Communicating via a body-area network

A method to transmit audio information from an electronic device to a headset device, comprising:

• establishing a first physical contact between an electronic device and a body of a user, the body of the user being in a first spatial configuration;
• transmitting, by the electronic device to a headset device via the first physical contact and via a second physical contact between the headset device and the body of the user, a first varying electrical signal;
• detecting, by the headset device, a second electrical signal comprising an alteration of the first varying electrical signal, the alteration caused by a modification of the first spatial configuration of the body of the user to a second spatial configuration of the body of the user while maintaining the first and second physical contacts;
• and
• based, at least in part, on the detected alteration of the first varying electrical signal, altering the first varying electrical signal transmitted by the electronic device to the headset device.

An electronic device configured to transmit audio information to a headset device, the electronic device comprising:

• a communications interface comprising two electrodes and configured to establish a first physical contact with a body of a user, and
• a processor operatively connected to the communications interface and configured to:
• transmit, to the headset device via the first physical contact and via a second physical contact between the headset device and the body of the user, a first varying electrical signal, wherein the body of the user is in a first spatial configuration,
• detecting a second electrical signal comprising an alteration of the first varying electrical signal, the alteration caused by a modification of the first spatial configuration of the body of the user to a second spatial configuration of the body of the user while maintaining the first and second physical contacts;
• and
• based, at least in part, on the detected alteration of the first varying electrical signal, altering the first varying electrical signal transmitted to the headset device.

A method to receive transmitted audio information, comprising:

• establishing a first physical contact between a headset device and a body of a user;
• receiving, by the headset device, and from an electronic device via the first physical contact and a second physical contact between the electronic device and the body of the user, a first varying electrical signal, wherein the body of the user is in a first spatial configuration at the time the first varying electrical signal is received;
• demodulating, by the headset device, the received first varying electrical signal to an audio signal to produce a demodulated audio signal;
• based, at least in part on the demodulated audio signal, rendering, by the headset device, an audio output;
• modifying, by the user, the first spatial configuration of the body of the user to a second spatial configuration of the body of the user;
• detecting, by the headset device, a second electrical signal from the electronic device comprising an alteration of the first varying electrical signal, the alteration caused by a modification of the first spatial configuration of the body of the user to a second spatial configuration of the body of the user while maintaining the first and second physical contacts;
• and
• based, at least in part, on the alteration of the first varying electrical signal, altering the rendering of the audio output.

A headset device configured to receive transmitted audio information, the headset device comprising:

• a communications interface comprising two electrodes and configured to establish a first physical contact with a body of a user;
• and
• a processor operatively connected to the communications interface and configured for:
• receiving, from an electronic device via the first physical contact and a second physical contact between the electronic device and the body of the user, a first varying electrical signal, wherein the body of the user is in a first spatial configuration at the time the first varying electrical signal is received;
• demodulating the first varying electrical signal to an audio signal;
• based, at least in part on the audio signal, rendering an audio output,
• detecting a second electrical signal from the electronic device comprising an alteration of the first varying electrical signal, the alteration caused by a modification of the first spatial configuration of the body of the user to a second spatial configuration of the body of the user while maintaining the first and second physical contacts;
• and
• based, at least in part, on the detected alteration of the first varying electrical signal, altering the rendering of the audio output.