Abstract
A gaming machine having an audio channel outputting game sound and an audio channel intaking microphone sound and outputting chat sound is coupled with a headset having earpieces and a microphone and a Bluetooth transceiver in the headset for sending and receiving the microphone and chat sounds. A radio receiver or wired connection in the headset receives the game sounds. Circuitry in the headset is connected between the transceiver and receiver for mixing the microphone, chat, and game sounds and feeding them all to the earpieces.
Claims
1-7. (canceled)
8. A headset, comprising: a pair of speakers configured to output a mix of a game audio signal, a chat signal, a microphone signal, and an external audio signal; a microphone configured to capture a user's voice and generate the microphone signal; a wireless communication module comprising both a Bluetooth transceiver and a low-latency RF transceiver; and a signal processor configured to dynamically manage routing and mixing of the game audio, chat, microphone, and external audio signals.
9. The headset of claim 8, wherein the Bluetooth transceiver is configured to transmit the microphone signal to, and receive a chat signal from, a mobile device running a voice chat application.
10. The headset of claim 8, wherein the low-latency RF transceiver is configured to receive the game audio signal from a game console.
11. The headset of claim 8, wherein the signal processor is configured to mix the microphone signal, the chat signal, and the game signal into a single composite audio output for the speakers.
12. The headset of claim 8, wherein the chat signal is received from a game console via a dedicated wireless interface.
13. The headset of claim 12, wherein the game console is a PlayStation or an Xbox and supports party chat integration.
14. The headset of claim 8, comprising a user-accessible control configured to adjust the relative volume balance between the game signal and the chat signal.
15. The headset of claim 8, wherein the external audio signal comprises a phone call received via a mobile device connected over Bluetooth, and the signal processor mixes the phone call with the game signal for playback.
16. The headset of claim 8, wherein the external audio signal comprises streamed music from a mobile device connected via Bluetooth, and the signal processor mixes the music with the game signal.
17. The headset of claim 8, wherein the headset is configured to wirelessly pair with a game console using a proprietary 2.4 GHz protocol.
18. The headset of claim 17, wherein the headset automatically switches between Bluetooth and RF modes according to detected activity from a paired mobile device or game console.
19. The headset of claim 8, wherein the headset supports simultaneous multi-source audio from a game console and a mobile device.
20. The headset of claim 9, wherein the chat signal comprises audio from an application on a mobile device.
21. The headset of claim 8, wherein the RF circuit is configured to transmit the microphone signal to a mobile device for use in voice communication.
22. The headset of claim 8, comprising a physical or software switch configured to enable or prioritize the external audio signal over other signals.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing where the terms s PlayStation and Xbox are trademarks of Sony Corporation and Microsoft Corporation, respectively. In the drawing:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating two radio modules in a headset communicating with a PlayStation game console, with the Bluetooth radio being used for chat and microphone 10 communication directly with the Bluetooth radio built into the PlayStation;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating two radio modules in a headset communicating with an Xbox game console, with the Bluetooth radio being used for chat and microphone communication with a Bluetooth radio connected to the Xbox wireless controller;
[0018] FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C are illustrations of the Bluetooth adapter for the Xbox controller, FIGS. 3A and 3B showing the adapter and FIG. 3C showing how it connects to the Xbox controller; and
[0019] FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating the Bluetooth radio communicating with a PlayStation game console, a mobile phone and a Bluetooth enabled digital music player.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] This invention improves the experience of using a wireless gaming headset while communicating online with other players. A typical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 that shows the signal flow of microphone, chat and game sounds 2, 4, and 8 between a wireless gaming headset 5 having two earpieces 9 and a PlayStation game console 3. Although in the embodiments described herein, the game audio 8 is transmitted via a wireless connection, in some embodiments the game audio 8 may be connected via a wire and the Bluetooth radio may be the only radio used in this device for the microphone sound 2 and chat sound 4. It is therefore an essential aspect of this invention that there are two different audio sources, one being game audio 8 and the other being voice communication audio 2 and 4, and the voice communication is transmitted and received via Bluetooth as described herein.
[0021] This invention improves the experience of using a wireless gaming headset while communicating online with other players. A typical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 that shows the signal flow of microphone, chat and game sounds 2, 4, and 8 between a wireless gaming headset 5 having two earpieces 9 and a PlayStation game console 3. Although in the embodiments described herein, the game audio 8 is transmitted via a wireless connection, in some embodiments the game audio 8 may be connected via a wire and the Bluetooth radio may be the only radio used in this device for the microphone sound 2 and chat sound 4. It is therefore an essential aspect of this invention that there are two different audio sources, one being game audio 8 and the other being voice communication audio 2 and 4, and the voice communication is transmitted and received via Bluetooth as described herein. 3
[0022] In FIG. 1 a Bluetooth radio transceiver 1 is provided in the headset 5. A headset microphone 14 is connected to the input of this Bluetooth radio 1 and the voice signal 2 from the microphone is wirelessly transmitted via the Bluetooth radio 1 to the built-in Bluetooth radio transceiver in the PlayStation console 3, thereby enabling the user to speak to others online wirelessly. The PlayStation console transmits the chat sound 4 from online players via Bluetooth to the headset Bluetooth radio 1 that then outputs this audio chat signal 4. The PlayStation game sound 5 is connected to an external RF transmitter 6 that wirelessly transmits the game sound to a radio receiver 7 in the headset and handles the game sound signal 8. The game and chat signals 8 and 4 are mixed or summed together in a circuit 12, then boosted in an amplifier 13 and sent to the headset speakers 9. Thus the headset 5 provides wireless connectivity for the game sound 8, chat sound 4 and microphone sound 2 by its use of two radios 1 and 7, one of which uses the Bluetooth standard.
[0023] A similar configuration can be implemented on an Xbox console 3 as illustrated in FIG. 2. As in the PlayStation example, the Xbox game sound 8 is fed to an RF transmitter 6 and is wirelessly transmitted to the headset game radio 7 to generate the headset game sound 8. The Xbox 3, unlike the PlayStation 3 of FIG. 1, does not use the Bluetooth protocol for transmitting the microphone and chat sounds 2 and 4. Instead, the console 3 transmits chat, voice and data to a wireless controller 10 into which a set of wired headphones can be plugged. In this invention, a Bluetooth radio 11 connected to the controller 10 transmits the chat signal 4 and receives the microphone signal 2 from the headset Bluetooth radio 1. As in the PlayStation example, the chat signal 4 from the Bluetooth radio is summed at 12 with the game signal 8 and the mixed signal is amplified at 13 and sent to the headset speakers 9.
[0024] FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C show an embodiment of the Bluetooth adapter 11 for the Xbox controller 3, using the same reference numerals as FIG. 2 where appropriate. The adapter 11 is encased in a small housing with a button 15 that pairs the device with the headset Bluetooth radio 1 when pressed and held. After the unit is paired with the headset 5 and communication is established, the microphone feature may be muted by quickly pressing and releasing the button 15. Power for the device is connected via two power pins 16 that draw power from the Xbox controller 3 when the device is mounted thereon. The microphone and chat signals 2 and 4 are connected via a 2.5 mm connector 17. The device 11 is secured to the Xbox controller 3 via its headset jack, integrating seamlessly with the controller design.
[0025] FIG. 4 illustrates another benefit of the invention as shown in FIG. 1, namely its ability to answer mobile phone calls while playing a game. Here, a mobile phone 18 is paired to the Bluetooth radio 1 in the headset using a so-called multipairing protocol that enables more than one Bluetooth device to be paired to the Bluetooth radio. When a phone call occurs, the Bluetooth radio 1 in the headset 5 signals the user of an incoming call via a tone on the chat sound 4. The user may then activate a switch 22 on the headset to answer the call, much in the same manner in which a call is answered with a standard Bluetooth ear piece commonly used with mobile phones. In this scenario, however, the phone conversation occurs within the headset during game play, mixed with the game sound and replacing the chat. Thus, the user does not have to stop playing the game in order to participate in the phone call. The voice of the caller replaces the voices of online players so the Bluetooth chat signal 4 is summed with the game and routed to the headset speakers 9, allowing the user to accept a phone call while in the middle of playing a game. The microphone signal 2 is routed to the Bluetooth radio in the headset and transmitted to the mobile phone 18 so the headset microphone may be used to speak on the phone call. In addition the Bluetooth radio 1 and the game RF receiver 7 are equipped with respective volume controls for balancing the two sound signals. Here also, dot-dash line 23 represents an actual wired connection that could replace the Bluetooth channel used for microphone and chat sound 2 and 4.
[0026] In this embodiment of the invention, the same Bluetooth radio 1 may also be used to play stereo audio from a device 19 equipped with the so-called A2DP protocol that is commonly used in for streaming audio via Bluetooth from music devices. When used in this manner, the chat sound 4 is replaced with the stereo music from the Bluetooth audio device 19 and summed with the game sound 8 so the user can hear the game and the music simultaneously.
[0027] Thus, it can be seen from the configuration in FIG. 4 that the invention as the unique ability to provide a communication link to the game console for online chat, a communication link to a mobile phone for taking phone calls during a game, and a communication link to a wireless A2DP audio device for listening to music during a game. All of this is accomplished by virtue of adding the Bluetooth radio to the headset in combination to the game radio, as described herein.
