Patent Application
20170006395
To control various functions in a headset (or earset) with a boom microphone a user may need to push a button, slide a switch, or otherwise mechanically manipulate a similar control on the headset. For example, muting a microphone or initially activating a voice-operated switch (e.g., a voice operated exchange (Vox)), may require a user to access a button on the headset associated with the particular function. Mechanical manipulation of such a button can be difficult, and takes time as the user needs to search for the particular button associated with the desired function. These difficulties can be exacerbated in the dark (especially if the button is not backlit or does not protrude), or when the radio is inserted into the pocket, or when the user is riding a motorcycle.
In some devices (for example, a mobile radio), the user may need to navigate through a system menu in order to mute/unmute the microphone. Navigating through such a menu usually takes a longer amount of time to accomplish that actuated a button or similar control.
Accordingly, there is a need to find a convenient way to mute/unmute the microphone or activate/deactivate other functions (i.e., a Vox feature) in order to enhance a user's experience with a mobile communications device.
The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, together with the detailed description below, are incorporated in and form part of the specification, and serve to further illustrate embodiments of concepts that include the claimed invention, and explain various principles and advantages of those embodiments.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.
One embodiment provides a bendable boom microphone. The bendable boom microphone includes a bendable boom, a microphone, a sensor, and a controller. The bendable boom has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end of the bendable boom is anchored. The microphone is positioned at the second end of the bendable boom. The sensor detects a bend angle of the bendable boom. The controller receives an indication of the bend angle from the sensor and operates the bendable boom microphone in one of a plurality of modes based on the bend angle.
Another embodiment provides a method of operating a bendable boom microphone. The method includes the steps of detecting a bend angle of a bendable boom of the bendable boom microphone, comparing, by a controller, the bend angle to a first threshold, operating the bendable boom microphone in a first operating mode when the bend angle is less than the first threshold, and operating the bendable boom microphone in a second operating mode when the bend angle is greater than the first threshold.
As shown in
In one embodiment, the sensor 405 is a resistance-based, flexible bend sensor. The sensor 405 is attached to the bendable boom 120 and changes resistance as the boom is bent.
If the bend angle 300 is greater than the first threshold, the controller 400 compares the bend angle to a second threshold (e.g., 45 degrees) (step 515). If the bend angle 300 is less than the second threshold, the controller 400 operates in a second mode (step 520).
If the bend angle 300 is greater than the second threshold, the controller 400 operates in a third mode (step 525).
Each of the modes can include one or more operations including mute/unmute, Voice Operated Exchange (VOX), adjusting sensitivity levels, noise canceling, answer/hang-up, etc. For example, in the embodiment of
The mode can also include providing an indication to the user of the functioning of the boom microphone 110. For example a sound or voice indication (i.e., an audio indication) can be provided to alert the user to which function the boom microphone 110 has switched to as the bendable boom 120 is bent. Other indications include lighting an LED (e.g., on/off, or different colors can be used for different functions) and a haptic indicator (e.g., vibrating the headset 105 when the boom microphone 110 switches from mute to unmute).
Although certain examples are explained in detail, embodiments may be implemented using a number of other thresholds and operations (e.g., one threshold only—determining on/off). Further, the controller 400 can continuously modify an operation (e.g., signal to noise ratio, sensitivity, volume, etc.) over the full range of bend angles (i.e., an analog operating mode).
In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments have been described. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present teachings.
The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims. The invention is defined solely by the appended claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this application and all equivalents of those claims as issued.
Moreover in this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “has”, “having,” “includes”, “including,” “contains”, “containing” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by “comprises . . . a”, “has . . . a”, “includes . . . a”, “contains . . . a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains the element. The terms “a” and “an” are defined as one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise herein. The terms “substantially”, “essentially”, “approximately”, “about” or any other version thereof, are defined as being close to as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and in one non-limiting embodiment the term is defined to be within 10%, in another embodiment within 5%, in another embodiment within 1% and in another embodiment within 0.5%. The term “coupled” as used herein is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly and not necessarily mechanically. A device or structure that is “configured” in a certain way is configured in at least that way, but may also be configured in ways that are not listed.
It will be appreciated that some embodiments may be comprised of one or more generic or specialized processors (or “processing devices”) such as microprocessors, digital signal processors, customized processors and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and unique stored program instructions (including both software and firmware) that control the one or more processors to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processor circuits, some, most, or all of the functions of the method and/or apparatus described herein. Alternatively, some or all functions could be implemented by a state machine that has no stored program instructions, or in one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), in which each function or some combinations of certain of the functions are implemented as custom logic. Of course, a combination of the two approaches could be used.
Moreover, an embodiment can be implemented as a computer-readable storage medium having computer readable code stored thereon for programming a computer (e.g., comprising a processor) to perform a method as described and claimed herein. Examples of such computer-readable storage mediums include, but are not limited to, a hard disk, a CD-ROM, an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory), an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) and a Flash memory. Further, it is expected that one of ordinary skill, notwithstanding possibly significant effort and many design choices motivated by, for example, available time, current technology, and economic considerations, when guided by the concepts and principles disclosed herein will be readily capable of generating such software instructions and programs and ICs with minimal experimentation.
The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter
