PULSED INPUT PUSH-TO-TALK WIRELESS ADAPTER SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20150105117A1
• Filed: 10/15/2013
• Published: 04/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Twisted Pair Solutions Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Twisted Pair Solutions Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Larson, David, Clack, Derick
• Granted Patent: US 9,210,555 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/09 Applications of special connectors, e.g. USB, XLR, in loudspeakers, microphones or headphones
• 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: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

An adaptor that includes a male connector, a control circuit, and a wireless transceiver coupleable to a corresponding female connector on a portable electronic device provides push-to-talk functionality on the portable electronic device. In conjunction with the device operating system, the adaptor converts a first incoming signal to a first number of low impedance/high impedance pulses detectable by the portable electronic device to initiate a push-to-talk session. During the push-to-talk session, the adaptor transceiver wirelessly transmits and receives communication signals (e.g., audio signals) to and from an accessory device communicably coupled to the adapter. In conjunction with the device operating system, the adaptor converts a second incoming signal to a second number of low impedance/high impedance pulses detectable by the portable electronic device to terminate the push-to-talk session.

Claims

1. An adaptor for a wireless communications device having an audio jack to provide communications with one or more wireless accessories, the adaptor comprising:

a housing;

a male plug coupled to the housing, the male plug sized, dimensioned and configured to be received by the audio jack;

a wireless transceiver at least partially housed by the housing; and

a control circuit at least partially housed by the housing, the control circuit communicably coupled to the male plug and the wireless transceiver, the control circuit which, in use, and responsive to the receipt of a signal indicative of a control device transition from a first state to a second state, translates signals received via the wireless transceiver and transmits the translated signals via the male plug to a wireless communications device while the control device remains in the second state.

2. The adaptor of claim 1 wherein responsive to detecting a control device first transition from a first state to a second state, the control circuit generates and communicates via the male plug a first number of pulses, each pulse comprising a low impedance electrical connection for at least a first duration and each pulse separated from another pulse by a high impedance electrical connection for at least a second duration.

3. The adaptor of claim 2 wherein responsive to detecting a control device second transition from the second state to the first state, the control circuit generates and communicates via the male plug a second number of pulses;

and

wherein responsive to the receipt of a signal indicative of a control device transitioning from the second state to the first state, the control circuit terminates transmission of signals via the male plug to the wireless communications device while the control device remains in the first position.

4. The adaptor of claim 1 wherein the control circuit, in use, translates signals received via the male plug and transmits the translated signals via the wireless transceiver to one of the one or more wireless accessories.

5. The adaptor of claim 1 wherein the male plug includes a plurality of distinct, electrically conductive, segments spaced along a length thereof.

6. The adaptor of claim 1 wherein the male plug includes at least three (tip-ring-sleeve or “

TRS”

) and no more than four (tip-ring-ring-sleeve or “

TRRS”

) electrically conductive segments that are electrically isolated from each other, and spaced along a length thereof.

7. The adaptor of claim 1 wherein the male plug is a 3.5 mm male plug.

8. The adaptor of claim 7 wherein the 3.5 mm male plug is the only male plug on the adaptor.

9. The adaptor of claim 8 wherein the adaptor omits any female communications ports.

10. The adaptor of claim 1 wherein the male plug comprises a male communications plug accessible from an exterior of the housing.

11. The adaptor of claim 10 wherein the male communications plug comprises a serial communications interface consisting of four conductors, the four conductors consisting of:

a pair of power transmission conductors; and

a pair of differential data transmission conductors.

12. The adaptor of claim 10 wherein the male communications plug comprises a serial communication interface consisting of eight conductors, the eight conductors consisting of:

a first pair of differential data transmission conductors;

a second pair of differential data transmission conductors;

a pair of power transmission conductors;

a first identification/control conductor associated the first differential data transmission conductor pair; and

a second identification/control conductor associated the second differential data transmission conductor pair.

13. The adaptor of claim 10 wherein the male communications plug comprises a communications interface consisting of thirty conductors, the thirty conductors including at least:

at least three video or imaging data conductors;

at least three power transmission conductors, each suitable for operation at a voltage different than the others;

a pair of audio output conductors; and

a pair of line input conductors.

14. The adaptor of claim 1 wherein in use, the wireless transceiver provides a personal area network that includes at least the wireless accessory, the wireless transceiver using short-wave radio frequency transmissions in the industrial, scientific, and medical (“

ISM”

) radio frequency band of from about 2400 megahertz (MHz) to about 2480 MHz.

15. The adaptor of claim 14 wherein responsive to detecting a control device first transition from a first state to a second state, the control circuit translates the received signals into a first number of pulses, each pulse comprising a low impedance electrical connection for at least a first duration and each pulse separated from another pulse by a high impedance electrical connection for at least a second duration;

and wherein, responsive to detecting a control device second transition from the second state to the first state, the push-to-talk device provides a second number of pulses.

16. The adaptor of claim 1 wherein the wireless communications device comprises a smartphone and the one or more wireless accessories includes at least one wireless headset with a microphone and at least one speaker.

17. A system for use with a wireless communications device having an audio jack, the system comprising:

a wireless accessory having at least one wireless transceiver;

an adaptor, the adapter comprising;

a housing;

a male plug sized, dimensioned and configured to be received by the wireless communications device audio jack;

a wireless transceiver; and

a control circuit communicably coupled to the male plug and the wireless transceiver, the control circuit which, in use, and responsive to the receipt of a signal indicative of a control device transition from a first state to a second state, translates signals received via the wireless transceiver and transmits the translated signals via the male plug to the wireless communications device while the control device remains in the second state.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein responsive to detecting the control device transition from the first state to the second state, the control circuit generates and communicates via the male plug a first number of pulses, each pulse comprising a low impedance electrical connection for at least a first duration and each pulse separated from another pulse by a high impedance electrical connection for at least a second duration.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein responsive to detecting a control device transition from the second state to the first state, the control circuit generates and communicates via the male plug a second number of pulses;

and

wherein responsive to the receipt of a signal indicative of a control device transitioning from the second state to the first state, the control circuit terminates transmission of signals via the male plug to the wireless communications device while the control device remains in the first position.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the control circuit, in use, translates signals received via the male plug and transmits the translated signals via the wireless transceiver to one of the one or more wireless accessories.

21. A method of operation in an adaptor, the method comprising:

receiving one or more signals from a wireless communication device;

responsive to receiving the one or more signals, translating the one or more signals by a control circuit communicably coupled to a male plug; and

transmitting the one or more translated signals via a wireless transceiver communicably coupled to the control circuit.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein receiving one or more signals from a wireless communication device comprises:

receiving one or more signals from a wireless communication device communicably coupled to a male connector on the adapter via a corresponding audio jack on the wireless communication device.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving a signal indicative of a transition of a control device from a first state to a second state via the wireless transceiver;

responsive to receiving the signal indicative of the transition of the control device from the first state to the second state, generating and communicating to the wireless communication device via the male plug, a first number of pulses, each pulse comprising a low impedance electrical connection for at least a first duration and each pulse separated from another pulse by a high impedance electrical connection for at least a second duration; and

responsive to the control device remaining in the second state, translating signals received via the wireless transceiver and transmitting the translated signals via the male plug to the wireless communication device.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein receiving a signal indicative of a transition of a control device from a first state to a second state via the wireless transceiver comprises:

receiving the signal indicative of a transition of a control device from a first state to a second state from a wireless accessory to which the wireless transceiver is wirelessly communicatively coupled.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein transmitting the translated signals via the male plug to the wireless communication device comprises:

transmitting the translated signals via a male plug consisting of four conductors to a corresponding wireless communication device jack, the four conductors consisting of;

a pair of power transmission conductors; and

a pair of differential data transmission conductors.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein transmitting the translated signals via the male plug to the wireless communication device comprises:

transmitting the translated signals via a male plug consisting of eight conductors to a corresponding wireless communication device jack, the eight conductors consisting of;

a first pair of differential data transmission conductors;

a second pair of differential data transmission conductors;

a pair of power transmission conductors;

a first identification/control conductor associated the first differential data transmission conductor pair; and

a second identification/control conductor associated the second differential data transmission conductor pair.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein transmitting the translated signals via the male plug to the wireless communication device comprises:

transmitting the translated signals via a male plug consisting of thirty conductors to a corresponding wireless communication device jack, the thirty conductors including;

at least three video or imaging data conductors;

at least three power transmission conductors, each suitable for operation at a voltage different than the others;

a pair of audio output conductors; and

a pair of line input conductors.