Abstract: A voice tube antenna for a wireless headset for use in telecommunications, telephony, and/or multimedia applications is disclosed. The voice tube may generally include a flexible (e.g., gooseneck) or rigid tubular member having an open end and an opposing end coupled to a microphone, a lumen defined by the tubular member extending between the open end and the opposing end for acoustic transmission between the open end and the microphone, and an antenna formed in the voice tube and configured to be coupled to a transmitter and/or receiver for wirelessly transmitting and/or receiving signals via the antenna. The tubular member may be nonmetallic such that the antenna may be a metallic wire extending through the nonmetallic tubular member or the tubular member may be metallic such that the tubular member also serves as the antenna. The metallic antenna may be, for example, generally straight or spiral wound.

Abstract: A speakerphone instrument is disclosed having a remote microphone unit providing infrared radiation carrier transmission of voice to a base station coupled to a telephone line. Voice controlled switching of the infrared carrier may be utilized to reduce power consumption. A local microphone in the base station is operable during periods when the remote microphone unit is not transmitting or if the signal-to-noise ratio of the infrared carrier becomes unsatisfactory for voice communication, to pick-up ambient sound and make available a microphone signal for transmission over the telephone line.