Wireless interactive headset

• US 20050201585A1
• Filed: 11/19/2004
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oakley, Inc. (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Original Assignee: Oakley, Inc. (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Inventors: Reyes, Carlos, Baden, Colin, Bruns, Sumner Lane, Jannard, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,278,734 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/381
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/06 Hearing aids construction of hearing aids H04R25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 3/003 Arrangements for fitting and securing to the head in the position of use
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/348 Muting in response to a mechanical action or to power supply variations, e.g. during tuning; Click removal circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3866 carried on the head
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1066 Constructional aspects of the interconnection between earpiece and earpiece support earpiece support for monophonic headphones H04R1/105; earpiece support for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• 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 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/0335 Earpiece support, e.g. headbands or neckrests for monophonic headphones H04R1/105

Abstract

A wearable wireless audio device includes a support, an electronics circuit, and a speaker. The support includes a first ear stem and an orbital, and is configured to support at least one lens in a wearer'"'"'s field of view. The electronics circuit is supported by the support and is configured to receive at least one digital audio file and generate an audio signal indicative of the at least one digital audio file. The speaker is supported by the support, and is directed toward at least one of the wearer'"'"'s ears. The speaker is configured to convert the audio signal into sound. The speaker has a speaker face, and the speaker is configured to rotate from a first position in which the speaker face is substantially parallel to a yz-plane to a second position in which the speaker is inclined at an angle with respect to the yz-plane. The speaker is coupled to the support with a speaker pivot, and is configured to rotate about the speaker pivot while maintaining the speaker face substantially parallel to a yz-plane. The speaker is configured to move along an axis substantially parallel to a z-axis with respect to the support.

Claims

1. A wearable wireless audio device, comprising:

a support comprising a first ear stem and an orbital, the support configured to support at least one lens in a wearer'"'"'s field of view;

a support arm, the support arm comprising a first end, a second end, a first moveable joint coupled to the first end and the first ear stem, and a second moveable joint coupled to the second end, wherein the first moveable joint provides rotation about a first rotation axis and the second moveable joint provides rotation about a second rotation axis, wherein said first rotation axis and said second rotation axis are substantially perpendicular to one another; and

an electronics circuit supported by the support and configured to receive at least one digital audio file and generate an audio signal indicative of the at least one digital audio file.

2. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 1, wherein the electronics circuit is further configured to process the digital audio file prior to generating the audio signal.

3. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 1, further comprising a first speaker supported by the support, directed toward at least one of the wearer'"'"'s ears, and configured to convert the audio signal into sound.

4. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 3, wherein the speaker comprises a speaker face, and wherein the speaker is configured to rotate from a first position in which the speaker face is substantially parallel to a yz-plane to a second position in which the speaker is substantially parallel to an xz-plane.

5. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 3, wherein the speaker comprises a speaker face, and wherein the speaker is configured to rotate from a first position in which the speaker face is substantially parallel to a yz-plane to a second position in which the speaker inclined at an angle with respect to the yz-plane.

6. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 5, wherein the angle is between about 30°

and about 90°

.

7. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 3, wherein the speaker comprises a speaker face, and wherein the speaker is configured to rotate along an arcuate path about an axis substantially parallel to an x-axis from a first position in which the speaker face is substantially parallel to a yz-plane to a second position in which the speaker remains substantially parallel to the yz-plane, and wherein the speaker is configured to move an adjustment distance in a direction substantially parallel to a z-axis as a result of said rotation.

8. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 7, wherein the adjustment distance is about 3 cm.

9. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 3, wherein the speaker comprises a speaker face, wherein the speaker is coupled to the support with a speaker pivot, and wherein the speaker is configured to rotate about the speaker pivot while maintaining the speaker face substantially parallel to a yz-plane.

10. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 3, wherein the speaker is configured to move along an axis substantially parallel to a z-axis with respect to the support.

11. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 1, wherein the digital audio file is compressed.

12. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 11, wherein the digital audio file is an MP3 formatted file.

13. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 1, wherein the support further comprises a channel and a conductor, wherein the channel extends along at least a portion of the ear stem, and wherein the conductor is located at least partially within the channel.

14. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 1, further comprising a second ear stem, wherein the electronics circuit comprises a memory circuit and a processor, and wherein the memory circuit is carried by the first ear stem, and the memory circuit is carried by the second ear stem.

15. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 1, further comprising a second ear stem, wherein the electronics circuit comprises a battery and a processor, and wherein the battery is carried by the first ear stem, and the memory circuit is carried by the second ear stem.

16. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 1, further comprising a second ear stem, wherein the electronics components are distributed between the first and second ear stems.

17. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 1, further comprising a nose bridge, wherein digital signals generated by the electronics circuit are transmitted across the nose bridge.

18. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 1, further comprising a data port, wherein the data port is carried by the ear stem.

19. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 18, wherein the data port is selected from the group comprising:

a mini-USB connector, a FIREWIRE connector, an IEEE 1394 cable connector, an RS232 connector, a JTAB connector, an antenna, a wireless receiver, a radio, an RF receiver, and a BLUETOOTH receiver.

20. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 1, wherein said wearable wireless audio device is removably connectable to a computing device.

21. The wearable wireless audio device of claim 20, wherein said wearable wireless audio device is removably connectable to a computing device with a data port, wherein said data port is mounted to said wearable wireless audio device.

22. The wearable wireless audio device of claim 21, wherein said data port is selected from the group consisting of:

a mini-USB connector, a USB connector, a FIREWIRE connector, an IEEE 1394 cable connector, an RS232 connector, a JTAB connector, an antenna, a wireless receiver, a radio, an RF receiver, and a BLUETOOTH receiver.

23. The wearable wireless audio device of claim 21, further comprising a protective door, wherein said protective door protects said data port from a contaminant when said wearable wireless audio device is disconnected from said computing device.

24. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 1, wherein the electronics circuit is further configured to decompress the audio file.

25. A wearable wireless audio device as in claim 1, wherein the electronics circuit is configured to receive at least one digital audio file at a data transfer rate.

26. The wearable wireless audio device of claim 25, wherein said data transfer rate is selected from the group consisting of:

about 1.5 Mbps, about 12 Mbps, about 100 Mbps, about 200 Mbps, about 400 Mbps, about 480 Mbps, greater than about 100 Mbps, greater than about 200 Mbps, greater than about 400 Mbps, greater than about 1000 Mbps, less than about 100 Mbps, and less than about 50 Mbps.

27. The wearable wireless audio device of claim 1, wherein the at least one digital audio file has been encoded at a data encoding rate.

28. The wearable wireless audio device of claim 27, wherein said data encoding rate is selected from the group consisting of:

128 kbps, 160 kbps, 192 kbps, 256 kbps, less than about 128 kbps, less than about 160 kbps, less than about 192 kbps, less than about 256 kbps, and more than about 256 kbps.

29. The wearable wireless audio device of claim 1, wherein the at least′

one digital audio file is compressed according to a compression format.

30. The wearable wireless audio device of claim 29, wherein said compression format is selected from the group consisting of:

PCM, DPCM, ADPCM, AAC, RAW, DM, RIFF, WAV, BWF, AIFF, AU, SND, CDA, MPEG, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-2.5, MPEG-4, MPEG-J, MPEG 2-ACC, MP3, MP3Pro, ACE, MACE, MACE-3, MACE-6, AC-3, ATRAC, ATRAC3, EPAC, Twin VQ, VQF, WMA, WMA with DRM, DTS, DVD Audio, SACD, TAC, SHN, OGG, Ogg Vorbis, Ogg Tarkin, Ogg Theora, ASF, LQT, QDMC, A2b, .ra, .rm, and Real Audio G2, RMX formats, Fairplay, Quicktime, SWF, and PCA.

31. A wearable wireless audio device, comprising:

a support comprising a first ear stem and an orbital, the support configured to support at least one lens in a wearer'"'"'s field of view;

an electronics circuit supported by the support and configured to receive at least one digital audio file and generate an audio signal indicative of the at least one digital audio file; and

a first speaker supported by the support, directed toward at least one of the wearer'"'"'s ears, and configured to convert the audio signal into sound, wherein the speaker comprises a speaker face, and wherein the speaker is configured to rotate from a first position in which the speaker face is substantially parallel to a yz-plane to a second position in which the speaker is inclined at an angle with respect to the yz-plane, wherein the speaker is coupled to the support with a speaker pivot, and wherein the speaker is configured to rotate about the speaker pivot while maintaining the speaker face substantially parallel to a yz-plane, and wherein the speaker is configured to move along an axis substantially parallel to a z-axis with respect to the support.

32-56. -56. (canceled)

57. A method of processing audio with a wearable wireless audio device, comprising:

supporting at least one lens in a wearer'"'"'s field of view with a first ear stem and an orbital;

receiving at least one digital audio file within the first ear stem or the orbital;

generating an audio signal indicative of the at least one digital audio file within the first ear stem or the orbital;

supporting a first speaker with the first ear stem; and

directing said first speaker toward at least one of the wearer'"'"'s ears, wherein the speaker comprises a speaker face, and wherein the speaker is configured to rotate from a first position in which the speaker face is substantially parallel to a yz-plane to a second position in which the speaker is inclined at an angle with respect to the yz-plane, wherein the speaker is coupled to the support with a speaker pivot, and wherein the speaker is configured to rotate about the speaker pivot while maintaining the speaker face substantially parallel to a yz-plane, and wherein the speaker is configured to move along an axis substantially parallel to a z-axis with respect to the support.

58-82. -82. (canceled)

83. A method of processing audio with a wearable wireless audio device, the method comprising:

supporting at least one lens in a wearer'"'"'s field of view with a first ear stem and an orbital;

providing a support arm, the support arm comprising a first end, a second end, a first moveable joint coupled to the first end and the first ear stem, and a second moveable joint coupled to the second end, wherein the first moveable joint provides rotation about a first rotation axis and the second moveable joint provides rotation about a second rotation axis, wherein said first rotation axis and said second rotation axis are substantially perpendicular to one another; and

receiving at least one digital audio file within the first ear stem or the orbital; and

generating an audio signal indicative of the at least one digital audio file within the first ear stem or the orbital.

84-112. -112. (canceled)

113. A wearable wireless audio device, comprising:

means for supporting at least one lens in a wearer'"'"'s field of view with a first ear stem and an orbital;

means for providing a support arm, the support arm comprising a first end, a second end, a first moveable joint coupled to the first end and the first ear stem, and a second moveable joint coupled to the second end, wherein the first moveable joint provides rotation about a first rotation axis and the second moveable joint provides rotation about a second rotation axis, wherein said first rotation axis and said second rotation axis are substantially perpendicular to one another; and

means for receiving at least one digital audio file within the first ear stem or the orbital; and

means for generating an audio signal indicative of the at least one digital audio file within the first ear stem or the orbital.

114-118. -118. (canceled)

119. A speaker support system, comprising:

a support frame, adapted to be carried by a head of a wearer;

at least one speaker carried by the support frame, the speaker having a sound propagation axis and a transverse axis, wherein the transverse axis is substantially perpendicular to the sound propagation axis and lies substantially within a speaker plane of the at least one speaker;

wherein the support frame holds the at least one speaker substantially adjacent an ear of the wearer such that the transverse axis is inclined at an orientation angle with respect to a tragus-tragus line, wherein the orientation angle is within the range of from about 15 degrees to about 85 degrees.

120. (canceled)