Abstract: Methods and systems are providing for auto-pairing of audio output devices, such as headsets. An audio device that includes at least an audio output component, which is configurable to process audio for a player participating in an online game, may be configured to communicate signals with an audio basestation associated with a game console used in supporting the online game, based on the audio device coming within a determined distance of the audio basestation, validate one or both of the player and the audio basestation based on the communicated signals, pair with the audio basestation based on the validating, and communicate audio with the game console via the audio basestation. The determined distance may correspond to physical contact between the audio device and the audio basestation. The audio device may be a headset. The audio basestation is integrated into the game console or may be a stand-alone device.

Abstract: A headset, which may be configured to process audio for a player participating in an online multiplayer game, may support auto-pairing with audio basestations. In this regard, an audio basestation may be utilized in communicating game and chat audio content from an associated game console to a paired headset and in communicating microphone audio from the paired headset to the console. The auto-pairing may comprise automatically exchanging signals with an audio basestation, in response to the headset coming within a determined distance of the audio basestation; and pairing with the audio basestation based on processing of the exchanged signals. The pairing may result in establishing one or more wireless links for game and chat audio to be communicated to the headset and microphone audio to be communicated from the headset. The determined distance may correspond to physical contact (e.g., tapping) between the headset and the basestation.

Abstract: A game headset receives a game audio during play of a particular game, monitors the game audio and detects an occurrence of one or more particular sounds in the game audio during the monitoring of the one or more of the plurality of audio channels. In response to the detecting, the game headset triggers playback of one or more of a plurality of voice commands that corresponds to the one or more particular sounds. The voice commands may be predefined and associated with the one or more particular sounds in a data structure. The voice commands may instruct the listener of the game headset to perform an action in the particular game. The characteristics of the one or more sounds may include direction, intensity, and/or frequency of the particular one or more sounds.

Abstract: A headset accessory comprises circuitry and is configured to mechanically attach to an audio headset. The circuitry of the headset may be operable to establish a link to the audio headset that supports conveyance of bias voltage, bias current, and/or information between the circuitry of the accessory and circuitry of the audio headset. The headset accessory may be configured to attach to a housing of the headset on a surface of the housing opposite an ear cup. A state of the circuitry of the accessory may be controlled based on the information received from the audio headset via the link. The information may include characteristics of audio being processed by the audio headset. The circuitry of the headset accessory may comprise non-volatile memory, and the non-volatile memory may store parameter settings for configuring audio processing circuitry of the audio headset.

Abstract: A game headset receives a plurality of audio channels during play of a particular game, monitors one or more of the plurality of audio channels and detects an occurrence of one or more particular sounds in the plurality of audio channels during the monitoring of the one or more of the plurality of audio channels. In response to the detecting, the game headset triggers playback of one or more of a plurality of voice commands that corresponds to the one or more particular sounds. The voice commands may be predefined and associated with the one or more particular sounds in a data structure. The voice commands may instruct the listener of the game headset to perform an action in the particular game. The characteristics of the one or more sounds may include direction, intensity, and/or frequency of the particular one or more sounds.

Abstract: A headset accessory comprises circuitry and is configured to mechanically attach to an audio headset. The circuitry of the headset may be operable to establish a link to the audio headset that supports conveyance of bias voltage, bias current, and/or information between the circuitry of the accessory and circuitry of the audio headset. The headset accessory may be configured to attach to a housing of the headset on a surface of the housing opposite an ear cup. A state of the circuitry of the accessory may be controlled based on the information received from the audio headset via the link. The information may include characteristics of audio being processed by the audio headset. The circuitry of the headset accessory may comprise non-volatile memory, and the non-volatile memory may store parameter settings for configuring audio processing circuitry of the audio headset.

Abstract: A surface wave launcher for launching electromagnetic surface waves, the launcher comprising: a waveguide comprising a planar conductive layer; a feed structure comprising a first conductor, the first conductor coupled to the waveguide at a coupling; wherein the waveguide is arranged to be positioned adjacent to a surface suitable for guiding electromagnetic surface waves; and wherein the planar conductive layer comprises one or more slots each having a pair of longitudinal edge, the one or more slots extending through the conductive layer and arranged such that an axis radially extending from the coupling intersects each pair of longitudinal edges of the one or more slots.

Abstract: A gaming headset receives a plurality of audio channels during play of a particular game, determines an identity and/or an age of a gamer that is wearing the gaming headset, and configures operation of the gaming headset based on the determined identity and/or age of the gamer. The gaming headset logs into the particular game using credentials associated with the determined identity and/or age, and selects settings based on the determined identity and/or age of the gamer that is wearing the gaming headset. One or more sensors communicatively coupled to the gaming headset may be activated and information received from the sensors is utilized to determine the identity and/or the age of the gamer that is wearing the gaming headset. The sensors determine, for example, the head size, ear size, voice characteristics and/or biometric information for the gamer that is wearing the gaming headset.

Abstract: A gaming headset receives a plurality of audio channels comprising game audio channels and a chat audio channel during play of a particular game. The gaming headset monitors the received audio channels for predefined words that are associated with particular sounds in a data structure, and in response to detecting predefined words, filters out at least a portion of the detected predefined words from the received plurality of audio channels. The monitoring compares sounds on the received audio channels with the particular sounds in the data structure and also performs signal analysis on the audio channels during game play to detect the occurrence of the predefined words. The filtering mutes one or more of the plurality of audio channels so that the detected occurrence of the one of the predefined words is not output via speakers of the gaming headset.

Abstract: A gaming headset receives a plurality of audio channels comprising game audio channels and a chat audio channel during play of a particular game. The gaming headset monitors the received audio channels for predefined words that are associated with particular sounds in a data structure, and in response to detecting predefined words, filters out at least a portion of the detected predefined words from the received plurality of audio channels. The monitoring compares sounds on the received audio channels with the particular sounds in the data structure and also performs signal analysis on the audio channels during game play to detect the occurrence of the predefined words. The filtering mutes one or more of the plurality of audio channels so that the detected occurrence of the one of the predefined words is not output via speakers of the gaming headset.

Abstract: A gaming headset receives a plurality of audio channels during play of a particular game, determines an identity and/or an age of a gamer that is wearing the gaming headset, and configures operation of the gaming headset based on the determined identity and/or age of the gamer. The gaming headset logs into the particular game using credentials associated with the determined identity and/or age, and selects settings based on the determined identity and/or age of the gamer that is wearing the gaming headset. One or more sensors communicatively coupled to the gaming headset may be activated and information received from the sensors is utilized to determine the identity and/or the age of the gamer that is wearing the gaming headset. The sensors determine, for example, the head size, ear size, voice characteristics and/or biometric information for the gamer that is wearing the gaming headset.

Abstract: A headset, which may be configured to process audio for a player participating in an online multiplayer game, may support auto-pairing with audio basestations. In this regard, an audio basestation may be utilized in communicating game and chat audio content from an associated game console to a paired headset and in communicating microphone audio from the paired headset to the console. The auto-pairing may comprise automatically exchanging signals with an audio basestation, in response to the headset coming within a determined distance of the audio basestation; and pairing with the audio basestation based on processing of the exchanged signals. The pairing may result in establishing one or more wireless links for game and chat audio to be communicated to the headset and microphone audio to be communicated from the headset. The determined distance may correspond to physical contact (e.g., tapping) between the headset and the basestation.

Abstract: A game headset receives a plurality of audio channels during play of a particular game, monitors one or more of the plurality of audio channels and detects an occurrence of one or more particular sounds in the plurality of audio channels during the monitoring of the one or more of the plurality of audio channels. In response to the detecting, the game headset triggers playback of one or more of a plurality of voice commands that corresponds to the one or more particular sounds. The voice commands may be predefined and associated with the one or more particular sounds in a data structure. The voice commands may instruct the listener of the game headset to perform an action in the particular game. The characteristics of the one or more sounds may include direction, intensity, and/or frequency of the particular one or more sounds.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for automatically pairing headset to gaming audio source based on proximity. A headset that is configurable to process audio may pair with a first audio basestation configured for communicating audio between the headset and a game console, the pairing comprising establishing one or more wireless links for communicating the audio between the first audio basestation and the headset, and pair with a second audio basestation, maintaining pairing with the first audio basestation after said pairing with the second audio basestation. The pairing may occur automatically when the headset comes within a certain distance of the first audio basestation or the second audio basestation. The distance may correspond to physical contact between the headset and the audio basestation. The physical contact may correspond to a tapping of the headset onto the audio basestation.

Abstract: A game headset receives a plurality of audio channels during play of a particular game, monitors one or more of the plurality of audio channels and detects an occurrence of one or more particular sounds in the plurality of audio channels during the monitoring of the one or more of the plurality of audio channels. In response to the detecting, the game headset triggers playback of one or more of a plurality of voice commands that corresponds to the one or more particular sounds. The voice commands may be predefined and associated with the one or more particular sounds in a data structure. The voice commands may instruct the listener of the game headset to perform an action in the particular game. The characteristics of the one or more sounds may include direction, intensity, and/or frequency of the particular one or more sounds.

Abstract: A gaming headset receives a plurality of audio channels comprising game audio channels and a chat audio channel during play of a particular game. The gaming headset monitors the received audio channels for predefined words that are associated with particular sounds in a data structure, and in response to detecting predefined words, filters out at least a portion of the detected predefined words from the received plurality of audio channels. The monitoring compares sounds on the received audio channels with the particular sounds in the data structure and also performs signal analysis on the audio channels during game play to detect the occurrence of the predefined words. The filtering mutes one or more of the plurality of audio channels so that the detected occurrence of the one of the predefined words is not output via speakers of the gaming headset.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for automatically pairing headset to gaming audio source based on proximity. A headset that is configurable to process audio may pair with a first audio basestation configured for communicating audio between the headset and a game console, the pairing comprising establishing one or more wireless links for communicating the audio between the first audio basestation and the headset, and pair with a second audio basestation, maintaining pairing with the first audio basestation after said pairing with the second audio basestation. The pairing may occur automatically when the headset comes within a certain distance of the first audio basestation or the second audio basestation. The distance may correspond to physical contact between the headset and the audio basestation. The physical contact may correspond to a tapping of the headset onto the audio basestation.

Abstract: A gaming headset receives a plurality of audio channels comprising game audio channels and a chat audio channel during play of a particular game. The gaming headset monitors the received audio channels for predefined words that are associated with particular sounds in a data structure, and in response to detecting predefined words, filters out at least a portion of the detected predefined words from the received plurality of audio channels. The monitoring compares sounds on the received audio channels with the particular sounds in the data structure and also performs signal analysis on the audio channels during game play to detect the occurrence of the predefined words. The filtering mutes one or more of the plurality of audio channels so that the detected occurrence of the one of the predefined words is not output via speakers of the gaming headset.

Abstract: A headset, which may be configured to process audio for a player participating in an online multiplayer game, may support auto-pairing with audio basestations. In this regard, an audio basestation may be utilized in communicating game and chat audio content from an associated game console to a paired headset and in communicating microphone audio from the paired headset to the console. The auto-pairing may comprise automatically exchanging signals with an audio basestation, in response to the headset coming within a determined distance of the audio basestation; and pairing with the audio basestation based on processing of the exchanged signals. The pairing may result in establishing one or more wireless links for game and chat audio to be communicated to the headset and microphone audio to be communicated from the headset. The determined distance may correspond to physical contact (e.g., tapping) between the headset and the basestation.

Abstract: A surface wave launcher for launching electromagnetic surface waves, the launcher comprising: a waveguide comprising a planar conductive layer; a feed structure comprising a first conductor, the first conductor coupled to the waveguide at a coupling; wherein the waveguide is arranged to be positioned adjacent to a surface suitable for guiding electromagnetic surface waves; and wherein the planar conductive layer comprises one or more slots each having a pair of longitudinal edge, the one or more slots extending through the conductive layer and arranged such that an axis radially extending from the coupling intersects each pair of longitudinal edges of the one or more slots.