Acoustic in ear detection for a hearable device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10491981-B1
Application number	US-201816221370-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 14, 2018
Priority date	Dec 14, 2018
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

A method for determining a current usage state of an earphone that includes a speaker and an air pressure sensor. The method obtains a pressure signal from the air pressure sensor that indicates air pressure proximate to the earphone, the air pressure sensor produces the pressure signal in response to the earphone being inserted into an ear of a user. The method processes the obtained pressure signal to determine that the earphone is in a state of use, and in response, performs at least one of (1) outputting an audio signal through the speaker signifying that the earphone is in use (2) establishing a wireless connection with a media playback device to exchange data between the earphone and the media playback device, or combination thereof.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method performed by a processor of an earphone for determining a current usage state of the earphone that comprises a speaker and an air pressure sensor, the method comprising:
determining, using a proximity sensor, that a distance between the earphone and an object external to the earphone is lower than a threshold distance;
in response to determining that the distance is lower than the threshold distance, activating the air pressure sensor to begin sensing air pressure proximate to the earphone;
obtaining a pressure signal from the air pressure sensor that indicates air pressure proximate to the earphone, the air pressure sensor produces the pressure signal in response to the earphone being inserted into an ear of a user;
processing the obtained pressure signal to determine that the earphone is in a state of use, and in response, performing at least one of (1) outputting an audio signal through the speaker signifying that the earphone is in use, (2) establishing a wireless connection with a media playback device to exchange data between the earphone and the media playback device, or combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein processing the obtained pressure signal to determine that the earphone is in the state of use comprises detecting that the pressure signal has at least one pulse.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one pulse within the pressure signal is detected over a period of time having a range of 50 milliseconds to 500 milliseconds.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein processing the obtained pressure signal comprises generating a sound pressure level (SPL) signal from the pressure signal and detecting at least one pulse within the SPL signal, wherein the pulse exceeds an SPL threshold value that is between 20 dB and 50 dB.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the earphone is in the state of use comprises
transforming the pressure signal into a plurality of frequency components;
determining an energy level of each of the plurality of frequency components;
detecting that a low frequency component of the plurality of frequency components has a higher energy level than a high frequency component of the plurality of frequency components.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the low frequency component is between 1-100 Hz.

7. A hearable device comprising
a housing;
a processor;
a speaker;
a proximity sensor;
an air pressure sensor, wherein the speaker and the air pressure sensor are integrated into the housing; and
memory having stored therein instructions which when executed by the processor cause the hearable device to
determine, using the proximity sensor, that a distance between the hearable device and an object external to the hearable device is lower than a threshold distance;
in response to determining that the distance is lower than the threshold distance, activate the air pressure sensor to begin sensing air pressure proximate to the hearable device;
obtain a pressure signal from the air pressure sensor that indicates air pressure proximate to the hearable device, the air pressure sensor produces the pressure signal in response to the hearable device being inserted into or placed against an ear of a user;
process the obtained pressure signal to determine that the hearable device is in a state of use being against the ear or inside of the ear of the user, and in response, performing at least one of (1) outputting an audio signal through the speaker signifying to the user that the hearable device is in use, (2) establishing a wireless connection with a media playback device to exchange data between the hearable device and the media playback device, or combination thereof.

8. The hearable device of claim 7 , wherein the instructions to process the obtained pressure signal to determine that the hearable device is in a state of use comprises instructions to detect that the pressure signal has at least one pulse.

9. The hearable device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one pulse within the pressure signal is detected over a period of time having a range of 50 milliseconds to 500 milliseconds.

10. The hearable device of claim 9 , wherein the instructions to process the pressure signal comprises instructions to generate a sound pressure level (SPL) signal from the pressure signal and detect at least one pulse within the SPL signal, wherein the pulse exceeds an SPL threshold value that is between 20 dB and 50 dB.

11. The hearable device of claim 7 , wherein the instructions to determine the hearable device is in a state of use comprises instructions to
transforming the pressure signal into a plurality of frequency components;
determining an energy level of each of the plurality of frequency components;
detecting that a low frequency component of the plurality of frequency components has a higher energy level than a high frequency component of the plurality of frequency components.

12. The hearable device of claim 11 , wherein the low frequency component is between 1-100 Hz.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the earphone further comprises a motion sensor, wherein the method further comprises:
obtaining, from the motion sensor, motion data that indicates the earphone is moving; and
in response to obtaining the motion data, activating the proximity sensor to begin sensing a presence of external nearby objects.

14. The hearable device of claim 7 further comprising a motion sensor, wherein the memory further stores instructions that when executed by the processor causes the hearable device to
obtain, from the motion sensor, motion data that indicates the earphone is moving; and
in response to obtaining the motion data, activate the proximity sensor to begin sensing a presence of external nearby objects.

15. A method performed by a processor of an earphone for determining a current usage state of the earphone that includes a speaker and an air pressure sensor, the method comprising:
obtaining a pressure signal from the air pressure sensor that indicates air pressure proximate to the earphone, the air pressure sensor produces the pressure signal in response to the earphone being inserted into an ear of a user;
processing the obtained pressure signal to determine that the earphone is in a state of use by detecting that the pressure signal has at least one pulse over a period of time having a range of 50 milliseconds to 500 milliseconds, and in response, performing 1) outputting an audio signal through the speaker signifying that the earphone is in use or 2) establishing a wireless connection with a media playback device to exchange data between the earphone and the media playback device.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the earphone further comprises a proximity sensor, wherein the method further comprises:
determining, using the proximity sensor, that a distance between the earphone and an external object is lower than a threshold distance; and
in response to the distance being lower than the threshold distance, activating the air pressure sensor to begin sensing the air pressure.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein processing the obtained pressure signal comprises generating a sound pressure level (SPL) signal from the pressure signal and detecting a pulse within the SPL signal, wherein the pulse exceeds an SPL threshold value that is between 20 dB and 50 dB.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the air pressure sensor produces the pressure signal while the speaker is not driven by an audio signal to produce sound.

19. The method of

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Wang Hongfeng
• Na Chen
• Moriyama Ryan M

Classifications

• H04R1/1041 Primary

  Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements (switches in general H01H) · CPC title

• H04R2460/15

  Determination of the acoustic seal of ear moulds or ear tips of hearing devices · CPC title

• H04R2420/07

  Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones · CPC title

• H04R29/001 Primary

  for loudspeakers (H04R29/007 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04R1/08

  Mouthpieces; {Microphones;} Attachments therefor · CPC title