Patent Publication Number: US-7590233-B2

Title: User configurable headset for monaural and binaural modes

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   Cellular telephones and other portable electronic devices have become ubiquitous in today&#39;s world. It is not uncommon today for an individual to have a cell phone, a portable music player (such as an MP3 player), a personal data/digital assistant (PDA), and portable gaming device all jumbling about in a purse or pocket. The sheer volume of these portable devices actually works against their portability, as there are only so many things a user will want to carry with them. 
   To help alleviate the burden of carrying these devices around, manufacturers are beginning to consolidate more and more functionality. So it is now possible to have a cell phone that also doubles as a portable media player, PDA, or game device. The audio capabilities of such devices, however, have not been so readily combined. 
   For example, while many cell phones are compatible with earpieces, such as those having an in-line microphone bud, these earpieces are monaural (e.g., heard by one ear), and do not provide the binaural quality and fidelity that some users prefer for listening to music. Some cell phones are compatible with traditional stereo headphones, but many users may be uncomfortable using such headphones for cell phone calls. For example, a user might be on a business call at the office, and may not wish to give the appearance that they are listening to music, considered by most to be a recreational activity. Such a user could carry around an earpiece for phone calls and a set of traditional headphones for listening to music, but that is cumbersome. 
   SUMMARY 
   This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
   In one aspect of the features described herein, an audio headset may be provided for monaural use, such as a cell phone call, and may be expandable for binaural use. A second earpiece may be removably attached to the headset during monaural use, and pulled from the headset and inserted in the user&#39;s other ear for binaural use. In some aspects, the additional earpiece may be located within a compartment of the headset, and may be communicatively coupled to the headset via a wire or wireless connection. In some aspects, the headpiece may include interfaces, such as headphone jacks, to allow the insertion of one or more additional earpieces. 
   In some aspects, the removable earpiece and headset may include additional functionality when operating in stereo mode. For example, stereo signal controls on the headset may be revealed upon the removal of the earpiece, or exposed on the earpiece. The headpiece may include circuitry to detect the removal of the earpiece, and may automatically revert to stereo mode when the earpiece is removed. 
   In some aspects, the second earpiece may wirelessly communicate with the headset and/or the user&#39;s cell phone, and may include circuitry to duplicate the functionality of the headset. The headset may be configured to wirelessly communicate with a first earpiece, such as the headset, during monaural use, and may dynamically add a second earpiece to the wireless communication when stereo communication is desired. Additional earpieces may be used to provide additional audio channels for the user. 
   These and other features will be addressed in greater detail below. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an example headset incorporating various features described herein. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates the  FIG. 1  headset, with an earpiece extended away for stereo use. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an example configuration of using the  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  headset. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a headset having multiple internal earpieces. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a headset having communication interfaces, such as headphone jacks, for accepting additional earpieces. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a headset having a removable earpiece, a portion of which also serves as a stylus. 
       FIG. 7  is a close-up view of an earpiece. 
       FIG. 8  is a close-up view of a headset having an earpiece removed. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a communications environment in which one or more headsets may be used. 
       FIG. 10  is a flow diagram of a process using an expandable headset. 
       FIG. 11  is a block diagram of basic electrical components that may be used in the headset and/or the earpieces described herein. 
       FIGS. 12   a  and  12   b  illustrate example features of a headset being switchable between ears. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   In the following description of the various aspects, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration various features described herein may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be used and structural and functional modifications may be made. 
     FIG. 1  illustrates an example headset that can be user configured for monaural or binaural use. As shown, headset  100  may include a body portion  101 , which may be oval, rectangular, or of any desired shape suitable for encasing the components described herein. Headset  100  may include an ear clasp  102  to allow the headset  100  to be worn on a user&#39;s ear. Clasp  102  may be of any desired configuration, and may include additional structure, such as a head wire, plastic support, neck loop, etc., to reach around or over a user&#39;s head and hold the headset  100  in position over one of the user&#39;s ears. 
   Headset  100  may include one or more microphones  103  to detect sounds. Microphone  103  may be a conventional microphone, or a directional microphone focused on an area where the user&#39;s mouth is likely to be in use (e.g., an area below the headset). Multiple microphone elements may be included to perform noise cancellation (e.g., by detecting sound emanating from other directions, and canceling those sounds out). 
   Headset  100  may also include a primary speaker element (not shown) to direct one audio channel of sound towards the user&#39;s ear when the headset is in position. For example, the primary speaker element may be located on an opposite side from that shown in  FIG. 1 . Such a primary speaker may be of any type used for portable devices, such as cell phones or media players. 
   Headset  100  may also include a secondary earpiece  104 , which may be a speaker designed for use in or with a person&#39;s ear, such as an earbud-type earpiece. The secondary earpiece  104  may be another speaker element that is inserted into a recessed portion of headset body  101 . The earpiece  104  may be partially or completely inserted into the recess. For example, the earpiece  104  may be partially inserted into the recess and follow a contour of the body  101 . Alternatively, the earpiece may be completely inserted into the recess such that the earpiece is enveloped by the body  101 . 
   The earpiece may be held in place in headset body  101  in a variety of ways. For example, the earpiece  104  and body  101  recess may include mating ridges, with the earpiece  104  “snapped” into and out of place. Alternatively, earpiece  104  may be held in place by a friction mating surface, such as a rubberized edge and a rubberized interior surface to the recess. Alternatively, the earpiece may be held in place via a spring-loaded latch, such as that used with SD memory cards, floppy disk drives, and such, wherein the earpiece  104  is snapped into place by pressing it into the recess, and released by pressing it into the recess again. 
   The earpiece  104  may also be held in place by its communication wire  105 . Wire  105  provides electrical signals to the earpiece  104  when in use, and may be coiled within headset by a spring-loaded roller  106 . The wire may be of any type suitable for headphone use. If desired, the wire may be a flat ribbon wire, which may be more suitable for ease in coiling. Other transmission technologies may be used as well, such as wireless, analog transmissions through bone, etc. 
   The roller  106  may operate like a tape measure or window blind, and may wind up excess slack in wire  105  in an internal cavity within the body  101 . Similarly, the roller  106  may lock into position when the wire  105  is extended a predetermined length, and may be retractable by temporarily pulling on the wire  105 , or by pressing a switch (mechanical or electrical) on the headset body  101 . The force exerted by the roller  106  may help hold the earpiece  104  in, or against, the body  101  recess. As alternatives, the roller may be manually wound, or wound by a motor. 
   The headset  100  may also include a circuit element  107 , such as a printed circuit board, containing the electrical components needed to operate the unit. These components are discussed in greater detail with respect to  FIG. 11  below. As inputs to the electrical components, the headset  100  may include one or more buttons  108 . Buttons  108  may allow the user to control a variety of aspects of the headpiece, such as sound volume, stereo/mono format, on/off, synchronization/mating with a host device, etc. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the earpiece  104  may be pulled away from headset  100  by, for example, pressing in on the earpiece to release the spring-loaded latch and pulling on the earpiece  104 . Subsequently, and as shown in  FIG. 3 , the earpiece  104  may be pulled around to the user&#39;s other ear, and inserted therein for use in a stereo mode. If the headset  100  is configured with a head wire (e.g., a rigid or semi-rigid structure extending around a user&#39;s head to hold the headset  100  in place), the earpiece  104  may be attached to an opposite end of that structure. Furthermore, if a head wire is used, wire  105  may be run along the head wire. For example, the head wire may include a groove into which the wire  105  may be inserted. Of course, if the user is wishing to be discreet about listening to music, the head wire may be avoided, and the wire  105  may be run around the back of the head, or along a shirt collar, etc. 
   With the earpiece  104  extended, the headset  100  may be converted from a monaural mode to a binaural mode. Binaural mode is not the limit, however. Additional audio channels may be supported by having additional earpieces. For example, as shown in  FIG. 4 , any number of additional earpieces  401 ,  402  may be included, with wires  403 ,  404  and spring rollers  405 ,  406 , depending on the designer&#39;s preference. Any number of additional audio channels may be supported to provide the user with binaural modes. 
   As shown in  FIG. 5 , the headset  100  may include one or more headphone interfaces  501 ,  502  to support additional earpieces. Headphone interfaces  501 ,  502  may be of any type compatible with headphone earpieces, such as a headphone jack (e.g., ¼″, ⅛″, 2.5 mm, etc.), USB port, or any other interface. If desired, earpiece  104  may also connect to a headphone interface, and wire  105  and roller  106  may be avoided if the earpiece is intended to be carried separately and plugged in when the user wants stereo use. 
   As noted above, earpiece  104  may communicate in a variety of ways.  FIG. 6  illustrates an example headset  100  having a removable earpiece that uses wireless transmission to communicate with the headset  100 . Headset  100  may include an antenna  601  for such transmission, and the earpiece may also include an antenna  602 . If the headset  100  is intended to operate with a touch sensitive device, antenna  602  may take the form of and/or act as a rigid stylus. 
   The headset  100  may be configured to automatically detect when the user removes the earpiece  104  for stereo mode. For example, the earpiece may open (or close) a switch in the headset body  101  when the earpiece is in place. The recess in the headset body  101  may include exposed contacts that are closed by a conductive portion of the earpiece  104 , or a mechanical switch depressed by the earpiece  104 . 
   Removal of the earpiece  104  may expose additional controls that are useful for stereo mode. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the earpiece may include one or more buttons  701  that are exposed when the earpiece is removed from the headset body  101 . These buttons  701  may be useful for any desired function, and may be particularly useful for functions that are relevant to stereo mode. For example, a button  701  may be used to control left/right audio balance (or other audio tuning functions), earpiece volume, or may wirelessly connect or synchronize an earpiece  104  with a local headset  100  or other wireless device. A button  701  may also be used to indicate whether the earpiece  104  is still in the headset body  101 , or when it is removed. The earpiece may also include a speaker portion  702 , opposite the buttons, which may provide the sound to the user&#39;s ear. 
   The shape of the earpiece may be modified as needed to implement the features described herein. For example, the earpiece in  FIG. 7  is shown as a spherical shape, but a different shape (e.g., larger, more rectangular, etc.) may be used to accommodate additional circuitry, larger batteries, different ear type or use configuration, etc. Additionally, and as described below, earpiece  104  may be replaced by another headset  100 , if desired. 
   Removal of earpiece  104  may also expose additional controls on the headset.  FIG. 8  shows an example close-up view of a portion of headset  100 , with recess  801 , and additional buttons  802  exposed by the removal of earpiece  104 . Buttons  802  may be used in a similar manner as buttons  701 , including functions that are more pertinent when in stereo mode. 
     FIG. 9  illustrates an example use for headset  100 . Headset  100  may be used with any type of audio device, such as a personal computer, personal data assistant (PDA), music player, video player, cell phone, game device, etc.  FIG. 9  depicts an example of a cellular phone  901 , but the description herein is equally applicable to other types of audio devices. Phone  901  may include an antenna  902  for a wireless communication link between the phone  901  and a headset  903  during monaural use, and which may communicate with a second headset  904  for binaural use. Second headset  904  may be the earpiece described above, or it may be a completely separate, duplicate version of earpiece  903 . Headsets  903 ,  904  may each wirelessly communicate with phone  901  to obtain necessary data and signals for separate audio channels. Alternatively, one headset (e.g.,  904 ) may obtain its data and signals from the other headset  903  (as the case may also be if headset  904  were replaced by an earpiece  104  taken from headset  903 ). 
   When two headsets  903 ,  904  are used in a telephone call, the microphones on each headset may be used as dual directional microphones, to help reduce noise encountered in a telephone call. Headsets  903 ,  904  and/or phone  901  may focus on the audio signals that are received by both microphones, and ignore other signals as noise.  FIG. 9  also depicts another device  905 , which will be described in greater detail below. 
     FIG. 10  illustrates an example process using various features described herein. For example, in step  1001 , the headset may operate in a first mode. The first mode may be a monaural mode, such as during a telephone call. Headset  903  and/or cell phone  901  may determine the current mode based on the number of audio channels available from the signal source, or based on whether the second speaker is extended from headset  903 . In the first mode, the user may use headset  100  as with any other cellular phone headset, and may carry on a monaural telephone conversation. 
   In step  1002 , the user may finish the call, and may decide to listen to music. The user may remove the earpiece  104  from the headset, and place earpiece  104  in his/her other ear. The headset may receive an input indicating that the mode is to be changed from monaural to binaural. The input may be in a variety of forms, such as by the automatic detection of the removal of earpiece  104 . This automatic detection may be accomplished through a switch/contact element on the earpiece or headset, or by a switch detecting a position of roller  106 . The input may also be made by pressing one or more buttons  701 ,  802 , or by entering commands on the device  901  itself (e.g., via a PDA menu). 
   In some aspects where an additional headset  904  is used, the input may be made by bringing the headset  904  within proximity of the phone  901  or headset  903 . For example, if the Bluetooth format is used, the headsets  903 ,  904  and/or cell phone  901  may, upon demand, periodically or continuously scan for the presence of other Bluetooth-capable devices. The phone  901  (or headset  903 ) may be configured to automatically enter stereo mode when the user&#39;s second headset  904  is brought near the first headset  903 . Alternatively, the input may take the form of a command issued by the second headset  904 , such as when a button  108  is pressed on the second headset  904  to mate with the first headset  903 . 
   When the input is received, the system changes operation to the second mode, such as binaural mode, in step  1003 . So, for example, the phone  901  may enter binaural mode, and begin sending a second audio stream wirelessly to the second headset  904 . 
   Although the example described above goes from mono- to binaural mode, the same is applicable going from any mode to any different mode, such as stereo to mono, stereo to 5-channel “surround” audio, etc. 
   With reference to  FIG. 11 , an exemplary system for implementing the headsets and/or earpieces described above may include a computing device, such as computing device  1100 . In its most basic configuration, computing device  1100  typically includes at least one processing unit  1102  and memory  1104 . Depending on the exact configuration and type of computing device, memory  1104  may be volatile (such as RAM), non-volatile (such as ROM, flash memory, etc.) or some combination of the two. This most basic configuration is illustrated in  FIG. 11  by line  1106 . Additionally, device  1100  may also have additional features/functionality. For example, device  1100  may also include additional storage (removable and/or non-removable), such as an SD memory card. Such additional storage is illustrated in  FIG. 11  by removable storage  1108  and non-removable storage  1110 . Computer storage media includes volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Memory  1104 , removable storage  1108  and non-removable storage  1110  are all examples of computer storage media. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by device  1100 . Any such computer storage media may be part of device  1100 , and any or all of the components described herein may comprise the circuitry in a headset and/or earpiece, including, but not limited to, hard-wired circuitry, firmware, software, etc., or any combination thereof. 
   Device  1100  may also contain communications connection(s)  1112  that allow the device to communicate with other devices. Communications connection(s)  1112  is an example of communication media, and may refer to the wired or wireless communications described above to allow the headsets to communicate with other headsets, earpieces, or other devices. These may include one or more antennas, transmission interfaces (e.g., Bluetooth processing), etc. 
   Communication media typically embodies computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. The term computer readable media as used herein includes both storage media and communication media. 
   Device  1100  may also have human input device(s)  1114  such as buttons, mechanical and/or electrical switches, slide switches, etc. Output device(s)  1116  such as the primary speaker and the earpiece(s), and other devices such as displays, LEDs, etc. 
   If desired, headset  100  may be configured to operate with different types of devices, without requiring those devices to specially handle the user-configurable features of the headset described herein. For example, the headset  100  may be compatible with multiple different types of devices that use different numbers of audio channels. The user could use phone  901  and headset  903  for a monaural call, and when finished, the user could bring in second headset  904 , and an MP3 player  905  as a separate device, and headsets  903 ,  904  would transfer their communications from phone  901  to the MP3 player. This transfer can be done by the user pressing one or more buttons on headset  903 ,  904 , or by selecting an option on phone  901 . 
   The headsets  903 ,  904  may support this functionality by including circuitry or a computer-executable program to accept any number of audio channels and to select one for generation of audio. So, when headset  903  is operating with a monaural cell phone  901 , the headset  903  receives and plays one channel, but when the headset is switched over to use with a binaural MP3 player  905 , or a multi-channel “surround” sound DVD player (not shown), the headset  903  can receive the separate audio channels and select one for play. The headset  903  may be programmed to transmit a second received audio channel to earpiece  104  for playing to the user&#39;s other ear. 
   The ability to receive and process multiple audio channels in the headset may also allow the user to hear a monaural version of a stereo audio signal. For example, circuit  107  may include a mixer, or be programmed with a mixing function, to receive two audio channels and mix them into a single monaural signal for playing on the headset&#39;s primary speaker. Then, as with the method in  FIG. 10 , the user may switch to stereo mode by bringing in another headset, or separating an earpiece  104  from the first headset, and the headset would cease mixing and begin transmitting the second audio channel to the second headset or earpiece. 
   In some aspects, the headset may automatically detect the arrangement of the ear clasp  102  to determine whether the user is wearing the device in his/her left or right ear. This may be accomplished in a variety of ways, for example, using an electrical contact switch, a photosensitive switch, a contact switch to detect a person&#39;s skin, a hardware setting, a software configuration setting, etc.  FIGS. 12   a  and  12   b  illustrate an example. The ear clasp  102  may include a rotating connection  1201 , allowing it to rotate about the headset between multiple positions (e.g., one with clasp  102  as shown, and one with clasp  102  downward, as shown in  FIG. 12   b . The opposition positions may allow the headset to be converted for wearing on a user&#39;s left or right ear. One of switches  1203  and  1204  on the headset may make contact with a switch  1202  on the clasp  102 , to detect the orientation that the clasp is in. As noted, other types of switches and contacts may be used. Such a device may also be configured to adjust an audio stream in accordance with the ear on which the device is worn. For example, if the user is wearing the headset on the right ear, the device may adjust a received stereo signal to route the right audio channel to the headset and the left audio channel to the earbud. Another example would be a user who has a different frequency response in each ear; the device could apply an equalizer function on each audio channel specific for each ear. 
   As an alternative option, the headset may forego the circuitry used to detect the change in modes (e.g., the removal of the earpiece  104 ), and may simply always operate in stereo mode. When the earpiece  104  is inserted in the body  101 , it may continue to operate and play one audio channel for the stereo mode. 
   As an additional option, the headset may be programmed to store, such as in a memory, configuration parameters regarding an individual user&#39;s audio preferences. These preferences may identify, for example, the number of channels the user prefers to hear, the distribution of channels to earpieces and speakers, the preferred volume settings for each individual speaker (e.g., different left and right volume levels if a person is more sensitive in one ear over the other), etc. Additionally, the headset may also store frequency response characteristics for the particular user as well. So, for example, if a user&#39;s ears have poor detection of audio in a predetermined frequency range (e.g., a low frequency range, a high-pitch range, etc.), the headset and/or earpiece may automatically shift the frequency of the various audio channels sent to the earpieces to compensate for the user&#39;s ears. So a user who has trouble hearing low frequencies may have his/her headset automatically shift the audio frequencies higher to improve the user&#39;s ability to hear. 
   To configure these preferences and parameters, the headset may employ a configuration mode in which test tones are played to the various earpieces. For example, the headset may play a predetermined range of test tones (e.g., various notes on a scale), and ask the user to identify the preferred frequency range, or to identify tones that the user did not hear as well. The headset may begin at a low pitch and gradually increase the pitch until the user indicates he/she can hear, and may do the same from high pitch down, to ascertain the range of the user&#39;s individual ear&#39;s hearing. Alternatively, this information may be entered using an interface and buttons on the headset, or may be entered using a software application on a separate computing device, and uploaded onto the headset via wireless and/or wired interface. 
   Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.