IP Library Granted Patent US 10,258,887
Granted Patent B2
US 10,258,887 · App. 14/457,936 · Granted Apr 16, 2019

Method and system for a headset with parental control

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,258,887
App. No.
14/457,936
Granted
Apr 16, 2019
Kind
B2
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.

Claims (31)

1. A method, comprising:

in a gaming headset that receives a plurality of audio channels during play of a particular game:

determining, using circuitry in said gaming headset, an identity and/or an age of a gamer that is wearing said gaming headset, said circuitry in said gaming headset utilizing a sensor for determining said identity based on face recognition;

establishing a communication link with an accessory attached to said headset, said accessory unique to said gamer; and

configuring, using said circuitry in said gaming headset, operation of said gaming headset based on said determined identity and/or age of said gamer and game parameter settings received from the accessory.

2. The method according to claim 1 , comprising logging into said particular game using credentials associated with said determined identity and/or age of said gamer that is wearing said gaming headset.

3. The method according to claim 1 , comprising selecting one or more settings to be used for said particular game based on said determined identity and/or age of said gamer that is wearing said gaming headset.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said settings include a list of words to be filtered out of said received plurality of audio channels.

5. The method according to claim 1 , comprising, when said determined age of said gamer, or an age as known from said determined identity, is below a threshold, presenting a game channel of said plurality of channels and muting a chat channel of said plurality of channels.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said determining comprises activating one or more sensors communicatively coupled to said gaming headset to determine said identity and/or said age of said gamer that is wearing said gaming headset.

7. The method according to claim 1 , comprising acquiring information from said accessory that is attached to said gaming headset, wherein said acquired information is utilized for said determining said identity and/or age of a gamer.

8. The method according to claim 1 , comprising acquiring information from said accessory that is attached to said gaming headset, wherein said acquired information is utilized for said configuring operation of said gaming headset.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said game parameter settings to be used for said particular game and for said gamer comprises one or more of volume limit settings, profanity limit settings, voice morph settings, equalizer settings, parental control information, and/or gamer preference settings.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein each gamer that utilizes said gaming accessory has a uniquely assigned one of said headset accessory.

11. A system, comprising:

in a gaming headset that receives a plurality of audio channels during play of a particular game, said gaming headset being operable to:

determine, using circuitry in said gaming headset, an identity and/or an age of a gamer that is wearing said gaming headset, said circuitry in said gaming headset utilizing a sensor for determining said identity based on face recognition;

establish a communication link with an accessory attached to said headset, said accessory unique to said gamer; and

configure, using said circuitry in said gaming headset, operation of said gaming headset based on said determined identity and/or age of said gamer and game parameter settings received from the accessory.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said gaming headset is operable to log into said particular game using credentials associated with said determined identity and/or age of said gamer that is wearing said gaming headset.

13. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said gaming headset is operable to select one or more settings to be used for said particular game based on said determined identity and/or age of said gamer that is wearing said gaming headset.

14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein said settings include a list of words to be filtered out of said received plurality of audio channels.

15. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said gaming headset is operable to present a game channel of said plurality of channels and muting a chat channel of said plurality of channels, when said determined age of said gamer, or an age as known by said determined identity, is below a threshold.

16. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said determining comprises activating one or more sensors communicatively coupled to said gaming headset to determine said identity and/or said age of said gamer that is wearing said gaming headset.

17. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said gaming headset is operable to acquirer information from said accessory that is attached to said gaming headset, wherein said acquired information is utilized for said determining said identity and/or age of a gamer.

18. The system according to claim 17 , wherein said gaming headset is operable to acquire information from said accessory that is attached to said gaming headset, wherein said acquired information is utilized for said configuring operation of said gaming headset.

19. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said game parameter settings to be used for said particular game and for said gamer comprises one or more of volume limit settings, profanity limit settings, voice morph settings, equalizer settings, parental control information, and/or gamer preference settings.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section that is executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform steps comprising:

determining, using circuitry in a gaming headset, an identity and/or an age of a gamer that is wearing said gaming headset, said circuitry in said gaming headset utilizing a sensor for determining said identity based on face recognition;

establishing a communication link with an accessory attached to said headset, said accessory unique to said gamer; and

configuring, using said circuitry in said gaming headset, operation of said gaming headset based on said determined identity and/or age of said gamer and game parameter settings received from the accessory.

Assignments (13)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2026
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: TURTLE BEACH CORPORATION; VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.; PERFORMANCE DESIGNED PRODUCTS LLC
Reel/Frame 075315/0067 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 30, 2026
From: VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 075311/0625 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 14, 2025
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: TURTLE BEACH CORPORATION; VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.; PERFORMANCE DESIGNED PRODUCTS LLC
Reel/Frame 072470/0260 →
ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 4, 2025
From: TURTLE BEACH CORPORATION; VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.; PERFORMANCE DESIGNED PRODUCTS LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 072338/0059 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 1, 2025
From: BLUE TORCH FINANCE LLC, AS THE COLLATERAL AGENT
To: TURTLE BEACH CORPORATION; VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.; PERFORMANCE DESIGNED PRODUCTS LLC
Reel/Frame 072337/0391 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2024
From: VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.; TURTLE BEACH CORPORATION; PERFORMANCE DESIGNED PRODUCTS LLC
To: BLUE TORCH FINANCE LLC, AS THE COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066797/0517 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENTS Recorded Dec 19, 2018
From: CRYSTAL FINANCIAL LLC
To: VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.
Reel/Frame 047954/0394 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENTS Recorded Dec 19, 2018
From: CRYSTAL FINANCIAL LLC
To: VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.
Reel/Frame 047954/0518 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 29, 2018
From: TURTLE BEACH CORPORATION; VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 045776/0648 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 13, 2018
From: VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.
To: CRYSTAL FINANCIAL LLC, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 045573/0653 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 27, 2015
From: TURTLE BEACH CORPORATION; VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 036189/0326 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2015
From: VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.
To: CRYSTAL FINANCIAL LLC, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 036159/0702 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 24, 2015
From: JESSUP, MICHAEL; KULAVIK, RICHARD
To: VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH, INC.
Reel/Frame 035892/0584 →
Cited By (2)
US 12,662,553 US 12,698,341