Changing companion communication device behavior based on status of wearable device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10970030-B2
Application number	US-201816120081-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2018
Priority date	Jun 5, 2015
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for detecting a wearing status of a wearable device, the wearing status indicating whether a user is wearing the wearable device and sending wearing status data to a companion communication device to control a behavior of the companion communication device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
by a wireless ear bud paired with a companion communication device:
detecting a first wearing status indicating that the wireless ear bud is inserted in an ear of a user,
sending, responsive to detecting the first wearing status, a first signal to the companion communication device to cause an operating system component of the companion communication device to publish availability of a first audio route of a plurality of audio routes in the companion communication device to allow user-selectable controls i) to indicate availability of the first audio route to route audio data from an application running on the companion communication device and ii) to transmit audio data from the application based on a user selection via the first audio route to the wireless ear bud,
detecting, subsequent to sending the first signal, a change in wearing status from the first wearing status to a second wearing status indicating that the wireless ear bud is not inserted in the ear of the user, and
sending, responsive to detecting the change in wearing status to the second wearing status, a second signal to the companion communication device to cause the operating system component of the companion communication device to un-publish availability of the first audio route i) to disallow the user-selectable controls to indicate availability of the first audio route for applications to use for audio data routing and ii) to disable transmitting the audio data via the first audio route to the wireless ear bud.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the companion communication device transmits the audio data to the wireless ear bud via a wireless communication interface.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second signal causes the companion communication device to revert to transmitting the audio data via a default audio route of the plurality of audio routes in the companion communication device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the wireless ear bud is paired with a second wireless ear bud; and
the second wearing status indicates that neither the wireless ear bud nor the second wireless ear bud is inserted in an ear of the user.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the second signal causes the companion communication device to revert to transmitting the audio data via a previously used audio route of the plurality of audio routes in the companion communication device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second signal indicates that the companion communication device is to pause the audio data.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting a second change in wearing status from the second wearing status to the first wearing status; and
sending, responsive to detecting the second change in wearing status, a third signal to the companion communication device to cause the operating system component of the companion communication device to re-publish availability of the first audio route of the plurality of audio routes to allow the user-selectable controls to indicate availability of the first audio route to route audio data from the application or from a second application running on the companion communication device via the first audio route to the wireless ear bud.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein:
the third signal coincides with an in-coming voice call;
the second application comprises a voice application; and
the third signal indicates to the companion device to answer the in-coming voice call.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein, subsequent to transmitting the third signal, the wireless ear bud is configured to transmit audio data obtained via a microphone of the wireless ear bud to the companion communication device.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the third signal indicates that audio associated with a received text message is to be transmitted to the wireless ear bud.

11. A wireless ear bud, comprising:
a sensor configured to detect when the wireless ear bud is inserted in an ear;
a communications interface that enables the wireless ear bud to communicate wirelessly with a second wireless ear bud and with a companion communication device; and
a processor configured to execute instructions that cause the wireless ear bud to:
receive audio data from the companion communication device via the communications interface,
detect, via the sensor, that the wireless ear bud is removed from the ear; and
send, responsive to detecting that the wireless ear bud is removed from the ear, a signal to the companion communication device via the communications interface to cause an operating system component of the companion communication device to un-publish availability of a first audio route of a plurality of audio routes i) to disallow user-selectable controls to indicate availability of a first audio route of a plurality of audio routes in the companion communication device for applications to use for audio data routing and ii) to disable transmitting the audio data via the first audio route to the wireless ear bud.

12. The wireless ear bud of claim 11 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the wireless ear bud to send one or more signals to the companion communication device indicating whether the wireless ear bud and/or the second wireless ear bud are inserted in an ear to cause the operating system component of the companion communication device to publish availability of the first audio route of the plurality of audio routes in the companion communication device to allow the user-selectable controls i) to indicate availability of the first audio route to route audio data from an application running on the companion communication device and ii) to transmit audio data from the application based on a user selection via the first audio route to the wireless ear bud and/or to the second wireless ear bud.

13. The wireless ear bud of claim 12 , wherein the companion communication device is configured to:
transmit the audio data to the wireless ear bud in mono when one of the wireless ear bud or the second wireless ear bud is inserted in an ear, and
transmit the audio data to the wireless ear bud in stereo when both the wireless ear bud and the second wireless ear bud are inserted in respective ears.

14. The wireless ear bud of claim 12 , wherein, when the one or more signals indicates that the second wireless ear bud is inserted in an ear and the wireless ear bud is not inserted in an ear, the companion communication device re-routes the audio data to the second wireless ear bud.

15. The wireless ear bud of claim 11 , further comprising:
a second sensor configured to detect an in ear status of the wireless ear bud,
wherein the sensor and the second sensor are different types of sensors.

16. The wireless ear bud of claim 11 , further comprising:
a microphone configured to capture audio signals,
wherein execution of the instructions further causes the wireless ear bud to transmit, via the communications interface, the captured audio signals to the companion communication device.

17. A companion communication device communicatively coupled with a primary wireless ear bud and a secondary wireless ear bud, the companion communication device comprising:
a communications interface configured to communicate wirelessly with the primary and secondary wireless ear buds;
a speaker for outputting audio;
a processor coupled to the communications interface; and
a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the companion communication device to:
receive an in-ear status signal indicating an i

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Watson Robert D
• Shaw David John
• Chawan Arun Dhyaneshwar
• Gillette Matthew
• Ganapathi Batta Ganesha Adkasthala
• Moore Jeffrey Chandler
• Bernhard Patrick Ian
• Chang Baek San
• Coffman Patrick Lee
• Bennett Jonathan Anderson
• Guetta Anthony
• Minoo Jahan Christian
• Rauenbuehler Keith Walter

Classifications

• H04R1/1041

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

• H04R29/001

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

• H04R2420/07

  Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones · CPC title

• H04R1/1016

  Earpieces of the intra-aural type · CPC title

• H04M1/72442

  for playing music files · CPC title