HK1251756B - Earbuds with biometric sensing - Google Patents

Description

Earbuds with biometric sensing capabilities

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. non-provisional patent application 14/856,298, filed on September 16, 2015, entitled “Earbuds with Biometric Sensing”; U.S. non-provisional patent application 14/856,344, filed on September 16, 2015, entitled “Earbuds with Biometric Sensing”; and U.S. non-provisional patent application 14/856,402, filed on September 16, 2015, entitled “Earbuds with Biometric Sensing.”

Technical Field

The described embodiments generally relate to integrating biometric sensors into earbuds. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to positioning a biometric sensor along an outer surface of an earbud so that the biometric sensor can be placed in direct contact with a portion of a user's ear during use of the earbud.

Background Art

Users of portable electronic devices have shown increasing interest in biometric tracking. Biometric sensors typically need to be close to, or even in direct contact with, the skin in order to accurately measure and track biometric parameters along the lines of heart rate, _VO₂ , and core temperature. Requiring users to place sensors in direct contact with their skin to track these types of biometric data can be unwieldy, making biometric tracking more difficult to adopt. Therefore, a mechanism for unobtrusively measuring biometric parameters is desirable.

Summary of the Invention

This disclosure describes various embodiments involving the various ways in which biometric sensors can be configured for optimal use with audio accessory devices.

The present invention discloses an earplug, which includes the following elements: a housing that defines an opening adjacent to a first end of the housing; a speaker that is disposed within the housing and oriented so that audio emitted by the speaker exits the housing through the opening defined by the housing; a biometric sensor that is positioned along an outer surface of the housing at the first end of the housing; and a compliant member that is coupled to the second end of the housing.

The present invention discloses an audio device, which includes the following elements: a first earbud and a second earbud, each earbud including: an earbud housing; a speaker disposed within the earbud housing and configured to project audio out of an opening defined by the earbud housing; a circuit configured to receive audio data and transmit the audio data to the speaker; and a compliant member coupled to the earbud housing.

The present invention discloses an earplug comprising the following elements: an earplug housing; a speaker disposed within the earplug housing; and a compliant member comprising a first end pivotally coupled to a first portion of the earplug housing and a second end pivotally coupled to a second portion of the earplug housing, the compliant member being configured to deform to conform to the internal geometry of a user's ear and to exert a force on the earplug housing when the earplug housing is worn by the user, the force positioning the earplug housing adjacent to the ear canal of the user's ear. The compliant member can take the form of an elastomeric ring. In some embodiments, the compliant member can be at least partially reinforced by a certain amount of flexible metal. The pivotal coupling between the compliant member and the earplug housing can take the form of a hinge with end stops. In some embodiments, the end stops can include contacts that help determine the rotational position of each end of the compliant member relative to the earplug housing.

The present invention discloses an audio device, which includes the following elements: a device housing having a size and shape suitable for at least partially inserting into a user's ear; a speaker, which is disposed in the device housing; a biometric sensor, which is disposed in the device housing and includes a sensing surface arranged along an outer surface of the device housing; and a processor, which is configured to use the value of a biometric parameter detected by the biometric sensor to determine the orientation of the device housing in the user's ear and adjust the operating state of the speaker according to the determined orientation.

A method for controlling the operation of an earbud is disclosed. The method includes receiving a signal from an orientation sensor of an earbud that is aligned with the earbud being worn in a first ear of a user; transmitting only a first audio channel of a multi-channel audio signal to a speaker unit of the earbud, the first audio channel being associated with the first ear of the user; and adjusting an operating state of a sensor of the earbud based on the signal received from the orientation sensor.

The present invention discloses an audio device comprising the following elements: a speaker; a wireless transceiver; a biometric sensor for measuring a biometric parameter of a user of the audio device; an energy storage device for providing power for the operation of the speaker, the biometric sensor, and the wireless transceiver; and an earbud housing enclosing the speaker, the wireless transceiver, the biometric sensor, and the energy storage device. The biometric parameter measured by the biometric sensor is used to determine the orientation of the earbud housing within the ear of the user of the audio device, and the determined orientation is then used to change the operating characteristics of the speaker.

The present invention discloses an earbud, which includes the following elements: an orientation sensor, which is configured to determine the orientation of the earbud in the ear of the earbud user; a microphone array, which includes a plurality of microphones; and a circuit, which is configured to adjust the operating state of the microphones in the microphone array according to information provided by the orientation sensor.

The present invention discloses an audio device, which includes the following elements: a device housing, which has a shape and size suitable for being at least partially inserted into a user's ear; an orientation sensor, which is configured to provide an orientation of the device housing relative to the user's ear; a microphone array, which is arranged in the device housing, and includes a first microphone, a second microphone and a third microphone; and a processor, which is configured to adjust the operating state of the first microphone and the second microphone according to the orientation of the device housing.

The present invention discloses an audio device comprising the following elements: a speaker; a wireless transceiver; a biometric sensor configured to measure both the orientation of the audio device in a user's ear and a biometric parameter; a microphone array; an energy storage device that provides power to the audio device; and an earbud housing that encloses the speaker, the microphone array, the wireless transceiver, the biometric sensor, and the energy storage device. The orientation of the earbud housing within the ear of the user of the audio device is used to adjust the operating state of the microphone array.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be readily understood through the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which:

FIG1 illustrates an exemplary apparatus suitable for use with the described embodiments;

FIG2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an earbud device including multiple electronic components for supporting the described device functionality;

3A-3B illustrate views of an earbud positioned in a user's ear and how a biometric sensor of the earbud contacts the user's tragus;

4A-4B show various views of an earplug having a biasing member in the form of a compliant member;

FIG4C illustrates how the compliant member depicted in FIG4A-4B may be configured to provide a fixed amount of force to multiple users having different ear sizes;

5A-5B illustrate how the biasing member can be interchangeably removed from the earplug via the locking channel;

6A-6C illustrate side views of an earplug having a biasing member in the form of a deformable ring pivotally coupled to the earplug;

7A-7C illustrate various alternative embodiments of the deformable ring depicted in FIG. 6A-6C ;

8A-8B illustrate how the deformable ring conforms to the ear of an earbud user;

FIG9 shows an embodiment in which the compliant member takes the form of a single compliant member with one end extending from the earplug;

10A-10B illustrate an earbud positioned within a user's ear, the earbud having a sensor configured to determine earbud orientation;

FIG11 illustrates an earbud having a housing defining multiple openings at multiple microphones for receiving audio content; and

12 shows a flow chart depicting a process for determining the orientation of an earbud within a user's ear.

Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the described embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This section describes representative applications of the methods and apparatus according to the present application. These examples are provided solely to add context and aid in understanding the embodiments. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other cases, well-known processing steps have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the embodiments. Other applications are also possible, so that the following examples should not be considered limiting.

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in accordance with the described embodiments. Although these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments, it is to be understood that these examples are not limiting; thus, other embodiments may be used and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the described embodiments.

Biometric sensors can take many forms and can be configured to measure a wide range of biometric parameters. Unfortunately, continuous, long-term monitoring of these biometric parameters can become troublesome and/or unwelcome if it interferes with any aspect of a user's daily life. One way to make the integration of biometric sensors into a user's daily life more accessible is to integrate them with a type of device that the user already utilizes. Alternatively, one or more biometric sensors can be integrated into a wearable device that can be worn unnoticeably.

Wearable devices that can be configured with biometric sensors include a set of headphones and separate earbuds. Because the earbud portion of the headphones resides at least partially within the user's ear canal during use, the outer surface of the earbud typically contacts various parts of the ear to help maintain the earbud in place within the user's ear. One exemplary type of biometric sensor that can be used to record a user's biometric parameters is a photoplethysmogram (PPG) sensor, which measures biometric parameters by emitting light and then measuring the reflectivity of that light off the skin. Changes in this reflectivity can be used to characterize the blood flow in the user's skin. Unfortunately, the outer surface of conventional earbuds often does not make sufficiently firm and/or consistent contact with the blood-rich portion of the ear to provide reliable biometric parameter measurements. One solution to this problem is to place a PPG sensor along the surface of the earbud, near the speaker opening at one end of the earbud. This way, when the speaker opening is aligned with the ear canal, the PPG sensor can contact the inward-facing surface of the ear's tragus. By adding a compliant member to the opposite end of the earbud, contact between the inward-facing surface of the ear's tragus and the PPG sensor can be maintained. The compliant member can then engage the opposing surface of the ear, known as the concha, so that the earplug is wedged between the two opposing surfaces of the ear. By selecting a compliant member formed of a compressible or deformable material, the earplug can fit properly in the ears of a wide variety of users.

The earbuds may also be equipped with various other sensors that may work independently or in conjunction with the biometric sensors described above. For example, in some embodiments, the other sensors may take the form of orientation sensors to help the earbuds determine in which ear the earbuds are positioned and then

5IIE180013 adjusts the operation of the earbud based on the determination. In some embodiments, the orientation sensor can be a traditional inertial-based sensor, while in other embodiments, sensor readings from another biometric sensor such as a proximity sensor or a temperature sensor can be used to make the orientation determination.

Earbuds with the above-described sensors may also include additional sensors, such as microphones or microphone arrays. In some embodiments, at least two microphones from the microphone array may be arranged along a line pointing toward or at least close to the user's mouth. Using information received by one or more orientation sensors, a controller within the earbud may determine which microphones in the microphone array should be activated to achieve that configuration. By activating only those microphones arranged along a vector pointing toward or close to the mouth, ambient audio signals that are not emitted close to the mouth may be ignored by applying spatial filtering.

These and other embodiments are discussed below with reference to Figures 1 to 12. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting.

FIG1 illustrates a portable media device 100 suitable for use with a variety of accessory devices. Portable media device 100 may include a touch-sensitive display 102 configured to provide a touch-sensitive user interface for controlling portable media device 100 and, in some embodiments, for controlling any accessories to which portable media device 100 is electrically or wirelessly coupled. In some embodiments, portable media device 100 may include additional controls, such as, for example, button 104. Portable media device 100 may also include a plurality of hard-wired input/output (I/O) ports, specifically including a digital I/O port 106 and an analog I/O port 108. Accessory device 110 may take the form of an audio device including two separate earbuds 112 and 114. Each of earbuds 112 and 114 may include a wireless receiver or transceiver capable of establishing a wireless link 116 with portable media device 100. Accessory device 120, which may also be compatible with portable media device 100, may take the form of a wired audio device including earbuds 122 and 124. Earbuds 122 and 124 can be electrically coupled to each other and to connector plug 126 via multiple wires. In embodiments where connector plug 126 is an analog plug, sensors within either earbud 122 or 124 can receive power through analog I/O port 108 while transmitting data via a wireless protocol such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or the like. In embodiments where connector plug 126 interacts with digital I/O port 106, sensor data and audio data can freely pass through the wires during use of portable media device 100 and accessory device 120. It should be noted that when the wires attached to each earbud are attached along a line of symmetry of each earbud, or alternatively when the wires are attached via a pivoting coupling, earbuds 122 and 124 can be swapped between the left and right ears. When attached to digital I/O port 106, stereo channels can be swapped between the wires.

Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of an earplug 200 that can be incorporated into the accessory device 110 as earplug 112 and/or earplug 114, or incorporated into the accessory device 120 as earplug 122 and/or earplug 124. In some embodiments, the earplug 200 may include a housing 202. The housing 202 may have a size and/or shape that allows it to be easily inserted into the ear of the end user. The housing 202 also defines an internal volume within which many electronic components may be distributed. In particular, a biometric sensor 204 may be located within the housing 202 or at least supported by the housing. As depicted, the biometric sensor 204 may be arranged within an opening in the housing 202 and close the opening. In this way, the biometric sensor 204 may have an outward-facing sensing surface that is capable of interacting with and measuring external stimuli. The housing 202 may also include a protrusion 203 having an opening at its distal end that provides a passage through which audio signals may be transmitted out and into the ear canal of a user of the earbud 200, as indicated by the arrow.

In some embodiments, the biometric sensor 204 can take the form of a photoplethysmogram (PPG) sensor. A PPG sensor utilizes a pulse oximeter to illuminate a small area of skin and measure changes in the skin's light absorption rate. The pulse oximeter can include one or more light emitting devices and one or more light collecting devices. In some embodiments, the light emitting device can take the form of a light emitting diode (LED), and the light collecting device can take the form of a photodiode to measure changes in light absorption rate. Changes in light absorption rate can be caused by different blood flow levels within the skin during each cardiac cycle. Because the blood flow level entering the skin can be affected by a variety of other physiological systems, this type of biometric monitoring system can provide multiple types of biometric information. By capturing waveforms associated with the blood flow level circulating to the skin, multiple biometric parameters can be collected, including, for example, heart rate, blood volume, and respiratory rate. By using LEDs that emit light of different wavelengths, additional data can be collected, such as maximum _VO2 (i.e., the maximum rate at which the body absorbs oxygen). By arranging the biometric sensor 204 in the depicted position relative to the housing 202, the biometric sensor 204 can be placed in contact with the tragus of the ear, which advantageously tends to contact an area with abundant blood flow, thereby enabling the sensor readings obtained by the pulse oximeter in the tragus area to be particularly accurate. In some embodiments, the biometric sensor 204 can take the form of a core temperature sensor. Other embodiments of the biometric sensor 204 include embodiments in which the biometric sensor takes the form of electrodes. When the earbuds are wired earbuds that are electrically coupled to another earbud using electrodes, multiple electrodes can collaborate to measure many different biometric parameters. In some embodiments, the multiple electrodes can be configured to measure the user's galvanic skin response (GSR). The GSR can be used to determine the amount of stress the user is feeling at any given moment. In some embodiments, when the multiple electrodes are configured as electrocardiogram (EKG) sensors or impedance cardiography (ICG) sensors, the multiple electrodes can be used to measure more detailed parameters of heart rate.

The biometric sensor 204 can be in electrical communication with at least one controller 206, which is responsible for controlling various aspects of the earbud 200. For example, the controller 206 can collect biometric sensor data recorded by the biometric sensor 204 and pass the data to an input/output (I/O) interface 208. The I/O interface 208 can be configured to transmit the biometric sensor data to another device, such as the portable media device 100, via a link 210. The link 210 can be generated in various ways. For example, when the I/O interface 208 takes the form of a wireless transceiver suitable for use in an accessory such as the accessory device 110 depicted in Figure 1, the link 210 can be a wireless link. Alternatively, the link 210 can be transmitted via a wired connector such as the wire depicted with the accessory device 120. In addition to providing a conduit for transmitting the biometric sensor data provided by the biometric sensor 204, the I/O interface 208 can also be used to receive audio content that can be processed by the controller 206 and sent to the speaker 212. The I/O interface 208 can also receive control signals from devices similar to the portable media device 100 for performing tasks, such as adjusting the volume output of the speaker 212, or changing the sensitivity, priority, or duty cycle of the biometric sensor 204. When the I/O interface 208 takes the form of a wireless transceiver, the I/O interface 208 can include an antenna that is configured to transmit and receive signals through an antenna window or an opening defined by the housing 202. This can be particularly important when the housing 202 is formed of a radiopaque material. In some embodiments, the I/O interface 208 can also represent one or more external controls (e.g., buttons and/or switches) for performing tasks such as pairing the earbud 200 with another device or adjusting various settings of the earbud 200, such as the volume.

The earbuds 200 may also include a memory 214 that can be configured to perform any number of tasks. For example, the memory 214 can be configured to store media content when the user of the earbuds 200 wants to use the earbuds 200 independently of any other device. In such a use case, the memory 214 can be loaded with one or more media files for independent playback. When the earbuds 200 are being used with another device, the memory 214 can also be used to buffer media data received from the other device. In the independent use case described above, the memory 214 can also be used to store sensor data recorded by the biometric sensor 204. Once the two devices are connected, the sensor data can be sent to one device along the line of the portable media device 100.

With the possible exception of the case where the I/O interface 208 is a wired interface that can provide power to the earbud 200 from another device or power source, a battery 216 is typically used to power the operation of the earbud 200. The battery 216 can provide the energy required to perform any of a number of tasks, including maintaining the wireless link 210, powering the controller 206, driving the speaker 212, powering the biometric sensor 204, and powering any other sensors 218. Although the other sensors are shown as general blocks, the other sensors 218 can include sensors such as microphones, orientation sensors, proximity sensors, or any other sensors suitable for improving the user experience of the earbud 200. In some embodiments, one or more of the sensors 218 can be used in conjunction with the biometric sensor 204 to improve accuracy or calibrate various results. It should be noted that the other sensors 218 are not required in all embodiments described herein.

The earplug 200 may also include a compliant member 220 coupled to the outer surface of the housing 202. The compliant member 220 may be configured to provide an interference fit to the earplug 200 within the user's ear. Since the size and shape of any particular user's ears may vary greatly, the compliant member allows the earplug 200 to conform to many different ear shapes and sizes. In addition, in some configurations, the compliant member 220 may be removable, so that the overall size of the earplug 200 can be further customized for any user's ear using a variety of compliant member sizes and shapes. The compliant member 220 can be made of any of many different types of materials, including, for example, open-cell foam, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), etc. In some embodiments, the material used to construct the compliant member 220 can be configured to provide greater force on the user's ear, thereby forming a more secure fit within the user's ear. A compliant member constructed in this way can be better suited for sports.

Figures 3A-3B illustrate views of the housing 202 positioned within a user's ear. Figure 3A depicts an interference region 302, which represents the interface area between the biometric sensor 204 and the user's tragus 304. Figure 3B depicts how the protrusion 203 can be positioned within the user's ear canal to minimize the amount of power lost when audio content leaves the housing 202. Although Figures 3A-3B do not explicitly indicate a compliant member 220, it should be understood that the housing 202 can include a rear compliant portion integrated within the housing 202 that can accommodate a certain amount of compression, thereby allowing the housing 202 to be securely positioned within the user's ear. As depicted in Figure 3B, the housing 202 of the earbud 300 is compressed between the tragus 304 and concha 306 of the depicted ear, thereby preventing the earbud 300 from being removed from the ear and maintaining a consistent amount of pressure sufficient to keep the biometric sensor 204 consistently engaged in the interference region 302.

Figures 4A-4B illustrate views of the housing 202 and compliant member 220 of earplug 200 positioned within a user's ear. Specifically, the frictional forces acting on compliant member 220 are depicted in Figure 4A. The depicted forces illustrate how the compression and frictional forces generated between compliant member 220 and the concha of the ear can help retain earplug 200 within the user's ear. Figure 4A also illustrates a slight variation of the compliant member design depicted in Figure 2, due to the compliant member 220 being positioned within a channel defined by housing 202. This allows housing 202 to be made significantly larger while still allowing compliant member 220 to deform within the channel to create a fit and feel that is satisfactory to the user of earplug 200. Figure 4B shows top and side views of earplug 200. Specifically, the uncompressed length dimension of compliant member 220 can be approximately 9 mm. It should be noted that this length is given for exemplary purposes only, and that varying lengths are not only possible, but even desirable, in order to accommodate the various ear geometries of different users.

FIG4C depicts a graph showing stress versus strain for an exemplary compliant member 220. By carefully selecting materials, FIG4C illustrates how the amount of stress provided by compliant member 220 can be made to remain substantially the same over a wide range of strains. For example, a user with a smaller ear size that results in a length change of approximately 50% will experience only a slightly greater amount of stress than a user with a larger ear that ultimately compresses compliant member 220 by only approximately 20%. In this way, a compliant member of a particular size can accommodate ears of a wide range of sizes while substantially maintaining the force applied to the user's ear. In this way, situations can be avoided where compliant member 220 applies an uncomfortable amount of force, or conversely, a force that is insufficient to retain earplug 200 within the ear.

Figures 5A-5B illustrate an embodiment in which compliant member 220 can be conveniently removed from housing 202. In this embodiment, Figure 5A shows connection feature 502 attached to compliant member 220. In some embodiments, connection feature 202 may simply serve as a convenient mechanism for replacing compliant member 220 with a larger compliant member, a smaller compliant member, or a compliant member formed of a different material. As depicted, connection feature 502 also serves as an extension of housing 202. In some embodiments, connection feature 502 may include add-on modules along the lines of additional storage for customized media or software content, additional biometric or orientation sensors, and/or additional battery cells. For example, customized software content may include mobile applications for use with devices similar to portable media device 100. When connection feature 502 includes additional sensors, the sensors within connection feature 502 can provide additional functionality to the earbuds. For example, the sensors within connection feature 502 may take the form of a temperature sensor, a capacitive sensor, a microphone, or electrodes. Once the connection feature 502 is coupled to the housing 202 , any sensors within the connection feature 502 may begin providing sensor data and/or collaborating with sensors disposed within the housing 202 to collect sensor data.

The connection feature 502 also includes a puzzle-piece-shaped protrusion 504 that engages within the channel defined by the housing 202. The protrusion 504 can include a locking feature 506, which can take the form of a spring-loaded ball bearing that helps secure the connection feature 502 to the housing 202 once the connection feature 502 is properly aligned with the housing 202. In some embodiments, the protrusion 504 can include an environmental seal at each end that is used to prevent sweat or moisture from intruding between the interface of the protrusion 504 and the channel defined by the housing 202.

5B shows how the projection 504 may also include one or more electrical contacts 508. The electrical contacts 508 may mate with electrical contacts positioned within the channel defined by the housing 202. Thus, when the contacts 508 are aligned with the contacts of the housing 202, a secure electrical connection is formed between the components disposed within the connection feature 502 and the housing 202. This secure electrical connection may be used to facilitate sensor communication, briefly discussed above, and/or to provide access to the onboard connection feature 502 for the memory using the housing 202. When initially establishing communication between the connection feature 502 and the housing 202, the connection feature 502 may provide an identifier to a controller disposed within the housing 202 so that the controller understands the additional functionality added by the connection feature 502. In some embodiments, the identifier may be transmitted to the user in various ways. For example, the user may be notified of a new feature by an audio signal broadcast by the earbuds or even by sending a message to the media player along the line of the portable media player 100.

FIG6A shows a side view of an alternative embodiment in which compliant member 602 takes the form of a loop of flexible material, each of its two ends being pivotally coupled to housing 202 at two different locations. The pivotal coupling can be achieved via hinges 604 and 606. Hinges 604 and 606 can be configured to provide ranges of motion 608 and 610, respectively. In some embodiments, range of motion 608 can be the same as range of motion 610, while in other embodiments, the two ranges can be slightly or significantly different. Hinges 604 and 606 allow compliant member 602 to have a considerable range of motion, which can help compliant member 602 conform to a wide range of ear shapes and geometries. In some embodiments, the end stops associated with each of hinges 604 and 606 can take the form of electrical contacts that transmit position information to a controller of earbud 200. In this configuration, earbud 200 can be configured to alter its playback based on the information provided by the electrical contacts.

For example, FIG6B shows a configuration in which hinge 604 is positioned against one end stop and hinge 606 is positioned against the other end stop. In such a configuration, the controller 206 of the earbud 200 can be configured to emit audio consistent with the right channel or the channel of the user's right ear. When the compliant member 602 is oriented in the opposite direction as shown in FIG6C , the controller 206 can only deliver the left channel or music consistent with the user's left ear. This configuration will enable the earbud 200 to be interchangeable between the left and right ears. In some embodiments, the earbud 200 can be configured to enter a power-saving mode when neither hinge 604 nor 606 is positioned at an end stop. This configuration will be useful in a configuration in which at least one of the hinges 604 and 606 will inevitably be at an end stop if the earbud is properly inserted into the user's ear. Any of these automated features can be enabled or disabled via a device configured to control the operation of the earbud 200. Hinges 604 and 606 may also include a spring-based biasing member that returns compliant member 602 to the centered configuration depicted in Figure 6 A. This will prevent the contacts from being actuated when not in use and may also provide a consistent user experience when the earbud is placed in the user's ear.

Figures 7A-7C illustrate various alternative earbud configurations similar to the configuration depicted in Figures 6A-6C. In Figure 7A, the compliant member takes the form of two wings 702 and 704, each having one end pivotally coupled to the housing 202. In this configuration, wings 702 and 704 can function independently of each other, while still including the hinge stops discussed with respect to the embodiment depicted in Figures 6A-6C. Figure 7B illustrates an embodiment having a flexible material ring 706 reinforced by two metal reinforcement members 708 and 710. This configuration may be desirable to increase the rigidity of ring 706 in situations where the ring 706 does not otherwise provide a sufficiently secure fit to securely secure the earbud 200 within the ear of the user of the earbud 200. By eliminating the central portion of the ring 706 from reinforcement material, the portion of the ring 706 that contacts the concha of the user's ear can be significantly softer, providing a more comfortable fit and user experience. 7C shows a configuration in which reinforcement member 712 takes the form of a continuous length of reinforcement material embedded within loop 706, which can provide uniform stiffness and resistance to loop 706. The thickness of the material used to construct reinforcement member 712 can be adjusted to achieve a desired amount of resistance in loop 706.

FIG8A illustrates how the ring 802 in its undeformed configuration is not compliant with the shape of the user's ear, and also depicts the directions in which a force F can be applied to the ring 802 to deform the ring 802 and thereby position the ring within the user's ear. FIG8B illustrates a configuration similar to that depicted in FIG6B , and illustrates how the natural geometry of the ear causes the ring 802 to undergo this type of deformation. Because the hinge 606 is configured to accommodate rotation of the bottom end of the ring past a horizontal position, any force applied through the hinge 606 does not tend to push the housing 202 out of its seated position, but rather ultimately applies a force F to the housing 202 having a downward component that tends to hold the housing 202 securely in place when utilized.

FIG9 shows a configuration with wings similar to those depicted in FIG7A ; however, FIG9 is arranged to illustrate how it may be desirable to have only the upper wing 902, as the lower wing 904 may be in the way and more difficult to locate within the ear. In a single-wing configuration, the user will be able to differentiate which ear to place each earbud in by selecting the earbud that fits within the ear in an orientation that positions the wing with the upper portion facing the user's ear. The upper wing 902 can be formed of an elastomeric material and have a conformable blunt end that can be comfortably positioned within the user's ear. The width and elasticity of the upper wing 902 can be adjusted to provide the desired fit.

Figures 10A and 10B respectively illustrate a side view and a partial cross-sectional view of a multi-sensor earbud 1000 positioned within a user's ear. Figure 10A indicates sensing areas 1002 and 1004 of the multi-sensor earbud 1000. When the sensors associated with sensing areas 1002 and 1004 are capable of detecting direct contact between the associated sensing areas and the surface of the ear, those sensors can be used to determine the orientation of the multi-sensor earbud 1000 within the ear. Figures 10A and 10B illustrate why this is the case: regardless of which ear the multi-sensor earbud 1000 is positioned within, one of the sensing areas 1002 and 1004 is in direct contact with the ear, while the other sensing area is not. One type of sensor that can detect contact between a sensing area and an ear is a proximity sensor. A proximity sensor can take the form of an infrared light transmitter and receiver. By emitting infrared light and receiving the infrared light that bounces off the ear, the proximity sensor can determine the distance between the corresponding sensing area and the ear. By measuring the distance between the proximity sensor and the nearest object, the proximity sensor associated with the sensing area 1004 may be able to confirm that the multi-sensor earbud 1000 is located in the user's right ear. Another type of sensor that can achieve orientation determination is a temperature sensor. If the multi-sensor earbud 1000 includes two temperature sensors, one of which is associated with each sensing area, the controller or processor within the multi-sensor earbud 1000 can be configured to compare the two temperature readings and determine from the temperature difference: (a) whether the earbud is actually inserted into the ear; and (b) the orientation of the multi-sensor earbud 1000 within the ear. In addition to being used as a temperature sensor, the temperature sensor determined to be in direct contact with the user's ear can also be used to provide core temperature information, while the second temperature sensor can be configured to provide ambient temperature. In the depicted embodiment, the temperature sensor associated with the sensing area 1004 will feel a significantly higher temperature than the temperature associated with the sensing area 1002. Capacitive sensors can also be used to detect positive contact between the sensing area and the user's ear.

Any of the above-described sensor configurations may also be used to identify whether the earbud is actually inserted into the user's ear. The power management utility may be adapted to manage the operating state of the multi-sensor earbud 1000 based on this information. The multi-sensor earbud 1000 may include many operating states, including, for example, a media playback mode, a standby mode, a disabled mode, and a noise cancellation mode. When the power management utility determines that the multi-sensor earbud 1000 is no longer being worn, it may be configured to change the operating state from playback or noise cancellation mode to standby or disabled mode. Although many examples of unconventional orientation sensors have been discussed, it will be appreciated that inertial orientation sensors may also be used, and are contemplated within the scope of the present invention. As will be appreciated, a basic orientation sensor will also be able to distinguish between two opposite orientations.

Figure 11 shows an earplug 1100 positioned in a user's ear. The housing 1102 of the earplug 1100 includes a plurality of microphone openings, through which audio signals can propagate to the microphones disposed in the housing 1102 of the earplug 1100. Figure 11 depicts two front microphone openings 1104 and 1106, and a back microphone opening 1108, which are arranged in a triangular configuration. These microphone openings can be arranged in a symmetrical configuration so that no matter which ear the earplug 1100 is positioned in, the earplug 1100 can operate in a consistent manner. The microphones positioned in the earplug housing 1102 and positioned behind each microphone opening can be configured for many different purposes. In some embodiments, the operating mode of each microphone can be adjusted according to the orientation data collected by the orientation sensor of the earplug 1100, as described above with respect to Figures 10A to 10B.

Once one or more orientation sensors configured to provide orientation information provide orientation data to a controller within the earbud 1100, the controller can compare the signals received from the two microphones using a spatial filtering process that removes any audio information that does not arrive within a range of 10 to 20 degrees on either side of the direction 1110 along which both microphone openings 1106 and 1108 are arranged. Spatial filtering can be performed in a variety of ways, but in one particular embodiment, a time difference of arrival technique can be used, which involves comparing the time at which an audio signal is received at a first microphone to the time at which the same audio signal is received at a second microphone to determine a time delay. Although calculating the time difference of arrival typically requires three sampling points to determine the direction of arrival, only two sampling sources are required in this type of configuration because the microphone openings 1106 and 1108 are aligned with the direction of the desired sampling source.

In some embodiments, all content arriving first at microphone opening 1108 can be disregarded, while all content arriving first at microphone opening 1106 can be used and processed. This allows recording of only audio content arriving from the direction the user is facing. In some embodiments, the delay associated with audio signals propagating directly in direction 1110 may be known. To accommodate a certain amount of variation in the direction of arrival of the user's speech, any delay within 20% of the known delay period can be processed. In yet other embodiments, the microphone array can be configured to collect only the highest percentage of audio with the longest delay period when audio first arrives at microphone opening 1106. This configuration may be desirable if the user wishes to record ambient audio signals when not actively speaking. For example, the microphone array can switch between a mode in which only the user is being recorded and a mode in which ambient audio is collected after a predetermined period of time has passed during which no speech from the user has been detected. In some embodiments, any errors caused by variations between the direction of speech arriving at the microphone array and the orientation of microphone openings 1106 and 1108 can be mitigated by calibration software configured to adjust the collection window based on these variations. In some embodiments, the calibration software may be hosted on a device such as portable media device 100 .

In some embodiments, the unused microphone opening 1104 can be configured to perform other functions. For example, a controller within the earbud 1100 can be configured to process the audio content received by the microphone positioned behind the microphone opening 1104 in order to provide the earbud 1100 with noise cancellation capabilities. In some embodiments, the noise cancellation provided by the earbud 1100 can be configured to provide selective noise cancellation that allows any audio received within a 10 to 20 degree window to pass through, while in other embodiments, substantially all audio can be filtered out. This way, during a conversation, a person's own voice will not obstruct a speaker from hearing other speakers attempting to enter or participate in the conversation. In some embodiments, the microphone associated with the microphone opening 1104 can be used in conjunction with other microphones to provide more detailed information about the direction of origin of the audio signal. Alternatively, the microphone associated with the microphone opening 1104 can simply be disabled or turned off until orientation data indicating a change in the orientation of the earbud 1100 is provided. In some embodiments, a change in orientation data indicating that earbud 1100 has been placed in the user's other ear will cause the functions performed by the microphones associated with microphone openings 1104 and 1106 to be swapped. Alternatively, housing 1102 may include only two microphone openings, such as only openings 1106 and 1108. In such an embodiment, if the user uses one earbud 1100 in each ear, only one earbud's microphone opening will be pointed toward the user's mouth. The orientation data or the audio sampling process can be used to determine which earbud's microphone opening is aligned with the user's mouth.

In addition to swapping the functionality of the microphones associated with microphone openings 1104 and 1106, when a user is actively using a set of earbuds 1100, the microphones can periodically sample the audio from both earbuds, at which point a processor within one or both of the earbuds 1100 or within a paired device along the line of the portable media device 100 can compare the two samples and direct the earbud with the better quality to be activated while placing the other microphones of the earbud in standby or periodic sampling mode. Furthermore, because the operation of the microphones can consume battery power, the microphone within one earbud can be activated when the battery level of that earbud is significantly greater than that of the other earbuds.

Figure 12 shows a flow chart illustrating a method for determining the orientation of an earbud within a user's ear. In a first block 1202, a processor or controller of the earbud receives a signal from an orientation sensor of the earbud, indicating that the earbud's orientation is consistent with the first audio channel of a multi-channel audio signal. The orientation sensor can take a variety of forms, including but not limited to conventional inertial sensors, temperature sensors, proximity sensors, capacitive sensors, and the like. In a second block 1204, the processor transmits only the first audio signal of the multi-channel audio signal to a speaker unit. If the multi-channel audio signal is stereo, the first audio channel may represent either the left or right channel of the multi-channel audio signal. Alternatively, the orientation sensor information can be used to continuously update the channel information. For example, if it is determined that only a single earbud is in use, the channels can be combined into a mono or combined channel, thereby creating virtual left and right channels within a single earbud. This allows for a more consistent audio experience by preventing the loss of content normally routed through the removed earbud. In block 1206, the operational state of the earbud sensors is adjusted based on the orientation sensor data from the orientation sensor. In some embodiments, the biometric sensor can be arranged to focus its readings on a portion of the body that is most likely to provide high-quality biometric parameters. For example, light emitted from a PPG sensor can be angled to focus on a portion of the tragus that is likely to be well-blooded. In another embodiment, the orientation sensor data can be used to determine which sensors should be activated and/or deactivated. In some embodiments, the roles or operational states of the sensor array can be assigned based on the orientation data. In this way, the orientation information can be utilized to optimize the user experience of one or more earbuds.

The various aspects, embodiments, specific implementations or features of the embodiments may be used individually or in any combination. The various aspects of the embodiments may be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of hardware and software. The embodiments may also be implemented as computer-readable code on a computer-readable medium for controlling production operations, or as computer-readable code on a computer-readable medium for controlling a production line. A computer-readable medium is any data storage device that can store data that can then be read by a computer system. Examples of computer-readable media include read-only memory, random access memory, CD-ROM, HDD, DVD, magnetic tape, and optical data storage devices. The computer-readable medium may also be distributed among network-coupled computer systems so that the computer-readable code is stored and executed in a distributed manner.

In the above description, for the purpose of explanation, the specific nomenclature used provides a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these specific details are not required to practice the embodiments. Therefore, the foregoing description of specific embodiments is presented for the purpose of illustration and description. These descriptions are not intended to be considered exhaustive or to limit the embodiments described to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations are possible based on the above teachings.

The present invention relates to an earplug, which includes: a housing that defines an opening adjacent a first end of the housing; a speaker that is disposed within the housing and oriented so that audio emitted by the speaker exits the housing through the opening defined by the housing; a biometric sensor that is positioned along an outer surface of the housing at the first end of the housing; and a compliant member that is coupled to the second end of the housing.

In some embodiments, the first end is positioned on an end of the housing opposite the second end.

In some embodiments, when the earbud is positioned for use within the user's ear, the compliant member engages the concha of the ear to press the biometric sensor against the surface of the tragus of the ear.

In some embodiments, the earbud has a symmetrical geometry so that the earbud can be worn and operated interchangeably in either ear of the user.

In some embodiments, the biometric sensor is selected from a heart rate sensor, a _VO2 sensor, a GSR (galvanic skin response) sensor, an electrocardiogram (EKG) sensor, an impedance cardiography (ICG) sensor, and a temperature sensor.

In some embodiments, the compliant member is removable, and the removable compliant member includes an energy storage device having contacts that power the earbud when attached to the earbud.

In some embodiments, the compliant member is pivotally coupled to the housing at two different locations.

In some embodiments, the compliant member comprises an elastomeric ring at least partially reinforced with spring steel.

In some embodiments, the elastomeric ring is pivotally coupled to the housing by a hinge at each end of the ring.

The present invention also relates to an audio device, which includes: a first earbud and a second earbud, each earbud including: an earbud housing; a speaker, which is disposed within the earbud housing and is configured to project audio out of an opening defined by the earbud housing; a circuit, which is configured to receive audio data and transmit the audio data to the speaker; and a compliant member coupled to the earbud housing.

In some embodiments, when the earbuds are positioned for listening in the user's ears, the force applied by the compliant member of each earbud presses the surface of the earbud housing against the tragus surface of the audio device user's ear.

In some embodiments, each earbud further comprises a biometric sensor, wherein the biometric sensor occupies a surface of the earbud that is pressed against the tragus surface of the ear.

In some embodiments, each earbud also includes a sensor that determines whether the earbud is positioned in the user's left or right ear.

In some embodiments, the earbud further includes circuitry for selecting an audio channel associated with the ear in which the earbud is positioned.

In some embodiments, each earbud further includes a cable extending from the earbud housing, the cable electrically coupled to a connector adapted to receive audio content.

The present invention also relates to an earplug, comprising: an earplug housing; a speaker disposed within the earplug housing; and a compliant member comprising a first end pivotally coupled to a first portion of the earplug housing and a second end pivotally coupled to a second portion of the earplug housing, the compliant member being configured to deform to conform to the internal geometry of a user's ear and to exert a force on the earplug housing when the earplug housing is worn by the user, the force positioning the earplug housing adjacent to the ear canal of the user's ear.

In some embodiments, the earbud housing includes a removable connection feature having a protrusion positioned within a channel defined by a portion of the earbud housing, and wherein the first end and the second end of the compliant member are pivotally coupled to the removable connection feature, the removable connection feature allowing the compliant member to be separated from the earbud housing.

In some embodiments, the earbud further includes a processor configured to select which channel of the audio source to send to the speaker based on a rotational position of the first end of the compliant member relative to the first portion of the earbud housing.

In some embodiments, each end of the compliant member is pivotally coupled to the earbud housing by a hinge having a limited range of motion controlled by an end stop, each end stop including a mechanical stop that prevents the end of the compliant member from passing through a predetermined angle relative to the earbud housing.

In some embodiments, each end stop includes an electrical contact that sends a signal to circuitry within the earbud indicating the rotational position of the associated end of the compliant member relative to the earbud housing when the electrical contact is engaged.

The present invention also relates to an earbud, which includes: an orientation sensor, which is configured to determine the orientation of the earbud in the ear of the earbud user; a microphone array, which includes a plurality of microphones; and a circuit, which is configured to adjust the operating state of the microphones in the microphone array according to information provided by the orientation sensor.

In some embodiments, the orientation sensor comprises an accelerometer.

In some embodiments, the microphone array includes three microphones arranged in a triangular geometry.

In some embodiments, adjusting the operational state of the microphones includes assigning two of the three microphones to record audio, the assigned microphones being arranged along a line oriented toward the user's mouth.

In some embodiments, the circuit records only a portion of the audio detected by the two microphones, the portion of the audio corresponding to audio arriving from the direction of the user's mouth.

In some embodiments, the circuit includes a processor that determines which portion of the audio is arriving from the direction of the user's mouth by performing a time difference of arrival determination.

In some embodiments, the circuit is further configured to select an audio channel from the multi-channel audio source based on information provided by the orientation sensor.

In some embodiments, when information from the orientation sensor indicates that the earbud is positioned in the user's right ear, the circuit selects the right channel from the audio source, and when the orientation sensor indicates that the earbud is positioned in the user's left ear, the circuit selects the left channel from the audio source.

In some embodiments, the orientation sensor comprises a proximity sensor that determines the orientation of the earbud by measuring the distance between a surface of the earbud housing and the user's ear.

In some embodiments, the orientation sensor comprises a temperature sensor that determines the orientation of the earbud housing by measuring the external temperature of at least two regions of an outer surface of the housing.

The present invention also relates to an audio device, which includes: a device housing having a shape and size suitable for at least partially inserting into a user's ear; an orientation sensor, which is configured to provide an orientation of the device housing relative to the user's ear; a speaker, which is disposed in the device housing; a microphone array, which is disposed in the device housing, the microphone array including a first microphone, a second microphone and a third microphone; and a processor, which is configured to adjust the operating state of the speaker, the first microphone and the second microphone according to the orientation of the device housing.

In some embodiments, the operating states of the first microphone and the second microphone include an audio recording state, a disabled state, and a noise cancellation state.

In some embodiments, the orientation sensor includes a temperature sensing assembly comprising one or more sensing surfaces disposed along an exterior surface of the device housing.

In some embodiments, the temperature sensing assembly includes a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor, and the temperature sensing assembly is configured to determine the orientation of the audio device by determining which sensing surface is in direct contact with the ear surface.

In some embodiments, the processor is configured to measure core body temperature using temperature data received from a temperature sensor in contact with the ear, and to measure ambient temperature using temperature data received from a temperature sensor not in contact with the ear.

In some embodiments, the audio device further comprises a biometric sensor selected from the group consisting of a heart rate sensor, a _VO2 sensor, a GSR (galvanic skin response) sensor, an EKG sensor, an ICG sensor, and a temperature sensor.

In some embodiments, the shape and size of the device housing are symmetrical, and the symmetry of the device housing allows the audio device to be worn in either ear of a user.

The present invention also relates to an audio device, which includes: a speaker; a wireless transceiver; a biometric sensor, which is configured to measure both the orientation of the audio device in the user's ear and a biometric parameter; a microphone array; an energy storage device, which provides power to the audio device; and an earbud housing, which encloses the speaker, the microphone array, the wireless transceiver, the biometric sensor and the energy storage device, wherein the operating state of the microphone array is adjusted by utilizing the orientation of the earbud housing in the ear of the user of the audio device.

In some embodiments, the biometric parameter is the user's core temperature.

In some embodiments, the microphone array includes three microphones arranged in a triangular configuration.

In some embodiments, adjusting the operating state of the microphone array includes disabling one of the three microphones when data from the biometric sensor indicates that the microphone is not aligned with another of the microphones and the user's mouth.

Claims (19)

1. An earplug comprising: a housing defining an opening adjacent a first end of the housing; a speaker disposed within the housing and oriented so that audio emitted by the speaker exits the housing through the opening defined by the housing; a biometric sensor positioned along an outer surface of the housing at the first end of the housing; and An elastomeric ring is pivotally coupled to the second end of the housing by a hinge at each end of the elastomeric ring. 2. The earplug of claim 1, wherein the first end is positioned on an end of the housing opposite the second end. 3. The earplug of claim 1 , wherein when the earplug is positioned for use within an ear of a user, the elastomeric ring engages the concha of the ear to press the biometric sensor against the tragus surface of the ear. 4. The earplug of claim 1 , wherein the earplug has a symmetrical geometry such that the earplug can be worn and operated interchangeably in either ear of a user. 5. The earplug according to claim 1, wherein the biometric sensor is positioned along the outer surface of the housing at the first end of the housing and is selected from a heart rate sensor, a VO2 sensor, a GSR (galvanic skin response) sensor, an electrocardiogram (EKG) sensor, an impedance cardiography (ICG) sensor, and a temperature sensor. 6. The earplug of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric ring is removable, and wherein the removable elastomeric ring includes contacts that electrically couple the housing to the elastomeric ring when the removable elastomeric ring is attached to the housing. 7. The earplug of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric ring is pivotally coupled to the housing at two different locations. 8. The earplug of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric ring is at least partially reinforced with spring steel. 9. An audio device comprising: A first earbud and a second earbud, each earbud comprising: earbud housing; a biometric sensor disposed along an outer surface of the earbud housing; a speaker disposed within the earbud housing and configured to project audio out of an opening defined by the earbud housing; and An elastomeric ring is pivotally coupled to the earbud housing by a hinge at each end of the elastomeric ring. 10. An audio device according to claim 9, wherein when the earbud is positioned for listening in the ear of a user, the force exerted by the elastomeric ring of each earbud presses the surface of the earbud housing against the tragus surface of the ear of the user of the audio device. 11. An audio device according to claim 10, wherein the biometric sensor of each earbud occupies a surface of the earbud housing that presses against the tragus surface of the ear. 12. The audio device of claim 10, wherein data from the biometric sensor is used to determine whether the earbud is positioned in the user's left or right ear. 13. The audio device of claim 9, further comprising circuitry for selecting an audio channel associated with an ear in which the earbud is positioned. 14. The audio device of claim 9, further comprising a cable extending from the earbud housing and electrically coupled to a connector adapted to receive audio content. 15. An earplug comprising: earbud housing; a biometric sensor disposed along an outer surface of the earbud housing; a speaker disposed within the earbud housing; and A compliant member comprising a first end pivotally coupled to a first portion of the earbud housing and a second end pivotally coupled to a second portion of the earbud housing, the compliant member being configured to deform to conform to an internal geometry of a user's ear and to exert a force on the earbud housing when the earbud housing is worn by the user, the force positioning the biometric sensor adjacent to the ear canal of the user's ear. 16. The earplug of claim 15 , wherein the earplug housing includes a removable connection feature having a protrusion positioned within a channel defined by a portion of the earplug housing, and wherein the first end and the second end of the compliant member are pivotally coupled to the removable connection feature, the removable connection feature allowing the compliant member to be separated from the earplug housing. 17. The earplug according to claim 16, further comprising: A processor is configured to select which channel of an audio source to send to the speaker based on a rotational position of the first end of the compliant member relative to the first portion of the earbud housing. 18. An earplug according to claim 16, wherein each end of the compliant member is pivotally coupled to the earplug housing by a hinge having a limited range of motion controlled by an end stop, each end stop including a mechanical stop that prevents the end of the compliant member from passing through a predetermined angle relative to the earplug housing. 19. The earplug of claim 18, wherein each end stop includes an electrical contact that sends a signal to a circuit within the earplug, the signal indicating the rotational position of the associated end of the compliant member relative to the earplug housing when the electrical contact is engaged.