Abstract:
A wireless local area network system and a headset for the system. The headset uses voice input information to set up parameters needed to connect the headset to the corresponding access point and then start the connection process. When the connection fails or succeeds an appropriate voice prompt or visible signal tells the user the headset&#39;s connection status.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to the management of wireless headsets and specifically to the issue of setting up a wireless headset with an access point for the first time. This involves set up and configuration of wireless headsets. 
     2. Background Art 
     A wireless headset is a physically small device with a very restricted user interface, normally consisting of one to four buttons and one or two Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). Furthermore, a wireless headset must be associated or paired with another device across the wireless medium, such as a base adapter or access point connected to a telephone used by cordless telephony technologies like DECT or DSSS, a Bluetooth enabled cellular telephone used by Bluetooth enabled headsets, or an 802.11 Access Point (AP) as used by an IEEE 802.11 enabled headset. 
     In all cases the headset and the corresponding device must be able to exchange information for pairing or associating exclusively with each other so as to set up an exclusive connection for telephony. Examples are a four digit passcode for Bluetooth or the SSID of the AP and possibly a security encryption key for 802.11. 
     Previous solutions used a default pass code that was always known to the user. Unfortunately, this usually meant that the user never changed this passcode and therefore risked having others nearby “hijack” control of their headset. Furthermore, the user may often forget the passcode, rendering the headset useless if the pairing needs to be repeated for whatever reason. Also, the corresponding device then needs to have some means for the user to enter the passcode. This is fine on a cellular telephone which includes a graphical user interface with a keyboard, but is not appropriate for a cordless telephony base adapter or an 802.11 AP, neither of which include means for the user to manually add this information. 
     Another previous solution was to press a non-operational combination of keys on both the headset and the corresponding device to initiate an automated pairing sequence. This is not adequate for an 802.11 AP as it does not tell the AP whether the device has authorization to pair with this particular AP or not. Furthermore, 802.11 APs are often located in places that are not accessible to the headset user, such as in the ceiling, in an adjacent locked room or atop a tall pole. 
     A third previous solution was to include a small display along with some additional buttons onto the headset. This solution adds significantly to the cost of the headset and makes it substantially bulkier and heavier while worn on the user&#39;s head. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A voice recognition module, either as a small circuit board or as additional software running on an existing processor, is added to the headset. Whenever the headset requires the information necessary to associate or pair with the corresponding device (access point, handset, base adapter or 802.11 AP), an initialization script is started. This script may be initiated whenever the headset has no information about a correspondent device to connect with, or when the user requests it, perhaps via a multiple key press during the power up phase. 
     This script uses voice output to prompt the user for the information required and voice recognition to input the required information via voice input. This permits the user to just listen to the voice prompts and then speak the required information into the headset. 
     The headset uses the voice input information to set up the parameters needed to connect to the corresponding device and then starts the connection process. When the connection has succeeded, a voice prompt tells the user that the headset is now connected. 
     The voice script and embedded voice recognition permits the user to set up the information for connecting to any corresponding device without extra buttons, keypad or display. 
     This is provided by a wireless local area network system for connecting a user to a communication network. The wireless local area network includes an access point. The access point has a unique access point parameter associated to and stored in the access point. The access point is adapted for connection to a network and has a transceiver for wireless connection to a headset. Typically the transceiver is one or two integrated circuit chips adapted for connection to a power supply, an input (microphone), an output (antenna), and digital signal processing means. 
     The system also includes a headset. The headset is adapted for wireless connection to the access point and includes a transceiver, a microphone, a speaker, a memory, a microprocessor, voice synthesis means for issuing voice prompts, and speech recognition means for processing a user response to the voice prompts. In one embodiment the voice synthesis means includes a microprocessor, a memory, and voice synthesis code, and the speech recognition means comprises a microprocessor, a memory, and speech recognition code. 
     The memory associated to either or both of the voice synthesis means and the voice recognition means may be the same or different memories, and is a non-volatile memory, such as a flash memory, a PROM, or an EEPROM. 
     The access point has a unique access point parameter. This unique access point parameter is at least one of an encryption key, a network address, an arbitrary number, or concatenations thereof. The unique access point parameter may be represented by one of a hexadecimal number, a binary coded digital number, an octal number, or ASCII text. 
     Key to the system is that the headset is adapted to audibly query a user for the access point parameter, and to receive, decode, and store a verbal response from the user. The integrated system of headset and access point utilizes the stored verbal response, as a parameter code, to carry out communications between the access point and the headset. 
     The access point may be a PSTN terminal, a VoIP terminal, or even a repeater. 
     The headset adapted for wireless connection to the access point comprises a transceiver, a microphone, a speaker, a memory, a microprocessor, voice synthesis means for issuing voice prompts, and speech recognition means for processing a user response to the voice prompts. 
     The voice synthesis means comprises a microprocessor, a memory, and voice synthesis code, and the speech recognition means comprises a microprocessor, a memory, and speech recognition code. The microprocessor and memory may be the same elements for both the voice synthesis means and the speech recognition means. Preferably the memory is non-volatile memory, such as a flash memory, a PROM, or an EEPROM. 
     The headset is adapted to audibly query a user for the access point parameter, as well as to receive, decode, and store a verbal response from the user. The parameter code is used to carry out communications between the access point and the headset. 
     A further aspect of the invention is a method of instantiating a wireless headset to a network access point, where the access point has a unique access point parameter for granting access thereto. The method comprises the steps of:
         a) the headset presenting a voice prompt for the unique access point parameter to a user, receiving a verbal response to the voice prompt from the user; decoding the verbal response and storing the decoded verbal response, and transmitting the decoded verbal response to the access point as an access parameter;   b) the access point either:
           i) accepts the decoded verbal response as an access parameter, or   ii) declines the decoded verbal response as an access parameter and transmitting an indication thereof to the headset.   
               

    
    
     
       THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is an illustration of a system connected to a communications network, and including a headset, an access point, and a wireless local area network therebetween. 
         FIG. 2  is a generalized schematic illustration of a headset including a speaker, a microphone, a central processor unit, a memory, a transceiver and an antenna. 
         FIG. 3  is a generalized flow chart of a method of carrying out the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A voice recognition module, either as a small circuit board or as additional software running on an existing processor, is added to the headset. Whenever the headset requires the information necessary to associate or pair with the corresponding device (access point, handset, base adapter or 802.11 AP), an initialization script is started. This script may be initiated whenever the headset has no information about a correspondent device to connect with, or when the user requests it, perhaps via a multiple key press during the power up phase. 
     This script uses voice output to prompt the user for the information required and voice recognition to input the required information via voice input. This permits the user to just listen to the voice prompts and then speak the required information into the headset. 
     The headset uses the voice input information to set up the parameters needed to connect to the corresponding device and then starts the connection process. When the connection has succeeded, a voice prompt tells the user that the headset is now connected. 
     The voice script and embedded voice recognition permits the user to set up the information for connecting to any corresponding device without extra buttons, keypad or display. 
     This is provided, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , by a wireless local area network system  101  for connecting a user with a headset  121  to a communication network  103 . The wireless local area network  101  includes an access point  101 . The access point  101  has a unique access point parameter associated to and stored in the access point  111 . The access point  111  is adapted for connection to an external network  103  and has a transceiver for wireless connection to a headset  121 , also including a transceiver  301 . Typically the transceiver  301  in the headset  121  is one or two integrated circuit chips adapted for connection to a power supply, an input (microphone)  319 , an output (antenna)  329 , and digital signal processing means. 
     The system also includes the headset  121 . The headset is adapted for wireless connection to the access point  111  and includes a transceiver  301 , a microphone  319 , a speaker  317 , a memory  313 , a microprocessor  315 , the microprocessor including therein voice synthesis means for issuing voice prompts, and speech recognition means for processing a user response to the voice prompts. In one embodiment the voice synthesis means includes a microprocessor, a memory, and voice synthesis code, and the speech recognition means comprises a microprocessor, a memory, and speech recognition code. 
       FIG. 2  shows the transceiver  301  in greater detail. The transceiver  301  includes speech processing means  311 , with a memory  313 , a speech processing integrated circuit  315  or circuits, a microphone  319  providing inputs to the speech processing integrated circuit or circuits  315 , and a speaker receiving outputs from the speech processing integrated circuit  315  or circuits. The transceiver also includes a transmitter element  321 . In one exemplification the transmitter  321  includes a modulator  325 , an amplifier  327 , and a lead  329  through an transmit/receive switch  341  to an antenna  343  to the access point. 
     The transceiver  301  also includes a receiver  331 , shown in  FIG. 2  with an antenna  343 , connected through a transmit/receive switch  341  and lead, from the access point to a first amplifier stage  335 , an rf element  337  with a demodulator, and an optional output amplifier  339 . This amplifier provides signals from the receiver  331  to speech processing module  311  including the speech processing integrated circuit  315 . 
     The circuits shown in  FIG. 2  are not exclusive, only exemplary, and various modifications are contemplated. This would be a function of, for example, the frequency and range, such as the 440 MegaHertz band, 900 MegaHertz band, the 2.4 GigaHertz band, and the 5.8 GigaHertz band, as well as various digital spread spectrum modes and various encryption modes. 
     The memory  313  associated to either or both of the voice synthesis means and the voice recognition means may be the same or different memories, and is a non-volatile memory, such as a flash memory, a PROM, or an EEPROM. 
     The access point  111  has a unique access point parameter. This unique access point parameter is at least one of an encryption key, a network address, an arbitrary number, or concatenations thereof. The unique access point parameter may be represented by one of a hexadecimal number, a binary coded digital number, an octal number, or ASCII text. 
     Key to the system is that the headset  121  is adapted to audibly query a user for the access point parameter, and to receive, decode, and store a verbal response from the user. The integrated system of headset and access point utilizes the stored verbal response, as a parameter code, to carry out communications between the access point and the headset. The access point  111  may be a PSTN terminal, a VoIP terminal, or even a repeater. 
     The headset  121  adapted for wireless connection to the access point  111  comprises a transceiver, a microphone, a speaker, a memory, a microprocessor, voice synthesis means for issuing voice prompts, and speech recognition means for processing a user response to the voice prompts, as described with respect to and illustrated generally in  FIG. 2 . 
     The headset is adapted to audibly query a user for the access point parameter, as well as to receive, decode, and store a verbal response from the user. The parameter code is used to carry out communications between the access point and the headset. 
     A further aspect of the invention is a method of instantiating a wireless headset  121  to a network access point  111 , where the access point  111  has a unique access point parameter for granting access thereto. The method, illustrated in  FIG. 3 , comprises the steps of:
         a) the headset presenting a voice prompt for the unique access point parameter to a user  211 , receiving a verbal response to the voice prompt from the user  221 ; decoding the verbal response and storing the decoded verbal response  231 , and transmitting the decoded verbal response to the-access point as an access parameter  241 ;   b) the access point either:
           i) accepts the decoded verbal response as an access parameter  251 , or   ii) declines the decoded verbal response as an access parameter and transmitting an indication thereof to the headset  261 .   
               

     While the invention has been described with respect to certain preferred embodiments and exemplifications, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention thereby, but solely by the claims appended hereto.