Abstract:
A retractable gaming headphone communication system without a retractable microphone boom retracted in a simple one touch fashion. The headphone communication system is automatically disengaged and put in an off or mute mode when boom is in a deployed position and an operational communication mode when in a deployed position. the system provides an interface for digital bidirectional communication with other users. The system further provide for kinetic integration in the gaming environment.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/765,893 filed February 18, 2013 entitled HEADPHONE SYSTEM WITH RETRACTABLE MICROPHONE. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention is in the field of audio headphones, and more particularly headphones having a microphone that may be retracted to a secure position when not in use and to a deployed position when in use enabling a communication system. 
         [0004]    2. Summary of the Art 
         [0005]    Audio headphones have long been a staple for audiophiles and for use in applications where the quality of the audio experience of the listener was crucial. With active lifestyles and the introduction of the digital audio players and smart phones, the use of audio headphones has continued to grow significantly. Multi-player and on-line interactive video gaming has also become popular, creating demand for specialized headphones that are designed to reproduce more authentic emersion of players into the game. Gamers use headphones to enhance the gamers over all gaming experience by providing the sensation of directionality of sound that represents object and players in the gaming environment, and that provide capabilities for communication with other players. 
         [0006]    Audio headphones generally include an ear piece or cup for each ear that houses the audio speaker driver. The ear piece of headphones can be over the ear with an enclosure that covers the entire ear and minimizes or prevents outside noise from entering the ear. The ear piece can also be an on-ear type without the ear enclosure or in-ear buds. The on-ear and over-the-ear ear piece is generally attached to a head band that can be adjusted to fit the head of the individual listener. 
         [0007]    The ear piece contains an audio transducer. The transducer receives audio signals from an audio source player. The source player transmits the signal to the headphones through an audio cord that is preferably shielded to prevent electrical interference and usually covered with a thin plastic or rubberized material that is flexible, the cord having an electrical connector or jack at the terminal end for making electrical connection with the source player. One limitation with the cord is that it must be of a sufficient length to allow the headphones to reach the listeners ears while maintaining the source at a stable location such as in the user&#39;s pocket or clipped to the user&#39;s belt. Headphones have been developed to provide the audio signal wirelessly . Currently, very popular wireless headphones include infrared earphones, radio frequency (RF) earphones, and Bluetooth earphones. Bluetooth technology&#39;s unique and miniaturized design is important for wireless bidirectional digital transfer of digital information and increased data transfer capabilities important for gaming. 
         [0008]    For interactive gaming and other applications, headphones include a microphone to allow communication between players. These designs generally require a boom for the microphone to be positioned in front of the user&#39;s mouth in order to obtain the proper audio quality. A boom configuration is undesirable for most gamers because the player may accidentally touch the boom while speaking or the boom can be an obstruction while the gamer is consuming food or beverage during play. Additionally, gaming headphones may not be appropriate or convenient for use in environments at a distance away from the computer, therefore limiting their application. When in public, while listening to music, the boom may be unnecessary and obstructive with the microphone protrude from the headphone. Dealing with the microphone becomes very inconvenient and annoying. Some manufactures have addressed this limitation by developing a telescopic boom for the microphone. Although, this design provides some improvement, it is still limited in that the boom remains attached to the head band or ear piece and continues to interfere with the gaming experience. The user must pull the telescope sections out and lock them in place. This makes retraction difficult and inconvenient, often requiring the gamer to remove the headphone to retract the microphone. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The current invention overcomes the limitation of the prior art. It is one object of the invention to have a headphone system with a retractable microphone to overcome the drawbacks that exist in earphones having microphones. 
         [0010]    It is an object of the invention to proved a retractable microphone system without a boom, but that retract is a simple one touch fashion. 
         [0011]    It is an object of the invention to provide a gaming headphone with a retractable microphone wherein when retracted the headphone communication system is automatically disengaged and put in an off mode or alternatively a mute mode. 
         [0012]    It is an object of the invention to provide a gaming headphone with a retractable microphone wherein when the microphone is in a deployed position the communications system is engaged and put in the operation mode. 
         [0013]    It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a headphone system with an interface that provides a means for digital bidirectional communication with other users. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0014]    The features and advantages of the present invention and the structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the accompanied drawings. 
           [0015]      FIG. 1A  is an perspective view of the inventive headphones with retractable microphone according to one embodiment of the present invention, wherein the retractable microphone is in an deployed position for use. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of the inventive headphones with retractable microphone according to one embodiment of the present invention, wherein the retractable microphone is in a retracted position. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the mechanical construction of only one representative ear piece of the inventive headphones with retractable microphone according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  Is a block diagram of the inventive headphone system with retractable microphone according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is an exploded schematic view the mechanical construction of only one representative ear piece of the inventive headphones with retractable microphone according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5A  is a perspective drawing of the gaming controller with transceiver uncoupled according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5B  is a perspective drawing of the gaming controller with transceiver coupled according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    The disclosed embodiment of the current invention relates to an audio gaming headphone system with a retractable microphone system. The objects of this invention is to provide novel solutions to overcome the limitation described relating to current audio gaming headphone systems having retractable microphone booms. 
         [0023]    Now with reference to the figures,  FIGS. 1-3 , disclosed is one embodiment of the present inventive headphone system  100 . The inventive headphone system  100  is comprised of a first ear piece  110  and a second ear piece  120  for fitting to each ear and providing sound to the listener. Each ear piece  110 ,  120  is secured by attachment to a swivel connector  130 ,  140 , which are secured to a head band  150 . For better illustration of each ear piece,  FIG. 1A and 1B  show the headband  150  in partial view, however the headband  150  is a single band. In one ear piece  120 , incorporated is a microphone boom  155 , which can be in a deployed position as show, or in a retracted position, wherein the boom is concealed within the ear piece  120 . When in a retracted position the boom  155  is essentially flush with the surface or the ear piece  120   
         [0024]      FIG. 2  shows the mechanical construction of only one representative ear piece  200  having the microphone boom  201 . The ear piece  200  is comprised of a housing base structure  202 , which can be constructed of any rigid or semi-rigid material such as a metal or hard plastic. The housing base structure  201  serves as a mounting structure to secure the various components within the ear piece  200 , such as integrated circuits and the audio transducer. The housing base  202  is covered on the outer surface by an outer plate  203  that covers an open cavity (not shown) on the outer portion of the housing plate  203 . The outer plate  203  is primarily ornamental and can be constructed of any number of materials and ornamental configurations that suit the desired aesthetics of the headphones. 
         [0025]    To secure the housing base  202  to the headphone band, one end of a swivel arm  204  is inserted into the housing connector  205  by a post  206 . The housing connector  205  and post  206  can be of any configuration, but preferably, the housing base  202  can rotate about the post  206  on a horizontal plane using a tube connector with a swivel flange. On the other end, the swivel arm  204  is secured to the headband (not shown) on a vertical plain using a post  207  tube connector secured with two halves a swivel flange  208  and  209 . In one contemplated embodiment of the invention, the ear piece  200  includes compartment or module  215  for housing one or more servo mechanisms (not shown) that generate motion within the headphones ear piece based on signals received from the gaming console. This motion simulates actions that occur within the game such as turning, shaking, tilting, temperature change or compression. 
         [0026]    The ear piece  200  includes an ear cushion  210  which is mounted the housing base  202  with a mounting grommet  211  and plate  212  for securing the audio transducer (not shown). The ear cushion can be secured in a number of well known ways, such as adhesive, threading, or tongue and groove. The speaker boom module mount  213  is secured to the housing base  202  by compression fit with grommet  211  and screws. the microphone boom  201  is secured to the mount  213  by a hinge  214 . 
         [0027]    Now with reference to  FIG. 3 , shown is a block diagram of the headphone system  300 . Each ear piece  301  includes a power management circuit  302 , which one skilled in the art will appreciate to be any one of a number of well known power management circuits. The power management circuit  302  manages the power distribution and consumption of the system  300 , providing power to the components of the ear piece  301 . Power is preferably provided by a battery  303 , which may be, but is not necessarily rechargeable. Recharging the battery can be accomplished through a charging connector  304 , which is part of the power management circuit  302 . The charging circuit can be any type of well know charging protocol, such as fast charge, inductive charge, pulsed charge or trickle charge. The preferred charging connector is a USB charging connector. By providing a connector in the ear piece, the listener can hard wire to compatible devices or replace the cord with a wireless adaptor upgrade. In one embodiment, each ear piece may have an electrical connector for accepting a RCA cord jack that provides the audio signal; the cord having a jack for providing power to each headphone and a third jack portion for the audio source. 
         [0028]    The ear piece  301  also includes an audio signal circuit module  305 . The audio signal circuit  105  intentionally alter auditory output signals or sound outputs to enhance aspects of the audio effect and listening experience of the gamer to create a sense of directionality of sound or the enhancement of particular sounds. This is especially important in the gaming context to provide the gamer a sense of the location or direction of other players or objects in the gaming environment. The audio signals may be electronically represented in either digital or analog format, signal processing may occur in either transmission mode. Analog processors operate directly on the electrical signal, while digital processors operate mathematically on the digital representation of that signal. 
         [0029]    The audio signal is transmitted to an audio transducer  306  to convert the signal into acoustic sound waves perceptible to the listener, or the signal may be communicated to a wireless transceiver  307 . There are a number of well known arrangements and configurations for headphone transducers. All of these transducer arrangements are contemplated to be within the scope of the current invention. 
         [0030]    The audio signal circuitry  305  also provides for accepting communication signals from a microphone  308 . The microphone  308  is associated with a microphone switch  309  for muting the input to the microphone  308  and is secured within a microphone boom member  310 . The microphone is also in communication with the audio signal processing circuit  305 , which receives signals generated by the microphone  308  and provides a output signal. Such output signal may include any well-known analog or digital output. The signal generated by the microphone  308  may be output from the audio signal circuitry  305  through a wireless transceiver  307 . However, it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the output can be through any wired or wireless channel, including any known signal cable, RF, infrared or Bluetooth. 
         [0031]    The wireless transceiver  307  provides for analog or digital audio interfacing with and in communications with other devices, such as a gaming controller  320 . The digital interface means may be a standard USB or similar type of serial bus connector, but is preferably by way of short range wireless signal transceiver such as a Bluetooth transceiver  321 . The gaming controller  320  is in wireless communication with the gaming console (not shown), and wirelessly communicates audio signal from the gaming console to the headphones through the transceiver bridge between the gaming controller wireless transceiver  321  and the headphone transceiver  307 . The audio signal circuit  305  can receive audio signals from the microphone  308  and can format such signals for transmission the wireless transceiver  302  to the gaming controller wireless transceiver  321 . This provides for communication from the headphone wearer to other gamers in the gaming environment. 
         [0032]    In one contemplated embodiment of the invention, the ear piece  301  includes one or more servo mechanisms  312  that generate motion within the headphones ear piece based on signals received from the gaming console. This motion provides another layer of immersion within the gaming experience by simulating actions that occur within the game such as turning, shaking, tilting, temperature change or compression. 
         [0033]    Now with reference to  FIG. 4 , shown is a more detailed exploded view of a portion of the ear piece  400  and more particularly the microphone boom retraction and release mechanism. 
         [0034]    The ear piece  400  includes a housing  409  for securing components of the headphones, including the power management circuit  410  with battery  412 , and the audio signal circuit  411  and audio transducer  413 . As shown, the power management circuit  410  and audio signal circuit  411  are independent integrated circuits, which are mounted to a printed circuit board within the housing  409 . 
         [0035]    In the disclosed embodiment, the boom assembly  401  is secured to the ear piece housing  409  with a screw  414  tightened into a screw hole  415 , and pivots on the screw  414  between a retracted position and a deployed position. The microphone boom assembly  401  is comprised of two halves of a boom housing  402  and  403 . The microphone boom assembly  401  is associated with a tension spring  404  having a compression coil  405  and spring arm  406 . The spring  406  arm is secured into one half of the boom housing assembly  403  through a clip mechanism  407 . A microphone  408  is also secured within the boom  401  using a clip. The spring coil  405  includes a tension anchor  416  which is secured to the housing  409  at an spring anchor location  417  when the ear piece  400  is fully assembled. When the boom assembly  401  is in the retracted position within the housing  409  the compression coil is tightened causing compression and forcing the boom assembly  401  into a deployed position. 
         [0036]    The system also include a boom locking mechanism  415  that restrains the boom assembly  401  within the housing  409  when in the retracted position and allows the boom member  401  to be deployed when the lock mechanism  418  is disengaged. The locking mechanism  418  may be any well-known type of lock such as a push button, push grip, slider tab, turn lock, magnetic lock, push-in/push-out or similar lock. In the disclosed embodiment, secured within the housing  409  is a single point cam lock mechanism  418  and an associated mute switch  419 . When retracted in to the body of the housing  409 , the lock head  421  of the boom assembly  401  causes the cams  420  of the camlock mechanism  418  to compress around the lock head  421 , securing the boom assembly  401  within the housing  409 . Associated with the lock mechanism  418  and the microphone  408  is a microphone mute switch  419 . The mute switch  419  is engaged and mutes the microphone  408  when the boom assembly  401  is in put in the retracted position and the camlock  418  is engaged. When the boom assembly  401  is in the deployed position, the mute switch  419  is disengaged, the camlock is released and the microphone is operational. The action of muting the microphone when the boom is retracted allows the user to listen to audio without having a conspicuous microphone being visible. 
         [0037]    Also secured within the housing is a motion module  421  for sensing or generating motion. The motion module  421  contains one or more motion generating devices, such as servo motors, hammer, unbalanced mass, or other mechanical vibrator. The motion detection can be achieved by both mechanical and electronic methods, such as gyro, optical and acoustical motion detection devices, such as PIR motion detectors. Signals from the motion detectors are communicated to the audio processing circuit for transmission to the gaming consol and in turn reflecting position data or motion data of the headphone system wearer onto a character&#39;s position or motion within the gaming environment. I will be appreciated that, when the muting of the microphone occurs, disabling of the motion generating and sensing may also likewise be disabled. 
         [0038]    The housing  409  also secures a transceiver module  422  for communication with another device capable of receiving wireless signals. Preferably, the transceiver is a Bluetooth module, but can be any type of well know IR, RF or directly wired link. The microphone  408  audio date is communicated to the audio signal circuit  411  for processing a data packaging and transfer to the wireless transceiver  422 . 
         [0039]    Now referring to  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the system may include a transceiver module  501  associated with a gaming controller  502 . The transceiver  501  is preferably a Bluetooth receiver module having a connector jack  503  for securing the transceiver  501  to the gaming controller  502  and for providing a communication bridge between the gaming console to the controller to the headphone system. Also incorporated into the transceiver module are various manual controls for volume  504  and balance  505 . One of ordinary skill in the art will understand that any control function button or switch can but built into the transceiver and all controls are contemplated within the invention.  FIG. 5A  shows the transceiver  501  secured to the gaming controller  502 . This configuration provides for a free moving gaming experience where both audio and kinetic data can be transferred between the gaming environment and the gamer. This provides input from the user, through motion of the headphone in to the gaming environment and from the gaming environment to the user through kinetic generators built into the headphone. Additionally, when the system is disconnected from the gaming environment and the microphone boom is in the retracted position, the user can use the headphones for a singular music listening experience. It will also be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the transceiver may be paired with a smart phone or table providing for use of the headphone in phone communication. 
         [0040]    While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention. 
         [0041]    Example embodiments are described herein in the context of an vehicle inventory and customer relation management systems and methods. Those of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the following description is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Other embodiments will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure. Reference will now be made in detail to implementations of the example embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The same reference indicators will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or like items. 
         [0042]    While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention. The present invention thus can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiment is to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.