BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an illustration of an audio monitor/microphone combination in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a detailed illustration of the plug connector shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an illustration of a one piece adaptor; and
FIG. 4 is an illustration of a multi-piece adaptor.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 is an illustration of an audio monitor/microphone combination 100 in accordance with the invention. The system includes a pair of audio monitors 101 and 103, also referred to herein as earphones, and a microphone 105. The audio monitors and the microphone are electrically connected to a plug connector 107 via cables 109.
FIG. 2 is a detailed illustration of plug connector 107. As shown, plug connector 107 includes four contact regions 201-204 separated by three electrically insulating rings 205. Plug connector 107 is configured such that tip contact region 201 corresponds to the left-hand speaker channel input, contact region 202 corresponds to the right-hand speaker channel input, contact region 203 corresponds to the microphone (+ve) output, and contact region 204 corresponds to both the speaker ground and the microphone ground. Although other sizes can be used, preferably plug connector 107 is a standard 3.5 millimeter (i.e., miniature) plug.
By using a standard 3.5 millimeter plug configured such that the tip contact region 201 is the left-hand channel, contact region 202 is the right-hand speaker channel and the sleeve (i.e., region 204) is the ground, plug connector 107 can be coupled to the miniature jack of any non-microphone enabled audio device which uses the standard audio output configuration. During such use, microphone 105 remains unconnected and preferably contact region 203 (i.e., microphone +ve output) is electrically connected to ground (i.e., contact region 204).
In order to use monitor/microphone combination 100 with an audio device that also includes a microphone input, for example a cell phone, plug 107 is coupled to a single jack of the device that includes both a microphone input and a stereo audio output. Clearly the jack must include contacts that are arranged to correspond to contact regions 201-204, specifically a tip contact corresponding to contact region 201 that provides the left-hand channel audio output, a second contact corresponding to contact region 202 that provides the right-hand channel audio output, a third contact corresponding to contact region 203 that accepts the microphone (+ve) output, and a fourth contact corresponding to contact region 204 that accepts both microphone ground and speaker ground.
Accordingly, a monitor/microphone combination in accordance with FIGS. 1 and 2 can be used with any standard audio output only device (e.g., MP3 player) utilizing a miniature jack or with any audio output/microphone input device (e.g., cell phone with MP3 capabilities) that includes a suitably configured 3.5 millimeter jack. Furthermore, adaptors can be used to extend the usefulness of monitor/microphone combination 100. Preferably such adaptors, or at least one such adaptor, is provided with monitor/microphone combination 100, for example in a pre-packaged headphone/microphone system.
Adaptors for use with monitor/microphone combination 100 are preferably either single piece adaptors as shown in FIG. 3, or multi-piece adaptors as shown in FIG. 4. Adaptor 300 includes a 3.5 millimeter jack 301 within adaptor body 303 as well as a plug connector 305 that is configured to connect to the intended audio device (not shown). Adaptor 400 includes a 3.5 millimeter jack assembly 401, a plug connector 403 configured to connect to the intended audio device (not shown) and a cable 405 coupling jack assembly 401 to plug connector 403. Regardless of the adaptor style, the wiring within the adaptor reroutes the audio and microphone connections in order to make monitor/microphone combination 100 compatible with the intended device (e.g., a CD player, MP3 player, ATRAC3 player, WMA player, AM/FM radio, satellite receiver, DVD player, media center, personal computer, and/or a cell phone). This re-routing of the wiring may occur within the adaptor body of the single piece adaptor or within either the jack assembly or the plug connector of the multi-piece adaptor. It will be appreciated that the plug connector shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is only intended to illustrate, not limit, the invention. For example, although plug connectors 305 and 403 utilize dual plug arrangements, a compatible connector can use a single plug connector with a different contact arrangement or of a different size (e.g., 2.5 millimeter) from that of plug 107. Alternately, a compatible connector can use a different type of connector (e.g., USB A-type connector, USB B-type connector, USB mini-B connector, a connector compatible with a specific manufacturer's device, etc.).
It will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to a specific type or arrangement of earphones. Thus, earphones 101/103 are intended to be illustrative of any type of earphone including, but not limited to, ear buds, in ear monitors (i.e., canal phones), over-the-head headsets, over-the-ear headsets, clip-on headsets, and behind-the-neck headsets. Similarly, the present invention is not limited to a specific type or arrangement for the microphone. Thus, microphone 105 is intended to be illustrative of any type of microphone including, but not limited to, a boom-mounted microphone attached to the headset, a microphone integrated within an earphone, a microphone located on (or integrated within) a headset cable, and a microphone mounted within a lanyard.
As will be understood by those familiar with the art, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Accordingly, the disclosures and descriptions herein are intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention which is set forth in the following claims.
Patent Application
20080069369
