Digital technique for fm modulation of infrared headphone interface signals

An audio headphone arrangement, comprising:

• a source of a first audio signal having an analog audio value;
• a pair of audio headphones including a memory device having a plurality of locations containing corresponding digital phase offset values;
• and
• an infrared transmitter apparatus including:
• a clock generator configured to produce a clock signal having a clock frequency;
• a receiver in communication with the source of the first audio signal;
• a phase offset generator in communication with the clock generator and with the receiver, the phase offset generator being configured to:
• sample a second audio signal that is dependent on the first audio signal, a frequency of the sampling being dependent upon the clock signal;
• and
• generate a phase offset signal dependent upon the sampling;
• and
• a phase accumulator configured to transmit an infrared signal to the headphones, the infrared signal being indicative of location addresses in the memory device to be accessed in order for the headphones to reproduce the first audio signal.

A method of operating headphones, comprising the steps of:

• providing an audio signal;
• providing a memory having a plurality of locations and containing digital phase offset values;
• and
• using the digital phase offset values to reproduce the audio signal by use of the headphones.