Abstract: Cheek stabilizers for audio headsets are disclosed. The audio headset generally include a headset body having first and second regions for positioning near a user's ear and toward the user's mouth, respectively, and a stabilizer extending from the second region of the headset body, the stabilizer being configured to position the second region at a distance away from the user's cheek. The stabilizer may facilitate positioning any metal contacts on the headset body away from the user. The stabilizer may be inverted U-shaped to form a channel over the metal contact or may be configured as one or more ribs disposed adjacent to the metal contact. The stabilizer may also facilitate in positioning a microphone port away from the user's cheek. Where the headset is used with an earpiece worn in the ear, the stabilizer may facilitate maintaining the earpiece within the user's ear.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating performance metrics to monitor and/or enhance the performance of telephone-intensive personnel are disclosed. The method generally includes detecting voice activity on a receive and/or a transmit channel in a communications system, outputting voicing decision outputs based on the detecting, storing the voicing decision outputs over a period of time to memory, and generating voice activity performance metrics based on the voicing decision output stored in the memory. The generating may include generating a running average ratio of duration of voice activity on the transmit channel to duration of voice activity on the receive channel (talk-listen ratio) over a certain period of time for one or more agents. The talk-listen ratio may be compared to a target ratio.

Abstract: Personal audio method and devices, such as headphones, telephone handsets and headsets, with reduced audio leakage are disclosed. The personal audio device generally comprises a housing having a first portion and a second portion and a transducer disposed in the housing and having a first and second opposing sides. A rear volume is defined between the housing second portion and the transducer second side, and a front volume is defined between the housing first portion and the user's ear. The housing has a front acoustic port acoustically connecting the front volume to ambient air and a rear acoustic port acoustically connecting an otherwise sealed rear volume to ambient air. The front and rear acoustic ports may be configured so that their extent is small, e.g., less than 20 or more preferably 10 times the square root of their total acoustic radiating area. The front and rear acoustic ports may be configured so that their acoustic centers are separated by a small distance, e.g.

Abstract: Headset pocket charging system with interchangeable charge devices are disclosed. The headset charging system generally includes a headset charger configured to be coupled to interchangeable charging devices and an interchangeable charging device configured to be removably coupled to the headset charger for charging the headset. Each interchangeable charging device may be a charge converter device for coupling to an AC or DC adapter or a battery charge device for containing at least one battery. The charging system may be part of a kit that includes a mobile telephone, the headset configured for use with the mobile telephone, AC or DC mobile telephone adapter, the interchangeable charging device being configured to be coupled to the mobile telephone adapter for charging the headset. The charging system may be adapted for use with other electronics components such as PDAs, cameras, and the like.

Abstract: Systems for a multifunction preamplifier microphone are disclosed. The system generally includes a microphone transducer and a configurable preamplifier circuit. The configurable preamplifier circuit includes an output terminal for outputting a signal, a configuration terminal for coupling one or more circuit components to the preamplifier circuit; and a housing containing the microphone transducer and configurable preamplifier circuit. Adjustable features include gain, frequency response and voice expansion timing characteristics.

Abstract: A headset or headset system and method utilizing voice recognition technology for translating spoken digits, numbers, and/or letters to in-band dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) tones to facilitate, for example, navigation of DTMF-controlled systems such as voice mail are disclosed. The headset system generally includes a speech recognition engine that, when activated, receives audio signals from a headset microphone and interprets the audio signals representing digits, letters, and/or numbers, and a DTMF tone generator that generates in-band DTMF tones representing the interpreted audio signals. The speech recognition engine may be activated via a DTMF activation button or voice command. A voice synthesizer may be provided in order to confirm accuracy of the interpreted audio signals. The in-band DTMF tone generator generally generates DTMF tones with a direct correspondence to the interpreted audio signals.