Earbuds with biometric sensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9838775-B2
Application number	US-201514856344-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2015
Priority date	Sep 16, 2015
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

This application relates to earbuds configured with one or more biometric sensors. At least one of the biometric sensors is configured to be pressed up against a portion of the tragus for making biometric measurements. In some embodiments, the housing of the earbud can be symmetric so that the earbud can be worn interchangeably in either a left or a right ear of a user. In such an embodiment, the earbud can include a sensor and circuitry configured to determine and alter operation of the earbud in accordance to which ear the earbud is determined to be positioned within.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An audio device, comprising:
an earbud housing having a size and shape suitable for at least partial insertion into an ear of a user;
a speaker disposed within the earbud housing;
a wireless transceiver disposed within the earbud housing;
a biometric sensor disposed within the earbud housing and including a sensing surface arranged along an exterior surface of the earbud housing;
an energy storage device disposed within the earbud housing and providing power for operation of the audio device; and
a processor configured to determine an orientation of the earbud housing within the ear of a user using a value of a biometric parameter detected by the biometric sensor and adjust an operational state of the speaker in accordance with the determined orientation.

2. The audio device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the biometric sensor is a first biometric sensor and wherein the audio device further comprises a second biometric sensor comprising a light emitter and a light detector, the light detector measuring light from the light emitter after being reflected off the tragus of the ear of the user when the earbud housing is positioned within the ear of the user.

3. The audio device as recited in claim 2 , wherein the light emitter comprises a first light emitter and a second light emitter, the first light emitter being configured to emit light at a different frequency than the second light emitter.

4. The audio device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the biometric sensor is selected from the group consisting of a temperature sensor, a capacitive sensor and a proximity sensor.

5. The audio device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the shape and size of the earbud housing is symmetric, the symmetry of the earbud housing allowing the earbud housing to be worn in either ear of the user.

6. The audio device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the biometric sensor is in direct contact with a surface of the ear when the earbud housing is positioned within a first ear of the user and out of contact with the ear when the earbud housing is positioned within a second ear of a user.

7. The audio device as recited in claim 6 , wherein the biometric sensor is a first biometric sensor and wherein the audio device further comprises a second biometric sensor that is in direct contact with a surface of an ear of the user only when the earbud housing is positioned within the second ear of the user.

8. A method for controlling operation of an earbud in wireless communication with an electronic device, the method comprising:
receiving a signal from a first biometric sensor of the earbud consistent with the earbud being worn in a first ear of a user, wherein the earbud is powered by an energy storage device disposed within the earbud;
selecting a first audio channel of a multi-channel audio signal wirelessly communicated from the electronic device to the earbud, the first audio channel being selected in accordance with the signal received from the first biometric sensor;
sending the first audio channel of the multi-channel audio signal to a speaker unit of the earbud; and
adjusting an operational state of a second biometric sensor of the earbud in accordance with the signal received from the first biometric sensor.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the first biometric sensor comprises a temperature sensor that measures a temperature of at least two separate regions of an exterior surface of a housing of the earbud.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the first biometric sensor comprises a first temperature sensor and the second biometric sensor comprises a second temperature sensor and wherein adjusting the operational state of the second biometric sensor comprises associating the second temperature sensor with an ambient temperature.

11. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the second biometric sensor comprises a photoplethysmogram (PPG) sensor and adjusting the operational state of the sensor comprises specifying which portion of the reflected light to focus on based upon the signal from the first biometric sensor.

12. An audio device, comprising:
a speaker;
a wireless transceiver;
a biometric sensor for measuring a biometric parameter of a user of the audio device;
an energy storage device providing power for operation of the speaker, the biometric sensor and the wireless transceiver;
an earbud housing enclosing the speaker, the wireless transceiver the biometric sensor and the energy storage device; and
a processor configured to determine an orientation of the earbud housing within an ear of the user using data provided by the biometric sensor and change an operational state of the speaker in accordance with the determined orientation of the earbud housing.

13. The audio device as recited in claim 12 , wherein the biometric sensor comprises a temperature sensor.

14. The audio device as recited in claim 12 , further comprising a compliant member coupled to the earbud housing and configured to engage a rear portion of the ear to keep the earbud housing seated within the ear.

15. The audio device as recited in claim 12 , wherein the processor is also configured to determine whether the audio device is situated within either ear of the user and when the processor determines the earbud housing is not situated in either ear, the processor places the audio device in a standby or deactivated state.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Qian Phillip
• Siahaan Edward
• Grinker Scott C
• Leblanc Jason J

Classifications

• H04R5/04

  Circuit arrangements, {e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments (combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S)} · CPC title

• A61B5/14557

  specially adapted to extracorporeal circuits · CPC title

• H04R2201/109

  Arrangements to adapt hands free headphones for use on both ears · CPC title

• H04R1/406

  microphones · CPC title

• H04R1/1091 Primary

  Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083 · CPC title