des brevets
`
`Patentamt
`Europaisches
`European
`Patent Office
`Office européen
`
`(19)
`
`(12)
`
`EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION
`
`(11)
`
`EP 2 272 259 B1
`
`(45) Date of publication and mention
`of the grant of the patent:
`18.07.2012 Bulletin 2012/29
`
`(21) Application number: 09731146.8
`
`(22) Date offiling: 07.04.2009
`
`(51)
`
`Int CL:
`HOAR 1/02 (2006.01)
`
`(86) International application number:
`PCT/US2009/039754
`
`(87) International publication number:
`WO 2009/126614 (15.10.2009 Gazette 2009/42)
`
`(54) WIRELESS EARPHONE THAT TRANSITIONS BETWEEN WIRELESS NETWORKS
`
`DRAHTLOSER KOPFHORER MIT UBERGANG ZWISCHEN DRAHTLOSEN NETZWERKEN
`
`ECOUTEUR SANS FIL QUI EFFECTUE DES TRANSITIONS ENTRE DES RESEAUXSANS FIL
`
` (74)
`
`(84) Designated Contracting States:
`AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FIFRGB GR
`HR HU IE IS IT LILT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL
`PT RO SE SISK TR
`
`(30) Priority: 07.04.2008 US 123265 P
`
`(43) Date of publication of application:
`12.01.2011 Bulletin 2011/02
`
`(60) Divisional application:
`12167648.0
`
`(73) Proprietor: Koss Corporation
`Milwaukee, WI 53212 (US)
`
`(72) Inventors:
`¢ PELLAND,Michael, J.
`Princeton
`
`WI 54968-8738 (US)
`
`(56)
`
`KOSS,Michael, J.
`Milwaukee
`
`WI 53217 (US)
`SAGAN, Michael
`Marshall
`
`WI 53559 (US)
`RECKANP, Steven
`Sun Prairie
`
`WI 53590-3812 (US)
`
`Representative: Parry, Simon Jamesetal
`MewburnEllis LLP
`33 Gutter Lane
`London
`
`EC2V 8AS (GB)
`
`Referencescited:
`WO-A1-2007/139578
`US-A1- 2007 049 198
`US-A1- 2007 165 875
`
`US-A1- 2005 198 233
`US-A1- 2007 116 316
`US-A1- 2008 062 939
`
`Bose Exhibit 1009
`Bose v. Koss
`
`Note: Within nine monthsof the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent in the European Patent
`Bulletin, any person maygive notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to that patent, in accordance with the
`Implementing Regulations. Notice of opposition shall not be deemed to have beenfiled until the opposition fee has been
`paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).
`
`Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR)
`
`EP2272259B1
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`EP 2 272 259 B1
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`Description
`
`PRIORITY CLAIM
`
`pects of the wireless earphone are described below.
`
`FIGURES
`
`[0001] Thepresent application claimspriority to United
`States provisional application serial number 61/123,265,
`filed April 7, 2008.
`
`[0008] Various embodiments of the present invention
`are described herein by way of example in conjunction
`with the following figures, wherein:
`
`BACKGROUND
`
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`Figures 1A-1E are viewsof a wireless earphone ac-
`cording to various embodiments of the presentin-
`vention;
`[0002] Digital audio players, such as MP3players and
`iPods, that store andplaydigital audiofiles, are very pop-
`Figures 2A-2D illustrate various communication
`ular. Such devicestypically comprise a data storage unit
`modesfor a wireless earphone according to various
`embodiments of the present invention;
`for storing and playing the digital audio, and a headphone
`set that connects to the data storageunit, usually with a
`Figure 3 is a block diagram of a wireless earphone
`1/4" or a 3.5 mm jack and associated cord. Often the
`according to various embodiments of the presentin-
`vention;
`headphonesarein-ear type headphones. The cord, how-
`ever, between the headphonesandthe data storageunit
`Figures 4A-4B showthe wireless earphone connect-
`can be cumbersome and annoying to users, and the
`ed to another device according to various embodi-
`ments of the present invention;
`length of the cord limits the physical distance between
`Figure 5 is a diagram of a process implemented by
`the data storage unit and the headphones. Accordingly,
`some cordless headphones have been proposed, such
`a host server according to various embodiments of
`as the Monster iFreePlay cordless headphonesfrom Ap-
`the present invention;
`ple Inc., which include a docking port on one of the ear-
`Figure 6 is a diagram of a process implemented by
`phonesthat can connectdirectly to an iPod Shuffle. Be-
`the wireless earphonetotransition automatically be-
`cause they havethe docking port, however, the Monster
`tween wireless networks according to various em-
`iFreePlay cordless headphones from Apple are quite
`bodiments of the present invention;
`Figures 7, 8 and 10 illustrate communication sys-
`large and are notin- ear type phones. Recently, cordless
`headphonesthat connect wirelessly via IEEE 802.11 to
`tems involving the wireless earphone according to
`various embodiments of the present invention;
`a WLAN-ready laptop or personal computer (PC) have
`been proposed, but such headphonesare also quite
`Figure 9 is a diagram of a headsetincluding a wire-
`less earphone and a microphone according to vari-
`large and not in-ear type phones.
`[0003] US2007/0165875A1 discloses a multiple-an-
`ous embodiments of the present invention; and
`tennae wireless multimedia headset having peer-to-peer
`Figure 11 is adiagram ofa pair of wireless earphones
`networking capability and which is configured for con-
`with a dongle according to various embodiments of
`venient hand off between multiple wireless interfaces.
`the present invention.
`[0004] According toafirst aspect of the present inven-
`DESCRIPTION
`tion, there is provided an earphone asdefinedin claim 1.
`[0005] According to a second aspect of the present
`invention, there is provided a methodas definedin claim
`19
`
`In one general aspect, the presentinvention is
`[0009]
`directed to a wireless earphone that receives streaming
`audio data via ad hoc wireless networks and infrastruc-
`
`[0006] When the data source and the earphone are
`out of range via the ad hoc wireless network, they may
`transition automatically to a commoninfrastructure wire-
`less network(e.g., a wireless LAN). If there is no common
`infrastructure wireless network for both the data source
`
`and the earphone, the earphone may connect via an
`available infrastructure wireless networkto a host server.
`
`The host server may, for example, broadcast streaming
`audio to the earphone and/ortransmit to the earphone a
`network address(e.g., an Internet Protocol(IP) address)
`for a network-connected content server that streams dig-
`ital audio. The earphone maythen connectto the content
`serverusing the IP address. The content server may be
`an Internet radio server, including, for example,an Inter-
`net radio server that broadcasts streaming audio from
`the data source or someother content.
`
`[0007] These and other advantageous, unique as-
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`ture wireless networks, and that transitions seamlessly
`between wireless networks. The earphone may comprise
`one or more in-ear, on-ear, or over-ear speaker ele-
`ments. Two exemplary in-ear earphone shapesfor the
`wireless earphone 10 are shownin Figures 1A and 1B,
`respectively, although in other embodiments the ear-
`phone may take different shapes and the exemplary
`shapes shownin Figures 1A and 1B are not intended to
`be limiting. In one embodiment, the earphone transitions
`automatically and seamlessly, without user intervention,
`between communication modes. Thatis, the earphone
`maytransition automatically from an ad hocwirelessnet-
`workto an infrastructure wireless network, without user
`intervention. As used herein, an "ad hoc wireless net-
`work"is a network where two(or more) wireless-capable
`devices, such as the earphone and a data source, com-
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`municate directly and wirelessly, without using an access
`point. An "infrastructure wireless network," on the other
`hand, is a wireless network that uses one or more access
`points to allow a wireless-capable device, such as the
`wireless earphone, to connect to a computer network,
`such as a LAN or WAN(including the Internet).
`[0010]
`Figures 1A and 1B show example configura-
`tions for a wireless earphone 10 according to various
`embodiments of the present invention. The examples
`shown in Figures 1A and 1B are notlimiting and other
`configurations are within the scope of the present inven-
`tion. As shown in Figures 1A and 1B, the earphone 10
`may comprise a body 12. The body 12 may comprise an
`ear canal portion 14 that is inserted in the ear canal of
`the user of the earphone 10. In various embodiments,
`the body 12 also may comprise an exterior portion 15
`that is not inserted into user’s ear canal. The exterior
`
`portion 15 may comprise a knob 16 or someother user
`control (such asa dial, a pressure-activated switch, lever,
`etc.) for adjusting the shape of the ear canal portion 14.
`Thatis, in various embodiments, activation (e.g. rotation)
`of the knob 16 may cause the ear canalportion 14 to
`change shapesoasto, for example, radially expand to
`fit snugly againstall sides of the user’s ear canal. Further
`details regarding such a shape-changing earbud ear-
`phone are described in application PCT/US08/88656,
`filed 31 December 2008, entitled "Adjustable Shape Ear-
`phone,”. The earphone 10 also may comprise a trans-
`ceivercircuit housed within the body 12. The transceiver
`circuit, described further below, may transmit and receive
`the wireless signals, including receive streaming audio
`for playing by the earphone 10. The transceivercircuit
`maybe housedin the exterior portion 15 of the earphone
`10 and/orin the ear canal portion 14.
`[0011] Although the example earphones 10 shownin
`Figures 1A and 1B include a knob 16 for adjusting the
`shapeof the ear canal portion 14, the present invention
`is not so limited, and in other embodiments, different
`means besides a knob 16 may be usedto adjust the ear
`canalportion 14. In addition, in other embodiments, the
`earphone 10 may not comprise a shape-changing ear
`canalportion 14.
`[0012]
`Invarious embodiments, the user may wear two
`discrete wireless earphones10: one in each ear. In such
`embodiments, each earphone 10 may comprise a trans-
`ceiver circuit In such embodiments, the earphones 10
`may be connectedby a string or some other cord-type
`connectorto keep the earphones10 from being separat-
`ed.
`
`In other embodiments, as shownin Figure 1C,
`[0013]
`a headband 19 may connectthe two(left and right) ear-
`phones 10. The headband 19 may be an over-the-head
`band, as shownin the example of Figure 1C, or the head-
`band may be a behind-the-head band. In embodiments
`comprising a headband 19, each earphone 10 may com-
`prise a transceivercircuit; hence, each earphone 10 may
`receive and transmit separately the wireless communi-
`cation signals. In other embodiments comprising a head-
`
`band 19, only one earphone 10 may comprisethe trans-
`ceivercircuit, and a wire may run along the headband 19
`to the other earphone 10 to connect thereby the trans-
`ceivercircuit to the acoustic transducer in the earphone
`that does not comprise the transceivercircuit. The em-
`bodiment shown in Figure 1C comprises on-ear ear-
`phones10; in other embodiments,in-ear or over-ear ear-
`phones may beused.
`[0014]
`In other embodiments, the earphone 10 may
`comprise a hanger bar 17 that allows the earphone 10
`to clip to, or hang on, the user’s ear, as shownin the
`illustrated embodimentof Figures 1D-1E. Figure 1D is a
`perspective view of the earphone and Figure 1E is a side
`view according to one embodiment. As shownin the il-
`lustrated embodiment, the earphone 10 may comprise
`dual speaker elements 106-A, 106-B. One of the speaker
`elements (the smaller one) 106-A is sizedto fit into the
`cavum conchaofthe listener's ear and the other element
`
`(the larger one) 106-B is not. The listener may use the
`hangerbar to position the earphoneonthe listener's ear.
`In that connection, the hanger bar may comprise a hor-
`izontal section that rests upon the upper external curva-
`ture of the listener’s ear behind the upper portion of the
`auricula (or pinna). The earphone may comprise a
`knurled knobthat allows the userto adjustfinely the dis-
`tance between the horizontal section of the hanger bar
`and the speaker elements, therebyproviding, in such em-
`bodiments, another measureof adjustability for the user.
`Moredetails regarding such a dual element, adjustable
`earphone maybefoundin United States provisionalpat-
`ent application Serial No. 61/054,238.
`[0015]
`Figures 2A-2D illustrate various communica-
`tion modes for a wireless data communication system
`involving the earphone 10 according to embodiments of
`the present invention. As shownin Figure 2A,the system
`comprises a data source 20 in communication with the
`earphone 10 via an ad hoc wireless network24. The ear-
`phone 10, via its transceivercircuit (described in more
`detail below), may communicate wirelessly with a data
`source 20, which may comprise a wireless network
`adapter 22 for transmitting the digital audio wirelessly.
`For example, the data source 20 may bea digital audio
`player (DAP), such as an mp3 playeror an iPod, or any
`other suitable digital audio playing device, such as a lap-
`top or personal computer, that stores and/or playsdigital
`audio files.
`In other embodiments, the data source 20
`may generate analog audio, and the wireless network
`adapter 22 may encodethe analog audiointo digital for-
`mat for transmission to the earphone 10.
`[0016] The wireless network adapter 22 maybean in-
`tegral part of the data source 20, or it may be a separate
`device that is connected to the data source 20 to provide
`wireless connectivity for the data source 20. Forexample,
`the wireless network adapter 22 may comprise a wireless
`network interface card (WNIC)or other suitable trans-
`ceiverthat plugs into a USB port or other port orjack of
`the data source 20 (such as a TRS connector) to stream
`data, e.g., digital audio files, via a wireless network(e.g.,
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`the ad hoc wireless network 24 or an infrastructure wire-
`
`less network). The digital audio transmitted from the data
`source 20 to the earphone 10 via the wireless networks
`may comprise compressed or uncompressed audio. Any
`suitable file format may be usedfor the audio, including
`mp3, lossy or lossless WMA,Vorbis, Musepack, FLAC,
`WAV,AIFF, AU, or any other suitablefile format.
`[0017] Whenin range, the data source 20 may com-
`municate with the earphone 10 via the ad hoc wireless
`network 24 using any suitable wireless communication
`protocol,
`including Wi-Fi
`(e.g.,
`IEEE 802.1 1a/b/g/n),
`WiMAX (IEEE 802.16), Bluetooth, Zigbee, UWB, or any
`other suitable wireless communication protocol. For pur-
`posesof the description to follow,it is assumed that the
`data source 20 and the earphone 10 communicate using
`a Wi-Fi protocol, although the invention is not so limited
`and other wireless communication protocols may be
`used in other embodiments of the invention. The data
`
`source 20 and the earphone 10 are considered in range
`for the ad hoc wireless network 24 when the signal
`strengths (e.g., the RSSI) of the signals received by the
`two devices are above a threshold minimum signal
`strength level. For example, the data source 20 and the
`earphone10 arelikely to be in range for an ad hoc wire-
`less network when then are in close proximity, such as
`when the wearerof the earphone 10 hasthe data source
`20 on his/her person, such as in a pocket, strapped to
`theirwaist or arm, or holding the data source in their hand.
`[0018] Whenthe earphone 10 and the data source 20
`are out of range for the ad hoc wireless network 24, that
`is, when the received signals degrade below the thresh-
`old minimum signal strength level, both the earphone 10
`and the data source 20 maytransition automatically to
`communicate over an infrastructure wireless network
`
`(such as a wireless LAN (WLAN) 30thatis in the range
`of both the earphone 10 and the data source 20, as shown
`in Figure 2B. The earphone 10 and the data source 20
`(e.g.,
`the wireless network adapter 22) may include
`firmware, as described further below, that cause the com-
`ponents to makethe transition to a commoninfrastruc-
`ture wireless network 30 automatically and seamlessly,
`e.g., without user intervention. The earphone 10 may
`cache the received audio in a buffer or memory for a time
`period before playing the audio. The cached audio may
`be played after the connection over the ad hoc wireless
`network is lost to give the earphone 10 and the data
`source 20 time to connectvia the infrastructure wireless
`network.
`
`For example, as shownin Figure 2B, the infra-
`[0019]
`structure network may comprise an accesspoint 32 that
`is in the range of both the data source 20 and the ear-
`phone 10. The accesspoint 32 may be an electronic hard-
`ware device that acts as a wireless accesspointfor, and
`that is connected to, a wired and/or wireless data com-
`munication network 33, such as a LAN or WAN, for ex-
`ample. The data source 20 and the earphone 10 may
`both communicate wirelessly with the access point 32
`using the appropriate networkdata protocol(a Wi-Fi pro-
`
`tocol, for example). The data source 20 and the earphone
`10 mayboth transition automatically to an agreed-upon
`WLAN30thatis in the range of both devices when they
`cannot communicatesatisfactorily via the ad hocwireless
`network 24. A procedure for specifying an agreed-upon
`infrastructure wireless network 30 is described further
`
`below. Alternatively, the infrastructure wireless network
`30 may have multiple access points 32a-b, as shownin
`Figure 2C. In such an embodiment, the data source 20
`may communicate wirelessly with one access point 32b
`and the earphone 10 may communicate wirelessly with
`anotheraccesspoint 32a of the sameinfrastructure wire-
`less network 30. Again, the data source 20 andthe ear-
`phone 10 maytransition to an agreed-upon WLAN.
`[0020]
`If there is no suitable common infrastructure
`wireless network over which the earphone 10 and the
`data source 20 can communicate, as shownin Fig. 2D,
`the earphone 10 maytransition to communicate with an
`accesspoint 32afor an available(first) wireless network
`(e.g., WLAN) 30athatis in the range of the earphone 10.
`In this mode, the earphone 10 may connectvia the wire-
`less network 30a to a network-enabled host server 40.
`
`The host server 40 may be connected to the wireless
`network 30a via an electronic data communication net-
`work 42, such as the Internet.
`In one mode, the host
`server 40 may transmit streaming digital audio via the
`networks 33a, 42 to the earphone10. In another mode,
`the host server 40 may transmit to the earphone 10 a
`network address, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) ad-
`dress, for a streaming digital audio content server 70 on
`the network 42. Using the received IP address, the ear-
`phone 10 may connectto the streaming digital audio con-
`tent server 70 via the networks 30a, 42 to receive and
`process digital audio from the streaming digital audio
`content server 70.
`
`[0021] The digital audio content server 70 maybe,for
`example, an Internet radio station server. The digital au-
`dio content server 70 may stream digital audio over the
`network 42 (e.g., the Internet), which the earphone 10
`may receive and process.
`In one embodiment,
`the
`streaming digital audio content server 70 may stream
`digital audio received by the streaming digital audio con-
`tent server 70 from the data source 20. For example,
`wherethe data source 20 is a wireless-capable device,
`such as a portable DAP, the data source 20 may connect
`to the streaming digital audio content server70 via a wire-
`less network 30b and the network 42. Alternatively,
`where for example the data source 20 is non-wireless-
`capable device, such as a PC,the data source 20 may
`have a direct wired connection to the network 42. After
`
`being authenticated by the streaming digital audio con-
`tent server 70, the data source 20 may stream digital
`audio to the streaming digital audio content server 70,
`which maybroadcastthe receiveddigital audio over the
`network 42 (e.g., the Internet).
`In such a manner, the
`user of the earphone 10 maylisten to audio from the data
`source 20 even when (i) the earphone 10 and the data
`source 20 are not in communication via an ad hoc wire-
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`other transducer, and a crossovercircuit (notshown) may
`transmit the higher frequenciesto the smaller transducer
`and may transmit the lower frequencies to the larger
`transducer. More details regarding dual element ear-
`phonesareprovidedin U.S. Patent 5,333,206, assigned
`to Koss Corporation, whichis incorporated herein byref-
`erencein its entirety.
`[0026] The antenna 108 mayreceive and transmit the
`wireless signals from and to the wireless networks 24, 3
`0. A RF(e.g., Wi-Fi) module 110 of the transceivercircuit
`100 in communication with the antenna 108 may, among
`other things, modulate and demodulate the signals trans-
`mitted from and received by the antenna 108. The RF
`module 110 communicates with a baseband processor
`112, which performs other functions necessary for the
`earphone 10 to communicate using the Wi-Fi (or other
`communication) protocol.
`[0027] The baseband processor 112 may be in com-
`munication with a processor unit 114, which may com-
`prise a microprocessor116 and a digital signal processor
`In various embodiments, the transceivercircuit
`[0023]
`(DSP) 118. The microprocessor116 maycontrolthe var-
`100 may be implemented asasingle integrated circuit
`ious componentsofthe transceivercircuit 100. The DSP
`(IC), such as a system-on-chip (SoC), which is conducive
`114 may,for example, perform various sound quality en-
`to miniaturizing the components of the earphone 10,
`hancements to the digital audio received by the base-
`which is advantageousif the earphone 10 is to be rela-
`band processor 112,
`including noise cancellation and
`tively small in size, such as an in-ear earphone (see Fig-
`sound equalization. The processor unit 114 may bein
`ures 1A-1B for example).
`In alternative embodiments,
`communication with a volatile memory unit 120 and a
`however, the components of the transceiver circuit 100
`non-volatile memory unit 122. A memory management
`could be realized with two or more discrete ICs or other
`unit 124 may control the processor unit's access to the
`memory units 120, 122. The volatile memory 122 may
`comprise, for example, a random access memory (RAM)
`circuit. The non-volatile memory unit 122 may comprise
`a read only memory (ROM) and/orflash memory circuits.
`The memory units 120, 122 maystore firmware thatis
`executed by the processor unit 114. Execution of the
`firmware by the processorunit 114 may provide various
`functionality for the earphone 10, such as the automatic
`transition between wireless networksas described here-
`
`less network 24 and (ii) the earphone 10 and the data
`source 20 are not in communication via a commonlocal
`infrastructure wireless network 30.
`
`Figure 3 is a block diagram of the earphone 10
`[0022]
`according to various embodiments of the present inven-
`tion. In the illustrated embodiment, the earphone 10 com-
`prises a transceivercircuit 100 and related peripheral
`components. As shownin Figure 3, the peripheral com-
`ponents of the earphone 10 may comprise a power
`source 102, a microphone 104, one or more acoustic
`transducers 106 (e.g., speakers), and an antenna 108.
`The transceiver circuit 100 and someof the peripheral
`components (such as the power source 102 and the
`acoustic transducers 106) may be housedwithin the body
`12 of the earphone 10 (see Figure 1). Other peripheral
`components, such as the microphone 104 and the an-
`tenna 108 maybe external to the body 12 of the earphone
`10. In addition, some of the peripheral components, such
`as the microphone 104, are optional in various embodi-
`ments.
`
`components, such as separate ICs for the processors,
`memory, and RF(e.g., Wi-Fi) module, for example.
`[0024] The power source 102 may comprise, for ex-
`ample, a rechargeable or non-rechargeable battery (or
`batteries). In other embodiments, the power source 102
`may comprise one or more ultracapacitors (sometimes
`referred to as supercapacitors) that are charged by a
`primary powersource. In embodiments where the power
`source 102 comprises a rechargeable battery cell or an
`ultracapacitor, the battery cell or ultracapacitor, as the
`case may be, may be chargedforuse, for example, when
`the earphone 10 is connected to a docking station or
`computer. The docking station may be connected to or
`part of a computerdevice, such as a laptop computeror
`PC.
`In addition to charging the rechargeable power
`source 102, the docking station and/or computer may
`facilitate downloading of data to and/or from the ear-
`phone10. In other embodiments, the power source 102
`may comprise capacitors passively charged with RF ra-
`diation, such as described in U.S. Patent No. 7,027,311.
`The powersource 102 may be coupled to a power source
`control module 103 of transceivercircuit 100 that controls
`
`and monitors the power source 102.
`[0025] The acoustic transducer(s) 106 may be the
`speaker element(s) for conveying the sound to the user
`of the earphone 10. According to various embodiments,
`the earphone 10 may comprise one or more acoustic
`transducers 106. For embodiments having more than
`one transducer, one transducer may belarger than the
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`in. The memory units 120, 122 may also cache received
`digital audio.
`[0028] A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) 125 may
`convert the digital audio from the processor unit 114 to
`analog form for coupling to the acoustic transducer(s)
`106. An |2S interface 126 or other suitable serial or par-
`allel bus interface may provide the interface between the
`processorunit 114 and the DAC 125. An analog-to-digital
`converter (ADC) 128, which also communicateswith the
`I2S interface 126, may convert analog audio signals
`picked up by the microphone 104 for processing by the
`processorunit 114.
`[0029] The transceiver circuit 100 also may comprise
`a USB or other suitable interface 130 that allows the ear-
`
`phone 10 to be connected to an external device via a
`USB cable or othersuitable link. As shownin Figure 4A,
`the external device may be a docking station 200 con-
`nected to a computer device 202. Also,
`in various em-
`bodiments, the earphone 10 could be connecteddirectly
`to the computer 202 without the docking station 200. In
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`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`addition, the external device may be a DAP 210, as
`content based onarating for the content. In addition, if
`shownin Figure 4B. In that way, the earphone 10 could
`a numberofdifferent earphones 10 are registered to the
`connectdirectly to a data source 20, such as the DAP
`sameuser, the user could define separate controls for
`210 or the computer 202, through the USB port 130. In
`the different earphones 10 (as well as customize any
`addition, through the USB port 130, the earphone 10 may
`other preferencesorsettings particular to the earphones
`connect to a PC 202 or docking station 202 to charge up
`10, including Internet radio stations, sound quality set-
`the power source 102 and/or to get downloads(e.g., data
`tings, etc. that would later be downloaded to the ear-
`or firmware).
`phones10). In addition, in modes where the host server
`40 streams audio to the earphone 10, the host server 40
`[0030] According to various embodiments, the ear-
`phone 10 mayhave an associated web page that a user
`maylog the files or content streamedto the various ear-
`may accessthrough the host server 40 (see Figure 2D)
`phones 10, and the user could view at the web site the
`or someother server. An authenticated user could log
`files or content that were played by the earphones10.In
`onto the website from a client computing device 50(e.g.,
`that way, the user could monitor the files played by the
`laptop, PC, handheld computer device, etc.,
`including
`earphones10.
`the data source 20) (see Figure 2D) to access the web
`[0032]
`In addition, the host server 40 may provide a
`pagefor the earphone 10 to set variousprofile values for
`so-called eavesdropping function according to various
`the earphone 10. For example, at the web site, the user
`embodiments. The eavesdropping service could be ac-
`could set various content features and filters, as well as
`tivated via the web site. When the serviceis activated,
`adjust various sound control features, such as treble,
`the host server 40 may transmit the contentthatit is de-
`bass, frequencysettings, noise cancellation settings, etc.
`livering to a first earphone 10a to another, second ear-
`In addition, the user could set preferred streaming audio
`phone 10b, as shownin Figure8. Alternatively, the host
`stations, such as preferred Internet radio stations or other
`server 40 may transmit to the second earphone 10b the
`streaming audio broadcasts. That way,insteadoflisten-
`most recent IP addressfor a streaming digital audio con-
`ing to streaming audio from the data source 20, the user
`tent server 70 that was sentto the first earphone 10a.
`could listen to Internet radio stations or other streaming
`The second earphone 10b may then connectto the
`audio broadcasts received by the earphone 10. In such
`streaming digital audio content server 70 that the first
`an operating mode, the earphoneuser,via the web site,
`earphone10a is currently connected. That way, the user
`mayprioritize a number of Internet radio stations or other
`of the second earphone 10b, which may be a parent,for
`broadcast sources (hosted by streaming digital audio
`example, may directly monitor the content being received
`content servers 70). With reference to Figure 7, the host
`by the first earphone 10a, which may belong to a child
`server 40 may send the IP addressfor the earphoneus-
`of the parent.
`[0033] This function also could be presentin the ear-
`er’s desired (e.g., highest priority) Internet radio station
`to the earphone 10. A button 11 on the earphone 10,
`phones10 themselves, allowing a parent(or other user)
`such as on the rotating dial 16 as shownin the examples
`to join an ad-hoc wireless network and listen to whattheir
`of Figures 1A and 1B, mayallow the userto cycle through
`child (or otherlistener) is hearing. For example,withref-
`the preset preferred Internet radio stations. Thatis, for
`erenceto Figure 10, a first earphone 10a may receive
`wireless audio, such as from the data source 20 or some
`example, when the user pressesthe button 11, an elec-
`other source, such as the host server 40. The first ear-
`tronic communication may be transmitted to the host
`server 40 via the wireless network 30, and in response
`phone 10a may be programmedwith firmware to broad-
`to receiving the communication, the host server 40 may
`cast the received audio to a second earphone 10b via an
`send the IP addressfor the user’s next highest rated In-
`ad hoc wireless network 24. That way, the wearerof the
`ternet radio station via the network 42 to the earphone
`second earphone 10b can monitorin real-time the con-
`10. The earphone 10 may then connectto the streaming
`tent being played bythefirst earphone 10a.
`digital audio content server70for that Internet radio sta-
`[0034] At the web site, the user mayalso specify the
`tion using the IP address provided by the host server40.
`identification number("ID") of their earphone(s) 10, and
`This process may be repeated, e.g., cycled through, for
`the host server 40 may translate the ID to the current
`eachpresetInternet radio station configured by the user
`internet protocol (IP) addresses for the earphone 10 and
`for the data source 20. This allows the userto find his or
`of the earphone10.
`her data source 20 even whenit is behind a firewall or
`[0031] At the website for the earphone 10 hosted on
`the host server40, in addition to establishing the identi-
`fication of digital audio sources (e.g., IDs for the user's
`DAPor PC) and earphones, the user could set parental
`orother user controls. Forexample, the usercould restrict
`certain Internet radio broadcasts based on contentor pa-
`rental ratings, etc. That is, for example, the user could
`configure a setting through the web site that prevents the
`host server 40 from sending an IP addressfor a streaming
`digital audio content server 70 that broadcasts explicit
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
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`45
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`50
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`55
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`on a changing IP address. That way, the host server 40
`can match the audio from the data source 20 to the ap-
`propriate earphone 10 based onthe specified device ID.
`The user also could specify a numberofdifferent data
`sources 20. For example, the user’s DAP may have one
`specified IP address and the user's home(or work) com-
`puter may have another specified IP address. Via the
`website hosted by the host server 40, the user could
`specify or prioritize from which source (e.g., the user's
`
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`11
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`EP 2 272 259 B1
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`12
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`DAPor computer) the earphone 10 is to receive content.
`[0035] The host server 40 (or some other server) may
`also push firmware upgrades and/or data updatesto the
`earphone 10 using the IP addressesof the earphone 10
`via the networks 30, 42. In addition, a user could down-
`load the firmware upgrades and/or data updatesfrom the
`host server 40 to the client computing device 202 (see
`Figure 4A) via the Internet, and then download the
`firmware upgrades and/or data updates to the earphone
`10 when the earphone 10 is connectedto the client com-
`puter device 202 (such as through a USB port and/orthe
`