US009497535B1
`
`a2) United States Patent
`US 9,497,535 B1
`(10) Patent No.:
`*Nov. 15, 2016
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Koss et al.
`
`(94)
`
`(71)
`
`(72)
`
`SYSTEM WITH WIRELESS ACOUSTIC
`SPEAKERS
`
`(56)
`
`Applicant: Koss Corporation, Milwaukee, WI
`(US)
`
`Inventors: Michael J. Koss, Milwaukee, WI (US);
`Michael J. Pelland, Princeton, WI (US)
`
`References Cited
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`
`(Continued)
`
`
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`Assignee: Koss Corporation, Milwaukee, WI
`(73)
`11/2004
`2004-320597
`JP
`
`WO WO 2006/047724 A2—5/2006
`(US)
`
`(*)
`
`Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`US.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`This patent is subject to a terminal dis-
`claimer.
`
`(21)
`
`Appl. No.: 15/082,040
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Mar. 28, 2016
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(63)
`
`Continuation of application No. 14/695,696,filed on
`Apr. 24, 2015, which 1s a continuation of application
`No. 13/609,409, filed on Sep. 11, 2012, nowPat. No.
`9,049,502, whichis a continuation of application No.
`13/459,291, filed on Apr. 30, 2012, now Pat. No.
`(Continued)
`
`Int. CL.
`
`(51)
`
`(52)
`
`(58)
`
`HOAR 1/10
`HOAR 25/00
`US. Cl.
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`
`CPC oe HOAR 1/1091 (2013.01); HO4R 2420/07
`(2013.01)
`
`Field of Classification Search
`CPC ween HO4R 2201/103; HO4R 5/033
`
`USPC. ou... 381/398, 77, 74, 379, 381, 309, 17,
`381/111; 345/8; 455/3.06, 436, 570, 412.2,
`455/553.1, 569.1, 575.2
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(Continued)
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Supplementary European Search Repost for European Application
`No. 09731146.8 mailed Jun. 10, 2011, 7 pages.
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Examiner — Kiet Doan
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — K&L Gates LLP
`
`(67)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Apparatus comprises adapter and speaker system. Adapteris
`configured to plug into port of personal digital audio player.
`Speaker system is in communication with adapter, and
`comprises multiple acoustic transducers, programmable pro-
`cessor circuit, and wireless communication circuit. In first
`operational mode, processor circuit receives, via adapter,
`and processes digital audio content from personal digital
`audio player into which adapter is plugged, and the multiple
`acoustic transducers output the received audio content from
`the personal digital audio player. In second operational
`mode, wireless communication circuit receives digital audio
`content from a remote digital audio source over a wireless
`network, processorcircuit processes the digital audio con-
`tent received from remote digital audio source, and the
`multiple acoustic transducers output
`the audio content
`received from the remote digital audio source.
`
`12 Claims, 16 Drawing Sheets
`
`
`
`DATA
`SOURCE
`
`APPLE 1089
`
`APPLE 1089
`
`1
`
`

`

`US 9,497,535 B1
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`Page 2
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`8,571,544, which is a continuation of application No.
`12/936,488, filed as application No. PCT/US2009/
`039754 on Apr. 7, 2009, now Pat. No. 8,190,203.
`
`Provisional application No. 61/123,265, filed on Apr.
`7, 2008.
`
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`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
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`International Search Report for International Application No. PCT/
`US09/39754 mailed Jun. 11, 2009, 2 pages.
`for International
`International Preliminary Examination Report
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`Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority for Inter-
`national Application No. PCT/US09/39754 mailed Jun. 11, 2009, 5
`pages.
`IT Review, “LIB 802.11 WiFi Headphones” http://itreview.
`belproject.com/item/1536 accessed on Mar. 13, 2008 (4 pages).
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`* cited by examiner
`
`7,734,055
`7,764,775
`7,805,210
`7,861,312
`7,962,482
`8,023,663
`8,027,638
`8,102,836
`8,190,203
`8,295,516
`8,335,312
`8,401,202
`8,478,880
`8,553,865
`8,571,544
`8,655,420
`8,792,945
`
`B2
`B2
`B2
`B2
`B2
`B2
`B2
`B2
`B2
`B2
`B2
`B2
`B2
`B2
`B2
`BL
`B2
`
`
`
`2
`
`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Fig.1C
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`4
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`Nov. 15, 2016
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`§-S0b
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`W-901
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` DATA
`
`Network
`
`SOURCE AdHocWireless
`
`Fig.2A
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`6
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`CURRENT
`DATA RATE
`
`SIZE OF
`UPDATE
`
`
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`UPDATE OK TO BE
`
`
`SENT WIRELESSLY?
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`TRANSMIT
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`
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`EARPHONE VIA HOST
`COMPUTER
`
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`Sheet 11 of 16
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`US 9,497,535 B1
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`1
`SYSTEM WITH WIRELESS ACOUSTIC
`SPEAKERS
`
`PRIORITY CLAIM
`
`The present application claimspriority as a continuation
`to U.S. nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 14/695,
`696, filed Apr. 24, 2015, which is a continuation of US.
`patent application Ser. No. 13/609,409, filed Sep. 11, 2012,
`now USS. Pat. No. 9,049,502, issued Jun. 2, 2015, which is
`a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/459,
`291, filed Apr. 30, 2012, nowU.S. Pat. No. 8,571,544, issued
`Oct. 29, 2013, which is a continuation of U.S. patent
`application Ser. No. 12/936,488, filed Dec. 20, 2010, now
`US. Pat. No. 8,190,203, issued May 29, 2012, which is a
`national stage entry of PCT/US09/39754,filed Apr. 7, 2009,
`which claimspriority to U.S. provisional patent application
`Ser. No. 61/123,265, filed Apr. 7, 2008, all of which are
`incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
`
`mH 0
`
`me 5
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`boan
`
`w °°
`
`Digital audio players, such as MP3 players and iPods, that
`store and play digital audio files, are very popular. Such
`devices typically comprise a data storage unit for storing and
`playing the digital audio, and a headphoneset that connects
`to the data storage unit, usually with a 44" or a 3.5 mm jack
`and associated cord. Often the headphonesare in-ear type
`headphones. The cord, however, between the headphones
`and the data storage unit can be cumbersome and annoying
`to users, and the length of the cord limits the physical
`distance between the data storage unit and the headphones.
`Accordingly, some cordless headphones have been pro-
`posed, such as the Monster iFreePlay cordless headphones
`from Apple Inc., which include a docking port on one of the 3
`earphones that can connect directly to an iPod Shuffle.
`Because they have the docking port, however, the Monster
`iFreePlay cordless headphones from Apple are quite large
`and are not in-ear type phones. Recently, cordless head-
`phonesthat connect wirelessly via IEEE 802.11 to a WLAN-
`ready laptop or personal computer (PC) have beenproposed,
`but such headphonesare also quite large and not in-ear type
`phones.
`
`40
`
`2
`computing device, both of which are communicable with a
`host server via the Internet. The host server stores configu-
`ration parameters for the wireless earphone set that are
`transmittable to the wireless earphoneset via the Internet,
`and that are configurable by an authenticated user of the
`client computing device via the host server to generate
`updated configuration parameters for the wireless earphone
`set. The updated configuration parameters for the wireless
`earphone set are transmitted by the host server to the
`wireless earphone set via the Internet.
`In anothergeneral aspect, the present invention is directed
`to an apparatus comprising an adapter and a speaker system.
`The adapter is configured to plug into a port of a personal
`digital audio player. The speaker system in communication
`with the adapter, and comprises multiple acoustic transduc-
`ers, a programmable processor circuit, and a wireless com-
`munication circuit. In a first operational mode, the processor
`circuit receives, via the adapter, and processesdigital audio
`content from the personaldigital audio player into which the
`adapter is plugged, and the multiple acoustic transducers
`output the received audio content from the personal digital
`audio player. In a second operational mode, the wireless
`communication circuit receives digital audio content from a
`remote digital audio source over a wireless network, the
`processorcircuit processesthe digital audio contentreceived
`from the remote digital audio source, and the multiple
`acoustic transducers output the audio content received from
`the remote digital audio source.
`These and other advantageous, unique aspects of the
`wireless earphone are described below.
`
`FIGURES
`
`invention are
`Various embodiments of the present
`described herein by way of example in conjunction with the
`following figures, wherein:
`FIGS. 1A-1Eare views of a wireless earphone according
`to various embodiments of the present invention;
`FIGS. 2A-2D illustrate various communication modesfor
`a wireless earphone according to various embodiments of
`the present invention;
`FIG.3 is a block diagram of a wireless earphone accord-
`ing to various embodimentsofthe present invention;
`FIGS. 4A-4B show the wireless earphone connected to
`another device according to various embodiments of the
`present invention;
`FIG. 5 is a diagram of a process implemented bya host
`server according to various embodiments of the present
`invention;
`FIG. 6 is a diagram of a process implemented by the
`wireless earphone to transition automatically between wire-
`less networks according to various embodiments of the
`present invention;
`FIGS. 7, 8 and 10 illustrate communication systems
`involving the wireless earphone according to various
`embodiments of the present invention;
`FIG. 9 is a diagram of a headset including a wireless
`earphone and a microphone according to various embodi-
`ments of the present invention; and
`FIG.11 is a diagram of a pair of wireless earphones with
`a dongle according to various embodiments of the present
`invention.
`
`DESCRIPTION
`
`In one general aspect, the present invention is directed to
`a wireless earphonethat receives streaming audio data via ad
`
`SUMMARY
`
`In one generalaspect, the present inventionis directed to
`a wireless earphone that comprises a transceiver circuit for
`receiving streaming audio from a data source, such as a
`digital audio player or a computer, over an ad hoc wireless
`network. When the data source and the earphone are out of
`range via the ad hoc wireless network, they maytransition
`automatically to a commoninfrastructure wireless network
`(e.g., a wireless LAN).If there is no commoninfrastructure
`wireless network for both the data source and the earphone,
`the earphone may connect via an available infrastructure
`wireless network to a hostserver. The host server may, for
`example, broadcast streaming audio to the earphone and/or
`transmit to the earphone a network address (e.g., an Internet
`Protocol
`(IP) address) for a network-connected content
`server that streams digital audio. The earphone may then
`connect to the content server using the IP address. The
`content server maybe an Internet radio server, including, for
`example, an Internet radio serverthat broadcasts streaming
`audio from the data source or some other content.
`In anothergeneral aspect, the present invention is directed
`to a system comprising a wireless earphone set and a client
`
`45
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`3
`hoc wireless networks and infrastructure wireless networks,
`and that transitions seamlessly between wireless networks.
`The earphone may comprise one or more in-ear, on-ear, or
`over-ear speaker elements. Two exemplary in-ear earphone
`shapesfor the wireless earphone 10 are shown in FIGS. 1A
`and 1B, respectively, although in other embodiments the
`earphone may take different shapes and the exemplary
`shapes shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B are not intended to be
`limiting. In one embodiment, the earphonetransitions auto-
`matically and seamlessly, without user
`intervention,
`between communication modes. Thatis, the earphone may
`transition automatically from an ad hoe wireless network to
`an infrastructure wireless network. without user interven-
`tion. As used herein, an “ad hoc wireless network” is a
`network where two (or more) wireless-capable devices, such
`as the earphoneanda data source, communicate 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).
`FIGS. 1A and 1B show example configurations for a
`wireless earphone 10 according to various embodiments of
`the present invention. The examples shownin FIGS. 1A and
`1B are not limiting and other configurations are within the
`scope of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 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 ofthe earphone 10. In various embodi-
`ments, 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 some otheruser control (such
`as a dial, a pressure-activated switch, lever, etc.) for adjust-
`ing the shape ofthe ear canal portion 14. Thatis, in various
`embodiments, activation (e.g. rotation) of the knob 16 may
`cause the ear canal portion 14 to change shapesoasto, for
`example,radially expandto fit snugly against all sides of the
`user’s ear canal. Further details regarding such a shape-
`changing earbud earphoneare describedin application PCT/
`US08/88656,filed 31 Dec. 2008, entitled “Adjustable Shape
`Earphone,” which is incorporated herein by referenceinits
`entirety and which was published as WO 2009/086555. The
`earphone 10 also may comprise a transceiver circuit housed
`within the body 12. Thetransceivercircuit, described further
`below, maytransmit andreceive the wireless signals, includ-
`ing receive streaming audio for playing by the earphone 10.
`Thetransceiver circuit maybe housed in the exterior portion
`15 of the earphone 10 and/or in the ear canal portion 14.
`Although the example earphones 10 shown in FIGS. 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 used to adjust the ear canal portion 14. In addition,
`in other embodiments, the earphone 10 maynot comprise a
`shape-changing ear canal portion 14.
`In various embodiments, the user may wear two discrete
`wireless earphones 10: one in each ear. In such embodi-
`ments, each earphone 10 may comprise a transceiver circuit.
`In such embodiments, the earphones 10 may be connected
`bya string or some other cord-type connector to keep the
`earphones 10 from being separated.
`In other embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1C, a headband
`19 may connect the two (left and right) earphones 10. The
`headband 19 maybe an over-the-head band, as shown in the
`example of FIG. 1C, or the headband maybe a behind-the-
`head band. In embodiments comprising a headband 19, each
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`earphone 10 may comprise a transceiver circuit; hence, each
`earphone 10 may receive and transmit separately the wire-
`less communication signals. In other embodiments compris-
`ing a headband 19, only one earphone 10 may comprise the
`transceiver circuit, and a wire may run along the headband
`19 to the other earphone 10 to connect therebythe trans-
`ceiver circuit to the acoustic transducerin the earphonethat
`does not comprise the transceiver circuit. The embodiment
`shown in FIG. 1C comprises on-ear earphones 10; in other
`embodiments, in-ear or over-ear earphones may be used.
`In other embodiments, the earphone 10 may comprise a
`hangerbar 17 that allows the earphone 10 to clip to, or hang
`on, the user’s ear, as shownin theillustrated embodiment of
`FIGS. 1D-1E. FIG. 1D is a perspective viewof the earphone
`and FIG. 1E is a side viewaccording to one embodiment. As
`shownin the illustrated embodiment, the earphone 10 may
`comprise dual speaker elements 106-A, 106-B. One of
`the
`speaker elements (the smaller one) 106-A is sizedtofit into
`the cavum conchaofthe listener’s ear and the other element
`
`
`
`the
`
`(the larger one) 106-B is not. The listener may use
`hangerbar to position the earphoneonthe listener’s ear.
`that connection, the hanger bar may comprise a horizon
`the
`section that rests upon the upper external curvature of
`listener’s ear behind the upper portion of the auricula (or
`pinna). The earphone may comprise a knurled knob t
`the
`allows the user to adjust finely the distance between
`horizontal section of the hanger bar and the speaker ele-
`ments,
`thereby providing,
`in such embodiments, another
`measure of adjustability for the user. More details regarding
`such a dual element, adjustable earphone may be found in
`US. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/054,238,
`whichis incorporatedherein byreferencein its entirety. U.S.
`Pat. Nos. 8,103,040 and 8,818,012 claim priority to this
`United States provisional patent application.
`FIGS. 2A-2D illustrate various communication modesfor
`
`
`
`a wireless data communication system involving the ear-
`phone 10 according to embodiments of the present inven-
`tion. As shown in FIG, 2A, the system comprises a data
`source 20 in communication with the earphone 10 via an ad
`hoc wireless network 24. The earphone 10, via its trans-
`ceiver circuit (described in more detail below), may com-
`municate 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
`maybe a digital audio player (DAP), such as an mp3 player
`or an iPod,or any other suitable digital audio playing device,
`such as a laptop or personal computer, that stores and/or
`plays digital audio files. In other embodiments, the data
`source 20 may generate analog audio, and the wireless
`network adapter 22 may encodethe analog audio into digital
`format for transmission to the earphone 10.
`The wireless network adapter 22 may be an integral part
`of the data source 20, or it may be a separate device that is
`connected to the data source 20 to provide wireless connec-
`tivity for the data source 20. For example,
`the wireless
`network adapter 22 may comprise a wireless networkinter-
`face card (WNIC) or other suitable transceiver that plugs
`into a USB port or other port or jack of the data source 20
`(such as a TRS connector) to stream data,e.g., digital audio
`files, via a wireless network (e.g.,
`the ad hoc wireless
`network 24 or an infrastructure wireless network). The
`digital audio transmitted from the data source 20 to the
`earphone 10 via the wireless networks may comprise com-
`pressed or uncompressed audio. Anysuitable file format
`maybe used for the audio, including mp3, lossyor lossless
`WMA,Vorbis, Musepack, FLAC, WAV, AIFF, AU, or any
`other suitable file format.
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`Whenin range, the data source 20 may communicate with
`the earphone 10 via the ad hoc wireless network 24 using
`any suitable wireless communication protocol,
`including
`Wi-Fi (e.g., IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n), WIMAX (IEEE 802.16),
`Bluetooth, Zigbee, UWB, or any other suitable wireless
`communication protocol. For purposesof the description to
`follow,it is assumed that the data source 20 andthe earphone
`10 communicate using a Wi-Fi protocol, although the inven-
`tion is not so limited and other wireless communication
`
`protocols maybe used in other embodiments of the inven-
`tion. The data source 20 and the earphone 10 are considered
`in range for the ad hoc wireless network 24 whenthesignal
`strengths (e.g., the RSSI) of the signals received by the two
`devices are above a threshold minimumsignal strength
`level. For example, the data source 20 and the earphone 10
`are likely to be in range for an ad hoc wireless network when
`then are in close proximity, such as when the wearer of the
`earphone 10 has the data source 20 on his/her person, such
`as in a pocket, strapped to their waist or arm, or holding the
`data source in their hand.
`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 threshold 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)) 30 thatis in the range of both the earphone 10 and
`the data source 20, as shown in FIG. 2B. The earphone 10
`and the data source 20 (e.g., the wireless network adapter
`22) mayinclude firmware, as described further below, that
`cause the components to make thetransition to a common
`infrastructure wireless network 30 automatically and seam-
`lessly, e.g., without user intervention. The earphone 10 may
`cache the received audio in a buffer or memoryfor a time
`period before playing the audio. The cached audio may be
`playedafter the connection overthe ad hoc wireless network
`is lost to give the earphone 10 and the data source 20 time
`to connect via the infrastructure wireless network.
`
`the infrastructure
`For example, as shown in FIG. 2B,
`network may comprise an access point 32 thatis in the range
`of both the data source 20 and the earphone 10. The access
`point 32 may be an electronic hardware devicethat acts as
`a wireless access point for, and that is connected to, a wired
`and/or wireless data communication network 33, such as a
`LAN or WAN,for example. The data source 20 and the
`earphone 10 may both communicate wirelessly with the
`access point 32 using the appropriate network data protocol
`(a Wi-Fi protocol, for example). The data source 20 and the
`earphone 10 may bothtransition automatically to an agreed-
`upon WLAN 30 that is in the range of both devices when
`they cannot communicate satisfactorily via the ad hoc wire-
`less network 24. A procedurefor 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 shown in FIG.
`2C. In such an embodiment, the data source 20 may com-
`municate wirelessly with one access point 32b and the
`earphone 10 may communicate wirelessly with another
`access point 32aof the same infrastructure wireless network
`30. Again, the data source 20 and the earphone 10 may
`transition to an agreed-upon WLAN.
`If there is no suitable common infrastructure wireless
`network over whichthe earphone 10 andthe data source 20
`can communicate, as shown in FIG. 2D, the earphone 10
`maytransition to communicate with an access point 32a for
`an available (first) wireless network (e.g.. WLAN) 30athat
`is in the range of the earphone 10. In this mode, the earphone
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`10 may connect via the wireless network 30a to a network-
`enabledhost server 40. The host server 40 may be connected
`to the wireless network 30a via an electronic data commu-
`nication network 42, such as the Internet. In one mode, the
`host server 40 maytransmit streaming digital audio via the
`networks 33a, 42 to the earphone 10. In another mode, the
`host server 40 may transmit to the earphone 10 a network
`address, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) address, for a
`streaming digital audio content server 70 on the network 42.
`Usingthe received IP address, the earphone 10 may connect
`to the streaming digital audio content server 70 via the
`networks 30a, 42 to receive and process digital audio from
`the streaming digital audio content server 70.
`The digital audio contentserver 70 may be, for example,
`an Internet radio station server. The digital audio content
`server 70 maystream digital audio over the network 42(e.g.,
`the Internet), which the earphone 10 mayreceive and
`process. In one embodiment,
`the streaming digital audio
`content server 70 may stream digital audio received bythe
`streaming digital audio content server 70 from the data
`source 20. For example, where the data source 20 is a
`wireless-capable device, such as a portable DAP, the data
`source 20 may connectto the streamingdigital audio content
`server 70 via a wireless network 305 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
`content server 70, the data source 20 maystream digital
`audio to the streaming digital audio content server 70, which
`maybroadcast the received digital audio over the network
`42 (e.g., the Internet). In such a manner, the user of the
`earphone 10 may listen 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 wireless network 24 and(ii)
`the earphone 10 and the data source 20 are not in commu-
`nication via a commonlocalinfrastructure wireless network
`30.
`
`FIG.3 is a block diagram of the earphone 10 accordingto
`various embodiments of the present invention. In the illus-
`trated embodiment, the earphone 10 comprisesa transceiver
`circuit 100 and related peripheral components. As shown in
`FIG. 3, the peripheral components 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 some of the
`peripheral components (such as the power source 102 and
`the acoustic transducers 106) maybe housed within the body
`12 of the earphone 10 (see FIG. 1). Other peripheral com-
`ponents, such as the microphone 104 and the antenna 108
`may be 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 embodiments.
`In various embodiments, the transceiver circuit 100 may
`be implementedas a single integrated circuit (IC), such as a
`system-on-chip (SoC), which is conducive to miniaturizing
`the componentsof the earphone 10, which is advantageous
`if the earphone 10 is to be relatively small in size, such as
`an in-ear earphone (see FIGS. 1A-1B for example). In
`alternative embodiments, however, the components of the
`transceivercircuit 100 could be realized with two or more
`
`discrete ICs or other components, such as separate ICs for
`the processors, memory, and RF (e.g., Wi-Fi) module, for
`example.
`The power source 102 may comprise, for example, a
`rechargeable or non-rechargeable battery (or batteries). In
`other embodiments,the power source 102 may comprise one
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`or more ultracapacitors (sometimes referred to as superca-
`pacitors) that are charged by a primary power source. In
`embodiments where the power source 102 comprises a
`rechargeable battery cell or an ultracapacitor, the battery cell
`or ultracapacitor, as the case maybe, may bechargedfor use,
`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 computer device, such asa laptop
`computer or PC. In addition to charging the rechargeable
`powersource 102, the dockingstation and/or computer may
`facilitate downloading of data to and/or from the earphone
`10.
`In other embodiments,
`the power source 102 may
`comprise capacitors passively charged with RF radiation,
`such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,027,311. The power
`source 102 may be coupled to a power source control
`module 103 of transceiver circuit 100 that controls and
`
`8
`analog audio signals picked up by the microphone 104 for
`processing bythe processor unit 114.
`The transceivercircuit 100 also may comprise a USB or
`other suitable interface 130 that allows the earphone 10 to be
`connected to an external device via a USB cable or other
`
`suitable link. As shownin FIG. 4A,the external device may
`be a docking station 200 connected to a computer device
`202. Also, in various embodiments, the earphone 10 could
`be connected directly to the computer 202 without the
`dockingstation 200. In addition, the external device may be
`a DAP 210, as shownin FIG. 4B. In that way,the earphone
`10 could connect directly to a data source 20, such as the
`DAP 210 or the computer 202, through the USB port 130.
`In addition,through the USBport 130, the earphone 10 may
`connect to a PC 202 or docking station 202 to charge up the
`power source 102 and/or to get downloads (e.g., data or
`firmware).
`According to various embodiments, the earphone 10 may
`have an associated web pagethat a user may access through
`the host server 40 (see FIG. 2D) or some other server. An
`authenticated user could log onto the website from a client
`computing device 50 (e.g., laptop, PC, handheld computer
`device, etc., including the data source 20) (see FIG. 2D) to
`access the web page for the earphone 10 to set various
`profile values for the earphone 10. For example, at the web
`site, the user could set various content features andfilters, as
`well as adjust various sound controlfeatures, such astreble,
`bass, frequency settings, noise cancellation settings, etc. In
`addition, the user could set preferred streaming audio sta-
`tions, such as preferred Internet radio stations or other
`streaming audio broadcasts. That way, i