Handset with ear hook and additional ear tip

Abstract

An audio headset device may include an earpiece, an earhook, and an earplug, the earpiece being configured to play audio, the earhook being attached to the earpiece, and the earplug being removably attached to the earpiece. The earpiece may be configured to transmit audio to the ear when the removably attached earplug is removed. The earhook may be configured to be placed around the ear to position the opening of the speaker for the earpiece above the concha cavity of the ear. The earplug may be configured to be located in the concha cavity of the ear and guide the audio from the opening of the earpiece to the ear canal of the ear. The earplug may be removably attached only to the side of the earpiece, the side being configured to be close to the ear.

Description

Background Art

[0001] Feature-rich portable electronic devices, including portable electronic communications devices, have evolved from simple analog devices to multi-functional computing systems that support multiple communication protocols. These devices may rely on speakers for audio output and microphones for audio input. The speakers and microphones may be integrated into the device and one or more remote devices, such as remote speaker microphones or headphones. The speakers of the remote devices may be worn close to the user's ears, while the microphones may be placed near the user's chin or mouth.

[0002] In public safety or mission-critical environments, a user may need to distinguish ambient sounds and audio played from a speaker against ambient noise. However, in such an environment, a user cannot carry multiple remote devices to distinguish ambient sounds from audio playback, respectively. In addition, in such an environment, a user often needs to wear a remote device for a long time without causing discomfort to the user. For example, one or more protrusions of the remote device may engage with the user's ears, causing discomfort to the user and making the remote device unsuitable for public safety or mission-critical environments. These limitations may generally not be overcome by removing the remote device, because users in such environments may need to distinguish audio playback for a long time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0003] The accompanying drawings, together with the detailed description below, are incorporated into this specification and form a part thereof, and are used to further illustrate embodiments including the claimed inventive concepts and to explain the various principles and advantages of those embodiments. Like reference numerals in the accompanying drawings refer to the same or functionally similar elements in each view.

[0004] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an example audio headphone device to be mounted on the ear in accordance with some embodiments.

[0005] Figure 2 is a front orthogonal view of an example audio headphone device mounted on the ear in accordance with some embodiments.

[0006] Figure 3 is a perspective view of an example audio headphone device with earbuds in accordance with some embodiments.

[0007] Figure 4A is a left side orthogonal view of an example audio headphone device without earbuds in accordance with some embodiments.

[0008] Figure 4B is a right side orthogonal view of an example audio headphone device without earbuds in accordance with some embodiments.

[0009] Figure 4Cis a rear orthogonal view of an example audio headphone device without earbuds in accordance with some embodiments.

[0010] Figure 4D is a top orthogonal view of an example audio headphone device without earbuds in accordance with some embodiments.

[0011] Figure 4E is a bottom orthographic view of an example audio headphone device without earbuds in accordance with some embodiments.

[0012] Figure 5A is a left side orthogonal view of an example audio headset device with earbuds in accordance with some embodiments.

[0013] Figure 5B is a right side orthogonal view of an example audio headset device with earbuds in accordance with some embodiments.

[0014] Figure 5C is a rear orthogonal view of an example audio headphone device with earbuds in accordance with some embodiments.

[0015] Figure 5D is a top orthogonal view of an example audio headphone device with earbuds in accordance with some embodiments.

[0016] Figure 5E is a bottom orthographic view of an example audio headphone device with earbuds in accordance with some embodiments.

[0017] Fig. 6A is an interior rear perspective view of an example audio headphone device without earbuds in accordance with some embodiments.

[0018] Figure 6B is an exterior front perspective view of an example audio headphone device without earbuds in accordance with some embodiments.

[0019] Figure 7 is an interior front perspective view of an example audio headphone device with earbuds in accordance with some embodiments.

[0020] Fig. 8A is a rear orthogonal cross-sectional view of an example audio headphone device in accordance with some embodiments.

[0021] Figure 8B is an enlarged rear orthogonal cross-sectional view of an example audio headphone device in accordance with some embodiments.

[0022] Fig. 9 is a sound intensity graph of an example audio headphone device in accordance with some embodiments.

[0023] It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the elements in the drawings are shown for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the size of some elements in the drawings may be enlarged relative to other elements to help improve the understanding of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0024] Device components are appropriately indicated in the drawings by suitable reference numerals which show only those specific details relevant to an understanding of the embodiments of the invention so as not to obscure the invention with details that would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] This article discloses an audio headset device for public safety or mission-critical environments. In one embodiment, the disclosed audio headset device includes an earpiece, an earhook, and an earplug. The earpiece can be configured to play audio, the earhook can be attached to the earpiece, and is configured to be placed around the ear, so that the opening of the speaker for the earpiece is positioned above the concha cavity of the ear, and the earplug can be attached to the earpiece in a removable manner, and is configured to guide the audio from the opening of the earpiece to the ear canal of the ear. The earplug can be attached only to the side of the earpiece near the ear in a removable manner, and is configured to be located in the concha cavity. The earpiece can be configured to transmit audio to the ear when the earplug attached in a removable manner is removed.

[0026] In various embodiments, the speaker grille of the earpiece with an opening for the speaker can have a conical shape, and the top of the speaker grille can extend from the earpiece. In various embodiments, the ear hook can be configured to position the opening of the earpiece above the concha cavity of the ear using a ring portion, and the ring portion is configured to be placed around the helix. The ring portion of the ear hook can include a molded rubber material, wherein a wire is embedded in the molded rubber material. In some embodiments, the molded rubber material can be silicone. In various embodiments, the ear plug can be attached to the earpiece in a removable manner, wherein the foot of the ear plug is configured to interlock the ear plug with the earpiece. In various embodiments, the first sound intensity corresponding to the audio transmitted to the ear by the earpiece when the ear plug is removed can be lower than the second sound intensity corresponding to the audio transmitted by the earpiece and guided to the ear by the earplug. In various embodiments, the ear hook can be attached to the earpiece by the arm of the ear hook. In some embodiments, the earpiece can be configured to be closer to the ear than the arm of the ear hook to which the earpiece is attached.

[0027] In some embodiments, the foot of the earplug can be configured to interlock the earplug with the earphone by inserting the foot into the chamber of the earphone and rotating the earplug to the locked position. The chamber of the earphone can be recessed from the top of the speaker grille. In some embodiments, the locked position can be identified by alignment between a first mark on the earphone and a second mark on the earplug. The first mark and the second mark can be provided by indentations or drawn symbols (e.g., circles or dots). In some embodiments, the rotation of the earplug to the locked position can be configured to be performed on a rotation plane that is orthogonal to the insertion axis of the foot of the earplug into the chamber of the earphone.

[0028] In various embodiments, the distal end of the earplug may include a rubber attachment configured to isolate ambient sound from the ear canal. In various embodiments, the earplug may include a rubber attachment and a plastic base. The rubber attachment may be located on the distal end of the earplug, configured to be positioned in the cavum concha of the ear, and include a port configured to be positioned toward the ear canal. The plastic base may include a foot of the earplug on the proximal end of the earplug and may be co-molded to the rubber attachment to seal the audio directed from the opening of the speaker of the earpiece to the ear canal. In some embodiments, the rubber attachment may be silicone.

[0029] In various embodiments, the inclined edge of the foot can be formed between the first end and the second end of the foot. The first end can be away from the plastic base of the earplug, and the second end can be close to the plastic base. The inclined edge can be configured to fix the earplug to the earphone via contacting the wall of the chamber of the earphone. In certain embodiments, the chamber can be recessed in the base of the earphone, and the base is configured to accommodate the speaker of the earphone. In certain embodiments, the inclined edge can be configured to interlock the earplug with the earphone by engaging with the wall of the chamber of the earphone. In certain embodiments, the curvature of the foot can correspond to the curvature of the chamber or base of the structure of the earphone to accommodate the speaker of the earphone. In various embodiments, the plastic base of the earplug can be configured to be substantially flush with the earphone when the earplug is interlocked with the earphone.

[0030] In various embodiments, the earpiece can be configured to transmit audio having a first sound pressure level to the ear, and the earbud can be configured to direct audio having a second sound pressure level to the ear, wherein the second sound pressure level is less than 15 decibels greater than the first sound pressure level.

[0031] As previously mentioned, portable electronic devices may be integrated with speakers and microphones. As the uses and benefits of communication and commands grow, speakers and microphones may be increasingly used for communication and commands. At the same time, in public safety or mission-critical environments, the ambient noise level may be greater than normal environments, and it may be necessary to enhance the sound intensity or enhance the sound isolation (e.g., as perceived by the user) to distinguish between ambient sounds and the audio output from the speaker. The speaker or speaker and microphone may be integrated in a remote device mounted near one or more ears.

[0032] The remote device may typically be mounted to the ear and generate audio having a sound intensity that is suitable for normal environments but not for public safety or mission-critical environments, which may require the transmission of audio having a sound intensity sufficient for the user to discern the audio output from the speaker relative to the ambient noise.

[0033] The remote device may also include a snap-on earbud. The secure snap-on installation or snap-off removal of the earbud typically relies on a clip, but the clip protrudes from the earbud and engages the concha of the user's ear, causing discomfort during typical use in public safety and mission-critical environments.

[0034] The remote device may include a sleeve for mounting the device to the ear, but mounting within the concha of the ear often results in user discomfort, and without the sleeve, the device cannot be reliably mounted. In addition, user discomfort arises from the fact that the sleeve covers the device, thereby increasing the size of the device, and engages the anti-helix of the ear. The engagement of the sleeve with the ear may include one or more protruding edges engaging the surface of the ear, which may also be uncomfortable for at least some users.

[0035] Public safety and mission-critical environments may require a user to distinguish audio output from a device from ambient audio. To support these requirements, a user may need to switch between an audio headset device with earbuds that can provide enhanced sound strength for audio output or audio isolation for the user to distinguish audio output from the device and an audio headset device without earbuds that can provide improved ambient audio recognition. At the same time, a user may not be able to carry multiple types of devices when operating in a public safety or mission-critical environment.

[0036] The audio headset device can be communicatively coupled to devices such as radio devices that can support one or more types of communication transmissions including, but not limited to, direct mode, conventional or trunked land mobile radio (LMR) standards or protocols, such as ETSI Digital Mobile Radio (DMR), the Project 25 (P25) standard defined by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO), Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA), or other LMR radio protocols or standards. In some embodiments, among other possibilities, the device may support Long Term Evolution (LTE) (including LTE-Advanced or LTE-Advanced Pro in accordance with, for example, the 3GPP TS 36 specification series) or 5G (including New Radio (NR) air interface in accordance with the 3GPP TS 38 specification series) protocols, through which Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS), Single Site Point-to-Multipoint (SC-PTM) service, or Mission Critical Push-to-Talk (MCPTT) service may be provided, or through which the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) proposed Push-to-Talk (PTT) over Cellular (OMA-PoC), Voice over IP (VoIP), LTE-D (LTE Direct) or LTE-D2D (LTE Device-to-Device), or IP-based PTT (PoIP) applications may be implemented. Additionally or alternatively, direct mode LTE standards may also be implemented, including but not limited to the LTE Direct Device-to-Device standard.

[0037] As described herein, the audio headset device for public safety or mission-critical environments may include an earpiece, an ear hook, and an earplug. The earpiece may be configured to play audio and transmit audio to the ear when the earplug is removed, which may allow the user to hear ambient sound and the audio associated with communication. The top of the conical speaker grille of the earpiece may extend from the base of the earpiece toward the concha cavity of the ear. The ear hook may be attached to the earpiece and configured to be placed around the ear, so that the opening for the speaker of the earpiece is positioned above the concha cavity of the ear. The earplug may be attached to the side of the earpiece near the ear in a removable manner. For example, the foot of the earplug may be inserted in the chamber of the earpiece and rotated to interlock the earplug with the earpiece, thereby securely attaching the earplug to the earpiece. When the earplug is attached to the earpiece, the foot and the chamber may be located outside the speaker. In addition, the earplug may be configured to be positioned in the concha cavity of the ear, and audio is guided to the ear canal from the opening of the earpiece. When the earbuds are attached, the audio headphone device may be more securely mounted to the ear, thereby providing a more comfortable fit for the user.

[0038] This solution can enable a user to carry a type of audio headset device, such as a pair of headphones, which can provide enhanced sound intensity for audio output when the earplug is attached to the earpiece, or provide improved audio isolation for the user to distinguish the audio output from the device; or when the earplug is removed from the earpiece, the audio headset device can provide improved ambient audio recognition. This solution can also enable the earpiece to be positioned above the concha cavity rather than in the concha cavity to improve user comfort, while using a conical speaker grille to transmit audio to the ear canal. This solution can also enable the speaker of the earpiece to use a larger driver, including but not limited to a 13.5mm driver, because the earpiece can be positioned above the ear cavity rather than in the ear cavity. This solution can further enable the locking mechanism (including but not limited to the chamber) for the earplug to be located outside the speaker in the base of the earpiece, rather than being positioned toward the center of the earpiece, which can improve the user's comfort when the earplug is attached to the earpiece, and allow the earpiece to be placed closer to the ear cavity above the concha cavity of the ear.

[0039] When the earbud is attached to the device, the earbud can be located in the concha cavity to direct the audio from the earpiece to the ear canal. The earbud can be inserted into the earpiece and rotated to a locked position to interlock the earbud with the earpiece. When the earbud is interlocked with the earpiece, the base of the earbud can be substantially flush with the base of the earpiece, which can achieve a seamless fit without any protruding edges that would typically make the user uncomfortable. This solution can keep the earpiece the same size when attached to the earbud without changing the fit and comfort of the user. In addition, the base of the earbud can be a plastic piece that is co-molded with the rubber attachment of the earbud. This solution can seal the audio directed from the opening of the speaker grille to the ear canal while reducing the amount of audio that leaks from the earbud.

[0040] The arm and the ring portion of the ear hook can enable the earpiece to be placed above the concha cavity. The arm can be attached to the earpiece so that the earpiece is positioned closer to the ear than the arm. The arm can also extend outwards to the ring portion starting near the helix. The arm can be made of hard plastic, and the ring portion can be made of a molded rubber material (such as silicone) of soft touch. This scheme can enable the earpiece to be better placed above the concha of the ear, such as above the concha cavity and the hymen of the concha, rather than being placed above the antihelix or the lower foot of the antihelix. This scheme can also realize better user comfort by using hard plastic for supporting the earpiece and the arm that can not engage with the ear surface and by using a molded rubber material for the ring portion that can engage with the helix of the ear.

[0041] Now refer to Figure 1, provides an exploded perspective view of an example audio headphone device 100 to be mounted on an ear 140 according to some embodiments. The ear 140 includes a helix 142, an earlobe 144, a scaphoid 146, and an antihelix 148. A triangular fossa 154 is formed by the helix 142, the antihelix superior crus 150, and the antihelix inferior crus 152. The concha of the ear is formed by the tragus 162, the antitragus 166, and the antihelix inferior crus 152. The concha is divided into a scaphoid 158 and a cavum concha 160 by the helix crus 156. The concha also includes an intertragic notch 164 and an opening to an ear canal 168.

[0042] The audio headset device 100 may include an earpiece 102, an ear hook 104 and a removable earplug 120. Although an earpiece 102, an ear hook 104 and a removable earplug 120 are shown, the audio headset device 100 may also include an earphone for each ear in the two ears of the user, and the earphone may include an earpiece 102, an ear hook 104 and a removable earplug 120. The secondary earphone may be connected by wired or wireless interface communication. The earpiece 102 may include a base 103 for accommodating a speaker (not shown), and one or more chambers for fixing the earplug, such as an upper chamber 112a and a lower chamber 112b. The chamber 112 may be recessed in the base 103 of the earpiece 102 to avoid the protruding edge that may otherwise engage with the surface of the ear 140. In addition, the chamber 112 may be located outside the speaker in the base 103 of the earpiece 102, rather than toward the center of the earpiece 102. Although an upper chamber 112a and a lower chamber 112b are shown, one or more chambers may be positioned at any suitable location around the speaker.

[0043] The speaker may be covered by a speaker grille 113 to protect one or more components of the speaker (including but not limited to the diaphragm of the speaker) from damage. The speaker grille 113 may include one or more openings 111 to allow sound to be sent out from the speaker of the earpiece 102. Although a plurality of circular openings 111 are shown, any number of openings 111 having any suitable shape may also be used to send sound from the speaker. The speaker grille 113 may form a cone having a base 115 and a top 114. The base 115 of the speaker grille 113 may be configured to be further away from the ear cavity of the user's ear than the top 114, which may provide improved comfort by avoiding interaction between the surface of the ear 140 and the surface of the speaker grille 113. In addition, the opening 111 of the speaker grille 113 may at least partially guide the sound from the speaker to the opening of the ear canal 168, which may provide enhanced sound intensity at the ear 140. The top 114 of the speaker grille 113 may extend from the base 103 of the earpiece 102 toward the opening of the ear canal 168, which may increase the sound intensity of the audio transmitted to the ear. In some embodiments, the base 115 of the speaker grille 113 can be recessed relative to the base 103 of the earpiece 102. This recessed position can improve the secure fit of the earplug and ensure that the earpiece 102 is placed above the cavum concha rather than in the cavum concha, which can improve user comfort. The speaker of the earpiece 102 that can be placed above the cavum concha rather than in the cavum concha can use a larger driver, such as a 13.5 mm driver, which can enhance the sound intensity of the audio output from the speaker.

[0044] The ear hook 104 may include an arm 108 to attach the ear hook 104 to the earpiece 102 and position the earpiece 102 closer to the ear 140 than the arm 108. The arm 108 may include a plastic material, such as a hard plastic, and allow the ear hook 104 to be adjusted by rotating the ear hook 104 around the earpiece 102. The ear hook 104 may also include a loop portion 106 to securely attach the audio headphone device 100 by placing the loop portion 106 over or behind one or more portions of the ear 140 (e.g., the helix 142). The loop portion 106 may include a molded rubber material, such as silicone, which may surround an embedded wire 118 (also referred to as a cable). The molded rubber material may be a soft touch material to improve user comfort, and the loop portion 106 may be bent or otherwise adjusted to improve the fit around or behind the ear.

[0045] The wires 118 can send and receive signals to transmit audio information, such as signals necessary to drive the speaker of the earpiece 102. In at least some embodiments, these signals can be sent or received as digital signals. For example, the earpiece 102 can receive a digital signal that transmits audio information and convert the digital signal into an analog signal for driving the speaker of the earpiece 102 to generate an audio output. Although the wires 118 are shown, the audio headset device 100 can be battery powered and can use wireless communication to transmit audio information.

[0046] One or more microphones for audio recording or ambient noise cancellation can be integrated into the audio headset device 100. For example, the earpiece 102, ear hook 104, or wire 118 can include one or more microphones that can be embedded or placed in series. As another example, the earpiece 102 can be attached to a microphone boom (not shown) that is configured to extend from a position near the user's ear to a position near the user's mouth.

[0047] The earpiece 102 can be removably attached to an earplug 120, which can include a base 124 on a proximal end closest to the earpiece 102 and a rubber attachment 122 on a distal end farthest from the earpiece 102. In some embodiments, the base 124 can include a plastic piece that can be co-molded with the rubber attachment 122. The earplug 120 can be removably attached to one side of the earpiece 102 near the ear 140. The base 124 can include one or more feet 126 to attach the earplug 120 to the earpiece 102 in a secure manner. For example, the foot 126 can include a first end 128 and a second end 130. The first end 128 can be far away from the base 124 and the second end 130 can be close to the base 124. An inclined edge (also called a tapered edge) can be formed between the first end 128 and the second end 130 to improve the installation of the earplug 120 in the earpiece 102. The inclined edge can be configured to interlock the earplug with the earphone by engaging with the wall of the chamber of the earphone (e.g., the wall of chamber 112a or 112b of earphone 102). In some embodiments, the foot can be formed with a curvature that can correspond to the curvature of the chamber (e.g., chamber 112a or 112b) or base (e.g., base 103) of earphone 102. For example, one or more feet 126 of earplug 120 can be inserted into one or more corresponding chambers 112 of earphone 102, and after insertion, earplug 120 can be rotated relative to earphone 102 along a plane orthogonal to the insertion direction. Notification of the locked position can be provided by a mark 116 on earphone 102 and a mark 134 on earplug 120. Marks 116 and 134 can be provided by indentations or drawn symbols (e.g., circles or dots) on the surfaces of earphone 102 and earplug 120. When the markings 116 and 134 are aligned, the earplug 120 can be securely attached to the earpiece 102. Conversely, once the one or more feet 126 of the earplug 120 are aligned with the one or more corresponding chambers 112 of the earpiece 102, the earplug 120 can be removed from the earpiece 102 by rotating the earplug 120 relative to the earpiece 102 so that the markings 116 and 134 are no longer aligned, and then pulling the earplug 120 to separate it from the earpiece 102.

[0048] When the earbud 120 is attached to the earpiece 102, the base 124 of the earbud 120 can be substantially flush with the base 103 of the earpiece 102, whereby there can be no edges protruding from the base 124 of the earbud 120 or the base 103 of the earpiece 102, which would otherwise cause discomfort during typical use in public safety and mission-critical environments. Audio output from the speaker grille 113 of the earpiece 102 can be directed to the ear canal via the rubber attachment 122 of the earbud 120 via the port 132. The user can select an earbud 120 with an appropriately sized rubber attachment 122 that isolates the audio from the ear canal without adversely affecting the ear, which would typically cause discomfort.

[0049] Now refer to Figure 2 , provides a front orthogonal view of an example audio earphone device 200 mounted on an ear according to some embodiments. An earhook 204 of the audio earphone device 200 may provide a secure mounting of the audio earphone device 200 to an ear 240. A loop portion 206 of the earhook 204 may be at least partially placed behind a portion of the ear (e.g., a helix 242 of the ear 240). The loop portion 206 may include a molded rubber material, such as silicone, which may surround an embedded wire 218 that may exit under an earlobe 244 of the ear 240. In some embodiments, the earhook 204 may be adjusted by bending the loop portion 206. The earhook 204 may be attached to the earpiece 202 using an arm 208, which may include a plastic material. The arm 208 of the earhook 204 may be at least partially placed in front of the ear, such as in front of the helix foot 256 of the ear 240. In some embodiments, the earhook 204 may be adjusted by rotating the arm 208 of the earhook 204 relative to the earpiece 202. This rotation may move the arm 208 toward or away from the antarctic crus 252 of the ear 240 .

[0050] The ear hook 204 can position the earpiece 202 above the cavum concha 260 of the ear 240 in the region 280, which can prevent the earpiece 202 from being placed within the cavum concha 260 or positioned more forward, thereby leaving one or more areas uncovered near the back of the cavum concha 260. The region 280 can also cover one or more additional areas of the ear 240, such as the cylindrica 258, because the earpiece 202 may not engage with the surface of the ear 240 in those areas, which would otherwise cause discomfort to the user.

[0051] Now refer to Figure 3, a perspective view of an example audio headset device 300 with an earbud 320b is provided according to some embodiments. Earbud 320a may represent an earbud before being installed in earpiece 302, and earbud 320b may represent an earbud after being installed in earpiece 302. Earbud 320a may include a base 324a on a proximal end closest to earpiece 302 and a rubber attachment 322a on a distal end farthest from earpiece 302. In some embodiments, base 324a may include a plastic piece that may be co-molded with rubber attachment 322a. Rubber attachment 322a may have a port 332a on its distal end to direct audio to the opening of the ear canal.

[0052] The base 324a may include one or more feet 326a to attach the earplug 320a to the earpiece 302 in a secure manner, as shown in earplug 320b. For example, the foot 326a may include a first end 328a and a second end 330a. The first end 328a may be away from the base 324a, while the second end 330a may be close to the base 324a. An inclined edge, also known as a tapered edge, may be formed between the first end 328a and the second end 330a to improve the installation of the earplug 320a in the earpiece 302. The inclined edge may be configured to be able to pass through the wall of the chamber of the earpiece (e.g., for Figure 1 In some embodiments, the earplug 320a may be inserted 350 into one or more corresponding chambers of the earpiece 302 by engaging with the wall of the chamber 112a or 112b of the earpiece 102 described in the embodiment of the present invention, to interlock the earplug with the earpiece via contact. In some embodiments, the foot may be formed with a curvature that may correspond to the curvature of the chamber or base (e.g., base 302) of the earpiece 302. For example, one or more feet 326a of the earplug 320a may be inserted 350 into one or more corresponding chambers of the earpiece 302. After insertion 350, the earplug (320a or 320b) may be rotated 352 along a plane orthogonal to the insertion direction relative to the earpiece 302. Notification of the locked position may be provided by a mark (not shown) on the earpiece 302 and a mark (not shown) on the earplug 320b. When the two marks are aligned, the earplug 320b may be securely attached to the earpiece 302. Conversely, once one or more feet (e.g., foot 326a) of earplug 320a are aligned with one or more corresponding chambers (not shown) of earphone 302, earplug 320b can be removed from earphone 302 by rotating earplug 320b relative to earphone 302 so that the two markings are no longer aligned and then pulling earplug 320b to separate it from earphone 302.

[0053] When the earplug 320b is attached to the earpiece 302, the base 324b of the earplug 320b can be substantially flush with the base 303 of the earpiece 302, so that there is no edge protruding from the base 324b of the earplug 320b or the base 303 of the earpiece 302, and the protruding edge otherwise causes discomfort during typical use in public safety and mission-critical environments. The audio output from the earpiece 302 can be guided to the ear canal via the rubber attachment 322b of the earplug 320b via the port 332b. The user can select the earplug 320b with the rubber attachment 322b of the appropriate size, which isolates the audio from the ear canal without adversely affecting the ear, which usually causes discomfort. The configuration of the wire 318 and the ear hook 304 (including the arm 308 and the loop 306 of the ear hook 304) can remain unchanged between the attachment or removal of the earplug 320b of the earpiece 302.

[0054] Now refer to FIG. 4A to FIG. 4E , provides a left orthogonal view of an example audio headphone device 400 without earbuds according to some embodiments ( Figure 4A ), right orthographic view ( Figure 4B ), Back orthographic view ( Figure 4C ), top orthographic view ( Figure 4D ) and the bottom-up orthographic view ( Figure 4E ). The audio headset device 400 may include an earpiece 402 and an ear hook 404. Although one earpiece 402 and ear hook 404 are shown, the audio headset device 400 may also include an earpiece for each of the user's two ears, which may include an earpiece 402 and an ear hook 404. The secondary earpiece may be communicatively coupled via a wired or wireless interface.

[0055] The earpiece 402 may include a base 403 for accommodating a speaker (not shown), and one or more chambers for fixing the earplug, such as an upper chamber 412a and a lower chamber 412b. The chamber 412 may be recessed into the base 403 of the earpiece 402 to avoid a protruding edge that may otherwise engage with the surface of the ear. In addition, the chamber 412 may be located outside the speaker in the base 403 of the earpiece 402, rather than toward the center of the earpiece 402. Although the upper chamber 412a and the lower chamber 412b are shown, one or more chambers may also be positioned around the speaker at any suitable position. When the mark on the earplug is aligned with the mark 416, the mark 416 may provide a notification of a secure fit. The mark 416 may be provided by a dent or a drawn symbol (e.g., a circle or dot) on the surface of the earpiece 402.

[0056] The speaker can be covered by a speaker grille 413 to protect one or more components of the speaker (including but not limited to the diaphragm of the speaker) from damage. The speaker grille 413 may include one or more openings 411 to allow sound to be sent out from the speaker of the earpiece 402. Although multiple circular openings 411 are shown, any number of openings with any suitable shape may also be used to send sound from the speaker. The speaker grille 413 may form a cone with a base 415 and a top 414. The base 415 of the speaker grille 413 may be configured to be farther away from the ear cavity of the user's ear than the top 414, which may provide improved comfort by avoiding interaction between the surface of the ear and the surface of the speaker grille 413. In addition, the opening 411 may at least partially guide the sound from the speaker to the opening of the ear canal, which may provide enhanced sound intensity at the ear. The top 414 of the speaker grille 413 may extend from the base 403 of the earpiece 402 toward the opening of the ear canal, which may increase the sound intensity of the audio transmitted to the ear. In some embodiments, the base 415 of the speaker grille 413 can be recessed relative to the base 403 of the earpiece 402, which can ensure that the earpiece 402 is placed above the cavum concha rather than in the cavum concha, which can improve the comfort of the user. The speaker of the earpiece 402 that can be placed above the cavum concha rather than in the cavum concha can use a larger driver, such as a 13.5 mm driver, which can enhance the sound intensity of the audio output from the speaker.

[0057] The ear hook 404 may include an arm 408 to attach the ear hook 404 to the earpiece 402 and position the earpiece 402 closer to the ear than the arm 408. The arm 408 may include a plastic material and allow the ear hook to be adjusted by rotating the ear hook around the earpiece. The ear hook 404 may also include a loop 406 to securely attach the audio earphone device 400 to the ear by placing at least a portion of the loop 406 above or behind one or more parts of the ear (e.g., helix). The loop 406 may include a molded rubber material, such as silicone, which may surround an embedded wire 418 that may leave below the earlobe of the ear. The molded rubber material may be a soft touch material to improve user comfort, and the loop 406 may be bent or otherwise adjusted to improve fit around or behind the ear. The arm 408 of the ear hook 404 may be at least partially placed in front of the ear, such as in front of the helix foot of the ear. In some embodiments, the ear hook 404 can be adjusted by rotating the arm 408 of the ear hook 404 relative to the earpiece 402. This rotation can move the arm 408 toward or away from the antihelix of the ear. The ear hook 404 can position the earpiece 402 above the concha cavity of the ear, which can prevent the earpiece 402 from being placed in the concha cavity or positioned more forward, leaving one or more areas near the concha cavity rear portion uncovered. The earpiece 402 can also cover one or more additional areas of the ear, such as the cymba concha, because the earpiece 402 may not engage with the surface of the ear in those areas, otherwise it may cause the user to be uncomfortable.

[0058] Wires 418 can send and receive signals to transmit audio information, such as signals necessary to drive a speaker of earpiece 402. In at least some embodiments, these signals can be sent or received as digital signals. For example, earpiece 402 can receive a digital signal that transmits audio information and convert the digital signal into an analog signal for driving a speaker of earpiece 402 to generate an audio output. Although wires 418 are shown, audio headset device 400 can be battery powered and can use wireless communication to transmit audio information.

[0059] One or more microphones for audio recording or ambient noise cancellation can be integrated into the audio headset device 400. For example, the earpiece 402, ear hook 404, or wire 418 can include one or more microphones that can be embedded or placed in series. As another example, the earpiece 402 can be attached to a microphone boom (not shown) that is configured to extend from a position near the user's ear to a position near the user's mouth.

[0060] Now refer to FIG. 5A to FIG. 5E , provides a left orthogonal view of an example audio headphone device 500 with an earbud 520 according to some embodiments ( Figure 5A )、Right side orthogonal view( Figure 5B ), Back orthographic view ( Figure 5C ), top orthographic view ( Figure 5D ) and the bottom-up orthographic view ( Figure 5E ). The audio headset device 500 may include an earpiece 502, an ear hook 504, and a removable earplug 520. Although one earpiece 502, an ear hook 504, and a removable earplug 520 are shown, the audio headset device 500 may also include an earphone for each ear of the user's two ears, and the earphone may include an earpiece 502, an ear hook 504, and a removable earplug 520. The secondary earphone may be communicatively connected via a wired or wireless interface. The earpiece 502 may include a base 503 for accommodating a speaker (not shown), and one or more chambers (not shown) for fixing the earplug 520. The earplug 520 may be removably attached to a side portion of the earpiece 502 that is configured to be close to the ear. The earpiece 502 may be placed above the concha cavity, rather than in the concha cavity, and the earplug 520 may be placed in the concha cavity to guide the audio to the opening of the ear canal. The speaker of earpiece 502, which can be placed above the concha cavity rather than in the concha cavity, can use a larger driver, such as a 13.5 mm driver, which can enhance the sound intensity of the audio output from the speaker.

[0061] The ear hook 504 may include an arm 508 to attach the ear hook 504 to the earpiece 502 and position the earpiece 502 closer to the ear than the arm 508. The arm 508 may include a plastic material and allow the ear hook to be adjusted by rotating the ear hook around the earpiece. The ear hook 504 may also include a loop portion 506 to adjust the ear hook by placing the loop portion 506 around one or more parts of the ear (e.g., for Figure 1 The loop portion 506 can be placed over or behind the helix 142 of the ear 140 as depicted to securely attach the audio headphone device 500. The loop portion 506 can include a molded rubber material, such as silicone, that can surround the embedded wires 518. The molded rubber material can be a soft touch material to improve user comfort, and the loop portion 506 can be bent or otherwise adjusted to improve the fit around or behind the ear.

[0062] Wires 518 can send and receive signals to transmit audio information, such as signals necessary to drive the speaker of the earpiece 502. In at least some embodiments, these signals can be sent or received as digital signals. For example, the earpiece 502 can receive a digital signal that transmits audio information and convert the digital signal into an analog signal to drive the speaker of the earpiece 502 to generate an audio output. Although wires 518 are shown, the audio headset device 500 can be battery-powered and can use wireless communication to transmit audio information.

[0063] One or more microphones for audio recording or ambient noise cancellation can be integrated into the audio headset device 500. For example, the earpiece 502, ear hook 504, or wire 518 can include one or more microphones that can be embedded or placed in series. As another example, the earpiece 502 can be attached to a microphone boom (not shown) that is configured to extend from a position near the user's ear to a position near the user's mouth.

[0064] The earpiece 502 can be removably attached to the earplug 520, which can include a base 524 on the proximal end closest to the earpiece 502 and a rubber attachment 522 on the distal end farthest from the earpiece 502. The base 524 can include a plastic piece that can be co-molded with the rubber attachment 522. The base 524 can include one or more feet (not shown) to securely attach the earplug 520 to the earpiece 502. For example, the one or more feet of the earplug 520 can be inserted into one or more corresponding chambers of the earpiece 502, and after insertion, the earplug 520 can be rotated relative to the earpiece 502 along a plane orthogonal to the insertion direction. Notification of the locked position can be provided by a mark 516 on the earpiece 502 and a mark 534 on the earplug 520. The marks 516 and 534 can be provided by indentations or drawn symbols (e.g., circles or dots) on the surfaces of the earpiece 502 and the earplug 520. When the markings 516 and 534 are aligned, the earplug 520 can be securely attached to the earpiece 502. Conversely, once one or more feet of the earplug 520 are aligned with one or more corresponding chambers of the earpiece 502, the earplug 520 can be removed from the earpiece 502 by rotating the earplug 520 relative to the earpiece 502 so that the markings 516 and 534 are no longer aligned, and then pulling the earplug 520 to separate it from the earpiece 502.

[0065] When the earbud 520 is attached to the earpiece 502, the base 524 of the earbud 520 can be substantially flush with the base 503 of the earpiece 502, whereby there can be no edges protruding from the base 524 of the earbud 520 or the base 503 of the earpiece 502, which would otherwise cause discomfort during typical use in public safety and mission-critical environments. Audio output from the speaker of the earpiece 502 can be directed to the ear canal via the rubber attachment 522 of the earbud 520 via the port 532. The user can select an earbud 520 with an appropriately sized rubber attachment 522 that isolates the audio from the ear canal without adversely affecting the ear, which would typically cause discomfort.

[0066] Now refer to Fig. 6A and Figure 6B , provides an interior rear perspective view of an example audio headphone device 600 without earplugs according to some embodiments ( Fig. 6A) and external elevation perspective ( Figure 6B ). The audio headset device 600 may be similar to the FIG. 4A to FIG. 4E An audio headset device 400 is described.

[0067] The audio headset device 600 may include an earpiece 602 and an ear hook 604. Although one earpiece 602 and ear hook 604 are shown, the audio headset device 600 may also include an earpiece for each of the user's two ears, each of which may include an earpiece 602 and an ear hook 604. The secondary earpiece may be communicatively coupled via a wired or wireless interface.

[0068] The earpiece 602 may include a base 603 that accommodates a speaker (not shown), and one or more chambers for fixing the earplug, such as an upper chamber 612a and a lower chamber 612b. The chamber 612 may be recessed into the base 603 of the earpiece 602 to avoid a protruding edge that may otherwise engage with the surface of the ear. In addition, the chamber 612 may be located outside the speaker in the base 603 of the earpiece 602, rather than toward the center of the earpiece 602. Although the upper chamber 612a and the lower chamber 612b are shown, one or more chambers may also be positioned around the speaker at any suitable location.

[0069] The speaker can be covered by a speaker grille 613 to protect one or more parts of the speaker (including but not limited to the diaphragm of the speaker) from damage. The speaker grille 613 may include one or more openings 611 to allow sound to be sent out from the speaker of the earpiece 602. Although multiple circular openings 611 are shown, any number of openings with any suitable shape can also be used to send sound from the speaker. The speaker grille 613 can form a cone with a base 615 and a top 614. The base 615 of the speaker grille 613 can be configured to be farther away from the ear cavity of the user's ear, which can provide improved comfort by avoiding the interaction between the surface of the ear and the surface of the speaker grille 613. In addition, the opening 611 can at least partially guide the sound from the speaker to the opening of the ear canal, which can provide enhanced sound intensity at the ear. The top 614 of the speaker grille 613 can extend from the base 603 of the earpiece 602 toward the opening of the ear canal, which can improve the sound intensity of the audio transmitted to the ear. In some embodiments, the base 615 of the speaker grille 613 can be recessed relative to the base 603 of the earpiece 602, which can ensure that the earpiece 602 is placed above the cavum concha rather than in the cavum concha, which can improve the comfort of the user. The speaker of the earpiece 602 that can be placed above the cavum concha rather than in the cavum concha can use a larger driver, such as a 13.5 mm driver, which can enhance the sound intensity of the audio output from the speaker.

[0070] The ear hook 604 may include an arm 608 to attach the ear hook 604 to the earpiece 602 and position the earpiece 602 closer to the ear than the arm 608. The arm 608 may include a plastic material and allow the ear hook to be adjusted by rotating the ear hook around the earpiece. The ear hook 604 may also include a loop 606 to securely attach the audio headphone device 600 by placing the loop 606 above or behind one or more parts of the ear (e.g., the helix). The loop 606 may include a molded rubber material, such as silicone, which may surround the embedded wire 618. The molded rubber material may be a soft touch material to improve user comfort, and the loop 606 may be bent or otherwise adjusted to improve the fit around or behind the ear.

[0071] Wire 618 can send and receive signals to transmit audio information, such as signals necessary to drive the speaker of earpiece 602. In at least some embodiments, these signals can be sent or received as digital signals. For example, earpiece 602 can receive a digital signal that transmits audio information and convert the digital signal into an analog signal to drive the speaker of earpiece 602 to generate an audio output. Although wire 618 is shown, audio headset device 600 can be battery powered and can use wireless communication to transmit audio information.

[0072] One or more microphones for audio recording or ambient noise cancellation can be integrated into the audio headset device 600. For example, the earpiece 602, ear hook 604, or wire 618 can include one or more microphones that can be embedded or placed in series. As another example, the earpiece 602 can be attached to a microphone boom (not shown) that is configured to extend from a position near the user's ear to a position near the user's mouth.

[0073] Now refer to Figure 7 , provides an interior front perspective view of an example audio headset device 700 with an earplug 720b according to some embodiments. The audio headset device 700 may be similar to the FIG. 5A to FIG. 5E An audio headset device 500 is described.

[0074] The audio headset device 700 may include an earpiece 702, an ear hook 704, and a removable earplug 720. Although one earpiece 702, an ear hook 704, and a removable earplug 720 are shown, the audio headset device 700 may also include an earphone for each ear in the two ears of the user, and the earphone may include an earpiece 702, an ear hook 704, and a removable earplug 720. The secondary earphone may be connected by wired or wireless interface communication. The earpiece 702 may include a base 703 for accommodating a speaker (not shown), and one or more chambers (not shown) for fixing the earplug 720. The earplug 720 may be attached to a side portion of the earpiece 702 that is configured to be close to the ear in a removable manner. The earpiece 702 may be placed above the concha cavity, rather than in the concha cavity, and the earplug 720 may be placed in the concha cavity to guide the audio to the opening of the ear canal. The speaker of the earpiece 702, which can be placed above the concha cavity rather than in the concha cavity, can use a larger driver, such as a 13.5 mm driver, which can enhance the sound intensity of the audio output from the speaker.

[0075] The ear hook 704 may include an arm 708 to attach the ear hook 704 to the earpiece 702 and position the earpiece 702 closer to the ear than the arm 708. The arm 708 may include a plastic material and allow the ear hook to be adjusted by rotating the ear hook around the earpiece. The ear hook 704 may also include a loop portion 706 to adjust the ear hook by placing the loop portion 706 around one or more parts of the ear (e.g., for Figure 1 The loop portion 706 can be placed over or behind the helix 142 of the ear 140 as depicted to securely attach the audio headphone device 700. The loop portion 706 can include a molded rubber material, such as silicone, that can surround the embedded wires 718. The molded rubber material can be a soft touch material to improve user comfort, and the loop portion 706 can be bent or otherwise adjusted to improve the fit around or behind the ear.

[0076] Wire 718 can send and receive signals to transmit audio information, such as signals necessary to drive the speaker of earpiece 702. In at least some embodiments, these signals can be sent or received as digital signals. For example, earpiece 702 can receive a digital signal that transmits audio information and convert the digital signal into an analog signal to drive the speaker of earpiece 702 to generate an audio output. Although wire 718 is shown, audio headset device 700 can be battery powered and can use wireless communication to transmit audio information.

[0077] One or more microphones for audio recording or ambient noise cancellation can be integrated into the audio headset device 700. For example, the earpiece 702, ear hook 704, or wire 718 can include one or more microphones that can be embedded or placed in series. As another example, the earpiece 702 can be attached to a microphone boom (not shown) that is configured to extend from a position near the user's ear to a position near the user's mouth.

[0078] The earpiece 702 can be removably attached to the earplug 720, which can include a base 724 on the proximal end closest to the earpiece 702 and a rubber attachment 722 on the distal end farthest from the earpiece 702. The base 724 can include a plastic piece that can be molded together with the rubber attachment 722. The base 724 can include one or more feet (not shown) to firmly attach the earplug 720 to the earpiece 702. For example, the one or more feet of the earplug 720 can be inserted into one or more corresponding chambers of the earpiece 702, and after insertion, the earplug 720 can be rotated relative to the earpiece 702 along a plane orthogonal to the insertion direction. Notification of the locked position can be provided by a mark 716 on the earpiece 702 and a mark 734 on the earplug 720. The marks 716 and 734 can be provided by indentations or drawn symbols (e.g., circles or dots) on the surfaces of the earpiece 702 and the earplug 720. When the markings 716 and 734 are aligned, the earplug 720 can be securely attached to the earpiece 702. Conversely, once one or more feet of the earplug 720 are aligned with one or more corresponding chambers of the earpiece 702, the earplug 720 can be removed from the earpiece 702 by rotating the earplug 720 relative to the earpiece 702 so that the markings 716 and 734 are no longer aligned, and then pulling the earplug 720 to separate it from the earpiece 702.

[0079] When the earbud 720 is attached to the earpiece 702, the base 724 of the earbud 720 can be substantially flush with the base 703 of the earpiece 702, whereby there can be no edges protruding from the base 724 of the earbud 720 or the base 703 of the earpiece 702, which would otherwise cause discomfort during typical use in public safety and mission-critical environments. Audio output from the speaker of the earpiece 702 can be directed to the ear canal via the rubber attachment 720 of the earbud 722 via the port 732. The user can select an earbud 720 with an appropriately sized rubber attachment 722 that isolates the audio from the ear canal without adversely affecting the ear, which would typically cause discomfort.

[0080] Now refer to Fig. 8A, a rear orthogonal cross-sectional view of an example audio headset device 800 according to some embodiments is provided. The audio headset device 800 may include an earpiece 802, an ear hook 804, and a removable ear plug 820. Although one earpiece 802, ear hook 804, and removable ear plug 820 are shown, the audio headset device 800 may also include an earphone for each of the user's two ears, and the earphones may include an earpiece 802, an ear hook 804, and a removable ear plug 820. The secondary earphones may be communicatively coupled together via a wired or wireless interface.

[0081] Earpiece 802 can include a base 803 for accommodating a loudspeaker 810, and the loudspeaker 810 can include one or more parts, such as a diaphragm, a coil and a magnet. The base 803 of earpiece 802 can also accommodate one or more chambers, such as an upper chamber 812a and a lower chamber 812b. Chamber 812 can be recessed in the base 803 of earpiece 802 to avoid the protruding edge that may otherwise engage with the surface of the ear. In addition, chamber 812 can be located outside the loudspeaker 810 in the base 803 of earpiece 802, rather than towards the center of earpiece 802. Although upper chamber 812a and lower chamber 812b are shown, one or more chambers can be positioned at any suitable position around the loudspeaker 810.

[0082] In some embodiments, the speaker 810 of the earpiece 802 can be covered by the speaker grille 813 of the earpiece 802 to protect one or more components of the speaker 810 (including but not limited to the diaphragm of the speaker 810) from damage. The speaker grille 813 may include one or more openings 811 to allow sound to be sent out from the speaker 810 of the earpiece 802. Although multiple cylindrical openings 811 are shown, any number of openings with any suitable shape may also be used in the speaker grille 813 to send sound from the speaker 810. The speaker grille 813 may form a cone with a base 815 and a top 814. The base 815 of the speaker grille 813 may be configured to be further away from the ear cavity of the user's ear than the top 814, which can provide improved comfort by avoiding interaction between the surface of the ear and the surface of the speaker grille 813. In addition, the opening 811 of the speaker grille 813 can at least partially guide the sound from the speaker 810 to the opening of the ear canal, which can provide enhanced sound intensity at the ear. The top 814 of the speaker grille 813 can extend from the base 803 of the earpiece 802 toward the opening of the ear canal, which can increase the sound intensity of the audio transmitted to the ear. In some embodiments, the base 815 of the speaker grille 813 can be recessed relative to the base 803 of the earpiece 802. This recessed position can improve the secure fit of the earplug and ensure that the earpiece 802 is placed above the cavum concha, rather than in the cavum concha, which can improve comfort. The speaker of the earpiece 802, which can be placed above the cavum concha, rather than in the cavum concha, can use a larger driver, such as a 13.5 mm driver, which can enhance the sound intensity of the audio output from the speaker.

[0083] The ear hook 804 may include an arm 808 to attach the ear hook 804 to the earpiece 802 and position the earpiece 802 closer to the ear than the arm 808. The arm 808 may include a plastic material and allow the ear hook 804 to be adjusted by rotating the ear hook 804 around the earpiece 802. The ear hook 804 may also include a loop portion 806 to securely attach the audio headphone device 800 by placing the loop portion 806 over or behind one or more portions of the ear (e.g., the helix). The loop portion 806 may include a molded rubber material, such as silicone, which may surround the embedded wire 818. The molded rubber material may be a soft touch material to improve user comfort, and the loop portion 806 may be bent or otherwise adjusted to improve the fit around or behind the ear.

[0084] Wire 818 can send and receive signals to transmit audio information, such as signals necessary to drive the speaker of earpiece 802. In at least some embodiments, these signals can be sent or received as digital signals. For example, earpiece 802 can receive a digital signal that transmits audio information and convert the digital signal into an analog signal to drive the speaker 810 of earpiece 802 to generate an audio output. Although wire 818 is shown, audio headset device 800 can be battery powered and can use wireless communication to transmit audio information.

[0085] One or more microphones for audio recording or ambient noise cancellation can be integrated into the audio headset device 800. For example, the earpiece 802, ear hook 804, or wire 818 can include one or more microphones that can be embedded or placed in series. As another example, the earpiece 802 can be attached to a microphone boom (not shown) that is configured to extend from a position near the user's ear to a position near the user's mouth.

[0086] The earpiece 802 can be removably attached to an earplug 820, which can include a base 822 on the proximal end closest to the earpiece 802 and a rubber attachment 822 on the distal end farthest from the earpiece 802. In some embodiments, the base 824 can include one or more plastic pieces that can be co-molded with the rubber attachment 822. The base 824 can include one or more feet 826 to attach the earplug 820 to the earpiece 802 in a secure manner. The earplug 820 can be removably attached to a side of the earpiece 802 that is configured to be close to the ear. The foot 826 can be configured to interlock the earplug 820 with the earpiece 802 via contact by engaging with the wall of the chamber 812 of the earpiece 802 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 812a or 812b of the earpiece 802). In some embodiments, the foot 826 can be formed with a curvature that can correspond to the curvature of a chamber (e.g., chamber 812a or 812b) or a base (e.g., base 803) of the earpiece 802. For example, one or more feet 826 of the earplug 820 can be inserted into one or more corresponding chambers 812 of the earpiece 802, such as the upper chamber 812a and the chamber 812b. After insertion, the earplug 820 can rotate relative to the earpiece 802 along a plane orthogonal to the insertion direction. Notification of the locked position can be provided by a mark (not shown) on the earpiece 802 and another mark (not shown) on the earplug 820. When the two marks are aligned, the earplug 820 can be firmly attached to the earpiece 802. Conversely, once one or more feet 826 of the earplug 820 are aligned with one or more corresponding chambers 812 of the earpiece 802, the earplug 820 can be removed from the earpiece 802 by rotating the earplug 820 relative to the earpiece 802 so that the two markings are no longer aligned, and then pulling the earplug 820 to separate it from the earpiece 802.

[0087] When the earplug 820 is attached to the earpiece 802, the base 824 of the earplug 820 can be substantially flush with the base 803 of the earpiece 802, whereby there can be no edges protruding from the base 824 of the earplug 820 or the base 803 of the earpiece 802, which would otherwise cause discomfort during typical use in public safety and mission-critical environments. Audio output from the speaker grille 813 of the earpiece 802 can be directed to the ear canal via the port 832 through the rubber attachment 822 of the earplug 820. The rubber seal 835 of the rubber attachment 822 can provide a seal with the base 815 of the speaker grille 813 to reduce sound leakage and enhance the strength of the sound directed 837 to the port 832 of the rubber attachment 822. In some embodiments, the rubber attachment 822 can be co-molded with the base 824 of the earbud 820 via an attachment connector 836 to provide another seal, thereby reducing sound leakage and enhancing the intensity of the sound directed 837 to the port 832 of the rubber attachment 822. The user can select an earbud 822 with an appropriately sized rubber attachment 820 that isolates the audio from the ear canal without adversely affecting the ear, which can often lead to discomfort.

[0088] Now refer to Figure 8B , provides an enlarged rear orthogonal cross-sectional view of an example audio headset 850 according to some embodiments. The audio headset device 850 may be similar to the one for Fig. 8A The described audio headset device 800. The earpiece of the audio headset device 850 can include a base 803 that accommodates a speaker 810, which can include one or more components, such as a diaphragm, a coil, and a magnet. The base 803 can also accommodate one or more chambers, such as an upper chamber 812a. Although the upper chamber 812a is shown, one or more chambers can be positioned around the speaker 810 at any suitable location.

[0089] In some embodiments, the speaker 810 may be covered by a speaker grille 813 to protect one or more components of the speaker 810 (including but not limited to the diaphragm of the speaker 810) from damage. The speaker grille 813 may include one or more openings 811 to allow sound to be sent out from the speaker 810. Although a plurality of cylindrical openings 811 are shown, any number of openings having any suitable shape may also be used in the speaker grille 813 to send sound from the speaker 810. The speaker grille 813 may form a conical shape. The base 815 of the speaker grille 813 may be configured to be further away from the ear cavity of the user's ear than the top end (not shown) of the speaker grille 813, which may provide improved comfort by avoiding interaction between the surface of the ear and the surface of the speaker grille 813. In addition, the opening 811 of the speaker grille 813 may at least partially guide the sound from the speaker 810 to the opening of the ear canal, which may provide enhanced sound intensity at the ear. The top end of the speaker grille 813 may extend from the base 803 of the earpiece 802 toward the opening of the ear canal, which may increase the sound intensity of the audio transmitted to the ear. In some embodiments, the base 815 of the speaker grill 813 can be recessed relative to the base 803. This recessed position can improve the secure fit of the earplug and ensure that the earpiece is placed above the cavum concha, rather than in the cavum concha, which can improve user comfort.

[0090] The earpiece of the audio headset device 850 can be removably attached to the earplug, which can include a base 824 on the proximal end closest to the earpiece and a rubber attachment 822 on the distal end farthest from the earpiece. In some embodiments, the base 824 can include one or more plastic parts, which can be molded together with the rubber attachment 822. The base 824 can include one or more feet 826 to attach the earplug to the earpiece in a secure manner. For example, the one or more feet 826 of the earplug can be inserted into one or more corresponding chambers 812 of the earpiece, such as the upper chamber 812a. After insertion, the earplug can be rotated relative to the earpiece along a plane orthogonal to the insertion direction.

[0091] When the earbud is attached to the earpiece, the base 824 of the earbud can be substantially flush with the base 803 of the earpiece, whereby there can be no protruding edge from the base 824 or base 803, which would otherwise cause discomfort during typical use in public safety and mission-critical environments. Audio output from the speaker grille 813 of the earpiece 802 can be directed to the ear canal by the rubber attachment 822 of the earbud, such as shown by 837. The rubber seal 835 of the rubber attachment 822 can provide a seal with the base 815 of the speaker grille 813 to reduce sound leakage and enhance the intensity of the sound directed 837 to the ear by the rubber attachment 822. In some embodiments, the rubber attachment 822 can be co-molded with the base 824 by an attachment joint 836 to provide another seal to reduce sound leakage and enhance the intensity of the sound directed 837.

[0092] Now refer to Fig. 9 , a sound intensity graph 900 of an example audio headphone device according to some embodiments is provided. A vertical axis 902 may represent the sound intensity in A-weighted decibels (db(A)) of the sound pressure level (SPL). A horizontal axis 904 may represent the audio frequency in Hertz (Hz) on a logarithmic scale. A sound intensity waveform 906 may represent an earpiece and an earhook without an earplug, wherein the audio headphone device is casually fitted to the ear without pressing the audio headphone device against the ear. A sound intensity waveform 908 may represent an earpiece and an earhook with an earplug, wherein the audio headphone device is press-fitted against the ear. Additionally, a sound intensity waveform 910 may represent an earphone, an earhook, and an earplug, wherein the earhook is fitted above or on the ear in a normal manner.

[0093] The minimum sound intensity threshold 912 may represent the minimum acceptable sound output capability of the audio headphone device, such as 105 db(A)SPL; and the maximum sound intensity threshold 914 may represent the maximum acceptable sound output capability of the audio headphone device, such as 125 db(A)SPL. At approximately 1000 Hz, the sound intensity waveform 906 may have a sound intensity of approximately 97.5 db(A)SPL, the sound intensity waveform 908 may have a sound intensity of approximately 102.5 db(A)SPL, and the sound intensity waveform 910 may have a sound intensity of approximately 107.5 db(A)SPL. In addition, at approximately 2000 Hz, the sound intensity waveform 906 may have a sound intensity of approximately 114 db(A)SPL, the sound intensity waveform 908 may have a sound intensity of approximately 119 db(A)SPL, and the sound intensity waveform 910 may have a sound intensity of approximately 121 db(A)SPL. In some embodiments, the sound intensity associated with the audio headphone device with the earbuds may be less than 15 db(A) SPL greater than the sound intensity associated with the audio headphone device without the earbuds.

[0094] Specific embodiments have been described in the foregoing description. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as described in the following claims. Accordingly, the description and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present teachings.

[0095] These benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any elements that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more significant should not be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims. The present invention is limited solely by the appended claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this application and all equivalents of those claims as issued.

[0096] In addition, in this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom can be used individually to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action, without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between these entities and actions. The terms "include", "included", "have", "have", "contain", "contain", "include", "include" or any other variation thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that the process, method, product or device including, having, containing, and containing a series of elements not only includes those elements, but also may include other elements that are not explicitly listed or other elements inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices. The elements starting with "include", "have", "contain", "include" do not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, product or device including, having, containing, and containing the element without more restrictions. Unless otherwise expressly stated herein, the terms "one" and "one" are limited to one or more. The terms "substantially," "essentially," "approximately," "about," or any other form of these terms are defined as approximately as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and in one non-limiting embodiment, these terms are defined to be within 10%, in another embodiment within 5%, in another embodiment within 1%, and in another embodiment within 0.5%. The term "coupled," as used herein, is defined to be connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. A device or structure that is "configured" in a certain way is configured in at least that way, but may also be configured in ways not listed.

[0097] It should be understood that some embodiments may include one or more general or special electronic processors (or "processing devices"), such as microprocessors, digital signal processors, custom processors, and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and proprietary stored program instructions (including both software and firmware) that control one or more processors in combination with certain non-processor circuits to implement some, most, or all of the functions of the methods and / or devices described herein. Alternatively, some or all of the functions may be implemented by a state machine without stored program instructions, or in one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), where each function or certain combinations of certain functions are implemented as custom logic. Of course, a combination of these two schemes may also be used.

[0098] In addition, an embodiment may be implemented as a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable code stored thereon for programming a computer (e.g., including a processor) to perform a method as described and claimed herein. Examples of such computer-readable storage media include, but are not limited to, hard disks, CD-ROMs, optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, ROMs (read-only memories), PROMs (programmable read-only memories), EPROMs (erasable programmable read-only memories), EEPROMs (electrically erasable programmable read-only memories), and flash memories. In addition, although great effort and many design choices may be required, for example, due to available time, current technology, and economic considerations, it is expected that those skilled in the art, guided by the concepts and principles disclosed herein, will be able to easily generate these software instructions and programs and integrated circuits ICs with minimal experimentation.

[0099] The abstract of the specification is provided to allow the reader to quickly determine the nature of the technical disclosure. It should be understood that the submission of this abstract is not used to interpret or limit the scope and meaning of the claims. In addition, in the aforementioned specific embodiments, it can be seen that various features are combined together in various embodiments to simplify the disclosure. This method of disclosure should not be interpreted as reflecting the intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than the features explicitly stated in the individual claims. On the contrary, as reflected in the attached claims, the subject matter of the present invention does not lie in all the features of any single disclosed embodiment. Therefore, the following claims are incorporated herein into the specific embodiments, wherein each claim exists independently as a separately claimed subject matter.

Claims

1. An audio headset device, comprising: An earpiece, the earpiece being configured to play audio; an earhook attached to the earpiece and configured to be placed around the ear to position an opening for a speaker of the earpiece over the cavum concha of the ear; as well as an earplug removably attached to the earpiece, the earplug configured to direct audio from the opening of the earpiece to an ear canal of the ear, wherein: The earplug is removably attached to only one side portion of the earpiece, the side portion being configured to be positioned adjacent to the ear; The earplug is configured to be located in the concha cavity of the ear; The earpiece is configured to transmit audio to the ear if the removably attached earplug is removed; The speaker grille of the earpiece has an opening for the speaker and has a conical shape; The top end of the speaker grille extends from the earpiece; The earplug is configured to be removably attached to the earpiece, wherein the foot of the earplug is configured to interlock the earplug with the earpiece in the following manner: inserting the foot of the earplug into a cavity of the earpiece, the cavity of the earpiece being recessed from a top end of a speaker grille of the earpiece; and Rotate the earbud into the locked position.

2. The audio headphone device according to claim 1, wherein The earhook is configured to position the opening of the earpiece over the cavum concha of the ear using a loop portion configured to be placed around the helix of the ear.

3. The audio headphone device according to claim 1, wherein The distal end of the earplug includes a rubber attachment configured to isolate ambient sound from the ear canal.

4. The audio earphone device of claim 1 , wherein a first sound intensity corresponding to audio configured to be transmitted by the earpiece to the ear when the earplug is removed is lower than a second sound intensity corresponding to audio configured to be transmitted by the earpiece and guided to the ear by the earplug.

5. The audio headphone device according to claim 1, wherein: The earpiece is configured to transmit audio having a first sound pressure level to an ear; The earplug is configured to direct audio having a second sound pressure level to the ear; as well as The second sound pressure level is 15 decibels or less greater than the first sound pressure level.

6. The audio headphone device according to claim 2, wherein: The earhook is attached to the earpiece via an arm of the earhook; and The loop portion of the earhook includes a molded rubber material with electrical wires embedded within the molded rubber material.

7. The audio headphone device according to claim 1, wherein: The earplugs include: a rubber attachment on a distal end of the earplug, the rubber attachment including a port configured to be positioned toward the ear canal; and A plastic base having the foot on a proximal end of the earplug, wherein the plastic base is co-molded to the rubber attachment.

8. The audio headphone device according to claim 1, wherein: The curvature of the foot corresponds to the curvature of a base of the earpiece, the base being configured to accommodate a speaker of the earpiece.

9. The audio headphone device according to claim 3, wherein: The rubber attachment includes silicone.

10. The audio headphone device according to claim 6, wherein: The molded rubber material includes silicone.

11. The audio headphone device according to claim 6, wherein: The earpiece is configured to be positioned closer to the ear than the arm of the attached earhook.

12. The audio headphone device according to claim 1, wherein: The locked position is identified by alignment of a first marking on the earpiece with a second marking on the earplug.

13. The audio headphone device according to claim 1, wherein The rotation of the earplug to the locked position is configured to be performed in a rotation plane that is orthogonal to an insertion axis of the foot of the earplug into the cavity of the earpiece.

14. The audio headphone device according to claim 1, wherein The cavity of the earpiece is recessed into a base of the earpiece, the base being configured to accommodate a speaker of the earpiece.

15. The audio headphone device according to claim 1, wherein The foot is configured to interlock the earplug with the earpiece by engaging with a wall of the cavity.

16. The audio headphone device according to claim 7, wherein: The inclined edge of the foot is formed by: a first end of the foot, the first end being distal from the plastic base of the earplug; and A second end of the foot is proximate to the plastic base, wherein the angled edge is configured to secure the earplug to the earpiece.

17. The audio headphone device according to claim 7, wherein: The plastic base of the earplug is configured to be substantially flush with the earpiece when the earplug is interlocked with the earpiece.

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