Wearable audio device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9621973-B2
Application number	US-201514634012-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2015
Priority date	Sep 22, 2014
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

In one embodiment, a device includes at least one transducer configured to vibrate within a first frequency range to generate a signal audible by a wearer of the device. The device includes the first material, which has an acoustic impedance at one or more frequencies within the first frequency range that is substantially similar to an acoustic impedance of the wearer's skin at the one or more frequencies. The device includes a second material that has an acoustic impedance at one or more frequencies within the first frequency range that substantially differs from an acoustic impedance of an environment of the device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a first transducer configured to vibrate within a first frequency range to generate a signal audible by a wearer of the device;
a first material on or near a first surface of the first transducer, the first material having an acoustic impedance at one or more frequencies within the first frequency range that is substantially similar to an acoustic impedance of the wearer's skin at the one or more frequencies; and
a second material on or near at least a second surface of the first transducer, the second material having an acoustic impedance at one or more frequencies within the first frequency range that substantially differs from an acoustic impedance of an environment of the device;
a microphone configured to receive from the wearer's body a reflected signal based on the generated signal:
one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media embodying software: and one or more processors that are operable to execute the software to:
determine, based on the received reflected signal, a location of the device relative to at least one of the wearer's ears: and
alter, based on the determined location, a frequency or an amplitude of the signal generated by the transducer.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the environment comprises air.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first material conforms to a surface of the wearer's skin.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first frequency range includes one or more audible frequencies.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the first frequency range comprises approximately 20 Hertz to approximately 20 kilohertz.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first frequency range includes one or more ultrasonic frequencies.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the first frequency range comprises approximately 20 kilohertz to approximately 100 kilohertz.

8. The device of claim 6 , wherein the first frequency range further includes one or more audible frequencies; and
the signal comprises at least one ultrasonic carrier frequency modulated by the at least one audible frequency.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the microphone is further configured to receive an environmental acoustic signal from an environment of the wearer.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the environmental acoustic signal comprises a verbal communication from the wearer.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the first transducer is configured to vibrate, based on the environmental acoustic signal, to generate the signal audible by the wearer of the device such that the signal destructively interferes with at least a portion of the environmental acoustic signal at the wearer.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further operable to execute the software to adjust;
a phase of the vibration.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first frequency range comprises at least one audible frequency and at least one ultrasonic frequency; and
the one or more processors are operable to execute the software to alter, based on the determined location, the frequency of the vibration between the at least one audible frequency and the at least one ultrasonic frequency.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are further operable to execute the software to:
determine a part of the wearer's body about which the device is worn; and
adjust, based on the determined body part about which the device is worn, the frequency of the vibration between the at least one audible frequency and the at least one ultrasonic frequency.

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the
one or more processors are further configured to execute the software to determine, based on the received reflected signal, a posture of the wearer.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the one or more processors are further operable to execute the software to generate a notification to the wearer based on the determined posture.

17. The device of claim 1 , wherein a vibration of the first transducer is based on one or more user-configurable settings.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the user-configurable settings comprise an equalizer.

19. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a global positioning system sensor.

20. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a radio frequency transceiver.

21. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first material comprises one or more of: a gel, a foam, a rubber, or a metal.

22. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second material comprises one or more of:
a cotton and a plastic;
a cotton, a cork, and a rubber;
a vinyl and a polyurethane foam;
a soundproof foam; or
a gel.

23. The device of claim 1 further comprising a third material enclosing the first transducer and the first material, wherein the third material comprises one or more of: a thin vinyl material, a thick vinyl material, an ultrasound gel pad, or a rubber casing.

24. The device of claim 1 wherein the device further comprises one or more of:
a counterbalanced neckband; or
a tensioned headband.

25. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to:
be placed into a neck pillow;
be placed inside a collar of an article of clothing;
be placed on a back of a helmet; or
be embedded on a car seat neck support.

26. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a second transducer configured to vibrate within a second frequency range, wherein the signal is based on the vibrations in the first frequency range and the vibrations in the second frequency range.

27. The device of claim 26 , wherein the first frequency range includes one or more audible frequencies and the second frequency range comprises one or more ultrasonic frequencies.

28. The device of claim 26 , wherein the first and second frequency ranges both include one or more audible frequencies.

29. The device of claim 28 , wherein the signal comprises stereophonic sound.

30. The device of claim 1 , wherein the signal audible by the wearer of the device is transmitted from the first transducer through an acoustic pathway comprising:
the first material on or near the first surface of the first transducer and coupled to the skin of the wearer of the device,
the skin of the wearer, and
a soft tissue of the wearer.

31. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are operable to execute the software to:
in response to a determination that the device is at least a predetermined distance away from the wearer's ear, vibrate the transducer at one or more ultrasonic frequencies; and
in response to a determination that the device is within a predetermined distance away from the wearer's ear, vibrate the transducer at one or more audible frequencies.

32. A method comprising:
generating, by a transducer vibrating within a first frequency range, a signal audible by a wearer of a device;
substantially matching an acoustic impedance of the wearer's skin and an acoustic impedance of a first material on or near the transducer at one or more frequencies within the first frequency range; and
substantially mismatching an acoustic impedance of an environment of the device and an acoustic impedance of a second material on or near the transducer at one or more frequencies within the first frequency range;
determining, based on a reflected

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Stauber Mark
• Bau Olivier
• Cho Junyeon
• Reyes Gabriel

Classifications

• G10K2210/1081

  Earphones, e.g. for telephones, ear protectors or headsets · CPC title

• G10K2210/3229

  Transducers · CPC title

• H04R1/26

  Spatial arrangements of separate transducers responsive to two or more frequency ranges · CPC title

• H04R2460/13

  Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers · CPC title

• H04R2460/01

  Hearing devices using active noise cancellation · CPC title