Multi-stage body engagement detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022124426-A1
Application number	US-202117562977-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 27, 2021
Priority date	Mar 31, 2020
Publication date	Apr 21, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

According to an aspect of the disclosure, an audio device is provided comprising a communications interface configured to be communicatively coupled to an audio source, at least one sensor, and a controller configured to control the audio device to be in a low-power mode, receive, from the sensor(s), information indicative of a presence of a user's body, initiate, via the communications interface responsive to receiving the information, a wireless communication pairing process to establish a wireless communication bond with the audio source prior to determining that the audio device is fully engaged with the user's body, determine, subsequent to initiating the wireless communication pairing process and based on information received from the sensor(s), that the audio device is fully engaged with the user's body, and control, responsive to determining that the audio device is fully engaged with the user's body, the audio device to be in an active mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An audio device comprising:
at least one of an accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, or inertial measurement unit (IMU); one or more infrared (IR) sensors; and a controller configured to
in response to entering a low-power mode during which certain functionality is disabled or suspended, determine whether the audio device is being moved using the at least one of an accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, or IMU;
in response to determining that the audio device is being moved when in the low-power mode, bring the one or more IR sensors out of a deactivated or low-power state; and
in response to determining the audio device is engaged with a user's body using at least the one or more IR sensors, activate additional functionality of the audio device.

2 . The audio device of claim 1 , wherein the additional functionality includes providing an audio signal to i) indicate the audio device is in an active mode and/or ii) provide information about the audio device.

3 . The audio device of claim 1 , wherein the additional functionality includes answering a phone call.

4 . The audio device of claim 1 , wherein the additional functionality includes resuming audio output that was previously paused.

5 . The audio device of claim 1 , wherein the additional functionality includes enabling one or more capacitive touch sensors.

6 . The audio device of claim 1 , wherein the additional functionality includes modifying active noise reduction functionality.

7 . The audio device of claim 1 , wherein the additional functionality includes enabling voice-input functionality.

8 . The audio device of claim 1 , wherein the additional functionality includes increasing power to processing and/or radio frequency (RF) functionality.

9 . The audio device of claim 1 , wherein the additional functionality includes enabling master-puppet switching functionality.

10 . The audio device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to determining i) the audio device is no longer engaged with the user's body using at least the one or more IR sensors and ii) an inactivity threshold has been met, cause the audio device to re-enter the low-power mode.

11 . A method of operating an audio device, the method comprising:
in response to the audio device entering a low-power mode during which certain functionality of the audio device is disabled or suspended, determine whether the audio device is being moved using at least one of an accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, or inertial measurement unit (IMU) of the audio device; in response to determining that the audio device is being moved when in the low-power mode, bring one or more infrared (IR) sensors of the audio device out of a deactivated or low-power state; and in response to determining the audio device is engaged with a user's body using at least the one or more IR sensors, activate additional functionality of the audio device.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the additional functionality includes providing an audio signal to i) indicate the audio device is in an active mode and/or ii) provide information about the audio device.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the additional functionality includes answering a phone call.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the additional functionality includes resuming audio output that was previously paused.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the additional functionality includes enabling one or more capacitive touch sensors.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the additional functionality includes modifying active noise reduction functionality.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the additional functionality includes enabling voice-input functionality.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the additional functionality includes increasing power to processing and/or radio frequency (RF) functionality.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the additional functionality includes enabling master-puppet switching functionality.

20 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising, in response to determining i) the audio device is no longer engaged with the user's body using at least the one or more IR sensors and ii) an inactivity threshold has been met, cause the audio device to re-enter the low-power mode.

Assignees

• Bose Corp

Inventors

• Minich David
• Malaver Josue
• Israelowitz Miriam
• Delhoume Alexia
• Gelberger Michelle

Classifications

• H04R1/1041 Primary

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

• H04R1/1016

  Earpieces of the intra-aural type · CPC title

• H04R2460/01

  Hearing devices using active noise cancellation · CPC title

• H04W76/14

  Direct-mode setup · CPC title

• H04R2420/07

  Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones · CPC title