WIRELESS HEADSET WITH INTEGRATED MEDIA PLAYER

• US 20090268921A1
• Filed: 04/29/2008
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Tang, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,155,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/74
• 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 2201/103 Combination of monophonic or stereophonic headphones with audio players, e.g. integrated in the headphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10

Abstract

Additional functionality in a wireless headset allows it to be used during times that the external device with which it is wirelessly coupled is not being used, but when the headset is nevertheless being worn. This is accomplished by integrating a media player into the wireless headset. The media player may be an audio player, capable, e.g., of playing audio files such as MPEG-3 (“MP3”) files. Optionally, the media player may include a recording function as well, so that a user can record voice notes. In addition, if the external device is a telephone (mobile or landline), the availability of a recording function could make it possible for the user to record all or part of a conversation. Similarly, voicemail messages received on the user'"'"'s telephone could be uploaded into the headset for later off-line playback. Media files recorded by the headset also could be downloaded to the external device.

Claims

1. A wireless headset comprising:

a speaker;

a wireless receiver that receives wireless audio signals from an external device for playback through said speaker;

memory for storing media files; and

media circuitry including playback circuitry for playing back said media files through said speaker.

2. The wireless headset of claim 1 further comprising:

a microphone; and

a wireless transmitter for sending wireless audio signals from said microphone to said external device;

wherein;

said media circuitry further includes recording circuitry for recording media files from said microphone.

3. The wireless headset of claim 2 wherein:

said external device is a telephone; and

said recording circuitry records telephone conversations.

4. The wireless headset of claim 1 further comprising:

a microphone;

wherein;

said media circuitry further includes recording circuitry for recording media files from said microphone.

5. The wireless headset of claim 1 further comprising:

a microphone;

wherein;

said media circuitry adjusts volume of said playing back of said media files based on ambient noise level as detected by said microphone.

6. The wireless headset of claim 1 further comprising:

a user interface for controlling said media circuitry.

7. The wireless headset of claim 6 further comprising:

a microphone;

wherein;

said user interface comprises a voice-command interface.

8. The wireless headset of claim 6 wherein said user interface comprises a selector for choosing a playback mode.

9. The wireless headset of claim 8 wherein said user interface comprises a display for indicating said playback mode.

10. The wireless headset of claim 9 wherein said display comprises at least one illuminated indicator.

11. The wireless headset of claim 9 wherein said display comprises a video screen.

12. The wireless headset of claim 1 further comprising a data link for at least one of (a) loading said media files into said memory, and (b) downloading said media files from said memory to said external device.

13. The wireless headset of claim 12 wherein said data link comprises said wireless receiver.

14. The wireless headset of claim 13 wherein said wireless receiver is an infrared receiver.

15. The wireless headset of claim 13 wherein said wireless receiver is a radiofrequency receiver.

16. The wireless headset of claim 15 wherein said wireless receiver is a low-power spread-spectrum radiofrequency receiver.

17. The wireless headset of claim 16 wherein said wireless receiver is a BLUETOOTH®

receiver.

18. The wireless headset of claim 12 wherein said data link comprises a connector for a wired connection.

19. The wireless headset of claim 18 wherein said connector comprises a Universal Serial Bus connector.

20. The wireless headset of claim 19 further comprising:

a battery for powering circuitry in said headset;

wherein;

said Universal Serial Bus connector is used to charge said battery.

21. A wireless headset comprising:

a speaker;

a microphone;

a wireless transceiver that receives wireless audio signals from an external device for playback through said speaker, and sending wireless audio signals from said microphone to said external device;

memory for storing media files;

media circuitry including;

playback circuitry for playing back said media files through said speaker, and

recording circuitry for recording media files from said microphone;

a battery for powering said speaker, said microphone, said transceiver, said memory and said circuitry; and

a Universal Serial Bus connector for charging said battery.

22. The wireless headset of claim 21 further comprising a data link for at least one of (a) loading said media files into said memory, and (b) downloading said media files from said memory to said external device.

23. The wireless headset of claim 22 wherein said data link comprises said wireless transceiver.

24. The wireless headset of claim 23 wherein said wireless transceiver is an infrared transceiver.

25. The wireless headset of claim 23 wherein said wireless transceiver is a radiofrequency transceiver.

26. The wireless headset of claim 25 wherein said wireless transceiver is a low-power spread-spectrum radiofrequency transceiver.

27. The wireless headset of claim 26 wherein said wireless transceiver is a BLUETOOTH®

transceiver.

28. The wireless headset of claim 22 wherein said data link comprises a wired connection.

30. The wireless headset of claim 21 further comprising:

a user interface for controlling said media circuitry.

31. The wireless headset of claim 30 wherein said user interface comprises a voice-command interface.

32. The wireless headset of claim 30 wherein said user interface comprises a selector for choosing a playback mode.

33. The wireless headset of claim 32 wherein said user interface comprises a display for indicating said playback mode.

34. The wireless headset of claim 33 wherein said display comprises at least one illuminated indicator.

35. The wireless headset of claim 34 wherein said display comprises a video screen.

29. The wireless headset of claim 29 wherein said comprises a wired connection comprises a Universal Serial Bus connection through said Universal Serial Bus connector.