as) United States
`a2) Patent Application Publication (0) Pub. No.: US 2008/0298613 Al
`(43) Pub. Date: Dec.4, 2008
`
`Slamkaet al.
`
`US 20080298613A1
`
`(54) WIRELESS HEADSET WITH MIC-SIDE
`DRIVER CUT-OFF
`
`(76)
`
`Inventors:
`
`Milan Slamka, Camas, WA (US);
`Todd Yuzuriha, Vancouver, WA
`(US)
`
`Correspondence Address:
`TOWNSEND AND TOWNSEND AND CREW,
`LLP
`TWO EMBARCADERO CENTER, EIGHTH
`FLOOR
`SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111-3834 (US)
`
`(21)
`
`(22)
`
`(60)
`
`Appl. No.:
`Filed:
`
`11/357,441
`
`Feb. 17, 2006
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`Provisional application No. 60/654,430, filed on Feb.
`18, 2005.
`
`Publication Classification
`
`(51)
`
`Int.Cl.
`HOAR 3/02
`GO6F 17/00
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`
`(52) US. CD. ceecccsscccssssssescssssccssssesseree 381/311; 700/94
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Awireless headsethasa pair ofearpieces, each with a speaker
`or driver, and a microphone that is supported by one ofthe
`earpieces. The headset operates in wireless communication
`with an audio source, such as a personal audio player, and a
`mobile telephone. The wireless headset provides automatic
`cut-off of the driver in the earpiece supporting the micro-
`phone wheneverthe microphoneis activated, thereby to pre-
`vent feedback between the microphone andthe driverin the
`supporting earpiece.
`
`(e.g., Bluetooth)
`
`Digital Audio
`Player with Local
`Wireless Interface
`
`Mobile Telephone
`with Local
`Wireless Interface
`(e.g., Bluetooth)
`
`APPLE 1112
`
`APPLE 1112
`
`1
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Dec. 4,2008 Sheet 1 of 4
`
`US 2008/0298613 Al
`
`Fig. 1
`
`17
`
`19
`
`(e.g., Bluetooth)
`
`Digital Audio
`Player with Local
`Wireless Interface
`(e.g., Bluetooth)
`
`Mobile Telephone
`with Local
`Wireless Interface
`
`2
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Dec. 4,2008 Sheet 2 of 4
`
`US 2008/0298613 Al
`
`Fig. 2
`
`Fig. 3
`
`o0A
`
`32
`
` 10
`24B
`
`
`
`
`
`Manual Controls
`
`Local Wireless
`Interface
`
`|:
`
`34
`
`Right Driver
`
`
`Earpiece
`
`
`26
`
`3
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Dec. 4,2008 Sheet 3 of 4
`
`US 2008/0298613 Al
`
` Receive and Play Digital Audio
`Fig. 4
` 52
`
`56
`
`at Both Drivers
`
`50
`
`54
`Receive Call Indication
`
`
`‘over Digital Audio
`
`
`User Activates Call Answer
`
`
`
` 58
`
`
`- Drop/Pause Audio
`Playback Link
`
`
`
`Establish Telephone
`Communication Link
`
`
`(with microphone)
`
`64
`
`74
`
`
`
`60
`
`
` 62
`
`
` 68
` 72
`
`
`Call Audio Delivered Only
`to Non-Mic Side Driver
`
`User Activates Call
`Termination
`
`Drop TelephoneLink
`
`Resume/Re-establish
`Digital Audio Link
`
`70
`
`Stereo Digital Audio
`Resumedto Both Drivers
`
`4
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Dec. 4,2008 Sheet 4 of 4
`
`US 2008/0298613 Al
`
`Fig. 5
`
`5
`
`

`

`US 2008/0298613 Al
`
`Dec. 4, 2008
`
`WIRELESS HEADSET WITH MIC-SIDE
`DRIVER CUT-OFF
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`[0001] The present invention relates to wireless headsets
`and,in particular, to a wireless headset with automatic cut-off
`of a speaker/driver adjacent a microphone whenever the
`microphoneis activated.
`
`BACKGROUND AND SUMMARYOF THE
`INVENTION
`
`
`
`[0002] Wireless headsets are becoming increasingly popu-
`lar for use with mobile telephones and with digital audio
`sources, such as Ipod® audioplayers, personal digital assis-
`tants (PDAs), USB dongles connectedto personal computers,
`etc. Typically, wireless headsets for use with mobile tele-
`phones are distinct from those for use with digital audio
`sources, because the former require a microphone and the
`latter do not.
`
`
`
`[0003] A headset microphone1s typically positioned on a
`boom that extends from an earpiece. For mobile telephones,
`such a boom is an accepted and necessary encumbrancefor
`bi-directional telephonic communication. For digital audio
`sources, which are commonly used to playback music, a
`eadset boom is superfluous. Hence, wireless headsets foruse
`with mobile telephones are typically distinct from those for
`se with digital audio sources.
`[0004]
`In accordance with the present invention, a wireless
`eadset has a microphonepositioned on a stub boomorin an
`earpiece of the headset. The stub boom is characterized as
`aving a length that is about the same as the size ofan earpiece
`ofthe headset. A stub boom extending from an earpiece,or a
`nicrophonein an earpiece, provides only compact spacing of
`a microphonefrom thedriver(i.e., speaker) in the supporting
`earpiece. The compact spacing can lead to audio feedback
`with associated loud noisesat the driver, which is verydis-
`turbing for the user and undesirable.
`[0005] Accordingly, the present invention provides auto-
`matic cut-off of the driver in an earpiece supporting a micro-
`phone when the microphoneis activated, thereby to prevent
`feedback through that microphone-side driver. For example,
`an incoming telephone call on a mobile telephone may be
`indicatedat the headset while a useris listening to an audio
`source. Upon the user answering thecall, the headset estab-
`lishes wireless communication with the mobile telephone,
`activates the microphone, and automatically deactivates the
`driver (i.e., speaker) located in earpiece that supports the
`microphone.
`[0006] The audio signal for the telephone communication
`is not delivered to the driver in the earpiece supporting or
`containing the microphone, thereby to prevent audio feed-
`back. Audio feedback can otherwise arise in a headset having
`a microphone in close proximity to an active driver. The
`automatic driver cut-off of the present invention allows the
`wireless headset to have a microphoneon a stub boom,or no
`boomat all, so as to be acceptable for use with both digital
`audio sources and mobile telephones.
`[0007] Additional objects and advantages of the present
`invention will be apparentfrom the detailed description ofthe
`
`
`
`preferred embodiment thereof, which proceeds with refer-
`ence to the accompanying drawings.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`T
`FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a wireless
`[0008]
`headset as worn bya user.
`[0009]
`FIG.2 is an elevation view ofa first embodiment of
`a wireless headset with compact spacing between a micro-
`phoneand oneearpiece.
`[0010]
`FIG. 3 is a block diagram ofheadset.
`[0011]
`FIG. 4isa flow diagram ofa microphone automatic
`cut-off method according to an aspect ofthe present inven-
`tion.
`
`
`
`Ti+r T
`
`FIG. 5is an elevation viewof a second embodiment
`[0012]
`of a wireless headset with compact spacing between a micro-
`phoneand oneearpiece.
`
`
`
`
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
`
`FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a wireless
`[0013]
`headset 10 worn bya user 12. FIG.2 is an elevation view of
`wireless headset 10. FIG.3 is a block diagram of headset 10.
`The following description refers generally to FIGS. 1-3.
`[0014]
`FIG. 1 illustrates wireless headset 10 as being in
`simultaneous wireless communication with a digital audio
`player 14 and with a mobile (e.g., cellular) telephone 16.
`Digital audio player 14 and mobile telephone 16 each include
`a local wireless interface, such as a Bluetooth standardinter-
`face, a WiFi standard interface (IEEE 802.11), or any other
`local wireless interface.
`
`For example, digital audio player 14 may be an
`[0015]
`Ipod® audio player, a personaldigital assistant (PDA), a USB
`dongle connected to a personal computer, etc. In one imple-
`mentation, digital audio player 14 communicates with head-
`set 10 over an audioplaybacklink 17 such asa one-directional
`Asynchronous Connectionless (ACL) link employing low-
`complexity, subband codec (SBC)encoding in which audiois
`sampled at 48 KHz, 16 bits/sample and compressed, as is
`known in the art. In this sample implementation, mobile
`telephone 16 communicates with headset 10 with a telephone
`communicationlink 19, such as a bi-directional synchronous
`connection-oriented (SCO) with Continuous Variable Slope
`Delta Modulation (CVSD) encodingthat carries an 8 kHz,
`8-bit data stream.
`
`[0016] Wireless headset 10 includes a pair of earpieces 20A
`and 20B (only 20A shownin FIG. 1) connected together by a
`headband 22, which could alternatively be a neckband or a
`simple wire coupling. Earpieces 20A and 20B include respec-
`tive speakers or drivers 24A and 24B. In addition, earpiece
`20A includes a microphone 26, which maybe located on a
`stub boom 28 (FIG. 2) or within earpiece 20A (FIG. 5). Stub
`boom 28 is characterized as having a length generally no
`more than the maximum dimension ofearpiece 20A.It will be
`appreciated that many conventional microphone booms on
`headsets are significantly longer than the dimension of an
`earpiece.
`
`[0017] Earpiece 20A also includes one or more user-oper-
`able controls 30, such as a central main control button 30A
`that can cycle through one or more operational controls, and
`arocker switch 30B with opposedvertical rocker controls and
`opposed horizontal rocker controls. Earpiece 20A also con-
`tains a local wireless (e.g., Bluetooth) interface 32 and a
`processor34. Localwireless interface 32 provideslocal wire-
`less communication with audio sources, such as audio player
`
`6
`
`

`

`US 2008/0298613 Al
`
`Dec. 4, 2008
`
`14 and mobile telephone 16, and processor 34 processes
`control inputs received at controls 30 and signals received
`from ordelivered to interface 32.
`
`In one implementation, for example, user manipu-
`[0018]
`lation ofmain control button 30A can instruct processor 34 to
`turn wireless headset 10 on and off and, if depressed for a
`predetermined timeperiod, to synchronize with one or more
`available local wireless sources, such as digital audio player
`14 and mobiletelephone 16. In this exemplary implementa-
`tion, vertical rocker controls and horizontal rocker controls of
`rocker switch 30B mayinstruct processor 34 to change audio
`volume and audio source selection (e.g., channel), respec-
`tively. It will be appreciated that headset 10 may include a
`wide variety of alternative user-operable controls and that
`controls 30 are merely one exemplary implementation.
`[0019]
`FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of an automatic driver
`cut-offmethod 50 accordingto an aspectofthe present inven-
`tion. Automatic cut-off method 50 may be implemented as
`processorinstructions(e.g., software) stored with or encoded
`into and executed by processor 34.
`[0020]
`In step 52, headset 10 receives and plays digital
`audio signal at both drivers 24A and 24B. For example, the
`stereo digital audio is received from digital audio player 14.
`[0021]
`In step 54, headset 10 receives and plays a call
`indication(e.g., a ring tone, a beep, etc.) over the digital audio
`signal. The call indication maybe played at one or both of
`drivers 24A and 24B and indicates an in-coming call on
`mobile telephone 16.
`[0022]
`Instep 56, the user activates a call answer control to
`answerthe call. For example, the call answer control may be
`madeby the user manuallyactivating (e.g., pressing) main
`control button 30A or bythe user activating some other con-
`trol device.
`
`In step 58, the audio playback link 17 with digital
`[0023]
`audio player 14 is paused or dropped.
`[0024]
`In step 60, the telephone communication link 19
`with mobile telephone16 is established, includinga link with
`microphone 26.
`[0025]
`In step 62, the telephonecall audio signalis deliv-
`ered only to driver 24B in earpiece 20B. The telephonecall
`audio signal is not delivered to driver 24A in earpiece 20A
`supporting microphone 26. Microphone maybe positioned
`inside earpiece 20A, ona stub boomextending from earpiece
`20A, or even on a standard-length boom. The effect is to
`automatically cut-off audio at driver 24A.
`[0026] The telephone call audio signal is not delivered to
`driver 24A in earpiece 20A to prevent audio feedback
`between driver 24A and microphone 26. Audio feedback can
`otherwise arise in a headset 10 having a microphone 26 in
`close proximity to a driver 24A,particularly ifmicrophone 26
`is located ona stub boom 28 having a length of aboutthe size
`or the earpiece 20A (FIGS. 1 and 3) or co-located in earpiece
`20A (FIG. 5). Such close proximity may be referred to as
`compact spacing of microphone 26 from its supporting ear-
`piece 20A.
`[0027]
`Steps 56-62 represent a call answering operation 64
`during stereo audio playback and allow headset 10 with com-
`pact microphone spacing to switch from dual-sided (e.g.,
`stereo) audio playback to one-sided telephone audio auto-
`matically upon a user answering or making a call overlink 19
`on mobile telephone 16. Such switchingis integrated into the
`call answer control step so that the user is never subjected to
`the audio feedback that could arise between a microphone 26
`and a driver 24A in close proximity to each other.
`
`[0028] Although described with reference to answering a
`telephone call,
`it will be appreciated that such automatic
`cut-off of the microphone-side driver could similarly be
`applied when initiating a telephonecall. It will be appreci-
`ated, therefore, that headset 10 can employ compact micro-
`phonespacing that accommodatesboth audiostereo playback
`and mobile telephone communication without being subject
`to the audio feedback that can arise when a microphone and
`driver are close to each other.
`
`Following steps 66-72 representa call termination
`[0029]
`operation 74 that ends a telephone communication and
`resumesthe stereo audio playback.
`[0030]
`In step 66, the user activates a call termination con-
`trol to terminate the call (1.e., hang-up). For example,the call
`termination control may be madeby the user manuallyacti-
`vating (e.g., pressing) main control button 30A.
`[0031]
`In step 68, the telephone communication link 19
`with mobile telephone 19 is dropped.
`[0032]
`In step 70, the audio playback link 17 with digital
`audio player 14 is resumedorre-established.
`[0033]
`In step 72, headset 10 receives and plays stereo
`digital audio at both drivers 24A and 24B.
`[0034] Having described andillustrated the principles of
`our invention with referenceto an illustrated embodiment,it
`will be recognized that the illustrated embodiment can be
`modified in arrangement and detail without departing from
`such principles. It should be understood that the programs,
`processes, or methods described herein are not related or
`limited to any particular type of computer apparatus, unless
`indicated otherwise. Various types of general purposeorspe-
`cialized computer apparatus may be used with or perform
`operations in accordance with the teachings describedherein.
`Elements of the illustrated embodiment shown in software
`
`may be implemented in hardware and viceversa.
`[0035]
`In view ofthe many possible embodiments to which
`the principles of our invention may be applied, it should be
`recognized that the detailed embodimentsareillustrative only
`and should not be taken as limiting the scope ofourinvention.
`Rather, we claim as our invention all such embodiments as
`may comewithin the scope andspirit ofthe following claims
`and equivalents thereto.
`1. In a wireless headset havingfirst and second earpieces
`with respective first and second drivers, and a microphone,
`and being in wireless communication with an audio source
`and a mobile telephone, the microphonebeing supported by
`the first earpiece, an automatic driver cut-off method, com-
`prising:
`playing playback audio received from the audio source on
`the first and second drivers;
`activating a telephone communication on the mobile tele-
`phone through the headset;
`upon activating the telephone communication, stopping
`the playing of the playback audioat thefirst and second
`drivers and delivering audio received fromthe telephone
`communication onlyto the second driver andnot to the
`first driver.
`
`2. The methodof claim 1 in whichactivating the telephone
`communication includes answering a telephone call
`in
`responseto receiving a call indication.
`3. The methodof claim 1 in whichactivating the telephone
`communicationincludes initiating a telephone call.
`4. The methodofclaim 1 in whichstoppingthe playing of
`the playback audio includes stopping the wireless communi-
`cation between the audio source andthe wireless headset.
`
`7
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`

`

`US 2008/0298613 Al
`
`Dec. 4, 2008
`
`
`
`5. The method of claim 1 in which the microphoneis
`contained withinthefirst earpiece.
`6. The methodof claim 1 in which microphoneis contained
`within a boom supportedby thefirst earpiece.
`7, The methodof claim 6 in which the boom is a stub boom.
`8. A wireless headset, comprising:
`first and second earpieces with respectivefirst and second
`drivers;
`a microphone supported bythefirst earpiece;
`a local wireless communication interface for communicat-
`ing with an audio source and a mobile telephone, the
`audio source providing playback audio to the wireless
`headset and the mobile telephone providing telephone
`communication to and from the wireless headset; and
`a processor with processor-readable storage that stores
`processorinstructions for delivering audio only to the
`second driver and notto thefirst driver during telephone
`communication and otherwise delivering audio to both
`the first driver and the second driver.
`
`9. The wireless headset of claim 8 in whichthe processor-
`readable storage stores processor instructions for playing
`playback audio received from the audio source onthefirst and
`second drivers, upon activation of a telephone communica-
`tion, stopping the playingofplayback audioreceivedfromthe
`audio source on thefirst and second drivers and delivering
`audio only to the second driver and notto the first driver.
`10. The wireless headset of claim 9 in whichactivating the
`telephone communication includes answering a telephone
`call in response to receiving a call indication.
`11. The wireless headset of claim 9 in whichactivating the
`telephone communicationincludesinitiating a telephonecall.
`12. The wireless headset of claim 9 in which stopping the
`playing of the playback audio includes stopping the wireless
`communication between the audio source and the wireless
`headset.
`
`13. The wireless headset of claim 8 in which the micro-
`phone is contained within thefirst earpiece.
`14. The wireless headset of claim 8 in which microphoneis
`contained within a boom supported bythefirst earpiece.
`15. Thewireless headset of claim 14 in which the boom is
`a stub boom.
`
`16. A wireless headset, comprising:
`first and second earpieces with respectivefirst and second
`drivers;
`a microphone supportedby thefirst earpiece;
`a local wireless communication interface for communicat-
`
`ing with an audio source and a communicationsource,
`the audio source providing playback audio to the wire-
`less headset and the communication source providing
`bidirectional communication to and from the wireless
`headset; and
`a processor with processor-readable storage that stores
`processor instructions for delivering audio onlyto the
`second driver and notto the first driver during the bidi-
`rectional communication and otherwise delivering
`audio to both the first driver and the second driver.
`
`17. The wireless headset of claim 16 in whichtheproces-
`sor-readable storage stores processor instructionsfor playing
`playback audio received from the audiosource onthefirst and
`second drivers, upon activation of a bidirectional communi-
`cation, stopping the playing ofplayback audio received from
`the audio source on thefirst and second drivers anddelivering
`audio onlyto the second driver and notto thefirst driver.
`18. The wireless headset of claim 16 in which the micro-
`phone is contained within thefirst earpiece.
`19. The wireless headset of claim 16 in which microphone
`is contained within a stub boom supported bythe first
`earpiece.
`
`8
`
`