Modular wireless multimedia device

Abstract

A modular wireless headset includes wearable earpiece(s) and wearable microphone(s), where the earpiece and microphone may be physically separate devices. The wearable earpiece renders inbound radio frequencies received from a host device audible. The wearable earpiece may include a receiver module, data recovery module, and speaker module. The receiver module may convert inbound RF signals into low intermediate frequency (IF) signals. The data recovery module recovers audio signals from the low IF signals. The speaker module renders the audio signals audible. The wearable microphone converts received audio signals into outbound RF signals, where the outbound RF signals are transmitted to the host device. The wearable microphone includes an audio input module and a transmitter module. The audio input module is operably coupled to convert received analog audio signals into digital audio signals. The transmitter module is operably coupled to convert the digital audio signals into the outbound RF signals.

1 . A modular wireless headset that comprises: 
 at least one wearable earpiece operable to render inbound radio frequency (RF) signals received from a host device audible, wherein the at least one wearable earpiece includes: 
 receiver module operably coupled to convert the inbound RF signals into low intermediate frequency (IF) signals;  
 data recovery module operably coupled to recover audio signals from the low IF signals; and  
 speaker module operably coupled to render the audio signals audible;  
   
   
   
       2 . The modular wireless headset of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one wearable earpiece module further comprises: 
 a first wearable earpiece operable to render at least a first portion of the inbound RF signals into first audible signals; and    a second wearable earpiece operable to render at least a second portion of the inbound RF signals into second audible signals, wherein the first wearable earpiece is physically separate from the second wearable earpiece.    
   
   
       3 . The modular wireless headset of  claim 2  further comprises: 
 the first wearable earpiece receiving the first portion of the inbound RF signals via a first RF link, wherein the first audible signals correspond to left channel stereo signals; and    the second wearable earpiece receiving the second portion of the inbound RF signals via a second RF link, wherein the second audible signals correspond to right channel stereo signals.    
   
   
       4 . The modular wireless headset of  claim 2  further comprises: 
 the first wearable earpiece receiving the first portion of the inbound RF signals via an RF link, wherein the first audible signals correspond to left channel stereo signals; and    the second wearable earpiece receiving the second portion of the inbound RF signals via the RF link, wherein the second audible signals correspond to right channel stereo signals.    
   
   
       5 . The modular wireless headset of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one wearable earpiece module further comprises: 
 earpiece transmitter module operably coupled to convert digital command messages into outbound RF command signals, wherein the outbound RF command signals are transmitted to at least one of the host device and the at least wearable microphone module.    
   
   
       6 . The modular wireless headset of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one wearable earpiece module further comprises: 
 an input module operably coupled to the earpiece transmitter module, wherein the input module converts user input commands into the digital command messages.    
   
   
       7 . The modular wireless headset of  claim 5 , wherein the digital command messages further comprises at least one of: packet size, synchronization information, frequency hopping initiation information, time slot allocation information, link establishment information, piconet address information, fast forward, play, pause, volume adjust, record, stop, and rewind.  
   
   
       8 . The modular wireless headset of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one wearable earpiece module further comprises: 
 display module operably coupled to the receiver module for displaying at least one of: configuration messages and video data contained with the inbound RF signals.    
   
   
       9 . The modular wireless headset of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 at least one wearable microphone operable to convert received audio signals into outbound RF signals, wherein the at least one wearable microphone transmits the to the outbound RF signals to the host device, wherein the at least one wearable microphone includes: 
 audio input module operably coupled to convert the received audio signals into digital audio signals; and  
 transmitter module operably coupled to convert the digital audio signals into the outbound RF signals, wherein the at least one wearable earpiece is physically separate from the at least one wearable microphone.  
   
   
   
       10 . The modular wireless headset of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one wearable earpiece module further comprises: 
 separable connection module operable to couple the at least one wearable earpiece to at least one of the host device and the at least one microphone module prior to transmission of the outbound RF signals or reception of the inbound RF signals for configuring the modular headset with the host device.    
   
   
       11 . The modular wireless headset of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one wearable microphone further comprises: 
 microphone receiver module operably coupled to convert inbound RF command signals into digital command messages, wherein the inbound RF command signals are received from at least one of the host device and the at least wearable microphone module.    
   
   
       12 . The modular wireless headset of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one wearable microphone further comprises: 
 display module operably coupled to the microphone receiver module for displaying at least one of: configuration messages and video data contained with the inbound RF signals.    
   
   
       13 . The modular wireless headset of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one wearable microphone further comprises: 
 an input module operably coupled to the transmitter module, wherein the input module converts user input commands into digital command messages.    
   
   
       14 . The modular wireless headset of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one wearable microphone further comprises: 
 separable connection module operable to couple the at least one wearable microphone to at least one of the host device and the at least one wearable earpiece module prior to transmission of the outbound RF signals or reception of the inbound RF signals for configuring the modular headset with the host device.    
   
   
       15 . The module wireless headset of  claim 9 , wherein the inbound RF signals and the outbound RF signals are in accordance with one or more versions a Bluetooth specification.  
   
   
       16 . A method for wireless communications within a piconet of a modular wireless headset and a host device, wherein the modular wireless headset includes at least one earpiece module and the at least one earpiece module; and 
 transmitting inbound RF signals from the host device to the at least one earpiece module via a first wireless communication pathway.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprises: 
 the first wireless communication resource including at least one time slot of a synchronous connection orientated link of a Bluetooth compliant piconet; and    the second wireless communication resource including at least one other time slot of the synchronous connection orientated link of the Bluetooth compliant piconet.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16  further comprises: 
 the first wireless communication resource including a synchronous connection orientated link of a Bluetooth compliant piconet; and    the second wireless communication resource including a second synchronous connection orientated link of the Bluetooth compliant piconet.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising: 
 transmitting outbound radio frequency (RF) signals from at least one microphone module to the host device via an additional wireless communication resource of the piconet.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the establishing the piconet further comprises: 
 exchanging configuration information via a physical connection between the host device, the at least one earpiece module, and the at least one microphone module prior to the transmitting of the inbound and outbound RF signals; and    configuring the piconet in accordance with the configuration information, wherein one of the host device, the at least one microphone module, and the at least one earpiece module functions as a master for the piconet.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprises: 
 determining whether the physical connection between the at least one earpiece module and the host device is broken;    when the physical connection between the at least one earpiece module and the host device is broken, transmitting the inbound RF signals from the host device to the at least one earpiece module via the first wireless communication resource, wherein the inbound RF signals are derived from first baseband signals;    when the physical connection between the at least one earpiece module from the host device is not broken, transmitting the first baseband signals from the host device to the at least one earpiece module via the physical connection;    determining whether the physical connection between the at least one microphone module from the host device is broken;    when the physical connection between the at least one microphone module from the host device is broken, transmitting the outbound RF signals from the at least one earpiece module to the host device via the second wireless communication resource, wherein the outbound RF signals are derived from second baseband signals; and    when the physical connection between the at least one microphone module from the host device is not broken, transmitting the second baseband signals from the at least one earpiece module to the host device via the physical connection.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the establishing the piconet further comprises: 
 exchanging configuration information via the first and second wireless communication resources between the host device, the at least one earpiece module, and the at least one microphone module prior to the transmitting of the inbound and outbound RF signals, wherein the at least one earpiece module and the at least one microphone module exchange at least a portion of the configuration information via a physical connection; and    configuring the piconet in accordance with the configuration information, wherein one of the host device, the at least one microphone module, and the at least one earpiece module functions as a master for the piconet.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the establishing the piconet further comprises: 
 transmitting, by a master of the piconet, a configuration request to slaves of the piconet, wherein one of the host device, the at least one microphone module, and the at least one earpiece module functions as the master and remaining ones of the host device, the at least one microphone module, and the at least one earpiece module function as the slaves;    providing, by each of the slaves, a response to the master; and    establishing the piconet in accordance with the configuration request and the responses from the slaves.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 19  further comprises: 
 receiving the outbound RF signals by the at least one earpiece module; and    converting the outbound RF signals into audible signals when a microphone feedback mode is enabled.    
   
   
       25 . A modular communication device comprises: 
 host module; and    detachable earpiece module, wherein the host module generates inbound RF signals from playback baseband signals, wherein, when the detachable earpiece module is coupled to the host module via a physical connection, the host module provides the playback baseband signals to the detachable earpiece module via the physical connection and when the detachable earpiece module is not coupled to the host module via the physical connection, the host module provides the inbound RF signals to the detachable earpiece module via a wireless communication resource.    
   
   
       26 . The modular communication device of  claim 25  further comprises: 
 detachable microphone module, wherein the detachable microphone module generates outbound RF signals from audio record baseband signals, wherein, when the detachable microphone module is coupled to the host module via a second physical connection, the detachable microphone module provides the audio record baseband signals to the host module via the physical connection and when the detachable microphone module is not coupled to the host module via the second physical connection, the detachable module provides the outbound RF signals to the host module via a second wireless communication resource.    
   
   
       27 . The modular communication device of  claim 26  further comprises: 
 the first wireless communication resource including at least one time slot of a synchronous connection orientated link of a Bluetooth compliant piconet; and    the second wireless communication resource including at least one other time slot of the synchronous connection orientated link of the Bluetooth compliant piconet.    
   
   
       28 . The modular communication device of  claim 26  further comprises: 
 the first wireless communication resource including a synchronous connection orientated link of a Bluetooth compliant piconet; and    the second wireless communication resource including a second synchronous connection orientated link of the Bluetooth compliant piconet.    
   
   
       29 . The modular communication device of  claim 25 , wherein the detachable earpiece module further comprises: 
 a first earpiece operable to render at least a first portion of the inbound RF signals into first audible signals; and    a second earpiece operable to render at least a second portion of the inbound RF signals into second audible signals, wherein the first wearable earpiece is physically separate from the second wearable earpiece.    
   
   
       30 . The modular communication device of  claim 29  further comprises: 
 the first earpiece receiving the first portion of the inbound RF signals via a first RF link, wherein the first audible signals correspond to left channel stereo signals; and    the second earpiece receiving the second portion of the inbound RF signals via a second RF link, wherein the second audible signals correspond to right channel stereo signals.    
   
   
       31 . The modular communication device of  claim 29  further comprises: 
 the first earpiece receiving the first portion of the inbound RF signals via an RF link, wherein the first audible signals correspond to left channel stereo signals; and    the wearable earpiece receiving the second portion of the inbound RF signals via the RF link, wherein the second audible signals correspond to right channel stereo signals.    
   
   
       32 . The modular communication device of  claim 25 , wherein the host module further comprises at least one of: a cordless telephone, a cellular telephone, a compact disc player, a DVD player, a computer, a personal digital assistant, and a digital audio playback device.