Abstract:
An audio source (TV, stereo) detects, through a wireless signal from a headphone or from its cradle, when the headphone has been disengaged from the cradle. In response the audio device automatically mutes or lowers the volume output by its speakers.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for muting television speakers when TV headphones are in use. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A TV viewer must manually adjust or mute the volume of the TV when donning a wireless headphone device so as not to disturb someone else in the room. The same requirement typically applies to other audio sources such as AV receivers, DVD players, etc. As understood herein, it would be convenient to automatically undertake this step for the viewer. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A headphone system includes a charging cradle and a headphone removably engageable with the charging cradle to charge a battery in the headphone. The headphone includes left and right speakers which, when placed on the head of a user, are juxtaposed with the user&#39;s left and right ears. A wireless transmitter is configured to send, upon a predetermined mode change of the system, a wireless signal to an audio device to cause the audio device to alter (as, e.g., by muting) a volume output by the speakers of the audio device. 
         [0004]    The predetermined mode change of the system may be a removal of the headphone from the cradle. To this end a switch can be provided on the cradle for generating a signal indicating headphone engagement and/or headphone disengagement with the cradle. A cradle processor may be provided in the cradle, with the wireless transmitter being configured to receive a signal from the cradle processor to cause the transmitter to send the wireless signal to the audio device. The transmitter may be a radiofrequency transmitter mounted on the cradle or the transmitter may be an infrared transmitter connectable by a wire to the cradle. 
         [0005]    Alternatively, the transmitter may be mounted on the headphone. In this implementation a predetermined mode change precipitating volume control of the audio player may be a removal of the headphone from the cradle, and/or a switching off of the headphone by a user. Recognizing that different audio devices may require different volume control signal codes, in one non-limiting implementation the wireless signal can carry at least first and second volume change signals for respective first and second audio devices. 
         [0006]    In another aspect, a headphone system includes a headphone in turn including left and right audio speakers configured for placement adjacent the ears of a listener to play an audio stream generated by an audio player. The system also has a cradle that is configured for removably receiving the headphone to charge the battery of the headphone. A wireless transmitter is configured to transmit a volume change signal to the audio player in response to an operational change of the headphone. 
         [0007]    In still another aspect, an audio system includes audio player bearing at least one player speaker, a headphone wirelessly receiving audio streams generated by the player, and a wireless transmitter that is automatically caused to communicate a volume change signal to the audio player to cause the audio player to mute the player speaker when the listener removes the headphone from a mount, and/or when the listener switches on the headphone. 
         [0008]    In yet another aspect, a computer processor is programmed to receive a signal representing a change in the location and/or energization and/or reception of a portable wireless headphone, and in response to the signal, to control a transmitter to send to an audio player a command to alter the volume of a speaker of the player. 
         [0009]    The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a headphone in an exploded relationship with its charging cradle, schematically showing a cradle processor and data store as well as a battery in the headphone; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a detail view of the cradle with accessory transponder, with portions of the cradle broken away; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an audio device such as a flat panel television (TV) or computer monitor along with the headphone cradle; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an alternate headphone, schematically showing a battery, processor, data store, and wireless transmitter in the headphone for sending the mode signal to the audio device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0014]    Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a system is shown, generally designated  10 , which includes a headphone  12  and a cradle  14  for removably receiving the headphone  12  as shown. The headphone  12  may include a frame  16  configured for placement on a listener&#39;s head and left and right speaker pads  18 ,  20  respectively surrounding left and right speakers  22 ,  24  which, when placed on the head of the listener, are juxtaposed with the listener&#39;s left and right ears. While the non-limiting headphone  12  shown in  FIG. 1  has a comparatively rigid frame  16 , it is to be understood that in other embodiments the headphone  12  may be configured only with left and right speakers that might not necessarily be mounted on a frame but that nonetheless are placed adjacent the ears of a listener to play an audio stream. 
         [0015]    In one embodiment, the headphone  12  is wireless in that a listener can don it and listen to audio streams from an audio player (described further below) without requiring a wired connection to the audio player. The streams may be received wirelessly at a receiver  26  (schematically shown in  FIG. 1 ) on the frame  16  either direct from the audio player or from a device, e.g., the cradle  14 , that can be connected by a wire to one or more audio output jacks of the audio player. In the latter case, the cradle  14  can bear an audio stream wireless transmitter  28  as shown in  FIG. 1 , and the headphone  12  can bear at least one battery  30  for powering the receiver  26  when the headphone  12  is in use. 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  further shows that in addition to the audio stream wireless transmitter  28 , the cradle  14  can include a cradle processor  32  and an electronic data store  34  accessible to the processor  32 . Additionally, a wireless volume control transmitter  36  (which in some implementations may be one and the same with the audio stream wireless transmitter  28 ) may be mounted on or otherwise connected to the cradle  14  for purposes to be shortly disclosed. The wireless volume control transmitter  36  may transmit using radiofrequency (RF) transmission principles, ultrasonic transmission principles, or other wireless transmission principles including, e.g., infrared (IR). In the latter case, as best shown in  FIG. 2  to ensure sufficient signal dispersion the wireless transmitting portion may be implemented by an IR transponder  38  that is connected to a volume control signal generation portion  40  on the cradle  14 , with the transponder  38  being distanced from the body of the cradle  14  and connected thereto by a wire  42 . 
         [0017]    In any case, as schematically shown in  FIG. 2  the cradle  14  typically includes a battery charging circuit  44 . In cross-reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , when the headphone  12  is disposed on the cradle  14 , it actuates a switch  46  on the cradle  14 . The switch  46  generates a signal indicating that the headphone  12  is engaged with the cradle  14 , and in response the cradle processor  32  can cause the charging circuit  44  to charge the battery  30  through an appropriate electrical connection that may be provided in part by the switch  46 . 
         [0018]    Additionally, in accordance with present principles the signal from the switch  46  (equivalently, the absence thereof) can be used to sense when the headphone  12  is removed from the cradle  14 . Since this is typically done when a person wishes to don the headphone  12  and listen to an audio stream from an audio player, the cradle processor  32 , in response to removal of the wireless headphone  12  from the cradle  14 , not only deactivates the charging circuit  44  but also causes the wireless volume control transmitter  36  to transmit a volume control signal to the audio player  48  ( FIG. 3 ) that communicates audio streams as mentioned above to the headphone system  10  to cause the audio player  48  to mute or lower the volume or otherwise alter the volume output by the speakers  50  of the audio player  48 . When the headphone  12  is placed back on the cradle  14  as indicated by the switch  46 , the reverse volume control code is sent from the volume control transmitter of the headphone system  10  to the audio player  48  to raise the volume of the player speakers  50 . 
         [0019]    Note that in the non-limiting embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , IR transmission of the volume control signal is assumed, so that the cradle  14  is shown connected by the wire  42  to the IR transponder  38 , which has been positioned in line of sight with a control signal receiver  52  on the audio player  48 . In turn, the volume control signal received by the receiver  52  is sent to a player processor  54  for controlling the volume of the speakers  50 . 
         [0020]    As recognized herein, volume change commands such as mute commands can vary by manufacturer. Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment the data store  34  in the cradle  14  can contain preloaded codes of major brands, in groups of codes if desired. When the headphone  12  is removed from the cradle  14  the cradle processor  32  can cause all known mute codes in the storage  34  to be transmitted to ensure that the envisioned volume control of the player speakers  50  is realized regardless of manufacturer. 
         [0021]    Alternatively, a setup mode can be entered in which a user toggles through groups of codes and observes which group results in muting of the player speakers  50  to determine the correct code group. In one non-limiting implementation, this selection process can be executed by providing a test button  56  ( FIG. 2 ) on the cradle  14  that can be depressed to select the first group of code, and if the player speakers  50  do not mute, the test button  56  is manipulated again to select the next group of codes, etc. until the player speakers  50  are muted. When the user determines that the “correct” code group has been sent, he can indicate this to the cradle processor by, e.g., rapidly toggling the test button  56  twice in succession. 
         [0022]    In some non-limiting implementations the audio player  48  may be an audio-video device such as a television or a personal computer, or it can be an audio-only device such as a music player. 
         [0023]    Sending a mute command to the audio player  48  when the headphone  12  is removed from the cradle  14  is but one example of how the volume of the player speakers  50  may be controlled in response to a mode or operational change of the present headphone.  FIG. 4  shows that in an alternate embodiment, for example, a headphone  100  that in all essential respects may be identical in configuration and operation to the headphone  12  shown in  FIGS. 1-3  with the following exceptions may be provided. The headphone  100  shown in  FIG. 4  may include a frame  102  bearing a headphone processor  104  communicating with a data store  106  and a battery  108 . When the headphone  100  is removed from the cradle  14 , a switch  110  on the frame  100  may actuate to signal to the headphone processor  104  that the headphone  100  has been removed from the cradle, and in response the headphone processor  104  can cause a wireless volume control transmitter  112  on the frame  102  to transmit the above-described volume control signal to the audio player  48 . Or, in lieu of the switch  110  the transmitter  112  can be actuated by the headphone processor  104  upon reception of a valid IR or RF command signal from the cradle  14  or a valid audio signal originated by the player  48 . 
         [0024]    Yet another mode or operational change of the headphone  12  that can precipitate the transmission of the volume control signal can be implemented by causing the headphone processor  104  to send the volume control signal upon initial energization when an on-off switch  114  on the headphone  100  is toggled “on” to energize the headphone  100  for use. Then, when the on-off switch  114  is toggled “off”, prior to deenergizing the components of the headphone  100  the headphone processor  104  can cause a volume increase signal to be sent from the headphone transmitter  112  to the player  48  to resume audio broadcast from the player speakers  50 . 
         [0025]    Yet another operational or mode change is the sensing by the headphone processor  104  of interference, in which case the headphone processor  104  can cause the volume control signal to be sent to turn up the volume on the player speakers  50 . 
         [0026]    While the particular SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MUTING TV SPEAKERS WHEN HEADPHONES IN USE is herein shown and described in detail, it is to be understood that the subject matter which is encompassed by the present invention is limited only by the claims.