Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US20090318085?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2014-07-14 00:00:55
Document Index: 266164512

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60']

Patent US20090318085 - Earpiece/microphone (headset) servicing multiple incoming audio streams - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsThe present invention provides a modular wireless headset with which to service multiple incoming audio streams. This modular wireless headset includes a wireless microphone and wireless earpiece. The wireless earpiece may exchange radio frequency (RF) signals with a base unit and render content contained...http://www.google.com/patents/US20090318085?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US20090318085 - Earpiece/microphone (headset) servicing multiple incoming audio streamsAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS20090318085 A1Publication typeApplicationApplication numberUS 12/491,224Publication dateDec 24, 2009Filing dateJun 24, 2009Priority dateJan 24, 2005Also published asUS7558529, US20060166716, US20140148101Publication number12491224, 491224, US 2009/0318085 A1, US 2009/318085 A1, US 20090318085 A1, US 20090318085A1, US 2009318085 A1, US 2009318085A1, US-A1-20090318085, US-A1-2009318085, US2009/0318085A1, US2009/318085A1, US20090318085 A1, US20090318085A1, US2009318085 A1, US2009318085A1InventorsNambirajan Seshadri, James D. Bennett, Jeyhan KaraoguzOriginal AssigneeBroadcom CorporationExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (5), Referenced by (8), Classifications (17) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetEarpiece/microphone (headset) servicing multiple incoming audio streamsUS 20090318085 A1Abstract The present invention provides a modular wireless headset with which to service multiple incoming audio streams. This modular wireless headset includes a wireless microphone and wireless earpiece. The wireless earpiece may exchange radio frequency (RF) signals with a base unit and render content contained within the exchanged RF signals to a user. This wireless earpiece further includes a wireless interface, a processor, a speaker, a user interface, and an authentication module. The wireless interface allows the earpiece to wirelessly communicate with the base unit. The processor recovers communications exchanged with the base unit that the speaker then renders audible. A user interface coupled to the processor may alert the user to any additional incoming audio communications. Having received the alert, the user may select between the communications. The authentication module allows the wireless earpiece and microphone to pair (forming the modular wireless headset) and register the headset with the base unit.
2. A wireless headset, comprising:
a wireless interface circuitry that is operative to support first audio communications and second audio communications provided from a base unit; and a user interface circuitry, coupled to the wireless interface circuitry, that is operative to receive user input; and wherein: based on the user input, the wireless headset is operative to service both the first audio communications and the second audio communications provided from the base unit. 3. The wireless headset of claim 2, further comprising:
a processing circuitry that is coupled to the wireless interface circuitry and the user interface circuitry; and an audio output circuitry that is coupled to the processing circuitry; and wherein: based on the user input, the processing circuitry is operative to combine the first audio communications and second audio communications; and the audio output circuitry is operative to output the combined first audio communications and second audio communications. 4. The wireless headset of claim 2, wherein:
the first audio communications includes a music stream provided uni-directionally from the base unit to the wireless headset; and the second audio communications includes voice communications corresponding to a call associated with at least one additional user. 5. The wireless headset of claim 4, further comprising:
a processing circuitry, coupled to the wireless interface circuitry and the user interface circuitry; and an audio output circuitry that is coupled to the processing circuitry; and wherein: based on the user input, the processing circuitry is operative to:
adjust a volume of the music stream; and
combine the volume-adjusted music stream and the voice communications thereby generating modified voice communications; and
the audio output circuitry is operative to output the modified voice communications. 6. The wireless headset of claim 2, wherein:
the first audio communications includes a music stream provided uni-directionally from the base unit to the wireless headset; the second audio communications correspond to a call associated with at least one additional user; and based on the user input, the wireless headset is operative to deny the call associated with the at least one additional user and to continue to service the music stream provided uni-directionally from the base unit to the wireless headset. 7. The wireless headset of claim 2, wherein:
the first audio communications includes a music stream provided uni-directionally from the base unit to the wireless headset; the second audio communications correspond to a call associated with at least one additional user; and based on the user input, the wireless headset is operative to service the call associated with the at least one additional user and to mute the music stream provided uni-directionally from the base unit to the wireless headset. 8. The wireless headset of claim 7, wherein:
based on at least one additional user input, the wireless headset is operative to terminate the call associated with the at least one additional user and to un-mute the music stream provided uni-directionally from the base unit to the wireless headset. 9. The wireless headset of claim 2, wherein:
the first audio communications includes a music stream provided uni-directionally from the base unit to the wireless headset; the second audio communications correspond to a call associated with at least one additional user; and based on the user input, the wireless headset is operative to service the call associated with the at least one additional user and to direct the base unit to pause the music stream provided uni-directionally from the base unit to the wireless headset. 10. The wireless headset of claim 9, wherein:
based on at least one additional user input, the wireless headset is operative to terminate the call associated with the at least one additional user and to direct the base unit to resume the music stream provided uni-directionally from the base unit to the wireless headset. 11. The wireless headset of claim 2, further comprising:
a processing circuitry, coupled to the wireless interface circuitry and the user interface circuitry; and wherein: the user interface circuitry is operative to receive user input composed of voice commands and to generate an electrical signal that corresponds to the voice commands; and the processing circuitry is operative to perform voice recognition on the electrical signal to ascertain a user command therein. 12. A wireless headset, comprising:
a wireless interface circuitry that is operative to support first audio communications and second audio communications provided from a base unit; and a user interface circuitry, coupled to the wireless interface circuitry, that is operative to receive user input; a processing circuitry, coupled to the wireless interface circuitry and the user interface circuitry; and an audio output circuitry that is coupled to the processing circuitry; and wherein: based on the user input, the wireless headset is operative to service both the first audio communications and the second audio communications provided from the base unit; and based on the user input, the audio output circuitry is operative selectively to output at least one of the first audio communications and second audio communications. 13. The wireless headset of claim 12, wherein:
based on the user input, the processing circuitry is operative to combine the first audio communications and second audio communications; and the audio output circuitry is operative to output the combined first audio communications and second audio communications. 14. The wireless headset of claim 12, wherein:
the first audio communications includes a music stream provided uni-directionally from the base unit to the wireless headset; and the second audio communications includes voice communications corresponding to a call associated with at least one additional user. 15. The wireless headset of claim 14, wherein:
based on the user input, the processing circuitry is operative to:
the audio output circuitry is operative to output the modified voice communications. 16. The wireless headset of claim 12, wherein:
the first audio communications includes a music stream provided uni-directionally from the base unit to the wireless headset; the second audio communications correspond to a call associated with at least one additional user; and based on the user input, the wireless headset is operative to deny the call associated with the at least one additional user and to continue to service the music stream provided uni-directionally from the base unit to the wireless headset. 17. The wireless headset of claim 12, wherein:
the user interface circuitry is operative to receive user input composed of voice commands and to generate an electrical signal that corresponds to the voice commands; and the processing circuitry is operative to perform voice recognition on the electrical signal to ascertain a user command therein. 18. A method for operating a wireless headset, comprising:
employing a wireless interface circuitry to support first audio communications and second audio communications provided from a base unit; receiving user input via a user interface circuitry; and based on the user input, servicing both the first audio communications and the second audio communications provided from the base unit. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:
based on the user input, combining the first audio communications and second audio communications; and outputting the combined first audio communications and second audio communications via an audio output circuitry. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein:
the first audio communications includes a music stream provided uni-directionally from the base unit to the wireless headset; and the second audio communications correspond to a call associated with at least one additional user. 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:
based on the user input, servicing the call associated with the at least one additional user and directing the base unit to pause the music stream provided uni-directionally from the base unit to the wireless headset; and based on at least one additional user input, terminating the call associated with the at least one additional user and directing the base unit to resume the music stream provided uni-directionally from the base unit to the wireless headset. Description
1. U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 11/120,676, entitled �Earpiece/microphone (headset) servicing multiple incoming audio streams,� (Attorney Docket No. BP4050), filed May 3, 2005, pending, and scheduled to be issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,558,529 on Jul. 7, 2009, which claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. � 119(e) to the following U.S. Provisional Patent Application which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and made part of the present U.S. Utility patent application for all purposes:
a. U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/646,272, entitled �Earpiece/microphone (headset) servicing multiple incoming audio streams,� (Attorney Docket No. BP4050), filed Jan. 24, 2005, now expired.
Incorporation by Reference This application is related to the following applications: application Ser. No. 10/981,418 entitled �UNIVERSAL WIRELESS MULTIMEDIA DEVICE,� by Nambirajan Seshadri, et al., filed on Nov. 4, 2004, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/856,430 entitled �PROVIDING A UNIVERSAL WIRELESS HEADSET,� by Nambirajan Seshadri, et al., filed May 28, 2004 which claims priority under 35 USC � 119(e) to Provisional Application No. 60/473,967 filed on May 28, 2003; and application Ser. No. 10/981,418 is also a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/856,124 filed May 28, 2004 which claims priority under 35 USC � 119(e) to Provisional Application No. 60/473,675 filed May 28, 2003; application Ser. No. 10/976,300 entitled �MODULAR WIRELESS MULTIMEDIA DEVICE,� by Nambirajan Seshadri, et al., filed on May 27, 2004, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/856,124 entitled �MODULAR WIRELESS HEADSET AND/OR HEADPHONES,� filed May 28, 2004 which claims priority under 35 USC � 119(e) to Provisional Application No. 60/473,675, filed on May 28, 2003; and application Ser. No. 10/976,300 is also a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/856,430 filed May 28, 2004 which claims priority under 35 USC � 119(e) to Provisional Application No. 60/473,967 filed May 28, 2003; application Ser. No. 11/120,765 entitled �MODULAR EARPIECE/MICROPHONE THAT ANCHORS VOICE COMMUNICATIONS,� by Nambirajan Seshadri, et al., filed on May 3, 2005, which claims priority under 35 USC � 119(e) to Provisional Application No. 60/656,828 filed on Feb. 25, 2005; application Ser. No. 11/122,146 entitled �HANDOVER OF CALL SERVICED BY MODULAR EARPIECE/MICROPHONE BETWEEN SERVICING BASE PORTIONS,� by Nambirajan Seshadri, et al., filed on May 4, 2005, which claims priority under 35 USC � 119(e) to Provisional Application No. 60/653,234 filed on Feb. 15, 2005; application Ser. No. 11/120,900 entitled �MODULAR EARPIECE/MICROPHONE (HEADSET) OPERABLE TO SERVICE VOICE ACTIVATED COMMANDS,� by Nambirajan Seshadri, et al., filed on May 3, 2005; application Ser. No. 11/120,903 entitled �BATTERY MANAGEMENT IN A MODULAR EARPIECE MICROPHONE COMBINATION,� by Nambirajan Seshadri, et al., filed on May 3, 2005, which claims priority under 35 USC � 119(e) to Provisional Application No. 60/646,270 filed on Jan. 24, 2005; application Ser. No. 11/120,904 entitled �PAIRING MODULAR WIRELESS EARPIECE/MICROPHONE (HEADSET) TO A SERVICED BASE PORTION AND SUBSEQUENT ACCESS THERETO,� by Nambirajan Seshadri, et al., filed on May 3, 2005, which claims priority under 35 USC � 119(e) to Provisional Application No. 60/646,437 filed on Jan. 24, 2005; application Ser. No. 11/120,902 entitled �MANAGING ACCESS OF MODULAR WIRELESS EARPIECE/MICROPHONE (HEADSET) TO PUBLIC/PRIVATE SERVICING BASE STATION,� by Nambirajan Seshadri, et al., filed on May 3, 2005, which claims priority under 35 USC � 119(e) to Provisional Application No. 60/646,235 filed on Jan. 24, 2005; application Ser. No. 11/120,455 entitled �INTEGRATED AND DETACHABLE WIRELESS HEADSET ELEMENT FOR CELLULAR/MOBILE/PORTABLE PHONES AND AUDIO PLAYBACK DEVICES,� by Josephus A. Van Engelen, et al., filed on May 3, 2005, which claims priority under 35 USC � 119(e) to Provisional Application No. 60/646,465 filed on Jan. 24, 2005, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.
Wireless communications offer users the ability to be �wired� from almost anywhere in the world. Cellular telephones, satellite telephones, wireless local area networks, personal digital assistants (PDAs) with radio frequency (RF) interfaces, laptop computers with RF interfaces and other such devices enable these wireless communications. Such wireless communications have been extended to personal wireless networks, such as these defined by the Bluetooth specification. Not only have cellular telephones become very popular, but Wireless Local Area Networking (WLAN) devices have also proliferated. Thus, a single device may be able to wirelessly access multiple devices or networks. One standard for wireless networking, which has been widely accepted, is the Specification of the Bluetooth System, v. 1.0 (�Bluetooth Specification�). Wireless networking has introduced many security and privacy issues. This is especially true of devices that service real time communications through these wireless networks.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 is a diagram of a modular wireless headset 10 wirelessly coupled to base unit 16 through antennas 7. Modular wireless headset 10 includes wireless earpiece 12 and wireless microphone 14. Wireless earpiece 12 communicates wirelessly with microphone 14. However, wireless earpiece 12 and wireless microphone 14 may also physically couple to exchange information or establish an alternate communication pathway. Accordingly, earpiece 12 and microphone 14 may be separate communication devices. These distinct devices may couple to a headset frame 9. Frame 9 may include a shaped battery to both power and support the headset modules. Those devices may individually communicate with base unit 16 via separate communication pathways or through a single wireless interface contained either in the earpiece or microphone. As shown, earpiece 12 and microphone 14 may both communicate with base unit 16, which may be a cellular telephone, wire line telephone, laptop computer, personal computer, personal digital assistant, etc., using antennas 7 and transceiver (transmitter and/or receiver) 13 of FIG. 2 via a first communication pathway 18. The pathways between the microphone and headset may require the components to form a trusted pair. Base unit 16 may directly couple the headset to multiple playback devices, audio streams or voice communication networks such as radio, cellular, wireless voice or packet data, public switched telephone networks (PSTN), private branch exchanges or others known to those skilled in the art. Such a connection may often require additional authentication. For example, in the case of cellular networks, subscriber identification information is required. Additionally, as multiple audio sources are offered, the source(s) serviced may be selected by a user input, priority, predetermined preferences or other criteria known to those having ordinary skill in the art.
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