# US 9,438,987 B2 · System with wireless earphones

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- Number: US 9,438,987 B2
- Document ID: US9438987B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/695,696
- Filed: 2015-04-24
- Published: 2015-08-20
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2008-04-07
- Assignees: Koss Corporation
- Applicants: Koss Corporation
- Inventors: Michael J. Koss; Michael J. Pelland
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9438987B2

## CPC

- H04R 1/1041: {Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements (switches in general H01H)}
- G06F 3/04847: Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
- G06F 8/65: Updates (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57)
- G06F 8/654: using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories
- H03G 3/02: Manually-operated control {(H03G3/001 and H03G3/002 take precedence)}
- H03K 17/9622: {using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard}
- H04H 20/95: characterised by a specific format, e.g. an encoded audio stream
- H04M 1/0254: {comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules}
- H04R 1/02: Casings; Cabinets {; Supports therefor;} Mountings therein (H04R1/28 takes precedence {; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075})
- H04R 1/1083: {Reduction of ambient noise (active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06)}
- H04R 1/1091: {Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083}
- H04R 3/00: Circuits for transducers (arrangements for producing a reverberation or echo sound G10K15/08; amplifiers H03F)
- H04R 3/04: for correcting frequency response
- H04R 5/033: Headphones for stereophonic communication {(details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10)}
- H04R 5/04: Circuit arrangements, {e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments (combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S)}
- H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
- H04W 48/20: Selecting an access point
- H04W 76/20: Manipulation of established connections
- H03K 2217/960785: with illumination
- H04L 2101/668: Internet protocol [IP] address subnets
- H04R 25/554: {using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils}
- H04R 2201/103: Combination of monophonic or stereophonic headphones with audio players, e.g. integrated in the headphone
- H04R 2201/107: Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
- H04R 2225/55: Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
- H04R 2420/07: Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
- H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
- H04W 84/18: Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
- H04W 84/22: with access to wired networks
- H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H03G: CONTROL OF AMPLIFICATION
- H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M)
- H04H: BROADCAST COMMUNICATION (multiplex communication H04J; pictorial communication aspects of broadcast systems H04N)
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A system comprising a wireless earphone set and a client computing device, both of which are communicable with a host server via the Internet. The host server stores configuration parameters for the wireless earphone set that are transmittable to the wireless earphone set via the Internet, and that are configurable by an authenticated user of the client computing device via the host server to generate updated configuration parameters for the wireless earphone set. The updated configuration parameters for the wireless earphone set are transmitted by the host server to the wireless earphone set via the Internet.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A personal audio system comprising:
a digital audio player that outputs digital audio;
a paired set of earphones to be worn simultaneously by a user, wherein each earphone in the paired set comprises an acoustic transducer for producing sound to be heard by the user; and
wherein at least one of the earphones in the paired set comprises:
a transceiver circuit that is in wireless communication with the digital audio player via a first wireless network for receiving wirelessly via the first wireless network the digital audio output by the digital audio player such that the acoustic transducers of the paired set of earphones produce sound from the received digital audio to be heard by the user; and
at least one user control accessible to the user at an exterior of the at least one earphone, wherein upon activation of the at least one user control by the user, metadata for a song played by the pair set of earphones is caused to be transmitted wirelessly via a second wireless network to a remote server connected to the Internet.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The personal audio system of claim 1, wherein:
the first wireless network comprises a Bluetooth network
the second wireless network comprises a WiFi network.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The personal audio system of claim 2, wherein:
the paired set of earphones comprises a first earphone and a second earphone;
the first earphone of the paired set comprises the transceiver circuit and the second earphone does not comprise the transceiver circuit; and
the personal audio system further comprises a headband connecting the first and second earphones, wherein headband comprises a wire connecting the transceiver circuit of the first earphone to the acoustic transducer of the second earphone.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The earphone set of claim 1, wherein the paired set of earphones comprises a paired set of in-ear earphones, and wherein both of the earphones in the paired set of earphone comprises a transceiver circuit for wirelessly receiving and transmitting signals via a wireless network.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The earphone set of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the earphones in the paired set comprises: memory for storing firmware; and a processor for executing the firmware.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The earphone set of claim 5, wherein the transceiver circuit is for receiving an update for the firmware via the second wireless network.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The earphone set of claim 6, wherein at least one of the earphones in the paired set is connectable to a computer for receiving an update for the firmware via the computer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The earphone set of claim 1, wherein the transceiver circuit is further for transmitting an approval indication for the song wirelessly, via the second wireless network, to the remote server connected to the Internet.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The earphone set of claim 1, wherein the at least one user control comprises at least one button.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The earphone set of claim 1, wherein the at least one user control comprises at least one switch.