Dual-Mode Wire/Wireless Headphone with Wireless Audio Gateway Functionalities to Support Multiple Wireless Headphones

摘要

This disclosure provides a wired and wireless headphone device and method which supports the selective attachment to an audio source of one or more additional wireless headphones. The elements include a base headphone, an audio gateway device with transceiver, antenna controls, a battery, an audio connector for attachment to an audio source. In wireless mode, the base headphone operates as a single headphone. In audio gateway mode, the base headphone operates as a wired headphone and as an audio gateway for one or more additional wireless headphones receiving the same audio source as the base headphone. The key advantages of this device and method are the elimination of a standalone audio gateway box and ability to add more wireless headphones using dynamic audio coding selection.