Patent Application
20090046869
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Wireless headphones are known that allow a user to receive transmitted audio signals from a transmitter on an audio player. These headphones typically include a single receiver that receives the audio signal and produces an output signal that is provided to each of the headphones through an electrical connection. While these devices provide the benefits of wireless headphones, the headphones are larger and more comfortable than the popular, compact, wire connected ear buds. This is due to the fact that the circuitry used to implement the receiver in the headphones is bulky and has large power requirements. In addition, the formats, such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, typically used for wireless headphones require expensive, often proprietary, receiver circuitry. Prior art wireless headphones also lack the bandwidth to transmit true stereo audio from the head phones due to cost; and power limitations. Therefore, what is needed is an improved, inexpensive device for providing an audio player with wireless headphones with high quality stereo audio reception.
An embodiment of the present invention is directed toward a device for producing a stereo audio output. The device includes a first audio output having a receiver and a speaker and a second audio output having a receiver and a speaker. The audio outputs can be headphones, earphones or ear buds. The receivers are preferably mono receivers. A base station wirelessly transmits a left audio signal to the receiver in the first audio output in a first broadcast frequency range and a right audio signal to the receiver in the second audio output in a second broadcast frequency range. The first and second broadcast frequency ranges are preferably FM, broadcast frequency bands that are user selectable. Alternatively, the device can be configured to search for two broadcast frequency ranges having an acceptable amount of noise and set the first and second broadcast frequency ranges to the identified acceptable broadcast frequency ranges. The base station further includes at least one dock for coupling to at least one of the first and second audio outputs such that a power supply in the at least one of the first and second audio outputs can be charged by a power supply of the base station. The base station is designed to be coupled to a media player such that an audio signal from the media player can be broadcast to the first and second audio output. The base station includes a first transmitter for transmitting the left audio signal and a second transmitter for transmitting the right audio signal.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed toward a wireless audio system that includes a first earphone or headphone having a mono receiver and a speaker and a second earphone or headphone having a receiver and a speaker. A base transmits a right audio signal to the first earphone or headphone and a left audio signal to the second earphone or headphone. The base is adapted to be removably coupled to a portable electronic device such that an audio signal is received from the portable electronic device by the transmitter. The base includes a charger for charging the earphones or headphones and the power for the charger is received from the portable electronic device. The housing of the base is configured to physically couple to a housing of the portable electronic device. The user inputs of the portable electronic device can be used to control functions of the system.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention is directed toward a method of wirelessly transmitting an audio signal from a base to a pair of receivers. The audio signal is received with the base from a portable electronic device coupled to the base. In accordance with the method, the audio signal is converted into a right audio transmission signal in a first frequency range and a left audio signal in a second frequency range. The right audio transmission signal is transmitted from the base to a first of the pair of receivers and the left audio transmission signal is transmitted from the base to a second of the pair of receivers. The base is configured to transmit the right and left audio signals at a first and second FM frequency selected by a user. A power supply of the receivers is charged with the base. The receivers are preferably mono receivers.
a-d) are illustrations of a preferred pair of ear buds for use with an embodiment of the present invention; and
a) and 5(b) are illustrations of a preferred method of docking an ear bud to a base station in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
The present invention is directed toward an audio device, or an accessory for use with an audio device, which includes a pair of wireless headphones, earphones or ear buds that, receive audio transmissions transmitted from the audio device. Referring now to
The receivers in the earphones 6 and 8 are preferably mono receivers as discussed in, more detail herein. Mono receivers are smaller and less expensive, and require less power than stereo receivers. This makes mono receivers much better suited for use in wireless earphones, buds or headphones that have limited power supplies. Also, the use of mono receivers allows each earphone to be constructed with an identical circuit, thereby, further reducing the production costs associated % with the earphones.
The accessory 2 receives a right and left audio signal from the device 4 and transmits the right audio signal to one earphone 6 on a first transmission frequency and the left audio signal to the other earphone 8 on a second transmission frequency. The accessory 2 has an input/output connector such as a USB, 30 pin, audio jack, etc. that is used to electrically and physically couple the accessory 2 to a corresponding input/output connector on the device 4. The particular type of input/output connector selected for the accessory 2 depends upon the type of input/output connector on the device 4 for which the accessory 2 is designed. The accessory 2 also preferably has a housing 10 that is designed to be coupled with the portable electronic device 4 such that the accessory 2 and the portable electronic device 4 function, and can be carried, as a single unit.
In the embodiment of
The accessory also includes a set of earphone jacks or docks 15 that are adapted to receive the earphones 6 and 8. In the embodiment of
The accessory 2 can preferably write text to the portable electronic device's display 12 and repurpose the controls 14 of the portable electronic device 4 to control functions of the accessory 2. In such an embodiment, the accessory 2 can tune to frequencies selected with the controls 14 of the device 4. The accessory controls 16 or device controls 14 can be used to manipulate accessory generated menus displayed on a display screen 12 of the portable device 4. By selecting the proper menus, device 4 and accessory 2 functions, such as the volume, operating mode, display, etc., can be controlled through manipulation of the controls 14 or 16. Which particular controls to use to control which particular functions will be determined based upon the particular type of portable electronic device 4 for which the accessory 2 is designed or configured.
The accessory 2 user inputs 16 may also include a voice activation system that allows a user to control the accessory 2 or device 4 through voice commands. In such an embodiment, the user inputs 16 include a microphone that detects the voice commands. Voice recognition software then interprets the output of the microphone into accessory 2 or device 4 commands.
Referring now to
When the ear buds 32 and 34 are disconnected from the base station 30 and placed into the ears of a user, the processor 36 wirelessly transfers audio signals received through the device interface 70 to the receivers 40 and 42, CDC7099s in the embodiment shown in the ear buds 32 and 34 through a pair of transmitters 66 and 68. The receivers 40 and 42 provide their output to decoders 48 and 50 which in turn provide an output to speakers 52 and 54 in each of the ear buds 32 and 34. The left ear bud decoder 48 provides a left stereo output to its speaker 52 and the right ear bud decoder 50 provides a right stereo output to its speaker 54.
By utilizing separate transmission frequencies to transmit the left and right audio signals to each of the ear buds, the circuitry required to implement the receivers in the ear bids is minimized. In additions the power requirements, and thus the size of the required size of the power supplies, of the receivers are minimized such that the ear buds can be implemented as separate pieces that fit in the ears of a user. The use of separate transmission frequencies also provides increased bandwidth for the transmission and a corresponding increase in audio quality.
The desired cost and complexity of the accessory will determine the level of functionality installed in any particular embodiment. Referring now to
The accessory 82 includes a pair of transmitters 98 and 100 that transmit audio signals through antennas 103 to two receivers 102 and 104 in the earphones 106 and 108. The accessory 82 receives an analog or digital audio signal from the device 80 through the interfaces 84 and 86. The accessory 82 then creates right and left audio radio broadcast frequency signals corresponding to the audio signal received from the device 80. The left and right audio signals are each transmitted through one of the transmitters 98 and 100 to the receivers 102 and 104 at two selected frequencies. The transmit frequencies can be pre-selected and set at the factory, manually set by a user or automatically determined by the accessory 82. For example, the microcontroller 90 can be used to alter the transmit frequencies of the transmitters 98 and 100 in response to a user manipulating a user input 96 or 110 of the device or accessory. If the transmits frequencies are altered from a preset value, the earphones 106 and 108 can be reconfigured to receive at the selected frequencies when the dock connectors 122 and 124 of the earphones 106 and 108 are connected to the earphone docks 126 and 128 of the accessory 82. This is preferably accomplished through a menu driven interface that uses the display 111 and inputs 110 of the accessory.
The accessory 82, device 80 and earphones 106 and 108 can be powered in a number of different manners depending upon the parameters of the device to which the accessory is adapted to be coupled. The accessory 82 may be a parasitic device that takes its power from a power supply 116 of the portable electronic device 80 if the device power supply is capable of supplying the power required by the circuitry of the accessory 82. However, in alternate embodiments, the accessory 82 may contain an internal power source 118 for powering the accessory 82 and charging the portable electronic device 80. An external power supply connection 120 also can be coupled to the portable electronic device 80 through the accessory 82 if desired. This allows the device 80 to be charged while it is coupled to the accessory 82 and the accessory is functioning such that the accessory can be used while the device is being charged. In addition, the external power connection 120 provides the increased power required by the accessory without draining the power supply 116 of the device. The earphone docks 126 and 128 are used to supply power from the accessory 82 to the power supplies 130 and 132 of the earphones 106 and 1080 when they are docked to the accessory 82.
The accessory 82 can also preferably be selectively configured to transmit on a single FM channel such that a standard radio receiver call receive audio from the device 80 if desired. An accessory 82 constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention also sends data to the portable electronic device 80 that instructs the portable electronic device to display the currently selected transmitter frequency or channel on the display screen 88 of the device 80. By utilizing the display 88 of the device 80, the cost of the components required to implement the accessory 82 is minimized. In addition, the accessory 82 can preferably display menus on the screen on the device and allow a user to manipulate the menus through the use of the controls 96 of the portable electronic device 80 to control the functions of the accessory 82. Conversion codes and routines for converting device outputs into accessory inputs, or vice versa, can be stored in the accessory memory 99.
A transmitting accessory 82 constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention may also include an accessory verification system 113 that works with a device verification system 114 to verify that the accessory 82 is being used by an approved portable electronic device 80 or that the accessory 82 is an approved accessory for the device 80. The verification system 113 and 114 can use an identification resistor, a digital certificate, validation code or any other type of identification system or circuitry known in the art to verify that the device 80 and accessory 82 are produced by approved entities. Digital rights management software may also be included in the accessory 82 for use by the microcontroller 90 to verify the authenticity of any copyrighted material being transmitted from the device 80 by the accessory 82.
An accessory 82 constructed in accordance with all embodiment of the present invention also preferably includes a pass through connector 112 that allows a second accessory to couple to an output or input port of the electronic device 80 through the accessory 82. For example, the accessory may have a USB port that allows an external device to be coupled through the accessory to the USB port of the device if the accessory covers the USB port of the device when it is coupled to the device. Alternatively, the pass through connector 112 can be used to supply power to the device 80 through the accessory 82.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Although there have been described particular embodiments of the present invention of new and useful WIRELESS AUDIO RECEIVERS, it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this invention except as set forth in the following claims.
