METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR HEAD-WEARABLE PERSONAL SOUND SPEAKER SYSTEMS
The invention provided a visor including a headband including an adjustable strap; a bill attached to the headband and including an flexible fabric sound speaker integrally formed within the bill; an amplifier including a signal input, the amplifier removeably attached to the headband and coupled to the speaker; and a power supply removeably attached to the headband and coupled to the amplifier. Numerous additional features are disclosed.
1 . A visor comprising:
a headband including an adjustable strap;
a bill attached to the headband and including an flexible fabric sound speaker integrally formed within the bill;
an amplifier including a signal input, the amplifier removeably attached to the headband and coupled to the speaker; and
a power supply removeably attached to the headband and coupled to the amplifier.
2 . The visor of claim 1 further including a signal source removeably attached to the headband and coupled to the signal input of the amplifier.
3 . The visor of claim 2 wherein the signal source includes a signal receiver.
4 . The visor of claim 1 wherein the flexible fabric sound speaker spans the width and length of the bill.
5 . The visor of claim 1 wherein the bill is separable from the headband.
6 . The visor of claim 1 wherein the headband includes a removable liner formed from a moisture absorbing and washable material.
7 . The visor of claim 1 wherein the headband is formed from light weight material adapted to allow air to pass through.
8 . The visor of claim 1 wherein the adjustable strap includes mating hook and loop material.
9 . The visor of claim 1 wherein the flexible fabric sound speaker includes a first and a second portion and wherein the first portion is coupled to a first channel of the amplifier and the second portion is coupled to a second channel of the amplifier.
10 . The visor of claim 9 wherein the first portion is disposed on a first side of the bill; the second portion is disposed on a second side of the bill; and together the first and second portions are adapted to reproduce stereo sound.
11 . The visor of claim 1 wherein the amplifier and the power supply are contained in a single housing.
12 . The visor of claim 11 wherein the housing is water tight and includes externally accessible controls adapted to be accessible while the housing is removeably attached to the visor.
13 . The visor of claim 12 wherein the externally accessible controls include a switch operable to activate playback of a predefined music selection.
14 . The visor of claim 12 wherein the externally accessible controls include a switch operable to allow selection of a predefined sound level.
15 . The visor of claim 11 wherein the housing is not visible while the visor is worn by a user.
16 . The visor of claim 1 wherein the amplifier is coupled to the speaker via a moisture resistant connection that is not visible while the visor is worn by a user.
17 . The visor of claim 2 wherein the signal source includes a signal receiver and transmitter.
18 . The visor of claim 17 further comprising a microphone removeably attached to the headband and coupled to the transmitter.
19 . The visor of claim 18 wherein the signal receiver and transmitter includes a Bluetooth protocol device and the Bluetooth protocol device is adapted to use the speaker and the microphone while paired with a wireless phone.
20 . A visor comprising:
a headband including an adjustable strap;
a bill attached to the headband and including a directional ultrasonic transducer integrally formed within the bill;
an amplifier attached to the headband and coupled to the ultrasonic transducer; and
a power supply attached to the headband and coupled to the amplifier.