Abstract:
A headset, the headset including a communications module for receiving one or more electronic signals from an audio source, the one or more electronic signals representing an audio stream having a first element at a first audible frequency and a second element at a second audible frequency; a controller, communicated to the communications module, for generating a first element audiblizing signal from the first element and a second element audiblizing signal from the second element; and an equalizer, coupled to the controller, for modifying an output amplitude of the first audiblizing signal responsive to a user-modifiable equalizer data table without modifying an output amplitude of the second audiblizing signal.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention relates generally to frequency equalization of audio streams, and more specifically to user-customization of equalization of an incoming audio stream from a cellular telephone to a wireless headset operable with the telephone.  
         [0002]     The current state of the art includes many solutions for frequency equalization of music streams. It is common to provide for frequency band equalizers as part of most stereo reproduction systems. In these systems, a desired frequency range is sub-divided into bands, and a control is provided for each band to modify an amplitude of music signals within the band. For these systems, these adjustments are primarily for aesthetics to modify the reproduced music to conform to personal preferences of the user.  
         [0003]     These controllers are sometimes stand-alone components and other times incorporated into the music player. There are many music players—some are designed to be operated as part a system deployed in a room and others designed for portability, like personal tape, MP3, CD, satellite radio, and the like, that often use a headset for music reproduction.  
         [0004]     Not all of these music sources, particularly the portable sources, incorporate such controllers so the benefits of the frequency equalization systems are unavailable. Additionally, for users that have multiple music sources, each must be independently adjusted to the user preferences, and when user preferences change, each must be independently modified.  
         [0005]     There are other portable electronic devices that generate audio signals by use of headsets, such as cellular telephones. It is not uncommon for users to be conversing through a microphone-equipped headset when operating these telephones. Sometimes these telephones are operated in noisy environments increasing a difficulty of participating in these conversations using the headset.  
         [0006]     Not only noisy environments contribute to increasing the difficulty of these conversations, but it is sometimes the case that some users have degraded or enhanced sensitivity to certain frequencies.  
         [0007]     What is needed is a headset (and systems, methods, and computer program products) that incorporates frequency equalization to provide a user with an opportunity to adjust for personal preferences and/or personal degradations/sensitivities to one or more audio sources.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     Disclosed is a headset, the headset including a communications module for receiving one or more electronic signals from an audio source, the one or more electronic signals representing an audio stream having a first element at a first audible frequency and a second element at a second audible frequency; a controller, communicated to the communications module, for generating a first element audiblizing signal from the first element and a second element audiblizing signal from the second element; and an equalizer, coupled to the controller, for modifying an output amplitude of the first audiblizing signal responsive to a user-modifiable equalizer data table without modifying an output amplitude of the second audiblizing signal.  
         [0009]     Preferred embodiments of the present invention include systems, computer program products, and propagated signals for incorporating, implementing, making, and using this headset, for audio sources including portable electronic devices (music players and cellular telephones and the like) as well as traditionally non-portable (e.g., operate from line power) audio sources.  
         [0010]     The preferred embodiments provide for a headset (and systems, methods, and computer program products) that incorporates frequency equalization to provide a user with an opportunity to adjust for personal preferences and/or personal degradations/sensitivities to one or more audio sources.  
         [0011]     The novel features which are characteristic of the invention, as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which one or more preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. These drawings include the following figures, with like numerals indicating like parts.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a generalized block diagram for a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a detailed block diagram for a preferred embodiment of the headset shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a generalized block diagram for a preferred embodiment of the headset in a configuration mode; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a generalized flow diagram for a preferred embodiment of a configuration process. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     The present invention relates to a headset (and systems, methods, and computer program products) that incorporates frequency equalization to adjust for personal preferences and/or personal degradations/sensitivities to one or more audio sources, using an interface to a controller (implemented for example by a local PC, a website, or over a telephone connection). The following description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements. Various modifications to the preferred embodiment and the generic principles and features described herein will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiment shown but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described herein.  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a generalized block diagram for a preferred embodiment of the present invention of an audio system  100 . Audio system  100  includes an audio source device  105 , a user-configurable equalizing headset  110 , and a communications channel  115  coupling source  105  to headset  110 . Device  105  includes portable electronic devices that produce data signals having audio components, such as for example mp3 players, radios, magnetic disk players, cellular telephones, and the like that use one or more batteries for power. Device  105  also includes apparatus operable with line power, such as through a power cord coupled to a power outlet.  
         [0018]     Headset  110  includes an audio reproduction device, such a speaker or other audibilizing structure to convert the audio components of the data signals from device  105  into appropriate sound for a user. Headset  110  may include one such audio reproduction device (e.g., monaural) or multiple audio reproduction devices (e.g., stereo or surround sound). In some cases, headset  110  may include a microphone.  
         [0019]     Communications channel  115  includes wired and wireless subsystems for communicating data signals from device  105  to headset  110  (and in some cases from headset  110  to device  105 , such as when headset  110  includes the microphone for example). There are different protocols that may be used, including various wireless protocols including Bluetooth wireless communications protocol.  
         [0020]     In operation of the preferred embodiment, system  100  includes a user-customizable equalizing function—in this preferred embodiment this function is disposed within headset  110 —that provides for differing amplitude gain for audio components in different frequency bands. The equalizer function uses gain variables stored in non-volatile memory set using an external computing system to determine and configure as appropriate or desired. In this configuration, headset  110  will be desirably configured once and useable with multiple different devices  105  without requiring multiple configurations such as would be the case when the equalizing function is disposed in each of the multiple different devices. Other embodiments and implementations may dispose the external-computing-system configurable equalizer function in device  105  or in channel  115 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a detailed block diagram for a preferred embodiment of headset  110  shown in  FIG. 1 . Headset  110  includes a Bluetooth module  205 , a controller (e.g., a control  210 ), a first internal communications channel  215 , a power source  220 , an equalizer function  225  communicated to controller  210  using a second communications channel  230 , function  225  configurable through an externally accessible port  235  for controlling an equalized audio output stream  240 , such as provided to the audio reproduction device(s) of headset  110 .  
         [0022]     In the discussion of  FIG. 1 , many different types of devices  105  and channels  115  were described. In the discussion of  FIG. 2 , a single specific exemplary configuration is described to simplify the discussion, the person of ordinary skill will appreciate that other configurations and implementations will be implemented to adapt headset  110  to other devices  105  and/or channels  115 . Thus, device  105  is a cellular telephone equipped with a Bluetooth module for wireless Bluetooth communications over channel  115  as known in the art.  
         [0023]     Module  205  is compatible with the protocol of channel  115  which in this example is the Bluetooth protocol. This is a standard module for receiving and transmitting data signals using the Bluetooth protocol. Control  210  is preferably a microcontroller that includes a central processor unit (CPU), memory for storing data (e.g., RAM) and program instructions (e.g., ROM or Flash) for implementing the desired functions of headset  110 , and various other well-known resources for providing timing and input/output (I/O) interface communication. There are many different controllers that may be used, depending upon implementation and application details.  
         [0024]     First communications channel  215  transfers data between module  205  and control  210  in well-known function, with power source  220  (e.g., a battery or energy cell) providing power for operation of components  110 , including module  205 , control  210 , and function  225  when it is a distinct unit.  
         [0025]     Equalizer function  225  is shown separate and distinct from controller  210  but in some embodiments this function may be integrated directly rather than as a stand-alone unit. Equalizer function  225  includes non-volatile memory (e.g., ROM or Flash) for storing a set of gain variables that correspond to different frequency bands, or ranges. A value of any particular gain variable influences an output amplitude of audio signals having frequency components within the particular band. The values of the gain variables are accessed by control  210  using second communications channel  230 . The gain variables are used to modify the audio components in the data received over first communications channel  215  to adjust amplitude gain for elements within the particular bands when producing equalized audio output stream  240 .  
         [0026]     The user configures the specific values of the gain variables in equalizer function  225  using port  235 . In the preferred embodiment, port  235  is a standard personal computer compatible interface, such as USB or Firewire or other communications protocol. In some implementations, a user may communicate with and configure equalizer function  225  using module  205 , such as with suitably equipped personal computer systems or special configurators.  
         [0027]      FIG. 3  is a generalized block diagram for a preferred embodiment of the headset in a configuration mode  300 . Mode  300  includes a configuring system  305  (e.g., a PC, a website, an automatic response system access via telephone and the like) communicated to headset  110  using a configuration channel  310 . As described above, system  305  communicates to headset  110  through port  235  or module  205 .  
         [0028]     In configuration mode  300 , the user dons headset  110  and system  305  includes a user interface to control production of audio signals of desired frequencies to headset  110 . The user employs the user interface to adjust appropriate gain variable values for the specific frequency being reproduced. When the gain variables have the desired values, the user operates the user interface to write the appropriate gain variable values into equalizer function  225 . Thereafter headset  110  automatically adjusts the amplitude of the audio components from device  105  as appropriate based upon the gain variable values and the frequency of the audio components.  
         [0029]     System  305  may be implemented in any of several different ways. A personal computing system may include a set of program instructions appropriate for tone generation, user interface response, and for writing gain variable values into headset  110 . This set of program instructions may be distributed in a physical medium useable by the personal computing system or it may be accessible from a website (e.g., a secure website or public site). In some implementations the set of program instructions is configured to update other features of headset  110  (e.g., firmware updates, additional features and the like) in addition to setting gain variable values.  
         [0030]     An alternative solution is to use an automatic response system accessible through a telephone line or other similar communications channel. For example, a user dons headset  110  and connects the headset to the telephone line using an adapter designed for this task. The user accesses the automatic response system by dialing a toll-free number, keying in an identifier for headset  110  (e.g., a serial number), and then respond to instruction prompts. The automatic response system generates a series of recorded messages and/or tones over a range of frequencies. Each time a desired audio signal been presented by the automatic response system, the user presses a key associated with a “SET” command. This is repeated for each band to be set and thereafter the automatic response system generates the set of gain variable values appropriate to that user. The set of gain variable values may be set in real-time over the telephone during operation or at the conclusion of the determining process. In some cases, the set of gain variable values may be sent later to an address associated with the serial number for off-line configuration (and other performance/firmware updates may also be provided). For purposes of this disclosure, such automatic response systems and other similar systems are included within the term computing system.  
         [0031]      FIG. 4  is a generalized flow diagram for a preferred embodiment of a configuration process  400  implemented during configuration mode  300 . Process  400  begins with step  405  wherein an audio tone is generated in a first frequency band. Next, step  410 , process  400  adjusts a headset volume of the audio tone by setting a value for a gain variable applicable to the first frequency band.  
         [0032]     Thereafter, process  400  tests at step  415  whether there are any additional frequency bands that are to be adjusted. When the test at step  415  is affirmative, process  40  branches to step  420  to set a new frequency band. Thereafter process  400  repeats step  405  through step  415  to generate an audio tone within the appropriate band, adjust an amplitude of the audio tone in this band, and test whether additional bands are to be adjusted. As long as the test at step  415  is affirmative, process  400  continues to cycle through step  420  and then to step  405  through step  415 .  
         [0033]     When the test at step  415  is negative, process  400  branches to step  425  instead of step  402 . Step  425  writes the values for the gain variables as determined by step  405  through step  420  into non-volatile memory of headset  110 .  
         [0034]     The system, method, computer program product, and propagated signal described in this application may, of course, be embodied in hardware; e.g., within or coupled to a Central Processing Unit (“CPU”), microprocessor, microcontroller, System on Chip (“SOC”), or any other programmable device. Additionally, the system, method, computer program product, and propagated signal may be embodied in software (e.g., computer readable code, program code, instructions and/or data disposed in any form, such as source, object or machine language) disposed, for example, in a computer usable (e.g., readable) medium configured to store the software. Such software enables the function, fabrication, modeling, simulation, description and/or testing of the apparatus and processes described herein. For example, this can be accomplished through the use of general programming languages (e.g., C, C++), GDSII databases, hardware description languages (HDL) including Verilog HDL, VHDL, AHDL (Altera HDL) and so on, or other available programs, databases, and/or circuit (i.e., schematic) capture tools. Such software can be disposed in any known computer usable medium including semiconductor, magnetic disk, optical disc (e.g., CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, etc.) and as a computer data signal embodied in a computer usable (e.g., readable) transmission medium (e.g., carrier wave or any other medium including digital, optical, or analog-based medium). As such, the software can be transmitted over communication networks including the Internet and intranets. A system, method, computer program product, and propagated signal embodied in software may be included in a semiconductor intellectual property core (e.g., embodied in HDL) and transformed to hardware in the production of integrated circuits. Additionally, a system, method, computer program product, and propagated signal as described herein may be embodied as a combination of hardware and software.  
         [0035]     One of the preferred implementations of the present invention is as a routine in an operating system made up of programming steps or instructions resident in a memory of a computing system shown in  FIG. 2 , during computer operations. Until required by the computer system, the program instructions may be stored in another readable medium, e.g. in a disk drive, or in a removable memory, such as an optical disk for use in a CD ROM computer input or in a floppy disk for use in a floppy disk drive computer input. Further, the program instructions may be stored in the memory of another computer prior to use in the system of the present invention and transmitted over a LAN or a WAN, such as the Internet, when required by the user of the present invention. One skilled in the art should appreciate that the processes controlling the present invention are capable of being distributed in the form of computer readable media in a variety of forms.  
         [0036]     Any suitable programming language can be used to implement the routines of the present invention including C, C++, C#, Java, assembly language, etc. Different programming techniques can be employed such as procedural or object oriented. The routines can execute on a single processing device or multiple processors. Although the steps, operations or computations may be presented in a specific order, this order may be changed in different embodiments. In some embodiments, multiple steps shown as sequential in this specification can be performed at the same time. The sequence of operations described herein can be interrupted, suspended, or otherwise controlled by another process, such as an operating system, kernel, etc. The routines can operate in an operating system environment or as stand-alone routines occupying all, or a substantial part, of the system processing.  
         [0037]     In the description herein, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of components and/or methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that an embodiment of the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other apparatus, systems, assemblies, methods, components, materials, parts, and/or the like. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0038]     A “computer-readable medium” for purposes of embodiments of the present invention may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, system or device. The computer readable medium can be, by way of example only but not by limitation, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, system, device, propagation medium, or computer memory.  
         [0039]     A “processor” or “process” includes any human, hardware and/or software system, mechanism or component that processes data, signals or other information. A processor can include a system with a general-purpose central processing unit, multiple processing units, dedicated circuitry for achieving functionality, or other systems. Processing need not be limited to a geographic location, or have temporal limitations. For example, a processor can perform its functions in “real time,” “offline,” in a “batch mode,” etc. Portions of processing can be performed at different times and at different locations, by different (or the same) processing systems.  
         [0040]     Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “a specific embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention and not necessarily in all embodiments. Thus, respective appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment”, or “in a specific embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics of any specific embodiment of the present invention may be combined in any suitable manner with one or more other embodiments. It is to be understood that other variations and modifications of the embodiments of the present invention described and illustrated herein are possible in light of the teachings herein and are to be considered as part of the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
         [0041]     Embodiments of the invention may be implemented by using a programmed general purpose digital computer, by using application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic devices, field programmable gate arrays, optical, chemical, biological, quantum or nanoengineered systems, components and mechanisms may be used. In general, the functions of the present invention can be achieved by any means as is known in the art. Distributed, or networked systems, components and circuits can be used. Communication, or transfer, of data may be wired, wireless, or by any other means.  
         [0042]     It will also be appreciated that one or more of the elements depicted in the drawings/figures can also be implemented in a more separated or integrated manner, or even removed or rendered as inoperable in certain cases, as is useful in accordance with a particular application. It is also within the spirit and scope of the present invention to implement a program or code that can be stored in a machine-readable medium to permit a computer to perform any of the methods described above.  
         [0043]     Additionally, any signal arrows in the drawings/Figures should be considered only as exemplary, and not limiting, unless otherwise specifically noted. Furthermore, the term “or” as used herein is generally intended to mean “and/or” unless otherwise indicated. Combinations of components or steps will also be considered as being noted, where terminology is foreseen as rendering the ability to separate or combine is unclear.  
         [0044]     As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, “a”, “an”, and “the” includes plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.  
         [0045]     The foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed herein. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate. As indicated, these modifications may be made to the present invention in light of the foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention and are to be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
         [0046]     Thus, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures, and it will be appreciated that in some instances some features of embodiments of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth. Therefore, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the essential scope and spirit of the present invention. It is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular terms used in following claims and/or to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims. Thus, the scope of the invention is to be determined solely by the appended claims.