Patent ID: 8254605

Claim:
A pen-based computing system for recording and playing back audio, comprising: a left audio device adapted to fit proximate to a user's left ear, the left audio device having an integrated left microphone for capturing a left audio input signal, and an integrated left speaker for playing back a left audio output signal; a right audio device adapted to fit proximate to a user's right ear, the right audio device having an integrated right microphone for capturing a right audio input signal and an integrated right speaker for playing back a right audio output signal; a connector plug for transferring audio signals between the left audio device, the right audio device, and a smart pen device, the connector plug comprising: a first conducting surface for transferring the left audio input signal captured by the integrated left microphone from the left audio device to the smart pen device; a second conducting surface for transferring the right audio input signal captured by the integrated right microphone from the right audio device to the smart pen device; a third conducting surface for transferring the left audio output signal from the smart pen device to the integrated left speaker of the left audio device; and a fourth conducting surface for transferring the right audio output signal from the smart pen device to the integrated right speaker of the right audio device; and the smart pen device, comprising a connector jack configured to be coupled to the connector plug, the connector jack comprising: a first conductor configured to be coupled to the first conducting surface of the connector plug; a second conductor configured to be coupled to the second conducting surface of the connector plug; a third conductor configured to be coupled to the third conducting surface of the connector plug; and a fourth conductor configured to be coupled to the fourth conducting surface of the connector plug; the smart pen device configured to record the left audio input signal received over the first conductor and record the right audio input signal received over the second conductor, and to synchronize captured handwriting gestures in time with the left audio input signal and the right audio input signal.