Wireless High Definition Headphones

Abstract

The wireless high definition headphone device includes a first earphone including a first speaker and a second earphone including a second speaker. The device also includes a first wireless transceiver unit operating at a first bandwidth for communicating with an external user device and receiving control and / or configuration signals from the external user device. The second wireless transceiver unit operates at a second bandwidth greater than the first bandwidth for communicating with a media source remote from the headphone device and receiving high definition audio content from the media source. A processor receives and processes the high definition audio content to generate an audio output signal. The processor also receives and processes control and / or configuration signals for controlling and configuring operation of the headphone device. An audio amplifier amplifies the audio output signal to drive the first and second speakers and play the audio output. A rechargeable battery powers the device.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 325,892, filed March 31, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [Background technology]

[0002] Consumers have historically had limited access to high-resolution digital audio (audio files with sample rates of 48 kHz or greater or audio bit depths of 16 bits or greater). Lenbrook Industries Limited (owner of NAD Electronics and Bluesound Music Systems and the applicant of this application) began developing a new type of high-resolution media audio playback system in 2004 and demonstrated the system in 2009. In 2011, the NAD Masters Digital Suite Home Sound System enabled people to experience music through one or more network-connected playback devices. With the introduction of the Bluesound brand in 2012, the system's BluOS® operating system was rolled out to more affordable devices. Through a software control application installed on a controller (IR remote control, wall controller, smartphone, tablet, computer, voice input device, etc.), consumers can play their favorite music in any room with a networked playback device. Each room's playback device can access the high-resolution audio source, and multiple rooms can be grouped to play the same music in sync. BluOS®'s modular software design also enables integration into Audio Video Receiver (AVR) devices, reducing software development costs compared to the highly proprietary MCU / DSP software currently used in the AVR industry.

[0003] This application relates to stereo headphones used for playing high-definition audio content from online music streaming services. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to one or more embodiments, a wireless high definition headphone device is disclosed. The headphone device includes a first earphone including a first speaker and a second earphone including a second speaker. The device also includes a first wireless transceiver unit configured to operate at a first bandwidth to communicate with an external user device and receive control and / or configuration signals from the external user device. The device includes a second wireless transceiver unit configured to operate at a second bandwidth greater than the first bandwidth to communicate with a media source remote from the headphone device and receive high definition audio content from the media source. The device includes at least one processor configured to receive and process the high definition audio content received by the second wireless transceiver unit to generate an audio output signal. The device also includes at least one processor configured to receive and process the control and / or configuration signals received by the second wireless transceiver unit to control and configure operation of the headphone device. One or more audio amplifiers in the device amplify the audio output signal to drive the first and second speakers and play the audio output. A rechargeable battery is also included to power the components of the headphone device.

[0005] In various embodiments, the first wireless transceiver unit is a short-range wireless transceiver unit. In various embodiments, the first wireless transceiver unit is a Bluetooth transceiver unit. In various embodiments, the second wireless transceiver unit is a long-range transceiver unit. In various embodiments, the second wireless transceiver unit is a wireless cellular transceiver unit. In various embodiments, the wireless high definition headphone device includes a headband connecting the first and second earphone pieces. In various embodiments, the media source communicates with the second wireless transceiver unit via a cellular connection having a transmission rate of at least 8 Mbps. In various embodiments, the media source communicates with the second wireless transceiver unit via a cellular connection having a transmission rate of 8-16 Mbps. In various embodiments, the at least one processor includes an ARM processor. In various embodiments, the wireless high definition headphone apparatus includes a headband connecting a first earphone and a second earphone, and the first wireless transceiver unit, the second wireless transceiver unit, the one or more audio amplifiers, and the at least one processor are mounted on a common circuit board in the first earphone. In various embodiments, a rechargeable battery is mounted in the second earphone. In various embodiments, the wireless high definition headphone apparatus includes a flash memory and / or a random access memory readable by the at least one processor. In various embodiments, the external user device comprises a smartphone, a wearable device, a tablet computer, a laptop, or a desktop. In various embodiments, the wearable device is a smart watch. In various embodiments, the media source comprises a high definition audio streaming server. In various embodiments, the high definition audio content comprises audio content sampled at a rate of at least 48 kHz.In various embodiments, the high resolution audio content comprises audio content sampled at a rate of at least 96 kHz. In various embodiments, the second wireless transceiver unit has a standardized SDIO digital connection port for direct connection to a corresponding SDIO digital connection port on the at least one processor.

[0006] According to one or more further embodiments, a method of playing high definition audio in a wireless headphone device is disclosed, the method including: (a) processing control and / or configuration signals received from an external user device at a first wireless transceiver unit in the headphone device to control operation of the headphone device and configure the headphone device, the first wireless transceiver unit configured to operate at a first bandwidth; (b) processing high definition audio content received from an online media source at a second wireless transceiver unit configured to operate at a second bandwidth greater than the first bandwidth to generate an audio output signal; and (c) amplifying the audio output signal to drive first and second speakers of the headphone device to play the audio output.

[0007] In various embodiments, the first wireless transceiver unit is a short-range wireless transceiver unit. In various embodiments, the first wireless transceiver unit is a Bluetooth wireless transceiver unit. In various embodiments, the second wireless transceiver unit is a long-range wireless transceiver unit. In various embodiments, the second wireless transceiver unit is a wireless cellular phone wireless transceiver unit. In various embodiments, the media source communicates with the second wireless transceiver unit via a cellular connection having a transmission rate of at least 8 Mbps. In various embodiments, the media source communicates with the second wireless transceiver unit via a cellular connection having a transmission rate of 8-16 Mbps. In various embodiments, the external user equipment comprises a smartphone, a wearable device, a tablet computer, a laptop, or a desktop. In various embodiments, the wearable device is a smart watch. In various embodiments, the online media source comprises a high-definition audio streaming server. In various embodiments, the high-definition audio content comprises audio content sampled at a rate of at least 96 kHz.

[0008] According to one or more embodiments, a wireless high-definition headphone device is disclosed. The headphone device includes a first earphone including a first speaker and a second earphone including a second speaker. An ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless transceiver unit included in the first earphone or the second earphone is configured to communicate with an external user device to receive high-definition audio content and control and / or configuration signals from the external user device. At least one processor in the first earphone or the second earphone is configured to receive and process the high-definition audio content received by the UWB wireless transceiver unit to generate an audio output signal. At least one processor in the first earphone or the second earphone is configured to receive and process the high-definition audio content received by the UWB wireless transceiver unit to generate an audio output signal. The at least one processor is also configured to receive and process the control and / or configuration signals received by the UWB wireless transceiver unit to control and configure operation of the headphone device. The device also includes one or more audio amplifiers in the first earphone or the second earphone for amplifying the audio output signal to drive the first and second speakers and play the audio output. A rechargeable battery provides power to the components of the headphone device.

[0009] In various embodiments, the external user device is a mobile phone or a computer. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates the process of transmitting audio content from an online music service via a mobile phone to wireless headphones.

[0011] [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 illustrates the process of transmitting audio content from an online music service through a pocket node device to wireless headphones.

[0012] [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 illustrates an example process for transmitting audio content from an online music service to wireless headphones according to one or more embodiments.

[0013] [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating some components of an example stereo headphone according to one or more embodiments.

[0014] [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary system for transmitting audio content from an online music service to wireless headphones according to a further embodiment.

[0015] [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary method for playing high-resolution audio on a wireless headphone device according to a further embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Similar or identical reference numbers are used to identify common or similar elements.

[0017] Various embodiments disclosed herein relate to mobile phone compatible stereo headphones for use in playing high definition (hi-res) audio content from online media streaming services.

[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates a process by which wireless headphones 10 receive audio content from an Internet music service 12. In various embodiments, the audio content may include music content from one or more databases, libraries, and online streaming services, such as Spotify®, iTunes®, Apple music®, Amazon music®, YouTube®, Google Play®, and the like. In various embodiments, Internet music service 12 may be a subscription service or a free service. In various embodiments, any audio content as described herein may be music and / or radio or voice content. In various embodiments, the audio content may be audiobooks, and the like. The audio content from music service 12 may first be received by mobile phone 14, an iOS® / Android® mobile phone, over a cellular network, a WiFi network, or other network. In various embodiments, the audio content may be received over only a single first network, such as a single cellular network or a single WiFi network. In various embodiments, the audio content may be received over both a first network and a second network, such as a cellular network and a WiFi network, simultaneously or in parallel. For example, without limitation, a first portion of the audio content may be received over a first network, such as a cellular network, and a second portion of the audio content may be received over a second network, such as a WiFi network. In various embodiments, the audio content may be received intermittently, such as one song at a time. In various embodiments, receiving the audio content may include receiving the audio content continuously. In various embodiments, receiving the audio content may include receiving multiple portions at the same time, such as multiple songs at the same time.In such an embodiment, one portion of the audio content, e.g., the first song, may be played immediately, while the other portion(s) of the audio content may be temporarily stored in one or more storage media. In various embodiments, the wireless high definition headphone devices described herein may include flash memory and / or random access memory readable by at least one processor. The audio content is then transmitted from the mobile phone 14 to the headphones 10 via the wireless Bluetooth connection 15 for audio playback. In various embodiments, the Bluetooth connection 15 may connect one or more devices to the mobile phone 14 and the headphones 10, e.g., connect one or more speakers to the mobile phone 14 and the headphones 10 simultaneously. In various embodiments, the Bluetooth connection 15 may connect the headphones 10 to one or more external user devices, such as a smartphone, a tablet computer, a laptop, and / or a desktop. In various embodiments, the Bluetooth connection 15 may connect the headphones 10 to one or more external user devices, such as wearable devices, which may include smart watches, heart rate monitors, fitness wearables, Apple watch®, Jawbone®, Fitbit®, and other devices.

[0019] In various embodiments, the headphones 10 may include at least one processor, such as a digital signal processor, hi various embodiments, the at least one processor may include an ARM processor.

[0020] In various embodiments, the headphones 10 may include one or more batteries, such as rechargeable lithium ion batteries. In various embodiments, the one or more batteries may be mounted in either or both of the first and second earbuds. In various embodiments, the headphones 10 may include one or more components configured to receive and hold one or more disposable batteries, such as A, AA, AAA, C, D, and / or 9V batteries. In various embodiments, the headphones 10 may include one or more transceiver units. In various embodiments, a first wireless transceiver unit that may be included in the headphones 10 is a short-range transceiver unit. In various embodiments, a first wireless transceiver unit that may be included in the headphones 10 is a Bluetooth transceiver unit. In various embodiments, a second wireless transceiver unit that may be included in the headphones 10 is a long-range transceiver unit. In various embodiments, a second wireless transceiver unit that may be included in the headphones 10 is a wireless cellular transceiver unit. In various embodiments, the headphones 10 may include a headband connecting the first and second earbuds.

[0021] In various embodiments, a media source, such as the Internet / music service 12, can communicate with the second wireless transceiver unit over a cellular connection having a minimum known transmission rate, such as a transmission rate of at least 8 Mbps. In various embodiments, a media source, such as the Internet / music service 12, can communicate with the second wireless transceiver unit over a cellular connection having a range of known transmission rates, such as a transmission rate of 8-16 Mbps.

[0022] In various embodiments, the wireless high definition headphone device described herein may include a headband connecting a first earphone and a second earphone. In various embodiments, the first wireless transceiver unit, the second wireless transceiver unit, the one or more audio amplifiers, and at least one processor described herein may be mounted on a common circuit board within the first earphone. In various embodiments, some or all of the aforementioned components may be mounted on multiple separate and independent circuit boards and communicatively and / or electrically connected. For example, a first portion of the components may be mounted on a first circuit board and a second portion of the components may be mounted on a second circuit board.

[0023] FIG. 2 illustrates another process of receiving audio content on wireless headphones 10 from an Internet music service 12. The audio content can be received from a mobile phone 14, or any external user device configured to receive audio content and with short-range connectivity, or from a pocket node 16 that receives content from the music service 12 via a cellular, WiFi, or other network. In various embodiments, the audio content received by pocket node 16 may be received solely via a first network, e.g., a cellular network, or solely via a WiFi network. In various embodiments, the audio content received by pocket node 16 may be received simultaneously or in parallel via both a first network and a second network, e.g., a cellular network and a WiFi network. For example, but not limited to, a first portion of the audio content may be received by pocket node 16 via a first network, such as a cellular network, and a second portion of the audio content may be received by pocket node 16 via a second network, such as a WiFi network. In various embodiments, pocket node 16 may include one or more operating systems, such as iOS® / Android® and / or BluOS®. In various embodiments, pocket node 16 may include one or more Cellular / Long Term Evolution (LTE) connectivity modules. In various embodiments, pocket node 16 may include one or more UWB connectivity modules. In various embodiments, pocket node 16 may include one or more batteries and / or one or more chargers configured to charge batteries and / or other portions of pocket node 16. Audio content is transmitted to headphones 10 via a wireless connection, such as Bluetooth, WiFi, or UWB connection 15, for audio playback.

[0024] There may be a fundamental limitation to the digital bandwidth available in the Bluetooth wireless connection standard. The digital bandwidth available for stereo audio transmission is approximately 1-2 Mbps. Although this bandwidth may be sufficient to transmit standard quality stereo audio data compressed with standard codec software (e.g., AAC, SBC, aptX), this compression typically introduces acoustic artifacts and degrades the audio quality heard through headphones. Furthermore, new high-resolution audio formats that aim for sound quality beyond traditional standard or "CD quality" may require higher codec compression ratios. Higher codec compression ratios introduce even more acoustic artifacts and negate any benefits of the higher audio sample rate and bit depth of the high-resolution audio source format. The impact of this fundamental bandwidth limitation is well known in the headphone industry, as consumers seek to purchase premium headphones to enjoy the high-resolution audio sources offered by popular music streaming services such as Amazon®, Apple®, Tidal®, and Qobuz®. There is a demand for improved wireless digital connections between high-quality headphones and music sources.

[0025] FIG. 3 illustrates the operation of an exemplary cellular-enabled high-resolution headphones 30 according to one or more embodiments. The headphones 30 do not require a cellular phone 14 or other device as an intermediate wireless connection between the internet music service 12 and the headphones 30. The latest wireless cellular transceiver technology (e.g., 3G, 4G, or 5G transceiver) can be directly integrated into the headphones 30. This can overcome the digital bandwidth limitations caused by using Bluetooth to transmit audio from the cellular phone 14 to the headphones 30, for example. The significantly higher bandwidth provided by the cellular connection instead of Bluetooth eliminates the need for audio data compression codecs, so that the user can enjoy the full digital bandwidth and high-resolution sound quality. Although a Bluetooth connection may be used between the cellular phone 14 and the headphones 30, it may only be a low-bandwidth connection to support control and configuration of the cellular-enabled headphones 30 from the BluOS® software app installed on the cellular phone and / or other audio apps with control capabilities compatible with the headphones 14. The actual audio stream data may be passed directly from the online high-resolution music service 12 to the headphones 30 via the wireless cellular connection. In various embodiments, the headphones 30 may be in-ear headphones, over-ear headphones, headphones connected to each other by wires, e.g., where the headphones are connected to each other via a wire, tether, or device that may include one or more circuit boards as described herein, or headphones integrated into clothing such as a hat, or a body device such as a helmet.

[0026] FIG. 4 is a simplified block diagram illustrating selected components of an exemplary cellular-enabled headphone 30 according to one or more embodiments. The headphone 30 includes, for example, a wireless cellular connectivity module (e.g., 3G, 4G, or 5G transceiver) 32, a short-range connectivity module (e.g., Bluetooth transceiver) 34, a microprocessor (e.g., ARM processor) 36, a flash memory 38, a RAM memory 40, and a long-range connectivity module, such as a high-quality digital audio power amplifier 42 for driving speakers 44, 46. In one or more embodiments, these components may be mounted on a common circuit board located in an earphone assembly (including speaker 44) on one side of the headphone 30. In various embodiments, some or all of the aforementioned components may be mounted and communicatively and / or electrically connected on multiple separate and independent circuit boards. For example, a first portion of the components, such as the long-range transceiver unit 32 and the short-range transceiver unit 34, may be mounted on a first circuit board and a second portion of the components may be mounted on a second circuit board. In such an embodiment, the circuit boards may be stacked and attached to one another. The earphone assembly, including the second speaker 46 on the opposite side of the headphones, may include a rechargeable battery and / or charging circuitry 48, such as a lithium battery and charging circuitry. In various embodiments, each earphone assembly may include a separate battery configured to alternately or simultaneously power the components of the headphones 30. In various embodiments, any component, or combination of components described herein, may be located in either of the two earphones. For example, but not limited to, the first earphone may include the long-range connection module 32 and the second earphone may include the short-range connection module 34.In various embodiments, the headphones 30 may be in-ear headphones, over-ear headphones, headphones connected to each other by a wire (such as a configuration in which the headphones are connected to each other via a wire, tether, or a device that may include one or more circuit boards as described herein), or headphones integrated into clothing such as a hat, or headphones integrated into a body device such as a helmet.

[0027] The cellular connectivity module 32 may include a specialized digital wireless frequency transceiver for connection to a cellular network. At its "baseband" connection port, the cellular connectivity module 32 may include a standardized SDIO digital connection port for direct connection to a corresponding SDIO digital connection port on the ARM microprocessor 36. In one or more embodiments, the ARM microprocessor 36, RAM memory 40, and flash memory 38 may support booting and running an operating system, such as the BluOS® operating system available from Lenbrook. BluOS® includes a software driver for initializing the cellular connectivity module with the user account information necessary to authenticate the headphone system with the local cellular network. BluOS® also supports a real-time high-resolution audio decoder software component capable of decoding the latest high-resolution audio formats offered by music streaming services such as MQA®, OraStream®, and Apple®. Although wireless transceivers in mobile phones are power-hungry enough to require large batteries not typically required for headphones, the latest silicon chipsets implementing 3G, 4G and 5G cellular standards are designed to significantly reduce the battery power and size required to support mobile headphone applications. The Bluetooth transceiver 34 may be hosted by BluOS® software. This allows Bluetooth "pairing" between the mobile phone 14 and the headphones 30, a low bandwidth connection that allows a control and configuration channel between BluOS® apps installed on the customer's mobile phone 14. Bluetooth may also be paired with other user devices, including wearable devices such as smart watches, to provide a convenient user control and configuration interface for the headphones 30.

[0028] FIG. 5 illustrates the operation of an exemplary mobile phone compatible high definition headphone device 60 according to one or more further alternative embodiments.

[0029] In one or more embodiments, headphone device 60 may include an integrated long-range connectivity module, such as wireless cellular transceiver 32, to provide a cellular connection 61 with music services 12 over the Internet. In various embodiments, cellular connection 61 may include an LTE connection configured to transmit high resolution (HiRes) audio content. A Bluetooth connection 63 may be used between mobile phone 14, any external user device described herein, or a combination thereof, or between personal computer 62 and headphone device 60 to support control and configuration of headphone device 60 from a software app installed on mobile phone 14, any external user device described herein, or personal computer 62. The headphone device 60 includes a long-range connectivity module, e.g., a wireless cellular connectivity module (e.g., 3G, 4G, or 5G transceiver) 32, a short-range connectivity module (e.g., Bluetooth transceiver) 34, a microprocessor (e.g., ARM processor) 36, a flash memory 38, a RAM memory 40, and a high-quality digital audio power amplifier 42 for driving the speakers 44, 46. In one or more embodiments, these components may be mounted on a common circuit board located in an earphone assembly (including the speaker 44) on one side of the headphone device 60. In various embodiments, the flash memory 38 may be a NOR type flash memory or a NAND type flash memory, such as an eMMC and / or SSD flash memory. In various embodiments, the RAM memory 40 may be a dynamic RAM, a static RAM, and / or a synchronous dynamic RAM memory.

[0030] In various embodiments, the headphone device 60 may include a power management PMIC unit. In various embodiments, the headphone device 60 may include one or more adaptive noise canceling devices disposed therein. In various embodiments, the adaptive noise canceling devices may include one or more microphones and speakers configured to analyze external noise and generate sound that disruptively interferes with the external noise. In various embodiments, the headphone device 60 may include one or more head tracking accelerometers disposed therein. In various embodiments, the head tracking accelerometers may be configured to detect and measure a position of the headphone device 60 relative to or attached to a user's head. In various embodiments, the head tracking accelerometers may provide the detection and / or measurement of the head position to one or more other components to adjust at least one parameter of the audio playback or another aspect of the operation of the headphone device 60 based on the head position. In various embodiments, the headphone device 60 may include one or more immersive audio processors. The immersive audio processors may spatially adjust the output of earphone speakers of the headphone device 60. The immersive audio processor may be electrically and / or communicatively connected to each of the other components described herein.

[0031] In one or more further embodiments, headphone device 60 may optionally connect to mobile phone 14 or personal computer 62 by a high bandwidth wired analog stereo connection 64 to receive high definition audio content. In various embodiments, headphone device 60 may include an opening or port configured to facilitate such wired analog stereo connection 64.

[0032] In one or more further embodiments, the headphone device 60 can also optionally connect to a personal computer 62 via a high bandwidth wired USB Audio Class 2.0 connection 68 to receive high definition audio content.

[0033] In one or more further embodiments, the personal computer 62 may be connected to a USB dongle 66 configured to wirelessly transmit high-resolution audio content to the headphone device 60 using a high-bandwidth ultra-wideband (UWB) connection 70. The USB dongle 66 may include a USB Audio Class (UAC) bridge and / or an ultra-wideband (UWB) transceiver disposed therein. In various embodiments, the USB Audio Class (UAC) bridge and / or the ultra-wideband (UWB) transceiver may be mounted on one or more circuit boards that are communicatively and / or electrically connected. The audio content may be received by the headphone device 60 at an integrated UWB transceiver 72. UWB is a short-range wireless communication method that can operate at wireless frequencies higher than the 5 GHz spectrum reserved for WiFi. UWB's wireless frequency modulation method distributes coded digital information periodically across the wireless frequency spectrum. UWB technology consumes significantly less energy than other short-range technologies such as Bluetooth, making it suitable for battery-powered devices. It may also be capable of supporting at least twice the data transmission bandwidth of Bluetooth.

[0034] In one or more further embodiments, the mobile phone 14 or computer 62 may include an integrated UWB module for wirelessly transmitting high definition audio content to the headphone device 60 using a UWB connection.

[0035] In various embodiments, any component or combination of components of the headphone device 60 described herein may be located in either the right or left earbud. For example, but not limited to, the right earbud may include some of the components and the left earbud may include the remaining components. In various embodiments, the left and right earbuds may be configured to house different types of components, for example, but not limited to, the left earbud may be configured to house a transceiver and memory, respectively, and the right earbud may be configured to house a processor, an accelerometer, and a battery / charging circuit, respectively. In various embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5, the left earbud may be configured to house a transceiver, memory, power management, amplifier, processor, etc., and the right earbud may be configured to house a rechargeable lithium battery. In various embodiments, each of the right and left earbuds of the headphone device 60 may be connected via one or more headbands configured to house at least one of the components described herein. For example, the headband may be configured to accommodate the transceiver such that the transceiver is located at the highest relative position of the headphone device 60. In various embodiments, the headphone device 60 may have an optional opening disposed therein to accommodate a port or connector for forming a wired connection, such as a charger connected to a wall outlet. In various embodiments, the headphone device 60 may be integrated into clothing, such as a hat, or the headphones may be integrated into a body worn device, such as a helmet.

[0036] 6 illustrates an exemplary method for playing high definition audio on a wireless headphone device according to a further embodiment. In step 605, method 600 includes processing control and / or configuration signals received from an external user device at a first wireless transceiver unit of the headphone device to control operation of the headphone device and configure the headphone device. The first wireless transceiver unit is configured to operate at a first bandwidth.

[0037] At step 610, the method 600 includes processing high definition audio content received from an online media source at a second wireless transceiver unit to generate an audio output signal, the second wireless transceiver unit being configured to operate at a second bandwidth greater than the first bandwidth.

[0038] In step 615, the method 600 amplifies the audio output signal to drive first and second speakers of the headphone device to render the audio output. Each step of the methods described herein may be performed simultaneously, in different temporal orders, and / or in any number of iterations or steps.

[0039] Having thus described some exemplary embodiments, various changes, modifications, and improvements will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes, modifications, and improvements are intended to form part of this disclosure and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Although some of the examples presented herein include combinations of specific functions or structural elements, it should be understood that those functions and elements can be combined in other ways to achieve the same or different purposes in accordance with this disclosure. In particular, acts, elements, and functions described in connection with one embodiment are not intended to be excluded from similar or other roles in other embodiments. Furthermore, the elements and components described herein can be further divided into additional components or combined to form fewer components for performing the same functions.

[0040] Accordingly, the foregoing description and accompanying drawings are by way of example only and are not intended to be limiting.

Claims

1. 1. A wireless high definition headphone device, comprising: a first earphone including a first speaker; a second earphone including a second speaker; a first wireless transceiver unit configured to operate in a first bandwidth for communicating with an external user equipment and receiving control and / or configuration signals from said external user equipment; a second wireless transceiver unit configured to operate at a second bandwidth greater than the first bandwidth to communicate with a media source remote from the headphone device and receive high definition audio content from the media source; at least one processor configured to receive and process the high definition audio content received by the second wireless transceiver unit and generate an audio output signal, the at least one processor configured to receive and process the control and / or configuration signals received by the second wireless transceiver unit to control operation of the headphone device and configure the headphone device; one or more audio amplifiers for amplifying the audio output signal to drive the first and second speakers to provide an audio output; a rechargeable battery for powering the components of the headphone device; 23. A wireless high definition headphone device comprising:

2. 2. The wireless high definition headphone apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first wireless transceiver unit is a short-range wireless transceiver unit.

3. 2. The wireless high definition headphone device of claim 1, wherein the first wireless transceiver unit is a Bluetooth transceiver unit.

4. 2. The wireless high definition headphone apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second wireless transceiver unit is a wireless cellular transceiver unit.

5. The wireless high definition headphone device of claim 1 , further comprising a headband connecting the first and second earphones.

6. The media source communicates with the second wireless transceiver unit via a cellular connection having a transmission speed of at least 8 Mbps.

2. The wireless high definition headphone device of claim 1.

7. 2. The wireless high definition headphone apparatus of claim 1, wherein the media source communicates with the second wireless transceiver unit via a cellular connection having a transmission speed of 8-16 Mbps.

8. The wireless high definition headphone device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor comprises an ARM processor.

9. 2. The wireless high definition headphone apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a headband connecting the first earphone and the second earphone, wherein the first wireless transceiver unit, the second wireless transceiver unit, one or more audio amplifiers, and at least one processor are mounted on a common circuit board within the first earphone.

10. 10. The wireless high definition headphone apparatus of claim 9, wherein the rechargeable battery is mounted on the second earphone.

11. 10. The wireless high definition headphone device of claim 1, further comprising a flash memory and / or a random access memory readable by the at least one processor.

12. The wireless high definition headphone apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the external user equipment comprises a smartphone, a wearable device, a tablet computer, a laptop, or a desktop.

13. The wireless high definition headphone apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the wearable device is a smart watch.

14. 10. The wireless high definition headphone device of claim 1, wherein the media source comprises a high definition audio streaming server.

15. 10. The wireless high definition headphone device of claim 1, wherein the high definition audio content comprises audio content sampled at a rate of at least 48 kHz.

16. The high resolution audio content comprises audio content sampled at a rate of at least 96 kHz.

2. The wireless high definition headphone device of claim 1.

17. The second wireless transceiver unit has a standardized SDIO digital connection port for direct connection to a corresponding SDIO digital connection port on at least one processor.

2. The wireless high definition headphone device of claim 1.

18. 1. A method for playing high definition audio on a wireless headphone device, comprising: processing control and / or configuration signals received from an external user device in a first wireless transceiver unit of a headphone device to control operation of said headphone device and to configure said headphone device, said first wireless transceiver unit being configured to operate in a first bandwidth; processing high definition audio content received from an online media source at a second wireless transceiver unit to generate an audio output signal, the second wireless transceiver unit configured to operate at a second bandwidth greater than the first bandwidth; amplifying the audio output signal to drive first and second speakers of the headphone device to output audio; A method comprising the steps of:

19. The first wireless transceiver unit is a short-range wireless transceiver unit.

20. The method of claim 18.

20. The first wireless transceiver unit is a Bluetooth wireless transceiver unit.

20. The method of claim 18.

21. The second wireless transceiver unit is a wireless cellular transceiver unit.

20. The method of claim 18.

22. The media source communicates with the second wireless transceiver unit via a cellular connection having a transmission speed of at least 8 Mbps.

20. The method of claim 18.

23. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the media source communicates with the second wireless transceiver unit via a cellular connection having a transmission speed of 8-16 Mbps.

24. The method of claim 18 , wherein the external user device comprises a smartphone, a wearable device, a tablet computer, a laptop, or a desktop.

25. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the wearable device is a smart watch.

26. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the online media source comprises a high definition audio streaming server.

27. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the high resolution audio content comprises audio content sampled at a rate of at least 96 kHz.

28. 1. A wireless high definition headphone device, comprising: a first earphone including a first speaker; a second earphone including a second speaker; a UWB (Ultra Wideband) wireless transceiver unit in the first earphone or the second earphone configured to communicate with an external user device and receive high definition audio content and control and / or configuration signals from the external user device; at least one processor in the first earphone or the second earphone configured to receive and process the high definition audio content received by the UWB wireless transceiver unit to generate an audio output signal, the at least one processor configured to receive and process control and / or configuration signals received by the UWB wireless transceiver unit to control and configure operation of the headphone device; one or more audio amplifiers in the first earphone or the second earphone for amplifying the audio output signal to drive first and second speakers to play an audio output; a rechargeable battery for powering components of the headphone device; A wireless high definition headphone device comprising:

29. 30. The wireless high definition headphone device of claim 28, wherein the external user device is a mobile phone or a computer.

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