Patent Application
20120045082
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to headsets and particularly headsets used with mobile or portable computing devices.
Wearable, mobile and/or portable computing devices, or terminals, are used for a wide variety of tasks. Such devices allow workers using them to maintain mobility, while providing the worker with desirable computing and data-processing functions. Furthermore, such devices may provide a communication link to a more powerful and centralized computer system, which further handles the organization of the tasks being performed. An overall integrated system may involve a combination of a central computer system for tracking and management of the tasks, a plurality of mobile devices and associated peripherals, as well as the people (“users”) who use the devices and interface with the devices and/or the computer system.
To provide an interface between the central computer system and the workers, wearable devices are oftentimes voice-enabled; i.e., are operated using human speech inputs and outputs. As such, the central computer and devices incorporate speech recognition technology and text-to-speech technology. To communicate in a voice-enabled system, for example, headsets are utilized by the user to interface with the portable computing devices. The speech input is provided to the computing devices through a microphone while speech output is provided to the user through a speaker. Thus, users are able to receive voice instructions, ask questions, report the progress of their tasks, collect data, and report working conditions, for example.
One drawback with conventional headsets is that users can build up a static charge. When a user puts on a headset, this static charge is often discharged by the user through the circuitry of the headset, such as the microphone or the speaker. Therefore, the static charge is directed to the user's head. Thus, the user perceives being shocked on the head, such as at the mouth or ear, both of which are sensitive areas of the user's body. This can cause users to dislike such headsets and eschew them for communication, which results in a lower quality of speech input, missed speech output, and a general decrease in efficiency. These electrostatic discharges can further harm circuitry of the headsets, rendering them inoperable. Thus, it is desirable to provide a headset to overcome those issues.
Attempts in the past to protect a person from the static discharge or electro-static discharge have often been directed to complicated systems that a person has to wear or engage with while working. Generally, such systems are often directed to stationary positioning of a person, such as at a desk or workstation. As such, existing systems would interfere with the movements of a person and tasks that they may perform while mobile, such as within a voice-enabled work system where a worker or user travels between different locations. Furthermore, existing attempts to insulate certain components of an electrical system are not desirable, because they increase the size and the weight of the various components. As may be appreciated, it is desirable to keep a headset that is worn by a user as lightweight as possible so that it is not cumbersome, and heavy on the head of a user. Such headsets, as used in voice-enabled systems, for example, are often worn for long periods of time. Therefore, weight and comfort is of paramount concern.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to address the problems and shortcomings within the prior art and to provide active protection for the person wearing the headset, particularly a person wearing a headset for an extended period of time.
Embodiments of the invention provide for a headset and system that is designed to provide a dedicated electrical path to a portable device such that the perception of static discharge from the user is substantially reduced or eliminated. Specifically, the headset includes an electrically conductive band and a headpiece that includes an electrically conductive portion that is configured to engage and electrically couple to the user's head. The headpiece is also electrically coupled with the conductive band. The headset further includes an earpiece assembly that is coupled with the conductive band to engage an ear of a user. The earpiece assembly has a ground conductor that is electrically coupled between the conductive band and a portable device for coupling the portable device to the head of a user. The invention reduces or eliminates the electrostatic discharge at the head of the user of the portable device.
These and other advantages will be apparent in light of the following figures and detailed description.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with a general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the embodiments of the invention. The specific design features as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, values, and shapes of various illustrated components will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment. Certain features of the embodiments of the invention may have been enlarged, distorted or otherwise rendered differently relative to others to facilitate visualization and clear understanding.
Turning to the drawings, wherein like numbers denote like parts throughout the several views,
In some embodiments, a suitable device 10 may be TALKMAN® or ACCUNURSE® wearable computers or computing devices distributed through Vocollect, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The device 10 may be used in a voice-enabled system, which uses speech recognition technology for the execution of work tasks, documentation and/or communication. The headset 12 provides hands-free voice communication between the user 14 and the device 10. For example, in one embodiment, the device 10 has a text-to-speech functionality and converts program code instructions to speech dialog (e.g., audio output) to be provided to the user 14 through the headset 12. The user 14 then replies, via speech input, which is converted to a useable digital format (e.g., machine readable input) using a speech recognition functionality to be further processed.
The headset 12 is coupled to the device 10 through a cord or cable 18 and a suitable connector 20. The headset 12 includes a speaker 22 that plays speech output (e.g., such as to instruct the user 14 to perform an action), and a microphone 24 that captures speech input from the user 14 (e.g., such as for conversion to machine readable input by the device 10). The user 14 thus interfaces with the device 10 hands-free through the headset 12.
To that end, the support band 30 thus includes two curved sections as at 35 that may at least partially conform to extend over to the top of the ears of the user 14 for support thereby. When the band 30 is positioned on the head with the curved sections 35 over both ears, the headpiece 32 lies generally against the temple of the user, while earpiece assembly 34 is preferably over one of the user's ears. Each curved section 35 of the support band 30 may be covered by a foam or rubber sheath 36 for greater user comfort. The headset 12 also includes an adjustable headpiece strap 37 that can also be used to hold the headset 12 to the head of the user 14. The strap 37 may be formed of a suitable stretchable material, such as a foam or rubber, for comfort and also to grip a user's head. In this manner, the support band 30, temple headpiece 32, earpiece assembly 34, and/or headpiece strap 37 are configured to support the speaker 22, located in the earpiece assembly 34, at about the location of an ear of the user 14 and the microphone 24, located at the end of a microphone boom 38, at about the location of the mouth of the user 14. Boom 38 may be flexible for positioning of the microphone 24 with respect to the user's mouth.
In one embodiment of the invention, the headpiece includes an electrically conductive portion that is configured to engage a user's head. Specifically, an exposed skin area of the user's head, such as the temple region, is contacted by the headpiece. The temple headpiece 32 includes a pad 40 and a temple headpiece housing 41, while the earpiece assembly 34 includes an inner housing 42 and an outer housing 43 that come together in a generally clam-shell arrangement. The pad 40 is made of a conductive material, such as an electrically conductive foam. The earpiece assembly 34 accepts and attaches to the cord 18 from the device 10 to electrically connect the speaker 22 and the microphone 24 to the device 10, as well as to electrically connect the user 14 to the ground potential of the device 10 as will be discussed below.
As illustrated in
The support member 44 is configured to be in electrical communication or electrically coupled with the conductive pad 40 and thus, when the headset 12 is worn, with the head of the user 14 through headpiece 32. In one embodiment, and as illustrated in
The ball 48 and member 44 are in electrical communication with at least one conductive plate 50. The plate 50 may be formed of metal and serves as a backing plate to conductive pad 40 and is electrically coupled with the pad to provide a good electrical connection between the plate 50 and the pad 40. The pad might be electrically coupled to the plate in a number of ways. The metal plate 50 may be rectangular or have a shape generally corresponding to that of the conductive pad 40. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the metal plate 50 may be attached to the foam pad 40 through an electrically conductive adhesive. The electrical connection between the ball 48 and the metal plate 50 is maintained by the compressive force that the support member 44 exerts on the metal plate 50 when the headset 12 is worn on the head of the user 14. The metal plate 50, and thus the foam pad 40, is held to the temple headpiece housing 41 by at least one headpiece attachment structure 52. As illustrated in
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the headpiece 32 is moveable in various directions to provide good electrical contact with the head of a user when the headset is worn. The ball 48 moving in the headpiece 32 provides a universal joint for the pad that allows universal movement of the temple headpiece 32 in various directions to establish comfort and good electrical and physical contact with the head of the user 14. The ball 48 is held between the temple headpiece 32 and the metal plate 50 by engagement of the ball 48 with portions or walls of the housing 41, such as walls 51 and 53. The walls form curved surfaces 59, 57 on the inside of the housing that engage and capture the ball and provide for universal movement of headpiece 32 as the ball moves or rolls against surfaces 57, 59. Other housing walls, not shown by the cross-sectional view of the housing in the Figures, will also engage and capture the ball. This embodiment allows the temple headpiece 32 to rotate and/or move in many directions such that the user 14 is provided with improved comfort and/or improved electrical contact with the headpiece 32.
In an alternative embodiment, and as illustrated in
In the embodiment illustrated in
Thus, an electrical path is provided from the foam pad 40 to the support member 44 in the temple headpiece 32. The support member 44, in turn, provides an electrical path to the earpiece assembly 34, and specifically an electrical path from the foam pad 40 to the earpiece assembly 34 so as to provide a conductive path to a ground reference, as explained below.
As illustrated in
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the ground conductor 72 is electrically coupled to the metal of support member 44 to ground the member 44 and also to provide a ground path to pad 40 and the skin in the temple area of a user's head. The ground conductor 72 is positioned between the support member 44 and the rib 64 such that, when the earpiece assembly 34 is assembled, the support member 44 is captured and forced against conductor 72 to thereby be electrically coupled with the ground conductor 72. Specifically,
Embodiments of the invention address drawbacks in the prior art by establishing electrical ground connection between a device 10 and a headset 12 to maintain the headset 12 and the device 10 at the same ground potential. The headset 12 includes components that establish electrical coupling between the head of user 14 and the headset 12, and thus the device 10, through a universally movable or rotatable temple headpiece 32. Embodiments of the invention particularly provide a ground path to the user 14 that is seamlessly incorporated into the mechanical components of the headset 12. The potential for an electrostatic discharge between a user 14 and the headset 12 and/or device 10 may thus be reduced or eliminated. Static sensitive components of the headset 12, specifically the speaker 22 and/or microphone 24 of the headset 12, are also protected, as the likelihood of electrostatic discharge into those components is reduced, if not eliminated, and/or shifted to insignificant components, such as the outer casing of the device 10. The present invention provides a static discharge path using the same components as mounted on a headset. Good contact and electrical conductivity and grounding is maintained, even through articulating components. The user will be generally unaware that the feature provides the benefit noted and does not have to wear or engage a separate grounding apparatus.
Moreover, embodiments of the invention provide for improved construction of the headset 12. Conventional methods of insulating a headset 12 require insulating individual components. Embodiments of the invention may not require such insulation, potentially decreasing the size of the headset 12 as well as decreasing the weight of the headset 12.
Those having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the environments illustrated in
The temple headpiece 32 may also be configured to be in a different location than that shown and described. For example, the temple headpiece 32 may be configured to be located above an ear of the user 14, below the ear of the user 14, on the ear of the user 14, on the neck of the user 14, on the cheekbone of the user 14, or on some alternative location of the head of the user 14. The location for the electrically conductive foam pad 40 and/or its electrical connection to the support member 44 may also be configured in a different location than that shown and described. For example, the foam pad 40 may be configured in the middle of the support band 30 such that the foam pad 40 is in electrical communication with the back of the head or the neck of the user 14. Alternatively, the foam pad 40 may be configured at the earpiece assembly 34 and in electrical communication with an ear of the user 14.
Thus, while embodiments of the invention have been illustrated by a description of the various embodiments and the examples, and while these embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Thus, embodiments of the invention in broader aspects are therefore not limited to the specific details and representative apparatuses. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the scope of applicant's general inventive concept.
Other modifications will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, the invention lies in the claims hereinafter appended.
