AU2004231818A1

AU2004231818A1 - A microphone/ear-headphone unit and a computer system

Info

Publication number: AU2004231818A1
Application number: AU2004231818A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Niklas Danielsson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-04-24
Filing date: 2004-04-23
Publication date: 2004-11-04
Also published as: WO2004095876A2; EP1616455A2; SE525423C2; CN1778140A; SE0301199L; JP2006525744A; SE0301199D0; WO2004095876A3

Description

WO 2004/095876 PCT/SE2004/000632 1 5 A microphonelear-headphone unit and a computer system BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART The invention concerns a microphone/ear-headphone unit config 10 ured as one unit with a microphone part and an ear-headphone part which are arranged on the unit such that when the unit is used as intended, the ear-headphone part is arranged at or held against the ear of a user while the microphone part is arranged near the user's mouth. The unit is arranged to be able to be connected to a com 15 puter in order to with the help of the unit enable conversational communication via the computer. The computer is of the kind which at least also can be connected to a loudspeaker, which can be a desk or floor loudspeaker, or which has a built-in loudspeaker. 20 Such a unit is already known. The unit may for example constitute a telephone handset or a headset that is to be attached to a user's head. With the unit, communication can take place with the com puter. The communication can take place only with the computer, for example in that commands are fed into the computer via the mi 25 crophone part and in that sounds produced with the help of com puter programs are heard with the ear-headphone part. However, it is more and more common that the computer is used as an alterna tive to an ordinary telephone. It is thus possible to via the computer carry on a conversation with a person who is located at another 30 computer. This communication takes most often place via the Inter net. It should also be noted that a computer, for example a personal computer, normally has connected loudspeakers, which usually are separate and positioned on a desk or on the floor. The loudspeak ers are usually connected via the loudspeaker input terminal of the 35 computer. A computer often also has a particular microphone which is connected with the help of a cable to the microphone input termi nal of the computer. It also occurs that the loudspeakers and the WO 2004/095876 PCT/SE2004/000632 2 microphone are built-in in the computer, for example near the viewing screen. When the computer is used for conversational communication with another person, such a separate microphone and separate loudspeakers (or built-in microphone and loudspeak 5 ers of the computer) can of course be used. However, conversa tional communication via the regular microphone and loudspeakers of the computer does often not work very well. A user therefore of ten finds that it is more comfortable to talk with the help of an ordi nary telephone where a telephone handset is held against the ear 10 or where a headset is arranged on the head. Furthermore, more and more people nowadays use the computer in an open-plan office or in a room where other people are present. It can therefore be considered disturbing that conversational commu 15 nication takes place via the loudspeakers, since the sound thereby also reaches the people who are near. If, furthermore, the conver sation is confidential, it is of course a significant disadvantage that it takes place via loudspeakers that several persons can hear. 20 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a unit with which the above-described problems are avoided. Another object is to provide such a unit that is considered as advantageous by a user when 25 conversational communication takes place via the computer. A fur ther object is to provide such a unit which can been used in addition to for example the ordinary external loudspeakers of the computer. Still an object is to provide such a unit which thereby in a simple manner is activated and deactivated at the same time as such ex 30 ternal loudspeakers are deactivated and activated, respectively. These objects are achieved by a unit of the kind that is described in the first paragraph above and which is characterised in that said unit comprises a switching member with at least a first and a sec 35 ond switching state. The unit is arranged such that, when the unit is connected as intended to said computer and the switching member is in said first switching state, the unit is connected for use for con- WO 2004/095876 PCT/SE2004/000632 3 versational communication via the computer such that said micro phone part and said ear-headphone part are active while said desk or floor loudspeaker.or built-in loudspeaker is not active. In said second switching state at least said ear-headphone part is not ac 5 tive while said desk or floor loudspeaker or built-in loudspeaker is active. It should be noted that the concept "conversational communication" in this context primarily means that conversation can be carried on 10 with some other person via for example internet, but the concept can also include the case when "the conversation" only takes place against the computer itself, for example in that commands are fed into and in that sounds which are produced by the computer are heard in the ear-headphone part. 15 It should also be noted that when it is said that a loudspeaker or a microphone is "active", it is meant that this loudspeaker or micro phone is connected such that sound can be produced by the loud speaker and such that sound can be transferred via the micro 20 phone. When it is said that a loudspeaker or a microphone is not active, it is thus meant that these entities cannot be actively used in order to reproduce or to enter sound. It should also be noted that the ear-headphone part can be in 25 tended for one ear or for both ears. If for example stereo sound is to be produced, the ear-headphone part conveniently consists of two sound reproducers that are to be arranged at the ears of a user. Also the microphone part can be a mono or stereo microphone. 30 With the unit according to the invention, switching can thus in a simple manner take place between said first and second switching states. For example, a person that works at the computer can nor mally use the built-in or external loudspeakers of the computer. The switching member is thus in said second switching state. When the 35 person in question wants to carry on for example a conversation with another person, the switching member is switched to the first switching state. A user may thus in a comfortable manner use the WO 2004/095876 PCT/SE2004/000632 4 unit for conversational communication. When the conversation is over, switching can in a simple manner take place to the second switching state such. that the user can continue to work with the computer with the loudspeakers of the computer being active. 5 According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the unit com prises a cable which on one hand is connected to or arranged to be connected to said microphone part and ear-headphone part and on the other hand is arranged to be connected at least to said corn 10 puter. With the help of such a cable, a safe connection can be es tablished between the unit and the computer. The cable can be provided with at least a first contact member and a second contact member, wherein the first contact member is ar 15 ranged to be connected to the computer and the second contact member is arranged to, for example via a further cable, be con nected to said desk or floor loudspeaker. The unit can in this way in a simple manner be connected between the computer and the desk or floor loudspeaker of the computer. 20 According to an alternative embodiment, the unit comprises a transmitter member arranged such that the unit can communicate in a wireless manner with said computer, wherein the transmitter member is arranged such that when said switching member is in or 25 is being switched to said first switching state, the transmitter mem ber transmits a control signal to a corresponding receiver member connected to the computer, such that the control signal ensures that when the switching member is in the first switching state, the com puter is arranged such that the unit is connected for use for conver 30 sational communication via the computer while said desk or floor loudspeaker or built-in loudspeaker is not active. According to this embodiment, no cable is thus necessarily between the unit and the computer. Instead, signals are transmitted in a wireless manner. 35 According to still an embodiment, the unit is arranged such that when the unit is connected as intended with said computer and the switching member is in said first switching state, said microphone WO 2004/095876 PCT/SE2004/000632 5 part is active while a possible built-in microphone of the computer or a separate microphone, with which the computer is connected, is not active, wherein when the switching member is in said second switching state, said microphone part is not active while the possi 5 ble built-in microphone of the computer or said separate micro phone, with which the computer is connected, is active. This em bodiment is thus particularly advantageous if the computer also has another microphone connected to or built-in in the computer. The microphone part in the unit according to the invention thus takes 10 over the microphone function when the switching member is in the first switching state. The cable can also be provided also with a third contact member and a fourth contact member, wherein the third contact member is 15 arranged to be connected to the computer and the fourth contact member is arranged to, for example via a further cable, be con nected to said separate microphone. The unit can hereby in a sim ple manner be connected also between the computer and the sepa rate microphone. 20 According to still an embodiment, the first contact member is a male contact of standard type which is configured to be plugged into a corresponding female contact which constitutes the loudspeaker input terminal of the computer, wherein said second contact mem 25 ber is a female contact of standard type which is configured to re ceive a corresponding male contact on a cable from said desk or floor loudspeaker, wherein said third contact member is a male contact of standard type which is configured to be plugged into a corresponding female contact which constitutes the microphone in 30 put terminal of the computer and wherein said fourth contact mem ber is a female contact of standard type which is configured to re ceive a corresponding male contact on a cable from said separate microphone. Since the contacts are of standard type, no modifica tion needs to be done of the computer or of the external loudspeak 35 ers or microphone of the computer. Instead, the whole cable from the unit can simply be connected between the computer and such external loudspeakers or external microphone.

WO 2004/095876 PCT/SE2004/000632 6 The switching member can be arranged to be manually switched by the user between said first and second switching states. The switching member can also be arranged to be automatically 5 switched between said first and second switching states. A manu ally switching can for example take place via a manual switch ar ranged on the unit. By making the switching member automatical, the user does not need to manually switch the switching member. Instead switching takes place automatically for example when the 10 user lifts the unit in order to hold it against or attach it to the head. The purpose of he invention is also achieved by a computer system comprising a unit according to any of the preceding embodiments and said computer with at least one loudspeaker which can be a 15 desk or floor loudspeaker or which can be a built-in in the computer. Both the computer, the loudspeaker of the computer and the unit thus form part of the system. Possibly also a separate computer mi crophone can form part of the computer system. With such a sys tem, the above-described advantages are achieved. 20 SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will now be explained with the help of em bodiment alternatives given as examples and with reference to the 25 attached drawings. Fig 1 shows schematically a computer with peripheral equipment. Fig 2 shows schematically an embodiment of the unit according to 30 the invention. Fig 3 shows schematically an alternative embodiment of the unit according to the invention. 35 Fig 4 shows schematically a circuit diagram where the switching member which forms part of the unit according to the invention is in a first switching state.

WO 2004/095876 PCT/SE2004/000632 7 Fig 5 shows schematically a circuit diagram where the switching member which forms-part of the unit according to the invention is in a second switching state. 5 DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Fig 1 shows schematically a computer 16 with peripheral equip ment. The computer 16 comprises according to this embodiment the 10 actual computer part 17 and a viewing screen 19. The computer 16 can also be connected to a transmitter/receiver unit 28 which en ables a wireless communication with the peripheral equipment. However, usually the communication with the peripheral equipment takes place via cables. Within the circle in Fig 1 an example of input 15 terminals to the computer 16 is schematically shown. These input terminals are often positioned on the back of the computer unit 17. The input terminals are usually of a standard format. An input ter minal 41 can for example be a female contact which constitutes the loudspeaker input terminal of the computer 16. Another input termi 20 nal 43 can for example be a female contact which constitutes the microphone input terminal of the computer 16. The computer 16 is usually connected to different peripheral equipment. Fig 1 shows schematically a loudspeaker 18 which for example can be a desk or floor loudspeaker. From the loudspeaker 18 a cable 24 extends. At 25 the end of the cable 24 there is a male contact 42 of standard for mat which is configured to be plugged into a corresponding female contact 41 of the computer 16. Fig 1 also schematically shows a separate microphone 36 which can be connected to the computer 16. From the microphone 36 a cable 38 extends. At the end of the 30 cable 38 a male contact 44 is arranged. This male contact is suita bly of a standard format and configured to be plugged into a corre sponding female contact 43 of the computer 16. It should be noted that it is also conceivable that the computer 16 35 instead has built-in loudspeakers and/or a built-in microphone.

WO 2004/095876 PCT/SE2004/000632 8 Fig 2 schematically shows an embodiment of a microphone/ear headphone unit 10 according to the invention. The unit 10 has a mi crophone part 12 and an ear-headphone part 14. These parts are arranged on the unit 10 such that when the unit 10 is used as in 5 tended, the ear-headphone part 14 is arranged at or is held against the ear of a user while the microphone part 12 is arranged near the user's mouth. The unit 10 can thus be designed in a similar manner to a normal telephone handset. Alternatively, the unit 10 can also be designed as a headset (not shown in the figures) which can be 10 attached to the head. The unit 10 can be connected to a computer 16 in order to enable conversational communication via the com puter 16. The unit 10 has a switching member 20 which has at least a first and a second switching state. When the unit 10 is connected to the computer 16, the unit 10 is connected for use for conversa 15 tional communication via the computer when the switching member 20 is in the first switching state. In the first switching state, the mi crophone part 12 and the ear-headphone part 14 are active while a desk or floor loudspeaker 18 or a built-in loudspeaker in the com puter 16 is not active. However, in the second switching state, the 20 desk or floor loudspeaker 18 or a built-in loudspeaker in the com puter 16 is active while the ear-headphone part 14 is not active. The switching states will be described more closely in connection with Fig 4 and Fig 5. 25 The unit 10 has a cable 22 which contains wires which are con nected to the microphone part 12 and the ear-headphone part 14. At the other end of -the cable 22 there is a first contact member 31, a second contact member 32, a third contact member 33 and a fourth contact member 34. The first contact member 31 is a male 30 contact of standard type and is configured to be plugged into the female contact 41 which constitutes the loudspeaker input terminal of the computer 16. The second contact member 32 is a female contact of standard type which is configured to receive a male con tact 42 on the cable 24 from the loudspeaker 18. The third contact 35 member 33 is a male contact of standard type which is configured to be plugged into the female contact 43 which constitutes the mi crophone input terminal of the computer 16. The fourth contact WO 2004/095876 PCT/SE2004/000632 9 member 34 is a female contact of standard type which is configured to receive the male contact 44 on the cable 38 from the separate microphone 36. In this manner, the unit 10 can be connected to the computer 16 and to the loudspeaker 18 and the microphone 36. 5 Fig 3 shows schematically an alternative embodiment of the unit 10. In this case the unit 10 has a transmitter member 26. The transmit ter member 26 can suitably also comprise a receiver member. The transmitter member 26 is arranged such that the unit 10 can com 10 municate in a wireless manner with the computer 16. This can take place through radio communication, for example according to the bluetooth standard. The switching member 20 is thus in this case arranged to influence the transmitter member 26 such that the transmitter member 26 transmits a control signal to a receiver 15 member 28 which is connected to the computer 16 or which is ar ranged in the computer 16. The control signal thus gives the com puter 16 information whether the switching member 20 is in the first or in the second switching state. In the same manner as has been described above, the computer 16 is arranged such that the unit 10 20 is connected for use for conversational communication via the com puter when the switching member 20 is in the first switching state. In the first switching state, the loudspeaker 18 is not active. If a separate microphone 36 is connected to the computer 16, the 25 corresponding is the case concerning this microphone 36 when the switching member 20 is in the first and the second switching state, respectively. In the first switching state, the microphone part 12 is thus active while the separate microphone 36 is not active. In the second switching state, the microphone part 12 is not active while 30 the microphone 36 is active. The switching member 20 can be arranged to be manually switched by the user. The switching member 20 can for example consist of a button arranged on the telephone handset such as is shown in Fig 2 35 and 3. Alternatively, it is possible that the switching member 20 is arranged to automatically be switched between the first and the second switching states. For example, the unit 10 can comprise a WO 2004/095876 PCT/SE2004/000632 10 sensor which senses whether the unit 10 lies on a table. Such a sensor can for example consist of an optical sensor. As long as the unit 10 lies on the table, or is positioned in another intended place, the switching member 20 is in the second switching state. When the 5 unit 10 is lifted from the table, the switching member 20 changes to the first switching state. Alternatively, such a sensor may sense when the unit 10 is held against or is attached to the head of the user. 10 Fig 4 shows schematically a circuit diagram when the unit 10 is in the first switching state. Different parts which have been described above are schematically marked in Fig 4 and the same reference numbers are used. From the loudspeaker 18 the cable 24 thus ex tends. In Fig 4 is shown that the cable contains two leads. The ca 15 ble 24 ends with the contact 42 which is connected to the second contact member 32 of the unit 10. The leads from the loudspeaker 18 are via the cable 22 connected to the switching member 20. The switching member 20 is connected to the ear-headphone part 14. The unit 10 is also via the first contact member 31 connected to the 20 loudspeaker input terminal 41 of the computer 16. In a correspond ing manner, the cable 38 extends from the microphone 36. The ca ble 38 ends with the contact 44 which is connected to the fourth contact member 34. The leads lead to the switching member 20 which is connected to the microphone part 12. The cable 22 is also 25 connected to the microphone input terminal 43 of the computer 16 via the third contact member 33. For the sake of clarity, in Fig 4 the leads for the microphone part 12 have been separated from the leads for the ear-headphone part 14. The switching member 20 is shown schematically. As can be seen in Fig 4, the switching mem 30 ber 20 is set such that the microphone part 12 and the ear headphone part 14 are connected to the computer 16 while the loudspeaker 18 and the microphone 36 are not connected to the computer 16. 35 Fig 5 shows schematically the same circuit diagram as Fig 4 but when the switching member 20 is in the second switching state. As can be seen from the lead arrangement in Fig 5, the loudspeaker 18 WO 2004/095876 PCT/SE2004/000632 11 and the microphone 36 are connected to the computer 16 while the microphone part 12 and the ear-headphone part 14 are not con nected to the computer 16. 5 It should be noted that the circuit diagram is only a schematic ex ample of how the switching member 20 can be designed. Alterna tive lead arrangements are however obvious to a person skilled in the art. Furthermore, as has been mentioned above, the loud speaker 18 and/or the microphone 36 can also be arranged for ste 10 reo sound. In this case, there are further leads in the respective ca bles. In case the unit 10 is connected in a wireless manner to the com puter 16, suitable control signals are sent which control the con 15 nection and disconnection of loudspeaker 18, microphone 36, mi crophone part 12 and ear-headphone part 14 in a corresponding manner as in the example according to Fig 4 and 5. The invention also concerns a computer system. This computer 20 system comprises the unit 10 together with the computer 16 and at least one loudspeaker 18. This loudspeaker 18 can be a desk or floor loudspeaker 18 or a loudspeaker which is built-in in the com puter 16. Also a microphone 36 may form part of the computer system. 25 The invention is not limited to the described embodiments but can be varied and modified within the scope of the annexed claims.

Claims

1. A microphone/ear-headphone unit (10) configured as one unit 5 with a microphone part (12) and an ear-headphone part (14) which are arranged on the unit (10) such that when the unit (10) is used as intended, the ear-headphone part (14) is arranged at or held against the ear of a user while the microphone part (12) is arranged near the user's mouth, wherein said unit (10) is arranged to be able 10 to be connected to a computer (16) in order to with the help of the unit (10) enable conversational communication via the computer (16), wherein the computer (16) is of the kind which at least also can be connected to a loudspeaker (18), which can be a desk or floor loudspeaker, or which has a built-in loudspeaker, character 15 ised in that said unit (10) comprises a switching member (20) with at least a first and a second switching state, wherein the unit (10) is arranged such that, when the unit (10) is connected as intended to said computer (16) and the switching member (20) is in said first switching state, the unit (10) is connected for use for conversational 20 communication via the computer (16) such that said microphone part (12) and said ear-headphone part (14) are active while said desk or floor loudspeaker (18) or built-in loudspeaker is not active, wherein in said second switching state at least said ear-headphone part (14) is not active while said desk or floor loudspeaker (18) or 25 built-in loudspeaker is active.

2. A unit (10) according to claim 1, comprising a cable (22) which on one hand is connected to or arranged to be connected to said microphone part (12) and ear-headphone part (14) and on the 30 other hand is arranged to be connected at least to said computer (16).

3. A unit (10) according to claim 2, wherein said cable (22) is provided with at least a first contact member (31) and a second 35 contact member (32), wherein the first contact member (31) is ar ranged to be connected to the computer (16) and the second con- WO 2004/095876 PCT/SE2004/000632 13 tact member (32) is arranged to, for example via a further cable (24), be connected to said desk or floor loudspeaker (18).

4. A unit (10) according to claim 1, comprising a transmitter 5 member (26) arranged such that the unit (10) can communicate in a wireless manner with said computer (16), wherein the transmitter member (26) is arranged such that when said switching member (20) is in or is being switched to said first'switching state, the transmitter member (26) transmits a control signal to a correspond 10 ing receiver member (28) connected to the computer (16), such that the control signal ensures that when the switching member (20) is in the first switching state, the computer (16) is arranged such that the unit (10) is connected for use for conversational communication via the computer (16) while said desk or floor loudspeaker (18) or 15 built-in loudspeaker is not active.

5. A unit (10) according to any of the preceding claims, arranged such that when the unit (10) is connected as intended with said computer (16) and the switching member (20) is in said first 20 switching state, said microphone part (12) is active while a possible built-in microphone of the computer (16) or a separate microphone (36), with which the computer (16) is connected, is not active, wherein when the switching member (20) is in said second switch ing state, said microphone part (12) is not active while said possible 25 built-in microphone of the computer (16) or said separate micro phone (36), with which the computer (16) is connected, is active.

6. A unit (10) according to claim 3 and 5, wherein said cable (22) is provided also with a third contact member (33) and a fourth con 30 tact member (34), wherein the third contact member (33) is ar ranged to be connected to the computer (16) and the fourth contact member (34) is arranged to, for example via a further cable (38), be connected to said separate microphone (36). 35

7. A unit (10) according to claim 3 or 6, wherein said first contact member (31) is a male contact (41) of standard type which is con figured to be plugged into a corresponding female contact which WO 2004/095876 PCT/SE2004/000632 14 constitutes the loudspeaker input terminal of the computer (16), wherein said second contact member (32) is a female contact of standard type which is configured to receive a corresponding male contact (42) on a cable (24) from said desk or floor loudspeaker 5 (18), wherein said third contact member (33) is a male contact of standard type which is configured to be plugged into a correspond ing female contact (43) which constitutes the microphone input ter minal of the computer (16) and wherein said fourth contact member (34) is a female contact of standard type which is configured to re 10 ceive a corresponding male contact (44) on a cable (38) from said separate microphone (36).

8. A unit (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the switching member (20) is arranged to be manually switched by 15 the user between said first and second switching states.

9. A unit (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the switching member (20) is arranged to be automatically switched between said first and second switching states. 20

10. A computer system comprising a unit (10) according to any of the preceding claims and said computer (16) with at least one loud speaker which can be a desk or floor loudspeaker (18) or which can be built-in in the computer (16). 25