Headset systems and methods

Abstract

A digital audio player device can be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance or other oral device to form an intraoral MP3 player. In another embodiment, the device provides an electronic and transducer device that can be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance or other oral device to form a DAP. Such an oral appliance may be a custom-made device fabricated from a thermal forming process utilizing a replicate model of a dental structure obtained by conventional dental impression methods. The electronic and transducer assembly may receive incoming sounds either directly or through a receiver to process and amplify the signals and transmit the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or other bone structure, such as the maxillary, mandibular, or palatine bone structure.

1 . An intra-oral digital audio player, comprising:
 a. a mouth wearable housing which comprises a custom oral device;   b. a data storage device positioned in the mouth wearable housing to store digital audio;   c. a transducer mounted on the mouth wearable housing and in vibratory communication with one or more teeth, wherein the transducer comprises a bone conduction transducer; and   d. a linking unit to receive audio content and coupled to the data storage device.   
     
     
         2 . The digital audio player of  claim 1  further comprising a radio receiver in communication with the linking unit to receive AM or FM broadcast content. 
     
     
         3 . The digital audio player of  claim 1  wherein the mouth wearable housing comprises an oral appliance having a shape which conforms to the one or more teeth. 
     
     
         4 . The digital audio player of  claim 1  wherein the transducer further comprises an electronic assembly disposed within or upon the housing and in communication with the transducer. 
     
     
         5 . The digital audio player of  claim 1  wherein the linking unit further comprises a transceiver compatible with one of: an 802 protocol, cellular protocol, wireless USB protocol. 
     
     
         6 . The digital audio player of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a. a player charger coil defining a first portion of an electromagnetic loop; and 
 b. a charger base having a base charger coil defining a second portion of the electromagnetic loop, wherein the player charger coil and the base charger coil in combination transfer energy for inductive charging. 
 
     
     
         7 . The digital audio player of  claim 6  further comprising a charger circuit coupled to the player coil portion. 
     
     
         8 . The digital audio player of  claim 7  wherein the charger circuit comprises a regulator circuit coupled to a charging circuit. 
     
     
         9 . The digital audio player of  claim 1  wherein the data storage device comprises MP3 content. 
     
     
         10 . The digital audio player of  claim 1  further comprising a remote controller in communication with the digital audio player. 
     
     
         11 . The digital audio play of  claim 10  wherein the remote controller comprises a squeeze control with a bite control to allow the user to pause/play (single bite) and skip to another track (double bite). 
     
     
         12 . An intra-oral digital audio player, comprising:
 a. a mouth wearable housing which comprises a custom oral device;   b. a data storage device to store digital audio;   c. a transducer mounted within or upon the mouth wearable housing and in vibratory communication with one or more teeth, wherein the transducer comprises a bone conduction transducer;   d. a linking unit to receive audio content and in communication with the data storage device; and   e. a remote controller in communication with the digital audio player to adjust playback volume, play and pause and navigate between tracks.   
     
     
         13 . The digital audio player of  claim 12  further comprising a radio receiver in communication with the linking unit to receive AM or FM broadcast content. 
     
     
         14 . The digital audio player of  claim 12  wherein the mouth wearable housing comprises an oral appliance having a shape which conforms to the one or more teeth. 
     
     
         15 . The digital audio player of  claim 12  wherein the transducer further comprises an electronic assembly disposed within or upon the housing and in communication with the transducer. 
     
     
         16 . The digital audio player of  claim 12  wherein the linking unit comprises a transceiver compatible with one of: an 802 protocol, cellular protocol, wireless USB protocol. 
     
     
         17 . The digital audio player of  claim 15  further comprising:
 a. a player charger coil defining a first portion of an electromagnetic loop; and 
 b. a charger base having a base charger coil defining a second portion of the electromagnetic loop, wherein the player charger coil and the base charger coil in combination transfer energy for inductive charging. 
 
     
     
         18 . The digital audio player of  claim 17  further comprising a charger circuit coupled to the player coil portion. 
     
     
         19 . The digital audio player of  claim 18  wherein the charger circuit comprises a regulator circuit coupled to a charging circuit. 
     
     
         20 . The digital audio player of  claim 12  wherein the data storage devices comprises MP3 content. 
     
     
         21 . The digital audio player of  claim 12  wherein the remote controller comprises a squeeze control with a bite control to allow the user to pause/play (single bite) and skip to another track (double bite).