Abstract:
The present audio arrangement of a headset and an audio extension cord enables a user to listen to a portable audio player while essentially eliminating the risk that the audio extension cord would become tangled with exterior objects. The audio extension cord attaches to the user&#39;s shirt and provides to the headset a signal path from the portable audio player, which is attached at the waist or on the arm. No modification of a standard portable audio player is necessary, which thus provides widespread applicability. The invention can also be embodied as a method of attaching an audio extension cord to a shirt in a fashion to facilitate listening to a portable audio player with a nearly eliminated risk that the audio extension cord would encumber nearby objects.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/779,043, filed Mar. 6, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    A portable audio player permits a user to listen to prerecorded or live audio programming without the constraint of maintaining a fixed location. Examples of such portable audio players are portable radios, disk players, and MP3 players. When a portable audio player channels its output to a personal headset, a user may listen to audio programming while riding in public transportation, when studying in public libraries, or while exercising. However, for at least some uses, such as certain types of exercises, special concerns arise as follows: 
         [0003]      FIG. 1  illustrates a user operating a prior art audio arrangement. The figure shows a user  10  listening to a portable audio player  12 , which she holds in her hand. Portable audio player  12  sends its output via an audio extension cord  14  to a headset  16 , which has two earphones (one not visible in  FIG. 1 ). To facilitate certain types of exercises, user  10  may clip portable audio player  12  to her belt or strap it to one of her arms, either at the biceps or near the wrist. 
         [0004]    However, audio extension cord  14  remains loosely dangling between headset  16  and portable audio player  12 , which raises the potential of the problem of audio extension cord  14  becoming tangled with nearby objects. Even if tucked inside the user&#39;s coat, leaving enough slack in audio extension cord  14  to allow free neck movement increases the likelihood that the cord would wrap around shirt buttons, zippers, pens, and so on clipped in shirt pockets. 
         [0005]    The problems of loose audio extension cords are not limited to athletic activities. For example, the potential for an audio extension cord to wrap around a nearby object may arise while gardening. Thus, a need exists for a way to listen to a portable audio player without the significant risk that the audio extension cord would become tangled with nearby objects. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The present invention enables a user to listen to a portable audio player while essentially eliminating the risk that the audio extension cord would become tangled with nearby objects. The invention does not require a specially-designed portable audio player, so the user may continue to enjoy prior art portable audio players. The invention may be embodied as an audio extension cord, a headset, an audio arrangement including both an audio extension cord and headset, and a method of attaching an audio extension cord in a fashion to facilitate listening to a portable audio player. 
         [0007]    The inventive audio extension cord includes a set of electrical leads, a lower electrical connector connected to a bottom end of the set of leads, a first upper electrical connector connected to a first upper end of the set of leads, and a fastener configured to fasten the electrical leads to a shirt such that the audio extension cord can connect a portable audio player, located at or near a side or lower boundary of the shirt, to an earphone located at or near a neck area of the shirt. The fastener extends along the majority of the length of the set of leads and is sized and shaped: (1) to position the lower electrical connector in the vicinity of the side or lower boundary of the shirt, and (2) to position upper electrical connectors in the vicinity of the neck area of the shirt. Some embodiments of the audio extension cord also have a second upper electrical connector connected to a second upper end of the set of leads. The lower electrical connector is compatible with an output connector of the portable audio player, the first upper electrical connector is compatible with a connector of an earphone, and the second upper electrical connector is compatible with a connector of another earphone. 
         [0008]    The inventive headset has at least one earphone such that a first set of leads connects a first speaker to a first female connector. Some embodiments of the headset also have a second set of leads that connects a second speaker to a second female connector. The sets of lead may sized to have a length less than 25 cm. 
         [0009]    The inventive audio arrangement has a headset and an audio extension cord. The headset has at least one earphone and a first headset connector. In some embodiments of the audio arrangement, the headset also has a second headset connector. The audio extension cord has a set of electrical leads, a lower electrical connector, a first upper electrical connector, optionally a second upper electrical connector, and a fastener as discussed above. In the inventive audio arrangement, the first upper electrical connector of the audio extension cord is compatible with the first headset connector, and, in embodiments having an audio extension cord with a second upper electrical connector, the second upper electrical connector is compatible with the second headset connector. 
         [0010]    The inventive method of attaching an audio extension cord to a shirt includes: sewing a set of electrical leads to extend from the vicinity of the side or lower boundary of the shirt to the vicinity of a neck area of the shirt; connecting a lower electrical connector to a bottom end of the leads; and connecting a first upper electrical connector to a first upper end of said set of leads. Some embodiments of the method include connecting a second upper electrical connector to a second upper end of the leads. The lower electrical connector is compatible with an output connector of the portable audio player, the first upper electrical connector is compatible with an electrical connector of a first earphone, and the second upper electrical connector is compatible with an electrical connector of a second earphone. In some embodiments, the sewing is effected by leading a thread through the shirt and wrapping the thread around the leads. In other embodiments, the sewing is effected by leading the leads through the shirt. Such sewing may be effected by attaching a tapered cap to the lower electrical connector, an upper electrical connector, or to both. 
         [0011]    Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described as follows: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The invention is described below in the appended claims, which are read in view of the accompanying description including the following drawings, wherein: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates a user operating a prior art audio arrangement; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2A  illustrates an audio arrangement in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2B  illustrates an audio arrangement in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  illustrates an audio extension cord in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  illustrates an arrangement of electrical leads of an audio extension cord in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0018]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  show a side and front view, respectively, of an embodiment of an upper electrical connector of an audio extension cord in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0019]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  show a side and front view, respectively, of a headset connector corresponding to the embodiment of  FIGS. 5A and 5B ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  illustrates a segment of electrical leads sewn to a shirt in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  illustrates a segment of electrical leads sewn to a shirt in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0022]      FIGS. 9A and 9B  show unassembled and assembled views, respectively, of an electrical connector and a tapered cap, which acts as a needle for leading the electrical leads through the shirt fabric, which may be expedient for the embodiment of  FIG. 8 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    The invention summarized above and defined by the claims below will be better understood by referring to the present detailed description of embodiments of the invention. This description is not intended to limit the scope of claims but instead to provide examples of the invention. Described first are embodiments of audio arrangements in accordance with the invention. Details are provided regarding various headsets and audio extension cords that exemplify the audio arrangements. Also discussed are methods of attaching an audio extension cord in accordance with the invention to facilitate listening to a portable audio player. 
         [0024]      FIG. 2A  illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which an audio arrangement  20 A adapts a shirt  22  to facilitate listening to portable audio player  12 , which is located at or near a lower boundary  24  of shirt  22 .  FIG. 2B  depicts an alternate embodiment in which an audio arrangement  20 B adapts shirt  22  to facilitate listening to portable audio player  12  located at or near a side boundary  26  of shirt  22 . The term “shirt” is used in the present disclosure broadly to include long- and short-sleeved garments, tank tops, bare midriffs, undershirts, sweaters, or any other similar article of clothing worn on the upper half of the body 
         [0025]    Audio arrangements  20 A,  20 B each include a headset  28 . In the embodiments of  FIGS. 2A and 2B , headset  28  has two earphones  30   a ,  30   b , each of which includes a speaker  32   a / 32   b  and a set of electrical leads  34   a / 34   b , respectively. Headset  28  also has two corresponding headset connectors  36   a ,  36   b , respectively. In other embodiments of the invention, the headset may have only one earphone and headset connector. In both embodiments, a headset is configured such that a set of leads connects the speaker to the headset connectors. 
         [0026]    Audio arrangements  20 A,  20 B also each have an audio extension cord  40 , which is illustrated in detail in  FIG. 3 . (For clarity,  FIGS. 2A and 2B  provide only a high-level view of audio extension cord  40 ). Audio extension cord  40  includes a set of electrical leads and connectors as follows: electrical leads  42  are connected to a lower electrical connector  43  at their bottom end  44 , to a first upper electrical connector  46   a  at their first upper end  48   a , and to a second upper electrical connector  46   b  at their second upper end  48   b . Lower electrical connector  43  is compatible with an output connector  49  ( FIGS. 2A  and B) of portable audio player  12 . First upper electrical connector  46   a  is compatible with headset connector  36   a  ( FIGS. 2A  and B), and second upper electrical connector  46   b  is compatible with headset connector  36   b  ( FIGS. 2A  and B). 
         [0027]    Audio extension cord  40  also has a fastener  50 , which is configured to fasten electrical leads  42  to shirt  22 . Electrical leads  42  may be attached to fastener  50  by sewing or by adhesive. As is clear from  FIG. 3 , fastener  50  extends along the majority of the length of electrical leads  42 . Although the fasteners of the embodiments of  FIGS. 2A  and B are not shown as prominently, it is nonetheless clear that the fastener in  FIG. 2A  is sized and shaped to position the lower electrical connector in the vicinity of the lower boundary  24  of shirt  22 , and the fastener in  FIG. 2B  is sized and shaped to position the lower electrical connector in the vicinity of a side boundary  26  of shirt  22 . In both embodiments, the fastener is sized and shaped to position first upper electrical connector  46   a  and second upper electrical connector  46   b  in the vicinity of the neck area of the shirt. Because first upper electrical connector  46   a  and second upper electrical connector  46   b  are positioned so close to the user&#39;s ears, electrical leads  34   a ,  34   b  may be sized to be shorter than 25 cm., which reduces the likelihood that loose wires would wrap around an object and/or impede the user&#39;s head movement. 
         [0028]    With reference again to  FIG. 3 , fastener  50  includes a strip of fabric  52 , which has strip segments  52   a ,  52   b , and  52   c  joining at a common point  54 . An adhesive on the underside (not shown) effects the attachment of fastener  50  to shirt  22 . In some embodiments of the invention, a heat activated adhesive is used, so a common household iron may be implemented to attach audio extension cord  40  to shirt  22 . Also in some embodiments, electrical leads  42  are sewn to the fastener. 
         [0029]    In the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , electrical leads  42  extend in a zigzag pattern to allow the leads to stretch and conform more easily to changing bodily shapes while the user moves. The term zigzag is used in the present disclosure as a description of a path that proceeds in sharp or gradual turns in alternating directions. Such a path provides slack in the leads to facilitate the conformance to changing bodily shapes. 
         [0030]    Reference is now made to  FIG. 4  for the following description of electrical leads  42  of audio extension cord  40 . In this embodiment, electrical leads  42  are a set of three leads. A first lead  56   a  extends from lower electrical connector  43  to first upper electrical connector  46   a , and a second lead  56   b  extends from lower electrical connector  43  to second upper electrical connector  46   b . A third lead  56   c  extends from lower electrical connector  43  and separates into first and second lead segments  58   a ,  58   b  at separation point  60  in the region of the middle of the back of shirt  22 . First lead segment  58   a  extends up to first upper electrical connector  46   a , and second lead segment  58   b  extends up to second upper electrical connector  46   b.    
         [0031]    Reference is now made to  FIGS. 5A and 513 , which show a side and front view, respectively, of an embodiment of an upper electrical connector  62  of an audio extension cord, and to  FIGS. 6A and 6B , which show a side and front view, respectively, of an embodiment of a connector  70  of a headset. Note that the male connector is the connector affixed to the shirt and that the female connector is the connector affixed to the headset. Because the connector affixed to the shirt is not the female connector, there is no concave portion to accumulate water during the washing of the shirt and to retain the water thereafter. 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , upper electrical connector  62  receives two electrical leads  63   a ,  63   b  of the audio extension cord and encases the ends of the leads in an insulating plate  64 . Insulating plate  64  is substantially flat; thus, two opposite sides  66   a ,  66   b  of insulating plate  64  have significantly greater surface area than the remaining sides. Of the remaining sides, two opposite sides  67   a ,  67   b  are connected to electrodes  68   a ,  68   b , respectively. Electrical leads  63   a ,  63   b  are electrically connected to electrodes  68   a ,  68   b , respectively. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 6A and 613  show connector  70  receiving two electrical leads  72   a ,  72   b  of the headset. Electrical leads  72   a ,  72   b  are connected to conducting cap members  74   a ,  74   b , which are spaced apart by an internal structure (not shown) of connector  70 . Conducting cap members  74   a ,  74   b  are pulled away from each other slightly when upper electrical connector  62  of the audio extension cord is inserted therein, and an elastic band  76  pulls conducting cap members  74   a ,  74   b  toward each other to maintain electrical contact with electrodes  68   a ,  68   b , respectively. 
         [0034]    In this embodiment, upper electrical connector  62  of an audio extension cord and connector  70  of a headset are made substantially flat to reduce any discomfort that the user might feel, for example, if a heavy coat were placed snugly around the shirt on which the connectors were mounted. Connector  70  may have a padded body to reduce further such discomfort. Elastic band  76  may be made of a material to provide such padding. In alternate embodiments, where the audio extension cord has the female connector and the headset has the male connector, the upper electrical connector of the audio extension cord may have the padded body. 
         [0035]    In the present embodiment upper electrical connector  62  is fashioned with electrodes  68   a ,  68   b  having different sizes, and connector  70  is correspondingly fashioned with conducting cap members  74   a ,  74   b  having different sizes to ensure that that the ground lead and the left/right lead of the audio extension cord are properly connected to the ground lead and the left/right lead of the headset. That is, an attempt to join the connectors in a fashion to reverse the polarity would be unsuccessful due to a size mismatch of the electrodes and the conducting cap members. Headsets having two earphones may be further fashioned so that the two upper electrical connectors of the audio extension cord are made with differing sizes and that the two connectors of the headset are also made with differing sizes to prevent the left earphone from mating with the right lead of the audio extension cord and vice versa. 
         [0036]    Other embodiments of the invention include methods of attaching an audio extension cord to a shirt to facilitate listening to a portable audio player located at or near a side or lower boundary of the shirt. One of such methods includes sewing a set of electrical leads to extend from the vicinity of the side or lower boundary of the shirt to the vicinity of a neck area of the shirt (No fastener  50  is necessary in this embodiment.) A lower electrical connector, compatible with an output connector of the portable audio player, is connected to a bottom end of the set of leads. A first upper electrical connector, compatible with an electrical connector of a first earphone, is connected to a first upper end of the set of leads. If the audio extension cord is designed for a headset having two earphones, the method includes connecting a second upper electrical connector, compatible with an electrical connector of a second earphone, to a second upper end of the set of leads. 
         [0037]    One way of sewing the set of electrical leads is to lead a thread through the shirt and to wrap the thread around the set of leads.  FIG. 7  shows the fabric  80  of a shirt in which a thread  82  was lead therethrough and wrapped about a lead  84 . 
         [0038]    Another way of sewing the set of electrical leads, for relatively loosely-woven fabrics such as that of sweaters, is to lead the set of leads itself through the shirt.  FIG. 8  shows loosely-woven fabric  86  in which a lead  88  was led therethrough. In some embodiments, for fabrics with loose enough weaving, the threading of the leads therethrough may be facilitated by attaching a tapered cap to one or more electrical connectors to act as a needle.  FIG. 9A  shows an electrical connector  90  and a corresponding tapered cap  92 , the two elements not being attached to each other.  FIG. 9B  shows the two elements in their connected state. Of course, the leads may instead be sewn to the shirt before electrical connectors are connected. 
         [0039]    Having thus described exemplary embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent that various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Alternations, modifications, and improvements of the disclosed invention, though not expressly described above, are nonetheless intended and implied to be within spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing discussion is intended to be illustrative only; the invention is limited and defined only by the following claims and equivalents thereto.