Four pole stereo headset with push to talk capability in a duplex radio

• US 20050079885A1
• Filed: 10/10/2003
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Sybren D., Patino, Joseph, Pyatt, Richard L., Simpson, Russell L., Patterson, Audley F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,224,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• 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: 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 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

A stereo headset (104) with push-to-talk function can be interfaced with a wireless communication device (102) via a connector interface. The connector interface preferably includes a jack at the wireless communication device (102) and a compatible plug at the stereo headset (104). An electrical contact (310) at the connector interface can contemporaneously interconnect both electrical audio signals between the wireless communication device (102) and at least one of the speakers of the stereo headset (104) and electrical user input signals from an external push-to-talk user input device (232) to the wireless communication device (102).

Claims

1. An electrical signal interface arrangement, comprising:

an external push-to-talk user input device for accepting user input from a user and providing electrical user input signals representing whether the user has activated the external push-to-talk user input device for controlling a push-to-talk function of a wireless communications device;

an external audio transducer for coupling audio with a user, the external audio transducer converting between the audio and corresponding electrical audio signals being coupled with the wireless communications device; and

a connector interface comprising an electrical contact that is electrically coupled with the external push-to-talk user input device and the external audio transducer for coupling the electrical audio signals between the electrical contact and the external audio transducer and contemporaneously coupling the electrical user input signals between the electrical contact and the external push-to-talk user input device.

2. The electrical signal interface arrangement of claim 1, wherein the electrical contact being further for electrically coupling with circuits in the wireless communication device, including:

a PTT detector circuit; and

at least one of an audio output circuit for outputting electrical audio signals to the electrical contact and an audio input circuit for inputting electrical audio signals from the electrical contact.

3. The electrical signal interface arrangement of claim 2, wherein the electrical contact for contemporaneously electrically coupling:

the electrical user input signals between the external push-to-talk user input device and the PTT detector circuit for detecting in the wireless communication device whether the user has activated the external push-to-talk user input device; and

the electrical audio signals between the external audio transducer and the at least one of an audio output circuit and an audio input circuit.

4. The electrical signal interface arrangement of claim 3, wherein the external push-to-talk user input device and the external audio transducer constitute a stereo audio headset with PTT user input function.

5. The electrical signal interface arrangement of claim 3, wherein the connector interface includes a five contact, four pole, stereo audio plug, and wherein the stereo audio plug, the external push-to-talk user input device, and the external audio transducer, constitute a stereo audio headset with PTT user input function.

6. The electrical signal interface arrangement of claim 2, wherein the audio output circuit comprises an audio signal amplifier and the external audio transducer constitutes a speaker.

7. The electrical signal interface arrangement of claim 2, wherein the audio output circuit comprises an audio signal amplifier and the external audio transducer constitutes a speaker, and wherein the audio input circuit comprises a microphone audio signal amplifier and the external audio transducer constitutes a microphone.

8. The electrical signal interface arrangement of claim 2, wherein the audio output circuit comprises an audio signal amplifier and the external audio transducer constitutes one of a plurality of audio speakers, the outputted electrical audio signals being coupled via the electrical contact from the audio signal amplifier to the one of a plurality of audio speakers.

9. The electrical signal interface arrangement of claim 1, wherein the electrical audio signals are substantially AC signals, and wherein the electrical user input signals are substantially DC signals, the AC signals and the DC signals being contemporaneously coupled with the electrical contact.

10. A stereo audio headset with push-to-talk function for use with a wireless communication device, the stereo audio headset comprising:

an external push-to-talk user input device for accepting user input from a user and providing electrical user input signals representing whether the user has activated the external push-to-talk user input device for controlling a push-to-talk function of a wireless communications device;

an external audio transducer for coupling audio with a user, the external audio transducer converting between the audio and corresponding electrical audio signals being coupled with the wireless communications device; and

a connector interface comprising an electrical contact that is electrically coupled with the external push-to-talk user input device and the external audio transducer for coupling the electrical audio signals between the electrical contact and the external audio transducer and contemporaneously coupling the electrical user input signals between the electrical contact and the external push-to-talk user input device.

11. The stereo audio headset of claim 10, wherein the external audio transducer constitutes one of a plurality of audio speakers, the outputted electrical audio signals being coupled from the electrical contact to the one of a plurality of audio speakers.

12. The stereo audio headset of claim 10, wherein the electrical audio signals are substantially AC signals, and wherein the electrical user input signals are substantially DC signals, the AC signals and the DC signals being contemporaneously electrically coupled via the electrical contact.

13. The stereo audio headset of claim 10, wherein the electrical contact for contemporaneously electrically coupling:

the electrical user input signals between the external push-to-talk user input device and a PTT detector circuit in the wireless communication device for detecting in the wireless communication device whether the user has activated the external push-to-talk user input device; and

the electrical audio signals between the external audio transducer and at least one of an audio output circuit and an audio input circuit, in the wireless communication device.

14. The stereo audio headset of claim 10, wherein the connector interface comprises a four contact stereo audio plug, and wherein the electrical contact is one contact of the four contact stereo audio plug.

15. The stereo audio headset of claim 10, wherein the connector interface includes sufficient electrical contacts for

the stereo audio headset providing full duplex audio communication between a user and the wireless communication device, and

the stereo audio headset contemporaneously providing to the user control of a push-to-talk function in the wireless communications device.

16. A wireless communication device comprising:

a connector interface comprising an electrical contact for electrically coupling electrical user input signals with an external push-to-talk user input device and contemporaneously electrically coupling electrical audio signals with an external audio transducer;

a PTT detector circuit for detecting the electrical user input signals from the external push-to-talk user input device; and

at least one of an audio output circuit for outputting electrical audio signals to the external audio transducer and an audio input circuit for inputting electrical audio signals from the external audio transducer, the electrical contact for electrically coupling the electrical user input signals and the electrical audio signals.

17. The wireless communication device of claim 16, wherein the electrical audio signals are substantially AC signals, and wherein the electrical user input signals are substantially DC signals, the AC signals and the DC signals being contemporaneously coupled via the electrical contact.

18. The wireless communication device of claim 16, wherein the connector interface includes a five contact, four pole, stereo audio jack, and wherein the electrical contact is one contact of the five contact, four pole, stereo audio jack.

19. The wireless communication device of claim 16, wherein the external audio transducer constitutes one of a plurality of audio speakers of a stereo headset with push-to-talk function, the outputted electrical audio signals being coupled via the electrical contact to the one of a plurality of audio speakers.

20. The wireless communication device of claim 16, wherein the audio output circuit comprises an audio signal amplifier and the external audio transducer constitutes one of a plurality of audio speakers, the outputted electrical audio signals being coupled via the electrical contact from the audio signal amplifier to the one of a plurality of audio speakers.