Headset with Auxiliary Input(s) for Cell Phone And/Or Other Devices

Abstract

An active-noise-reduction (ANR) headset includes at least one auxiliary connection to an output of at least one device, such as a personal communications, computing, and/or entertainment device. An exemplary headset also includes a primary connection to a two-way radio or public-address system and circuitry for automatically suppressing or muting the volume of an auxiliary input signal relative to that of a primary input signal. Other exemplary features include a headset power supply, a microphone, a microphone preamplifier, and a device-detection circuit. The device-detection circuit selectively couples the power supply to the microphone preamplifier, enabling it to provide audio signals to the microphone input of the auxiliary device.

1 . An automatic noise reduction (ANR) headset or headset assembly for use with an aircraft two-way radio and a mobile telephone, comprising:
 a pair of circumaural earcups connected by a headpiece;   a speaker associated with at least one earcup;   an ANR microphone associated with at least one earcup;   a boom microphone extending from one of the earcups and coupled to a preamplifier;   a battery connector;   a two-way aircraft radio input; and   control circuitry coupled to the speaker, the ANR microphone, the boom microphone preamplifier, the battery connector, and the two-way aircraft radio input, wherein the control circuitry generates signals for the speaker to provide automatic noise reduction based on signals from the ANR microphone and selectively couples the preamplifier to receive power from the battery connector to enable use of the boom microphone with the mobile telephone.   
     
     
         2 . The headset or headset assembly of  claim 1  wherein the control circuitry mixes signals from the mobile telephone and the aircraft radio input. 
     
     
         3 . The headset or headset assembly of  claim 2  wherein the control circuitry modifies gain of the mobile telephone signal. 
     
     
         4 . The headset or headset assembly of  claim 2  wherein the control circuitry increases gain of the aircraft radio signal. 
     
     
         5 . The headset or headset assembly of  claim 2  wherein the control circuitry selectively mutes the mobile telephone signal. 
     
     
         6 . An automatic noise reduction (ANR) headset or headset assembly for use with an aircraft two-way radio and a mobile telephone, comprising:
 a pair of circumaural earcups connected by a headpiece;   a speaker associated with at least one earcup;   a noise reduction microphone associated with at least one earcup;   a second microphone coupled to a preamplifier having an associated operating voltage;   at least one battery;   a two-way aircraft radio input; and   a first circuit coupled to the speaker and the noise reduction microphone that generates signals for the speaker based on signals received from the noise reduction microphone; and   a second circuit coupled to the preamplifier to selectively provide the associated operating voltage to the preamplifier using the battery when the headset is coupled to the mobile telephone to enable use of the second microphone with the mobile telephone.   
     
     
         7 . The headset or headset assembly of  claim 6  further comprising:
 a communications priority module that attenuates one of the signals from the mobile telephone and the aircraft radio input based on a predetermined priority. 
 
     
     
         8 . An automatic noise reduction (ANR) headset or headset assembly, comprising:
 an earpiece having a speaker;   a noise reduction microphone;   a second microphone extending from the earpiece;   a battery box; and   a controller coupled to the speaker, noise reduction microphone, second microphone, and battery box, the controller including:
 an automatic noise reduction circuit generating signals for the speaker based on signals from the noise reduction microphone; 
 a microphone preamplifier associated with the second microphone; 
 a device detector that detects connection of a device and selectively couples power derived from the battery box to the preamplifier; and 
 a communications priority module that provides an automatic attenuation function to reduce the amplitude of an audio signal from a secondary device relative to amplitude of an audio signal from a primary communication device. 
   
     
     
         9 . A method for operating an automatic noise reduction (ANR) headset or headset assembly with an aircraft two-way radio and a mobile telephone, the headset or headset assembly including a battery box and a boom microphone coupled to a preamplifier, the method comprising:
 coupling power derived from the aircraft two-way radio to the boom microphone preamplifier for operation of the boom microphone with the aircraft two-way radio; and   coupling power derived from the battery box to the boom microphone preamplifier for operation of the boom microphone with the mobile telephone.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising decoupling power derived from the battery box when no mobile telephone signal is detected. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising mixing audio signals from the aircraft two-way radio and the mobile telephone. 
     
     
         12 . A headset or headset assembly comprising:
 at least one circuit for receiving audio signals from a two-way radio and a mobile telephone;   a battery terminal;   a microphone coupled to a preamplifier; and   a circuit for coupling the preamplifier to receive power via the battery terminal in response to a signal from the mobile telephone.   
     
     
         13 . The headset or headset assembly of  claim 12  wherein the two-way radio comprises an aircraft two-way radio or intercom, and the mobile telephone comprises a cellular telephone. 
     
     
         14 . The headset or headset assembly of  claim 12  further comprising:
 a circuit for mixing signals from the two-way radio and the mobile telephone. 
 
     
     
         15 . The headset or headset assembly of  claim 14  further comprising:
 acoustic-noise-reduction circuitry coupled to receive the mixed signals. 
 
     
     
         16 . A headset or headset assembly comprising:
 a first circuit for receiving first signals from a communications device;   a second circuit for receiving second signals from an audio source;   a circuit for comparing at least a portion of at least one of the first and second signals to a threshold;   a circuit for muting audio signals responsive to the circuit for comparing;   a battery;   a microphone coupled to a preamplifier; and   a circuit for detecting the first signals from the communications device and selectively coupling the preamplifier to receive power from the battery based one of the first signals from the communications device.   
     
     
         17 . The headset or headset assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the communications device provides a bias signal and wherein the circuit for detecting and selectively coupling decouples the bias signal. 
     
     
         18 . The headset or headset assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the communications device is a two-way radio or an intercom, and the audio source is a personal listening device. 
     
     
         19 . A headset or headset assembly comprising:
 a first input for receiving first audio signals from a communications device;   a second input for receiving second audio signals from an audio source, distinct from the communications device;   a microphone preamplifier;   a battery terminal;   a circuit for coupling the microphone preamplifier to the battery terminal in response to deactivation or decoupling of the communications device.   
     
     
         20 . The headset or headset assembly of  claim 19 , further comprising a circuit for changing relative amplitude of the received first and second audio signals. 
     
     
         21 . The headset or headset assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the communications device is a two-way radio or intercom, and the audio source is an entertainment device.