Patent ID: 6928329

Claim:
A method enabling a plurality of separate and distinct audio data streams to be processed by a computing device to produce a plurality of separate and distinct audible outputs that are audible to a user, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving data for use by a software application being executed on the computing device, said software application executing on the computing device producing at least a portion of the plurality of the separate and distinct audio data streams, and said data conveying one audio data stream not generated by the software application that is maintained separate from all other audio data streams that are processed by the computing device; (b) converting each of the plurality of audio data streams into a corresponding analog audio signal, said one audio data stream being converted to a corresponding analog audio signal by an external controller that is coupled in communication with the computing device and enables a user to select a recipient and a function of audio data input by the user, said audio data input by the user being processed by the computing device to produce an output audio data stream that is selectively transmitted by the computing device to the recipient selected by the user, along with output data produced by the software application; (c) using an output of one of a sound card and a universal serial bus port for energizing a first sound transducer not worn by a user with the analog audio signals corresponding to the plurality of audio data streams other than said one audio data stream, to produce a first audible output generated by the software application; and (d) energizing a second sound transducer worn by a user with the analog audio signal corresponding to said one audio data stream to produce a second audible output, so that separate and distinct first and second audible outputs are produced in response to the plurality of audio data streams and are audible to the user.