US 2012/0237052 A1Published application

Dual mode electronic headset with local and remote focused microphones

AssigneeODI Security; LLC

InventorRichard S. Slevin

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Abstract

An electronic headset for a user, the headset including a housing; a first microphone to receive a first audio input provided by the user; a second microphone to receive a second audio input provided by one or more audio sources other than the user; a controller converting the first audio input into a first electronic signal when the controller operates in a first operational mode and converting the second audio input into a second electronic signal when the controller operates in a second operational mode; a first output system active in the first operational mode to communicate the first electronic signal to a second electronic device; a second output system active in the second operational mode and including a sound generator to convert the second electronic signal into an audio signal; and a mode control for setting the controller into one of the operational modes.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A multi-mode electronic headset, the headset comprising:

a firsts housing including a power source, said housing configured to be worn on a head of a user;
a local microphone mounted within said first housing and configured to receive a first audio input provided by said user and to generate a first electronic signal from said first audio input;
a remote microphone mounted within said first housing and configured to receive a second audio input provided by an audio source remote from said user and to generate a second electronic signal from said second audio input;
a microphone selector, mounted within said first housing and responsive to a mode selector signal to select one of said electronics signals as a communications signal;
a communications system including a transceiver function to send an outgoing remote audio signal and to receive an incoming remote audio signal with respect to an electronic device disposed within a second housing independent from said first housing, said communications system further including an input coupled to said microphone selector and an output to provide a local audio signal;
an audibilizer mounted within said first housing and having an electroacoustic transducer coupled to said output of said communications system to produce an audible signal for said user from said local audio signal;
and
a mode selector to select one of a first operational mode and a second operational mode for said communications system and said microphone selector;
wherein said first operational mode selects said first electronic signal as said communications signal with said communications system routing said communications signal to said electronic device as said outgoing remote audio signal and routing said incoming remote audio signal to said output;
and
wherein said second operational mode selects said second electronic signal as said communications signal with said communications system routing said communications signal to said output.

8 more elements

A method for operating a multi-mode headset, the method comprising:

(a) receiving, using a local microphone coupled to a first housing configured to worn by a user, a first audio input provided by said user;
(b) generating a first electronic signal from said first audio input;
(c) receiving, using a remote microphone coupled to said first housing, a second audio input provided by an audio source remote from said user;
(d) generating a second electronic signal from said second audio input;
(e) selecting one of said electronics signals as a communications signal;
(f) transmitting, using a transceiver function of a communications system, an outgoing remote audio signal to an electronic device disposed within a second housing independent from said first housing;
(g) receiving, using said transceiver function, an incoming remote audio signal from said electronic device;
(h) providing a local audio signal from said communications system;
(i) producing an audible signal for said user from said local audio signal;
and
(j) selecting one of a first operational mode and a second operational mode;
wherein said first operational mode includes step (e) selecting said first electronic signal as said communications signal and thereafter routing said communications signal to said electronic device as said outgoing remote audio signal and routing said incoming remote audio signal as said local audio signal;
and
wherein said second operational mode includes step (e) selecting said second electronic signal as said communications signal with said communications system routing said communications signal to said output.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.