Patent Application
20100104125
This invention relates generally to communication devices, and relates more particularly to headsets for communication devices.
Certain electronic devices, such as cellular telephones, radios, and the like, operate in part by transmitting audio signals through a speaker to an ear of a user of the electronic device. On some such devices, the speaker is not capable of transmitting the audio signals such that they can be heard clearly at a distance, thus requiring those devices, or the speakers of those devices, to be held directly to the ear. Privacy, courtesy, and other considerations sometimes dictate that speakers on electronic devices also be held directly to the ear even where this is not a requirement of the device. Headphones, earpieces, headsets, and the like have been developed that allow users of electronic devices to position a speaker next to or in the ear without having to hold the speaker in place. However, the existing headphones, earpieces, headsets, and the like, while offering certain useful features, do not offer the flexibility necessary to provide a secure, comfortable fit customizable for both left and right ears in a variety of shapes and sizes, and/or customizable for a variety of individual preferences. Accordingly, there exists a need for a headset capable of use with an electronic device and that is capable of a comfortable, secure, customizable, and reconfigurable fit on a user's ear.
The invention will be better understood from a reading of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures in the drawings in which:
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, the drawing figures illustrate the general manner of construction, and descriptions and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention. The same reference numerals in different figures denote the same elements.
The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of the invention described herein are, for example, capable of operation in sequences other than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. Furthermore, the terms “comprise,” “include,” “have,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.
The terms “left,” “right,” “front,” “back,” “top,” “bottom,” “over,” “under,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing permanent relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of the invention described herein are, for example, capable of operation in other orientations than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. The term “coupled,” as used herein, is defined as directly or indirectly connected in an electrical, mechanical, or other manner.
In one embodiment of the invention, a headset capable of receiving signals from an electronic device comprises a body, a neck protruding from the body, a speaker coupled to the neck, an ear loop removably attached to the neck, and an earplug removably attached to the neck. The ear loop can comprise a headset attachment portion comprising a substantially circular arc and an ear engagement portion coupled to the headset attachment portion and comprising a flexible wire surrounded by a coating. The earplug can comprise a headset engaging portion comprising a first ring and an ear engaging portion adjacent to the headset engaging portion and comprising a second ring having a protruding lip.
In another embodiment, a headset system comprises a headset comprising a body and an earpiece, and a docking station comprising a receiving mechanism sized to receive a portion of the body. The earpiece can be located outside of the receiving mechanism when the portion of the body is coupled to the receiving mechanism. Other examples and embodiments are described herein.
As illustrated in
As an example of how headset 100 may be used, ear loop 140 and earplug 150 can be placed, respectively, over and in the ear of a cell phone user so as to securely position speaker 130 in a location where the user can hear the sounds being transmitted through speaker 130. With headset 100 securely in place in the user's ear, the user need not hold the cell phone at all, thus keeping the hands free to perform other tasks. As a particular example, headset 100 allows a driver of a vehicle to grasp the steering wheel of the vehicle with both hands rather than use one hand to hold the cell phone, thus promoting and increasing the safety of the roadways.
In at least one embodiment, headset 100 is a wireless headset allowing hands-free communication between it and a wireless-enabled host such as a Bluetooth computer, cell phone, or other device. Headset 100 may also be used, without wires, in connection with non wireless-enabled devices, provided an appropriate dongle is used. Such dongles are known in the art and will therefore not be further described herein. Headset 100 may further be used in connection with a transceiver enhancing, for example, use of headset 100 in a vehicle. As an example, the transceiver may be capable of providing power to operate headset 100, and/or recharge the battery therein, via the vehicle's cigarette lighter adapter. As another example, the transceiver may be capable of serving as a dock or mounting receptacle for headset 100, and may comprise a built-in speaker and microphone to allow headset 100 to function as a speakerphone when headset 100 is docked with or mounted on the transceiver.
Switch 470 is capable of at least one of rotational and linear movement. More specifically, switch 470 can either be rotated in both the clockwise and counterclockwise directions, or can be pushed and released so that it retreats slightly into and rebounds from end 450 of body 110. Accordingly, in the context of switch 470, linear movement means movement into and out of body 110 substantially in the direction of an arrow 480 shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, body 110 is an elongated or elliptical body having a major axis 391 and a minor axis 392 substantially perpendicular to major axis 391. Switch 470 and microphone 360 are located substantially at opposite ends of major axis 391.
As described in more detail below, ear loop 140 (
In one embodiment, tab 813 is located substantially opposite arcuate segment 321. Lip 811 and lip 812 are sized to fit into groove 322 and into groove 422, while tab 813 is sized to fit into groove 523. Attachment portion 810 may be constructed of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), another plastic resin, or the like, and is capable of being flexed such that it may be snapped onto neck 120 (
Attachment of ear loop 140 to neck 120 comprises maneuvering attachment portion 810 onto neck 120 as described above until lip 811 is positioned either in groove 322 or groove 422, lip 812 is in the one of groove 322 and 422 not occupied by lip 811, and tab 813 is in groove 523. As an example, headset 100 (
Referring still to
As an example, wire 821 can be flexible or otherwise adjustable such that it can be molded or placed into any shape and retain that shape until it is molded or placed into a different shape, at which time it retains that different shape. Accordingly, the user of headset 100 can mold ear loop 140 into whatever shape is comfortable for either ear, and change that shape at any time according to personal preference. Ear loop 140 is thus customizable for ears of a very wide variety of shapes and sizes.
Neck attachment portion 1110 comprises a first ring, an upper perimeter of which may be seen in
Sidewall 1313 comprises a portion 1316 adjacent to floor 1311 and a portion 1317 between portion 1316 and ceiling 1312. Portion 1316 has an inside surface 1318 and portion 1317 has an inside surface 1319. A thickness of portion 1316 of sidewall 1313 and a thickness of portion 1317 of sidewall 1313 is measured between an outside surface 1370 of neck attachment portion 1110 and, respectively, inside surface 1318 and inside surface 1319. In the illustrated embodiment, the thickness of portion 1316 is less than the thickness of portion 1317, and such would be the case even if, unlike the illustrated embodiment, outside surface 1370 formed a straight sidewall oriented at ninety degrees to floor 1311.
In a non-illustrated embodiment, headset 100 comprises, instead of or in addition to earplug 150, an earplug comprising a neck attachment portion and an ear engaging portion largely as described above but not having a protruding lip. Some users of headset 100 may find such an earplug to be more comfortable because it does not protrude as far into the ear as does earplug 150. In another non-illustrated embodiment, headset 100 comprises, instead of or in addition to earplug 150 and/or the alternate earplug described earlier in this paragraph, an earplug comprising a neck attachment portion and an ear engaging portion largely as described above but having a tapered, funnel-like, or other hollow protrusion in place of a protruding lip. The hollow protrusion could be capable of being partially inserted into the ear canal so as to better direct sound coming from speaker 130 to the eardrum. In addition to those mentioned in this paragraph, other earplug embodiments may also be used in connection with headset 100. All of the described earplugs, including earplug 150, help keep headset 100 in place in or near the ear of a user, improve long-term comfort by spreading the weight of headset 100 over a larger surface area, and help keep ambient noise from entering the ear canal and interfering with the signals emanating from speaker 130.
A step 1520 of method 1500 is to provide a speaker coupled to the neck. As an example, the speaker can be similar to speaker 130, first shown in
A step 1530 of method 1500 is to provide an ear loop removably attachable to the neck. As an example, the ear loop can be similar to ear loop 140, first shown in
In the same or another embodiment, step 1530 further comprises providing an ear engagement portion coupled to the attachment portion and comprising a flexible wire and a coating surrounding the flexible wire. As an example, the ear engagement portion can be similar to ear engagement portion 820, first shown in
A step 1540 of method 1500 is to provide an earplug removably attachable to the neck. As an example, the earplug can be similar to earplug 150, first shown in
Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Various examples of such changes have been given in the foregoing description. Accordingly, the disclosure of embodiments of the invention is intended to be illustrative of the scope of the invention and is not intended to be limiting. It is intended that the scope of the invention shall be limited only to the extent required by the appended claims. For example, to one of ordinary skill in the art, it will be readily apparent that the headset discussed herein may be implemented in a variety of embodiments, and that the foregoing discussion of certain of these embodiments does not necessarily represent a complete description of all possible embodiments. Rather, the detailed description of the drawings, and the drawings themselves, disclose at least one preferred embodiment of the invention, and may disclose alternative embodiments of the invention.
All elements claimed in any particular claim are essential to the invention claimed in that particular claim. Consequently, replacement of one or more claimed elements constitutes reconstruction and not repair. Additionally, benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described with regard to specific embodiments. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element or elements that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced, however, are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all of the claims.
Moreover, embodiments and limitations disclosed herein are not dedicated to the public under the doctrine of dedication if the embodiments and/or limitations: (1) are not expressly claimed in the claims; and (2) are or are potentially equivalents of express elements and/or limitations in the claims under the doctrine of equivalents.
This application claims priority to U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 11/031,028, filed on Jan. 6, 2005. The disclosure of the referenced application is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 11031028 | Jan 2005 | US |
| Child | 12649702 | US |
