Electronic device and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9794683-B2
Application number	US-201514817782-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2015
Priority date	Aug 13, 2014
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

An electronic device of the present invention includes: a first body having an arch shape corresponding to the neck of a user so as to be worn around the neck of the user; second bodies respectively attached to both ends of the first body and including one or more joints by which the second bodies move relative to the first body; and a directional speaker provided to at least part of the second bodies to output sound in a specific direction. According to the present invention, a directional speaker is provided to a wearable device that can be worn around the neck of the user so as to effectively transmit sound to the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a first body having an arch shape corresponding to the neck of a user;
a second body attached to a first end of the first body by a first joint, wherein the second body pivots with respect to the first body via the first joint, the second body including a proximal portion connected to the first end of the first body by the first joint and a distal portion connected to the proximal portion by a second joint;
a directional speaker provided on the distal portion of the second body, wherein the distal portion pivots and rotates relative to the proximal portion of the second body via the second joint, and
a third body attached to a second end of the first body,
wherein operation of the directional speaker changes according to an operation mode of the electronic device, and
wherein the operation mode of the electronic device includes at least one of:
a first mode for changing the operation of a display provided on the first body by sensing at least one of a velocity change and an acceleration change of the electronic device;
a second mode for changing the operation of at least one or more vibration units and the directional speaker by sensing an object approaching the electronic device;
a third mode for changing the operation of the one or more vibration units and the directional speaker depending on acquired route information;
a fourth mode for changing the operation of the directional speaker when adjacent to an activated microphone; and
a fifth mode for changing the operation of the directional speaker depending on the position of the first and second bodies relative to each other.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a microphone provided at one of the second body and the third body; and
a controller that adjusts the volume of the directional speaker as a function of the location of the directional speaker relative to the or deactivates the directional speaker when the microphone is activated.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 further comprising a controller that selectively deactivates directivity of the directional speaker depending on an operation mode of the electronic device.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first body includes a display that emits light.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the display is divided into a first area and a second area, and wherein the first and second areas independently operate.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , further comprising:
a sensor that acquires at least one of a velocity and an acceleration of the electronic device; and
a controller that controls the first area of the display to be activated or to flicker or to be brighter than the second area of the display when the sensor acquires an acceleration of the electronic device in a first direction, and controls the second area of the display to be activated or to flicker or to be brighter than the first area of the display when the sensor acquires an acceleration of the electronic device in a second direction.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor that acquires an acceleration of the electronic device;
a first vibration unit provided on the second body;
a second vibration unit provided on the third body; and
a controller that controls the first vibration unit to vibrate when the acquired acceleration is in the direction of the second body, and controls the second vibration unit to vibrate when the acquired acceleration is in the direction of the third body.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a wireless communication unit that acquires direction information from another device;
a first vibration unit provided on the third body;
a second vibration unit provided the second body; and
a controller that controls the first vibration unit to vibrate when the acquired direction information indicates a direction towards the third body, and controls the second vibration unit to vibrate when the acquired direction information indicates a direction towards the second body.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second joint includes a first hinge by which the distal portion of the second body pivots with respect to the proximal portion of the second body, and a second hinge by which the distal portion of the second body rotates with respect to the proximal portion of the second body.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the first joint is provided between the first and second bodies.

11. A method for controlling the electronic device of claim 1 , comprising:
setting an operation mode of the electronic device; and
changing the operation of the electronic device including operation of the directional speaker according to the set operation mode.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Yongtae

Classifications

• H04R5/033

  Headphones for stereophonic communication {(details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10)} · CPC title

• H04R2499/11

  Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's · CPC title

• H04R2430/01

  Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems · CPC title

• H04R5/02

  Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers · CPC title

• H04R1/32

  for obtaining desired directional characteristic only {(specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/40)} · CPC title