Patent ID: 8812064

Claim:
A headset for use with a mobile communication device, the headset comprising: a standard headset jack plug configured to be received in a port of the mobile communication device; a multi-button control unit configured to activate commands on the mobile communication device, the multi-button control unit including: a set of buttons, each representing one of the commands; and a controller in communication with each button of the set of buttons; the standard headset jack plug including a microphone portion having first and second microphone wires coupled thereto, the first microphone wire associated with a microphone section of a printed circuit board assembly, and the second microphone wire associated with an output of the controller of the multi-button control unit; wherein the controller is configured to detect depression of one of the set of buttons and to transmit an encoded control signal, corresponding to the depressed button, to the standard headset jack plug via the second microphone wire, the encoded control signal comprising a series of voltage pulses, each pulse representing a difference in voltage across the second microphone wire relative to a ground wire.