirelessly chargeable circuit component.

11. The headphones of claim 1, further comprising a docking station for holding at least one of the wireless earphones, wherein the docking station comprises a power cable for connecting to an external device, and the docking station is for charging the at least one wireless earphone when the docking station holds the at least one wireless earphone.

12. The headphones of claim 1, wherein the processor circuit of each of the first and second earphones comprises a digital signal processor that provides a sound quality enhancement for the audio content played by the at least one acoustic transducers of the earphone.

13. The headphones of claim 12, wherein the processor circuit of each of the first and second earphones further comprises a baseband processor circuit that is in communication with the wireless communication circuit of the earphone.

14. The headphones of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second earphones comprise an earbud.

15. The headphones of claim 1, wherein each of the processor circuits of the SOCs of the first and second wireless earphones is configured to perform noise cancelling on the audible sound produced by the at least one acoustic transducers of the first and second wireless earphones.

16. The headphones of claim 1, wherein the buffers of the first and second wireless earphones are part of the SOCs of the first and second wireless earphones, respectively.

17. The headphones of claim 1, wherein the remote device comprises a remote network server.

18. The headphones of claim 17, wherein each of the processor circuits of the SOCs of the first and second wireless earphones is configured to perform noise cancelling on the audible sound produced by the at least one acoustic transducers of the first and second wireless earphones.

19. The headphones of claim 18, wherein the buffers of the first and second wireless earphones are part of the SOCs of the first and second wireless earphones, respectively.

20. The headphones of claim 19, further comprising a docking station for holding at least one of the wireless earphones, wherein the docking station comprises a power cable for connecting to an external device, and wherein the docking station is for charging the at least one wireless earphone when the at least one wireless earphone is held by the docking station.

21. The headphones of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless communication circuit of each of the first and second wireless earphones are configured to receive audio content streamed wirelessly to the headphones from a first audio content source, such that the first and second wireless earphones play the audio content streamed wirelessly to the headphones; and

the processor circuit of each of first and second wireless earphones are configured to, in response to detecting an incoming wireless communication to the headphones;

mute the audio content streamed wirelessly to the headphones being played by the headphones; and

output audio of the incoming wireless communication via the first and second wireless earphones.

22. The headphones of claim 21, wherein the first audio content source comprises a mobile digital audio player of the user that is in wireless communication with the headphones via an ad hoc wireless communication link.